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Essential X-Men was a 76-page comic book published by Panini Comics UK, as part of their Collectors' Edition range. Beginning in 1995, the title reprinted Marvel US's range of X-Men comics; three per issue. The comic is produced on higher quality paper than the US originals, and the covers are composed of card, which helps to preserve the comic. Also unlike the US originals, advertisements are kept to a minimum, with most simply promoting the other comics in the Collectors' Edition range or Marvel DVDs or video games. The comics it reprints are generally about two years behind comics in the US. It retails at the price of £3.99.
Over the course of its 25-year history, Essential X-Men has reprinted many key events in the X-Men's history including the Age of Apocalypse and Onslaught sagas as well as more recently Grant Morrison's run. Currently it is reprinting Peter Milligan and Salvador Larroca's run on X-Men. Unlike other Collector's Editions that Panini Comics publishes, Essential X-Men rarely reprinted the classic stories. This is because in the US, the X-Men have multiple comics and in order not to fall behind the other Collector Editions in terms of continuity there is no room to print classic stories.
It was put on hold in 2020 until 2021 when it was cancelled and replaced with Marvel Universe X-Men.