How are the events in "Wolverine and the X-Men" integrated into to AvX storyline?

Question

I am reading "Wolverine and the X-Men" comic, and many of the early issues (#9 to #18) seemed to be dealing very heavily with "Avengers vs X-Men" storyline, Hope, Phoenix, etc...

My strong sense is that what we get in W&X-M is shadows of A&V story that happens at the same time.

Question is:

How do the pieces of that story in "Wolverine and the X-Men" fit into the main "Avengers vs X-Men" storyline? Are they:

• Just copy/pasted (e.g. everything we see happen in W&X-M is also happening in AvX)

• Complementary (e.g. the events in W&X-M - aren't shown in AvX, and therefore contribute to that overall storyline but only peripherally).

• Integrated fully (E.g. you must read both AvX AND W&X-M storylines in proper chronology to understand the full picture in AvX or at least properly enjoy the full Phoenix/Hope story).

Answer 1

If W&X is your main book and you aren't left wondering what happened and why: than I would say that AvX is mainly Complementary. Take it or leave it. There is some overlap but I would not say Copy/Pasted. The event is a conflict between two sides made up of several teams. It can be seen as AvXvX&W. So you're getting a specific personal POV in each tie-in series.

Reading all trades or issues you get the Integrated option. This is not saying that any series tied-in is less entertaining without reading all these issues. However (when it comes to the mutants) you do get a better sense of how Cable comes back out the time-stream,whereabouts of Wanda Maximoff,how Avengers are more keen to mutant events after House of M,how mutants distrust the Avengers post M-Day and why. What I think you might find most impacting is the greater sense of spite between Cyclops and Wolverine. The new rival schools and how Prof X is left out of things. The idea of his oldest student and his fiercest X-Man interpreting his dream is something to compare. From the Avenger POV there is some pretty awesome art and action. Plus you get the whole internal conflict of what role they play-Protector or Aggressor and how fluid that gets in AvX is nice. Its all about power and dealing with the tough history of Avengers-and humans in general-abusing, forgetting,and vilifying a race. A lot of tie-ins but a lot of things happen.

This is the complete chronological order in which to gain an in-depth understanding.

Just wanna see how it deals with W&XM? The main tpb or tie-in collection tbp might be the way to go. AvsX trade order:

Avengers vs. X-Men: It’s Coming(This is really optional, as most is recapped in AvX)

Avengers vs. X-Men (main event issues 1-12) If you can read it.DO IT. NOTE AvX:Versus a separate tie-in series-EASILY CONFUSED & really not needed! told someone to check out AvX and they bought this instead :(

Avengers vs. X-Men: Consequencesthe entire wrap-up/aftermath miniseries 1-5

Avengers vs. X-Men HC tie-in companion (including WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #9-16 and #18 PLUS AVENGERS ACADEMY #29-33, SECRET AVENGERS (2010) #26-28, AVENGERS (2010) #25-30, NEW AVENGERS (2010) #24-30, X-MEN LEGACY (2008) #266-270,AVX: CONSEQUENCES #1-5, UNCANNY X-MEN (2012) #11-20, and A-BABIES VS. X-BABIES #1(<<

Issue by Issue Avengers vs. X-Men Reading List

Avengers: X-Sanction #1

Avengers: X-Sanction #2

Avengers: X-Sanction #3

Avengers Academy #26

Avengers #24

Avengers: X-Sanction #4

Avengers vs. X-Men #0

Avengers vs. X-Men #1

Uncanny X-Men #10

Wolverine & The X-Men #9

Avengers #25

New Avengers #24

Avengers vs. X-Men #2

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #1

Uncanny X-Men #11

Secret Avengers #26

New Avengers #25

Avengers Academy #29

Avengers vs. X-men #3

Wolverine & The X-Men #10

New Avengers #26

Uncanny X-Men #12

Avengers Academy #30

Avengers #26

Avengers #27

Avengers vs. X-Men #4

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #2

Wolverine & The X-Men #11

Secret Avengers #27

X-Men Legacy #267

Uncanny X-Men #13

Avengers Academy #31

Avengers vs. X-Men #5

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #3

X-Men Legacy #268

Uncanny X-Men #14

Avengers Academy #32

Secret Avengers #28

New Avengers #27

Avengers vs. X-Men #6

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #4

Avengers #28

Uncanny X-Men #15

Wolverine & The X-Men #12

Avengers #29

Avengers vs. X-Men #7

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #5

Uncanny X-Men #16

Uncanny X-Men #17

Wolverine & The X-Men #13

New Avengers #28

New Avengers #29

Wolverine & The X-Men #14

Avengers vs. X-Men #8

Avengers Academy #33

Avengers Academy #34

Avengers vs. X-Men #9

Avengers vs. X-Men #10

Wolverine & The X-Men #15

Wolverine & The X-Men #16

Avengers vs. X-Men #11

New Avengers #30

Wolverine & The X-Men #18

Avengers vs. X-Men #12

Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #6

Uncanny X-Men #18

Uncanny X-Men #19

Avengers #30

AvX: Consequences #1-#5

In the end the story has a huge impact on the main titles in the Marvel U. The results are still being dealt with in current story-lines. X-MEN divided & ready for WAR! Who is burdened with the secret crown worn by Prof X? More dark secrets revealed! He was in the Illumiwhat?! March to Axis and the Red Onslaught--all of it looks to come crashing down in SECRET WARS 2015! WORLDS COLLIDING ITS GONNA BE NUTS!

Amazon pricing approx:

Avengers vs. X-Men: It's Coming by Allan Heinberg Paperback $13.84

Avengers vs. X-Men: Consequences by Kieron Gillen Paperback $13.86

Avengers vs. X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis Paperback $19.76

Answer 2

The "Avengers vs. X-Men" story was itself self-contained in the twelve-issue series. (It's a little uneven and a death at the end was under-stated, but it had some worthwhile moments.)

The co-branded comics did what has become standard for Marvel's cross-overs, and were Complementary. The story is different, and while it add some depth, it's not depth that's necessary to understand the story.

(Note that there were a LOT of co-branded issues for AvX. The Avengers and main X-men line ones [i.e., not that Wolverine jerk] were rather memorable and interesting, and worth the read.)