After the massive Age Apocalypse (reading order here), another huge X-Men event followed. At its center, there was Onslaught, a sentient psionic entity created from the consciousness of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. The character co-created by writers Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and artist Andy Kubert became one of the biggest villains in the X-Men Mythology. The event spread among multiple X-Men related or not like Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, Cable, X-Force, X-Man, X-Men (vol. 2), X-Men Unlimited, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Punisher, Thor, Excalibur and more.
Here is the official synopsis: The psionic force of nature known only as Onslaught sprang forth from the fractured psyche of mutant mentor Charles Xavier and the genetic terrorist called Magneto. Powered by his progenitors’ rage, Onslaught laid siege to humanity — touching off a cataclysmic conflict destined to deprive a world of its most revered icons!
What to read before Onslaught?
For more information on the ’90s X-Men era, check out our ’90s X-Men Reading Order. That said, the essential stories have been collected by Marvel in three books:
- X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 1
Collects X-Men (vol. 2) #42–45; X-Men Annual ’95;plus Uncanny X-Men #322–326; X-Men: Prime; X-Men Unlimited #8. - X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 2
Collects X-Men/Clandestine #1-2; Uncanny X-Men #327-328, Annual ’95; X-Men (vol. 2) #46-49; X-Men Unlimited (1993) #9; Sabretooth (1995) #1 - X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 3
Collects Uncanny X-Men #329-332, Archangel #1, X-Men/Brood #1-2, X-Men Unlimited #10, X-Men (vol. 2) #50-52, Wolverine #101, Xavier Institute Alumni Yearbook.
Onslaught Reading Order:
Onslaught Reading Order: Collected Editions
- X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic – Book One
Collects X-Men (1991) #53-54, Uncanny X-Men #334-335, Onslaught: X-Men, Avengers (1963) #401, Fantastic Four #415, Cable (1993) #34, Incredible Hulk #444. - X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic – Book Two
Collects Excalibur #100, Wolverine (1988) #104, X-Factor #125-126, Sensational Spider-Man (1996) #8, Amazing Spider-Man #415, Green Goblin #12, Spider-Man (1990) #72, X-Man #18, X-Force #57, Punisher (1995) #11. - X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic – Book Three
Collects X-Men (1991) #55, Uncanny X-Men #336, Cable (1993) #35, X-Force #58, X-Man #19, Incredible Hulk #445, Iron Man #332, Avengers #402, Thor #502, Wolverine #105. - X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Epic – Book Four
Collects Fantastic Four #416, X-Men (1991) #56-57, Onslaught: Marvel Universe, Cable (1993) #36, Uncanny X-Men #337, Onslaught Epilogue, X-Men: Road to Onslaught.
But also in…
- X-Men Milestones: Onslaught
Collects Uncanny X-Men #333-337, X-Men (vol. 2) #53-57, Onslaught: X-Men, Onslaught: Marvel Universe, Onslaught: Epilogue, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Wolverine #104, Cable 35.
or…
- X-Men / Avengers: Onslaught Omnibus
Collects Wolverine #104-105; Cable #32-36; Uncanny X-Men #333-337; X-Force #55, #57-58; X-Man #15-19; X-Men (vol. 2) #53-57, Annual ’96; X-Men Unlimited #11; Onslaught: X-Men, Marvel Universe, Epilogue; Avengers #401-402; Fantastic Four #415; Incredible Hulk #444-445; X-Factor #125-126; Amazing Spider-Man #415; Green Goblin #12; Spider-Man #72; Iron Man #332; Punisher #11; Thor #502; X-Men: Road to Onslaught #1; material from Excalibur #100, Fantastic Four #416.
Onslaught Reading Order: Issue by Issue
The Phase 1:
- Onslaught: X-Men #1
- Uncanny X-Men #335
- X-Man #18
- X-Force #57
- Cable #34
- Incredible Hulk #444
- Avengers #401
- Excalibur #100
- Fantastic Four #415
- X-Factor #125
- Wolverine #104
- Generation X #18
- Sensational Spider-Man #8
- X-Men (vol.2) #55
- Amazing Spider-Man #415
- Green Goblin #12
- Spider-Man #72
The Phase 2:
- Uncanny X-Men #336
- X-Force #58
- Cable #35
- X-Factor #126
- Incredible Hulk #445
- Punisher #11
- Iron Man #332
- Avengers #402
- Generation X #19
- X-Man #19
- Thor #502
- Fantastic Four #416
- Wolverine #105
- X-Men (vol.2) #56
- X-Men Unlimited #12
Here for the epilogue:
- Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1
- Uncanny X-Men #337
- X-Men (vol.2) #57
- Onslaught: Epilogue
After Onslaught
Onslaught might be vanquished, but the future is not necessarily bright for most. This explosive saga transformed the Marvel Universe. Titles were canceled and heroes were… reborn. Yes, that was the origin of the “Heroes Reborn“ situation in 1996. Following the apparent deaths of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and Doctor Doom, Marvel asked the Image Comics founder to come back to relaunched their heroes.
For the X-Men, the story continues in:
- X-Men: Onslaught Aftermath
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #338-340, Annual ’96-97; X-Men (1991) #58-61, Annual ’97; X-Men Unlimited (1993) #12-14, X-Factor (1986) #130.