List of Major Events in the X-Men Universe

IMPORTANT: An updated version of this post is available here.

As companion to my recently launched X-Men Read Order and Graphical X-Men Timeline, I decided to pick up essential issues and their related storylines from the X-Men Universe. This follows the read order scope, that is to say from Giant-Sized X-Men #1 to House of M.

Timeline of events in the X-Men Universe

Essential Issues of Major Events in the X-Men Universe

Giant Sized X-Men #1
All-New X-Men debut to save the original X-Men team.
Major Events in X-Men Universe

Uncanny X-Men #101
Jean Grey becomes the Phoenix.
Major Events X-Men Universe Timeline

X-Men #137
Jean Grey (eventually revealed to have been a Phoenix Force double) kills herself after becoming the Dark Phoenix. The full story can be seen in the “The Dark Phoenix Saga“.
X-Men Universe Death of Phoenix

X-Men #141
We see the first true glimpse into the many dystopian X-Men futures in this John Byrne and Chris Claremont classic. “Days of Future Past” continues in X-Men #142.
Alternate X-Men Universe

Marvel Graphic Novel #4
Believing the X-Men are dead, Professor X forms the New Mutants are formed. Follow the full story in the X-Men’s original “The Brood” storyline as well as the first issues of “New Mutants”. This adds the first new ongoing title in the X-Men Universe.
New Mutants Event

Uncanny X-Men #168
Madelyne Pryor meets Cyclops. They will eventually marry.
X-Men Universe Kitty Pryde

Uncanny X-Men #200 & #201
Magneto takes over from Professor X as he leaves earth to heal. Meanwhile, Scott Summers’ son Nathan is born as Storm beats out Cyclops to take over as leader of the X-Men.
X-Men Leader

X-Factor #1
Jean Grey returns, leading the original 5 X-Men to reform under the guise of X-Factor. Cyclops hence leaves Madelyne and his son, under strange circumstances.
X-Men X-Factor

Uncanny X-Men #211
The “Mutant Massacre” begins as the marauders kill the Morlocks. This launches the first true crossover within the X-Men Universe.
Major Events Wolverine X-Men

Uncanny X-Men #227
X-Men are believed dead following the “Fall of the Mutants“, launching major changes throughout the X-Men Universe, as Angel becomes Archangel in X-Factor #24 and Doug Ramsey dies in New Mutants #60. They will operate covertly with a headquarters in Australia.
Fall of the Mutants Event X-Men UniverseX-Men Fall of the Mutants EventNew Mutants Death

Uncanny X-Men #241
Madelyne Pryor is revealed to be a clone of Jean Grey, becomes Goblin Queen during Inferno. X-Factor and X-Men meet for the first time.
Inferno Event X-Men Universe

Uncanny X-Men #251
The X-Men, escaping the Reavers in Australia, pass through Siege Perilous, leaving them scattered and changed, most notably Psylocke.
Major Wolverine Event

New Mutants #95
Warlock is killed as Genosha, the Mutant/Mutate nation, erupts under “X-Tinction Agenda“.
X-Men Crossover Event

X-Factor #68
Nathan Christopher Charles Summers (Cable) gets sent to the future to be saved from the Techno-Organic Virus.
X-Men Event X-Factor Cable Origin

X-Factor #70
The various X-teams regroup to reform various teams after the return of Professor X during the “Muir Island Saga“, creating the New X-Factor, Gold and Blue teams of X-Men and X-Force.
X-Men Event Revamp

X-Men #8
Bishop reveals the origins of a dystopian future which he is from, accusing Gambit of eventually betraying the X-Men.
X-Men Future Universe

Uncanny X-Men #294
Stryfe, a clone of Cable, attempts to assassinate Professor X with the techno-organic virus during “X-Cutioner’s Song“. This first major crossover after the revamp of X-Men Universe titles ends with the release of the Legacy Virus, which only affects mutants.
X-Men Universe Crossover

X-Men #25
Magneto, having returned to earth and enrolled Colossus following the death of his sister at the hands of the Legacy Virus, strips Wolverine of his Adamantium. The full story is found in X-Men #303 and “Fatal Attractions“.
X-Men Wolverine

Cable #6
Cable is confirmed to be the son of Cyclops who was sent to the future in X-Factor #68.
X-Men Cable Events

Uncanny X-men #316
The Phalanx Kidnap the X-Men, leaving Banshee and the White Queen to recruit young mutants who eventually become Generation X.
Major X-Men Event Crossover

X-Men #41
Legion, Professor X’s sun, goes back in time to kill Magneto, but mistakenly kills Charles, creating the “Age of Apocalypse“, an alternate X-Men Universe.
X-Men Age of Apocalypse Event

Onslaught: X-Men
This one-shot essential issue follows the reveal that Professor X is Onslaught, and plays out the events of which in Bishop’s time is known as the last days of the X-Men.
X-Men Marvel Universe

X-Factor #130
Anti-mutant presidential candidate Graydon Creed, son of Mutant Sabretooth and Mystique, is assassinated, setting the path towards “Operation: Zero Tolerance“.
X-Men Event

X-Men #87
Magneto is ceded the Island mutant nation of Genosha.
X-Men Magneto Event

Uncanny X-Men #390
Colossus sacrifices himself to gain a cure for the Legacy Virus.
Major X-Men Event

X-Men #97
Following the revealing contents found in the Precog Destiny’s Diary, the X-Men. Apocalypse rises, but takes Cyclops’ sacrifice to stop him, melding the two beings and creating the “Ages of Apocalypse“.
X-Men Universes

X-Treme X-Men #1
A group of X-Men Splinter off, in search of Destiny’s Diaries and begins a growing rift between X-Men as the School takes on more Mutants and Professor reveals his powers to the world.
X-Treme X-Men Universe

New X-Men #115
Cassandra Nova uses the Sentinels to destroy the Island Nation of Genosha and the millions of Mutants inhabiting it.
New X-Men Universe

New X-Men #150
The death of Jean Grey leads Cyclops and Emma Frost to formally couple and become Headmasters of the school.
X-Men Grant Morrison

House of M #7
During the events of “House of M“, a deranged Scarlet Witch strips most mutants of their powers, leaving only 198 left.
X-Men House of M Universe

What would you include in a list of critical X-Men Issues? Expand the timeline of major events in the X-Men Universe by viewing our X-Men Read Order and Graphical X-Men Timeline

2 thoughts on “List of Major Events in the X-Men Universe

  1. will this section be expanded to the stories leading to AVX or is this the end of the list with house of m #7?

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