Anyone looking to start reading the X-Men would be hard pressed to find a better starting place than the introduction of the “new” team in 1975’s Giant Size X-Men #1.
Just in case you don’t already own one of the many reprints of the seminal X-Men issue, Marvel has once again reissued the X-Men: Second Genesis Epic Collection (originally released in 2017), which not only gives you Giant Size X-Men #1, but also the start of the stories that would define the team for decades.
Second Genesis collects the aforementioned Giant Size X-Men #1 and The Uncanny X-Men #94-110, beginning the Chris Claremont era with art by Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, and Terry Austin.
In addition to all of the Uncanny X-Men issues, Second Genesis also includes early appearances by the new team in Marvel Team-Up Annual #1, Marvel Team-Up #53 (a continuation of Spidey and the X-Men’s adventure from the Annual, and also Byrne’s first artwork on the X-Men) and the two part Havok/Spidey/Thor/Living Monolith story in Marvel Team-Up #69-70 (also by Claremont and Byrne).
The introduction of long-time Wolverine nemesis Sabretooth and another Claremont/Byrne X-Men team-up takes place in Iron Fist #14-15, adding some additional high quality bonus material to the edition.
X-Men: Second Genesis Epic Collection contains 528 pages for a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Check out Cockrum’s face off cover from Uncanny X-Men #100 below and stay tuned to Conskipper for all of your classic comic needs.
