From 1984 to 1985, Secret Wars became Marvel’s first limited series event impacting Universe wide continuity. 30 years later, Secret Wars (not to be confused with 2004’s Secret War) is back with the biggest Marvel event since Age of Apocalypse. Below you’ll find 30 years of Secret Wars continuity, with reading orders for all related events and background reading for 2015’s all-new Secret Wars.
0) Secret Wars Fast Track
I) Original Secret Wars (1984 to 1985)
II) Secret Wars II (1985 to 1986)
III) Secret Wars III (1988 to 1994)
IV) Thanos and the Cosmic Beyonder (2003 to 2006)
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V) New Avengers: Illuminati Meet the Beyonder (2007)
VI) Hickman’s Avengers & New Avengers: Build to Secret Wars (2012 to 2015)
VII) Essential Ultimate Universe Reading (Background to read before Hickman’s Avengers #41!)
VIII) Secret Wars: Everything Ends! (2015)
0) Secret Wars Fast Track Trade Reading Order
The Secret Wars guide below is pretty expansive, so if you want to cut the fat, here’s a fast track trade reading order to get you up to speed. Marvel released a Secret Wars: Prelude trade that ostensibly should do the same thing, but personally I think it’s a pretty limited collection.
Original Secret Wars #1 to #12 (1984 – 1985)
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 1
The Time Runs Out trades collect issues from both Avengers and New Avengers. If you’re doing the fast track, I recommend utilizing the full Hickman Avengers reading order below for the proper issue by issue order here.
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 2
Before you read Avengers #41 in the Time Runs Out Volume 2 trade, I recommend jumping to the Marvel Ultimate Universe background reads below. Note that this may be a cold splash of Ultimate Universe introductions if you’re unfamiliar, but it’s worth it.
Ultimate: Enemy + Ultimate: Mystery + Ultimate: Doom
Three 4 issue Ultimate miniseries that set us up for Jonathan Hickman’s run on…
Ultimate Comics Ultimates Volume 1
Ultimate Comics Ultimates Volume 2
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 3
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 4
I) 1984 Secret Wars Reading Order – The Original
Secret Wars on Marvel Unlimited
For the most part, you can read the original twelve issues of Secret Wars without paying much attention to the prelude tie-ins that announced the coming of Secret Wars. They largely just allude to a powerful presence before our heroes and villains find Battleworld hanging out in Central Park and are shot off into space.
Secret War Prelude Tie-Ins
Amazing Spider-Man #249 – #251
Doubles as a pretty excellent Hobgoblin story that you could go all the way back to Amazing Spider-Man #238 for the full effect. Not necessary, but a good read for Spidey fans.
Also, while you’re in the neighborhood, I highly recommend you read Amazing Spider-Man #248. This has nothing to do with Secret Wars, but the issue includes “The Kids Who Collects Spider-Man,” which is one of the finest Spider-Man stories of all time.
Uncanny X-Men #178 – #179
New Mutants #13
Avengers #240 – #241
Hulk #293 – #294
These issues actually go a long way to help explain the current state of the Hulk as we enter Secret Wars.
Iron Man #181
Captain America #292
Avengers #242
Thing #10
Uncanny X-Men #180
Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #1 – #12
After the Secret Wars Tie-Ins
Thor #383
Fantastic Four #265
Avengers #243
Hulk #295
Amazing Spider-Man #252
Uncanny X-Men #181
Thing #11 – #22
II) Secret Wars II – The Beyonder Comes to Earth (’85 – 1986)
Secret Wars II is a fascinating, yet extremely problematic and disappointing comic book series. I’ve probably started and stopped this event 25 times before finally plowing through, always frustrated by the event pretty quickly. It’s no guarantee that if you loved Secret Wars, you’ll love Secret Wars II.
Nonetheless, you are probably a braver soul than I, and the order for the event can be found below.
Special thanks to the bravest of souls, Dan Molden, who created the updated Secret Wars II guide below!
Dan’s complete Secret Wars II reading order w/ fast track notes!
Secret Wars II on Marvel Unlimited
Secret Wars II Trade Collection
Secret Wars II & Tie-Ins
Secret Wars II #1
Secret Wars II #2
Secret Wars II #3
Secret Wars II #4
Secret Wars II #5
Secret Wars II #6
Secret Wars II #7
Secret Wars II #8
Secret Wars II #9
New Mutants #38
Avengers #266
III) Secret Wars III – The Cosmic Cube Era in Fantastic Four (1988 – 1994)
The Beyonder takes a backseat for a while until the unofficial “Secret Wars III” a series of issues in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four Annuals. These are for Beyonder completists, as these issues explain much of the Beyonder’s origins, and a huge transformation in his status in the Marvel Universe moving forward.
Note that the relevant annual issues are not on Marvel Unlimited. The rest are.
Fantastic Four #318 – #319
Fantastic Four Annual #23
Fantastic Four #351
IV) That Time Thanos Met The Beyonder / Kosmos In a Cosmic Prison (2003 – 2006)
Jim Starlin’s 2003 to 2004 run on Thanos reintroduced the Beyonder to the Marvel spaceways in a story deeply versed in Marvel cosmic lore. The story would carry over in part all the way to the mid-2000’s Annihilation event.
Thanos Meets the Beyond Trade Collection
Thanos #7 – #12
Annihilation: Silver Surfer #3
Note that this Annihilation tie-in is going to make somewhere between zero and NO sense if you aren’t reading Annihilation as a whole. Not necessary for the Secret Wars experience, but a great read nonetheless.
V) The Illuminati Retcon – Beyonder Meets Black Blot (2007)
While Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers is all the rage these days (and rightfully so), it was Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung’s New Avengers: Illuminati that launched Marvel’s clandestine heroes making the choices that only kings, geniuses, and sorcerer supremes could make. The third issue of this series found the team of Iron Man, Professor X, Mr. Fantastic, Dr. Strange, Namor, and Black Bolt encountering The Beyonder.
The story would retcon the Beyonder’s origins as we know them, although it is unclear – still – if this revelation is in continuity.
New Avengers: Illuminati on Marvel Unlimited
VI) Secret Wars Prologue: Hickman’s Avengers & New Avengers (2012 – 2015)
Here we come to Jonathan Hickman’s intertwining run on Avengers & New Avengers, with the former series dealing with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in their well known heroic incarnation, and the latter dealing with the Illuminati in a thankless moral death spiral.
For even more awesome background, I’d also point you to Hickman’s Fantastic Four. Not required, but starts building some of the same concepts we see in Avengers.
Additionally, I would note that you can really read Avengers and New Avengers without any crossover until the designated event sections (Infinity and Original Sin). After Original Sin, New Avengers and Avengers begin intersecting (approximately) every other issue.
Read Avengers on Marvel Unlimited
Read New Avengers on Marvel Unlimited
Start collecting Avengers trades
Start collecting New Avengers Trades
Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers Reading Order
New Avengers #1 – #3
Avengers #1 – #6
New Avengers #4 – #6
Avengers #7 – #13
New Avengers #7
The above order includes Avengers #14 through #23, Infinity #1 through #6, and New Avengers #8 through #13
Avengers #24 (also labeled #24.NOW)
New Avengers #14 – #15
New Avengers Annual #1
Avengers #25 – #28
Above order includes Avengers #29 through #34, and Original Sin #1 through #8
New Avengers #16 – #23
Essential Remender Avengers Reading
Captain America #16 – #22
A couple Remender-verse Avengers reads will go a long way to explaining the state of the Marvel Universe in “Time Runs Out.”
You could almost skip Axis if it wasn’t for the impact on Iron Man…
Ok actually, if you’re in a hurry, you really could just skip Axis. Hickman largely ignores the event, and although it generates the Superior Iron Man, you could infer your own reasons for Iron Man’s status quo change simply based on the events of Avengers and New Avengers.
Time Runs Out Begins!
Avengers World #17
This Avengers World issue was actually published after the majority of “Time Runs Out” in Avengers and New Avengers. It fills in some of the story involving Sunspot, Smasher, and Cannonball prior to “Time Runs Out.” Chronologically it fits here, but you could conceivably skip and come back to fill in the details.
Update: Having now completed the Avengers World tie-ins, I would personally recommend you read the Avengers / New Avengers saga, and then come back to these later if you’re really jones-ing for more. Not required reading. Placed in order below nonetheless.
Avengers #34.1, #34.2, #35
New Avengers #24
Avengers World #18
Avengers World #19
Both these Avengers World issues are published later than this, and in fact, Avengers World #18 actually has a “See Avengers #37” reference. That said, the story makes the most chronological sense before the events of Avengers #36. If you want the “as they were released” experience, though, go ahead and read both after Avengers #37, and just know they’re flashbacks.
Avengers #36
New Avengers #25
Avengers #37
New Avengers #26
Avengers #38
Avengers World #20
Avengers World #21
New Avengers #27
Avengers #39
New Avengers #28
Avengers #40
New Avengers #29
Begin reading Hickman’s Ultimates (next section of the guide) run here!
Avengers #41
New Avengers #30
Avengers #42
New Avengers #31
New Avengers #32
Avengers #43
New Avengers #33
Avengers #44
VII) Ultimate Comics Ultimates – The Reed Richards of The Ultimate Universe (2000 – 2014)
This is a recent revelation, but it is now clear that Jonathan Hickman’s time spent writing twelve issues of Ultimate Comics Ultimates (2011 through 2012) is going to be instrumental in his Secret Wars series.
You have a couple of options here: You can read ONLY Hickman’s run and be done in a couple hours, or you can get the backstory that helps Hickman’s run make any sense. Or, you could just up and read the entire Ultimate Universe in order, since it’s coming to a close real quick like.
Again, reading this background before Avengers #41 will help you make the most sense of “Time Runs Out.”
Read Ultimate Comics Ultimates on Marvel Unlimited
Ultimate Comics Ultimates Trade Collection
Ultimate Reed Richards Reading Order
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 – #6
We’ll skip over the vast majority of Ultimate Fantastic Four for the purposes of this order. Nonetheless, the intro gives you the origins of Ultimate Reed.
If you’re doing the full Ultimate Universe, note that Ultimate Nightmare and Ultimate Secret come first.
Technically the above series will all make more sense if you’ve read Ultimatum. I’m not going to make you read Ultimatum.
Again, if you want the full Ultimate experience, there is a fairly essential Spider-Man story that comes before this.
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1 – #6
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #7 – #12
Hunger #1 – #4
Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1
Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men #1 – #3
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #1
Cataclysm: Ultimates #1
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #2
Cataclysm: Ultimates #2 – #3
Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2 – #3
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #3 – #5
Survive #1
The above constitutes a Cataclysm reading order, which effectively brings you up to speed with Reed Richards and the Ultimates in the Ultimate Universe.
VIII) Secret Wars – Marvel’s 2015 Event!
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1 2 3 Next »Pretty late, but this is an amazing list. Thank you so much!
First you say "Original Secret Wars #1 to #12 (1984 – 1985)"
and then you say "Secret Wars #0 to #8"
How many Secret Wars exist before Secret Wars 2?
I'm confused...
Secret Wars 2, issues 0 - 8, I think
Hi! Thank you very much for the content. I've been following your read order guides for a while.
I just readed Captain America #16 - #22 and I'm feeling like I'm losing something... Also, the Axis event. Taking a look at it I feel like I'll jump outside the Secret Wars event, idk... Should I read the Avengers x X-men before Axis? How much is it (Axis and Avengers x X-men) important to the secret wars event? Thank you!!!
Speaking as a person who:
A) Loves Secret Wars
B) Has never read AXIS or Avengers vs. X-Men
and C) loves to read things extensively to get the entire story
You don't need to read AXIS to read Secret Wars. You don't need to read Avengers vs. X-Men either. The X-characters don't even play that big of a role. Now, if you are an X-men fan, you might want to read that, but if that's the case you probably would want to read it anyway and wouldn't be asking this question.
I also probably wouldn't waste time with Remender's Captain America - *too late*. I know Dave calls it essential, and yes, you need it to understand Captain America's transition from Steve to Sam. But... it creates continuity problems and honestly I didn't like those issues very much. But hey, you read them already, so you got what you need either way. If you feel like you are missing out on AXIS, you technically are, but also it really, truly does not matter.
Here is my recommended reading in prep for Secret Wars:
1) The original Secret Wars mini-series (Marvel Super-heroes Secret Wars 1-12)
2) Background on the Illuminati (Civil War Illuminati #1, New Avengers Illuminati 1-5, Avengers (2010) 8-12)
3) Background on the Maker (Ultimate Enemy 1-4, Ultimate Mystery 1-4, Ultimate Doom 1-4, Ultimates (2011) 1-12)
4) Hickman's epic run on Avengers and New Avengers (Avengers (2013) 1-34.2, New Avengers (2013) 1-23, Infinity 1-6, Original Sin 0-8)
5) Time Runs Out (Avengers (2013) 35-44, New Avengers (2013) 24-33)
6) Secret Wars (Secret Wars 0-9, Siege 1-4)
*Optional?
It's been a few years since I read all this, but here are some other things I decided to keep in my reading order. Can't remember if any were totally necessary or not, but I liked the way they fit:
New Avengers (2005) 7-10 (Sentry origin story, features Illuminati)
Captain Marvel (2012) 15-16 (Infinity tie-ins)
Thanos: A God Up There Listening 1-6
New Avengers (2013) Annual 1
Avengers World 1-21
Mighty Avengers (2013) 10 (Original Sin tie-in)
Captain America and the Mighty Avengers 8-9 (Secret Wars prelude from street level)
AND THEN, from Battleworld (because you really should choose SOME series to read between Secret Wars 5 & 6 so that you can get a feel of the patchwork planet being held together by... I won't say in case you somehow still don't know): Civil War 1-5, Guardians of Knowhere 1-4, Red Skull 1-3, Attilan Rising 1-5, Korvac Saga 1-4, Runaways 1-4, Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders 1-2, *in that order*)
*Note: most of these are not in a strict order. I can give you an exact order if you really want, but I'm too busy to type it out right now.
**: The Maker also shows up in Ultimates (2011) 25-30. This is technically the last appearance he makes before appearing in the 616-verse books. I currently do not have these books listed in my order, and do not remember how I determined that they were unnecessary. Or perhaps it was an oversight. Maybe read them just in case?
*** Some of these issues I probably commented on in more detail 3 years ago further up the thread, if you want to go back and look.
Anyway, hope this was helpful. Let me know if you want my full order, but you'll have to be a bit patient for it if you do.
Thank you very much!
I need to say that I'm loving Secret Wars too, mind blowing!
Your main reading order it quite the same from the article, and it's what I'm reading, the fast track.
Also I'm reading all tie-ins. About the AxX and Axis, I decided that I'm not going to read it now, but I'll after finishing the Secret Wars. I'll keep your suggestions in my e-mail, so thank you for the help!
I have recently finished this amazing series of comics including the Secret wars 2015 all the tie ins and yes the entire ultimate universe and it has been one of the most fun experiences I've had reading comics ever. Your reading lists were essential and made it even more enjoyable. So thank you for your time and effort. Now I'm off to be confused but amused by Age of Apocalypse. P.S. I loved Ultimatum apparently I'm one of the few
Where would Fantastic Four Annual #27 fit in here ?
Can you tell me what issues the fairly essential Spider-Man story are in? Thanks!
Secret Wars #8 involves the biggest development for Spidey.
Absolutely fantastic reading orders! I've just just begun reading Marvel again (lifelong fan of the big two but the last few years I've just picked up stuff here and there. Don't know why I felt the need to qualify that...) But your lists have been instrumental in my reading orders and building my collection. Your site has quickly become my go-to for reading Marvel runs/events. Thank you for that. I'm beginning my Hickman Avengers run this week.
Where is the Civil War story line in between the Secret Wars story line?
I was confused by Reed's first appearance in Cataclysm (wasn't he suppose to be in a force-field ball right now?) so I consulted the marvel wiki, which led me to read Ultimate Comics Ultimates #25-30. Honestly that arc seems pretty essential too, if you're going to bother to understand Ultimate Reed Richards at all. The reveal in #30 explains all his behavior from the time Sue broke up with him till #30!
So, I kind of skipped the whole Secret Wars redo, way too convoluted for my tastes, not to mention it involved a lot of characters I really don't care for.
My two questions are these:
Is Kitty Pryde on the GOG 616 or AoA?
Is Dazzler in A-Force the 616 variant?
The fact that this is so complicated is one of the reasons I'm getting out of buying new comics. Everything is so convoluted and impossible to follow. Marvel killed my hobby.
I find this page really confusing as where to start exactly with the secret war comics.
I'm currently following your page for Civil war and you made a very easy to read guide which comics to read in which order for Marvel Unlimited. Is there by any chance you could make that here?
I'm confused. I thought that Marvel Ultimate was it's own semi-rebooted Universe...how is it possible for non Ultimate Universe stuff to tie in? And Ultimate Universe is coming to an end? Did it sell poorly? I don't understand.
It is it's own Universe, but Secret Wars involves the collision of the two Universes, so it's useful to know some background on both. And yes, the Ultimate universe comics have sold poorly in recent years, with the exception of Ultimate Spider-man.
Gotcha. Thanks.
So if I'm readi my through your 616 Universe guide, do you eventually bring in the Ultimate stuff?
Or will it work to read 616 up to the first mention of it here, then do all the Ultimate stuff and then read them together until ultimate ends?
The latter. Secret Wars is the first time Ultimate U comics get blended into the 616 Universe-wide continuity (with some minor exceptions).
Sorry, that should say "if I'm reading my way through your 616..."
Does Waids Hulk series (2014-2015) fit into the Secret Wars at all?
Not directly. Familiarity with the series will help explain Hulk's involvement in the pages of New Avengers.
Thanks for the response, I do have another question though. What about Ultimate Vision? Is it an important read or no?
can you make a list of all new comics after secret wars I cant find a list of them and would like to read all the current running comics once I catch up