X-MEN READING ORDER: The Lost Years (1971-1974)

It's hard to believe that the X-Men were cancelled due to poor sales back in 1970. While their series continued with reprints of their earlier adventures, the team's only new stories were guest-appearances and cameos in other Marvel titles alongside Spider-Man, the Avengers and the Hulk. Although, one member of the team, the Beast, went solo and got a completely new look in a run in Amazing Adventures which, sadly, also didn't last.

Over the years, some 'untold tales' have also filled the gap between the X-Men's mission to stop the Hulk in Las Vegas and the birth of the 'All-New, All-Different' X-Men. Most notable was John Byrne's X-Men: The Hidden Years which ran for almost two years. 

Collected below is the completely chronology of X-Men tales from that 'lost' period, with the newer stories slotted in with the old. As always I've tried to shine the spotlight on the better or most relevant stories. Read the lot, just some or none at all! It's hardly a banner period for Marvel's mutants, so try and keep your expectations low and, hopefully, you won't be too disappointed... 

As always, I'd like to thank the guys over at the Marvel Chronology Project which I use as a basis and work out my own continuity. Those guys have done all the heavy lifting for me.

MCG Notes:

• Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read X-Men stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
• Issue listings in grey: Part of the X-Men's chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that are non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
• Chronology: Every appearance of the X-Men from this period is included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
• Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!

See previous entries in the X-Men reading order:

• Before the X-Men]
• 1963-1970: Children of the Atom

X-Men #94[2/2] (1999)
The X-Men don't take too kindly to Professor X testing them at random by making them see foes who aren't really there; Iceman begins to question his place among the X-Men.

X-Men and Spider-Man #1 (2009)
The X-Men come to Spider-Man's aid when Kraven the Hunter targets him, believing him to be a mutant; it's revealed that Kraven was really hired by Mister Sinister to obtain DNA samples of Spider-Man and the X-Men.

Spider-Man Family #9[1/5] (2009)
SHIELD ask Marvel Girl and Spider-Man to tmonitor Bruce Banner and keep him from turning into the Hulk; Marvel Girl and Spider-Man end up teaming up with the Hulk against Doctor Octopus, only for the Hulk to escape his babysitters.

Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comic Magazine #3-4 (2001)
Doctor Doom uses Sentinels to distract the X-Men and Fantastic Four while he tries to steal Cerebro.

Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comic Magazine #11 (2001)
The X-Men are among the heroes who appear to be killed by Doctor Doom.

X-Men: The Hidden Years #1(pp.7-30)-5 (1999-2000)
The X-Men's mission to the Savage Land brings them into conflict with the Savage Land Mutates; the X-Men discover Magneto is alive and defeat him; the X-Men first meet a young mutant weather 'goddess' called Ororo Munroe.

X-Men: The Hidden Years #6-16 (2000-2001)
First appearance of Deluge; the X-Men and Ororo Munroe battle the mutant Deluge in Kenya; the X-Men and Fantastic Four defend Earth from the alien Z'Nox who are defeated when Marvel Girl briefly channels the Phoenix Force for the first time; the Sentinels attack the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters; Karl Lykos transforms back into Sauron and clashes with Magneto; Angel faces off against his evil uncle, the Dazzler, though his mother is killed in the crossfire.

X-Men: The Hidden Years #17-22 (2001)
First appearance of the Promise; Kraven the Hunter hunts the Beast; the Promise begin their plot to form an army of mutants and take over the world; the X-Men battle the Mole Man's monsters, while psychically Professor X assists the Fantastic Four when Magneto teams up with Namor the Sub-Mariner.

Avengers #88 (1971)
Professor X assists the Avengers and Mister Fantastic in successfully capturing the Hulk during THE SUMMONS OF PSYKLOP.

X-Men Origins: Colossus #1(p.8) (2008)
Professor X first approaches Russian intelligence operative Alexei Vazhin.

X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1[2/2]-4[2/2](2006)
Professor X (behind the scenes) offers new lives to mutants Petra Kristensen, Armando Muñoz, Suzanne Chan and Gabriel Summers; Professor X allows Cyclops to train with Kid Vulcan (Gabriel Summers) but doesn't reveal his suspicions that they may be brothers during DECIMATION.

Amazing Spider-Man #92 (1971)
Iceman tries to apprehend Spider-Man when he mistakenly believes he's kidnapped a random girl (Gwen Stacy).

X-Men: Deadly Genesis #5[2/2] (2006)
Professor X fails to recruit Emma Frost to the X-Men during DECIMATION.

New Avengers: Illuminati #1(pp.1-10) (2006)
Professor X agrees to join a secret group made up of himself, Mister Fantastic, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt, unofficially dubbed the Illuminati during THE ROAD TO CIVIL WAR.

New Avengers: Illuminati #1 (2007)
The Illuminati retaliate against the Skrulls for attacking Earth, but their actions backfire, dramatically, and the group barely escape; the Skrulls obtain DNA samples of the Illuminati.

Uncanny Origins #6(p.18) (1997)

Beast decides to leave the X-Men in favour of working as a scientist for the Brand Corporation.

Incredible Hulk #150 (1972)
Having recently left the X-Men after an argument with Iceman, Havok has relocated to New Mexico; Polaris comes to beg Havok to rejoin, and he agrees to go back with her after a clash with the Hulk.

Amazing Adventures #12 (1972)
Professor X and Marvel Girl's efforts to telepathically contact the Beast are met with resistance following his transformation into a furry, animalistic form.

Marvel Team-Up #4 (1972)
Professor X sends the X-Men to apprehend Spider-Man when he's accused of killing on old scientist friend of Professor X; Spider-Man and the X-Men team up against Morbius when they discover he's the killer; the Beast insists Professor X leave him be and allow him to sort out his own problems.

Amazing Adventures #15 (1972)
Angel tracks down the Beast and sees his blue, furry form for the first time; Angel helps Beast defeat the Griffin; Angel agrees to relay the story of the Beast's transformation to the X-Men.

X-Men Unlimited #10[2/2] (2005)
Angel drives the Beast out to his parents' place so he can reveal his new appearance to them.

Spider-Man Family #8[2/5] (2008)
Peter Parker (Spider-Man) and Bobby Drake (Iceman) race each other to the last table in a popular Chinese restaurant to impress their respective dates.

Code of Honor #1 (1997)
Angel cameo; Angel is seen flying above Manhattan.

Avengers #110-111 (1973)
Professor X summons the Avengers when Magneto defeats the X-Men and takes over the Xavier School; Daredevil and the Black Widow help the Avengers bring Magneto down and release the X-Men during THE MARK OF HAWKEYE.

Shanna the She-Devil #5 (1973)
First appearance of Nekra; Professor X helps Shanna the She-Devil locate the rogue mutant Nekra.

Adventure into Fear #20 (1974)

Flashback: Morbius escapes the X-Men as they try to seek a cure for his condition during ALONE AGAINST ARCTURUS.

Incredible Hulk #172 (1974)
X-Men cameo; Professor X, Cyclops and Marvel Girl defeat the weakened Juggernaut after he takes a pounding from the Hulk during SECRET EMPIRE.

Captain America #172-175 (1974)
The X-Men intervene when a case of mistaken identity leads to a battle between Captain America and the Banshee; the X-Men assist Captain America and the Falcon in their search for missing mutants who've been kidnapped by the Secret Empire during SECRET EMPIRE.

Marvel Team-Up #23 (1974)
First full appearance of Equinox; Iceman clashes with the Human Torch when each believes the other is to blame for Equinox's criminal activities.

Code of Honor #2 (1997)
Angel cameo; Angel is seen flying over Manhattan.

Defenders #15-16 (1974)
First appearance of Alpha the Ultimate Mutant; Professor X assists the Defenders against the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants; Alpha the Ultimate Mutant reduces Magneto, Blob, Unus the Untouchable, Lorelei and Mastermind to infancy.

The X-Men's reading order continues:

• 1975-1977: All-New, All-Different
• 1977-1981: The Phoenix Saga

X-Men and Spider-Man
Includes... 

X-Men and Spider-Man #1

Spider-Man Family: Itsy-Bitsy Battles
Includes... 

Spider-Man Family #8-9

X-Men: The Hidden Years vol.1-2
X-Men #94, X-Men: The Hidden Years #1-22

Giant-Size X-Men: 40th Anniversary
War of Kings Prelude: Road to War of Kings Omnibus
X-Men: Deadly Genesis
Include... 

X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-5

X-Men Epic Collection vol.4: It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn
X-Men: The Lost Years
Include... 

Amazing Adventures #12, 15

Amazing Spider-Man #92

Avengers #110-111

Captain America #172-175

Defenders #15-16

Incredible Hulk #150, 172

Marvel Team-Up #4, 23

Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men vol.7
Includes... 

Amazing Adventures #12, 15

Amazing Spider-Man #92

Incredible Hulk #150

Marvel Team-Up #4

Marvel Masterworks: The X-Men vol.8
Includes... 

Avengers #110-111

Captain America #172-175

Defenders #15-16

Incredible Hulk #172

Marvel Team-Up #23