As part of Krakoa’s “the Five” and Immortal X-Men coming to X-Men fans in 2022, I felt more people would want to learn who Hope Summers is. Known as the Mutant Messiah, the character created by Mike Carey and Chris Bachalo was the first mutant born after M-day, aka Marvel’s “Decimation” of mutantkind.
As soon as she was born, the girl was targeted by groups like the Purifiers and the Marauders. Fortunately, Cable protected baby Hope and escaped through the timestream with her. Hope soon learned warfare tactics and self-defense. Later, she manifested her power and established herself as one of the most powerful mutants on earth.
Related:
Krakoa era X-Men reading order
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The Messiah Is Born
Collects: X-Men: Messiah Complex #1; Uncanny X-Men #492; X-Factor #25; New X-Men #44; X-Men #205; Uncanny X-Men #493; X-Factor #26; New X-Men #45; X-Men #206; Uncanny X-Men #494; X-Factor #27; New X-Men #46; X-Men #207
After “House of M” and the almost extinction of the mutants, there comes hope (like, it is a pun, but it could be worse). A mutant is born, but the X-Men aren’t there. The future of the race rests on Cable’s ability to protect her from Sinister, the Marauders, and Bishop.
As you can see, it’s a pretty big event, with 13 issues. Hope is just a baby in it, so she doesn’t do much, but it’s still essential to her story. She appears for the first time in X-Men #205.
Collects: Cable #1-5
Following “Messiah Complex”, Cable escapes through the timestream with Hope, but Bishop goes after them. It’s an amazing comic by Duane Swierzycnski and Ariel Olivetti; I’m sure it’ll make you wanna go after a Cable reading guide next (you can check it out here).
Cable – Volume 2: Waiting for the End of the World
Collects: Cable #6-10
Cable (2008-2010) King-Size Spectacular
Collects: Cable (2008-2010) King-Size Spectacular
Set between Cable #6 and #7, it continues to tell the story of Bishop going after Hope. It isn’t essential reading, but I recommend it a lot.
Collects: The Times and Life of Lucas Bishop #1-3, X-Men Messiah War One-Shot, Cable #13, X-Force #14, Cable #14, X-Force #15, Cable #15, X-Force #16
A crossover event between Cable and the X-Force where they have to fight against Bishop and Stryfe (an evil clone of Cable).
Collects: Cable #16-21
Collects: Cable #21-25, X-Men: Hope
The last volume of Cable and Hope’s adventure in the future.
The Messiah Shows Her Powers
Collects: X-Men: Second Coming #1; Uncanny X-Men #523; New Mutants #12; X-Men: Legacy #235; X-Force #26; Uncanny X-Men #524; New Mutants #13; X-Men: Legacy #236; X-Force #27; Uncanny X-Men #525; New Mutants #14; X-Men: Legacy #237; X-Force #28; X-Men: Second Coming #2
Hope is finally in the present, but things aren’t as peaceful as she thought they would be. The stakes are higher than ever; it’s the mutants’ final battle against Bastion and losing means extinction.
Uncanny X-Men: The Birth of Generation Hope
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #526-529, Uncanny X-Men: The Heroic Age
After “Second Coming”, five new lights have appeared on Cerebro. Hope travels to each location seeking the five mutants. It’s a build-up to Hope’s team title: Generation Hope.
Generation Hope: The Future’s a Four-Lettered Word
Collects: Generation Hope #1-5, Kieron Gillen interview from X-Men: Curse of the Mutants Spotlight
Hope has already gathered four of the mutants, now they and Rogue go to Tokyo to find the fifth and last, Kenji Uedo. The story already starts with maximum action as Kenji’s mutation (clearly inspired by Akira
X-Men/Steve Rogers: Escape From the Negative Zone
Collects: Uncanny X-Men Annual (2006) #3, Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier Annual #1, Namor: The First Mutant Annual #1
Collects: Generation Hope #6-12
There’s a new light, but things can never be easy; the mutant is a baby that doesn’t want to be born. The volume also covers part of the event “Schism” – a story in which Scott and Logan face disagreements that split the team.
Collects: X-Men: Schism #1-5, X-Men: Regenesis
Quentin Quire ruins an arms control conference Scott and Logan were attending and, to make things worse, the Hellfire Club has a new black king. All those events end up creating fractures in Scott and Logan’s relation. Hope isn’t a key player in this volume; out of her team, the most important is Idie. But it’s still relevant overall and a good read.
The Hope Summers Cut (the issues she’s in): X-Men: Schism #1, X-Men: Schism #4-5, and X-Men: Regenesis.
Generation Hope: End Of A Generation
Collects: Generation Hope #13-17
Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Collects: S.W.O.R.D. #1-5, Uncanny X-Men #534.1, #535-544, X-Men: Regenesis, Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1-3
Hope only appears in some of the issues, but they are all worth checking out – mainly my beloved S.W.O.R.D. (give our reading order a read if you want to know more about the team).
The Hope Summers Cut: Uncanny X-Men #538-539, Uncanny X-Men #541-544, X-Men: Regenesis, Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1-3.
Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (2011) #4-20, AVX: Consequences (2012) #1-5
Following “Schism” and X-Men: Regenesis, Scott and his new team deal with a resurrected Mister Sinister. You’ll have to wait a bit to read AVX: Consequences; it’s necessary to read Avengers Vs. X-Men #0-12.
The Hope Summers Cut: Uncanny X-Men #4-6, #8-11, #13, #19, AVX: Consequences #1, #3-5.
Collects: Avengers: X-Sanction #1-4
(Trying to win Best Father of the Timeline Award) Cable comes back and attempts to prevent the fight between the Avengers and the X-Men.
Collects: Avengers Vs. X-Men #0-12, Material From Point One #1
The phoenix force is heading to earth, more specifically to Hope Summers. Everyone thinks she’s the next vessel. While the Avengers believe it will destroy the earth, the mutants presume it’s their best chance of salvation, leading to a war between the two factions.
If you also want to check out the tie-ins, you can check out the Avengers Vs. X-men Reading Order we made.
Hope Summers From Marvel NOW! Until Krakoa
Cable and X-Force, Vol. 1: Wanted
Collects: Cable And X-Force #1-5, Marvel Now! Point One (X-Force Story)
Hope is already sick of living a regular life, so she seeks out Cable. Little does she know he is assembling a new X-Force.
Set during Marvel NOW!
Cable and X-Force Vol. 2: Dead Or Alive
Collects: Cable and X-Force #6-9
Cable and X-Force Vol. 3: This Won’t End Well
Collects: Cable and X-Force #10-14
Cable and X-Force Vol. 4: Vendetta
Collects: Cable and X-Force #15-19, Uncanny X-Force (2013) #16-17
Reading order: Cable and X-Force #15-18, Uncanny X-Force #16, Cable and X-Force #19, Uncanny X-Force #17
X-Force Volume 1: Dirty/Tricks
Collects: X-Force #1-6
Collects: X-Force #7-10, X-Men Legacy #300
The Hope Summers Cut: X-Force #7-10.
Collects: X-Force #11-15
I have bad news for you now: Hope disappears from the X books for a while, only coming back two years later. Also, Hope appearances will be a bit more scarce, unfortunately.
Jean Grey Vol. 1: Nightmare Fuel
Collects: Jean Grey #1-6
Hope is only present during the second issue of this volume, but the whole thing still deserves a read. It’s a fun and relaxing read.
The younger Jean Grey feels the Phoenix Force coming after her, so she contacts some of its ex-hosts, like Hope and Magik.
Collects: Jean Grey #7-11
The Hope Summers Cut: Jean Grey #9-10.
Collects: Cable #155-159
Hope and Cable reunite for the first time after X-force.
The Hope Summers Cut: Cable #155-156, #159.
Collects: Merry X-Men Holiday Special #1
A bunch of one-page Christmas-themed stories. It’s really skippable, but if you are in the mood for this sort of thing, you’ll probably like it.
War Of The Realms: Uncanny X-Men
Collects: War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1-3
It’s part of the “War of the Realms” event. Focuses on the New Mutants team, but Hope also has a few good scenes.
Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1: Cyclops And Wolverine
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #11-16
The Hope Summers Cut: Uncanny X-Men #15-16
Uncanny X-Men: Wolverine And Cyclops Vol. 2
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (2018) #17-22.
The Savior in Krakoa
Hope is part of “the Five”; they are a group responsible for resurrecting the mutants that die in battle, restoring their powers, their bodies, and their memories. She’s also helped make some changes to the resurrection protocols.
She’s expected to play an even bigger role in 2022, during the “Destiny of X”. Keep an eye in Immortal X-Men and you will probably see more of her.
If you want to be up to date with the whole krakoan era, take a look at our Jonathan Hickman X-Men Reading Order.
Collects: Powers Of X #1-6, House Of X #1-6
Hope is only present in three issues, but it’s still well worth a read – not to mention it’s necessary to understand the following stories. If you haven’t read House Of X/Powers Of X, go read it now, you won’t regret it.
The Hope Summers Cut: House Of X #5-6, Powers of X #6.
X-Factor by Leah Williams Vol. 1
Collects: X-Factor (2020) #1-3, 5
The X-Factor is a team responsible for investigating the death and the disappearance of mutants, as it’s necessary to have proof of death to resurrect someone. Hope isn’t part of the team, but she is in almost all issues.
Collects: S.W.O.R.D. #1-5
Hope appears mainly during the “King in Black” event.
The Hope Summers Cut: S.W.O.R.D. #2, #4-5.
Collects: Cable #7-12
Hope helps resurrect the Old Cable, and it’s pretty sweet when they meet.
The Hope Summers Cut: Cable #9, #11-12.
Way of X by Si Spurrier Vol. 1
Collects: Way of X #1-5, X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation #1
The Hope Summers Cut: Way of X #1-2, #5, X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation #1.
X-Men: Hellfire Gala – The Red Carpet Collection
Collects: X-Men #21, Marauders #21, Excalibur #21, X-Force #20, New Mutants #19, X-Factor #10, Hellions #12, S.W.O.R.D. #6, Way of X #3, X-Corp #2, Wolverine #13, Planet-Size X-Men #1, material from Classic X-Men (1986) #7, Hellfire Gala Guide
An important event that defines the end of “Reign of X” and – at least – the start of “Destiny of X”. Hope helps with the “big surprise” (thankfully, no need for resurrections this time).
The Hope Summers Cut: X-Men #21, Planet-Size X-Men #1, X-Factor #10.
Collects: Inferno #1-4
Thanks to Mystique, Hope now possesses one Cerebro helmet. So, the group doesn’t need Professor X to resurrect mutants anymore.
The Hope Summers Cut: Inferno #2
Collects: X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #1-5
Following the events of the “Hellfire Gala”, the council holds a trial for the death of Wanda Maximoff – the Scarlet Witch.
The Hope Summers Cut: X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #1-2, #4-5.
Latest Additions:
X-Men: The Onslaught Revelation
Check out CBH’s full Reading Order!
Collects: X-Terminators #1 to #5
Marauders (2020) Vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan
Collects: Marauders #1 to #5
Marauders (2020) Vol. 2 by Gerry Duggan
Collects: Marauders #7 to #12
Collects: X-Men Red (2022) #1 to #5
Collects: X-Men Red (2022) #6 to #10
Collects: X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023, Free Comic Book Day 2023: Avengers/X-Men (Avengers and X-Men stories), X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #100-105, Iron Man (2022) #8 and the Hellfire Gala Variants
X-Men: Before the Fall — Sons of X
X-Men: Before the Fall — Mutant First Strike
Immortal X-Men Vol. 1 by Kieron Gillen
Collects: Immortal X-Men #1 to #5
Immortal X-Men Vol. 2 by Kieron Gillen
Collects: Immortal X-Men #7 to #10
Immortal X-Men Vol. 3 by Kieron Gillen
Collects: Immortal X-Men #11 to #13