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You are here: Home / Featured / The Defenders Reading Order

The Defenders Reading Order

June 20, 2018 by Dave Leave a Comment

Depending on when and where you entered the Marvel Comics universe, there are essentially two very distinct Defenders units to consider. The first is the epic “non-team,” beginning with Namor, Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer, and Hulk, an Avengers-like collection of heroes who refuse to formalize the thing and hold roll call like a bunch of cubscouts.

The second unit of Defenders is straight from the gritty binge watch of Marvel Netflix, featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.

Prior to the Netflix reincarnation, the Defenders were Marvel’s oddball squad, not quite as immaterial as The Champions, but sporting an ever-rotating lineup and glorious willingness to just get weird.

Doctor Strange may well be the team’s most consistent member, but depending on the era, fans may nominate Valkyrie, Nighthawk, or the elf with a gun as their favorite recurring character (just kidding; no one would nominate Nighthawk).

Below you’ll find a complete reading order to all eras of Defenders comics at Marvel.

namor the sub-mariner with the defenders

Related Reading Orders:

Avengers

Doctor Strange

Hulk

Silver Surfer

Namor

Marvel Amazing Spider-Man GIT digital comics collection

The Coming of the Defenders!

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 1 

Collects: Sub-Mariner (1968) #34-35, Marvel Feature (1971) #1-3 And Defenders (1972) #1-6

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 2 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #7-16, Giant-Size Defenders #1 & Avengers #115-118

Avengers Epic Collection: The Avengers/Defenders War

Collects: Avengers (1963) 115-128, Giant-Size (1974) 1, Defenders (1972) 8-11, Captain Marvel (1968) 33, Fantastic Four (1961) 150

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 3 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #17-21, Giant-Size Defenders #2-4, Marvel Two-In-One #6-7; And Material From Mystery Tales #21, World Of Fantasy #11 And Tales Of Suspense (1959) #96

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 4 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #22-30, Giant-Size Defenders #5, Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #18

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 5 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #31-41, Annual (1976) #1, Marvel Treasury Edition (1974) #12

Defenders Masterworks Vol. 6 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #42-57 And Material From Foom #19

Defenders (Marvel Essentials, Vol. 4)

Collects: Defenders #61-91

The New Defenders!

Marvel's 1980's New Defenders written by Peter Gillis

Defenders Epic Collection: The Six-Fingered Hand Saga

Collects: Defenders (1972) 92-109; Marvel Team-Up (1972) 101; Captain America (1968) 268

Defenders Epic Collection: Ashes, Ashes

Collects: Defenders (1972) 110-125, Avengers Annual (1967) 11

New Defenders Vol. 1 

Collects: Defenders (1972) #122-124 And New Defenders (1972) #125-131

Defenders Epic Collection: The New Defenders

Collects: Defenders (1972) 126-137; Iceman (1984) 1-4; Beauty And The Beast (1984) 1-4

Secret Defenders in the 1990’s!

Doctor Strange leads the Secret Defenders

Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders 

Collects: Secret Defenders 1-11

Deadpool and the Secret Defenders

Collects: Secret Defenders 15-25

Defenders of the 2000’s!

Marvel Now era Defenders

Defenders: Indefensible

Collects: Defenders #1-5

Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis reunite to bring their Justice League International style to Marvel’s Defenders

The Last Defenders

Collects: The Last Defenders #1-6

Defenders by Matt Fraction – Volume 1

Collects: Defenders (2012) #1-6

Defenders by Matt Fraction – Volume 2

Collects: Defenders 7-12

Amazing Spider-Man Marvel GIT comics collection

Fearless Defenders of Marvel NOW!

fearless defenders misty knight

Fearless Defenders Volume 1: Doom Maidens

Collects: Fearless Defenders 1-6

Fearless Defenders Volume 2: The Most Fabulous Fighting Team of All

Collects: Fearless Defenders 7-12

Marvel Netflix Defenders!

Marvel Defenders Comic #1

Defenders Vol. 1: Diamonds Are Forever

Collects: Defenders 1-6, Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Defenders Story)

Defenders Vol. 2: Kingpins of New York

Collects: Defenders 6-11

Latest Additions

The Best Defense

Collects: Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense #1, Namor: The Best Defense #1, Doctor Strange: The Best Defense #1, Silver Surfer: The Best Defense #1, Defenders: The Best Defense #1

Defenders (2021)

Collects: Defenders (2021) #1 to #5, material from Marvel Comics (2019) #1000 to #1001

Defenders: Beyond

Collects: Defenders: Beyond #1 to #5

Filed Under: Featured, Marvel Characters Tagged With: defenders

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Dave is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Comic Book Herald, and also the Boss of assigning himself fancy titles. He's a long-time comic book fan, and can be seen most evenings in Batman pajama pants. Contact Dave @comicbookherald on Twitter or via email at dave@comicbookherald.com.

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