Cain Marko (Codename: The Juggernaut) has been rampaging through the Marvel Universe since his first appearance in 1965’s X-Men #12. The Juggernaut serves as the avatar for the ancient deity, Cytorrak, which makes him (nearly) unstoppable. At first glance, the Juggernaut is your classic heavy but once you pry off that comically oversized helmet, you discover a man struggling with his tragic upbringing, sense of morality, and place in the world.
Marko’s step-brother just so happens to be Charles “Professor X” Xavier and their unique relationship has made Juggernaut an X-Men mainstay. But it’s his shifting role between hero, villain, ally, and threat that’s made the Juggernaut to break free of the X-books with memorable parts in stories across the Marvel landscape.
Related Reading Orders:
Birth of the Juggernaut – 1965 through 1980
X-Men Epic Collection: Children of the Atom
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Collects: X-Men (1963) #1-23
The first appearances of the Juggernaut and the tragic backstory of Cain Marko and stepbrother, Charles Xavier.
X-Men Epic Collection: Lonely Are The Hunted
Collects: X-Men (1963) #24-45; Avengers (1963) #45
Uncanny X-Men: First Class – Knights of Hykon
Collects: Uncanny X-Men: First Class #5-8.
Even unstoppable Juggernauts need best friends, and Marko has Black Tom Cassidy.
Jugger-not Doing Much – the 1980s
Outside of a few appearances, Juggernaut did not have a whole lot to do during Chris Claremont’s legendary run.
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 4 – Juggernaut
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #626-629, #229-230
Juggernaut and Black Tom try to kidnap Madame Web to take advantage of her psychic visions. Juggernaut has no time for Spider-Man’s pithy banter.
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #180-198; Annual #8; & X-Men/Alpha Flight #1-2
Juggernaut tries to blow off some steam by knocking back a few drinks but ends up in a barroom brawl with the X-Men. Also, we learn more about the somewhat fickle nature of the Juggernaut’s powers.
Collects: Avengers Spotlight (1989) #26-28, Avengers (1963) #311-313, Quasar (1989) #5-7, Iron Man (1968) #251-252, Avengers West Coast (1989) #53-55, Mutant Misadventures Of Cloak And Dagger (1988) #9, Material From Captain America (1968) #365-367, Thor (1966) #411-413, Avengers Annual (1967) #19, Avengers Spotlight (1989)# 29
Loki aims the Juggernaut at Thor and it’s surprisingly effective.
Frequently Unstoppable – The 1990s.
Business picks up for the massive mutant. The 90s feel like a very Juggernaut decade.
X-Force Epic Collection: Under the Gun
Collects: X-Force (1991) #1-15, Annual #1; Spider-Man (1990) #16; Wolverine (1988) #54
The first arc of the new X-Force series is christened by Black Tom and the Juggernaut, and their explosive attempt at stopping a corporate buyout.
Collects: Venom: Funeral Pyre #1-3, Venom: The Madness #1-3, Venom: The Enemy Within #1-3, And Incredible Hulk Vs. Venom #1.
An infected Venom struggles to stay alive against the unrelenting fury of the Juggernaut.
X-Men: The Road to Onslaught Volume 1
Collects: X-Men Prime; Uncanny X-Men (1963) #322-326; X-Men (1991) #42-45, Annual ’95; X-Men Unlimited (1993) #8
X-Men/Avengers: Onslaught Vol. 1
Collects: Cable (1993) #32-33, Uncanny X-Men (1981) #333-335, X-Force (1991) #55, X-Man (1995) #15-17, X-Men (1991) #53-54, X-Men Unlimited (1993) #11, Onslaught: X-Men (1996) #1, Avengers (1963) #401, Fantastic Four (1961) #415.
Oh boy. Onslaught really does a number on the Juggernaut.
Thor by Jurgens & Romita Jr. Vol. 3
Collects: Thor #14-17, Iron Man #21-22, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #11 & Juggernaut: The Eighth Day.
Covering the events of the “8th Day” event — the story provides additional context around Juggernaut’s powers and his mystical benefactor, Cyttorak.
Friend of X – The 2000s
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #410-424, X-Men Unlimited (1993) #44-45.
Cain reconciles with his step-brother Charles and joins the X-Men.
X-Men: Trial of the Juggernaut
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #425-436; Exiles (2001) #28-30; material from X-Men Unlimited (1993) #40, 48.
It turns out that joining the X-Men is not a “get out of jail free” card.
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #437-443, New X-Men (2001) #155-156, X-Men (1991) #157-164.
X-Men: Reload By Chris Claremont Vol. 1: The End of History
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #444-461 and X-Men (1991) #165.
Juggernaut covers a ton of ground in these issues – acting as a double agent against the new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, spending time in Mojoworld, and getting turned in a giant baby.
Collects: Identity Disc #1-5
A story that does not fit neatly into continuity. Juggernaut is one of the villains tasked with finding a disc containing true identities behind Marvel’s heroes.
New Excalibur, Vol. 1: Defenders of the Realm
Collects: New Excalibur #1-7
New Excalibur Vol. 2: Last Days of Camelot
Collects: New Excalibur #8-15
New Excalibur Vol. 3: Battle For Eternity
Collects: New Excalibur #16-24
After the events of House of M, Juggernaut hops across the pond and joins Excalibur.
Collects: World War Hulk: X-Men #1-3, Irredeemable Ant-Man #10, Avengers: The Initiative #4-5, Ghost Rider (2006) #12-13, Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2007) #19-20.
In an effort to protect Xavier, Juggernaut once again assumes his role as Cyttorak’s avatar and holds Hulk to a standstill. For more on this event, please see: World War Hulk
Thunderbolts and Fear Itself – 2010 through 2015
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 4 – Juggernaut
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #626-629, #229-230
In a call back to the Madame Web story of Amazing Spider-Man #229 & #230, Marko is temporarily empowered as Captain Universe. You be the judge, but I think he looks fantastic.
Collects: Thunderbolts #144-147 And Material From Enter The Heroic Age #1.
Collects: Thunderbolts #148-151.
Thunderbolts: Violent Rejection
Collects: Thunderbolts #152-157
The Juggernaut joins up with Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts.
Collects: Fear Itself #1-7
Collects: Thunderbolts #158-162.
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #540-544.
Juggernaut has a huge role in the “Fear Itself” company-wide event as one of the hammers of the Serpent transforms Juggernaut into Kuurth, Breaker of Stone. For more coverage, please see: Fear Itself.
Dark Avengers: The End is the Beginning
Collects: Dark Avengers #175-183
Cain starts to lose his “avatar” powers levels and struggles with what to do next.
Juggernauts Are Always Rising and Falling in America – 2015 to Current
Amazing X-Men Volume 3: Once and Future Juggernaut
Collects: Amazing X-Men #13-19, Annual #1.
Cain attempts to find peace living off the grid but is drawn back in when Cyttorak tries to find a new avatar on Earth.
Collects: Thor (2018) #1-11
The “will they/won’t they” story between Juggernaut and Cyttorak continues as Cain once again dons the mantel of “avatar” and spends time with the dark god’s cannibal disciplines. Thor hits Juggernaut with a lot of hammers.
Uncanny X-Men: Wolverine And Cyclops Vol. 2
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (2018) #17-22.
As the countdown to “Krokoa” begins, Juggernaut helps Cyclops and Wolverine tie up loose ends.
Collects: Punisher Kill Krew (2019) #1-5
After the “War of the Realms,” Juggernauts stays on with the Punisher’s team of uniquely skilled individuals. For more on this event, please see: War of the Realms
Savage Avengers Vol. 3: Enter the Dragon
Collects: Savage Avengers (2019) #11-16.
The Juggernaut is recruited to the Savage Avengers and along with Conan, the Black Knight, and Magik, hunt a dragon.
Collects: Juggernaut (2020) #1-5
Cain attempts to rebuild his life after bartering away his armor and being denied citizenship to Krakoa.
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