The X-Men recently defeated Magneto on his strange island headquarters in the Bermuda Triangle. They’re joined on the island by Colossus’ young sister, Illyana Rasputina, and Carol Danvers, the former Ms Marvel who recently lost her powers and memories to Rogue of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
Professor X has become the Royal Consort to Lilandra Neramani, Empress of the alien Shi’ar Empire. Cyclops recently returned to the X-Men following a leave of absence after the death of his beloved Jean Grey. During one of the team’s recent missions into space, Cyclops met Corsair – a member of the intergalactic pirates called the Starjammers – who realised he’s Cyclops’ father. Despite Phoenix and Storm discovering the truth, Corsair hasn’t broken this news to Cyclops or his brother, Havok. Though this may be about to change…
Crossover: While the Brood Saga isn’t generally acknowledged as a crossover, the latter part of it ties in very closely with the launch of the New Mutants and make more sense when read together.
Related Events: While some issues in this Uncanny X-Men run shift the focus away from the Brood, the stories still have direct ties to the overall Brood Saga; the Fantastic Four issues don’t play a major role in the Brood Saga itself, they do play a role in the story’s epilogue; the Uncanny X-Men Annual has also been included to wrap up the vampire elements.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- THE DOOMSDAY CONNECTION (1977) – Debut of Deathbird
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Uncanny X-Men #154-165
- Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants
- Uncanny X-Men #166
- New Mutants #1-3
- Fantastic Four #249-250 (tie-in)
- Uncanny X-Men #167
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 (tie-in)
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #154 Alone and pursued by a Shi’ar Dreadnought, Corsair flies his ship towards Earth. In the Bermuda Triangle, the X-Men are appropriating the bizarre island Magneto raised from the ocean to use as a base, years earlier. Professor X (Charles Xavier) believes the team will be safer there now that the US Government appear to be supportive of anti-mutant sentiment. Wolverine reminds Carol Danvers that they’ve met before when they were in the military, though she can’t recall any details. Cyclops tells Storm he’s not sure he wants to reclaim his role as. -Men leader from her, just as Corsair’s ship crashes into the grounds of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Cyclops finds Corsair’s dog tags and locket, forcing Corsair to admit he’s Cyclops’ father. They’re attacked by mercenary alien Sidrian Hunters, likely hired by those who’ve kidnapped Shi’ar Empress Lilandra Neramani. The mansion is almost completely destroyed by the Sidri who combine to form a giant flying craft to chase Storm, Cyclops and Corsair as they escape in the Blackbird. Cyclops and Storm disrupt the Sidri’s ship form, scattering the aliens into a petrol storage facility below. Corsair blows the facility up, killing the Sidrian Hunters against Cyclops’ wishes. Corsair explains Lilandra has been kidnapped and the Shi’ar believe Earth is responsible… 1st appearance: Sidrian Hunters |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #155 Corsair and Cyclops argue – each having believed the other had died, years earlier. The Blackbird and the X-Men in the Bermuda Triangle are all teleported aboard a Shi’ar ship. Xavier uses his position as Lilandra’s consort to order the Shi’ar to change their course of action. The X-Men are given one day to find Lilandra. Tigra is the only member of the Avengers available to help. They’re ambushed by Deathbird and insectoid aliens called the Brood as part of her bid to claim the Shi’ar throne from her sister, Lilandra. An acid-filled bomb takes Colossus out of the fight before he’s speared by debris. The Brood are wiped out and Deathbird escapes with Professor X as her captive, while Colossus lies near death and police surround the X-Men… 1st appearance: Brood, N’Rill’Iree |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #156 The Starjammers’ ship, the Starjammer, hovers above Manhattan and teleports the X-Men aboard, leaving Tigra to deal with the NYPD. Sikorsky tends to Colossus who was actually speared by Deathbird. Shi’ar emissary Admiral Lord Samedar is secretly working for Deathbird. As the Starjammer chases after Deathbird’s ship, Corsair explains to Cyclops what happened the day he and Katherine Ann Summers were taken by the Shi’ar, and how D’Ken murdered her. Both ships are swallowed by a giant creature called an Acanti. Recovered, Colossus leads the charge against the Brood who are using the Acanti to traverse the galaxy. The X-Men and Starjammers free Lilandra and Xavier, though the Professor has been experiencing horrific nightmares while imprisoned. Deathbird casts Storm out into space, but she’s saved when the Starjammers and X-Men escape the Acanti. The heroes are now free, but are too far from Earth to alert the Shi’ar to Lilandra’s safety… 1st appearance: Acanti, Sikorsky |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #157 The X-Men help with rapid repairs to the Stajammer, but Colossus passes out having pushed too hard following his recent injuries. Lilandra tries to contact Chancellor Araki on the Shi’ar ship, but he’s been killed by Samedar. Professor X tries to contact Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner) and Sprite (Kitty Pryde) telepathically, but an alien presence within him cuts off the call and renders Xavier catatonic. On the Shi’ar ship, Kurt teleports Kitty out of their cell and onto the main deck, with Kitty disguised as the Dark Phoenix. They grab Oracle of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard and convince her to use her telepathic powers to tell the other Guard members that Lilandra is alive. Lilandra returns to Earth’s orbit in time to prevent the planet’s destruction and orders Samedar’s arrest. Colossus is also healed, but Professor X is still almost mindless… 1st appearance: Borderers (Blackthorn, Sea Spine, Sp’yxx, Trypthe, Webwing) |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #158 On the X-Men’s island base, Peter Corbeau’s tests on Carol Danvers show her to be well above peak human condition, despite losing her powers. Moira MacTaggert oversees Oracle’s attempt to telepathically link to Professor X, but he turns those powers on himself, possibly to destroy the evil presence within him. He remains comatose. With the Starjammers’ help, Kitty Pryde writes a program to erase all government records of the X-Men when Senator Robert Kelly speaks out against them. Carol Danvers and the disguised Wolverine and Storm infiltrate the Pentagon. The X-Men have run-in with Rogue of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, while Carol defeats Mystique in order to erase the computer records. Carol erases her own files to start a new life. In Rio Diablo, Cyclops introduces Alex Summers (formerly Havok) to his father, Corsair. |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #159 Some of the X-Men meet Misty Knight’s roommate Harmony Young when they visit New York. Storm is rushed to hospital after her throat is slashed in a man alley. In Rio Diablo, Corsair reveals to Cyclops, Havok and Polaris that he intends returning home, soon. Dracula was the cause of Storm’s injuries and he intends making her his bride. Sprite, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Wolverine track Storm to Belvedere Castle in Central Park. Dracula overpowers the X-Men, but the vampiric Storm hasn’t been fully turned and refuses to see her friends hurt. She wilfully rejects Dracula, earning his respect. By morning, Storm shows no vampiric tendencies. Moira MacTaggert calls the X-Men back to the island when Xavier takes a turn for the worse… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #160 A day after their clash with Dracula, the X-Men are teleported from their new Bermuda Triangle base to Limbo, while searching for Colossus’ six-year old sister, Illyana Rasputina. They encounter a demon called S’ym, a warped version of Nightcrawler and their master, Belasco, who was recently condemned to Limbo by Ka-Zar. He now wants Illyana. An older Storm from another timeline helps the X-Men escape, but Kitty briefly lets go of Illyana as they cross a mystic gate. When Kitty finds her arm again, Illyana has aged to around 13 years old and she has the mysterious Bloodstone Amulet with her… 1st appearance: Goblins of Limbo, Nightcrawler of Earth-8280, S’ym, Storm/Ororo Munroe of Earth-8280, Limbo/Otherplace |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #161 An alien consciousness has infected the mind of telepath and X-Men founder Professor X (Charles Xavier). In his mind, Xavier recalls his life in Haifa, 20 years ago, when he first met ‘Magnus’ at a centre for Holocaust survivors. There, he freed the traumatised Gabrielle Haller from her comatose state. Charles become close friends with Magnus, but was closer than friends with Gabrielle. When Hydra agents assaulted the centre and kidnapped Gaby, Magnus revealed his powers and killed a number of agents. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker used Gaby’s memories to find Adolf Hitler’s hidden gold reserve. Charles and Magnus utilised their mutant abilities to rescue Gaby and defeat Hydra, with Magnus taking the gold. Now, Xavier wakes! Several days pass, and the X-Men and Starjammers are holding a celebration aboard Empress Lilandra Neramani’s space yacht when Deathbird and the insectoid alien Brood arrive and knock everyone out with an explosion… 1st appearance: Gabrielle ‘Gaby’ Haller, Daniel Shomron, Z’Reee Shar (Lilandra’s space yacht) |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.1-7) Moira MacTaggert encounters a female wolf-girl in the Scottish Highlands, being hounded by religious zealot Reverend Craig Sinclair. Thinking the girl, Rahne Sinclair, may be a mutant, Moira decides to take her to Charles Xavier. In Brazil, gifted footballer Bobby da Costa is fouled on the pitch by two players. Bobby suddenly takes on a pitch-black form and hurls one of the players across the pitch for all to see. The footage is observed by a man who’s planning to destroy all mutants… 1st appearance: Emmanuel da Costa, Roberto da Costa, Juliana Sandoval, Reverend Craig Sinclair, Rahne Sinclair |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #162 The X-Men and the now-powerless Carol Danvers have been teleported to a Shi’ar world. Somehow, only Wolverine can see through the illusion cast by the Brood and is aware they’re actually on the Brood’s home planet, ‘Sleazeworld’. The team have become hosts for the Brood Queen‘s eggs. Treacherous Imperial Guard member Fang and Lilandra’s sister, Deathbird, have sold the Shi’ar and the X-Men out. Fang is ‘rewarded’ by becoming a Brood host. Wolverine escapes the false Shi’ar palace and kills a host of deadly Brood aliens. His healing factor overcomes the egg inside him, but leaves a scaled pattern on his skin. He knows the X-Men are all still infected… 1st appearance: Brood Queen/Great Mother, Starsharks, Broodworld/‘Sleazeworld’ |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.8-10) In Kentucky, young miner Sam Guthrie saves a fellow worker using flight powers and blast-field when the mine collapses…. 1st appearance: Sam Guthrie |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #163 (pp.1-8) Carol Danvers hasn’t been made a host and, instead, suffers experiments at the whims of Brood scientists due to her human-Kree DNA. Almost two days after his escape, Wolverine frees Carol who, despite her experiences, feels better than ever. On Earth, Havok, Polaris and Cosair hear of the Brood’s impact on the Shi’ar Empire and believe the X-Men are dead. Professor X is conscious but distraught at the loss of the X-Men and Lilandra. Corsair heads to Shi’ar space. |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.11-14) In Colorado, Dani Moonstar sees a vision of her grandfather Black Eagle being beaten to death by armoured men. Donald Pierce watches the girl and her grandfather insists she see Charles Xavier to help her control her powers. Pierce has taken Sebastian Shaw’s personal assistant captive and plans on killing the mutant members of the Hellfire Club. That night, Pierce has Black Eagle murdered… 1st appearance: Danielle Moonstar |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #163 (pp.9-22) On Sleazeworld, Wolverine and Carol Danvers reunite with the X-Men, but doesn’t tell them they’re Brood hosts. Colossus, Cyclops, Carol and Wolverine fight through the Brood to free Lilandra, but Wolverine breaks rank to confront the Brood Queen. Sprite, Nightcrawler and Storm claim Lilandra’s space-yacht and teleport the other X-Men aboard before Wolverine can kill the Queen. |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #164 The Brood Fleet chases the space-yacht. Storm accidentally kills a number of Starshark ships with her powers. Sprite risks to life to repair the ship’s warp drive from the outside. New powers suddenly take over Carol Danvers’ body and destroy the Brood Fleet. The ship makes the jump and Carol emerges in a new, costumed form. Now able to tap into a white hole, Carol takes the name Binary. Storm realises what’s inside her and quickly leaves in a shuttle. Now fully healed, Wolverine reveals the X-Men were implanted with eggs that will become Brood Queens. An enraged Binary flies out of the ship to return to Sleezeworld, ripping a hole in the craft which threatens to suck out the X-Men. On Earth, the Shi’ar construction robots have rebuilt the Xavier School. Xavier himself has telepathically enabled Illyana to speak English. She hints at the possibility that she’s a mutant… 1st appearance: Brood Fleet New identity: Carol Danvers as Binary |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #165 On Earth, Moira MacTaggert convinces Charles Xavier to help the young mutant Karma (Xi’an Coy Manh). In space, Cyclops and Wolverine tear off a part of the ship’s deck as a temporary fix for the explosive decompression. Wolverine finds Nightcrawler praying, learning of his religions beliefs. Colossus briefly kisses Kitty to comfort her, but refuses to pursue it because she’s too young. In deep space, alone, Storm begins to transform into a Brood Queen. She absorbs the energy from the universe’s galactic core and releases it, destroying the ship. Storm’s ghost appears to the X-Men. She ‘s somehow become one with a giant Acanti. |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.15-19) Xavier runs tests on Karma. Moira continues to convince Xavier to train Karma and Rahne to use their powers, despite the apparent death of the X-Men. |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #166 (pp.1-13) Binary annihilates a Brood outpost on Madrizar. She’s picked up by Storm in her Acanti body that contains Lilandra’s ship along with the X-Men. The Brood killed the lead Acanti, Prophet-Singer, and turned his corpse into their throne city, preventing his soul from moving to its successor. The Acanti inhabited by Storm is the successor. Cyclops formulates a plan. |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.20-23) Xavier, Rahne and Karma arrive in California, just as Donald Pierce’s armoured Hellfire Knights show up to hunt Dani Moonstar. The Knights are defeated by the four mutants. Moonstar only agrees to accompany them so that she can have her revenge on Pierce. |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #166 (pp.14-38) The X-Men teleport into Sleazeworld while Storm/the Acanti and Binary distract the Brood. One of the Brood embryos in the X-Men telepathically warns the Brood Queen of their presence. The Starjammers join the fight. Wolverine realises Cyclops is the traitor as his Brood embryo is takes control and the X-Men are defeated. Sprite escapes with help from a small dragon. Wolverine overpowers Cyclops and the Brood Queen. They all enter the chamber inhabited by the Acanti’s soul, but the infected begin to transform. Binary stops Wolverine from killing them and releases the Acanti’s soul, freeing all the Acanti and crystallising the Brood Queen. The soul also killed the embryos in the X-Men. 1st appearance: Lockheed (unnamed) |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.24-44) The police arrest Moira in Rio de Janeiro for asking questions about Emmanuel da Costa’s son. This leaves it up to Moonstar and Karma to save Bobby and his girlfriend Juliana Sandoval from the Hellfire Knights. Juliana takes a bullet for Bobby and dies in his arms. He agrees to join Moonstar and Karma. In Kentucky, Xavier is taken captive by the Hellfire Knights who now include Sam Guthrie as a member. Rahne follows his scent to Pierce’s base. She’s joined by Bobby, Moonstar and Xi’an in a rescue mission. When Sam – referred to by Donald Pierce as Cannonball – refuses to kill Bobby, Pierce decides to shoot him. Xavier telepathically prevents him from pulling the trigger and overcomes his will. The Hellfire Club’s Tessa promises to deal with Pierce… New identity: Sam Guthrie as Cannonball |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #166 (pp.39-40) The X-Men recover from their injuries. Storm is returned to her regrown body provided by the Acanti. Wolverine realises Professor X is the host to a Brood embryo. |
| ✔ | Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (pp.45-47) Two weeks after Donald Pierce’s defeat, the young mutants don their costumes at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. When Professor X invites Cannonball to come to the school, he’s welcomed by his fellow students with open arms! 1st appearance: The New Mutants (unnamed) |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | New Mutants #1 Dani Moonstar accidentally shows everyone Karma’s most shameful memories before the New Mutants’ first training session. Professor X explains his intention to train the young mutants, but they will never be X-Men. Psyche (Dani Moonstar) runs away to avoid facing the Danger Room. When Stevie Hunter drives some of the New Mutants into town, her car is followed by agents of Project: Wideawake under the orders of Peter Henry Gyrich. Psyche attempts the Danger Room again while no one’s in the mansion, but someone increases the threat level. In London, Israeli Ambassador Gabrielle Haller turns to Moira MacTaggert for guidance in helping her autistic mutant son, wanting to keep things secret from the boy’s father… Charles Xavier! 1st appearance: The New Mutants (named), Project: Wideawake New identity: Roberto da Costa as Sunspot, Danielle Moonstar as Psyche, Rahne Sinclair as Wolfsbane |
| ✔ | New Mutants #2 In the Danger Room, Psyche is confronted by a Brood Queen. Hellfire Club Inner Circle member Sebastian Shaw has provided Project Wideawake with new Sentinels to apprehend mutants. Gyrich is unaware Shaw is a mutant. A bat Salem Centre Mall. Gyrich has no idea Shaw is a mutant, himself. CIA agent Michael Rossi helps Stevie stop the Wideawake agents from taking the New Mutants, only for Shaw’s new Sentinels to take their shot at the teens. Under Stevie and Michael’s direction, the New Mutants destroy the Sentinels and the Wideawake agents are arrested. The team return to the school to find Psyche terrified. Stevie suspects Professor X… 1st appearance: Sentinels Mk V |
| ✔ | New Mutants #3 Psyche experiences a terrifying nightmare involving the Demon Bear and dead New Mutants. But when she wakes, the Bear’s blood is on her knife. She overhears Xavier on the phone to Moira, telling her he thinks Psyche is schizophrenic. When she warns her teammates, they’re viciously attacked by a telepathic Brood Queen, augmenting Psyche’s powers to warp reality around them. She convinces Cannonball to knock her out in order to end the threat. Sunspot convinces Psyche not to leave the team… 1st appearance: Demon Bear (in a dream) |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #167 (pp.1-14) The X-Men burst into the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, resulting in a clash between them and the New Mutants. Sprite fails to assassinate Professor X who fully transforms into a Brood Queen with Xavier’s powers. After battling both mutant teams, Binary and Storm put the Queen down. What’s left of Professor X asks his students to kill him, but Cyclops refuses… |
| Fantastic Four #249 (tie-in) Gladiator of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard arrives in Manhattan after surviving an explosion in space. The Thing, unable to understand his alien tongue, assumes Gladiator’s demanding a challenge and retaliates. Gladiator hurls the Thing into the Baxter Building and tries to topple it. Reed Richards’ universal translator reveals Gladiator’s belief that the Fantastic Four are Skrulls! He soundly defeats the FF, but is soon surrounded by the X-Men who are speaking his native language… | |
| Fantastic Four #250 (tie-in) Steve Rogers’ date with Bernie Rosenthal (who learned Steve is Captain America during YESTERDAY’S SHADOWS, 1982-1983) is interrupted by the sounds of Gladiator’s fight with the X-Men. Spider-Man also joins the fight as the ‘X-Men’ hit back against Cap and Spidey and reveal their intent to kill the Fantastic Four. ‘Angel’ accidentally impales ‘Cyclops’, leaving the corpse of a Skrull behind. Reed discerns that most of Gladiator powers are psionic, not physical and uses doubt to defeat him. Gladiator takes the defeated Skrulls into his custody… | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #167 (pp.15-23) Aboard the Starjammer, Moira MacTaggert helps Sikorsky clone a new body for Charles Xavier. Gladiator arrives on the Starjammer to make a plea to Lilandra to depose Deathbird from the Shi’ar throne. He also informs her that Reed Richards recently saved Galactus’ life (during BEHOLD… GALACTUS!, 1981-1982). She sends a holographic message to Reed, warning him that he will face trial when the next planet is consumed by Galactus. Xavier emerges in his new body, revealing he can sometimes stand and may one day walk again. He also announces his decision that Sprite will leave the X-Men and join the New Mutants… 1st appearance: Hoverchair |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 (tie-in) Professor X continues his recovery on Muir Isle. At the Xavier School, Sprite is broken-hearted by the news that her parents are divorcing. Storm dreams she’s become a vampire again and flies to England to confront Dracula. The Count has made Rachel van Helsing his vampiric consort. Dracula promises Storm will be free of him after she’s stolen the Darkhold from Pendarrow Castle. The book contains the Montesi Formula that can wipe out all vampires. Sprite and Colossus beat her to the Darkhold and take it first. Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Wolverine reunite with Storm at Dracula’s stronghold, but the vampire bites Wolverine and subverts his will. Dracula realises Sprite has been possessed by his daughter, Lilith. Rachel van Helsing fights Dracula’s control long enough to run a wooden spear through his heart. The castle collapses before Wolverine can sever his head. Wolverine agrees to Rachel’s request to run a stake into her heart, ending her life. Lilith frees Sprite from her control. |
See how this event fits into the wider Marvel Multiverse with these reading orders:
- FANTASTIC FOUR, 1981-1984 – Back to Basics
- X-MEN FAMILY, 1982-1984 – From Broodworld to Battleworld
| Must Reads | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Wakanda #1 (2022) It’s revealed that the Brood first came to Earth in 1,000,000 BC in a Vibranium Meteor which landed in Wakanda; the first Black Panther (Mosi) defeated them. | |
| ✔ | SHIELD #1 (2010) It’s revealed that a Brood attack on Ancient Egypt in 2620 BC led to the creation of the Brotherhood of the Shield and the Brotherhood of the Spear (the modern incarnations of which are known as SHIELD and Hydra, respectively). | |
| X-Men: Magneto – Testament #1 (2008) Magneto’s real name is Max Eisenhardt. | ||
| Logan: Shadow Society #1 (1997) Logan and Carol Danvers’ first meeting is finally revealed. | ||
| Wolverine: First Class #12 (2009) An ‘untold tale’ reveals Shuma-Gorath imprisoned his wayward creation Quoggoth on the island that would one day become Magneto’s base; there’s some debate over whether or not this story is in continuity. | ||
| ✔ | Rom #31 (1982) The captured members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are freed by Rogue and Mystique. | |
| Power Man and Iron Fist #84 (1982) Harmony Young’s next encounter with a mutant takes place when Sabretooth seeks revenge on Misty Knight. | ||
| ✔ | New Mutants #4 (1983) Due to the fact that the New Mutants were recruited by Professor X while he was under the influence of a Brood Queen embryo, he offers them the chance to leave if they want to. | |
| Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1982) The Thing competes against Colossus (among others) for a chance to face the Champion of the Universe. | CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #168 (1983) Sprite rejects Professor X’s suggestion that she joins the New Mutants; Sprite remains among the X-Men as a probationary member when she defeats two Sidri Hunters and befriends the alien dragon who stowed away with the X-Men when they returned to Earth; Sprite names the dragon ‘Lockheed’; Cyclops, Havok and Corsair take a trip to Alaska to out Corsair’s parents, but the journey is interrupted when Cyclops meets Madeline Pryor. | |
| Fantastic Four #257 (1983) Galactus consumes Tarnax IV, the Skull Throneworld. | THE TRIAL OF REED RICHARDS | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #171 (1983) Rogue comes to Professor X, seeking help in controlling her powers; he makes her the X-Men’s newest team member; Binary cuts ties with the X-Men due to Professor X’s stance on Rogue; Kitty Pryde takes the codename Ariel. | |
| ✔ | Doctor Strange #62 (1983) Doctor Strange obtains the Darkhold and uses the Montesi Formula to destroy all vampire, including Dracula and Lilith. | THE MONTESI FORMULA |
| ✔ | Fantastic Four #261-262 (1983-1984) As promised, Lilandra makes Mister Fantastic stand trial for the lives lost when Galactus consumed Tarnax IV. | THE TRIAL OF REED RICHARDS |
| ✔ | Ka-Zar the Savage #29 (1983) Belasco is revealed to have escaped Limbo and makes another attempt to use Bloodstones to take control of Earth. | |
| New Mutants #5-6 (1983) Michael Rossi assists the New Mutants one last time; Nguyen Ngoc Coy returns to claim Karma. | ||
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #174-175 (1983) Binary officially joins the Starjammers; Cyclops and Havok finally meet their grandparents, Deborah & Philip Summers. | |
| ✔ | New Mutants #13 (1984) The Mark V Sentinels return; the New Mutants confront Kitty Pryde over calling them ‘X-Babies’. | |
| X-Men and the Micronauts #1-4 (1984) Dani Monster briefly goes by the codename Spellbinder; Dani falls prey to another dark aspect of Charles Xavier called the Entity. | MICRONAUTS TRIUMPHANT | |
| ✔ | Storm and Illyana: Magik #1-4 (1983-1984) New Mutants #14 (1984) Illyana Rasputina’s life in Limbo is finally revealed; S’ym tries to drag Illyana back to Limbo on Belasco’s behalf, but is forced to accept Illyana as ruler of Limbo; Professor X is able to walk again. | MAGIK |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #180 (1984) New Mutants #15 (1984) Emma Frost invites Doug Ramsey to the Massachusetts Academy in an attempt to regain control of Kitty Pryde; Illyana Rasputina officially joins the New Mutants. | AWAY GAME SECRET WARS |
| Uncanny X-Men #181 (1984) Senator Robert Kelly attempts to force legalisation to pass his Mutant Control Act. | SECRET WARS |
| Must Reads | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #182 (1982) Michael Rossi breaks into the SHIELD Helicarrier to investigate Sebastian Shaw’s links to Project: Wideawake. | AWAY GAME |
| Uncanny X-Men #183 (1984) Colossus revealed the love affair he had on Battleworld with Zsaji, leading Kitty Pryde to leave the X-Men. | HONOR | |
| ✔ | New Mutants #18-20 (1984) Psyche confronts the Demon Bear and defeats it with Illyana Rasputina’s help; the Bear is revealed to have been made up of the souls of her parents, transformed into the Demon Bear by the Adversary. | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #184 (1984) Project: Wideawake recruit the mutant Forge to work for them under the pretence that the device he’ll create will be used against the Dire Wraiths. | WRAITH WAR |
| ✔ | New Mutants #21 (1984) Dani Moonstar takes the new codename Mirage; Illyana Rasputina starts using the name Magik. | |
| Captain America #294 (1984) Bernie Rosenthal proposes to Steve Rogers. | ||
| Uncanny X-Men #185 (1984) Henry Peter Gyrich uses Forge’s Neutraliser on Storm, removing her powers. | WRAITH WAR | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #188 (1984) Colossus finds out his sister is a sorcerer when she uses magic to defeat the Dire Wraiths. | THE SURTUR SAGA WRAITH WAR |
| Rom Annual #3 (1984) The New Mutants meet the Guthrie Family. | WRAITH WAR | |
| New Mutants #23 (1985) Magneto is revealed to have reclaimed his island base where he recovers following the fall of Asteroid M. | ||
| ✔ | New Mutants #26-28 (1984-1985) Professor X meets Legion and quickly earns the boy is his son, David Haller. | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #199-201 (1985) Mystique’s deal with the US Government is revealed when the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are rebranded as Freedom Force and are assigned to apprehending Magneto; following a physical assault by a gang if humans, Professor X is close to death and is taken back into space by the Starjammers; Magneto takes over the New Mutants’ tuition; Cyclops’ son is born. | THE TRIAL OF MAGNETO |
| ✔ | Marvel Fanfare #33 (1987) It’s revealed that Magneto’s island base was once inhabited by the Ancients who built the statues on the island; the X-Men and Magneto return to the island where the alien Chief Examiner turns the eldritch powers within it against the team in order to test them. | |
| Uncanny X-Men #205 (1986) Wade Cole, Angelo Macon and Murray Reese return with cybernetic upgrades under the command of Lady Deathstrike. | ||
| Alpha Flight #43 (1987) Sebastian Shaw unleashes his next-level Sentinels Mk VI as part of Project: Wideawake; the Sentinels are used against Alpha Flight. | ||
| ✔ | New Mutants #50 (1987) The Technarch alien Magus infects the demons of Limbo with the Transmode Virus, giving S’ym the edge over Magik and a chance to rule Limbo himself; Xavier, Lilanra, Binary and the Starjammers continue the fight to depose Deathbird as Majestrix of the Shi’ar. | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #232-234 (1988) The Brood infect a group of mutants in Dallas who are defeated by the X-Men who are more willing to kill them; Wolverine briefly becomes a Brood host again. | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #239 (1988) It’s revealed that Cyclops’ son is named Nathan Christopher Charles Summers – ‘Christopher’ after Cyclops’ father, Corsair. New Mutants #71-73 (1989) The New Mutants see Magik’s horrifying childhood; Magik returns all the demons N’astirh brought from Limbo to Earth; Magik is restored to the age she was when Belasco first trapped her in Limbo, with no memory of her life as Magik. | INFERNO |
| New Mutants #75 (1989) Magneto offers the New Mutants a place among the Hellfire Club following the destruction of the Xavier School, but they refuse. |
| Must Reads | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #247-248 (1989) Donald Pierce returns and is revealed to be behind the team of cyborg mercenaries called the Reavers; Wade Cole, Angelo Macon and Murray Reese are also revealed to be members. | |
| X-Men Spotlight on… Starjammers #1-2 (1990) With Lilandra, professor X and Binary among their number, the Starjammers’ war against Deathbird intensifies. | ||
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #269 (1990) When Rogue passed through the Siege Perilous, she was split with form given to both the Carol Danvers persona and Rogue herself; as only one could sustain life, Rogue and ‘Carol Danvers’ fought to live; Magneto kills ‘Carol’, freeing Rogue of Carol Danvers’ soul and memories, but keeping her powers. | |
| ✔ | New Mutants #100 (1991) Under the guidance of Cable, the remaining New Mutants (of whom only Cannonball is an original member) are transformed into the militant mutant squad X-Force. | A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #274-277 (1991) It’s revealed that shapeshifting WarSkrulls have removed Deathbird from the Shi’ar throne; the X-Men defeat the WarSkrulls, allowing Lilandra to become Majestrix again. | |
| ✔ | Uncanny X-Men #280 (1991) Professor X paralysed again in an intense battle with the Shadow King. | THE MUIR ISLAND SAGA |
| Avengers #347 (1992) It’s revealed that Minister Araki is alive again. | OPERATION: GALACTIC STORM | |
| ✔ | Ghost Rider #26 (1992) X-Men #9 (1992) Ghost Rider #27 (1992) The X-Men and Ghost Rider discover an alliance between the Assassins Guild and the Brood; Ghost Rider briefly becomes a Brood host. | BROOD TROUBLE IN THE BIG EASY |
| X-Men Unlimited #2 (1993) Magneto’s name is revealed as ‘Erik Magnus Lehnsherr’, a pseudonym he continues to use for a number of years. | FATAL ATTRACTIONS | |
| Cable #6-8 (1993-1994) The time-travelling mutant soldier Cable is revealed to be Cyclops and Maddie Pryor’s son, Nathan Christopher Summers. | ||
| X-Force #44 (1995) Cannonball joins the X-Men. | UNDER ONE ROOF | |
| ✔ | X-Men Legends #1-2 (2021) Cyclops and Havok find other the mutant Adam-X is the genetically-created offspring of their mother and now-deceased Shi’ar emperor D’Ken Neramani. | |
| Excalibur #93 (1996) Reverend Craig Sinclair is revealed to be Wolfsbane’s biological father, rather than her foster-father. | ||
| ✔ | X-Men/Brood: Day of Wrath #1-2 (1996) The X-Men face the Empress Brood and her Firstborn in Arizona. | |
| ✔ | X-Men Unlimited #13 (1996) Phoenix is forced to alter Binary’s access to the power of white holes during a clash with the Inciters. | FUGITIVE FROM SPACE |
| ✔ | Avengers #1-4 (1998) Binary returns to Earth and aids the Avengers against Morgan Le Fey; Beast assesses the changes in Binary’s powers; Carol Danvers returns to her ‘Ms Marvel’ costume, but takes the new codename Warbird. | HEROES RETURN |
| ✔ | Mutant X #1 (1998) Havok is transported to Earth-1298 where the Storm of that reality was fully transformed into a vampire by Dracula; this version of Storm goes by the name Bloodstorm. | THE SIX |
| ✔ | Contest of Champions II #1-5 (1999) The Brood Imperatrix sets up a faux ‘Contest of Champions’ to determine the most powerful heroes on Earth and absorb their powers; they also kidnap Warbird (Carol Danvers) and attempt to replicate the experiments that gave her Binary powers; Carol forgives Rogue for stealing her original powers and memories. | |
| X-Force #98-100 (2000) Blackheart revealed to Sunspot that Juliana Sandoval wasn’t meant to die; Sunspot gives Juliana a second chance at life, but in exchange he has to leave X-Force and join the Hellfire Club; X-Force jump through realities while fighting the Queen of the Star Swords and encounter the ‘New Mutants’ of Earth-8280 who are the X-Men of their reality, presumably replacing the team killed by Belasco. | ||
| X-Men #102 (2000) Dani Moonstar joins the X-Men. | ||
| X-Treme X-Men #7 (2002) It’s revealed that Tessa was working as Professor X’s agent in the Hellfire Club. | ||
| Nightcrawler #1-4 (2002) Leaning into his faith, Nightcralwer takes a leave of absence from the X-Men and trains to become a priest. |
| Must Reads | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| X4: X-Men/Fantastic Four #1-5 (2005) The X-Men and Fantastic Four repel another attempted Brood invasion. | ||
| Ms Marvel #2-3 (2006) Ms Marvel meets the alien Brood-hunter Cru who is systematically killing Brood across the galaxy. | BEST OF THE BEST | |
| Incredible Hulk #93-95 (2006) No-Name of the Brood is among the fighters in the Red King’s gladiatorial arena on Sakaar who join the Hulk’s rebel Warbound. | PLANET HULK | |
| ✔ | X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6 (2005-2006) Cyclops finds out he had another brother, Gabriel Summers aka Vulcan, who was born into slavery when Christopher & Katherine Summers were prisoners of the Shi’ar; Professor X knew of Vulcan’s existence, but kept this secret from Cyclops, Havok and Corsair. | DECIMATION |
| Ms Marvel #21-24 (2008) Ms Marvel, Cru and Operation: Lightning Storm discover Moloids infected by the Brood on Monster Isle; Cru is killed in battle, but Ms Marvel annihilates the Brood Queen. | ||
| Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel #2 (2009) The origins of Project: Wideawake go back at least as far as the 1960s. | ||
| Uncanny X-Men #501 (2008) Karma joins the X-Men. | MANIFEST DESTINY | |
| Secret Invasion: X-Men #1 (2008) Sunspot joins the X-Men. | SECRET INVASION | |
| ✔ | Ms Marvel #33 (2009) Carol Danvers finds out Michael Rossi is alive. | DARK REIGN |
| War of Kings: Who Will Rule #1 (2009) It’s revealed that Minister Araki is cloned again whenever’s he’s killed in order to serve the Imperial Shi’ar Majestor Majestrix. | WAR OF KINGS | |
| ✔ | X-Men #1 (2010) X-Men: Curse of the Mutants #1 (2010) X-Men #2-6 (2010) The X-Men face a whole legion of vampire, led by Dracula’s son, Xarus; Storm is tasked with stealing the head of Dracula; Wolverine is turned into a vampire; the X-Men face Dracula in battle once more. | CURSE OF THE MUTANTS |
| ✔ | Astonishing X-Men #40, 42 (2011) The X-Men encounter a mutant Brood (able to feel compassion) who assists the team in defeating his fellow Brood when they take control of SWORD’s space station, the Peak. | |
| ✔ | Wolverine and the X-Men #1-2 (2011-2012) The mutant Brood takes the name Broo and begins his studies at the Jean Grey School for Gifted Youngsters. | REGENESIS |
| Astonishing X-Men #49-50 (2012) It’s revealed that Karma has a half-sister, Da’o Cao Manh, who goes by the name Susan Hatchi. | ||
| ✔ | X-Men: Blue #10-12 (2017) Another version of Bloodstorm (Ororo Munroe of Earth-21710) is recruited into Maddie Pryor’s Hex-Men; Bloodstorm quits the Hex-Men in favour of joining the X-Men. | |
| X-Men: Gold #30 (2018) After years of on-again-off-again romance, the pair come close to getting married. | ’TIL DEATH DO US PART | |
| New Mutants: Dead Souls #3-6 (2018) Trân Cao Mánh soul finally escapes Karma’s body and attempts to regains physical form. | ||
| Uncanny X-Men #13 (2019) Wolfsbane joins the X-Men. | ||
| House of X #2 (2019) It’s revealed that Moira MacTaggert was a mutant all along. | HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X | |
| X-Men #1 (2019) Cable (Nathan Christopher Summers) and Corsair (Christopher Summers) sit at the same dinner table together, an event which might well have included their first meeting, but this is never highlighted. | DAWN OF X | |
| ✔ | X-Men #8-9 (2020) It’s suggested that the Brood may well be the first galactic predators in the universe, arriving via the dark matter flow of a collapsing universe; the Kree attempted to weaponise the Brood in their efforts to conquer the universe; in the present, the Brood swarm on the X-Men’s Krakoa island base in an effort to obtain the Kree’s King Egg; Broo consumes the egg and becomes King of the Brood. |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| X-Men Epic Collection: The Brood Saga (vol.9) | Special Edition X-Men #1 Uncanny X-Men #154-167 Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 |
| Uncanny X-Men Omnibus vol.3 | Magik #1-4 Marvel Graphic Novel #5 – X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills Special Edition X-Men #1 Uncanny X-Men #154-175 Uncanny X-Men Annual #6-7 Wolverine #1-4 |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men vol.7 (2011) | Avengers Annual #10 Uncanny X-Men #151-159 Uncanny X-Men Annual #5 |
| Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men vol.8 (2012) | Marvel Treasury Edition #26-27 [part] Special Edition X-Men #1 Uncanny X-Men #160-167 Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 |
| X-Men: Starjammers by Dave Cockrum | Uncanny X-Men #107-108, 154-167 X-Men Spotlight on Starjammers #1-2 |
| New Mutants Epic Collection: Renewal (vol.1) | Magik #1-4 Marvel Graphic Novel #4 – The New Mutants Marvel Team-Up #100 Marvel Team-Up Annual #6 New Mutants #1-12 Uncanny X-Men #160, 167, 180, 189, 192 |
| New Mutants Omnibus vol.1 | Magik #1-4 Marvel Graphic Novel #4 – The New Mutants Marvel Team-Up #100, 149 Marvel Team-Up Annual #6 New Mutants #1-34 Uncanny X-Men #167 |
| New Mutants Classic vol.1 | Marvel Graphic Novel #4 – The New Mutants New Mutants #1-8 Uncanny X-Men #167 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Captain Marvel vs Rogue | Uncanny X-Men #157 |
| Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus vol.1 Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne vol.2 Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four vol.22 | Fantastic Four #249-250 |
| Marvel Horror Lives Again Omnibus | Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 |
| X-Men: Curse of the Mutants – Mutants vs Vampires | Uncanny X-Men #159 |
| X-Men: Magik – Storm & Illyana | Uncanny X-Men #158 |
Reading Order © Omniverse Comics Guide 2025
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