The X-Men #66

The X-Men #66, published in March 1970, serves as the final issue of the original X-Men run before the series transitioned into reprints for several years. Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Sal Buskirk and Vince Colletta, the issue features the team battling the combined forces of the Sentinels and Professor X, concluding a dramatic arc that had been building since issue #65. It represents a poignant moment in Marvel history, as the title was struggling with low sales and impending cancellation at the time of its release.

The creative direction for this issue was deeply influenced by the need to resolve the long-standing tensions within the mutant team and their mentor. While the original series ended here, the decision to pivot to reprints allowed the characters to remain in the cultural consciousness until their successful revival by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum in 1975. Collectors often value this issue as the definitive conclusion to the Silver Age era of the mutant franchise, marking the end of the initial experiment led by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.