In the world of Marvel Comics, there's the good old Marvel Universe proper, and inside that is a pretty big parcel of land called the X-Men Universe. And for any of you newcomers to comics (raise your hands!), you may be surprised to learn that there is a highly popular and critically-acclaimed alternate Marvel Universe called the Ultimate Universe. One of the difficulties in putting together a comprehensive library for the MU is that one can very quickly run out of room trying to wedge everything in! So it is that I've had to create a distinct library page to house just the offerings of the Marvel Universe's X-Men books and the new Ultimate Universe books.

With our feet still planted in the Marvel Universe we've come to know and love since Stan and Jack knocked us off our feet with FF #1, let's take an overview look at the X-MEN UNIVERSE. The "Nu-Marvel" era, which kicked off around 2001, has seen a plenitude of titles taking us deeper and deeper into the labyrinthine world of mutants. UNCANNY X-MEN and X-MEN, both anchor titles from the 80s and 90s, carried on into the new century with varying degrees of vigor. Grant Morrison delivered a knockout punch when the X-Men book was rechristened NEW X-MEN; in fact, it was so great that when he left, they changed the title back to X-Men! (Confused? Hey! It's the X-Men!)

WOLVERINE carried on with his solo adventures up in the 170s before his title was rebooted. X-FORCE was mutated" into an arty vehicle of social commentary for Peter Milligan and Mike Allred called X-STATIX. Another couple mutant titles which have enjoyed long lives are EXILES and X-TREME X-MEN. Further, many solo X-Men have carried their own books and mini-series in the last several years, including MYSTIQUE, NIGHTCRAWLER and ROGUE.

Turning to the ULTIMATE UNIVERSE, which has NO connection to the Marvel Universe proper, the two mainstay titles which have endured since its launch are the wildly popular ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN and ULTIMATE X-MEN. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley have teamed up on Ultimate Spidey and are hurtling headlong towards their 100th issue as the stable creative team! The Ultimate Universe has begun to branch out with ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR and their version of the Avengers, THE ULTIMATES!

This library page features trade paperbacks from the post-Onslaught period of Marvel Comics (circa 1998). All the pre-Onslaught X-Men material can be found on the CLASSIC ERA trade paperback library page. But if you want to get up-to-date and current with your Marvel reading, this page has the goods on the X-Men and Ultimates, and I hope you get a lot out of it!

- - Your pal in comix, Gormuu
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Upcoming Marvel Trade Paperbacks
X-MEN/ULTIMATE UNIVERSES

(For list of classic era X-Men comics, see
CLASSIC ERA trade paperback library)

Cable & Deadpool Vol. 6: Good Intentions
reprints Cable & Deadpool #30-36
DUE 4/25

Civil War: Wolverine
reprints Wolverine #42-48
DUE 5/2

Civil War: X-Men Universe
reprints X-Factor #8-9, Cable & Deadpool #30-32
DUE 5/9

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 16: Cable
reprints Ultimate X-Men #75-80
DUE 5/9

New X-Men: Childhood's End Vol. 4
reprints New X-Men #33-36
DUE 5/30

Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 8: Devils
reprints Ultimate Fantastic Four #39-41 and Annual #2
DUE 6/20

Ultimates 2 Vol. 2: Grand Theft America
reprints Ultimates 2 #7-13
DUE 6/27

Wolverine: Blood & Sorrow
reprints Wolverine #41, 49, Giant-Size Wolverine #1, and X-Men Unlimited #12
DUE 6/27

Exiles Vol. 15: Enemy of the Stars
reprints Exiles #90-94
DUE 7/18

X-Factor Vol. 2: Life and Death Matters
reprints X-Factor #7-12
DUE 7/25

1: Forging the Sword
2: Saturday Night Fever
House of M Prelude
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New Excalibur
1: Defenders of the Realm
2: Last Days of Camelot

Academy X
1: Choosing Sides
2: Haunting
3: X-Posed
Hellions
House of M: New X-Men
Childhood's End Vol. 1
Childhood's End Vol. 2
Childhood's End Vol. 3

Gambit
1: House of Cards
2: Hath No Fury
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Kitty Pryde
Shadow & Flame
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Madrox
Multiple Choice
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Nightcrawler
1: The Devil Inside
2: The Winding Way
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Rogue
1: Going Rogue
2: Forget Me Not

X-Statix
1: Good Omens
2: Good Guys/Bad Guys
3: Back From the Dead
4: X-Statix vs. Avengers
Dead Girl

X-Factor
The Longest Night

Ultimate Collection

Ultimate Collection Vol. 1

1: Gods and Monsters