Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection #2

John Cassaday's sweeping cover says it all: a massive wave of Marvel's finest — Colossus, Cyclops, Beast, Angel, and dozens more heroes charging forward against a fiery red sky — signals that the stakes in this 2012 collection are nothing short of enormous. Joss Whedon and Cassaday's celebrated run on *Astonishing X-Men* is gathered here in one handsome volume, with Laura Martin's rich coloring giving every character and purple energy burst a vivid, cinematic weight. If you've been looking for an accessible yet ambitious X-Men reading experience, this hefty collection is a very good place to start.