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Secret Wars II Reading Order, the first massive Marvel crossover event

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Following the glowing success of the first Secret Wars, Marvel’s then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter decided to repeat the experience with a bit more ambition. Published from 1985 to 1986, Secret Wars II is a nine-issue comic book limited series completed with tie-ins.

Historically, this was the first time Marvel published an event crossover following that model, asking the readers to purchase multiple titles in order to read the entire story. It certainly was not the last time.

Here is the official synopsis: Last time Earth’s heroes encountered the Beyonder, they fought for their lives. This time, they fight for all existence! A year after kidnapping the most powerful beings on Earth and pitting them against one another in a “Secret War” on a distant world, the omnipotent Beyonder comes to Earth to continue his study of humanity.

However, a being so powerful and so naïve is a dangerous combination. As the Beyonder’s understanding slowly grows, so too do his own desires – and even the lord of lies, Mephisto, fears what the Beyonder might finally decide he desires. Because if the Beyonder decides he wants to end all that is, even the combined might of the universe’s cosmic powers might not be enough to stop him! 

What to read before Secret Wars II?

The series was a sequel to the original Secret Wars miniseries, you can take a look at it:

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Morbius Reading Order, Marvel’s Living Vampire

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Michael Morbius is a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and a living vampire in the Marvel Universe. Introduced as an enemy of Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (October 1971), Morbius became a tragic antihero.

After years of experimentation to eliminate his rare blood disease, he thought he had found a cure, but the side effects changed him dramatically. Now, he has enhanced senses, an aversion to light, and an insatiable thirst for blood. He is not dead. He is a kind of Dhampir, not really a vampire or a mortal human.

Created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, Morbius is more of a scientific creature than a supernatural one—like the lizard. After a few encounters with Spider-Man, he became the star of his own feature in Marvel’s bimonthly for a while, then he went on to make guest appearances here and there for a long time. He made a comeback during the 1990s. During the next two decades, Morbius joined teams, appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man, and sometimes in his own miniseries.

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Grant Morrison’s JLA Reading Order

In 1986, Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis launched Justice League International, a series that quickly became popular (see the reading order for details). By the mid-1990s, though, the success had faded, and the titles were canceled. DC Comics tried to revamp the League with Mark Waid and Fabian Nicieza’s miniseries Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare. But it wasn’t until 1997, when Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter launched the new JLA series, that the team found success again.

After years without A-listers, Grant Morrison brought the core team back together—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest—and introduced the idea of JLA as a modern pantheon of gods. To match this larger-than-life vision, the League moved into a new headquarters on the Moon, the Watchtower, and faced villains who threatened the world—or the entire universe. The creative team revisited and rebranded classic threats such as the White Martians, The Injustice Gang, and the Key, while also introducing new foes like Prometheus and Mageddon. Simply put, “JLA has rallied to save humankind from the brink of extinction. These are the adventures that have made them living legends.”

Grant Morrison’s run on JLA lasted four years, from 1997 to 2001. He wrote the series for the first 41 issues, along with a brief crossover during JLA’s “World War III” arc. During that time, the Justice League became one of DC’s best-selling titles and completely redefined the team for decades to come. It’s one of the most important runs in JLA history, and now you can explore it with our reading order!

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Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four Reading Order

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Jonathan Hickman Fantastic Four Reading Order

Following “Secret Invasion,” the 2008 crossover storyline, came the “Dark Reign” era which leads to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward “reformed supervillain” Norman Osborn. Mark Millar who was writing the Fantastic Four series – with art by Bryan Hitch – left the title and Jonathan Hickman took over and started to revamp and redefine Marvel’s First Family.

Here is the official synopsis: it all begins when Mr. Fantastic decides to solve everything! As the team contends with Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign, an older Franklin arrives from the future with an ominous warning! And as the Fantastic Four fight the War of the Four Cities, Mr. Fantastic assembles a band of genius youngsters. But when Nathaniel Richards returns, Galactus rises and a new Annihilation Wave threatens to invade from the Negative Zone, tragedy suddenly strikes. Grieving, the surviving members of the Fantastic Four dissolve the team – but from its ashes rises the Future Foundation!
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Batman RIP Reading Order

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Batman RIP Reading Order

Some storylines are more complicated than you can think – or they just seemed weirdly confusing for no reason. In the case of Batman R.I.P., the complication (and confusion) comes from the fact that it’s connected to the Final Crisis event. This story concluded the first third of Grant Morrison’s Batman run (full reading order here), leading to a new status quo as the series was renamed Batman and Robin for a time.

Here is the official synopsis: The troubled life of Bruce Wayne seems to spin out of control when his relationship with the mysterious Jezebel Jet deepens. Soon Bruce Wayne drops out completely, having seemingly become the victim of mental illness and abandoning his Batman identity for a life on the streets of Gotham City. Capitalizing on the fall of their greatest foe, the Club of Villains begins a crime spree through the streets of Gotham that threatens to bring the city to its knees.

What to read before Batman R.I.P.?

  • Batman: The Black Casebook
    Collects Batman #65, 86, 112, 113, 134, 156 And 162, Detective Comics #215, 235, 247 And 267, And World’s Finest Comics #89.
  • Batman and Son (collects previous editions Batman & Son and The Black Glove in one volume)
    Collects Batman issues #655-658, #663-669 and #672-675.
  • Batman: Heart of Hush
    Collects Detective Comics #846-850.
  • Grant Morrison’s run and Batman R.I.P. take place during the Modern Age period. For more Batman’s adventures during this time, check out our Batman reading order, the Modern Age.

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Harley Quinn Reading Order

Harley Quinn is a rarity in the Comic Book World because she was created on TV by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm in Batman: The Animated Series, in 1992. She became a recurring character on the show and, because of her popularity, she made the transition to paper, joining the Batman comic book canon seven years later.

Here was her story at the beginning, as told in the Mad Love comics: When she was only seven years old, Harleen Quinzel witnessed her father being beaten up by thugs, and then arrested by the police. That night, she ran away to the safest place she could think of: Coney Island amusement park. But there, pursued into the Funhouse by the men who brutalized her father, she beheld unimaginable horrors. Years later, Harleen has put her past behind her and used her intelligence and ambition to escape her childhood of poverty with a career in psychiatry. Assigned to her first position at Arkham Hospital, she will discover, deep in the asylum, something dangerous and alluring, something quite unlike anything else she has ever known before: The Joker.

She became Harley Quinn and, after having been injected with a special formula by Poison Ivy, she got new abilities, such as immunity to toxins and enhanced strength and agility. She left Joker behind and became a solo criminal. It was not a hit at first, but Harley came back a few years after the end of her first solo series to team up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy (forming the Gotham City Sirens).

Harley was a criminal, then an anti-heroine. Her backstory was refined, as was her relationship with Poison Ivy. She became quite popular on paper (especially during the 2010s), and later on the big screen too.

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Shadow War Reading Order, a Batman, Robin & Deathstroke, Inc. crossover event

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Since James Tynion IV stopped writing Batman, Joshua Williamson is the main writer of the series. He also writes Robin, Deathstroke, Inc., and everything linked to Infinite Frontier. This summer, he will be in charge of the Dark Crisis event, but before that he organized another crossover event in the Batmanverse called Shadow War—illustrated by Viktor Bogdanovic.

Here is how it starts: When Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice … but do they?

Expect over-the-top fights, action, mystery, and betrayal as this crossover event creates a major impact on the DCU!

What to read before Shadow War?

With this kind of event, it’s always better to be up-to-date, especially with Joshua Williamson’s writing. First, we’ve got Batman, the first story after the Fear State event, then Damian Wayne in Robin (see Damian Wayne Reading Order for more info), and Deathstroke in the new Deathstroke, Inc. series.

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Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons Reading Order

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Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons Reading Order

This year, DC Comics planned multiple short events like War For Earth-3 and now Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons. Introduced as the first Wonder Woman crossover of its kind, it was developed by the teams behind Wonder Woman, Nubia & the Amazons, and Wonder Girl—written by Stephanie Williams, Vita Ayala, Joëlle Jones, Michael Conrad, and Becky Cloonan, with art by Skylar Patridge, Laura Braga, Elena Casagrande, Joëlle Jones.

Here is the official synopsis: After the events of Nubia & the Amazons, the dangers of Doom’s Doorway have found their way to Man’s World and garnered the attention of not one, but all three Amazonian tribes. The Bana-Mighdall consider it to be a weakness in the current regime and have decided to return to the shores of Themyscira to stake their claim over the island. Little do they know, the Esquecida are not far behind, but instead looking for help to combat the evil unleashed. Tempers rise and swords are brandished as the women argue about the best course of action. Now Queen Nubia must show them all the way to peace by calling for one of the most famous Amazon traditions … the Contest. Who among them is worthy of leading them into the future? Find out as the bravest, wisest, and fiercest warriors compete to be the champion of all the Amazons!

What to Read before Wonder Woman: Trial Of The Amazons?

First, the story takes place after the events of Nubia & the Amazons, you’ll need to read:

Don’t know who is Wonder Girl? (she’s pretty new) Take a look at her first series:

  • Wonder Girl: Homecoming
    Collects Wonder Girl #1-7, Future State: Wonder Woman #1-2, and a selection from Infinite Frontier #0.

What’s up with Wonder Woman lately? See her last adventures in:

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Starman Reading Order, the celebrated James Robinson run

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The original Starman debuted in Adventure Comics #61 (April 1941) and was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley. Ted Knight, a brilliant scientist, developed the Gravity Rod—later upgraded to the Cosmic Rod—which allowed him to manipulate energy, fly, and generate force fields. As Starman, he became a key Golden Age superhero and a founding member of the Justice Society of America.

Decades later, in 1994, DC Comics introduced a new take on the Starman legacy with the Starman series, written by British writer James Robinson and illustrated by Tony Harris. The series, which ran from 1994 to 2001, focused on Jack Knight, Ted’s younger son, who reluctantly inherited the Starman mantle after his older brother, David, was murdered. Unlike traditional superheroes, Jack refused to wear a costume or conceal his identity. He was more interested in running his antique and collectibles store in Opal City than fighting crime.

The story begins when Ted Knight’s longtime enemy, The Mist, resurfaces, launching an attack that forces Jack into action. Despite his reluctance, he wields the Cosmic Rod and, over time, grows into the role of Starman, though on his own terms. The series explored themes of legacy, family, and personal growth, making it one of the most critically acclaimed superhero comics of the 1990s.

Robinson’s Starman is notable for its rich world-building, incorporating past Starmen from DC history and revamping the villain Shade, a morally complex former villain who becomes Jack’s unlikely ally. The series concluded in 2001 with Jack ultimately stepping away from superhero life—a rare instance of a major DC hero being allowed to retire voluntarily. He passed the mantle to the young Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl.

What to read before James Robinson’s Starman?

Before writing the ongoing Starman comics, James Robinson collaborated with Paul Smith on The Golden Age miniseries in which they revisited the Golden Age Justice Society. This comic book is part of the Elseworlds collection, but he still used elements of that story in his work. It’s not obligatory reading, but it gives a good insight into the old-school characters.

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GI Joe Comics Reading Order, A Real American Hero!

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When I wrote this article, it was announced that IDW would stop publishing GI Joe Comics. It’s now a done deal and the Joe-verse has been relaunched by Skybound as part of their Energon Universe. This is a new entry point, but if you are interested in getting back to the beginning with what was originally done at Marvel Comics and later at IDW, this is your guide.

As a licensed property by Hasbro, G.I. Joe comics have been released from 1967 to today (except between 1977 and 1981, and between 1997 and 2000), but it was not anything of note before the launch of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero in 1982.

“’G.I. Joe’ is the code name for America’s daring, highly trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.”

Hasbro relaunched the toy line and needed some promotion to go with it (there’s an episode of The Toys That Made Us on Netflix about that). At that time, the move to go with a comic book tie-in G.I. Joe series was not a sure thing, but Larry Hama who wrote most of the comics made it a success (with art by Herb Trimpe at first). He created a solid and realistic military universe with great mythology to go with it and interesting characters.

With 155 issues and several spin-offs, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was a hit for a long time at Marvel Comics. It ended in 1994. A second and a third G.I. Joe comic book series were published by Devil’s Due Productions from 2001 to 2008 (80 issues and some spin-offs), then it was revived by IDW Publishing (like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers) with issue 155 ½ written by Larry Hama who picked up the story where he had left it at Marvel Comics. From there, a lot of GI Joe Comics was published. A Lot.

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