The conclusion of Siege and the transition to Marvel’s Heroic Age marks a true turning point for Marvel Comics. The era that effectively began with 2004’s Avengers Disassembled and New Avengers reaches a conclusion of sorts, while also moving the publisher into the 2010’s.
Even before the Heroic Age begins there are a number of Marvel comics well worth exploring that don’t tie into the events of Siege. This time period includes the X-Men event Second Coming, the Punisher’s period as “Franken-Castle,” my all-time favorite Black Widow story and the launch of Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver’s S.H.I.E.L.D.
Below you’ll find a complete guide to these comics, with my personal favorites marked by the Comic Book Herald logo next to the series title.
Previously: Siege
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Collects: Thor #611-614
X-Factor Vol. 9: Invisible Woman Has Vanished
Collects: X-Factor #200-203
Collects: Wolverine: Origins #37-40
Deadpool by Daniel Way: The Complete Collection Volume 2
Collects: Deadpool #13 To #22
Deadpool Classic Vol. 13: Deadpool Team-Up
Collects: Deadpool Team-Up (1998) 1, Deadpool Team-Up (2010) 899-883
The team-up book with issue numbering that counts backwards, just to drive continuity obsessed readers completely batty!
Uncanny X-Men: The Complete Collection by Matt Fraction – Volume 3
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1963) 520-522, Uncanny X-Men: The Heroic Age 1, Material From Uncanny X-Men (1963) 526-534
The beginnings of Nation X!
Collects: Uncanny X-Men (1963) #515-522, Dark Reign: The List – X-Men #1 And Nation X #1-4
X-Factor Vol. 10: Second Coming
Collects: X-Factor #204-206 & Nation X: X-Factor
Collects: Psylocke #1-4, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #256-258
Collects: X-Men: Second Coming (2010) #1-2, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #523-525, New Mutants (2009) #12-14, X-Men: Legacy (2008) #235-237, X-Force (2008) #26-28
X-Men: Second Coming Revelations
Collects: X-Men: Hope, X-Men: Blind Science, X-Men: Hellbound #1-3 And X-Factor #204-206
Collects: Dark Reign: The List – Punisher, Punisher #11-16, Franken-Castle #17-21, Dark Wolverine #88-89
Collects: Captain America #602-605
Incredible Hulks: World War Hulks
Collects: World War Hulks #1, Fall Of The Hulks: Savage She-Hulks #1-3, Hulked-Out Heroes #1-2, World War Hulks: Spider-Man Vs. Thor #1-2, World War Hulks: Captain America Vs. Wolverine #1-2, And Incredible Hulk (1968) #312 And #609-611
Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural
Collects: Doctor Voodoo: Avenger Of The Supernatural #1-5 And Doctor Voodoo: The Origin Of Jericho Drumm
Collects: Strange (2009) #1-4
Collects: Deathlok (2009) #1-7
Collects: Doomwar #1-6
X-Men: S.W.O.R.D. – No Time To Breathe
Collects: S.W.O.R.D. #1-5
Collects: X-Men Vs Agents Of Atlas #1-2 And Avengers Vs. Atlas #1-4
Fantastic Four By Jonathan Hickman Vol. 2
Collects: Fantastic Four #575 To #578
Spider-Man: Died In Your Arms Tonight
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #600-601 & Amazing Spider-Man Annual #36
Spider-Man: Red-Headed Stranger
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #602-605
Collects: Spider-Man Presents Anti-Venom #1-3
Spider-Man: Return of the Black Cat
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #606-611
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Vol. 1: Electro and Sandman
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #612-616 & Dark Reign: The List – Amazing Spider-Man
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Vol. 2: Rhino and Mysterio
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #617-621
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Vol. 3: Vulture and Morbius
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #622-625
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Vol. 4: Juggernaut
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #626-629
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet Vol. 5: Lizard
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man #630-633
Collects: Spider-Man: Fever #1-3, Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #2
Black Widow: The Name of the Rose
Collects: Black Widow #1 To #5
Includes enter the Heroic Age short 8 page story.
Collects: Black Widow #1 To #6
Wolverine: Origins – Seven The Hard Way
Collects: Wolverine Origins #41-45
Deadpool Classic Vol. 12: Deadpool Corps
Collects: Prelude To Deadpool Corps #1-5, Deadpool Corps #1-12, Deadpool Family #1
Collects: Marvel Zombies 5 #1-5
S.H.I.E.L.D.: Architects of Forever
Collects: S.H.I.E.L.D. #1-6
Captain America/Black Panther: Flags Of Our Fathers
Collects: Captain America/Black Panther: Flags Of Our Fathers #1-4
First meeting of Black Panther and Captain America during World War II, written by Reginal Hudlin with art by Denys Cowan.
Collects: #501 To #507
Next: The Heroic Age
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Hit-Monkey #1 should be between deadpools, I think.
Where do you suggest reading World War Hulks? You have it placed in the lists both before and after Heroic Age.