Colossus Crash Course
Colossus is one of the longest serving X-Men, having been a pretty consistent presence on one team or another ever since he joined all the way back in Giant-Size X-Men. Despite that, he’s often relegated to a side character, not given the focus he needs, or deserves, to regain the popularity he once had.
A lot of that comes down to how much of the character’s initial struggles and story were tied to the Soviet Union, something that makes the sliding timeline a little complicated. He is often defined by his relationships to others, mainly his ex Kitty Pryde and his sister Illyana Rasputin, Magik, both of whom are much more popular these days.
Either way, Colossus’ long history has been filled with nothing but tragedy. The soul of an artist born in the body of a warrior, Colossus fights tirelessly to protect his family, biological or found, and any innocents who need his help. He would sacrifice anything, even his own life, to save anyone who needed him, and it’s this self sacrifice that has come to define him in later years. While his great moments get easily forgotten, they are frequently some of the most heartbreaking chapters in X-Men history.
Start here
The Bread
This is the stuff that makes Colossus who he is, the essential reads that shaped Piotr into the character we know today. Start here before venturing anywhere else.
The Debut
Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1
Written by Len Wein · Art by Dave Cockrum
The origin of Colossus! With the original X-Men captured, Professor Xavier recruits an All-New All-Different international X-Men team, journeying to Soviet Russia to recruit the 19 year old farmer, Piotr Rasputin. Initially struggling to share his power not with the state, but the whole world, Colossus leaves his parents and young sister behind to become a superhero. An essential read for all X-Men, but especially Colossus, as the story from which all others are built upon.
The Doubt
“The Trial of Colossus” – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #122-124
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by John Byrne
The first story that really digs into Colossus’ character as he begins to feel out of place on the team and question whether he truly belongs there as they struggle to fully mesh as a team. A chance encounter with Arcade makes him question his loyalties between state and superteam, and decide once and for all that the X-Men are his family.
The Sacrifice
“…Dressed for Dinner!” – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #231
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by Rick Leonardi
This standalone issue finds Colossus presumed dead, and once again struggling to find his place on a radically different X-Men now living in the Australian Outback. Missing his sister, Colossus is sent to Limbo to help Illyana save the New Mutants. She believes him a magical shade of her dead brother, a final sacrifice of her soul to recruit his help to save her friends. This beautiful issue showing the love between Piotr and his sister is a must-read to understand the relationship between the two.
The Breaking Point
Death of Illyana – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #303-304
Written by Scott Lobdell · Art by Richard Bennett
The Legacy Virus, a deadly disease killing mutants worldwide, takes its biggest victim yet in this heartbreaking issue as the young Illyana Rasputin, no longer Magik, now just a young girl, succumbs to her illness. This tragedy pushes Colossus past his limits and to the X-Men’s enemies, the Acolytes, desperate to find some way to find a cure to the disease or find any sort of meaning in his life having lost his sister once again.
The Unstoppable
Becomes the new Juggernaut – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #540-544 – Fear Itself
Written by Kieron Gillen · Art by Greg Land
In one of my favourite lesser known X-Men stories and a tie-in to a Thor event, we see the origin of the modern Colossus/Magik relationship as his sister becomes the X-Men’s prisoner after nearly destroying reality. Her internment is interrupted by an Asgardian-empowered Juggernaut’s rampage, one only his sister can stop by making a deal with the cosmic god Cyttorak that leads to Colossus becoming the new unstoppable Juggernaut.
The Reunion
Magik and Colossus – (2026)
Written by Ashley Allen · Art by Germán Peralta
A more modern story and a personal favourite that beautifully showcases the relationship between the Rasputin siblings. Their self-loathing and cycle of sacrifice is all on display as they struggle to find a way to move past it all and rediscover the relationship they once had, or find a way to move forward in this great miniseries that brings them back to Russia to stop a new threat straight out of Russian folklore.
Go deeper
The Meat
Once you’ve got the essentials down, here’s where you dig deeper into who Piotr really is, from Claremont’s defining seventeen-year run through his hardest modern battles.
The Definitive Run
Chris Claremont’s X-Men
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, and others
A large read, but no writer has defined Colossus like Chris Claremont did, taking him from his second appearance through the next 17 years. From his relationship to Kitty Pryde, the many losses of his sister, his struggles between state and family, everything begins here in this epic run of many of the most iconic X-Men stories of all time that no selection of key stories can quite do justice to.
The Lost Brother
Mikhail Rasputin returns – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #284-293
Written by John Byrne, Scott Lobdell · Art by Whilce Portacio, Jim Lee
Cosmonaut Mikhail Rasputin, older brother and hero to Piotr, returns from his supposed death when Colossus was just a child in this 90s story. Colossus is forced once again to experience the tragic death and return of a sibling as Mikhail’s return may be more complex than it seems after his time in another dimension.
The Return
“Gifted” through the full run – Astonishing X-Men (2004) #1-24
Written by Joss Whedon · Art by John Cassaday
After sacrificing himself to save the world, Colossus returns in Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s iconic run that sees the X-Men return to superheroing and “finally” gets Piotr and Kitty together. It’s a defining run for Piotr in the 21st century, not just because of his relationship but also the rage that he finds himself returning with.
The Fresh Start
Joins Cable’s fugitive squad – Cable and X-Force (2012) #1-19
Written by Dennis Hopeless · Art by Salvador Larroca
After yet another few traumatising years, becoming Juggernaut, gaining the power of the Phoenix, losing it in battle with his sister, Colossus gets a shot at a new start while joining Cable’s renegade X-Force to try and make up for his many mistakes. He also begins a new, age-appropriate relationship here with his teammate Domino.
The Horrors
Farming over fighting – X-Force (2019) by Benjamin Percy
Written by Benjamin Percy · Art by Joshua Cassara
Krakoa, a mutant island paradise where everyone gets a fresh start to live their lives happily and carefree. Except for Colossus, who experiences the horrors pretty much from the start. Between near-death experiences, lost loves, and spending most of the era mind-controlled by Krakoa’s enemies, Colossus has a real rough go of things as part of Mutantkind’s own CIA in this latest iteration of X-Force.
The hidden gems
The Special Sauce
Beyond the essentials, there’s a whole lot of Colossus worth exploring, whether that’s grief, guilt, or a quieter moment that still captures who he is at his core.
The Reckoning
Drunken bar fight with Juggernaut – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #183
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by John Romita Jr.
Maybe the single best Colossus issue as Wolverine and Nightcrawler take him out to a bar for a telling off after he breaks the heart of their young teammate, Kitty Pryde, during the events of the original Secret Wars as he falls in love with another. After a spilled drink on the wrong patron, Piotr faces off against the Juggernaut in this classic issue.
The First Kill
“Mutant Massacre” – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #210-212
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by John Romita Jr.
In one of the most tragic X-Men stories, the Marauders storm the Morlock tunnels and kill everyone they can find. All this death pushes Colossus to his limits, especially as his friends become casualties of the Massacre too, leading him to deliberately take a life for the first time, slaying the Marauder Riptide, an act that will haunt him for years to come.
The Quiet Life
Life as “Peter Nicholas” – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #259
Written by Chris Claremont · Art by Marc Silvestri
The X-Men, defeated, scattered by the Siege Perilous once more, now without their memories. Piotr finds himself reunited with old friends without either realising it, refugees from Genosha and the Morlock Callisto, as he begins a new life looking after a New York building, unable to even remember his name or his powers.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
“Dust to Dust” – Uncanny X-Men (1963) #390 (2001)
Written by Scott Lobdell · Art by Salvador Larroca
The Legacy Virus. Responsible for many mutant deaths over nearly a decade, including close friends and, to Colossus, family. When Beast finally discovers a cure at great cost, one issue remains. Just as the virus was spread by the death of its first victim, the cure will kill whoever takes it. In his sister’s name, Colossus does not hesitate, sacrificing himself to save everyone.
The Ancestor
The Rasputin family history – X-Men: Colossus: Bloodline (2005) #1-5
Written by David Hine · Art by Jorge Lucas
You know Grigori Rasputin, the guy from the song and Russian history? Well he was a mutant and buddy to Mister Sinister, and split his essence between all his many, many children. Years later, the Rasputin heirs are hunted down one by one until Colossus begins to have strange dreams as his ancestor begins to emerge. When one Rasputin remains, Grigori returns! This is a fun little side story that gives a little more lore to Colossus.
The Artist
An All-Colossus special – X-Men Unlimited (2004) #14 (2006)
Written by C.B. Cebulski, Neil Kleid · Art by David Aja, Mike Oeming
In this book of two Colossus stories, Piotr thinks back on the Mutant Massacre not long after his return to life. He finds himself reminiscing on his lost sister, the promises made, and how death would so often come between them in this heartbreaking tale drawn by David Aja himself. He also considers his direction as an artist in a less heartbreaking, but equally insightful tale.
Colossus has decades of stories behind him, and it’s impossible to capture them all in one list. If there’s a Piotr story that means something to you that didn’t make the cut, let us know!
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