The X-Men franchise has been a huge focus for Marvel pretty much ever since it became a true franchise in the first place. The fallout of Avengers vs. X-Men and the steady slate of relaunches and new series with Marvel NOW! have ensured that the X-Men franchise is bigger than it has ever been. And now the conclusion of the Battle of the Atom crossover event has set the stage for new status quos and even more new books as Marvel heads into 2014.

All-New X-Factor

All-New X-Men

Amazing X-Men

Cable and X-Force

The Savage Wolverine

Ultimate Comics X-Men

Uncanny Avengers

It's a lot to keep track of, especially for new readers attracted to comics by the allure of Marvel NOW. What books should you buy? What's the difference between Wolverine, The Savage Wolverine, Wolverine MAX, and Wolverine and the X-Men? Is it possible to enjoy the X-Men franchise and only buy one or two comics a month? Fortunately, we have the answers. In this guide we've broken down the franchise by each title, explaining the premise of each, what niche it fills, and why you should consider adding it to your pull list.And if you missed it last week, be sure to check out our guide for the Avengers franchise too.X-Factor fans were saddened to learn that Peter David's long-running saga was coming to a close this year. But David teased he had another Marvel project lined up, and as it turns out, that project involves more X-Factor. Where David's original '90s run focused on a government-approved team, and his recent series revamped X-Factor into a detective agency, All-New X-Factor casts the the team as corporate-sponsored superheroes. So far, the confirmed cast includes Polaris, Quicksilver, and Gambit, though several more members will be introduced in the opening storyline.Though it rarely received the attention of the other X-books, X-Factor was always one of the most consistently enjoyable of the bunch. It always benefited from long, methodical storylines and great characterization and a sense of humor. There's no reason to suspect these elements won't remain with the new book. It's great to see that David is remaining in this world. While Polaris' presence will provide some carryover from the previous series, on the whole All-New X-Factor looks to be a fresh start fro the franchise.All-New X-Factor #1 (January 2014)Brian Michael Bendis ended his Avengers run after eight years and several hundred issues. He's now shifted his focus to the X-Men franchise. All-New X-Men is one of two ongoing X-Men books Bendis is currently writing, and can definitely be considered one of the core X-books. The series began in the in immediate aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men. With the renegade Cyclops on the run and attracting new mutants to his cause, a troubled Beast sees no other option but to travel back in time and recruit the original five X-Men to make the elder Cyclops see the error of his ways.These younger X-Men are the stars of the series and will remain in the present for the foreseeable future. Much of the conflict so far revolves around the culture shock they face and the psychological hardship that arises when they realize just how dark their future is. The book includes a wide range of X-Men, but the core focus remains on these five characters and their mentor, Kitty Pryde. These six will actually be leaving Wolverine's school and throwing their lot in with Cyclops' group in the aftermath of Battle of the Atom. Also expect a crossover with Guardians of the Galaxy in early 2014 as the young Jean Grey is put on intergalactic trial for the crimes her older self committed as Dark Phoenix.If you're looking for that proverbial "If you only read one X-Men book, make it this one" title, All-New X-Men is currently your best bet. The book pretty much set the tone for the whole franchise this year, and we expect it to do the same as All-New Marvel NOW gets underway. But the series will also continue to have a close relationship with Bendis' other title, Uncanny X-Men, especially now that both books feature Cyclops' faction.But beyond that, the series is very well executed and has regularly received high scores from our review crew. Bendis has a habit of weaving long sagas over the course of many years on his books, so it's best to get in on All-New X-Men while the getting is good.All-New X-Men #18 (November 2013)If Brian Michael Bendis can have two X-Men books, why not Jason Aaron? Amazing X-Men will serve as a companion of sorts to Aaron's long-running Wolverine and the X-Men. The key difference is that this series looks to focus less on the students of the Jean Grey School and more on the teachers and their globetrotting missions. Their first mission involves a trip into the supernatural realm as they reunite with Nightcrawler and help him battle his father, Azazel. Amazing is designed to be more streamlined, standalone, and accessible than some of the other X-books. In that sense, the book is really a replacement for the recently canceled Astonishing X-Men, which featured a similar cast and emphasis on accessibility.We sympathize with anyone who feels the X-Men franchise is too crowded. We wouldn't be doing this guide if there wasn't a mountain of material to wade through. But so far it looks like Amazing will be able to carve out a name for itself among all these books. Aaron has certainly proven himself a capable X-Men writer by now, and he regularly thrives when penning stories that downplay continuity and focus more on fun and adventure. And from what we've seen of Ed McGuinness' art on this series, that alone may justify a purchase.Amazing X-Men #1 (December 2013)Marvel has two distinct X-Force series on the stands. This series is more in line with the older, '90s-era incarnation of the franchise, as it features a militaristic band of mutants led by Cable. The new series picks up where books like Avengers: X-Sanction and Avengers vs. X-Men left off.As the series opens, Cable is healed of his techno-organic infection but plagued by psychic visions of a nightmarish future. His team, which includes Domino, Colossus, Forge, and his adopted daughter Hope, is devoted to preventing Cable's visions from becoming reality, even if it forces them to become fugitives in the process.If you prefer the X-Force of the 1990s to the modern incarnations, Cable and X-Force is the book for you. The tone and visuals of the series are more in line with that era. The "mutant fugitives" angle also offers something different from the main crop of X-books. We weren't necessarily enamored with the book during its first storyline, but over time writer Dennis Hopeless has been able to give the series its own flavor and sense of humor that ensure it won't just appeal to '90s fans.The problem, of course, is that the series will be ending in early 2014 to make way for Simon Spurrier's new X-Force series. Newcomers are probably better off waiting for that book.Cable and X-Force #18 (January 2014)Whereas Paul Cornell's Wolverine is firmly entrenched in current continuity and Logan's ongoing struggles, The Savage Wolverine is an entirely standalone book. It's also a series that serves as an artist showcase more than anything else. Frank Cho wrote and drew the opening story arc, and he's been followed by Zeb Wells and Joe Madureira on the second and Jock on the current arc. Each story stands on its own, and every creator is given pretty much free reign to tell the kind of Wolverine story they choose. Jock's story is a sci-fi drama set in the far future, while incoming creator Richard Isanove will be taking Logan back to the 1930's.If you want Wolverine without the bagg age of continuity, this is your book. If you want a long, complex saga that steadily builds over time, look elsewhere. This is the sort of title designed to allow readers to jump on or off with each new story depending on whether they enjoy the creators involved.Savage Wolverine #9Brian Wood recently wrapped up his run on Ultimate Comics: X-Men, where he explored how a dwindling group of mutants responded to new disasters from within and without their isolated community. It's not clear whether the series is permanently canceled or put on hiatus for the duration of the Cataclysm storyline. It depends largely on whether there will still even be an ultimate Universe when all is said and done. For now, the X-Men will appear both in Cataclysm itself and the X-Men-centric tie-in series. Both will be written by Joshua Fialkov.Fialkov has been doing a great job with his material leading into Cataclysm. Given how he handled reluctant teen hero Rick Jones in Hunger, it's hard to imagine him not doing justice to the X-Men. We just hope these characters will have some sort of role to play when Cataclysm is finished.Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand #1 (November 2013)If you want a taste of the full scope of the Marvel Universe but only want to read one comic a month, Uncanny Avengers is probably your best bet. Though technically an Avengers series, the book features a number of mutant characters and picks up right where Rick Remender left off with his Uncanny X-Force run last year. This "Avengers Unity Squad" is led by Havok and is dedicated to proving that the Avengers and X-men can work together for the good of humans and mutants. But with the rise of a new Red Skull empowered by Charles Xavier's brain, and the debut of the Apocalypse Twins, this team may not survive long enough to carry out their mission.After a slightly rocky start in its opening story arc, Uncanny Avengers is exactly the sort of high quality read you'd expect from Remender and a crew of talented artists that has included John Cassaday, Daniel Acuna, and now Steve McNiven. Remender is weaving a gripping saga that builds on the foundation of Uncanny X-Force while integrating the Avengers into the picture. And the series has been remarkably isolated and standalone thus far despite its voerall level of importance to the Marvel Universe, so readers who prefer the Daredevil/Hawkeye approach to continuity will find this series similar.Uncanny Avengers #14 (November 2013)