The Best of Claremont Uncanny

As we neared the final issues of Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men run, I wanted to look back and celebrate this monumental achievement (both Chris writing it and me reading it) by spotlighting the very best issues of that stories run. And to do that, I used my Twitter account to host a series of polls where people could vote on the Best of Claremont.

A great issue -- but is it the best?

The polls were comprised only of Chris Claremont-written issues of Uncanny X-Men from 1975 until 1991: no spin-offs or tie-ins, no New Mutants, Annuals, mini-series or God Loves Man Kills. I also decided to exclude his first three issues of X-Men 1991 just to keep it more or less "pure." Effectively, we were covering Uncanny #94-279.

Each issue was posted with four possible options: "Excellent!" "Great" "Good" or "Not a Fave" (originally I wrote "Not a Fave/Never Read" but decided I needed people to be able to render an opinion on said issue -- if they couldn't, they could skip.) An "Excellent" vote was good for 5 points, "Great" was worth 3.5, "Good" was 2 and "Not a Fave" 0.5.  

Because of the large number of issues being covered, the polls were posted in fits and spurts, meaning turnout was... not always consistent. Twitter makes it very hard for people to find things when they don't happen to be looking when it's posted, so I did my best to elevate the polls, but still some didn't get the kind of traction I might have expected. To compensate for this, I came up with an averaging scheme. Every issue would be scored as if it got at least the average # of votes (~13) divided amongst the four options. Then, to reward issues that got more votes, every "Excellent" vote above that figure would be worth an additional 0.05 pts, and every "Great" would be an additional 0.035. This shuffled a few issues up and down the ranking but the fundamental makeup was the same.

There were a few surprises: some issues I consider to be great have more mixed reputations amongst the electorate. Some issues that I don't care for seem to be beloved. But that's what makes it a fun exercise. In 186 installments, there are a few undisputed classics (and surprise fan faves) but overall, nearly every issue is loved by somebody. That, in the long run, is that this blog is about: appreciation, affection, and enjoyment. We love X-Men here.

I would love to have gotten twice or 3x the turnout to really get some robust results, but I think there's hardly any disputing the top ten or so. I think what's great is that the tippy top issues run the gamut from 1980, to 1983, to 1987-88, showing that while quality may have varied over the years, at any moment the next issue of Uncanny could have been a true classic.

And now, all 186 issues of Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men, ranked by you.

"No." (>30 Pts)

186. #260 "Star 90" (1990) 25.208 pts.

From that complicated period when the X-Men had split up after going through the Siege Perilous, you folks did not care for this Dazzler-centric outing that pits the Lightengale against coked-up movie producer Howard Beale in a Taxi Driver-meets-Wile E. Coyote riff. I actually think it's a little underrated here, but the people have spoken!

182. #144 "Even in Death..." (1981) 
182. #149 "And The Dead Shall Bury The Living!" (1981) 
182. #156 "Pursuit!" (1982) 
182. #261 "Harriers Hunt" (1990) 
181. #110 "The 'X' Sanction" (1978) 
180. #228 "Deadly Games" (1988) 
178. #148 "Cry, Mutant!" (1981) 
178. #259 "Dream a Little Dream" (1990) 
177. #123 "Listen -- Stop Me If You've Heard It -- But This One Will KILL You!" (1979) 
176. #155 "First Blood" (1982) 
174. #277 "Free Charley" (1991)
174. #278. "Battle of Muir Isle" (1991) 

The bottom tier is unfortunately very unkind to Dave Cockrum's second run, but also proves the 1990 "No Team" dynamic was also not well-remembered, including the sole appearance of the sensational character finds of 1990, Hardcase's Harriers. I've also learned in this poll that folks do not like Arcade.

Not Our Faves (30-40 pts)

The next lowest tier seems to embody periods of aimlessness for the series as a whole, as well as early oddities, forgotten one-offs, middles of storyarcs, misfires and The Beyonder. Again, I think readers really underrated the Bill Sienkiewicz-drawn "Night Screams" that pits the X-Men against Dracula, but the group has spoken.

173. #159 "Night Screams!" (1982) 
172. #106 "Dark Shroud of the Past!" (1977) 

171. #154 "Reunion" (1982) 

170. #97 "My Brother, My Enemy!" (1976) 

169. #197 "To Save Arcade?!?" (1985) 

169. #267 "Nanny (Into The Fire)" (1990) 

167. #96 "Night of the Demon!"  (1975) 

166. #264 "Hot Pursuit" (1990) 

165. #145 "Kidnapped!" (1981)

164. #245 "MEN" (1989)

163. #203 "Crossroads" (1986)

161. #152 "The Hellfire Gambit" (1981)

161. #279 "Bad to the Bone" (1991) 

160. #204 "What Happened to Nightcrawler?" (1986)

159. #276 "Double Death" (1991)

158. #157 "Hide-and-Seek" (1982)

157. #147 "ROGUE STORM!" (1981)

156. #266 "Gambit (Out of the Frying Pan)" (1990)

155. #202 "X-Men... I've Gone To Kill -- The Beyonder!" (1986)

153. #122 "Cry For The Children!" (1979)

153. #146 "Murderworld" (1981)

152. #275 "The Path Not Taken" (1991)

151. #94 "The Doomsmith Scenario" (1975)

150. #151 "The X-Men Minus One" (1981)

149. #153 "Kitty's Fairy Tale" (1982) (Scotto's Note: A shockingly low result for this acclaimed issue!)

148. #262 "Scary Monsters" (1990)

147. #124 "He Only Laughs When I Hurt!" (1979)

146. #195 "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night..." (1985)

145. #138 "Elegy" (1980)

144. #103 "The Fall of the Tower" (1977)

Average Issues (40-52 Points)

143. #158 "The Life That Late I Led" (1982)

142. #139 "Something WICKED This Way Comes" (1980)

141. #181 "Tokyo Story" (1984)

140. #263 "The Lower Depths" (1990)

139. #177 "Sanction" (1984)

138. #140 "RAGE!" (1980)

137. #265 "STORM" (1990)

136. #119 "Twas the Night Before Christmas…" (1979)

135. #271 "Flashpoint!" (1990)

134. #95 "WARHUNT!" (1975)

133. #118 "The Submergence of Japan!" (1979)

132. #111 "Mindgames!" (1978)

131. #125 "There's Something AWFUL on Muir Island" (1979)

130. #102 "Who Will Stop the Juggernaut?" (1976)

129. #108 "ARMAGEDDON NOW!" (1977) (Scotto's note: First John Byrne issue deserves a bit more love IMO, since Jean saves the whole universe in spectacular fashion here!)

128. #104 "The Gentleman's Name is Magneto!" (1977)

127. #235 "A Green and Pleasant Land" (1988)

126. #208 "Retribution" (1986)

125. #188 "Legacy of the Lost!" (1984)

123. #230 "Twas the Night…" (1988)

123. #257 "Lady Mandarin" (1990)

119. #178 "Hell Hath No Fury…" (1984)

119. #253 "Storm Warnings!" (1989)

119. #192 "Fun n' Games" (1985)

119. #246 "The Day of Other Lights" (1989)

118. #207 "Ghosts" (1986)

117. #206 "Freedom is a Four Letter Word!" (1986)

116. #99 "Deathstar, Rising!" (1976)

114. #117 "PSI-WAR!" (1979)

114. #164 "Binary Star!" (1982)

113. #215 "Old Soldiers" (1987)

112. #219 "Where Duty Lies" (1987)

111. #107 "Where No X-Man Has Gone Before!" (1977)

110. #105 "PHOENIX UNLEASHED!" (1977)

109. #98 "Merry Christmas, X-Men…" (1976)

108. #184 "The Past of Future Days" (1984)

107. #224 "The Dark Before the Dawn" (1987) (This issue received closest to an "average" score of any)

106. #193 "Warhunt 2" (1985)

105. #273 "Too Many Mutants" (1991)

104. #176 "Decisions" (1983)

101. #126 "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth!" (1979) (I'd love to know why the voters don't have much love for Proteus -- the later issues just barely squeaked into the top 50!)

101. #179 "What Happened To Kitty?" (1984)

101. #190 "An Age Undreamed Of!" (1985)

100. #121 "Shoot-Out at the Stampede!" (1979)

99.  #216 "Crucible" (1987)

98. #249 "The Dane Curse" (1989)

97. #220 "Unfinished Business" (1987)

96. #187 "WRAITHKILL!" (1984)

95. #143 "DEMON" (1981) (Again, histories would have you believe this issue was beloved but it appears your mileage may vary!)

94. #248 "The Cradle Will Fall!" (1989)

93. #269 "Rogue Redux" (1990) (The exact middle-ranked issue!)

92. #272 "Capital Crimes" (1991)

91. #115 "Visions of Death!" (1978)

90. #180 "Whose Life Is It Anyway?" (1984)

89. #254 "All New, All Different -- Here we Go Again!" (1989)

87. #189 "Two Girls Out to Have Fun!" (1985)

87. #194 "Juggernaut's Back in Town" (1985)

86. #250 "The Shattered Star" (1989)

85. #231 "Dressed For Dinner!" (1988)

84. #210 "The Morning After" (1986)

Good Issues (52-58 Points)

As we climb higher on the list, we get issues that are just a cut above the usual monthly fare, as well as more and more that are considered -- by some if not everybody -- classics.

83. #120 "Wanted: Wolverine! Dead or Alive!" (1979)

81. #199 "The Spiral Path" (1985)

81. #270 "First Strike" (1990)

80. #109 "Home are the Heroes!" (1978)

79. #240 "Strike the Match" (1989)

78. #161 "Gold Rush!" (1982)

77. #162 "Beyond the Farthest Star!" (1982)

76. #191 "Raiders of the Lost Temple!" (1985)

73. #196 "What Was THAT?!" (1985)

73. #256 "The Key That Breaks the Locke" (1989)

73. #255 "Crash & Burn!" (1989)

72. #113 "Showdown!" (1978)

71. #114 "Desolation" (1978)

70. #247 "The Light That Failed" (1989)

69. #221 "Death by Drowning!" (1987)

67. #233 "Dawn of Blood" (1988)

67. #241 "Fan the Flames" (1989)

66. #131 "Run For Your Life!" (1980)

65. #274 "Crossroads" (1991)

64. #229 "Down Under" (1988)

63. #258 "Broken Chains" (1990)

62. #243 "Ashes" (1989)

61. #185 "Public Enemy!" (1984)

60. #116 "To Save the Savage Land!" (1978)

57. #232 "Earthfall" (1988)

57. #242 "Burn!" (1989)

57. #150 "I, Magneto…" (1981)

56. #209 "Salvation" (1986)

55. #163 "Rescue Mission" (1982)

54. #223 "Omens & Portents" (1987)

53. #100 "Greater Love Hath No X-Man…" (1976)

52. #183 "He'll Never Make Me Cry" (1984)

51. #217 "Folly's Gambit" (1987)

50. #167 "The Goldilocks Syndrome" (1983)

49. #160 "Chutes and Ladders!" (1982)

48. #182 "MADNESS" (1984)

47. #128 "The Action of the Tiger!" (1979)

46. #165 "Transfigurations!" (1983)

45. #112 "Magneto Triumphant!" (1978)

44. #205 "Wounded Wolf" (1986) (Surprisingly low placing for this beloved issue but I suspect one or two folks responding aren't fans of Mr. Barry Windsor-Smith! This is why turnout was key.)

Great Ones (58-63 points)

Heading towards the issues that make us love X-Men, this tier is where the heat really gets turned up, with representatives from all sorts of beloved stories from across the run!

43. #201 "Duel" (1986) 

42. #127 "The Quality of Hatred!" (1979)

41. #132 "And Hellfire Is Their Name!" (1980)

40. #198 "Lifedeath II -- From The Heart of Darkness" (1985)

39. #214 "With Malice Toward All!" (1987)

38. #174 "Romances" (1983)

37. #222 "Heartbreak!" (1987)

36. #238 "Gonna Be a Revolution" (1988)

35. #244 "Ladies' Night" (1989)

34. #130 "DAZZLER" (1980)

33. #169 "Catacombs" (1983)

32. #101 "Like a PHOENIX From the Ashes!" (1976) (The first "great" issue?)

31. #166 "Live Free or Die!" (1983)

30. #218 "Charge of the Light Brigade!" (1987)

29. #226 "Go Tell the Spartans!" (1988)

28. #234 "Glory Day" (1988)

27. #172 "Scarlet in Glory" (1983)

26. #171 "ROGUE" (1983)

25. #200 "The Trial of Magneto" (1985)

24. #252 "Where's Wolverine?!?" (1989) (Not the last great issue, but the beginning of the end as "average" issue quality sharply goes down from here!)

23. #268 "Madripoor Knights" (1990) -- Wolverine teams up with Captain America in the past in this iconic Jim Lee-drawn issue!

21. #237 "Who's Human?" (1988) -- Wolverine and Rogue/Carol learn the secrets of Genosha!

21. #239 "Vanities" (1988) -- Sinister schemes ignite Inferno!

20. #212 "The Last Run" (1986) -- Wolverine vs. Sabretooth Round 1!

18. #129 "God Spare the Child…" (1980) -- First appearance of Kitty Pryde!

18. #186 "Lifedeath: A Love Story" (1984) -- "Once upon a time, there was a woman who could fly..."

17. #251 "Fever Dream!" (1989) -- Wolverine stands alone against the Reavers, and faces down visions from his own psyche!

16. #173 "To Have and Have Not" (1983) -- Wolverine prepares to wed Mariko in Japan, and Storm undergoes a legendary transformation!

The Classics (63-67 points)

The ones you know and love, the no-doubt-about it favourite issues -- some surprise hits in here but I'm not arguing!

15. #141 "Days of Future Past" (1981)

Adult Kate Pryde returns to her childhood body from a future ruled by Sentinels to try to avert what once went wrong! One of the most iconic and risky stories ever told in the pages of Uncanny, and a true influence on all that came later.

14. #227 "Belly of the Beast!" (1988)

The climax of Fall of the Mutants! The X-Men give their lives to help Forge fulfill his destiny and stop the Adversary from unmaking all of existence!

13. #175 "PHOENIX" (1983)

Special double-sized issue, the climax of "From The Ashes" -- Phoenix has returned... or has she?! As Mastermind finalizes his revenge, Cyclops is pitted against all of his teammates.

12. #134 "Too Late, The Heroes!" (1980)

The X-Men are able to turn the tide against the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, but has Mastermind's manipulation already taken Jean too far into the dark side?

11. #236 "Busting Loose!" (1988)

It's Wolverine and Rogue -- that is, Carol Danvers in Rogue's body -- fighting their way out of Genosha!

10. #136 "Child of Light and Darkness!" (1980)

The X-Men must do whatever it takes to stop their former friend Jean from being fully subsumed by the power of Dark Phoenix!

9. #142 "Mind out of Time" (1981)

This issue -- Everybody dies! As Kate and the X-Men work to stop the assassination of Senator Kelly, the future X-Men infiltrate the Sentinel compound... but only death and destruction awaits!

8. #211 "Massacre" (1986)

The Marauders bring slaughter to the Morlock Tunnels -- do the X-Men have what it takes to bring an end to this senseless tragedy, or will they become victims themselves?

7. #137 "Fate of the Phoenix" (1980)

With the Phoenix on trial for the destruction of the D'bari system, only the X-Men stand between her and execution at the hands of the Shi'ar. But are they strong enough, or will one hero have to make the ultimate sacrifice? (This Marvel Comics could be worth $2500 to you! Well, more like $180.)

6. #225 "False Dawn!" (1988)

Fall of the Mutants begins as the Freedom Force battles the X-Men outside Eagle Plaza! (Scotto's note: Personally I prefer #226, but I'm only one vote!)

5. #213 "Psylocke" (1987)

The X-Men's newest member must stand alone as the unstoppable Sabretooth stalks the mansion!

4. #170 "Dancin' in the Dark" (1983)

It's Storm vs. Callisto in this undisputed classic of the form! Plus -- who is Madelyne Pryor??!

3. #168 "Professor Xavier is a JERK!" (1983)

The title says it all! Kitty Pryde must press her case as a full X-Man while a mysterious threat lurks under the mansion!

The Best of the Best (67.204 points)

We shockingly had a tie for the best issue ever, with two issues (surprisingly only two) netting 100% "Excellent!" votes! 

1. #133 "Wolverine Alone!" (1980)

With the X-Men at the mercy of the Inner Circle, feisty and scrappy loner Wolverine must battle his way up through the Club, level by level, to rescue his teammates, in a story that launched Wolverine to iconic status and solidified the greatness of the Claremont-Byrne team. But with Jean Grey already hitting heavy as the new "Black Queen," what if it's too late?

1. #135 "DARK PHOENIX" (1980)

It's too late! Despite defeating the Hellfire Club, the X-Men's woes are only just beginning as Jean's manipulation at the hands of Mastermind has unlocked a fire within her that she must now turn toward her friends! How could they ever stand a chance against such a powerful being... and how could they bring themselves to stop their friend?

Additional Fun Facts

There's a lot of interesting info here. Looking at the average ratings year by year, you can see some definite peaks, valleys, a plateau, and then a nice curve from 1986-1989, where it drops off after Inferno. I think we can all agree that even though there are some great moments in those last few years, the Run does end on a "Low Note" (X-Men #1-3 notwithstanding.)

Again, these are "publication" dates, not release dates 

Outside of 1975, which only had three data points to go by, 1991 (avg pts 40.41) and 1990 (40.87 avg) were the most-disliked eras, marked by the confusing post-Inferno, post-Siege Perilous team split, and several lackluster stories, culminating in the jumbled mess of the Muir Island Saga, which Claremont didn't even get to finish on his own terms. When X-Tinction Agenda is a highlight for the era (averaging 48.58) you know it's rough. The next lowest point for the run came in 1981-1982, the post-Byrne period that saw the stories go somewhat astray, with the biggest highlights being the iconic #150, the "Gold Rush" issue that saw Xavier and Magneto teaming up in the past, and parts of the Brood saga that saw Wolverine on his own and the team escaping the Brood's homeworld. The peak of this era was, unsurprisingly #160 "Chutes and Ladders," which brings the x-Men into Limbo on a doomed mission to rescue Illyana, one of my favourite issues of all time.

For artists, poor Dave Cockrum is ranked at the bottom of any penciller who had more than 4 credits, with an average of 42 points and a peak of just 59.88 points (for #101 "Like a PHOENIX From the Ashes") This is not a comment on the quality of the art but more about the views of the stories themselves. Naturally, since he drew the top issues, John Byrne has the highest peak, but the highest average goes to Paul Smith who put up Best in Class numbers for his entire run averaging 58.4 across 11 issues and peaking at 66.87. If you only figure in his 1983 run his average goes up to 61.29. Out of anyone who drew more than one issue during the run, Barry Windsor-Smith carries the highest average at 59.43.

Out of all multi-part stories (which I admit carries somewhat controversial guidelines) Days of Future Past had the highest average at 64.5, followed by Fall of the Mutants at 63.2 and Mutant Massacre at 62.9 -- obviously this calculation features shorter "stories" as a longer saga like the Dark Phoenix Saga will be lowered by greater fluctuations between issues, despite featuring the highest ranking individual issues of our survey (for these purposes I actually split 129-138 into "Hellfire Saga" and "Dark Phoenix" -- if I hadn't included #138 "Elegy" in the latter, it would be the top ranking story, feel free to discuss.)

And there you have it folks! I would have loved to have gotten twice or even 10x as many responses, but I know only a few things would have changed. What do you think?