Picking up were previous story arc, Second Genesis left off, the X-Men embark on an adventure as they square combat old and new adversaries, Magneto in his volcano base, Sauron (not from Lord of the Rings) located in the Savage Land, Arcade who captures them in a room full of death traps, meet Alpha Flight who’s tied to Wolverine and encounter a powerful mutant named, Proteus. Meanwhile, Professor goes to space with an alien princess.
X-Men’s issues #111-128 officially published in 1978-1979. They were later republished in 2020 (same year Sonic the Hedgehog’s first movie came out) as part of the Marvel Epic Collection. Which is a series of trade paperbacks culminating a few issues in one package. I got plans to review several X-Men storylines before my favorite superhero team duke it out with Doctor Doom in “Avengers: Doomsday.” It’ll be released on December 18, 2026. Which is approximately a week before Christmas. By the way, Wolverine’s solo video game by Insomniac Games will be released in Fall 2026 on PlayStation 5.
Today’s review contains no SPOILERS whatsoever.
Sharp & Rusty Qualities
Sharp: Chris Claremont did a great job writing all issues.
John Byrne’s artwork is really good.
Action Sequences showcase the team using their powers and strategy. Each character has an epic moment.
Chemistry between team members serve as the main highlight. Despite Wolverine & Cyclops bickering over a mission. Regardless of them having opposite personalities as a bad boy and Boy Scout clashing, they actually cooperate as teammates doing everything they can to get the job done.
Here’s what featured in X-Men’s sixth volume. More bang for your buck. If you have a Marvel Unlimited account, bookmark ‘em.
- X-Men issues #111-128
- X-Men Annual #3
- The Incredible Hulk Annual #7
- Marvel Team-Up #89
Characters make their debuts by issue.
- Shadow King – #117
- Mariko Yashida – #118
- Alpha Flight – #120
- Proteus – #125
Prior to joining the X-Men, Wolverine was a member of Alpha Flight. a group of Canadian mutants led by Vindicator.
Pacing was stable. I took my time reading every panel and looking at John Bryne’s neat artwork.
Arcade’s a precursor to Jigsaw from the Saw franchise. He forces his victims to endure death traps.
Proteus has a connection to a prominent character. He has the power to manipulate reality. His backstory is interesting.
Wolverine meets his first love interest, Mariko Yashida. Leading up to Frank Miller’s highly acclaimed four issue mini-series that made my favorite Marvel superhero a bonafide badass.
In Marvel Team-Up #89, Spider-Man & Nightcrawler help each other.
In The Incredible Hulk Annual #7, Iceman & Angel assist Hulk fighting Master Mold. A bigger and stronger Sentinel with a mind of its own. We learn about his backstory.
Rusty: Continuity Error – On the ninth page of X-Men Annual #3, Cyclops’ costume is black instead of blue and black mix.
The Final Verdict: A-
X-Men: Proteus is a near-perfect story arc. If it weren’t for one boo boo, I would’ve given it my highest grade, an A FOR APEX. An A- will do. As of right now, Proteus in Marvel Epic Collection is out of print. If you’re seeking an alternative, subscribe to Marvel Unlimited. Make sure you remember which annual and team-up to read. Otherwise, you’re gonna be lost. Which Marvel Epic Collection series should I review next? Please leave a comment.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 