Publication Date: 11 Jun 2024
512 pages $49.99
Adventures of all kinds as the X-Men battle throuh realms and stories with swashbuckling fantasy and futuristic sci-fi! Swords and sorcery, mutant style! Finding themselves in the middle of a barbarian nightmare, can the X-Men, Avengers and Spider-Man restore the world? Things are no less mystical for the X-Men and Alpha Flight when the trickster god Loki offers a gift to the people of Earth - but, big surprise, it comes with a price! And blade in hand, Nightcrawler swashbuckles his way through an other-dimensional solo adventure! Enough fantasy for you? How about sci-fi, courtesy of Lockheed the Space Dragon and the time-tossed future Sentinel known as Nimrod? And for fans of good, old-fashioned super heroics, Power Pack meets Wolverine - and the Juggernaut's back in town!
Collecting:
Uncanny X-Men (1981) #189-198,
X-Men Annual (1970) #8,
X-Men and Alpha Flight (1985) #1-2
Nightcrawler (1985) #1-4
X-Men Annual #8 is cover dated December 1984 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 259 & Annual 18, Avengers 250, Fantastic Four 273 & Uncanny X-Men 188
New Mutants is on issue 22 and Alpha Flight issue 17, which guest stars Wolverine and retells X-Men 109
The Beauty & The Beast & Iceman Limited series started this month. As well as Avengers reaching 250, Captain America reached 300 and Thor 350. And Secret Wars 8, featuring the debut of the alien costume, was released.
Uncanny X-Men #189 is cover dated January 1985 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 260, Avengers 251 & Fantastic Four 274
New Mutants is on issue 23 and Alpha Flight issue 18
Uncanny X-Men #198 is cover dated October 1985 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 269, Avengers 260 & Fantastic Four 283
New Mutants is on issue 32 and Alpha Flight issue 27
West Coast Avengers, The Vision & Scarlet Witch 12 issue limited series and The Eternals 12 issue limited series started this month. Star Wars reached issue 100.
Nightcrawler 1 is cover dated November 1985 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 270 & Annual 19, Avengers 261 & Annual 14, Fantastic Four 284 & Annual 19 and Uncanny X-Men #199
New Mutants is on issue 33 and Alpha Flight issue 28
Iron Man reached issue 200 this month and the Balder the Brave limited series started.
X-Men and Alpha Flight 1 & Nightcrawler 2 are cover dated December 1985 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 271, Avengers 262, Fantastic Four 285 and Uncanny X-Men #200
New Mutants is on issue 34 and Alpha Flight issue 29
In addition to X-Men's landmark issue Defenders reached issue 150, the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition started and New Mutants Special Edition 1 & X-Men Annual 9 were released. The Ethiopian Famine fund raiser X-Men Heroes for Hop came out. Alpha Flight 29 and Incredible Hulk 314 are the first issues of each title with the other title's previous creative team. Moon Knight Fist of Khonshu came to an end.
X-Men and Alpha Flight 2 & Nightcrawler 3 are cover dated January 1986 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 272, Avengers 263, Fantastic Four 286 and Uncanny X-Men #201.
New Mutants is on issue 35 and Alpha Flight issue 30
The Punisher 5 issue limited series started this month and Jean Grey came back from the dead in the Avengers & FF issues.
Nightcrawler 4 is cover dated February 1986 the same month as Amazing Spider-Man 273, Avengers 264, Fantastic Four 287 and Uncanny X-Men #202.
New Mutants is on issue 36 and Alpha Flight issue 31
Defenders came to an end with issues 252, Rom with issue 75, and Longshot with issue 6. X-Factor 1 was released.
Cover is Uncanny X-Men 197
Title is X-Men/Alpha Flight 1
The story so far ....
Cyclops has married Madelyne Pryor.
Following his romance on Battleworld Colossus & Kitty Pryde have split up. Kitty went to stay with her Father, ended up in trouble in Japan and Wolverine went to assist her.
Rachel Summer arrived from the future, was attacked by Selene and rescued by the X-Men
Storm, while rescuing Rogue, was shot by a gun that robbed her of her powers
The New Mutants take in Warlock, a techno organic extraterrestrial who crashed on Earth fleeing his father the Magus. While approaching Earth Warlock accidentally destroyed Asteroid M. Magneto survived and was pulled from the sea by Lee Forrester, Cyclops former Girlfriend.
If any of that sounds unfamiliar that's probably because most of it is due to be in X-Men Epic 11, which will probably be called "Lifedeath" and contain the following
X-Men 176-188
Annual 7
Kitty Pryde & Wolverine 1-6
I'd hope to get Marvel Team Up 150 in there but I think 176 being held over to that book won't have helped it's chances.
This is a reprint of the second X-Men Epic released. The first was Epic 1 Children of the Atom, which was in comic shops 24th December 2014 and book shops 6th January 2015 it's original ISBN was 978-07851-8904-6 and previews page was https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/OCT140926, but that volume has been reprinted more than once.
X-Men Epic 12 The Gift was originally released to comic shops 23rd December 2015 and appeared in bookshops 5th Jan 2016. It's ISBN was 978-07851-9217-6 and previews page was https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/OCT150990
Aside from X-Men & Alpha Flight 1-2, seen in plenty of printings of Asgardian Wars, and X-Men 198, seen in X-Men Visionaries Chris Claremont, this was the first time this material had appeared in colour trade, it's only previous printing being in Essential X-Men 5 in 2004. Masterworks printings followed in 2019 (MMW 11, The Uncanny X-Men #189-193, Annual #8, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #1-6 and X-Men/Alpha Flight #1-2) and 2020 (MMW 12, The Uncanny X-Men #194-200, X-Men Annual #9, New Mutants Special Edition #1, Nightcrawler #1-4 and material from Bizarre Adventures #27).
The mapping of the Epic was much approved of at the time because it neatly docked with X-Men Ghosts which had been released in 2013 collecting Uncanny X-Men 199-209 & Annual 10. That's missing Annual 9, which occurs between 199 and 200, but that's had plenty of printings elsewhere. Ghosts in turn neatly docks with The Mutant Massacre trades (210-214) and we expect Ghosts to form the backbone of Epic 13. More on that in a bit.
You'll notice the what came out when listing at the start is a lot longer than normal. That's because all of the bonus material for the book outside of the main series falls outside the run of main series issues. Essentially they were published:
December 1984 X-Men Annual 8
January 1985-October 1985 Uncanny X-Men 189-198
November 1985-February 1986 Nightcrawler 1-4 (with X-Men & Alpha Flight 1-2 in the middle 2 months of that)
Uncanny X-Men 189-198 are in this book but the issues spanned by the material are Uncanny X-Men 188-202
The publication order is far from an ideal reading order for these stories and the Epic gives us something much more acceptable.
Uncanny X-Men 189 is Rachel & Amara attempting to take revenge on Selene as she is admitted to the Hellfire Club. Both have had early previous encounters with her that did not go well - Amara in New Mutants 9-11 then Rachel in Uncanny X-Men 184. All the regular issues in this book are written by Chris Claremont and all bar the last drawn by John Romita Jr. As much as I love John Byrne and Paul Smith JRjr was the artist when I started reading the book and he is my X-Men artist which is why I'm always pleased when his material, especially his initial X-Men run from 176-211, is released. By this time Dan Green has settles into the position of JRjr's regular inker but this issue is inked by Steve Leiahola who also part inks issue 194 and draws Annual 8
Writer: Christopher S. Claremont http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=1078
Penciller: John Romita, Jr. http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=140
Inker: Daniel Green http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=1005
Inker: Steve Leialoha http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=632
The very end of issue 189 leads into the 2 part story that follows
Uncanny X-Men 190-191 I recall seeing the cover to 191 in the shops and wondering what on earth was going on with Colossus fighting the Vision and four of the New Mutants in the corner box! This story features Kulan Gath having cast a spell over New York as he attempts to take his revenge for the events of Marvel Team Up 79. You don't need to have read MTU 79 but it will help but that's besides the point because you *SHOULD* read Marvel Team Up 79 cos it's the BEST issue of the series. Claremont, Byrne & Austin on the creative side, Spider-Man teamed up with Red Sonja, who's possessed Mary Jane's body. It's fabulous. Unfortunately because it features Red Sonja it looks unlikely to be reprinted in Marvel Team Up Epics when they get round to doing Marvel Team Up Epics. However as well as it's original printing it's previously been reprinted in 1984's Mighty Marvel Team-Up Thrillers TPB, Marvel Tales #208 and the Spider-Man/Red Sonja HC/TPB.
Doctor Strange's solution to the problem creates a Temporal Anomaly that brings Nimrod to this time and he makes his debut at the end of 191.
Uncanny X-Men 192 is Colossus, sporting my favourite of his outfits for the first time, Nightcrawler & Rogue confronting Warlock's father Magus on his arrival on Earth at the same time as the rest of the cast is welcoming Wolverine & Kitty home from Japan in the wake of the Kitty Pryde & Wolverine limited series. Neither has been in the main X-Men title since issue 183. UXM 192 is the last issue of Uncanny X-Men that my Father brought me home from work. He worked in the WHSmih distribution warehouse in Isleworth and every so often a bundle of spare comics would come home with him for me and my brothers. I'd received X-Men 176 & 184 in his way, and also acquired 180 from a comics & book stall at a school fete. Let's have a quick look at the month Uncanny X-Men 192 came out:
From that month's comics I received:
Alpha Flight #21
Daredevil #217
Defenders #142
Fantastic Four #277
Incredible Hulk #306
Marvel Tales #174
Micronauts: The New Voyager #7
Power Man and Iron Fist #116
Power Pack #9
Thing #22
Thor #354
Uncanny X-Men #192
Web of Spider-Man #1
That was a good month! What's more I'd had the Alpha Flight, Daredevil, Defenders, PMIF, Thing and Thor the previous month too so was able to read the continuation of several stories. The consecutive issues of Alpha Flight were what pushed me into a comic shop for the first time to track down further issues.
The end of Uncanny X-Men 192 is a shocking event set some months later that leads into the next issue of the X-Men title. But several stories fit into the gap between the top & bottom halves of the ante-penultimate page of 192!
The first of these is X-Men Annual 8, a sequel of sorts to Uncanny X-Men 153 Kitty's Fairy Tale. Neither story has ever really grabbed me I'm afraid. As I said above this is drawn - pencilled & inked - by Steve Leialoha. It's the earliest published material in the book, coming out the month before the first Uncanny X-Men issue in the Epic and for months before issue 192.
From there we jump to X-Men and Alpha Flight 1-2, some of the latest published material in the book which appeared on the shelves AFTER the last issue of the main title in the Epic, Uncanny X-Men 198!!
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/series.php?seriesid=4100&page=gallery
I believe the original plan was for the material to appear here, at around the point of the New X-Men's 10th anniversary but it was delayed due either to the original artist John Byrne pulling out the project or Paul Smith taking his time with it. Either is a possibility and a combination of the two could well be what led to it not appearing till eight months after UXM 192. It's a shame, as the major revelation in issue 1 is spoiled by it having been seen in Uncanny X-Men 199 and the sequel story in New Mutants Special Edition 1 & X-Men Annual 9 appears in between XM/AF 1 & 2 and AFTER Uncanny X-Men 200 which it leads into.
Having said that X-Men and Alpha-Flight is absolutely brilliant. The Paul Smith artwork is stunning, just like when he was on the regular X-Men title and this is easiest the best Alpha Flight have ever looked when John Byrne isn't drawing them. Plus we get the revelation that Madelyne is pregnant and the first meeting between Cyclops & Rachel.
X-Men and Alpha Flight has been reprinted MANY time in various editions of the Asgardian Wars, the third X-Men trade after Phoenix Saga and The Savage Land - From the Ashes was the fourth. It's usually paired with Loki's retribution on the X-Men from New Mutants Special Edition 1 & X-Men Annual 9 but as far as I can tell Loki's revenge on Alpha Flight in Alpha Flight 50 has never been printed with the other issues.
Uncanny X-Men 193 is the big anniversary issue: it's the 100th issue of the New X-Men and, by cover month, 10 years since the release of Giant Size 1.
UXM 193 May 85 http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/newsstand.php?publisher=marvel&type=cover&month=5&year=1985&sort=alpha&variantex=on
In come lots of elements from X-Men 94, the first regular issue of the title and the first issue Chris Claremont worked on as scripter over Len Wein's plots intended for Giant Size 2. We get the location, Cheyenne Mountain, Banshee, then part of the team, and Thunderbird, younger brother of the Thunderbird in the team who was killed at the end of that mission. With Thunderbird II come a couple of his Hellions teammates and, for the first time in a Marvel comic, Firestar. Angelica first appeared in the Spider-Man & his Amazing Friends cartoon in 1981, four years previously.
Uncanny X-Men 194 is the first full issue concentrating on super Sentinel Nimrod, briefly seen in 191 & 193 and a return appearance by the Juggernaut. Since the last time he appeared in the X-Men, in issue 183, he's met them in Marvel Team Up 150 which occurs just after X-Men 188.
In between Uncanny X-Men 194 & 195 Power Pack 12 - featuring Nightcrawler & Shadowcat and the Morlocks - was published. This is a notable absentee from this Epic.
Uncanny X-Men 195 returns the favour and features Power Pack, starting a friendship between Wolverine and the youngest Power child Katie. The X-Men Epics may have left Power Pack 12 out but Power Pack Classic 2 does include this! I can just about recall seeing 195 on the shelves of my local comic shop.
I got a selection of this month's issues from my Father: Avengers 257, Captain America 307, Defenders 145, Fantastic Four 280, Iron Man 196, Marvel Tales 177 & New Mutants 29 The last provides the New Mutants lead in to Secret Wars II and brings Magneto back to the main stream of the X titles. This led to me buying Secret Wars II #1 and forsaking Alpha Flight after issue 25, a mistake I rectified at the very first Westminster Comic Mart I went to in late 1986 or early 1987. Secret Wars II #1 has a heavy X-Men presence and I could make a decent case that it should have been included in this Epic. If you really must have it the Secret Wars II trade was reprinted last November ISBN 978-13029-5273-0.
Uncanny X-Men 196 is the title's first Secret Wars II crossover issue and the first appearance in the book of The Beyonder. It's also first issue to regularly feature Magneto as an X-Men ally and continues the storyline started in the closing pages of UXM 192.
Uncanny X-Men 197 provides the cover for the book but if you're expecting a Doctor Doom battle you'll be a Bit disappointed in this Arcade story.
Uncanny X-Men 198 - Lifedeath II. The original Lifedeath was issue 186, a Storm tale chronicling the immediate aftermath of her power loss. This sequel is, like the original, drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith. Storm's story has provided a backbone to the Uncanny issues in this book, albeit in a minor way in most issues:
On boat ready to leave in 189
Prevented to by events in 190 & 191
At airport waiting for Kitty & Logan
On Boat in 193
Arrives in Kenya in 194
Shot in 196 by Andrea van Strucker
Wakes at the end of 197
198 brings the Storm story to the forefront and she's still in Kenya at the close of the book.
The Epic closes with Nightcrawler 1-4 http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/series.php?seriesid=4059&page=gallery
This story, written and drawn by Dave Cockrum, is a sequel to the "Show Me the Way to Go Home..." Nightcrawler tale from Bizarre Adventures 27, which I read reprinted in Marvel UK's X-Men Winter Special in 1982. This series was the last outstanding X-Men limited series from the 80s to be reprinted. Nightcrawler was sold the same months as X-Men 199-202 and although it's placement isn't as rigid as the X-Men and Alpha Flight LS at the same time - you could have it at any point from the end of 192 to just after 199 or possibly between 201 & 202 - here is as good a place as any to put it.
I mentioned above that his book docks nicely with Ghosts (199-209, Annual 10) and I expect that to form the backbone of Epic 13. The question is what goes with it. X-Men Annual 9 is a given. 199-209 is 11 issues but since 200 is double sized it's 12 issues worth. Add the two double sized annuals and you're talking 16 issues worth.
The obvious solution to most of the deficit is to throw in New Mutants Special Edition 1 and New Mutants Annual 2, 3 and 2 issues worth respectively which would bring the book's count to 21 issues. The Special Edition starts the story continued in X-Men Annual 9 while NM Annual 2 introduces Psylocke to US readers.
If I had my way I'd place 210 in there as well before X-Men annual 10 which I feel take place in the last few pages of 210 or immediately after. That'd make 22 issues.
The alternative is to leave the New Mutants Special Edition, Annual 2 & UXM 210 and instead include Longshot 1-6 (September 1985-February 1986, same months as Uncanny 197-202) That'd be 7 issues worth and bring the book to 23 issues.
But even then that's nowhere near the full story
Epic 13
199-210 Annuals 9 & 10
New Mutants Special Edition 1 and Annual 2
* An alternate solution would be to drop the New Mutants SE & Annual for Longshot 1-6
Epic 14 The Mutant Massacre
211-219 Annual 11
X-Men vs Avengers 1-4
X-Men vs Fantastic Four 1-4
Epic 15 Fall Of The Mutants
220-238
Hulk 340
Epic 16 Inferno
239-247 Annuals 12 & 13
X-Factor 37-39
And finally the much desired Epic 18 containing the majority of the Jim Lee run:
Epic 18: Xtinction Agenda
Uncanny X-Men 268-276 & Annual 14,
New Mutants 94-96 & material from Annual 6,
X-Factor 60-62 & material from Annual 5
Material From Fantastic Four Annual 23
