X-Men Epic Collection: The Gift [New Printing] (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781302957940)

A former animator for cult cartoonist Ralph Bakshi, Paul Smith penciled Uncanny X-Men during a brief but pivotal run that included Rogue joining the team, Storm's controversial makeover, Wolverine's near-marriage and Cyclops' wedding to future villain Madelyne Pryor. He then moved to Doctor Strange, Marvel Fanfare and others, later drawing the acclaimed X-Men/Alpha Flight miniseries. With James Robinson, he created DC's groundbreaking Golden Age miniseries, highlighting the publisher's wartime heroes like few before or since. His work for other companies includes First's Grimjack and Image's Leave It to Chance; he returned to Marvel to pencil the miniseries Kitty Pryde: Shadow and Flame, revisiting some themes from his Uncanny work.

Barry Windsor-Smith -- best known for Marvel's Conan and Red Sonja -- also illustrated memorable Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man and Daredevil stories; he revealed Wolverine's origin in the "Weapon X" serial. Windsor-Smith has also published several art books in the tradition of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

As a boy, artist Dave Cockrum (1943-2006) dreamed of working in the comic-book industry; after a six-year stint in the Navy, he headed straight for the big time. With a natural talent for illustrating super heroes, Cockrum landed a gig on Legion of Super-Heroes for DC Comics. Soon after his debut, Cockrum showcased his knack for innovative costume designs, becoming the first artist to revamp the look of the classic futuristic super-hero team since its original Silver Age debut. After leaving Legion in 1975, Cockrum collaborated with writer Len Wein to create a new lineup of X-Men - including Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Colossus. Cockrum's bold new mutants quickly caught the attention of comic-book fans, transforming X-Men into a best-selling title. Although Cockrum has reduced his artistic output in recent years, his strong influence on modern creators remains steadfast - as evidenced by the release of The Uncanny Cockrum Tribute Book in 2004, boasting contributions from more than 75 notable writers and artists.