Review # 188: "New X-Men by Grant Morrison Ultimate Collection Vol. 1"

After the X-Men died a slow death through "The Twelve" and "Ages of Apocalypse," it wandered like an undead zombie shambling through stories involving the High Evolutionary and the intergalactic community. Alan Davis was trying, bless him, but the series was in such dire need of rehab it seemed like there was nothing Marvel could do to fix things.

Review # 185: "X-Men - The Shattering"

Marvel made what SHOULD have been a good decision when it put Alan Davis in charge of the X-Men in the late 90s. With his quality work on "Excalibur," strong knowledge and dazzling art, along with the company's similar hiring philosophy propelling the "Avengers" to its all-time best run under Kurt Busiek and George Perez, this move should have turned the company's flagship franchise around. Unfortunately, things don't always work out that way as Davis offered up what is arguably the most disappointing story in X-Men history. "The Shattering" is NOT that story, but it sets it up.

Review # 182: "Onslaught"

Many people point to "Onslaught" as the narrative point where Marvel collapsed in the 1990s. I'm inclined to agree. However, I never expected my re-read of this saga to make me worry so much about Marvel's immediate future.

Review # 178: "Age of Apocalypse Prelude"

I feel pretty comfortable calling "Age of Apocalypse" the best comic book crossover of the 90's, for whatever that's worth. For my money it is the only "X-Men" story arc from the Nicieza-Harras-Lobdell trinity that stacks up with anything that came before or has come since. It was a project birthed from wild ambition, sequenced perfectly and executed soundly. All to examine what the world of the X-Men would be like if Charles Xavier had not been around to form them.

Ah, but in the lead-in lies a flaw.

Review # 161: "X-Men Epic Collection Vol. 1 - 'Children of the Atom'"

Stan Lee is one hell of a creator. But I don't need to tell you that. His mark on popular culture grows by the day as franchises attached to his name have become multimedia phenomena, shattering records worldwide. Lee deserves all the praise he receives.

However, he is not perfect.

Review # 150: "X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 2"

The second "X-Men by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee" omnibus is a piece of history as it redefines the series and sets it on the path to its greatest era of commercial success. Most of what happens here is an extended, gradual reset as Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman and Archangel are brought back into the fold and the team returns to the X-Mansion.

Review # 109: "Marvel Masterworks - The X-Men Vol. 6"

Before Len Wein, Dave Cockrum and Chris Claremont came along the X-Men sucked. Flat out sucked. Issue after issue of one-note characters taking on terrible villains in forgettable stories. Given how memorable the work of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby was in the early 60s, it's stunning to find a book so empty outside of some very rare exceptions. As a result, I was 100 percent certain for years that I would never pick up another pre-"Giant Size X-Men" collection again. I wasn't interested in seeing more pale shadows of these characters that I love - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, Angel, Charles Xavier, Magneto, etc. - ever again.

Review # 73: "Nation X"

"Nation X" has the X-Men in a pretty cool place. Outside of a few exceptions, every mutant hero is now living on one big island made out of what was once Asteroid M. Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Professor X, the original New Mutants, the New X-Men and many, many others are now directly interacting.

Review # 72: "Dark Avengers/X-Men - Utopia"

Norman Osborn had secretly taken over the world. His Green Goblin persona under control, he had formed a secret cabal, taken command of SHIELD and formed his own Avengers team while keeping the originals on the run. Far more frightening as a villain smiling for the cameras than he had ever been with a glider and pumpkin bombs, life for Orborn was as good as it got.

Review # 67: "Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1"

The re-launch of X-Men that began with "Giant Size X-Men # 1" is unlike anything else in comics. Under the pen of Chris Claremont, it revolutionized storytelling within the medium creating unrivaled, long-term, interwoven plots the likes of which had never been seen. He may not have created Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman and Angel. He may not have created Professor X and Magneto. He may not have created Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler and Colossus. However, Claremont is without a doubt the father of the X-Men. He was on the book for nearly two straight decades, defining an entire sector of the Marvel Universe. Many of his plots have been adapted into major feature films and animated TV series. Some multiple times. The imprint he has left on his craft is massive.

Review # 60: "X-Men Legacy - 'Divided He Stands' and "Sins of the Father'"

Spread across multiple series, the "Divided We Stand" event saw members of the X-Men find themselves. No one had more of themselves to find than Charles Xavier. Shot in the head to conclude the events of "Messiah Complex," Professor X's body was abducted (thanks to Tempo) by the Acolytes. Under the watch of former lover Amelia Voght, first-class asshole Frenzy and New Excalibur tag-along Omega Sentinel, 90s overkill character Exodus attempts to repair what remains of Charles' fractured mind. Things aren't going well until the at-the-time powerless Magneto appears at Xavier's bedside, psychically drawing his old friend and rival out of his coma.

Review # 56: "X-Men - Deadly Genesis"

"Deadly Genesis" is a bit of a placeholder story after "House of M" despite some major repercussions within its pages. It tightens up the loose end of Professor X's whereabouts but doesn't do much in the way of forwarding the M-Day storyline.

Review # 17: "X-Men: Fatal Attractions"

The X-Men of the Bob Harras/Scott Lobdell/Fabien Nicieza era can be best summed up in two words: "violent arguments." And I'm not talking about two people sitting across from the table furiously unleashing verbal barrages or each other. I'm talking about what 90s post-Chris Claremont X-Men comics had instead of fights. For every punch thrown, every claw snikt'd and every eye beam zakt'd there would be sentences upon sentences of philosophical posturing. While it's true that often there's too much conversation going on during superhero battles, under Harras' watch as editor (or "dictator" as implied by Claremont who quit over creative disputes,) the X-Men and their villains took it to another level.

Review # 13: "Avengers vs. X-Men"

"Avengers vs. X-Men." Oy vey.