I want someone explain comic books to me. I was really into X-men comics in preteen years, but one of the reasons I kind of dropped it was because I got confused (also, I got too tall to be comfortable sexing up with Wolverine and realized I would never have boobs like Rogue's. When you're 11, you still want boobs like Rogue's, even though you figure out by 12 NO ONE has boobs like Rogue's. Or even wants boobs like Rogue's, because ugh, back pain). There seemed to be so many different series all going on at once; I couldn't keep them straight. I didn't get the difference between Uncanny, Astonishing, and Amazing. Isn't there like . . . a diagram for these things?
Okay... time to channel the inner geek in me... X-Men got so popular that several writers and artists wanted to work on the book. Since there were hundreds of possible mutant characters already created, plus the new ones being created, left plenty of room for several titles. Astonishing (by Joss. Excellent read) was about the core group at the mansion. Uncanny currently was Storm and her crew off in the world. The only constant is that Wolverine stars in almost all of them. The only title that stands alone is Ultimate X-Men, which lives in its own universe.
Each time a new writer picks up the book, they change the direction. They stopped wearing costumes, they're back in costumes, they're dying, they're alive. All of it constantly changes.
In my opinion, the real reason for all of the titles is they often run a single storyline through ALL of the titles, so if you start with Uncanny, you then have to move to New to read the next part, which then goes to Astonishing, then back to the original title. Otherwise, you're missing the larger story.
If you wanna start reading again, now might be the best time. A major storyline just finished where the Scarlet Witch, daughter of Magneto, altered reality and caused 99% of the mutants on Earth to become human. All of the titels are about to change again, with some even being canceled,like Astonishing (no where to go since Joss isn't writing it anymore), and a new storyline is about to begin through all of the books.
I guess I could draw a diagram for you if you want.
Long response... ::: deep breath :::
Okay... time to channel the inner geek in me... X-Men got so popular that several writers and artists wanted to work on the book. Since there were hundreds of possible mutant characters already created, plus the new ones being created, left plenty of room for several titles. Astonishing (by Joss. Excellent read) was about the core group at the mansion. Uncanny currently was Storm and her crew off in the world. The only constant is that Wolverine stars in almost all of them. The only title that stands alone is Ultimate X-Men, which lives in its own universe.
Each time a new writer picks up the book, they change the direction. They stopped wearing costumes, they're back in costumes, they're dying, they're alive. All of it constantly changes.
In my opinion, the real reason for all of the titles is they often run a single storyline through ALL of the titles, so if you start with Uncanny, you then have to move to New to read the next part, which then goes to Astonishing, then back to the original title. Otherwise, you're missing the larger story.
If you wanna start reading again, now might be the best time. A major storyline just finished where the Scarlet Witch, daughter of Magneto, altered reality and caused 99% of the mutants on Earth to become human. All of the titels are about to change again, with some even being canceled,like Astonishing (no where to go since Joss isn't writing it anymore), and a new storyline is about to begin through all of the books.
I guess I could draw a diagram for you if you want.