The X-Men franchise has slowly entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the last couple of years. The forbidden “M” word has finally been uttered in multiple franchises. It was revealed that Wanda Maximoff was born with her powers, not just given them through Hydra experimentation. And fans saw the great Patrick Stewart bring Charles Xavier to life in an MCU feature, albeit in an alternative universe.
With the WGA Strike over, and Disney hearing pitches from writers for future X-Men flicks, and Deadpool 3 being expected to release in May 2024, fans are gearing up for greater mutant inclusion in future MCU projects. And if you’re one of those fans who is trying to decide which X-Men comic to read prior to the mutants stealing the MCU spotlight, we’ve got you covered.
While there are so many interesting X-Men tales to choose from, this article will primarily focus on two specific stories, so let’s get into it.
Everyone should read Ed Piskor’s X-Men: Grand Design
Those interested in learning more about X-Men history before the iconic team officially jumps into the MCU may find it challenging. Since the team’s comic book debut in the ’60s, X-Men lore has been an absolute whirlwind of constant retcons. There have been so many character deaths and resurrections, an abundance of shifting origin stories, and for decades, the X-Men have sometimes struggled to maintain their place in Marvel Comics, especially after the Avengers’ popularity skyrocketed due to the MCU’s immense success.
However, there is one comic series that fans can rely on for a direct narrative that streamlines the entire history of X-Men. For anyone wanting a clear and concise mini-series that features all of the X-Men’s greatest stories, look no further than Ed Piskor’s Grand Design.
In this mini-series, Piskor takes a simplistic but familiar narrative approach. Grand Design begins with Uatu the Watcher speaking to Recorder, a being with an Iron Man-like design. The Watcher recounts the history of mutants, and specifically, the X-Men.
Readers are given the origins of mutants in a linear manner. Fans can see how mutants have always been around in one form or another. An early panel depicts a one-eyed green woman getting burned at the stake. Another one shows a young boy asking his mom why his friend Jimmy can’t come over to play; Jimmy has blue skin, massive eyes, and a slobbering mouth. These simple single-shot anecdotes display just how long humanity has struggled to accept mutants and lay the perfect groundwork for Grand Design before the mini-series plunges into the history of the X-Men.
Piskor condenses the best X-Men tales without sacrificing their importance. Readers are shown Professor X and Magneto’s first meeting, the team’s first encounter with the Brotherhood of Mutants, their adventures in the Savage Land, the rise of the Sentinels, and so much more. Reading Piskor’s take on mutants and Marvel history can serve as the perfect X-troduction (I’m sorry) before their big MCU debut.
House of M is a must-read before the X-Men join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in earnest
House of M, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, makes Scarlet Witch the center of the conflict. This 2005 series by Brian Michael Bendis sees Wanda Maximoff completely rewrite history and craft a new alternate reality where mutants rule the world.
House of M is a heart-wrenching tale that seemingly gives all heroes the lives they supposedly want. For example, Spider-Man is a high-profile celebrity who is married to Gwen Stacy, while Captain America is an aged WWII veteran.
Wolverine is the only hero who realizes this new reality is a lie and sets off to uncover what happened. Like the second Doctor Strange film, Wanda’s grief and her lack of control over her reality-warping powers launch the conflict forward in this story. The events of House of M also have dramatic consequences for mutants and the Marvel Universe as they completely reshape the mutant population on Earth.
The mini-series should definitely be on every Marvel fan’s must-read list, especially since the Scarlet Witch already holds such a prominent place in the MCU. Funnily enough, back in 2015, Elizabeth Olsen spoke on her desire to do a House of M story. In an interview before the release of Age of Ultron, when the actor was asked what she wanted to see next for her character, she replied: “My favorite is House of M. But that would never happen … I mean, if she could have two fake babies and everyone tell her that they don’t really exist, and then her just go nuts, that would be unbelievable.”
That is a downright hilarious prediction, if not freaking terrifying. Maybe Olsen does have reality-warping powers. But seriously, although House of M was already partly explored in the MCU, it’s still one of the most important X-Men stories told in the last twenty years.
While House of M and X-Men: Grand Design are my two top picks, the inner comic book geek in me will not allow this article to end without a few honorable mentions. Before Disney fully incorporates the X-Men into the greater MCU, fans should also read Giant-Size X-Men #1, God Loves, Man Kills, and the Dark Phoenix Saga. (I promise the comic is better than the movie!)