X-Men Reading Order Guide – Era #5: X-Tinction

A reading order for stories starting from Uncanny X-Men #244 in May 1989 and ending with Uncanny X-Men #280 in September 1991, plus New Mutants, X-Factor, Excalibur, Wolverine, & more. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting X-Men: A Definitive Guide. Last updated March 2021.

Era #3: New Mutants  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #5: X-Tinction

What does Era #5: X-Tinction include?

This era of the reading order focuses on a period where all of the X-Men teams are unravelling, and ends with each title in the franchise refocused for their sales dominance of the early 90s.

We begin this era with a flash of hope after a difficult run for the main X-Men team, who had been presumed dead to the world (including their many former teammates) since Fall of the Mutants.

The X-Men reconciled with X-Factor at the end of “Inferno,” with everyone happy to learn their friends were alive – including the revelation of Jean’s resurrection! Meanwhile, the New Mutants were rattled to find their friend Illyana reduced to childhood and Excalibur had barely agreed to become a team.

However, just a few issues later, the X-Men would be disbanded after a brutal fight with Master Mold, X-Factor would be stuck off the planet, New Mutants would see a key member perish, and Excalibur would be stranded across multiple dimensions!

In Uncanny X-Men, this leads to an unusual 18-month period where there was no X-Men team in the flagship X-Men title. Stories alternated between Wolverine’s adventures with Jubilee and glimpses at the scattered team, many of whom had no memories of their prior lives.

Meanwhile, Moira MacTaggert began to assemble a new team of mutants on Muir Island with the corrupting influence of the Shadow King looming over her. Wolverine and Jubilee collect Betsy Braddock, now in Kwannon’s body, while a mysteriously de-aged Storm meets Gambit, and Rogue is stranded in the Savage Land (where Magneto lurked, after abandoning the New Mutants in the wake of Inferno).

At the same time, Wolverine’s solo title delved into his long-hinted mysterious past. Despite many indications that Logan had lead a long and secret life prior to his joining the X-Men, up to this point there had been few concrete connections to it shown on the page. Claremont, Peter David, and finally long-time scripter Larry Hama teased both Logan’s connection to Sabretooth and fleshed out his connections in the Madripoor underworld, buiding up to the bombshell “Weapon X” flashback story in Marvel Comics Presents #72-84.

Chris Claremont began to reassemble the X-Men starting with “X-Tinction Agenda” in Uncanny X-Men #270. This crossover through all three main team titles served to further disband the classic New Mutants cast – which had just lost Dani to her other life as a Valkyrie but gained the paramilitary Cable as their new leader.

New Mutants runs for just three more issues after the end of “X-Tinction Agenda,” adding Shatterstar and Warpath to the team and seeing Deadpool’s debut. These are widely acknowledged (and collected) as a prelude to X-Force. The New Mutants were already dead and gone.

It all came to a climax in pair of stories. First, in X-Factor’s “Endgame,” Apocalypse takes a keen interest in Nathan Christopher Summers. Then, “The Muir Island Saga” brings together the remaining X-Men left unfound during “X-Tinction Agenda.” That set up a massive combined squad of primary X-Men for their face-off against Magneto at the beginning of the next Era, as well as an all-new X-Factor team.

Flagship X-Series in this era:

• Uncanny X-Men (1963) #244-280 & Annuals 13-15 – see Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont

Ongoing X-titles released in this era (listed in order of age of series):

• Alpha Flight (1983) #71-101 & Annuals – see Alpha Flight
• New Mutants (1983) #75-100 & Annuals – see New & Young X-Men
• X-Factor (1986) #40-70 & Annuals – see X-Factor
• Excalibur (1988) #8-41 & Specials – see Excalibur
• Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #17-85 – This features Wolverine and others; see Logan – Wolverine
• Wolverine (1988) #4-47 & OGNs – see Logan – Wolverine 

Limited Series released in this era (listed in alphabetical order):

• Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown (1988) #1-4

Later X-titles set in this era:

• X-Men: True Friends (1999) #1-3
• Clandestine (2008) #1-5

Notes:

• This era includes the events Atlantis Attacks, Acts of Vengeance, Days of Future Present, X-Tinction Agenda, Muir Island Saga, & Kings of Pain.
• Wolverine’s legendary “Weapon X” story from Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #72-84 was published in this era, but it appears in Era 1 per its chronological placement.
• The late 80s and early 90s was one of the most intertwined era of X-Men, including many instances where you need to switch back and forth between single issues! I have tried to vastly simplify that without creating too many spoilers.

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Era #5: X-Tinction Reading Order

• Dust To Dust (UXM #244-245 & Annual 13, including Atlantis Attacks)
• Meltdown (no UXM issues)
• The Light That Failed (UXM #246-258, including Acts of Vengeance)
• Optional: The Origin of Cable
• Prey for the Living (UXM #259-269 & Annual 14, including Days of Future Present)
• X-Tinction Agenda (UXM #270-272)
• Crossroads (UXM #273-280, including Kings of Pain and Muir Island Saga)
• Reconstruction (no UXM issues)

This reading guide is unique in that it values continuity order for stories and characters but prioritizes an enjoyable read. Because retcon stories are placed by continuity regardless of when they are published, this reading order is full of story spoilers. Again, this is a full-spoilers reading order.

When the continuity order of two runs is concurrent or unclear, this guide follows two priorities:

1. Recommend the biggest chunk of reading with the least amount of substantial story conflict. A minor crossover point like a phone call or a costume change isn’t enough of a reason to shuffle between two unrelated story arcs.
2. Create the longest unbroken block of Uncanny X-Men and place it as early as possible in the order.

Generally, I’m not concerned with switching between single issues of different titles outside of a crossover. Minor appearances and cameos are selectively included. Full, unadulterated lists of character appearances can be found in the respective Reading Guide to each character (specifically, Wolverine).

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Dust To Dust

This initial run of stories works as a sort of “Inferno Aftermath” as each of the various X-series dealt with the fallout of the event and transitioned to their next big plot.

New Mutants (1983) #74-75
See New Mutants for collection information
You can optionally read Excalibur #8 between these issues. This sees Magneto taking over as the leader of the Hellfire Club, which leads to his brief return to outright villainy throughout the Acts of Vengeance linewide event.

Excalibur (1988) #8
See Excalibur for collection information
It’s likely that this issue is best placed between NN74-75 given the New Mutants appearing in the middle of Manhattan here, but since neither issue will spoil Excalibur, it’s fine to read those first as a chunk and then move on to this as a standalone.

We could place Alpha Flight #66 between MCP 15 and X-Factor #40, but we’ve already read it in the prior era!

Jean Grey in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #15 (3rd story)
See X-Factor for collection information
This issue has Jean safely back on Ship, likely in the wake of Inferno. Note that this issue also contains a chapter of Colossus: God’s Country, which appeared in the prior era.

If you choose to split up your read of X-Factor (1986) Annual 4, you could read the third story here.

X-Factor (1986) #40 
See X-Factor for collection information
This one-shot story begins with the team exiting a funeral for Maddie, pronouncing it “a week of funerals,” which allows some time for the prior stories to occur.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #244
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
This is Jubilee’s first appearance, where she joins the team during a “ladies night” shopping trip.

If you choose to split up your read of Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 13, you could read the second story here.

Punisher War Journal (1988) #6-7
See Logan – Wolverine or Punisher for collection information
Wolverine appears here before continuing in his own series.

Wolverine (1988) #4-16
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
Karma continues from New Mutants to the initial run of issues #4-8.

Alpha Flight #71-75
See Alpha Flight for collection information
Alpha Flight continues to work separately from most of the rest of the Marvel Universe. However, a few AF characters are implied in the Paladin story in MCP #21 (3rd story) between #71-72, and just before Avengers (1963) #304 and Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #320, which places this definitively after Inferno and X-Factor (1986) Annual 4 (3rd story).

Excalibur (1988) #9-11 + Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem (1989)
See Excalibur for collection information
Mojo Mayhem occurs about halfway through #11, and Callisto’s appearance in #11 occurs prior to Cyclops’s MCP serial “The Retribution Affair” in the following section. We could also place Excalibur (1988) #12-13 here, but they are better read as a longer unbroken run below since they kick off the Cross Time Caper.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #245
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
This is the boys-only outing to mirror the girls’ night in UXM 244. This is Wolverine’s only stop between his issue #16 and his guest appearance in Punisher.

Punisher (1987) #18
See Punisher for collection information
Wolverine appears here, alongside several X-Men

New Mutants (1983) #76
See New Mutants for collection information
This is a prelude to Atlantis Attacks with an appearance from Beast, who makes one more stop before the crossover begins.

Beast/Wonder Man in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #38-44 (2nd stories)
See X-Factor for collection information
There are no X-Men characters in #38, but the Wonder Man/Beast story begins there, and Beast

X-Factor (1986) #41-42
See X-Factor for collection information
A two-part story of a young mutant named Alchemy. This is after NM 76 due to Beast and a handful of New Mutants, some of whom continue directly to Atlantis Attacks.

Sunfire in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #32 (4th story)
A 8-page Sunfire story that we can place prior to Atlantis Attacks.

Atlantis Attacks: Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 13 (1st story)
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
The 2nd story in this annual fits above between UXM 244-245, per Gateway – so, if you haven’t read it already, read i here. The final story is a Watcher-lead retelling of the history of the Serpent Crown, which runs through all Atlantis Attacks annuals in sequence.

Atlantis Attacks: X-Factor (1986) Annual 4
See X-Factor for collection information
If you haven’t read the 2nd and 3rd stories from this annual already, you should read them here. The 2nd story in this annual is a Magneto/Doom tale that fits much earlier, in the prior era just after X-Men vs Avengers. The 3rd story fits directly following Inferno for most characters, as noted above. The final story is a Watcher-lead retelling of the history of the Serpent Crown, which runs through all Atlantis Attacks annuals in sequence.

Atlantis Attacks: New Mutants (1983) Annual 5 (1st and 2nd stories)
See New Mutants for collection information
The 2nd story in this annual occurs between Atlantis Attacks and the next issue of NM, so it’s fine to read it here. The final story is a Watcher-lead retelling of the history of the Serpent Crown, which runs through all Atlantis Attacks annuals in sequence.

Jean Grey, who is captured earlier, along with Beast continues to the final three crossover issues in Avengers West Coast (1989) Annual 4, Thor (1966) Annual 14, and the climax in Fantastic Four (1961) Annual 22.

The full reading order for Atlantis Attacks is New Mutants #76 and then: Silver Surfer Annual 2, Iron Man Annual 10,, Uncanny X-Men Annual 13, Amazing Spider-Man Annual 23, Punisher Annual 2, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual 9, Daredevil Annual 5, Avengers Annual 18, New Mutants Annual 5, X-Factor Annual 4, Web of Spider-Man Annual 5, Avengers West Coast Annual 4, Thor Annual 14, and Fantastic Four Annual 22

Meltdown

Cyclops in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #17-24
See X-Factor for collection information
This is “The Retribution Affair,” anchored by Cyclops. Note that a story in #17 is part of Colossus: God’s Country from the prior era, and a story from #24 is part of Havok: Pharoah’s Legacy, which is the story following the next.

X-Men in Marvel Super-Heroes, Vol. 3 (1990) #6-8
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
Inventory stories in these issues may have originally been meant for Marvel Comics Presents, but they must fit here – as this is the last gasp of the team being assembled during the Outback era before they are splintered by the events of UXM246-248.

Havok in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #24-31
Havok: Pharoah’s Legacy. Wolverine joins this story in #29. Note that “Excalibur: Having a Wild Weekend” begins in #31, but is placed later.

Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown (1988) #1-4
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
This mini-series penned by the Simonsons acts as a sidebar adventure to the slim remaining period of Outback X-Men.

Alpha Flight (1983) #76-77
See Alpha Flight for collection information
This needs to occur before the following MCP stories.

Wolverine [as Patch]: Black Shadow, White Shadow in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #38-47
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
Issue #38, which is also the final chapter of “Excalibur: Having a Wild Weekend.”

Wolverine: The Wilding in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #51-53
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
The Wilding also features members of Alpha Flight. The Wilding in #51-53 fits prior to Jungle Adventure

Storm in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #48
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
Storm and Doctor Doom in “When it Rains.” Note that this also begins a Spider-Man/Wolverine: Life’s End story

Wolverine: Jungle Adventure OGN
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
All of Wolverine’s appearances here are in brief flashback to just prior to issue #17 of his series.

Wolverine (1988) #17-18
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Wolverine cameos in Captain America (1968) #363, which is set in Madripoor.

Some sources would dispute that Wolverine/Nick Fury: The Scorpio Connection must occur here due to Dazzler being on the X-Men team pictured there. However, I’m inclined to chalk that up to a continuity mistake – as it has Rogue dressed for this era, Dazzler dressed for 20+ issues ago, and Colossus dressed from the JRJR run back in the 180s. They appear for just a page or two and have no significant action, so it’s easier to place this purely based on Wolverine and Nick Fury’s continuity (or, to assume Dazzler briefly dropped in for an unseen X-Men adventure sometime before the disastrous release of her movie).

The Light That Failed

This period kicks off with the seeming death of the X-Men team, Judgement War in X-Factor, and the death and departure of several members of New Mutants.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #246-248
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
The remaining Outback team fights Master Mold, and has to use the Siege Perilous

Excalibur (1988) #12-17
See Excalibur for collection information
While we could have read #12-13 earlier, since they are part of the Cross Time Caper, it’s more enjoyable to read them here. This This ends with an appearance by Xavier and the Starjammers, who are next seen in Spotlight on Starjammers, but some of Excalibur won’t join them there until after #34. You could reasonably continue through #25 here since Excalibur never departs this title and no outside characters appear after this, but the following issues were published alongside the next section so it’s also a fine time for a break.

Optional: During Excalibur #15, Nightcrawler appears in #2-5 of Clandestine (2008) #1-5. While not strictly a mutant title, Clandestine is an Alan Davis creation very much in the spirit of his Excalibur run.

New Mutants (1983) #77-86
See New Mutants for collection information
This presents us with a continuity problem. While we could hold #84-86 for a sequential read of Acts of Vengeance, they need to resolve before Wolverine #19, and Wolverine #19 ends prior to the UXM Acts of Vengeance issues. Since this doesn’t create any other significant conflicts, it’s fine to enjoy it as a single sprint here.

X-Factor (1986) #43-50
See X-Factor for collection information
While we could reasonably read X-Factor #49-50 here, they are part of Acts of Vengeance, so we could also hold them for below.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #249-250
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information

Wolverine (1988) #19-23
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #251-255
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
With the X-Men disbanded, this run begins as a Wolverine and Jubilee adventure, and transitions to focus on Moira MacTaggert’s team of X-Men on Muir Isle in #252.

Firestar: Life During War Time in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #82-87 (2nd stories)
See New Warriors for collection information
Both Emma Frost and Freedom Force appear throughout this story.

If you choose to split up your read of X-Factor (1986) Annual 6, you can read the third story here.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #256-258
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
This is the famous Acts of Vengeance story where Betsy arrives in Kwannon’s body.

Alpha Flight (1983) #78-90
See Alpha Flight for collection information
Issues #79-80 are Acts of Vengeance stories, so they make sense to start in this period. Then, #87-90 are Wolverine next appearance after UXM #256-258 – so, the entire chunk can be read here.

The Origin of Cable

If you would like to read Cable’s chronological character history prior to his first appearance in NM #86-87, the main sequence of his future history is listed below. Alternately, you could save this until after Muir Island Saga, as it happens after X-Factor #68 from the perspective of several of the time-traveling characters in this story.

• Books of Askani
• X-Men: Phoenix #1-3
• Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix (1994) #1-4
• Askani’son #1-4
• Wolverine/Cable: Guts and Glory OGN
• Cable (1993) #-1
• Cable: Blood & Metal #1-2

See Cable for a fuller chronology. Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix will also be listed in the Fatal Attractions era, as that is when it fits chronologically for Jean and Scott.

Prey for the Living

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #259-260
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
A pair of largely standalone stories to explain where Colossus and Dazzler wound up after the Siege Perilous.

X-Factor (1986) #51-55
See X-Factor for collection information
X-Factor #54 comes after UXM #260.

Excalibur (1988) #18-25
See Excalibur for collection information
These issues resolve the Cross-Time Caper. There is a break between here and #26, and #26 must occur between New Mutants #89 and UXM #269 per Moira.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #261-264
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information

X-Factor (1986) #56-58
See X-Factor for collection information
You could read this chunk between UXM #263-264 – and, in some senses it would be better coordinated that way. However, there’s some editorial confusion here that makes X-Factor hard to definitively place in relation to UXM264, so it’s fine to read it here for a Rashomon effect.

New Mutants #87-92
See New Mutants for collection information
The flashback filler story in #92 actually fits after #88, but you can also read it in publication order. Issue #89 is after UXM #259 but before UXM #265 and Excalibur #26

The New Mutants make a brief guest appearances in Quasar (1989) #8

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #265-267
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
Gambit’s debut!

Quasar (1989) #11
See Quasar for collection information
Nightcrawler appears here prior to the next issue of Excalibur.

Days of Future Present: Fantastic Four (1961) Annual 23, New Mutants (1983) Annual 6, X-Factor (1986) Annual 5, X-Men (1963) Annual 14
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont, New Mutants, X-Factor, or Fantastic Four for collection information
Occurs after UXM #267 and prior to Excalibur #27.

Excalibur (1988) #26-34
See Excalibur for collection information
Issue #26 is a filler issue that can’t be reasonably fit until after the team’s appearance in MCP, just below, but you might as well read it when it was published! Otherwise, these Excalibur issues end prior to Starjammers (per Captain Britain) and UXM #268 (due to the Struckers).

X-Men Spotlight On Starjammers (1990) #1-2
See X-Men Limited series for collection information
This space adventure starring Professor X, Lillandra, Corsair, and the rest of the Starjammers was released in 1990 and includes appearances by X-Factor between #58 and Days of Future Present and Excalibur after #34

Excalibur: Wild Weekend in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #31-38 + Excalibur (1988) #26 + Thor (1966) #427-429
See Excalibur for collection information
Captain Britain’s chronology takes from from #34 to Starjammers #2 to this sequence of issues. Note that Thor #427 is the second story only.

Sunspot in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #79 (3rd story)
See New Mutants for collection information
Sunspot is here after Days of Future Present and before the Summer Special.

New Mutants Summer Special (1990)
See New Mutants for collection information

Iceman in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #74 (4th story)
See X-Factor for collection information
An Iceman and Human Torch appearance, both directly from Days of Future Present, and for Iceman prior to X-Factor #59.

X-Factor (1986) #59 + X-Factor: Prisoner Of Love (1990) OGN
See X-Factor for collection information

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #268
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
The famous Jim Lee flashback adventure for Logan, Captain America, and Black Widow

Wolverine: Rahne Of Terra (1991) OGN
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
This is Wolverine’s first present-day appearance after UXM #268

Warlock in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #71 (4th story)
A pre-X-Tinction Agenda Warlock appearance between the Summer Special and NM #93.

New Mutants (1983) #93-94
See New Mutants for collection information
There is also some additional linking material from the Cable & The New Mutants TPB that fits here.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #269
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
Rogue’s solo adventure in the Savage Land

Beast: Just Friends in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #85-92
See X-Factor for collection information

Wolverine & Spider-Man: “Life’s End” in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #48-50
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Wolverine: On the Road in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #54-61
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
“On the Road” in #54-61, which occurs either here or in the sequence after #268

A Wolverine flashback in Warheads (1992) #1 fits here

Wolverine (1988) #24-34 + Sign of the Beast in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #62-63
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
MCP #62-63 comes before Wolverine #34

X-Tinction Agenda

This brutal nine-issue event is an “all the pieces on the board” X-Men events that occupies all of the major teams and their entire casts at once. While it reconciles X-Men and X-Factor and returns a few characters from the Siege Perilous, it has much graver results for New Mutants – it basically solidifies their transformation to X-Force under Cable.

See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont, X-Factor, or New Mutants, for collection information

The reading order for this event is Uncanny X-Men (1963) #270, New Mutants (1983) #95, X-Factor (1986) #60, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #271, New Mutants (1983) #96, X-Factor (1986) #61, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #272, New Mutants (1983) #97, X-Factor (1986) #62

Crossroads

Alpha Flight (1983) #91-94
See Alpha Flight for collection information
(check if 95-97 fits better here or with the next group)

Wolverine: Bloodlust (1990) OGN
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information
This is Wolverine’s first appearance after X-Tinction Agenda

Wolverine in One Life to Die in Marvel Fanfare (1982) #54-55 (2nd stories)
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

This was my original placement of Excalibur WWIII through Excalibur #41, but I’ve shifted that placement to later in the guide.

Wolverine appears in Ghost Rider (1990) #9

X-Factor (1986) #63-64
See X-Factor for collection information

Wolverine in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #64-71
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Fantastic Four (1961) #347-349
See Fantastic Four for collection information
The infamous “New Fantastic Four” story, featuring Wolverine.

Wolverine (1988) #35-37
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

If you choose to split up your read of  Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 15, you could read the fourth story here prior to the main story.

Uncanny X-Men (1963) #273-277
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont for collection information
Issue #273 starts as the first post-X-Tinction appearance for almost every mutant

New Mutants (1983) #98-100
See New Mutants for collection information
Note that this post-X-Tinction New Mutants material is commonly collected under the X-Force title, since the X-Force team is effectively assembled here.

Iceman appears in Spider-Man Family:Amazing Friends and Web of Spider-Man #75.

If you choose to split up your read of  New Mutants (1983) Annual 7, you could read the third story here prior to the main story.

Kings of Pain in New Mutants (1983) Annual 7, New Warriors (1990) Annual 1, Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 15, X-Factor (1986) Annual 6
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont, New Mutants, X-Factor, or New Warriors for collection information
This story occurs during UXM #274-277 while the team is in space and after New Mutants #100, but must be read prior to Wolverine #41 and Muir Island Saga, below. It only includes the Muir-based X-Men. Because this includes Warpath and Shatterstar, it establishes that New Mutants ends prior to Muir Island.

X-Factor (1986) #65-68
See X-Factor for collection information
This is the climactic X-Factor story where baby Nathan Christopher Summers is relinquished to the Askani. If you skipped The Origin of Cable, above, you can optionally read it starting here.

Cable and Wolverine appear in Marvel Team-Up (2005) #19

Wolverine/Punisher: Damaging Evidence (1993) #1-3
See Logan – Wolverine or Punisher for collection information
Though published later, this fits best into continuity here.

The Muir Island Saga in Uncanny X-Men (1963) #278-280 & X-Factor (1986) #69-70
See Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont or X-Factor for collection information
The reading order of this story is Uncanny X-Men (1963) #278-279, X-Factor (1986) #69, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #280, X-Factor (1986) #70

Reconstruction

This period exists in a strange space where the X-Men were reassembled – and, probably in their new Jim Lee costumes! – but they had not yet had their signature showdown with Magneto in X-Men (1991) #1-3. While we could probably squeeze both X-Force (1991) #1-3 and X-Factor (1986) #71 into this rebuilding era, it’s much cleaner to push them into the next era so you get a clean start on every book.

Excalibur: Weird War III (1990)
See Excalibur for collection information
Though it does not intersect with UXM, these stories begin after X-Tinction Agenda.

Excalibur in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #75 (3rd story) + Sensational She-Hulk (1989) #26
See Excalibur for collection information

Excalibur (1988) #35-36
See Excalibur for collection information
Though it does not intersect with UXM, these stories begin after X-Tinction Agenda.

A flashback in Wolverine: Saudade fits here. A number of X-Men make guest-appearances in Damage Control Vol. 3 (1991) #4. Wolverine next appears in Nick Fury, Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 3 (1989) #25-29 and Avengers (1963) #332-333.

Alpha Flight (1983) #98-101
See Alpha Flight for collection information
(after Avengers #333)

A flashback in Wolverine (1988) #44 fits here

Wolverine (1988) #38-44
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Excalibur (1988) #37-41
See Excalibur for collection information
After Alpha Flight #91 and Avengers #331 for Doom. A number of other X-characters appear or are suggested in issue #41 in a way that forces this to occur after Muir Island Saga to make any sense.

Optional: Read Captain Britain in Knights of Pendragon (1990) #1-12 here. It’s hard to resolve the exact placements of these stories, since they rely on a post-Excalibur #41 Captain Britain, but Excalibur #41 itself contains a continuity problem that pushes it later than it was probably intended.

If you haven’t read Wolverine’s Weapon X material from Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #72-84 before, this would be a good spot to break for it.

Infinity Gauntlet
See Marvel Universe Events for collection information
The X-Men make limited appearances in this first Thanos throwdown and its tie-ins. Wolverine, Cyclops, and a few others are mostly contained to Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #2, Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #2 and Silver Surfer Vol. 3 (1987) #52, Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #4 and Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #33, and an implied appearance in Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #6

Spider-Man (1990) #8-12
See Spider-Man for collection information
Wolverine appears.

Namor, The Sub-Mariner (1990) #21-25
See Namor – The Sub-Mariner for collection information
Wolverine appears.

Wolverine: Bloody Choices (1991) OGN
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

X-Men: True Friends (1999) #1-3
See X-Men Limited series for collection information

Wolverine (1988) #45-47
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Marvel Collector’s Edition (1992) AKA Charleston Chew (3rd story)
See Logan – Wolverine for collection information

Deathlok (1991) #4-5
See Deathlok for collection information
Wolverine and Jubilee appear

Era #4: X-Factor  X-Men Reading Order Guide  Era #6: Fatal Attractions