Diving Back into the X-Men: Era 12 (Again. For Real This Time.)

I need to make a confession. It took me a full two years to read through Era 11. Two years! That's... a bit longer than I'd like to admit. I actually tried to kick off Era 12 back in December with an initial post, but life, Writers of the Future, and apparently, my ability to stick to comic reading schedules got in the way. So, with a new era dawning, and after a false start, I'm making a solemn vow (fingers crossed!): Era 12, I'm coming for you, and hopefully at a much brisker pace this time around! Yes, I am restarting the restart!

For those who might need a refresher, Era 11 wrapped up with what can only be described as a seismic event in the X-Men universe. With just three devastating words – "No More Mutants" – the Scarlet Witch single-handedly wiped out over 90% of the mutant population. So, as we step into Era 12, we're plunged directly into the immediate, chaotic aftermath in a massive arc aptly named "Decimation." And if that's not enough, this era promises to end with yet another colossal event, "Messiah CompleX," sure to leave its own set of far-reaching repercussions. Get ready for a wild ride.

This particular stretch of X-Men history, Era 12, runs from January 2006 through March 2008. And let me tell you, it was a pretty wild ride in my own life during that period!

This was when my girls hit high school, jumping headfirst into the fantastic world of the North Stafford High School Marching Band. Meanwhile, I embarked on a new job adventure. The initial excitement, however, quickly faded as I realized my promotion prospects might be a bit... limited.

Necessity is the mother of invention (or in my case, education!). I decided to leverage my G.I. Bill and enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), earning two Associate Degrees. As you can imagine, with two kids in high school and college coursework on my plate, both money and time became incredibly tight. The inevitable happened: I had to put my beloved comics on hold for a while.

My original collection from that time ended around Part 8.  But fear not! I've since gone on the hunt and successfully tracked down all the missing issues of both Uncanny X-Men and X-Men (Second Series) to complete those crucial runs.

Now, my next quest is to unearth the missing issues of New X-Men and Astonishing X-Men. These are essential pieces of the puzzle for Era 12, and I'll be diving into them as part of this grand reading project. I've got a little bit of time before I reach their specific points in the timeline, so that's a small mercy.
Wish me luck on my comic book treasure hunt! And here's hoping I can blast through Era 12 much faster than its predecessor. What are your favorite memories or issues from this "Decimation" era? Let me know in the comments below!

• Part 01: Decimation: The Day After (X-Men)
• Part 02: Decimation: The 198
• Part 03: Decimation: Generation M
• Part 04: End of Greys (Uncanny X-Men)
• Part 05: Childhood's End (New X-Men)
• Part 06: First Fousaken (Uncanny X-Men)
• Part 07: Blood of Apocalypse (X-Men)
• Part 08: Childhood's End: Crusade (New X-Men)
• Part 09: Childhood's End: Nimrod (New X-Men)
• Part 10: Civil War: X-Men
• Part 11: Supernovas, Part 1 (X-Men)
• Part 12: Childhood's End: Mercury Falling (New X-Men)
• Part 13: Supernovas, Part 2 (X-Men)
• Part 14: Childhood's End: Quest for Magik (New X-Men)
• Part 15: The Extremists (Uncanny X-Men)
• Part 16: Blinded by the Light (X-Men)
• Part 17: Uncanny X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire (Uncanny X-Men)
• Part 18: Torn (Astonishing X-Men)
• Part 19: Unstoppable (Astonishing X-Men)
• Part 20: Messiah CompleX