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Moon Knight Reading Order

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Created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin in 1975, Marc Spector (alias Moon Knight) was born in Chicago, Illinois, the Jewish-American son of a rabbi. But Marc refused to follow in his father’s footsteps. Instead, he became a boxer before joining the Marines. Later, he worked for the CIA and as a mercenary.

It’s during a mission gone wrong in Egypt that Spector is left for dead at the feet of an idol to the Egyptian god Konshu, moon god and protector of travelers at night. Konshu resurrected Marc, giving him for the occasion enhanced physical abilities, making him the moon’s “knight of vengeance,” the “fist of Khonshu.”

Back in the United States, Spector becomes the crime fighter Moon Knight and creates other identities to help him gain information and navigate between different social circles to fulfill his missions. He uses four other identities: billionaire businessman Steven Grant, taxicab driver Jake Lockley, red-haired little girl Inner Child, and suited consultant Mr. Knight. It is later revealed Marc Spector has dissociative identity disorder, due to childhood trauma or the result of “brain damage”, depending on the story.

To know more about Moon Knight, his crime-fighting activities, and other personalities, follow the guide…

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Spider-Island Reading Order

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Even if Spider-Man is the most popular Marvel superhero, the events centered around him are not as regular as we may think. There are a few though, like 2011’s Spider-Island written by Dan Slott with art by Humberto Ramos.

Here is the official synopsis: Between keeping New York City safe as Spider-Man, being a member of two Avengers teams and the FF, and his day job at Horizon Labs, Peter Parker’s life is as crazy as it’s ever been. And it’s about to get even crazier.

Welcome to Spider-Island, where a million New Yorkers suddenly possess Spider-Man’s powers – but none of the responsibility! Can Spidey play world-saving superhero while the Big Apple gets eaten alive from the inside out when he’s suddenly not quite so special? When he’s surrounded by a million people just as powerful as him? When even his girlfriend is web-swinging through the city? And just wait until you meet J. Jonah Jameson, the Spectacular Spider-Mayor!

What to read before Spider-Island?

Being the first event of the Dan Slott era, there were not a lot of Spider-Man books prior to it. You can take a look at our The Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott Reading Order for a full listing.

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X-Factor Reading Order

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Launched in 1986 by Bob Layton and Jackson Guice as a spin-off from the X-Men franchise, X-Factor was a team formed by the five original X-Men – Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), and Iceman – in response to the outlaw status of the then-current X-Men team.

The five original members X-Men disassociate with the current team because Professor X had placed Magneto as its leader. Quickly, they decide to set up a business advertised as mutant-hunters for hire in New York City, pretending to be “normal” (non-superpowered) humans to their clients. Eventually, the X-Factor team decides that the “mutant hunter” angle was bad for everybody and stops. Louise Simonson took over the title (with art by Walt Simonson) and quickly introduced Apocalypse and other major elements of the X-Mythos.

At that time, the series was massively connected to the other X-Titles and events. In 1991, the original members of X-Factor rejoined the main X-Men team. Marvel didn’t kill the title though. Peter David became the main writer (with art by Larry Stroman) and began by reintroducing X-Factor with new members (with Havok, Multiple Man, Polaris, Quicksilver, Strong Guy, Valerie Cooper, and Wolfsbane).

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Marvel Cosmic Reading Order, The Modern Saga by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (2004-2011)

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Marvel Cosmic Reading Order

What is called “Marvel Cosmic” is mostly every story in the Marvel Universe not connected to Earth. It’s not the perfect definition, because it’s more about what’s connected to Thanos, The Guardian of the Galaxy, Nova, The Silver Surfer, and others. Well, it’s still not a very good definition. Today, we are talking about the cosmic saga that started in 2004 with the crossover event Annihilation. Orchestrated by Keith Giffen, this storyline relaunched most of the outer-space series from Marvel.

It was just the beginning as one crossover event led to the other, from Annihilation to Annihilation: Conquest, to War of Kings, to Realm of Kings to Annihilators. A huge saga that was overseen by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning that reintroduced Nova & the Nova Corps, The Guardian of the Galaxy, and Ronan the Accuser. A captivating and epic story without the usual big names of the Marvel Universe.

We already published individual reading orders for the three main events (Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest, and War of Kings), but here is a complete guide from that era.

What to read before the Marvel Cosmic Saga?

If you want to take a look back at the origins of some of the main characters used in the coming Annihilation saga, Marvel published a book for you:

  • Annihilation Classic
    Collects Bug #1, Tales To Astonish #13, Nova #1, Quasar #1, Rocket Raccoon #1-4, Marvel Spotlight #6, Logan’s Run #6, Marvel Premiere #1.

You can also explore the previous Marvel Cosmic Sage with our Jim Starlin’s Infinity Saga Reading Order.

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Avengers & X-Men: AXIS Reading Order

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Avengers & X-Men: AXIS Reading Order

Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, also just called AXIS, is a 2014 Marvel Event written by Rick Remender and penciled by Adam Kubert, Leinil Francis Yu, Terry Dodson, and Jim Cheung. This event put the Avengers, the X-Men, and a group of villains against Red Skull after he succeeded to harness the powers of Onslaught and the recently deceased Professor Xavier.

From Marvel Official synopsis: The Red Onslaught is broadcasting waves of telepathic hate across the globe, and Marvel’s greatest heroes have turned on their moral axis! What will the Avengers and X-Men find in the Red Skull’s bleak re-education camps? What is Tony Stark’s dark secret? And with the heroes “inverted” to evil, who will stand against them? Witness the good go bad, as AXIS turns the Marvel Universe on its head! 

What to read before Avengers & X-Men: AXIS?

following the conclusion of the Avengers vs. X-Men, a superhero team composed of members of the Avengers and X-Men came together, known as the Avengers Unity Squad. This team has been created by Rick Remender and John Cassaday in the title Uncanny Avengers, their stories can be used as a build-up towards the event.

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X-Force Reading Order (including Uncanny X-Force & X-Statix)

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X-Force Reading Order

In 1991, the first volume of New Mutants (see the reading order) just ended, but Rob Liefield jumped to a new series called X-Force (introduced in New Mutants #100) with the help of writer Fabian Nicieza. In the beginning, this new (and more military) team included Boom-Boom, Cable, Cannonball, Domino, Feral, Shatterstar, Warpath, and Siryn.

But what is X-Force about? Here is the official synopsis of the beginning of the series. Beset from all sides by a growing roster of vicious foes, the New Mutants and their mysterious mentor Cable have no choice but to transform into a proactive, butt-kicking, take-no-prisoners mutant strike team! But can the new X-Force survive head-on clashes with Deadpool, the Morlocks, Proteus, Stryfe and his Mutant Liberation Front, the Juggernaut, the new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and…S.H.I.E.L.D.? 

Being part of the X-Men Universe, you can find how to read X-Force with the other X-series in our complete X-Men Reading Order.

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Death of Doctor Strange Reading Order

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Death of Doctor Strange Reading Order

Like numerous Marvel characters, Doctor Strange had died several times already. But until now, he didn’t have his classic “Death Of…” storyline, like Wolverine, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man, or The Mighty Thor. It’s all changed now, with the event Death of Doctor Strange, written by Jed MacKay and penciled by Lee Garbett.

Doctor Stephen Strange is known as the world’s greatest neurosurgeon and Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme (except for that time when, you know, Loki took that title). He defends our planet from the supernatural and interdimensional threats no other hero is equipped to handle. But what would happen if he unexpectedly died? Who would protect Earth and keep the mystical evils at bay? And most importantly…who killed Stephen Strange?!

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Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers Reading Order

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After his run on the Fantastic Four and a few years before taking over The X-Men, Jonathan Hickman became the main writer on The Avengers titles of the Marvel Now era after Brian Michael Bendis left in 2012.

With the Avengers (Volume 5), Hickman introduced new threats, but also expand the roster and sphere of influence of the team to a global and even interplanetary level. This will lead to a cosmos-threatening event. In New Avengers (Volume 3), he focused more on the members of The Illuminati (Black Panther, Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Black Bolt, Mr. Fantastic, Sub-Mariner, and the Beast) who are armed with the six Infinity Gems against an infinite legion of parallel realities. 

Here is the official synopsis: As threats to Earth mount, the Avengers expand! And while Iron Man and Captain America assemble their Avengers World and strive to decipher the meaning of the White Event, Tony Stark secretly tries to solve the biggest crisis of all, along with his influential allies, the Illuminati! While they seek to prevent the collapse of reality itself, the Avengers face a war on two fronts! Protecting Earth from the Builders may only hand it to…Thanos! 

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Spider-Man Noir Reading Order (member of the Spider-Verse)

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In December 2006, french writer Fabrice Sapolsky (creator of Comix Box Magazine) pitched the idea of a 1930s pulp version of Spider-Man to David Hine.  This led to Marvel Noir, a Marvel Comics alternative continuity combining elements of film noir and pulp fiction with the Marvel Universe. The Marvel Noir line was launched with Spider-Man: Noir #1 and X-Men Noir #1, in February 2009. For Spidey, Carmine Di Giandomenico drew the first stories and Marko Djurdjevic his cool costume.

Earth-90214, sometimes also called Earth-Noir, is a hard-boiled world. Spider-Man’s story begins in the 30s, during the Great Depression when New York is dealing with some economical issues and most of the people do not have jobs. Norman Osborn mostly rules the city, with Vulture, Kraven, and the Enforcers as members of his crew. Peter Parker has been raised by his paternal aunt and uncle, activists May and Ben Parker, and gained arachnid powers after being bitten by a supernatural spider. If you’re a fan of Batman, this Spider-Man is the closest version there is of the character in the Spider-Verse — his alias is The Spider-Man, for a good reason.

Spider-Man Noir became quickly a popular character, earning a sequel, but also appearing as a playable character in the 2010 video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions — a year after his first comic appearance. Despite existing for less than 15 years, Spider-Man has featured already in a few crossover stories and quite a number of video games, but also in television and film (like in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). No doubt, Spider-Man Noir is photogenic!

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War of Kings Reading Order, a Marvel Cosmic Event (leading to Realm of Kings and The Thanos Imperative)

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War of Kings Reading Order

After Annihilation event (see reading order) and its direct sequel as part of the modern Marvel Cosmic saga, Annihilation: Conquest (see reading order), the Marvel Cosmic Universe kept going forward for a good year, then a new crossover storyline written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning titled War of King happened.

Here is the official synopsis: Intending to restore their strength and security in the aftermath of the Secret Invasion, Black Bolt finds he has to lead the Inhumans into direct confrontation with the Shi’Ar Empire and their insane ruler, Vulcan. What happens when an Inhuman-led Kree go to war with the Shi’ar led by the crazed Summers brother Vulcan? When these mighty powers turn their rage upon one another, what happens to those caught in the crossfire? When two mighty rulers wage war, who will rule?

What to read before War of Kings?

A lot happened since Annihilation: Conquest with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, but also the X-Men and the Secret Invasion. In order to go in fully prepared, you’ll want to take a look at those books:

  • War of Kings Prelude: Road to War of Kings Omnibus
    Collects Son Of M #1-6, X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6, Silent War #1-6, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4, Guardians Of The Galaxy (2008) #1-12, Nova #13-22, Nova: The Origin Of Richard Rider, War Of Kings Saga.

War of Kings Prelude Road to War of Kings Reading Order Omnibus

Or in trade paperbacks:

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