Remember the 90s in comics? For many Marvel fans, it was a time of frustration, and "Onslaught" often gets pinned as the epitome of that era's problems. But what if we've been too quick to judge? What if, beneath the surface of apparent chaos, lies a story far more compelling and important than we give it credit for? Let's dive in and challenge the conventional wisdom about Marvel's massive 1996 event, "Onslaught."
Back in the day, the 80s were a real golden age for Marvel, pumping out some of the most iconic superhero stories ever. But as the 90s rolled around, things started to shift. The focus seemed to move away from the writing, with art taking center stage. Artists like Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Erik Larsen, Whilce Portacio, and Jim Valentino became superstars, and their visual styles heavily influenced the direction of the comics. Then came the Image Comics exodus, which saw even more artistic talent leave Marvel, further impacting the writing quality on many titles. The X-Men and Spider-Man became the dominant forces, and this all culminated in 1996 with "Onslaught," a story that was poised to be Marvel's biggest ever!
Now, in 2025, "Onslaught" carries a heavy reputation. Many see it as a prime example of the creative decline at Marvel during that period, a poorly executed crossover event in every way. But I'm here to argue for a different perspective. The 90s truly were the X-Men's decade, and "Onslaught" served as the culmination of numerous storylines that had been brewing for years. More importantly, it propelled the entire Marvel Universe forward, paving the way for some truly fantastic comics in the years that followed. "Onslaught" has been unfairly criticized for far too long, and it's time we reconsidered its merits.
Having grown up primarily reading X-Men comics, I've always had a soft spot for "Onslaught". It paid off the long-running "X-Traitor" storyline that began in Uncanny X-Men #282, finally revealing that Professor Xavier himself was the betrayer all along. It even tied into the "Fatal Attractions" storyline (although you'd only realize this if you happened to read a specific issue of Wolverine during the event). The story concluded with a massive explosion that reshaped the Marvel Universe and set the stage for some excellent (and some not-so-excellent) comics, which in turn inspired more amazing stories down the line.
"Onslaught" is a very specific type of X-Men story, one that had been carefully constructed over about a year's worth of issues on the X-Men side of the Marvel Universe. And this is the part most people miss... If you weren't reading Uncanny X-Men in 1995, you'd likely be completely lost when you picked up Onslaught: X-Men #1, the comic that kicked off the entire crossover. Without that context, the rest of the story would just seem like a confusing mess, culminating in a big, pointless fight that led to the infamous Heroes Reborn reboot. However, like many of Marvel's greatest event stories, if you go back and give "Onslaught" another chance, you might be surprised by what you find.
So, what do you need to know to approach the story today? The basics are that Professor X has been acting strangely, and a mysterious new villain is threatening the X-Men. From there, you can jump into Onslaught: X-Men #1, which features the X-Men battling Onslaught in a visually stunning showdown thanks to Adam Kubert's incredible artwork. This was Kubert's first major Marvel event comic, and he truly delivered. The story then sees Onslaught taking control of a Sentinel fleet with the help of Dark Beast, launching an attack on New York City. The event is divided into two types of chapters: "Phases" and "Impacts." The "Phases" are the most crucial parts of the story, while the "Impacts" are more supplementary. For example, Wolverine #104 is an "Impact" issue, but it does add valuable context.
Unsurprisingly, some of the best chapters of the story can be found in X-Men (Vol. 2) #53-56 and Uncanny X-Men #336-337. Fantastic Four #415-416 are surprisingly good, and Cable #33-36, The Incredible Hulk #444-445, X-Factor #125-126, The Amazing Spider-Man #415, and Wolverine (Vol. 2) #104-105 are also worth checking out. If you read those issues, along with Onslaught: X-Men #1 and Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1, you'll get a pretty exciting and well-paced story. Legendary creators like Mark Waid, Peter David, Larry Hama, Scott Lobdell, Andy Kubert, Adam Kubert, Carlos Pacheco, Ariel Olivetti, Ian Churchill, Joe Madureira, Warren Ellis, and many others contributed sensational issues, nicely building the event's central conflict. By the time you reach the final battle in Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1, you'll have experienced a coherent and thrilling story from a period in Marvel history that often receives unfair criticism.
I believe one of the main reasons "Onslaught" is often misunderstood is that many people assume it's a confusing X-Men-centric story. However, that's not entirely accurate. While the X-Men portions are important if you were following the X-Men comics of the 90s, at its core, "Onslaught" is a story familiar to all Marvel fans: an all-powerful villain emerges, seeking to increase his power and reshape the world in his twisted image. There are some great fights, interesting lore elements, and a final, epic battle with stunning artwork that propels the Marvel Universe in exciting new directions. For example, The Incredible Hulk and Thunderbolts series that followed featured some of the best stories of all time.
Yes, Heroes Reborn had its issues, but it ultimately led to the much-improved Heroes Return, which gave us some of the greatest Avengers stories ever told. "Onslaught" might not be high art, but it's a highly entertaining event story, boasting some of the best artwork from the top artists of the 90s, delivering awesome fights and memorable moments. For years, you've been told that this story is terrible and skippable, but honestly, it's always been a pretty cool story. It's far from perfect, and it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it was fun, and it sparked a Marvel renaissance that would bear fruit in the years to come, even if it didn't seem that way initially. Without "Onslaught," many of the great things that followed for Marvel's heroes might never have happened, making it well worth your time to read. But here's where it gets controversial... Was the short-term pain of Heroes Reborn worth the long-term gain of the stories it ultimately inspired?
What are your thoughts on "Onslaught"? Do you think it deserves its bad reputation, or is it a misunderstood gem? Leave a comment below and join the discussion!
