Here are all the X-Men books you need to read before Marvel's upcoming "X of Swords" event. The last year has seen superstar comic book writer Jonathan Hickman successfully revitalize the X-Men range, once again transforming them into one of Marvel's boldest, most popular franchises. The entire mutant race - heroes and villains alike - have gathered on the living island of Krakoa.
And, of course, the X-Men books are currently heading for the first major crossover of the Krakoa era. "X of Swords" is a mammoth 24-issue event, due to kick off in the X of Swords: Creation one-shot. This being a Jonathan Hickman plot, the comics have been building up to this for the last twelve months. Most comic book events are designed to be new-reader-friendly, but "X of Swords" probably won't be.
The X-Men relaunch has been running for a year now, and any new reader who wants to check out "X of Swords" is unlikely to have the time to read all the issues that have been released to date. So here are the issues you most likely want to check out.
House of X/Powers of X Set The Scene
The Hickman era was launched with two miniseries, House of X and Powers of X, that ran concurrently. These established the basics that all readers will need to be familiar with if they're to make any sense at all of the current X-books. They explained just how Professor Xavier founded the mutant nation of Krakoa, and why he had welcomed old enemies such as Magneto, Apocalypse, and even mutant Nazis like the von Strucker twins. A lot of this is setup for stories that are yet to be told, but the key issue for "X of Swords" appears to be Powers of X #4. There, the mutant linguist Doug Ramsey successfully bonded with the living island of Krakoa, and he learned its ancient history. He discovered Krakoa had a twin called Arakko, and the two had been torn apart millennia ago. This had almost caused an end-of-the-world scenario, averted only by Apocalypse of all people. Doing so had forced Apocalypse to sacrifice his First Horsemen - and the issue hinted Apocalypse wanted them back.
Excalibur Directly Sets Up "X of Swords"
"X of Swords" is headlined by Jonathan Hickman and Tini Howard, and Howard's Excalibur is clearly being set up as essential reading. It has seen Betsy Braddock become the new Captain Britain, while her brother has taken up the legendary Sword of Might instead. Apocalypse is a key player in Excalibur, manipulating events across multiple dimensions in order to achieve his goal - the reunification of Krakoa and Arakko and the return of his First Horsemen. This book also establishes what seems to be a driving principle in the event; the mystical idea of "As Above, So Below." What happens on one plane of reality has repercussions on another dimension as well - and the establishment of Krakoa has had consequences for every other realm.
X-Men #2 Was A Long-Distance Prelude to "X of Swords"
The X-Men comics have been told out of sequence, and what's happening in Excalibur appears to set up X-Men #2. There, the X-Men discovered a new island that had emerged from the sea, and Krakoa was drifting straight towards it. This new island was inhabited by monstrous creatures, as well as a mysterious being who called herself a Summoner. The islands ultimately merged in an event the X-Men compared to two islands having sex. This was not Arakko, however. According to an info-page, it is the Arak Coral, and it contains what is called the Arak Maw - a currently closed portal to Arakko.
Cable Is The Only Series Definitively Set After X-Men #2
The Cable miniseries is the only one that can definitively be said to be set after the unification of Krakoa and the Arak Maw. It starts a couple of days after the islands have merged, and kicks off when Kid Cable strays into monster territory. There, he discovers the legendary blade of Morn, first of the Spaceknights, a sword called the "Light of Galador." According to Marvel, "X of Swords" will see ten mutants wield ten legendary blades in defense of Krakoa, and Cable is being set up to play a major role in this. The series is currently exploring the capabilities of the Light of Galador, with the modern Spaceknights heading to Earth in pursuit of it.
The Giant-Size X-Men One-Shots May Be Key
This one's a harder call, but Jonathan Hickman has been releasing a range of Giant-Size X-Men one-shots that give artists a chance to strut their stuff. The overarching plot appears to center around a mysterious threat to Storm, who has been infected with a technoorganic virus. Storm is confirmed to be a major player in "X of Swords," and it's possible this plot will serve as setup for her prominent role in "X of Swords."
Marauders #6 - The Death of Kitty Pryde
Marauders #6 looks set a heartbreaking - but key - X-Men history. The X-Men relaunch has seen the X-Men conquer death - or so they thought. For unknown reasons, one mutant appears to be unable to interact with Krakoan biotechnology; Kitty Pryde. In spite of that, Kitty set herself up for a major role on Krakoa, responsible for policing shipments of mutant goods across the world. She reinvented herself as a pirate, sailing the world on a pirate ship with a crew of friends and allies. Unfortunately she also crossed Sebastian Shaw, and the ruthless leader of the Hellfire Club knows only one way to deal with enemies and rivals. He murdered the one X-Man who cannot be resurrected, and the X-Men have been left reeling. It's difficult to say exactly how this will fit into "X of Swords," but it will surely form the emotional backdrop.
-
Little is known about the plot of "X of Swords," but these are the comics that look set to be the most important. Any new readers who want to check out "X of Swords" would be wise to acquaint themselves with these books in order to make sure they know what's going on.