The Krakoan era — political spine and finale
Zeb Wells · Jonathan Hickman · Al Ewing · Kieron Gillen · Gerry Duggan · R.B. Silva · Lucas Werneck · Pepe Larraz
Story eras 12–13 · King in Black and the Krakoan Age to Krakoa to the New Ultimate Age
Inferno, Ewing’s Arakko stories and Gillen’s council and Sinister saga connect Judgment Day to the Gala and the Fall and Rise finale.
Setup & reading order
Required setup along this run
These earlier stories explain events this book builds on. Reading checkpoints show where to switch books during a crossover.
- House of X/Powers of XUnowned
- X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
- X of SwordsUnowned
- Eternals by Kieron GillenUnowned
- A.X.E.: Judgment DayUnowned
- A.X.E.: Judgment Day CompanionUnowned
- After X of Swords
Resume Hickman’s X-Men #16–21, then read Inferno. Hellions follows a separate team and is not required for the council’s story.
- After X-Men Red #4 and Immortal X-Men #4
Read A.X.E. core and companion at the event checkpoint, then resume both creator books.
- After Immortal X-Men #13
Read the 2023 Hellfire Gala, then Immortal X-Men #14–18 and X-Men Red #14–18.
- After Immortal X-Men #18 and X-Men Red #18
Read Fall of the House of X #1–5 and Rise of the Powers of X #1–5 as parallel finale strands. X-Men Forever #1–4 in Gillen’s omnibus belongs within Rise; finish Forever before Rise #5, then the X-Men #35 concluding material.
Optional context & path
Path: The Krakoan era. Related projects that read well in this order; the order is a suggestion, not a requirement.
Useful background and earlier stops: House of X/Powers of X · X-Men by Jonathan Hickman — Krakoa spine · X of Swords.
Only required setup and earlier volumes in the same project affect the queue. Everything here is optional.
About these books · 6 sources
Publisher and reference pages describe the editions. Reviews and reader discussions offer different views of the stories.
- r/comicbooks — Runs worth reading from the X-Men Krakoa era (opens in a new tab)Readers
- Comic Book Herald — Top 10 essential Krakoa collections (opens in a new tab)Critics and editors
- AIPT — Hellfire Gala: Fall of X collected review (opens in a new tab)Critics and editors
- AIPT — Fall / Rise collected review (opens in a new tab)Critics and editors
- Penguin Random House — Curated Krakoan era (opens in a new tab)Publisher
- Reference identity and legacy — Curated Krakoan era (opens in a new tab)Reference
The books
Inferno by Jonathan Hickman
Book 1 of 5 · King in Black and the Krakoan Age
Mystique, Destiny, Moira, Xavier, and Magneto force Hickman’s Krakoan foundation into open crisis.
House of X/Powers of XUnowned
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
X of SwordsUnowned
9781302932817Planned edition#1–4Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
X-Men by Al Ewing Omnibus
Book 2 of 5 · King in Black and the Krakoan Age
Ewing carries mutant statecraft from S.W.O.R.D. to Arakko, Genesis War, and Magneto’s return.
House of X/Powers of XUnowned
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
X of SwordsUnowned
9781302966423Planned edition#1–11#1–15, #17–18#16#1–3#1–4#1#1#1X-Men Red #16 includes the Storm and Genesis lead story only, and Marvel’s Voices: X-Men #1 contributes “The Man With No Shame.” Read those features with Ewing’s mutant stories; the remaining anthology material is not collected here.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
X-Men by Kieron Gillen: The Age of Krakoa Omnibus
Book 3 of 5 · King in Black and the Krakoan Age
Gillen anatomizes the Quiet Council, Sinister’s corrupted future, and Krakoa’s fall.
House of X/Powers of XUnowned
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
X of SwordsUnowned
9781302966706Planned edition#1–18#1#1–3#1#1#1–4Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
X-Men: Hellfire Gala — Fall of X
Book 4 of 5 · King in Black and the Krakoan Age
After Judgment Day and Immortal X-Men #13, Orchis turns the 2023 Gala into the catastrophe that begins Fall of X.
House of X/Powers of XUnowned
Eternals by Kieron GillenUnowned
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
X of SwordsUnowned
A.X.E.: Judgment DayUnowned
9781302953034Planned edition#1#1#100–105#8Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men supplies the Avengers and X-Men stories only. Read those included pieces as the approach to the Gala; the giveaway’s remaining feature is outside this book.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
Fall of the House of X / Rise of the Powers of X
Book 5 of 5 · Krakoa to the New Ultimate Age
The two parallel five-issue finales resolve the Orchis war and the Dominion plot alongside X-Men Forever.
House of X/Powers of XUnowned
Eternals by Kieron GillenUnowned
X-Men by Jonathan Hickman OmnibusUnowned
X of SwordsUnowned
A.X.E.: Judgment DayUnowned
9781302956585Planned edition#1–5#1–5#35Fall and Rise form the central finale. The larger omnibus also repeats X-Men Forever and Resurrection of Magneto from other books in this project.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
Duplication across this project
These books share full issues or parts of issues with other books in the plan. Open the lists below to see which stories repeat.
No shared contents are recorded with other books in the plan.
Things to know
Collecting rule: The five books form a sequence, with X of Swords before Inferno and A.X.E. before the Gala. Reading checkpoints handle switches within the large omnibuses.
- Gillen’s Rise conclusion has a stronger reception than the parallel Fall of the House of X story.
- The project follows the central creators and finale; other Fall of X tie-ins tell parallel stories.