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While the writing on the X-books has been great (at times), one can’t deny how important the art was to the equation. Marvel put the best artists they could on the books over the years, and those creators have given readers some amazing covers, many of which changed the course of comic history. These ten X-Men covers changed everything, and have gone down as some of the greatest in the industry’s history.
10) House of X #1
The Krakoa Era was a game-changing moment and it all began with this one cover from Pepe Larraz. Readers didn’t know much about what was coming from this story, but this cover excited readers. “Look at the new costumes! What is that portal? Why is Xavier wearing a Cerebro helmet and why is Magneto wearing a white costume?” Covers are meant to make people want to read a comic and this one definitely did that. The Krakoa Era was massively successful right off the bat, buoying comic sales during the pandemic, and all of it can be traced back to this cover.
9) Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #281
1991 was a huge year for the X-Men. Writer Chris Claremont, who had been writing the book since 1974, was pushed out in favor of the superstar artists that Marvel believed were driving sales. A second X-Men book was added to the mix, and X-legend John Byrne came back to the title to script it starting with Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #281, with a cover by Whilce Potracio. While this issue didn’t sell nearly as much as X-Men (Vol. 2) #1 (more on that one later), it was still a huge moment in the history of the group. It’s also just an exciting cover, showing the team in what appears to be a desperate battle against the Sentinels. It helped show artists Jim Lee and Whilce Potracio that they were capable of doing most of the work themselves, which played an important role in the eventual creation of Image Comics.
8) X-Men (Vol. 2) #25
Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, and what he’s been doing since 1974 is sell X-Men comics. The ’90s were the greatest era of the team, at least when it comes to sales, and the ol’Canucklehead was a huge part of that. X-Men (Vol. 2) #25 was one of the most important moments of his existence, and this cover by Andy Kubert did exactly what it needed to: gave readers a tantalizing glimpse of what was in the book. It’s such a great cover, even taking into account the hologram gimmick (which was the style at the time). It told a story completely on its own.
7) New X-Men (Vol. 1) #114
New X-Men is a legendary time in X-history, and this cover was the perfect way to introduce it to readers. The ’90s had started great for the men and women of X and ended better than everyone else at Marvel, but nowhere near where they were. The year 2000 was something of a bust for the team, and they needed a new direction. This cover by Frank Quitely was the epicenter of that. It introduced the new costumes for the team, has a great look to it, and is eye-catching right away. It’s a cover that has been homaged numerous times and convinced readers that the X-Men could be cool again.
6) Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 10 #248
Jim Lee is currently the head of DC Comics, having helped the company become more popular than it has been in years. Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #248 is the genesis of all that. It was the first issue of Uncanny X-Men he drew and made him into a superstar. It’s not a game-changing issue storywise, but it honestly changed the course of comic history. Lee became the bestselling artist of all time, and his (and other artists’) dislike of Marvel’s contract structure planted the seeds of Image Comics, which has given us some of the greatest comics ever. That led to Lee creating Wildstorm Studios, which he sold to DC Comics and became a part of the company, rising through the ranks to become the company’s most important person. None of that would have happened without this one gorgeous Lee cover.
