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TragicKingdom1

Krakoan Era Guide

TragicKingdom1
Jul 5th, 2022 (edited)
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  1. - *House of X / Powers of X* (2019) sets up the new status quo and is probably the most critically acclaimed X-Men comic of all time at this point. Essential starting point.
  2. - *X-Men* (2019) is basically an anthology book with vignettes focusing on different characters and aspects of Krakoan life. Not every issue is relevant but it is all worth reading just to give a well rounded sense of the new mutant society established in HoX/PoX.
  3. - *Marauders* (2019) is ostensibly a book about trafficking mutants away from mutantphobic areas into safe havens with a pirate angle but it's basically just a Kate (formerly Kitty) Pryde and Emma Frost book. Not essential but some people love it.
  4. - *Excalibur* (2019) is arguably the most important book prior to the X of Swords crossover event, which is wild because it primarily draws upon lore from the fairly obscure 1980s Captain Britain comics. It introduces a new Captain Britain and fleshes out the whimsical Otherworld (an alternate dimension based on Medieval fairytales) which ends up being the main backbone of X of Swords; beginning with the issue after the event, issue #16, the book becomes inessential.
  5. - *X-Force* (2019) is an X-Men take on a spy thriller, focusing on the mutant equivalent of the CIA. It has a rotating cast and many long-term plot threads that makes it difficult to tell how relevant it will be in the long run, but the events of the first two arcs (#1-#10) are referenced in other books so they are fairly essential.
  6. - *New Mutants* (2019) is basically two runs in one (two separate writers and plots switching off issues) for the first arc(s), but it refocuses under a third writer after the X of Swords event. The arc written by Hickman (#1, #2, #5, #7) features a classic New Mutants team and has slight relevance to the cosmic-based plots in future titles; the Ayala run (#14-onwards) is critically acclaimed with some YA themes; and the Ed Brisson run is completely inessential except for #9-11 which serve as the origin for a main character in the Ayala run.
  7. - *Fallen Angels* (2019) is universally despised and is irrelevant beyond character backstory. Completely inessential.
  8. - *Wolverine* (2020) is written by the same author as X-Force and is tonally identical, just with different (and less relevant plots.) Only for the diehard Logan fans.
  9. - *Cable* (2020) focuses on the teenage version of the character introduced a year prior to the current era. Completely inessential but the coming-of-age vibes made it a personal favorite of some readers (including myself.)
  10. - *Hellions* (2020) is the cult classique of the era and is basically a mutant version of the Suicide Squad. It isn't *super* essential to the broader narrative (although certain threads have been picked up by other books) but is widely beloved for its character work and there's no filler to deal with.
  11. - *X-Factor* (2020) focuses on a very gay mutant detective agency and accrued a more stanny/Tumblry audience as a result. Falls into the middle tier in terms acclaim and is completely inessential.
  12. - The *Giant-Size X-Men* (2020) series of one-shots has good art and multiple tribute issues to Grant Morrison's *New X-Men* (2001) but is completely inessential.
  13. - *Empyre: X-Men* (2020) shows what the X-Men are doing during an alien invasion and is basically an elaborate setup for a very dumb joke. There's one heartfelt moment in particular that resonates with people and it's a good highlight of the Scarlet Witch but is completely inessential.
  14. - *X of Swords* (2020) is a 22-issue crossover event that introduces a new segment of mutant lore (the mysterious Arakki mutants) that has become a beloved and important cornerstone of the era. Technically not every issue is essential but they work in tandem in a way that makes the entire event worth reading, no matter which other books you choose to read.
  15. - *S.W.O.R.D.* (2020) spins out of X of Swords and continues to develop the X-Men's intergalactic footing as well as their primary antagonists of the era. Has become deceptively essential as the era has continued despite having an understated beginning.
  16. - *Children of the Atom* (2021) is a miniseries that deals with cultural appropriation of mutants by a group of teenagers. It's better than it sounds but completely inessential.
  17. - *X-Corp* (2021) was billed as X-Men meets Succession but ended up being critically panned. Completely inessential.
  18. - *Way of X* (2021) tackles theological questions in the current era and is a huge showcase of Nightcrawler. Not very essential but does lead into a currently ongoing title, so read this first if *Legion of X* (2022) sounds interesting to you.
  19. - The *Hellfire Gala* event is a riff on the Met Gala and spans across almost every title in a loose crossover event. It's a lot of fun even if you're not caught up on every book but only a few issues are essential (listed below).
  20. - *X-Men* (2021) is a relaunch of the main title with a proper superhero team. It is initially formatted as a monster-of-the-week type story that slowly builds up the main antagonists of the era, along with the best art of any book in the line. After issue #12, it deals with more pressing and relevant plots but has a downgrade in art. Still essential in its entirety, however.
  21. - *Trial of Magneto* (2021) was billed as an event book spinning out of the Hellfire Gala but ended up being mostly inessential beyond one plot development at the very end. Only read if you like the Scarlet Witch.
  22. - *Inferno* (2021) is the official continuation of HoX/PoX and as such is essential.
  23. - *X Lives of Wolverine* (2022) was marketed as one half of an event but is completely inessential.
  24. - *X Deaths of Wolverine* (2022), on the other hand, ended up being a direct follow up to *Inferno* (2021). Essential.
  25. - *Devil's Reign: X-Men* (2022) ended up being a surprisingly delightful character showcase of Emma Frost in the context of the Daredevil event Devil's Reign. Completely inessential.
  26. - *Sabretooth* (2022) has dealt with one of the most intriguing plotlines that was dropped after HoX/PoX to widespread critical acclaim. Too early to say how essential it will be, but has been announced as the first in a trilogy of miniseries.
  27. - *Immortal X-Men* (2022) shares the current flagship title with *X-Men* (2021) and dedicates a book to the Quiet Council of Krakoa for the first time in the era. The current most essential book in the line.
  28. - *X-Men Red* (2022) is the current flagship of the cosmic side of the mutantdom. It's also the most critically acclaimed book since HoX/PoX. Essential.
  29. - *Marauders* (2022) has moved the pirate premise to space, with mutants stranded in the past now being the focus of their rescues. Too early to tell how essential it will be beyond generally tying into the cosmic side of the line; make sure to start with *Marauders Annual* #1 and *Secret X-Men* #1 if you choose to read.
  30. - *Knights of X* (2022) is the sequel to *Excalibur* (2019). Completely inessential.
  31. - *Legion of X* (2022) is the sequel to *Way of X* (2021). It is a weird combination of detective serial and philosophical musings on mutantdom with a continued focus on Nightcrawler and Legion. Mildly essential in that it further fleshes out the Arakki mutants, who are sure to be critical moving forward.
  32. - *A.X.E. Judgment Day* (2022) is the summer crossover event of the year, bringing together the Avengers, X-Men and Eternals on a collision course in their respective ongoing stories. It does not mark a radical shift in the status quo, but is referenced in almost every other book, making it essential. If you want context from outside the X-line, *Eternals* (2021) is the only book worth reading.
  33. - *X-Terminators* (2022) is an M-rated yet very fun misadventure with vampires. Likely to be completely inessential given the age rating.
  34.  
  35. ESSENTIALS:
  36. 1. House of X (2019) #1-6 / Powers of X (2019) #1-6 (two event miniseries with largely overlapping plots)
  37. 2. X-Men (2019) #1-12
  38. 3. X-Force (2019) #1-10
  39. 4. Excalibur (2019) #1-11
  40. 5. X of Swords (series of crossover tie-ins anchored by the following standalone issues: X of Swords Creation (2020) #1, X of Swords Statis (2020) #1, X of Swords Destruction (2020) #1)
  41. 6. X-Men (2019) #16-20
  42. 7. S.W.O.R.D. (2020) #1-5
  43. 8. Hellfire Gala (series of crossover tie-ins with the following essential issues: Marauders (2019) #21, X-Men (2019) #21, Planet-Size X-Men (2021) #1, S.W.O.R.D. (2020) #6)
  44. 9. X-Men (2021) #1-9
  45. 10. S.W.O.R.D. (2020) #7-11
  46. 11. Inferno (2021) #1-4 (event miniseries)
  47. 12. X Deaths of Wolverine (2022) #1-5 (event miniseries)
  48. 13. X-Men (2021) #10-12
  49. 14. Immortal X-Men (2022) #1-4
  50. 15. X-Men Red (2022) #1-4
  51. 16. X-Men: Hellfire Gala (2022) #1 (all-in-one standalone issue that precedes the events of Judgment Day)
  52. 17. A.X.E. Judgment Day (2022) #1-6 (event miniseries with crossover tie-ins)
  53. 18. X-Men (2021) #15- (ongoing)
  54. 19. Immortal X-Men (2022) #8- (ongoing)
  55. 20. X-Men Red (2022) #8- (ongoing)
  56.  
  57. GOOD READS:
  58. New Mutants (2019)
  59. Cable (2020)
  60. Hellions (2020)
  61. X-Factor (2020)
  62. Way of X (2021) and Legion of X (2022)
  63. Devil's Reign: X-Men (2022)
  64. Sabretooth (2022)
  65. X-Terminators (2022)
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