X-Treme X-Men #42

Released in 2004, X-Treme X-Men #42 serves as the final installment of the original series written by Chris Claremont. The title was launched in 2001 as a spin-off from the core X-Men books, designed to follow a team of mutants operating outside the direct oversight of the Xavier Institute. This concluding issue was crafted to provide a narrative endpoint for the team's globetrotting missions while integrating them back into the broader X-Men continuity.

The artwork for this issue was provided by Igor Kordey, whose distinct, gritty style was a hallmark of the series' later tenure. Claremont’s writing aimed to resolve various subplots involving characters like Storm, Bishop, and Sage, focusing on the team's shifting dynamics as their independent status came to a close. While the series had a fluctuating reception due to its revolving door of artists and experimental tone, this issue is noted by collectors as the formal conclusion to a distinct era of early 2000s mutant storytelling.