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Fabien

Co-founder of Comic Book Treasury, your Hellboy Specialist and the man behind the Batman Modern Age and the Amazing Spider-Man Guides.

The Essential Modern Marvel Universe Reading Order: A Fast Track Through 2000-2015

A quarter of the 21st century has already passed, yet there are still more comics to come. As readers, we don’t have the time or resources to read everything that has been published, and it can seem a bit daunting for new comic lovers to even try to look at what came before.

The eternal question is, ‘Where do I start?’ Answers are legion, depending on the topic. Where do you start with comics? Marvel Comics? Spider-Man comics? Or X-Men comics? Here at Comic Book Treasury, we are already trying to answer these questions within our dedicated reading orders or in specialised articles. Today, we’re answering another question: what are the essential Marvel comics published between 2000 and 2015?

Why stop in 2015? Because it was the year Jonathan Hickman’s Secret War brought the Marvel Universe to a stop. Ultimately, it did not work as a complete reboot in the same way some of DC Comics’ crises did, but it offered a semblance of an ending before the launch of a new era. So, it’s our first stop.

What will you find in our selection? Mostly complete stories, entry points, and full runs that marked the era. The ones you should be familiar with to get a full understanding of the Marvel Universe at the time. This is not necessarily the best, even if some of those comics are really great, it’s a road map, the essential Marvel Comics.

Due to severe restrictions to fit the purpose of the article, choices have to be made and are still debated even now that the article is published. Exhaustivity is not the goal. If you go through all of these, you’ll have a solid idea of what Marvel’s comics were about during that time.

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Supreme Reading Order, from Rob Liefeld to Alan Moore

In 1992, Image Comics started a revolution in the publishing world. Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood was the first series launched and was a hit. The characters were derivatives of existing DC Comics ones, though. In a six-page backstory published in Youngblood #3, Liefeld, with writer/artist Brian Murray, introduced Supreme, an archetypal Superman who immediately got his own solo series.

Ethan Crane is Supreme. He can fly, has super strength, heat vision, ice breath, is invulnerable, can absorb energy, and has even more abilities. Due to the tone of the edgy comics Liefeld was producing, he was also a hyper-violent, distant, godlike figure who was above conventional human concerns. In fact, at one point, he considered himself a god. But when people usually talk about Supreme, they are referencing Alan Moore‘s run that started with issue #41. It was a complete reimagining of the character, a new start. Moore did whatever he wanted and shifted the tone of the book, making it a sort of apology for having influenced the comics world to go into darker territory.

Through the years, Supreme went to other imprints, other writers took over, miniseries were produced, and crossovers happened. If Moore’s run is still the only one discussed today, there are more Supreme stories out there. So, let’s try to navigate through publication history with a Supreme reading order.

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Adam Warlock Reading Order

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Originally introduced in 1967 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as “Him” in Fantastic Four #66–67, he began appearing in a few issues in a minor role. It really was in Marvel Premiere #1 (1972), written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Gil Kane, that he became Adam Warlock.

Adam Warlock is a synthetic being, engineered to represent the ideal human form. Possessing superhuman strength, durability, and advanced regenerative abilities, he is also uniquely tied to cosmic and mystical forces. Central to his mythology is his conflict with the Magus, a tyrannical future incarnation of himself.

At the beginning, a coalition of scientists known as The Enclave incubated Warlock in an artificial cocoon. Once out, he rebelled against his creators after realizing they were nefarious. When he re-emerged, years later, he was named “Warlock” by the High Evolutionary and was gifted the Soul Gem. He didn’t become a hero on Earth, but on Counter-Earth, a new planet generated from a chunk of Earth and set in orbit on the opposite side of the sun.

A few years later, Jim Starlin revived the character and made him more of a cosmic hero, twice. The first time, it lasted only a few issues, but he brought Adam Warlock back eleven years later, during the 1990s. This is not the last time Adam Warlock disappeared before being brought back for a new cosmic crisis years later. To not get lost while navigating decades of cosmic shifts, alternate timelines, and cocoon-induced hiatuses, here is the complete Adam Warlock reading order.Read More »Adam Warlock Reading Order

Minecraft Graphic Novels in Order

Open and full of possibilities, the world of Minecraft has always been about the stories we create for ourselves, from the narrow escapes from creepers, the sprawling fortresses, and the quiet moments watching a pixelated sunset. But in recent years, the sandbox has expanded beyond the computer screen, trading the mouse and keyboard for the vibrant, sequential art of the graphic novel (there are also novels, a movie, and more, but it’s not the subject of this article!).

From the exciting character-driven adventures of the original trilogies published by Dark Horse Comics to the Manga by Kazuyoshi Seto, these comic books give voice to the nameless explorers and a heart to the silent landscapes, exploring all the possibilities of the Overworld.

With this guide, we are exploring the unique art styles and character-driven quests crafted for Minecraft‘s most invested players.

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New Mutants Reading Order (The X-Men)

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In the 1980s, the X-Men weren’t just a team, they were a phenomenon in the comics world. Under Chris Claremont, the franchise became so massive that Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter demanded an expansion. The result was The New Mutants. Though Claremont was initially hesitant, the series quickly evolved from a ‘junior varsity’ squad into a surreal, avant-garde comics, especially once artist Bill Sienkiewicz joined to redefine the book’s visual language.

But who are the New Mutants? They are the teenagers the world feared most: Karma, Wolfsbane, Sunspot, Cannonball, and Moonstar. Thrown together by the X-gene, their journey takes them from early encounters with Spider-Man to the halls of Xavier’s School. From battling Sentinels and the Hellfire Club to the dark transformation of Illyana Rasputin into Magik, this is the definitive map to their early years. For those looking for the ‘big picture,’ you can also find how these issues weave into our complete X-Men Reading Order.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion Manga in Order

I feel it may not be necessary to introduce Neon Genesis Evangelion, as it is still today one of the most popular anime series ever produced. Nevertheless, if you only know the reputation, here is what you need to know.

This is a Japanese science fiction franchise that blends mecha action with psychological drama and philosophical inquiry. Created by Hideaki Anno as an anime series in 1995, it is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity faces existential threats from mysterious beings known as Angels. The story follows a group of teenagers recruited to pilot biomechanical weapons called Evangelions, with a particular focus on Shinji Ikari and his struggle with identity, trauma, and human connection.

The franchise is vast, but when it comes to manga, there is mainly the adaptation. Originally illustrated by the series’ character designer, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the primary manga offers a distinct take on the story. Beyond that, you also have spin-offs and alternate universe stories, and that’s when things get a bit confusing, and this Neon Genesis Evangelion Manga Guide is here to help.

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U.S. Agent (John Walker) Reading Order

Thanks to the MCU, U.S. Agent a.k.a. John Walker seems to be more relevant in 2026 than he may have ever been in the comics since his first appearance as the (second) supervillain Super-Patriot in Captain America #323 in 1986, a comic book by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary. Still, he had a notable role when Steve Rogers stepped down as Captain America; he took over the role and gradually transitioned into the brutal, shield-wielding anti-hero known as U.S.Agent.

John Walker is far more than just a “Dark Captain America.” Since his debut in 1986, he has served as a complex mirror to American idealism, a soldier who follows orders when Steve Rogers follows his conscience. Whether you discovered him through Wyatt Russell’s performance in the MCU or his long history as a mainstay of the West Coast Avengers, navigating his four-decade history can be as volatile as the character himself.

This guide breaks down every era of Walker’s career, from his corporate-sponsored beginnings and his polarizing stint as the Sentinel of Liberty to his modern redemption arcs.

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Critical Role Comics Reading Order (Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, Whitestone Chronicles)

Whether you’re a veteran ‘Critter’ or a newcomer who has just finished watching The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime, the world of Exandria is massive and complex. What began in 2015 as a group of voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons in a living room has evolved into a multimedia empire, and this growth is most evident in their comic books.

At its heart, Critical Role is an “actual play” web series where Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer leads a cast of voice actors (including Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Taliesin Jaffe, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Travis Willingham, and more) through epic, improvised stories. The show is divided into massive “Campaigns,” each following a different adventuring party across the world of Exandria.

Published by Dark Horse Comics, the Critical Role graphic novels aren’t adaptations, but canon stories, mainly prequel tales. They fill in the “missing” years of the campaigns, providing backstories that happened before the cameras ever rolled.

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Planet of the Apes Comics Reading Order

The Planet of the Apes franchise began in 1968 with the landmark film adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s novel “La Planète des singes.” It introduced us to a future in which intelligent apes dominate Earth and humanity has fallen into subjugation. Blending dystopian speculation, political allegory, and social satire, the film series and its associated live-action and animated TV shows, books, and comics have explored endless storytelling possibilities.

Because the franchise spans several distinct timelines and publishing eras, it may be difficult to follow everything. We are going to take a look at the Planet of the Apes comics by continuity and era. 

From the early adaptations and original stories published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s to the modern, continuity-driven expansions by BOOM! Studios, the franchise has been reinterpreted across multiple eras. Some series adapt the original Planet of the Apes film cycle, others expand the reboot timeline launched by Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and several create standalone alternate continuities, including crossovers with properties like Green Lantern.

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38 Cyberpunk Comics & Manga to read in 2026

What are the cyberpunk comics and manga to read in 2026? This curated list explores the essential graphic novels and seinen manga that define the “high-tech, low-life” aesthetic.

At its core, cyberpunk is a speculative subgenre of science fiction examining the collision between advanced technology and societal decay. Coined in the early 1980s, the term describes a world where rapid advances in AI, cybernetics, and global data networks have failed to produce a utopia. Instead, these developments intensify economic inequality, consolidate corporate power, and erode individual autonomy.

Cyberpunk is structured around several recurring themes: post-humanism, expressed through the integration of the digital and the biological; corporate hegemony, marked by the displacement or erosion of nation-states by powerful transnational corporations; surveillance culture, in which pervasive digital monitoring saturates everyday life; and urban decay, reflected in the transformation of social space into dense, vertically stratified megacities defined by inequality and infrastructural excess.

While the genre is closely associated with literature, its most iconic visuals are found in comics and manga. Western comic books frequently draw on film noir to emphasize corporate corruption and morally compromised antiheroes. In parallel, Japanese manga expands its scope by focusing on body modification, technological transcendence, and monumental “megastructures.”

Plug in, settle your neural link, and prepare to immerse yourself in the best cyberpunk literature available today.

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