New X-Men Modern Era Epic Collection: Planet X

One of the most original and widely respected writers in comics, Glasgow-born Grant Morrison got their start with British indie comics during the late 1970s and early 1980s before working on Marvel UK features such as Zoids. After co-creating the popular strip Zenith with artist Steve Yeowell in 2000 AD, Morrison made their mark in America with DC Comics, where they revived an obscure hero to critical acclaim in his Animal Man series. In 1989, they wrote the best-selling Batman graphic novel Arkham Asylum and began a memorably surreal run as writer of the freakish heroes of DC’s Doom Patrol. Subsequent DC projects included Kid Eternity, Sebastian O, Flex Mentallo, Kill Your Boyfriend, Aztek, Invisibles, DC One Million, Flash and a hugely popular revamping of DC’s JLA. Morrison then shifted focus to Marvel Comics, where they had already made a brief pit-stop co-writing 1995’s bizarre Skrull Kill Krew with Mark Millar. In addition to their groundbreaking four-year New X-Men run, Morrison’s Marvel credits include Fantastic Four: 1234 and Marvel Boy. They have since returned to DC, where their later credits include Seaguy, WE3, Vimanarama, JLA: Classified and Seven Soldiers. While serving as a special creative consultant to DC editorial, Morrison wrote All-Star Superman, and the flagship Batman title and its spinoff Batman Inc.; co-wrote the event series 52; and served as the mastermind behind Final Crisis.

Chris Bachalo spent the early years of his career collaborating with writer Neil Gaiman; his quirky style proved a perfect fit for the offbeat Sandman character Death in Death: The High Cost of Living and its sequel, Death: The Time of Your Life. His initial Marvel work on Generation X began a long association with the X-Universe across various titles that saw him become a fan-favorite artist for Marvel’s mutants. Subsequently, he created Steampunk with Joe Kelly, and made forays into the Ultimate Universe and a big splash in the “Brand New Day” era of Amazing Spider-Man. His art has also graced the pages of New Avengers and the Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man limited series, as well as Marvel NOW!’s Uncanny X-Men. Bachalo helped reinvigorate Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme along with writer Jason Aaron on Doctor Strange. His subsequent work has included Deadpool and the high-octane, web-slinging action of Non-Stop Spider-Man.

A veteran artist for the Distinguished Competition, Phil Jimenez has thrilled fans with his high-energy approach in Wonder Woman, Teen Titans and writer Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles. At Marvel, he teamed with Morrison for several issues of the writer’s epochal New X-Men run. After delivering the triumph of Infinite Crisis, Jimenez helped launch “Brand New Day” in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. After amazing Spidey fans with his art, he’s set to astonish X-Men fans when he teams up with writer Warren Ellis on Astonishing X-Men.

Industry giant Marc Silvestri entered the upper echelon of comics innovators in the late ’80s during fan-favorite, record-breaking runs on Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine. Silvestri left Marvel in 1992 to co-found Image Comics; his imprint, Top Cow, is one of its four longstanding autonomous studios. At Image, Silvestri created some of today’s most popular properties — including Cyberforce, Witchblade, Weapon Zero and The Darkness. Silvestri has returned to the world of Marvel’s mutants on New X-Men and X-Men: Messiah Complex.