Guide Part 7 (Civil War)

Marvel Heroes Collide in Civil War

While Avengers Disassembled started it all, and the likes of House of M and Secret Invasion certainly have their merits, Civil War is really the mega Marvel event of the 2000s. Hero vs Hero, Villains turned ‘Heroes,’ and answers to the age old question – Who would win in a fight: Captain America or Iron Man?

Whether we’re talking sales, attention, or sheer scale, Civil War was a watershed moment for event-driven comics (for better or worse). While it’s hardly the first ever event featuring tie-ins, Civil War marked the moment in the 2000’s were nearly every title was pulled into an event-specific plot. Don’t believe me? Check out the the official issue-by-issue reading order below compared to House of M. Just a bit more… expansive.

On top of all that, Civil War is the inspiration for the third Captain America Marvel movie, and the start of MCU Phase 3, featuring the crossover inclusion of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and just about every hero we’ve seen to date.

Certainly makes for some interesting reading (with the help of a good guide to navigate the continuity, of course). Below you’ll find my preferred order for the Civil War collected trades, followed by an issue by issue breakdown of every tie-in. As always, hope you enjoy! If you have questions or concerns, let me hear about it, or let’s talk on Twitter!

Previously: Decimation & Tie-Ins

Elsewhere: Looking for Civil War II (2016)?

Civil War Trade Reading Timeline

• The Road to Civil War
• Civil War
  • As I mention in the House of M reading guide, I prefer to read the main event mostly before the other collected trades. You can then fill in the details with the better tie-in trades as you see fit. That said, the events of later main event issues will clearly overlap many of the following trades. To avoid this, I recommend using the below issue-by-issue reading guide. This way, you can bookmark your spot in any of the trades and feel like you’re reading one cohesive story.
• Civil War: Front Line
  • One of the best tie-in trades, but I would pay some attention to the issue-by-issue breakdown as it relates to the primary Civil War story arc. The linked trade collects all of the Front Line tie-in, but you can also buy the collection in two installments if you’ve already read part or something.
• The Amazing Spider-Man: Civil War
• Civil War: Peter Parker, Sensational Spider-Man
• New Avengers, Vol 5: Civil War
• Captain America: Civil War
  • Marvel has since recollected these issues as Civil War: Captain America/Iron Man. This collection lumps the Cap issues with the Iron Man issues (listed last in the trade order) below. 
• Wolverine: Civil War
• Ms. Marvel: Civil War
• Fantastic Four: Civil War
• Punisher War Journal: Civil War
• Civil War: Thunderbolts
• Civil War: X-Men Universe
• Civil War: X-Men
• Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways
• Civil War: War Crimes
• Black Panther: Civil War
• Iron Man: Civil War
  • This trade collection gets mildly confusing for a couple reasons. 1) The Amazon.com description is dead wrong. It claims this trade also collects the Captain America Civil War issues, which is simply not true (for that you can see… you guessed it, the Captain America Civil War trade). 2) It includes Civil War: The Confession, conversations between Iron Man & Captain America after the war. This particular issue (which is a FANTASTIC one from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev) occurs deeper into Marvel continuity than the Civil War timeline should really include. I would recommend saving the issue until after you’ve read the next volume of Captain America and possibly also Iron Man.

Main Marvel Characters in Civil War

Below you’ll find reading orders for certain characters playing a prominent role in Captain America: Civil War, a major installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Note that these reading orders are for the character’s entire history in the Marvel Universe, and not just their involvement in Civil War. For just Civil War, see the Marvel Unlimited issue by issue reading order below.

Captain America

Iron Man

Black Panther

Black Widow

Spider-Man

Ant-Man

Avengers

Marvel Unlimited Event Reading Order

The Road to Civil War

• Amazing Spider-Man #529
• New Avengers: Illuminati
• Amazing Spider-Man #530
• Fantastic Four #536 – #537
• Amazing Spider-Man #531
• Civil War: Opening Shot #1

Stamford Bomb

• Civil War #1
• She-Hulk #8
• Black Panther #17
• Wolverine #42
• New Avengers #21
• X-Factor #8
• Civil War: Front Line #1
• Amazing Spider-Man #532

The Act Passes / Sides Are Chosen

• Civil War #2
• Amazing Spider-Man #533
• Civil War: Front Line #2
• She-Hulk #9
• Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts #103
• New Avengers #22
• Blade #4
• Sensational Spider-Man #28
• X-Factor #9
• Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11 – #13

Opening Shots

• Civil War: Front Line #3
• Heroes For Hire #1
• Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1 – #4
• Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts #104 – #105
• Cable & Deadpool #30
• Fantastic Four #538
• New X-Men #28 – #32
  • Not direct tie-ins but connect to Storm’s events in Black Panther #18
• Black Panther #18
• Civil War: Frontline #4
• Daredevil #87
  • Another indirect tie-in that explains Daredevil’s appearances during Civil War
• Civil War: Choosing Sides #1
• Black Panther #19
• Iron Man #13
• Black Panther #20
• Civil War: Front Line #5
• Sensational Spider-Man #29 – #31

War

• Civil War #3
• Civil War #4
• Civil War: Front Line #6
• Cable & Deadpool #31 – #32
• Wolverine #43 – #45
• Captain America #22 – #23
• Civil War: Front Line #7
• Amazing Spider-Man #534
• Fantastic Four #539
• Black Panther #21 – #22
• Civil War: X-Men #1 – #4
• Heroes For Hire #2 – #3
• Ms. Marvel #6 – #8
• New Avengers #23 – #24
• Civil War: The Return
• Captain America/Iron Man: Casualties of War
• Wolverine #46 – #47
• Black Panther #23
• Captain America #24
• Civil War: Front Line #8

Introspection

• Wolverine #48
• Fantastic Four #540
• Amazing Spider-Man #535
• Civil War #5
• Punisher War Journal #1
• Fantastic Four #541
• Civil War: War Crimes #1
• Civil War: Front Line #9
• Moon Knight #7 – #10
• Fantastic Four #542
• Amazing Spider-Man #536
• Iron Man #14
• Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #14 – #16
• Blade #5
• Sensational Spider-Man #32 – #34
• Winter Solider: Winter Kills #1

Final Battle

• Amazing Spider-Man #537
• Black Panther #24
• Punisher War Journal #2
• Civil War #6
• Punisher War Journal #3
• New Avengers #25
• Civil War: Front Line #10
• Civil War #7
• Black Panther #25

Conclusion

• Amazing Spider-Man #538 – #539
• Fantastic Four #543
• Civil War: Front Line #11
• Ghost Rider #8
  • Very loose tie-in so passable if you want to get to the real meat below.
• Captain America #25
• Civil War: Fallen Son #1 – #5
• Civil War: The Initiative #1
• Civil War: The Confession

Next: The Initiative and comics between Civil War & Secret Invasion

 

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