The first X-plosive season of X-Men ‘97 is over. It delivered action, adventure, and a whole heap of mutants, and most fans will agree it was everything you could want from an X-Men series and more!
But if you’re having X-Men ‘97 withdrawals and you’re craving more X-Men adventures, then maybe it’s time you went beyond the show. No, I’m not talking about a screening of the ‘making of’ documentary, I’m talking about a deep dive into the comics.
Since 1963, the X-Men have been a huge part of the Marvel Universe and as a result there are thousands of comics for you to read. In fact, there are so many comics available, you could easily get lost in the pages of the X-Men for years.
As a fan of the X-Men this is not a bad way to spend your time. There are some fantastic stories to read, and so many different eras to tackle.
But if you want to narrow down your reading list to titles which specifically share a connection with X-Men ‘97, then I have eight recommendations for you! Below is a run-through of the comics you should read if you adored season one!
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Inferno
First up is the epic tale, Inferno – a supernatural-infused story which sees all Hell break loose as both the X-Men and the citizens of New York come under attack from Mr. Sinister, his Marauders, and a horde of N’astirh’s demons. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, former ally, Madelyne Pryor becomes the villainous Goblin Queen too!
Now, if some of this sounds a little familiar it is because Inferno provided the inspiration for the third episode of X-Men ‘97, aka ‘Fire Made Flesh’. The episode was very much an abbreviated reworking of the Inferno storyline, but if you would like to read all about it, you can simply dip into this expansive tale.
And for those wondering how to read along, Marvel has previously collected together a trade paperback (TPB) of Inferno, making it easy to keep track of the story. The issues featured in the TPB include: Uncanny X-Men #239-243, X-Factor #33-40, X-Terminators #1-4, New Mutants #71-73 and X-Factor Annual #4.
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Lifedeath
Up next is Lifedeath, a comic book tale which largely revolves around Storm. The story focuses on Storm’s emotional and spiritual journey, after she loses her mutant abilities at the hands of Henry Peter Gyrich.
Once again, does this sound familiar? Well it should!
The writers of X-Men ‘97 took elements of the Lifedeath storyline and incorporated them into three episodes of the show: ‘Mutant Liberation Begins’ (ep 2), ‘Montendo/Lifedeath: Part One’ (ep 4), and ‘Lifedeath: Part Two’ (ep 6).
Should you wish to check out the comic book version of Lifedeath, Marvel has collected together the storyline via a Lifedeath trade paperback. The TPB includes the following issues: Uncanny X-Men #186, #198, #205, #214 and X-Men (1963) #53.
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The Trial of Magneto
And sticking with character pieces for a moment, let’s move swiftly onto The Trial of Magneto – a comic book tale which appeared in Uncanny X-Men #200. This story provided the inspiration for the X-Men ‘97 episode, ‘Mutant Liberation Begins’ (ep 2).
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E is for Extinction
Next up is E is for Extinction – a critically acclaimed story which ushered in a new and distinct era in the comics when it debuted back in 2001. In the story, Cassandra Nova launches a Sentinel strike on the island nation of Genosha, causing mass death and destruction in the process.
E is for Extinction is one of two stories which inspired the X-Men ‘97 episode, ‘Remember It’ (ep 5). Although E is for Extinction differs significantly from what’s on screen in ‘Remember It’, the inspiration is clear.
As with the storylines above, Marvel has collected together E is for Extinction as a TPB. The book includes New X-Men #114 – #126 and New X-Men Annual 2001.
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Mutant Massacre
Although E is for Extinction is one of the sources of inspiration for the X-Men ‘97 episode, ‘Remember It’, it’s not the only one. Back during the mid-‘80s, Marvel published the brutal storyline, Mutant Massacre, which saw the sewer-dwelling Morlocks attacked and killed by mutant assassins, The Marauders.
Should you wish to read this storyline, check out Uncanny X-Men #210-214, X-Factor #9-11, New Mutants #46, Thor #373-374, Power Pack #27 and Daredevil #238. Mutant Massacre has also been collected together as a TPB.
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Operation: Zero Tolerance
And now onto the inspiration behind one of the most significant developments in X-Men ‘97: The introduction of chief villain, Bastion. Those who have watched every episode of season one will know Bastion played a key role in the show and you may be interested to know he was a big player on the printed page too.
In the comic book tale, Operation: Zero Tolerance, Bastion leads an attack on the X-Men which sees Professor Xavier and Jubilee captured, Iceman fighting for his life, and Cable and the X-Men battling a seemingly impossible war. In order to overcome this fearsome foe, the X-Men require all the help they can get, including assistance from new recruits Maggot, Marrow, and Cecilia Reyes.
Should you wish to read the original story for yourself, Operation: Zero Tolerance played out across the following comics: Generation X #27, X-Men #65-70, Uncanny X-Men #346, Wolverine #115-118, and Cable 45-47. And yes, before you ask, Marvel has released this as a trade paperback.
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Fatal Attractions
Onto the penultimate entry on this list now, which goes to Fatal Attractions. Elements of this Magneto-focused storyline were reworked for the three-part season finale, ‘Tolerance is Extinction’.
In Fatal Attractions, Magneto’s Acolytes increase their attacks on humanity, causing various X-teams to join forces to take down the Master of Magnetism and his loyal followers. During the course of their task, Professor Xavier and Magneto become locked in a monumental showdown, while Wolverine suffers a catastrophic injury.
You can read Fatal Attractions in trade paperback or by checking out the following comics: Uncanny X-Men #298-300, #303-304, and #315, X-Factor #92, X-Force #25, X-Men Unlimited #2, X-Men #25, Wolverine #75 and Excalibur #71.
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X-Men ‘97
And finally, should you want to delve even deeper into the world of X-Men ‘97 then you should dive into the X-Men ‘97 tie-in comic. Devised as a prequel to the series, the comic takes place shortly before the first episode of the show, fills in a few blanks, and introduces villains such as Hazard and Siena Blaze.
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Recap
The eight comics and storylines to read after season one of X-Men ‘97 include:
- Inferno
- Lifedeath
- The Trial of Magneto
- E is for Extinction
- Mutant Massacre
- Operation: Zero Tolerance
- Fatal Attractions
- X-Men ‘97
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about X-Men ’97 on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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