Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

Marvel Series

Demon Days Universe (Peach Momoko) Reading Order

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Peach Momoko is one of the most popular cover artists now, thanks to her distinct and almost dream-like style inspired by horror and Japanese cinema. In 2021, Momoko also filled the insides of comics with her watercolors in the “Momomo-verse,” starting with Demon Days: X-Men #1. Its premise is to create a new Marvel universe, but more inspired by Yokai stories and Japanese folktales, creating new versions of popular characters and transporting them to different settings.

As of 2023, the Momoko-verse has two main stories: Demon Days and Demon Wars. Each has a character called Mariko as the protagonist. She is a new character created by Momoko who suddenly finds herself between the world of humans and Yokai. That’ll bring changes to her own life but also to many others.

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The Marvel Universe of Al Ewing (Reading Order)!

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In the few years since he’s joined the Marvel universe, Al Ewing has become one of the biggest names in American comic books, especially superhero comics ; not least of all because of his critically acclaimed work on The Immortal Hulk. However, his Marvel Comics history actually started back in 2013, and has since then spanned across many different characters and stories, from Loki to the Inhumans and even several different Avengers teams.

Ewing’s work at Marvel is not only noteworthy for often aiming to shake up the status quo of the Marvel universe as well as taking on cosmic proportions ; but also for his dedication to representation in his stories, especially queer representation in books like Immortal Hulk and Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as having mostly non-white teams in his Mighty Avengers and Ultimates especially.

And although Immortal Hulk is approaching its end, Al Ewing’s time at Marvel seems to only be beginning, as he is currently heading the new era of Marvel’s Galactic stories, across titles like Guardians of the Galaxy, S.W.O.R.D., and Venom; and events like Empyre and The Last Annihilation. [Read more…] about The Marvel Universe of Al Ewing (Reading Order)!

A Guide to Trans Representation In Marvel Comics

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Dave Buesing: Earlier this year, my podcast co-host Zack Deane requested a Koi Boi reading order on behalf of a Comic Book Herald patron, and if that didn’t make sense, wondered if a guide to trans representation in Marvel could be an alternate. Since a CBH guide to Koi Boi would ultimately just say “read Unbeatable Squirrel Girl,” we have instead sought out a complete guide to transgender characters in the Marvel Universe, with detailed conversations about the quality of Marvel’s representation for each.

I want to be eminently clear that this is not a victory lap celebrating Marvel. Finding examples of Trans representation are few and far between in the tens of thousands of comics the publisher’s released.  Likewise, there are examples of what could be considered “transgender” representation that are so reprehensible and offensive that I couldn’t bring myself to even mention them in this guide. [Read more…] about A Guide to Trans Representation In Marvel Comics

Marvel Magic: The Essential Comics Reading Order

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Within the Marvel Universe, there are segments of thematic or tonal connections that create subcategories of “mini” universes readers can follow. One of the most prominent is Marvel Cosmic, but in the wake of WandaVision (honestly in a way I didn’t feel after Doctor Strange), I’m increasingly interested in the universe of Marvel Magic.

Now, the below guide will assuredly not capture every instance of magic use in Marvel Comics (I have a family you animals!), but it will give you a decades-spanning look at how magic, supernatural, and mystical elements have progressed throughout Marvel history. [Read more…] about Marvel Magic: The Essential Comics Reading Order