Getting into any super hero genre can be tough, and the simple fact that any major comic book franchise has more than 800 issues in them can be overwhelming. Sometimes it's difficult to get started with a series, not knowing which issues are junk and which issues are made of gold.
That's why we're here! I'll break down the most pivotal X-Issues and why they are important. This will give you a compass to the vast X-Men universe, allowing you to explore on your own and become the X-Men nerd you've always dreamed of becoming. That said, I'll try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible.
Let's start at the very beginningX-Men was created in 1963 by Stan Lee, who is considered a Legend in the comic book industry. Lee created Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, and many more.
The original and still true premise of X-Men is that these teenagers were born with special powers that separate them biologicaly and socially from normal humans.
X-Men issue #1 (1963): The most important issue you'll ever readThe original and most important players
Charles Xavier is one of the most powerful mutant telepaths on Earth. He grew up in England, and moved to New York, founding a school for Mutants.
Scott Summers, codename Cyclops is a young teenager who has an uncontrollable ability to shoot force beams from his eyes. (Not heat beams, but force beams. This was explained in a back section of one comic in the first 100 issue run of the series).
Jean Grey, codename Marvel Girl is a telekinetic who later finds out she not only has telepathic powers, but is one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. Her powers manifested when she saw her best friend die from being hit by a car.
Bobby Drake, codename Iceman is a happy-go-lucky mutant teen with the ability to cover himself in ice, and throw snowballs.
Hank McCoy, codename Beast is a mutant with a genius intellect and extraordinarily large feet and hands.
Warren Worthington III, codename Angel, has two large, white wings that have grown out of his back.
Erick Lensherr, aka Magnus, aka Max Eisenhardt, is a holocaust-surviving mutant with the ability to control magnetism. He is the resident baddie.
This issue is important because it establishes what will become some of the biggest players in marvel comics. Almost everything currently happening in the Marvel universe is because of these seven characters.
Onto the life-changing issues.
Giant-Sized X-Men #1 (1975):
Because of the failure of the first run of X-Books to keep their audience, a new writing and drawing team were brought in to rejuvenate the franchise. In this pivotal issue we're introduced to a whole new roster. Storm, Wolverine, Banshee, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Sunfire and Warpath are recruited by Charles Xavier to save the original X-Men (a little allegory there).
The original five X-Men have been captured by a living island and the new mutant team must rescue them at all costs. Dealing with their own issues as well as the multiple obstacles they must face to get to the original five, the new X-Men must choose to press on or abandon the mission entirely.
This is a must-read because it sets the stage for every major X-Men event from this point on. This issue is also important because it functioned in the same way the original Star Trek did: by taking people from West Germany, Soviet Union, Africa, Japan and more to illustrate humanity's ability to overcome their differences.
X-Men #100 (1986): Greater Love Hath No Man 
I want to recommend this book, because it is the prequel to #101, which is the first book of the Phoenix saga. Peace between mutants and humans has deteriorated so badly that the government has created mutant-hunting robots called Sentinels to contain or eradicate them as pests.
It sets the stage for why Jean Grey decided to help out her teammates, and the consequences of her actions. You see the X-Men at their best and worst, while grappling with the reality of their growing persecution. Also, there are Sentinels involved (mutant-hunting robots).
I also recommend this issue because of the stunning dialogue that tells us just how far the X-Men have gone from being plucky teens to hardcore warriors, and the toll it's taken on their relationships.
X-Men #101-108 (1976-77): The Phoenix Saga
This is one of the most talked-about story arcs in comic history. Jean Grey, thought lost, appears as someone calling themselves the Phoenix. Apparently in the area (or region of the universe), a primal force of life called the Phoenix force locked onto Jean, who is one of the most powerful psychics in the X-Universe.
The Phoenix appears to Jean and saves her, inhabiting her body and saves the X-Men. It is then found that a distant alien princess has been reaching out to Charles Xavier, and somehow a galaxy-wide conflict ends up on Earth's doorstep, with the X-Men caught in the middle.
These issues are so important because they introduce the alien princess Lilandra, Banshee's cousin Black Tom, and the alien race Shi'ar, as well as the M'Kraan crystal. The Phoenix seems like a helpful ally in their attempt to save the universe from an evil emperor, however not all that glitters is gold.
X-Men #129-138 (1980): The Dark Phoenix Saga
Having inhabited Jean for some time, the Phoenix is startled and seduced by the evil side of humanity, and soon begins to explore malice, hatred, and evil.
As if that wasn't bad enough, a group of upstarts calling themselves the Hellfire club want Jean Grey as their newest member, but of course everything backfires when everyone realizes just how evil the Phoenix has become.
As Phoenix's hunger for evil grows, so does her appetite for destruction. In one foul swoop, she commits genocide, sending the universe into a tailspin. The end of this arc is not to be missed, because it's one of the most tragic event to ever occur in the Marvel universe.
X-Men #141-142: Days of Future Past (1981)
One of the most powerful and potent storylines in the X-Comics, this story deals with the future that Charles Xavier never wanted and remained inevitable until Kitty Pride, an older women, went back into her younger body with the help of Jean Grey and Scott Summer's daughter, Rachel Summers. Kitty Pride goes back to her first introduction to the X-Men as Sprite. (You read that correctly.)
This issue establishes Kitty Pride in a way never done before. Introducing her as an underground freedom fighter in the future allows us to peer into the psyche of Kitty Pride, and gives us a serious appreciation for her we've never had before, and an expectation of who will become one of the greatest players in X-History.
X-Men #1 (1991)
After a while, sales for X-Men went down, so a new series was brought in with Jim Lee, and kicked off a whole new era of comics.
In this issue, Magneto is back, and has gone full-blown terrorist. We see new members of the X-Men and old team mates return for an epic showdown. Just like Xavier, Magneto now has his own team of mutants, and it's about to hit the fan.
This issue kicks off the modern age of mutants and storylines like Phalanx Covenant, Age of Apocalypse, Onslaught and more.
Other recommended titles:
New Mutants #1 (1982):This series deals with a class of mutants who are being groomed to become X-Men. Some survive, some do not, and all of them must face their deepest fears.
X-Factor #1 (1986): This series follows the original five X-Men after they begin to feel like they can no longer participate in the way Xavier operates to achieve his vision. We meet one of the X-Men's greatest bad guys, Apocalypse, and see the irreparable transformation of Angel into Archangel.
Excalibur #1 (1987): One of the best comic runs in existence. Written by Chris Claremont and Alan Moore, the series deals with more topics and character development per issue than later X-Comics would in a year.
X-Force #1 (1991): The set-up for the mutant vigilante team when Cannonball, a former student at Xavier's school, goes rogue with other ex-students to form a freedom force.
X-Factor #1 (1991): Great reboot of the title featuring X-Factor as a government-run superhero mutant team, headed by Cylcops' brother Havok, and old X-Men favorite Polaris.
Generation X #1 (1994): The short-lived but well-written run by Chris Bachalo and Scott Lobdell featuring all-new mutants that go on to populate the modern X-Teams.
New X-Men #1 (2004):An interesting attempt at rebooting the idea that Generation X started. This series follows new mutants as they struggle with teen life and mutanthood as they struggle to carry the torch as the X-Men regulars begin to take roles as tutors in Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Hopefully this will give you enough of a compass to begin exploring the wide world of X-Men comics, and whet your palate enough to become even more eager for the new X-Men movie.
