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Jessica Jones Reading Order (Marvel)

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Jessica Jones Reading Order

Popularized by her Netflix Show, Jessica Jones started in the pages of her own Marvel comic book. She’s a PI with an avenger past (and future). Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos, Jessica Jones first appeared in Alias #1 (November 2001), a Max imprint—which means adult content and language.

Once upon a time, Jessica Jones was a costumed superhero—but not a very good one. Now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic, Jessica is the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations, specializing in superhuman cases. But when she uncovers a hero’s true identity, Jessica becomes the target of a far-reaching conspiracy.

At first, Bendis introduced her as a former superhero who becomes a private investigator, but she was retconned in the regular Marvel universe, becoming a student who was in school with Peter Parker and an ex-avenger.

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Devil’s Reign Reading Order, a Daredevil Event by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto

 

Daredevil fans rejoice! The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen hasn’t had an event around him since 2010, with Shadowland. The actual Daredevil team, Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto rectify that with Devil’s Reign, a Marvel event confronting our superheroes to the mayor of the biggest city in America, Wilson Fisk!

Per Marvel’s official Synopsis, Wilson Fisk has risen from Kingpin of Crime to mayor of the biggest city in America. Now he’s going to bring his full criminal and political power to bear on the superheroes who call NYC home!

The man who once destroyed Daredevil has targeted the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and more. Fisk has an army of supervillains at his command — including Crossbones, Taskmaster, Typhoid Mary, Shocker, Whiplash, Rhino, and Kraven — and that’s just his opening salvo. Wait until you meet his Thunderbolts!

But Mayor Fisk isn’t the only one with ambitions…and you know what they say about honor among thieves. From the blockbuster creative team of DAREDEVIL comes the final act in Wilson Fisk’s master plan!

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May “Mayday” Parker Reading Order (Spider-Girl/Spider-Woman from Earth-982)

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May Mayday Parker, alias Spider-Girl / Spider-Woman

Across the multiverse, several characters call themselves or have called themselves ‘Spider-Girl’. For example, Anya Corazon has used the codename since 2010. But one of the most famous ‘Spider-Girl’ is May “Mayday” Parker, from the MC2 (Marvel Comics 2) continuity — or Earth-982.

Created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, May Parker is the teenage daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. She has made her first appearance in a What if? #105 story published in February 1998 before becoming the star of her own ongoing title. 

Marvel Comics 2 was then an imprint depicting the events taking place in the alternative timeline presented in the What If? issue. The events are the same as the main 616 continuity until the end of Clone Saga with the issue Spider-Man #75, in which Peter and Mary Jane’s baby daughter dies.

In the MC2 universe, Peter and Mary Jane were reunited with their baby daughter thanks to Kaine, who discovered the child living with Alison Mongraine—a con artist who had kidnapped the baby under the Green Goblin’s orders.

The Spider-Girl comic series takes place in the future, following Mayday Parker as a teenager. At age 15, she begins developing versions of her father’s spider powers and decides to become the new “new web-slinging wonder!”

To discover more about Spidey’s daughter from Earth-982, here is the May “Mayday” Parker Comics Reading Order!

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Annihilation: Conquest Reading Order, a Marvel Cosmic Event

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Annihilation: Conquest Reading Order

Almost directly after the first Annihilation event (see reading order), Marvel published its sequel as part of the modern Marvel Cosmic saga. Annihilation: Conquest is a 2007-08 crossover storyline that focuses on Marvel’s cosmic heroes defending the universe against the Phalanx, now led by Ultron. 

Here is the official synopsis: In the aftermath of the Annihilation War, a devastated galaxy struggles to rebuild. The Nova Corps are destroyed, leaving only Richard Rider. Who will rise to guard the galaxy against the threat of Ultron? When the Kree homeworld is invaded by the techno-organic Phalanx, Star-Lord must lead a ragtag team into battle behind enemy lines with a lineup that includes Mantis, Bug, Groot, and Rocket Raccoon! Meanwhile, the new Quasar seeks a mysterious savior — and Nova and Gamora are taken over by the Phalanx! Who is the haunted loner called Wraith? Can the New Mutants’ Warlock free Nova? And what are Ultron and the Phalanx really after?

What to read before Annihilation: Conquest?

Being a direct sequel to Annihilation, it is necessary to read that first cosmic event (see reading order). Once this one ended, only three Nova issues were published before Annihilation: Conquest began – they are collected with the rest of the event or here.

  • Annihilation Omnibus
    Collects Drax The Destroyer #1-4, Annihilation: Prologue, Annihilation: Nova #1-4, Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1-4, Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1-4, Annihilation: Ronan #1-4, Annihilation #1-6, Annihilation: Heralds Of Galactus #1-2 And Annihilation: Nova Corps Files.

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Daredevil: Shadowland Reading Order

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Daredevil Shadowland Reading Order

One of Daredevil’s greatest qualities, in my opinion, is the fact that you can read his stories without having to deal with too many Marvel events. Yes, he’s often present but most of the time, it doesn’t affect his story.

Once in a while, though, an event will have an impact on his life, or more rarely, it will be a Daredevil event! It was the case in 2010 with Shadowland, written by Andy Diggle and penciled by Billy Tan. It gives us one controversial event, maybe not as bad as some said, but not good either, if we have to be honest. Still, it is now part of Daredevil history.

But what is Shadowland about? Per Marvel: Matt Murdock dared evil … and lost! The battle for the soul of a hero begins! Pushed beyond his limits, Daredevil faces off for a final time against his deadliest foe–Bullseye–in their most brutal battle ever with more than just Hell’s Kitchen is at stake. Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Punisher, and more join forces to stop a war that is breaking out throughout New York, with Daredevil at the center. This event will change the streets of New York City–and the heroes that protect it–forever.

What to read before Daredevil: Shadowland?

The first Daredevil issues written by Andy Diggle serve as a preamble for the event. Nothing important happens but, like it’s often the case, helps to put things in perspective and have a better understanding of the character’s situation. (It’s also collected in the Shadowland omnibus).

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Jonathan Hickman X-Men Reading Order – The Age of Krakoa

Welcome to Part 6 of our ongoing effort to compile a comprehensive X-Men Reading Order through the lens of collected editions. If you’re just joining us, you can start from the beginning with Part 1: The Silver Age & Chris Claremont (1963–1991), then follow through Part 2: Age of Apocalypse & Onslaught (1991–2001), Part 3: From the Grant Morrison Era to Civil War, Part 4: The Road to Avengers vs. X-Men, Part 5: Marvel NOW to ResurrXion, and Part.7: The Second Age of the X-Men of Krakoa.

After the Age of X-Man event, Marvel set out to redefine the X-Men for a new era and entrusted writer Jonathan Hickman to lead the charge. He began with the groundbreaking House of X / Powers of X miniseries, which reimagined the X-Men’s place in the Marvel Universe with a bold new premise.

In this story, Professor X unveils the island nation of Krakoa, a sovereign mutant homeland offering humanity miraculous scientific advancements in exchange for recognition. “While you slept, the world changed,” the story begins. Xavier’s dream of peaceful coexistence is over. In its place rises a new vision, one that spans centuries and ambitions to challenge not just human prejudice, but the inevitability of machine-dominated futures.

Following this successful relaunch, Marvel expanded the line under the banners of Dawn of X and later Reign of X, introducing a wave of interconnected series, new mutant teams, political intrigue, and existential threats, all orbiting the fragile promise of the Krakoan dream.

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Annihilation Reading Order, a Marvel Cosmic Event

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Annihilation Reading Order

At a time when Marvel was all about its Civil War, another massive event took place. This 2006 cosmic crossover storyline was written by Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Simon Furman, Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Andy Lanning, with art by Renato Arlem, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Andrea Di Vito, Scott Kolins, Jorge Lucas, Mike McKone, Gregory Titus, and Kev Walker. It was the beginning of the modern Marvel Cosmic saga.

Here is the official synopsis: Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone, has declared war! And as his unstoppable Annihilation Wave swarms into the Marvel Universe, demolishing all in its path, only a handful of heroes can resist the destruction! As Nova learns the ways of war from Drax the Destroyer, the Silver Surfer seeks out his former master Galactus for aid, the Super-Skrull fights for his son’s life and Ronan the Accuser faces Gamora and her woman warriors! Nova and Quasar’s army leads the charge, but as heroes fall and Annihilus rises, the universe’s one remaining hope may be Thanos, the Mad Titan.

What to read before Annihilation?

Most of the Annihilation prelude miniseries are considered part of the event, but one is often not treated as such:

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Old Man Logan Reading Order

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Old Man Logan Reading Order

In Marvel Comics, Wolverine is one of the most popular characters. So much that there is more than one! We are not speaking about X-23, maybe the most famous Wolverine after the Original, but about Old Man Logan today. But be careful as there are actually three versions of the older and grimmer Logan!

The original Old Man Logan made his first appearance in Fantastic Four (1998) #558 before appearing in Wolverine #66. Created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, he lives in a dystopian future where the villains won — Earth-807128, aka the Wastelands timeline. He is mostly the star of a famous storyline and made a few other appearances.

Another version of the character was introduced in Secret Wars and found its way into Marvel’s main continuity after his Earth-shattering events. If you thought that the two characters were the same Old Man Logan, nobody could blame you! It was first suggested as such, with the character blending elements from the original dystopian story with elements from 616 Wolverine. It was later explained that this version was this was another Old Man Logan. And, let’s not forget that an alternate version of the second Old Man Logan was introduced in Edge of Venomverse #4.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at both versions of Old Man Logan—to avoid any confusion—starting with the story that began it all, then moving on to the second Old Man Logan’s many adventures across the Marvel Universe.

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New Mutants Reading Order (The X-Men)

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With Chris Claremont at the helm, the X-Men became big business for Marvel Comics in the ’80s. Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter decided to expand the franchise with a spin-off call The New Mutants. Claremont was a bit reluctant to do it at first, but the series will soon—with the arrival of artist Bill Sienkiewicz (Bob McLeod was the artist at the beginning)—become something different and a real success.

But what New Mutants is about? Here is the official synopsis of the beginning of the series. Meet the future of the X-Men! Karma. Wolfsbane. Sunspot. Cannonball. Moonstar. They’re teenagers, thrown together by the X-gene that makes them different. Follow the adventures of these young mutants from Karma’s first meeting with Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four to their early days at the Xavier School!

The New Mutants’ on-the-job training begins in earnest with battles against Sentinels, the Silver Samurai, Viper, and the Hellfire Club; a team-up with Spidey and Cloak and Dagger — and the team gets a taste of life as X-Men in a disturbing encounter with the Brood! Plus: Meet fiery new recruit Magma, and discover how Colossus’s sister, Illyana, became the demon sorceress known as Magik!

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

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Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Reading Order

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From 2001 to 2007, J. Michael Straczynski was the main writer of The Amazing Spider-Man series. An important run, even if Marvel’s editors ruined it at the end (Civil War! One More Day!!!). In January 1999, Howard Mackie started to write volume 2 of the series, and Straczynski took over with issue #30.

His run is mostly famous for his great and lengthy “Spider-Totem” arc that questioned the source of Spider-Man’s powers (Magic?). Also, Aunt May discovered the truth about her nephew, Mary Jane came back, and Peter started to teach at his former high school.

Of course, with the Civil War, things didn’t go well for Spidey, everything changed until it was time to clean up and let another writer take over (after a short while, Dan Slott started his 10-year run).

What to read before Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski?

First, you can check out our Spider-Man Reading Order that covers the adventures of Spidey from the start to today.

As J. Michael Straczynski took over The Amazing Spider-Man after Howard Mackie, you might be tempted to take a look at what was done at that time (it’s optional, of course). Mackie’s run is not fully collected for now, but you can find the last storyline, which was published after the Marvel Crossover event Maximum Security.

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