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[Boogiepop]

So, Comixology (aka the big site for digital comics) of course frequently has sales, but right now they're having one covering all of Uncanny X-men[/spoiler] up until I think 2012, when the numbers were rebooted.

Now personally, I jumped on this chance to fill in my original Claremont run, grabbing all the stuff after the in-print omnibuses. However, that got me wondering: what's worth reading to any degree after Claremont went off the book? And were either of his return runs (381-389, 444-473) any good? Hell, it'd be interesting to hear in general of what people thought of the comic and the various runs as time went on, so feel free to jump on in and offer commentary on pretty much anything related to the comic and any of the runs on it.

To offer a little bit on my part to the people who don't know at all about this stuff:
The title kicked off with the original team, and ran up to #66. And for the most part, this stuff is kind of eh. I've read at least the first third or so, perhaps a bit further, and it's just kind of generic, so-so comics stuff. Pretty much only worthwhile if you're REALLY interested in seeing the basic genesis of the original 5 (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, Angel), Xavier, and Magneto, plus some odds and ends like the Blob and whatnot that do indeed originate here. But yeah, the comic was actually so eh that issues #67-93 were just reprints and it was pretty much in the gutter and on the way out. (This is why they're not in the sale, btw, because the content is identical to the earlier issues)

But then Giant Size X-men #1 comes along and reinvigorates the series with an instant influx of a new team of beloved characters like Storm, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler. And from #94 all the way to #279, the book was helmed by Chris Claremont in an absolutely classic run. To be fair it does show its age in some ways (the big one being that the dialogue can be excessive), but he pretty much knocks it out of the park with one classic after another with very little weak spots in between, at least up to the point I got to (#175, where the omnibuses I mentioned ended). Like, THIS is the run that made X-men such a big deal, and parts of it (the Dark Phoenix saga in particular) are still often called some of the best comics ever made.

So yeah, my question then becomes... what's worth it after that? The only other parts I can speak for are a good chunk of the stuff near the end of what's on sale here, where they were off shore from San Francisco or whatever. Which I mostly just recall being solid enough but not especially mindblowing. Though with that said, I recall those last few issues with the "Fear Itself" tie-in header being really fun (and not really requiring knowledge of the event itself at all).

(Also, just to be safe, I'll point out that for most people, I'd probably recommend picking up a Marvel Unlimited account instead of splurging on this sale, since that lets you read everything from the company that's at least six months old. There are plenty of gaps of stuff that's missing, but I'd imagine it'll cover everything in this sale, pretty much. And if you do want to read Claremont X-men, I'd recommend at least grabbing the Avengers Annual he wrote, as it's pretty damn important to the Uncanny X-men run around that time. But yeah, that's easily the better deal (and a damn fine one at that), but I just kind of want to at least own my X-men stuff to read whenever at my own pace, hence why I'm interested in this sale).

 

[The Elite]

I might grab Phoenix, Dark Phoenix and From the Ashes. Already have all of Days of Future Past.

 

[Escape Goat]

Definitely pay as much as you can for the Chuck Austen comics.

 

[Machine]

In terms of silver age stuff, the Roy Thomas issues from 55-66 (with Neal Adams art for 56-63 and 65) are very good although most of the.silver age stuff is mediocre.

 

[Fury451]

Definitely pay as much as you can for the Chuck Austen comics.

Nooooooooo

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

In terms of silver age stuff, the Roy Thomas issues from 55-66 (with Neal Adams art for 56-63 and 65) are very good although most of the.silver age stuff is mediocre.

Seconding this.

Uncanny post Claremont is kind of a mindfield. I can't think of many great runs. The 90s had some good moments but everything crossed over with the other X-men book and the rest of the line so just buying the uncanny issues wouldn't be advised.

Most of the great 2000s runs took place in other x books

 

[Just_myles]

Post Claremont in the 90s? Sure, grab all of AoA if it's available. Great stuff(recognizing that this could just be nostalgia).

Doesn't look like AoA is there but, they have x-cutionsers song, so that's a big plus. Wow, I have most of those comics.

 

[Barrage]

Uncanny is not the premier X-Book once Claremont leaves. It would be easier to recommend quality "X-Men/New X-men" runs.

 

[TAJ]

Claremont's first return was unbelievably bad. I haven't read the second one. (I read everything except 306 to around 470 but did read the first Claremont return and several issues before it. The Twelve and something about the High Evolutionary.)
A lot of people will tell you that his original run stopped being good at X issue, but for my money it was all good until Jim Lee started plotting them.