First, it’s not The Secret Wars from 1985, it’s the one from 2015. Planned by Jonathan Hickman who wrote the main miniseries (with art from Esad Ribić), Secret Wars is about the destruction of the Marvel Universe as we knew it and various other alternate universes like the Ultimate one or the 2099 line and more.
In fact, each universe’s respective Earth was used to create Battleworld, a planet that exhibits the aspects of those various universes. That’s why various versions of individual Marvel characters can be present multiple times on the Battleworld.
For more, here is the official synopsis: The interdimensional Incursions have eliminated each and every alternate universe one by one. And now – despite the best efforts of scientists, sages, and superhumans – the Marvel Universe and Ultimate Universe have collided…and been destroyed!
All that exists in the vast empty cosmos is a single, titanic patchwork planet made of the fragmented remains of hundreds of devastated dimensions: Battleworld! And the survivors of this multiversal catastrophe all bend their knees to Battleworld’s master: Doctor Doom!
What strange creatures inhabit this world? Which familiar faces will return? And what happens when Battleworld’s various domains go to war? The Marvel Universe is dead – and the victors of the Secret Wars will determine what comes next!
What to read before the Secret Wars of 2015?
First, if you need to read a book collecting issues with information that will become relevant during the event, Marvel thought of you:
- Secret Wars Prelude
Collects New Avengers (2013) #1-3, Secret Wars (1984) #10-12, Fantastic Four #611, Ultimate Comics Spider -Man (2011) #1, Ultimate Comics Ultimates #4.
Then, Jonathan Hickman used his run on Avengers to open the way for the Secret wars event. Those stories are collected as follows:
- Avengers World Vol. 4: Before Time Runs Out
Collects Avengers #34.2, Avengers World #17-21. - Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 1
Collects Avengers #43-44, New Avengers #31-33. - Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 2
Collects Avengers #38-39, New Avengers #26-28. - Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 3
Collects Avengers #40-42, New Avengers #29-30 - Avengers: Time Runs Out Vol. 4
Collects Avengers #43-44, New Avengers #31-33
The full “Avengers: Time Runs Out” storyline is also collected in one big hardcover.
Also more optional but I put them here anyway, there are the “Last Days” issues. Before Secret Wars arrives, everything must end! In the final hours of the Marvel Universe, everyone is a Mighty Avenger! Facing Ragnarok, King Loki makes his move! Magneto, once Earth’s enemy, fights to be its savior! Black Widow meets her fate still seeking redemption! On the brink of disaster, Ms. Marvel meets Captain Marvel! Punisher goes out with a bang! Silk seeks her family before the sky falls! Ant-Man dances with destiny!
- Secret Wars: Last Days of the Marvel Universe
Collects Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #8–9, Loki: Agent of Asgard #14–17, Magneto (2014) #18–21, Black Widow (2014) #19–20, Ms. Marvel (2014) #16–19, Punisher (2014) #19–20, Silver Surfer (2014) #13–15, Ant-Man: Last Days #1, Silk (2015A) #7, Spider-Woman (2014) #10
Marvel 2015 Secret Wars Reading Order:
2015 Secret Wars Reading Order: Collected Editions
- Secret Wars
Collects Secret Wars #0,#1-9, Free Comic Book Day 2015. The Main Event! Of course, it’s the only book you really need to read.
Battleworld
- Secret Wars Journal: Battleworld
Collects Secret Wars Journal #1-5, Secret Wars: Battleworld #1-4, Howard The Human #1, Secret Wars: Agents Of Atlas #1. - Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies
Collects Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies #1–4, Age of Ultron #1 - Ghost Racers
Collects Ghost Racers #1–4, Ghost Rider (1973) #35, material from Secret Wars: Secret Love #1 - Inhumans: Attilan Rising
Collects Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1–5 - Marvel Zombies: Battleworld
Collects Marvel Zombies (2015) #1–4, Marvel Zombies (2006) #1 - Master of Kung Fu: Battleworld
Collects Master of Kung Fu (2015) #1–4, 5 Ronin #2 - Red Skull
Collects Red Skull #1–3, Captain America (1968) #367, Captain America (1998) #14 - Runaways: Battleworld
Collects Runaways (2015) #1–4, Secret Wars: Secret Love #1 - Siege: Battleworld
Collects Siege (2015) #1–4, Uncanny X-Men (2011) #9–10 - Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde
Collects Star-Lord & Kitty Pryde #1–3, Generation Next #1, Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega #1 - Thors
Collects Thors #1–4, Thor (1966) #364–365 - Ultimate End
Collects Ultimate End #1–5
Warzones
- 1602: Witch Hunter Angela
Collects 1602: Witch Hunter Angela #1–4, 1602 #1 - Marvel 1872
Collects 1872 #1–4, Avengers (1963) #80, Marvel Comics Presents #170 - A-Force Vol. 0: Warzones
Collects A-Force #1–5 - Age of Apocalypse: Warzones
Collects Age of Apocalypse (2015) #1–5 - Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows
Collects Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1–5, material from Spider-Verse #2 - Armor Wars: Warzones
Collects Armor Wars #1–5, #1/2 - Captain America and the Mighty Avengers Vol. 2: Last Days
Collects Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #8–9, Captain Britain & the Mighty Defenders #1–2, Avengers Assemble #15AU - Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps
Collects Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1–4, Captain Marvel (2012) #17 - Civil War: Warzones
Collects Civil War (2015) #1–5 - Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars
Collects Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #1–4, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 - E Is for Extinction: Warzones
Collects E Is for Extinction #1–4, New X-Men (2001) #114 - Future Imperfect: Warzones
Collects Future Imperfect #1–5, Secret Wars: Battleworld #4 - Giant-Size Little Marvel: AvX
Collects Giant-Size Little Marvel: AvX #1–4, A-Babies vs. X-Babies #1 - Guardians of Knowhere
Collects Guardians of Knowhere #1–4, New Avengers: Illuminati (2007) #3 - Hail HYDRA
Collects Hail HYDRA #1–4, Hank Johnson, Agent of HYDRA #1 - House of M: Warzones
Collects House of M (2014) #1–4, House of M (2005) #1
- Inferno: Warzones
Collects Inferno #1–5 - Infinity Gauntlet: Warzones
Collects Infinity Gauntlet (2015) #1–5 - Korvac Saga: Warzones
Collects Guardians 3000 #6–8, Korvac Saga #1–4 - M.O.D.O.K.: Assassin
Collects M.O.D.O.K.: Assassin #1–5 - Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos
Collects Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos #1–4, Werewolf by Night (1972) #1 - Old Man Logan Vol. 0 – Warzones
Collects Old Man Logan #1–5 - Planet Hulk: Warzones
Collects Planet Hulk #1–5 - Secret Wars 2099
Collects Secret Wars 2099 #1–5 - Spider-Island: Warzones
Collects Spider-Island (2015) #1–5 - Spider-Verse: Warzones
Collects Spider-Verse (2015B) #1–5 - Squadron Sinister
Collects Squadron Sinister #1–4, Avengers (1963) #69–70 - Weirdworld Vol. 0: Warzones
Collects Weirdworld #1–5 - Where Monsters Dwell: Phantom Eagle Flies the Savage Skies
Collects Where Monsters Dwell #1–5 - X-Men ’92
Collects X-Men ’92 #1–4 - X-Tinction Agenda: Warzones
Collects X-Tinction Agenda #1–4, Uncanny X-Men (2001) #270 - X-Men: Years of Future Past
Collects Years of Future Past #1–5 - Secret Wars Too
Collects Secret Wars, Too #1; Wha…Huh? #1; Ultimate Civil War: Spider-Ham #1; Captain America: Who Won’t Wield the Shield #1; Shame Itself #1; Marvel Now What?! #1; material from World War Hulk: Front Line #2–5, Original Sins #5, Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration #1.
2015 Secret Wars Reading Order: Issue by Issue
The best way to go is probably to read the main series first, then come back to the rest, picking up the stories with the characters you like. Else, you can go like that:
- Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #8
- Free Comic Book Day 2015 (Secret Wars) #1
- Secret Wars #0-1
- Black Widow (2014) #19–20
- Loki: Agent of Asgard #14-15
- Captain America & the Mighty Avengers #9
- Ms. Marvel (2014) #16-19
- Punisher (2014) #19-20
- Magneto (2014) #18–21
- Ant-Man: Last Days #1 (2015)
- Silk #7
- Silver Surfer (2014) #13-14
- Loki: Agent of Asgard #16-#17
- Secret Wars #2
- Secret Wars: Battleworld #1-4
- Secret Wars Journal #1-5
- Secret Wars #3
- Master of Kung Fu (2015) #1-4
- A-Force #1-4 (#5 serves an epilogue to SW #9)
- Planet Hulk #1-5
- Spider-Verse (2015B) #1-5
- M.O.D.O.K.: Assassin #1-5
- Old Man Logan #1-4 (#5 serves an epilogue to SW #9)
- Infinity Gauntlet (2015) #1–5
- Inferno #1-5
- Secret Wars 2099 #1-5
- Where Monsters Dwell #1-5
- X-Men ‘92 #1-4
- Years of Future Past #1-5
- X-Tinction Agenda #1-4
- Giant-Size Little Marvel: AvX #1-4
- Future Imperfect #1-4
- Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1-5
- Armor Wars #½-#5
- Marvel Zombies (2015) #1–4
- Weirdworld #1-4 (#5 serves an epilogue to SW #9)
- 1602: Witch Hunter Angela #1-4
- Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1-4
- Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos #1-4
- 1872 #1-4
- Runaways (2015) #1-4
- Squadron Sinister #1-4
- Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies #1-4
- E for Extinction #1-4
- Korvac Saga #1-4
- Guardians of Knowhere #1-4
- Civil War (2015) #1-5
- Secret Wars #4
- Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde #1-3
- Red Skull #1-3
- Spider-Island #1-5
- Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1-5
- Future Imperfect #5
- Secret Wars: Secret Love #1
- Ghost Racers #1-4
- Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders #1-2
- Age of Apocalypse Vol. 2 #1-5
- Hail Hydra #1-4
- Howard the Human #1 (2015)
- Ultimate End #1-4 (#5 serves an epilogue to SW #9)
- House of M (2014) #1-4
- Hank Johnson: Agent of Hydra #1 (2015)
- Secret Wars #5
- Secret Wars #6
- Siege Vol. 2 #1-4
- Secret Wars: Agents of Atlas #1
- Thors #1-4
- Secret Wars #7
- Secret Wars #8
- Secret Wars #9
- Ultimate End #5
- A-Force #5
- Old Man Logan #5
- Weirdworld #5
- Silver Surfer (2014) #15
- Secret Wars Too #1
After Secret Wars
When Secret Wars ended, everything ended of course. You can pick up anything with a #1 on the cover published at the end of 2015. More precisely, in October 2015, Marvel Comics started to relaunch around 60 series under the banner All-New, All-Different Marvel.
Last Updated on December 23, 2022.