Blue Ribbon Digest - the X-Men

Doug: We're back again with another opportunity for our readers to choose 7-8 issues of a beloved Bronze Age title to fill the covers of our own custom "Blue Ribbon Digest". If you missed our turn on the Avengers about 10 days ago, we charged readers with the task of choosing a handful of stories from the parameters of our interest -- 1970-1985. The stories need not be complete; some went that route, while others decided to get a nice sampling of writers and artists, characters and events. It's really up to you how you want to go about this.

Doug: I was giving this some thought ahead of writing today's post, considering what I thought was essential X-reading from that period. I think most of us would agree that Giant-Size X-Men #1 all the way through X-Men #143 is pretty darned essential; but what would give a reader a true appreciation of that era in the team's history? Whereas the last time we did this I would have used a smattering of Avengers issues, this time I think I'm going to zero in on one storyline and take your pulse on that.

Doug: If one were to open up a book of this sort and be faced with X-Men #111 and read consecutive issues through #117 I don't think you could lose. While many regard the "Dark Phoenix Saga" as the zenith of the Claremont/Byrne/Austin collaboration, and I would not disagree, I'd offer this run of seven issues as my X-Men primer. Think about it -- classic villains in Mesmero, Magneto, and Sauron, some real growth in characterization for all the team members, tie-ins between the current team and the original five, and concluding with a story featuring Professor X. Oh -- did I mention the art is spectacular? What's not to like?