Skip to content

Marvel

X-Men Hellfire Gala Reading Order (2021), A Marvel Crossover Event

  • by

Less than a year after their last crossover event that concluded the Dawn of X era, the X-Men are preparing for another one. This time, it’s not a war, but a big party: The Hellfire Gala. The guests’ list is impressive, and the twists will be surprising. Here is the official synopsis:

The X-Men are rolling out the red carpet for the biggest Krakoan event of the season—and this high-class hardcover details every drink, dance, dalliance, and deception at the Hellfire Gala! You are cordially invited to join the mutant party to end all mutant parties. Everyone will be there—all of your favorite X-Men, their closest allies … and even their worst enemies.

For Emma Frost and the Hellfire Trading Company, it’s an opportunity to show off the newfound power for both herself and for Krakoa as a nation. The very first elected team of Krakoan X-Men will, at last, be revealed to the world … and that’s just the first of the surprises in store for the evening!

What to read before X-Men Hellfire Gala?

Following the X of Swords crossover (reading order here), a new era in the X-Men by Jonathan Hickman epic started, it’s called Reign of X and you can find the reading guide here.

Read More »X-Men Hellfire Gala Reading Order (2021), A Marvel Crossover Event

The Eternals Reading Order (Marvel Comics)

  • by

Created by Jack Kirby for Marvel Comics in The Eternals #1 in 1976 after returning from DC Comics, where he had created the New Gods, the superhuman beings known as the Eternals are an offshoot of humanity created by the Celestials, an ancient race of cosmic entities who visited Earth roughly one million years ago and conducted genetic experiments on early humans. These experiments produced three distinct evolutionary branches: the near-immortal Eternals, the genetically unstable Deviants, and ordinary humanity.

In ancient times, human civilizations often mistook the Eternals for gods, and many of their members were associated with mythological figures from Greek and other pantheons. The Eternals traditionally see themselves as guardians of Earth and humanity, frequently opposing the Deviants, whose society and genetic instability have historically led them into conflict with both humans and Eternals.

Although generally protective of humanity, the Eternals have not always been unified in purpose. Internal disagreements and rivalries have occasionally led some members to advocate domination rather than guardianship. Over time, the characters have been reintroduced and reinterpreted by later writers and artists within the broader Marvel Universe. 

The group was adapted to film in Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, bringing the characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Read More »The Eternals Reading Order (Marvel Comics)

Onslaught Reading Order, a X-Men Crossover

  • by

Onslaught Reading Order Marvel

After the massive Age Apocalypse (reading order here), another huge X-Men event followed. At its center, there was Onslaught, a sentient psionic entity created from the consciousness of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. The character co-created by writers Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and artist Andy Kubert became one of the biggest villains in the X-Men Mythology. The event spread among multiple X-Men related or not like Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, Cable, X-Force, X-Man, X-Men (vol. 2), X-Men Unlimited, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Punisher, Thor, Excalibur and more.

Here is the official synopsis: The psionic force of nature known only as Onslaught sprang forth from the fractured psyche of mutant mentor Charles Xavier and the genetic terrorist called Magneto. Powered by his progenitors’ rage, Onslaught laid siege to humanity — touching off a cataclysmic conflict destined to deprive a world of its most revered icons!

What to read before Onslaught?

For more information on the ’90s X-Men era, check out our ’90s X-Men Reading Order. That said, the essential stories have been collected by Marvel in three books:

  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 1
    Collects X-Men (vol. 2) #42–45; X-Men Annual ’95;plus Uncanny X-Men #322–326; X-Men: Prime; X-Men Unlimited #8.
  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 2
    Collects X-Men/Clandestine #1-2; Uncanny X-Men #327-328, Annual ’95; X-Men (vol. 2) #46-49; X-Men Unlimited (1993) #9; Sabretooth (1995) #1
  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 3
    Collects Uncanny X-Men #329-332, Archangel #1, X-Men/Brood #1-2, X-Men Unlimited #10, X-Men (vol. 2) #50-52, Wolverine #101, Xavier Institute Alumni Yearbook.

Read More »Onslaught Reading Order, a X-Men Crossover

Avengers Vs. X-Men Reading Order

  • by

Avengers Vs. X-Men Reading Order

The Avengers and the X-Men, or the two most popular superhero teams in Marvel, go to war! Avengers vs. X-Men (also known as AvX or AvsX) is a 2012 crossover event involving the return of the Phoenix Force and the subsequent war between the Avengers and the X-Men. The 12-issue twice-monthly series features a storyline by Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, and Matt Fraction, with a rotating team of artists including John Romita Jr., Olivier Coipel, and Adam Kubert.

One of the biggest Marvel events, Avengers vs. X-Men was a commercial success at the time and the repercussions resulted in the new status quo of the Marvel Universe presented in the company’s Marvel NOW! relaunch initiative.

What to read before Avengers Vs. X-Men?

As Avengers Vs. X-Men is the culmination of a decade of stories featuring the company’s two largest franchises, it is best to have read at least a number of stories before to know what the Scarlet Witch did and who Hope Summers is:

  • Avengers Disassembled
    Collects Avengers #500-503; Avengers Finale.
  • House of M
    Collects House of M #1-8
  • X-Men: Messiah Complex
    Collects X-Men: Messiah Complex One-Shot, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #492-494, New X-Men (2004) #44-46, X-Men (2004) #205-207, X-Factor (2005) #25-27
  • X-Men: Second Coming
    Collects X-Men: Second Coming (2010) #1-2, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #523-525, New Mutants (2009) #12-14, X-Men: Legacy (2008) #235-237, X-Force (2008) #26-28.
  • X-Men: Schism
    Collects X-Men: Second Coming (2010) #1-2, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #523-525, New Mutants (2009) #12-14, X-Men: Legacy (2008) #235-237, X-Force (2008) #26-28.

Read More »Avengers Vs. X-Men Reading Order

Shattered Heroes Reading Order, a follow up to Fear Itself

  • by

Shattered Heroes Reading Order

Launched in October 2011, Shattered Heroes is a comic book branding that ran through a number of books published by Marvel Comics exploring the fallout of Fear Itself, with a number of implications across a number of titles.

The idea was that in the aftermath of Fear Itself, Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man have all been changed by the dramatic event. As each deals with the shocking alterations to their lives, can they rise to the occasion and remain Earth’s Mightiest heroes?

What to read before Shattered Heroes?

We invite you to go consult our Fear Itself reading order.

  • Fear Itself
    Collects Fear Itself: Book of the Skull, Fear Itself 1-7.

Read More »Shattered Heroes Reading Order, a follow up to Fear Itself

Marvel Civil War II Reading Order, Choose your side

Marvel Civil War II Reading Order

Presented as a sequel to 2006’s Civil War event (see Reading Order) putting heroes against each other, Civil War II is another big Marvel crossover event, with the mission to capitalize on the release of the 2016 Marvel Studios film Captain America: Civil War.

Written by Brian Michael Bendis and penciled by David Marquez and Justin Ponsor, Civil War II was published between June and December 2016 and opposed this time Iron Man to Captain Marvel. When a new Inhuman emerges, with the ability to profile the future, Captain Marvel wanted him to work with the Ultimates, in order to preemptively tackle disasters before they happen, but Iron Man opposed the idea, suggesting it was dangerous to take his visions for granted for several reasons. This is the beginning of a conflict with a lot of tie-ins!

Read More »Marvel Civil War II Reading Order, Choose your side

Inhumans Vs X-Men Reading Order (IvX)

  • by

Inhumans Vs X-Men Reading Order (IvX)

Written by Charles Soule and Jeff Lemire with art from Leinil Francis Yu, Kenneth Rocafort, and Javi Garron, Inhumans Vs X-Men (IvX) is a 2016 Marvel crossover event about the fight for survival opposing the Inhumans against the X-Men.

The X-Men and Inhumans have been on a collision course ever since the link was proven between the Inhumans’ precious Terrigen Mist and the sickness and death of many mutants. And when the Beast discovers that mutantkind has only two weeks left before planet Earth becomes completely uninhabitable for them, an Inhuman/mutant war is unavoidable!

It all begins with one choice, and the world will never be the same! New Attilan comes under attack, and the Inhumans won’t surrender without a fight – but when the X-Men target the Terrigen cloud, will that mean the end of the line for the entire Inhuman legacy? Karnak vs. Fantomex! Emma Frost vs. Medusa! The Nuhumans vs. Magneto! IVX delivers sensational set pieces and gargantuan grudge matches that promise to shatter the Marvel Universe as you know it!

What to read before Inhumans Vs X-Men?

Death Of X is a 4-part miniseries set a few months before the events. It’s roughly an introduction. It’s optional, but it’s a way to start if you are not familiar with this universe.

Read More »Inhumans Vs X-Men Reading Order (IvX)

The Marvel Comics Events and Crossovers List, from the ’80s Secret Wars to today

Marvel's Heroes Fall Under the Might of Knull in 'King in Black #2

Since the success of Secret Wars in the 1980s, Marvel Comics has produced many crossover stories combining characters from different comic series. This has become a significant part of both the business and the way stories are constructed. Even after the industry nearly went extinct following the speculator boom of the ’90s, major events and crossovers continued to multiply. Some are forgettable, while others have become integral to the overall mythology surrounding superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, and the X-Men.

This article is a list of crossover events involving superheroes and characters from different Marvel series, big and small. It will be updated with links to dedicated reading orders as they are published and, of course, with new entries as Marvel continues to announce more.

Read More »The Marvel Comics Events and Crossovers List, from the ’80s Secret Wars to today

Secret Empire Reading Order, the Evil Captain America crossover event from Marvel

  • by

Secret Empire Reading Order

Big Marvel crossover Written by Nick Spencer (with artists Rod Reis, Daniel Acuña, Steve McNiven, and Andrea Sorrentino) published between April and September 2017, Secret Empire is one of those Universe Redefining massive event. One that started with a huge twist, as it was revealed that Captain America is—pardon my French—a f***ing Hydra Agent!

Here is the official description of the event: Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty, is living a lie! The Cosmic Cube has remade the world’s greatest hero into a secret true believer in the cause of Hydra, wholly dedicated to its mission of progress through authority and unity through adversity! Now, using the trust and respect he’s been accorded by the great powers of the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers makes Hydra’s ideals a reality—and changes the landscape of the world dramatically! How will he take some of his biggest threats off the board? Who will remain to stand against him? And which heroes will fi ght on his side? Find out as the impossible becomes real! Hail Hydra!

What to read before Secret Empire?

This limited series event addresses the aftermath of the crossover event Avengers: Standoff! and the ongoing series Captain America: Steve Rogers, in which Captain America has been acting as a sleeper agent and covertly setting the stage to establish Hydra as the main world power.

So, before reading Secret Empire, maybe take a look at the time when we discovered that Cap is a member of Hydra. To do that, you have to read Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 1: Hail Hydra, and you can go after that to Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 2: The Trial of Maria Hill, and then Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 3: Empire Building. If you want to read what’s essential, Marvel published a book collecting exactly that:

  • Secret Empire Prelude
    Collects Captain America (2012) 21, 25; Captain America: Sam Wilson 7 (A story), 8; Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha, Omega; Captain America: Steve Rogers 1-2.

Read More »Secret Empire Reading Order, the Evil Captain America crossover event from Marvel