Just jumping aboard X-men

[BitBiteOuch]

Well, I read Uncanny X-men alot when I was younger, and watched the show like crazy, but the last thing I read was like Grant Morrison's New X-men, and only because I bought the first hardcover. So today, I figured I'd jump back in, and though my local shop was out of the newest Uncanny X-men (which I also plan to pick up) I got issue 21 of Astonishing and the big X-men 200. Needless to say, this brings me back to the whole age old question - when is any of this happening?

:spoiler:

In Astonishing, Cyclops seems to be depowered, Beast is still looking lion-like and Wolverine (though he has his solo series AND is in the New Avengers, which I also read) is on the team. So thats all fine, not too hard to get used to or anything, and even though I kinda jumped in in the middle of the Breakworld story, I found it real easy to catch up. Then i read X-men #200, and it seems the Astonishing team is off of Breakworld, Cyclops is back with his powers and costume, Beast is looking less furry than ever (though I'm sure thats just artists choice) and theres Wolverine ...again. I know this might sound like pointless complaining, but as I'm just trying to get back into X-men, I find myself a little lost. I was just wondering, does Astonishing take place before X-men 200? If so, doesn't that like completely ruin any suspence, I mean we know that everyone gets home all nice and safe, all the funs gone. And Wolverine, like, this guy is ever at once, which I'm sure is just Marvel's problem and can't be explained. So yeh, was this a bad time to jump on? Is Uncanny this screwy? Are there any recent back issues I should get? Has X-men just gone through so much that it seems weird to be seeing these characters not age? Should I pick up any of that Decimation, House of M, Deadly Genesis, or any of the other big recent X-events?

[murs47]

I don't know what the deal is with Astonishing being on a slightly different time setting but I agree that it's a good series.

Wolverine is just in issue #200 and for the most part only stars in Astonishing and New Avengers.

As for Uncanny, it's my 2nd favorite X-title right now with New X-Men being my first. Anyways, Uncanny just finished a year long arc called "Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire" which started with issue #475.

You may also want to check out X-Men: Deadly Genesis before you read it though, it's an origin story of the main villain in the Uncanny arc.

I'm sure some more people will provide more and better info, as well as some more suggestions.

[Podmark]

Astonishing is in an odd position. The book does not come out on a regular basis due to lateness. As such the entire arc from 13 to I think it ends with 24 is currently the highest point of continuity. Everything occuring in every regular Marvel book is before the begining of that arc.

As for Beast, he's supposed to be just as cat like as Astonishing, it's just Ramos's style. Beast has been a cat for so long that I've grown to love that form. I hope he never changes back.

As for Wolverine he has two solo books (Wolverine and Wolverine: Origins) and appears regularly in New Avengers and Astonishing. He makes semi frequent guest appearances in the other X-Books usually as a member of the Astonishing team (they like to have the Astonishing team guest star alot, for a number of reasons including the lateness of Astonishing). However, this is a far cry from things just a few years ago where Wolverine was virtually a cast member of all three X-books, rather than an occasional guest appearance.

As for the X-Books in general I've heard alot of people say that the last year has been the best the X-books have been since at least the Morrison era, and I agree with them. But really you need to try some stuff, not everyone likes the same thing. Also the X-Books are building to a big crossover at the moment so that's something to consider.

I personally love New X-Men, and also enjoy X-Men and Cable & Deadpool, Uncanny is really good too. Astonishing's schedule has turned me off, but I'm sure it will read well when it's all done. X-Factor is a little different, it's got a bit of Noir Detective elements to it. I don't really pay much attention to Wolverine's solos or New ExCalibur.

[Intensity]

if you remember Jubilee at all, she will be starring in New Warriors starting with issue #2 that comes out next month.  Her codename will be Wondra, and she'll have super strength- no joke.

Also, Rogue absorbed Sunfire's power and can now control fire.
Gambit is a bad guy with the Marauders now too.

[Talavar]

The previous arc and the current arc of Astonishing all take place in about 2 days, and so are presumed to be over by the time of X-men 200.  However, Astonishing, while being great, is kind of off in its own little universe to some degree. 

Of the other X-titles, I recommend X-Factor, New X-men and Uncanny quite highly.  Adjectiveless is all right, but up until the current shake up, just hasn't done a ton for me.  Cable & Deadpool has been a fun book, I don't know where recent events will leave it. 

Don't bother with House of M, it's basically pointless.  The only thing that's important that comes out of it occurs right at the end, and Decimation, which isn't bad, deals with it - the depowering of most mutants.

As others have said, Wolverine's really only in Astonishing, New Avengers, & his own books; everything else is typically just a guest appearance.  X-men 200 was unusual because it had a lot of X-men characters that aren't/haven't  been in Adjectiveless, including Wolverine, but also Cyclops, Beast, Nightcrawler and others.  That's been part of my issue with Adjectiveless: to me it feels like it's the book starring the dregs of the X-characters.

[thanoson]

I was reading Endangered to me. Just curious how many inflitrators do the Maurauders have? Still, was a good read.

[BitBiteOuch]

Hey, big thanks to everyone! I did some more research and I figure I'll pick up the Rise and Fall of Shi'ar arc when it comes out in trade, or I guess if I find I can afford the hardcover.

Astonishing is still kinda bothering me continuity-wise, but its really no big deal, and it comes out so rarley that I can afford it (the art is way to good to give up on). Even if it doesn't all fit together, I'm sure it will work itself out by the time Messiah Complex starts, though seeing how it isn't a part of it, I'm wondering if Astonishing will even make it past the Breakworld arc. Oh well, beautiful book worth picking up anyways.

Uncanny I can't wait to pick up. Its beginning to sound like a really good book, and I wish I'd started picking it up about a year ago.

X-Men, I don't like the art really. Everyone looks REALLY young, and its sort of over-the-top cartoony. Either way, I don't mind the writing or direction its going, and I figure along with Uncanny it should provide a pretty solid read into both Endangered Species and the Messiah Complex crossovers, even if I don't bother with New X-Men or X-Factor. As for those books, X-Factor never really interested me in the 90s, and still doesn't really.

New X-Men I've heard nothing but good things about, but I really only know one character, and to tell the truth, I'm really not crazy about X-23 (despite not reading X-men for the longest time, I seem to have alot of books with her in it). Even if I'm not farmiliar with anyone, is it still worth picking up? I mean, for someone who saw these characters from their beginning and followed them, I can see how they would like the book, given its well written and so forth, but is it really that easy to jump into? Is it that important in the whole scheme of X-books?

[murs47]

New X-Men I've heard nothing but good things about, but I really only know one character, and to tell the truth, I'm really not crazy about X-23 (despite not reading X-men for the longest time, I seem to have alot of books with her in it). Even if I'm not farmiliar with anyone, is it still worth picking up? I mean, for someone who saw these characters from their beginning and followed them, I can see how they would like the book, given its well written and so forth, but is it really that easy to jump into? Is it that important in the whole scheme of X-books?

The arc immediately after House of M, issue#20 I believe is the start of the series pure awesomeness. Craig Kyle and Chris Yost take over the title and co-write one of the best X stories I've read since Morrison's "E is for Extinction," heck, maybe one of the best I've read ever. I literally fear for these kid's lives with every issue for some reason. If you're serious about trying it out I recommend issues #20-27.

[Podmark]

New X-Men could be tough to get into, as it does have a main cast of at least 8 or 9 characters and an extended cast of about 30, almost all of which will probably be brand new to you. However you can use the internet to help you catch up and get to things about the characters. Wikipedia is usually pretty good about these things, and you can ask here too. I pretty much know everything about the book.

Yeah some people don't dig the art in X-Men. Personally I've grown to love Chris Bachelo (who did the Cable parts of 200) but I'm not big at all on Ramos's art (he did all the X-Men stuff in 200). On that note I should mention that the current artist on New X-Men is very cartoony, but you should really take a look at it first.

[Jakew]

Astonishing X-Men is kind of like an extended graphic novel, which takes place in its own immediate continuinity ... picking up a certain amount of time after Morrison's New X-Men.

[thanoson]

I personally love the art in New X-men and X-men. I like it looking cartoony. Big fan of huge guns and swords longer than the body of most heroes.

[Podmark]

Yeah I'm loving Skottie's art in NXM. And as mentioned Bachelo's too.