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The Best of Juggernaut Comics, A Recommended Reading Order

There may be no other family tree as complex as the Grey-Summers one in the X-Men Universe, but it doesn’t mean that other characters haven’t had their share of pain and problems with their relatives. Case in point with Marko Cain, better known as Juggernaut, who is also the stepbrother of Professor X!

Unlike Charles Xavier, Juggernaut is not a mutant, but a human empowered by an ancient jewel powered by the deity Cyttorak, which transformed him into the unstoppable Juggernaut. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he made his first appearance in X-Men #12 (1965) as an enemy of the X-Men. For a long time after his introduction, Juggy was a one-note villain, popping up in one or two issues to rampage and disappear (or get thrown into prison for a while). Still, that didn’t stop him from making a name for himself as a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants and as the criminal partner and BFF of Black Tom Cassidy. For many decades, he fought against the X-Men, as well as Spider-Man and the Hulk.

Things changed for Juggernaut in the early 2000s during Chuck Austen’s infamous run on Uncanny X-Men. While that era is often panned, it is also when Ol’ Jughead got some noticeable character development as he joined the X-Men and officially crossed the line between villain and hero, becoming more of an anti-hero (or anti-villain).

Named after the Hindu deity Jagannath, Juggernaut has appeared in Marvel Comics for over five decades—and it has to be said, he’s never overstayed his welcome. He’s certainly not one of Marvel’s most overexposed characters, having not yet crossed 500 issue appearances since his debut. And today, we’re taking a closer look at Juggernaut’s many appearances in Marvel Comics, from his introduction as an antagonist to his turn as a member of the X-Men!

The Best Juggernaut Comics out there!

Like Mystique, Juggernaut has certainly made a name for himself in the mainstream, thanks to his many appearances in animated television series and video games, as well as his presence on clothing, toys, trading cards—not to mention his big-screen roles! The character was portrayed by Vinnie Jones in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 2 (2018), and Aaron W. Reed in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

That said, Juggernaut’s most celebrated tale to date isn’t from an X-Men comic but from Spider-Man. Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut! is a classic two-issue story arc written by Roger Stern with art by John Romita, Jr. published in The Amazing Spider-Man #229–230. The story follows Juggernaut on a mission to kidnap Madame Web, hoping her psychic powers will help defeat the X-Men. A Juggy/Spidey rematch happened soon after, in the popular Marvel Team-Up #150 from Louise Simonson and Greg LaRocque, which also highlights his friendship with Black Tom.

After that, Juggernaut fighting Colossus in a bar in Uncanny #183 (by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr.) is a fan-favorite issue for the character, while his clash with Venom orchestrated by Ann Nocenti and Kelley Jones in Venom: The Madness, is known to be fun and enjoyable. 

Juggernaut Reading Order Guide, a Simple Comic Book List!

As said above, Juggernaut was a guest star or recurring character for a long time, usually showing up for an issue or two before rampaging off again. Because of that, collecting his appearances can be a bit trickier than it is for other X-Men characters (such as Wolvie for example!). Also for this reason, the list below is non-exhaustive as some anecdotal appearances are not listed  If we’ve missed a cool Juggernaut issue, let us know in the comments!

Naturally, many of these issues have been reprinted across various collections. When possible, we’ve listed the most recent edition available, prioritizing the Epic Collection line if the issue appears in one of those volumes.

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The Many Appearances of Juggernaut (1965-2000)

Following his debut when he attacked Charles Xavier and his school, Juggernaut became a recurring adversary for the X-Men, but also found himself facing off against Spider-Man, Venom, The Hulk, Thor, and even the Avengers. From his time as a prisoner of the Crimson Cosmos to his conflict with the Examplars, and of course his iconic friendship with Black Tom Cassidy, these were four eventful decades for the character! 

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X-Man Juggernaut in the 2000s

After years of being a villain, Juggernaut began his redemption arc, ending his conflict with Xavier and joining the X-Men during Chuck Austen’s run on Uncanny X-Men. Around this time, he lost most of his powers following a battle with Cyttorak. He also agreed to be taken into custody and stand trial for the crimes he had committed in the past.

House of M Reading Order

This is where the altering event of House of M takes place! While Juggernaut doesn’t play a part in this story, he found himself joining the New Excalibur team in London in the aftermath, becoming part of a team including Dazzler, Captain Britain, Nocturne, and Pete Wisdom (a title written by Chris Claremont).

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Juggernaut, Member of the Thunderbolts in the 2010s

At the end of the 2000s, Norman Osborn took over the Marvel Universe for a good year. His Dark Reign concluded with the Siege of Asgard. Then, a new era of Marvel was launched with Juggernaut becoming a member of Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts! Soon enough, the team was put through the ringer during Fear Itself. Juggy is transformed for a time before going to live a peaceful life on a farm. We all know that never lasts, and Juggernaut soon finds himself entangled with more Cyttorak, the X-Men, Deadpool, Thor, and Punisher.

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Juggernaut in the Krakoa era (2019-2024)

Jonathan Hickman took over the X-Men franchise and launched the Krakoa era! The unstoppable Juggernaut didn’t join the island at first,  headlining his first limited comic series instead! After a little detour as part of the Savage Avengers, Juggernaut was eventually granted citizenship on Krakoa and was made to join Nightcrawler’s Legionaries.

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Juggernaut From the Ashes

Krakoa is no more… but the X-Men fight on! Juggernaut relocates to Alaska to join Cyclops’ new team of X-Men with Beast, Magneto, Psylocke, Kid Omega, Temper (formerly Oya), and Magik as they fight for the mutants! 

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Complete X-Men Comics Guide

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