7 Underrated 1980s X-Men Comics You Must Read
The 1980s saw another decade of dominance from Marvel's X-Men, but which comics are overlooked?
Primarily under the direction of Chris Claremont, The Uncanny X-Men were a booming brand for Marvel Comics in the 1980s.
Not only did the decade see the franchise receive a litany of spin-offs, the flagship X-Men comic was even able to occasionally double up on releases in certain months thanks to its immense popularity. With iconic arcs like the Dark Phoenix Saga, Days of Future's Past and Inferno highlighting this period, it's no struggle to see why Wolverine and company became such a hot commodity though.
Nevertheless, with so many famous storylines and characters emerging from this time, fans still have a tendency to forget some great work from Claremont and his fellow writers and creators on the franchise from this period.
From underappreciated limited series to smaller arcs that showcased some of the best character development and action that the franchise had to offer, the eighties were full of unsung gems in the X-Men universe.
7. Kitty Pryde And Wolverine #1-6
As far as limited series go, Claremont's original take on Wolverine might be one of the best ever. It's a compelling, action-packed story that added new layers to a popular character that still occasionally came across as one-dimensional at the time. Basically, Wolverine volume 1 was a masterpiece. To this day, it remains one of the definitive works for one of Marvel's most popular characters, meaning any attempt at a follow-up was going to have a lot to live up to.
Kitty Pryde and Wolverine, released a little over two years after that series, was cast in that unenviable position. Fortunately, while those six issues don't quite soar to the same heights as Wolverine's first solo jaunt to Japan, they do succeed at adding quality depth to both of the stories' central characters much in the same manner.
Although the story does occasionally evoke an eye-roll when it comes to the overall plot, it brilliantly balanced the maturation of Kitty Pryde and the growth of Wolverine into something more closely resembling a leader by weaving those two characters through six sufficiently exciting and intriguing issues.
By the end, the result is a must-read for fans of both characters and becomes a key reference point in their stories. Don't hesitate to give this sequel a chance.