Modern Marvel Starting Places For MCU Fans!

So you like the MCU but don’t have a clue in Ass-berg where to start with Marvel Comics. Don’t worry, I get it; comics are confusing sometimes!

I’ve put together loads of guides here on Comic Book Herald to help assuage these fears. There’s a guide on where to start with Marvel, and of course the complete timeline. For the most part, though all these dive in deep into starting places, background knowledge, and reading guides for the burgeoning obsessive fan.

But what if you just want to read some darn good comics about the characters you love in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Where’s that guide?

Well, ideally, it’s right here. Below you’ll find one recommended comic to read for each major Marvel hero in the MCU. These are the ultimate starting places to help you dive in to the sprawling quagmire of shared superhero universes!

There are two major considerations for these comic book picks:

1. It’s a relatively manageable starting place, and great for new readers.
2. It’s the closest major reference point to put you in position to catch up on the modern era of Marvel Comics.

Note that characters are listed in order of appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Additionally, I recommend some combination of Marvel Unlimited or Hoopal Digital for digital reading ease. So get started reading about your favorite MCU characters, and as always, enjoy the comics!

MCU PHASE 1

Iron Man

Start with: Iron Man: Extremis

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Iron Man (2004 to 2007) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Iron Man guide

Nick Fury

Start with: The Ultimates

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Ultimates (2002 to 2003)

Complete Reading Order: Marvel Ultimate Universe

Hulk

Start with: Planet Hulk

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Incredible Hulk (1999 to 2008) #88 to #95, Giant-Size Hulk (2006) #1, Incredible Hulk #96 to #105

Complete Reading Order: Hulk guide

Black Widow

Start with: Black Widow: The Name of the Rose

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Black Widow (2010) #1 to #5

Complete Reading Order: Black Widow guide

Thor

Start with: Jason Aaron writing Thor

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Thor: God of Thunder (2012 –) #1 to #11

Complete Reading Order: Thor guide

Hawkeye

Start with: Hawkeye by Fraction and Aja

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Hawkeye (2012 – 2015) #1 to #11

Complete Reading Order: Hawkeye guide

Captain America

Start with: Captain America the Winter Soldier

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Captain America (2004 – 2011) #1 to #9, #11 to #14

Complete Reading Order: Captain America

Avengers

Start with: Jonathan Hickman writing Avengers

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Avengers (2012 –) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Hickman Marvel Universe guide

MCU PHASE 2

Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes)

Start with: Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Winter Soldier (2012 to 2013) #1 to #14

Complete Reading Order: Winter Soldier guide

Falcon

Start with: All-New Captain America

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? All-New Captain America (2014) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Falcon reading order

Guardians of the Galaxy

Start with: Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett and Lanning

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 to 2010) #1 to #25

Complete Reading Order: Guardians of the Galaxy guide

Daredevil

Start with: Daredevil by Bendis and Maleev

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Daredevil (1998 to 2011) #16 to #19, #26 to #40

Complete Reading Order: Daredevil guide

Jessica Jones

Start with: Alias aka Jessica Jones

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? N/A

Complete Reading Order: Jessica Jones guide

Scarlet Witch

Start with: Scarlet Witch by James Robinson

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Scarlet Witch (2015 –)

Complete Reading Order: Scarlet Witch guide

Vision

Start with: Vision by Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Vision (2015 –)

Complete Reading Order: Vision guide

Luke Cage

Start with: New Avengers by Bendis and Finch

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? New Avengers (2004 to 2010) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Luke Cage guide

Iron Fist

Start with: The Immortal Iron Fist

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Immortal Iron Fist (2006 to 2009) #1 to #9, Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1, Immortal Iron Fist #10 to #12, Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death #1, Immortal Iron Fist #13 to #16

Complete Reading Order: Iron Fist guide

Ant-Man

Start with: Ant-Man by Nick Spencer

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Ant-Man (2015)

Complete Reading Order: Ant-Man guide

MCU Phase 3

Spider-Man

Start with: Dan Slott writing Spider-Man

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Amazing Spider-Man (1998 to 2013) #648 to #657

Complete Reading Order: Spider-Man guide

Black Panther

Start with: Christopher Priest writing Black Panther

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Black Panther (1998 to 2003) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Black Panther guide

Doctor Strange

Start with: Doctor Strange The Oath

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Doctor Strange: The Oath (2006 to 2007)

Complete Reading Order: Doctor Strange guide

Punisher

Start with: Punisher by Garth Ennis

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Punisher (2000 to 2001) #1 to #12

Complete Reading Order: Punisher guide

Non-MCU X-Men

Deadpool

Start with: Deadpool by Duggan and Posehn

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Deadpool (2012 to 2015) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Deadpool guide

X-Men

Start with: Astonishing X-Men

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Astonishing X-Men (2004 to 2013) #1 to #24, Giant-Sized Astonishing X-Men (2008) #1

Complete Reading Order: X-Men guide

Storm

Start with: Storm by Greg Pak

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Storm (2014 –) #1 to #6

Complete Reading Order: Storm guide

Wolverine

Start with: Wolverine & The X-Men

Where does this live on Marvel Unlimited? Wolverine & the X-Men (2011 to 2014) #1 to #8

Complete Reading Order: Wolverine guide