Angela has a complicated history, this time not because of convoluted plots or time-travel shenanigans. She started as an Image Comics character, but Neil Gaiman sued Todd McFarlane for some of his characters’ ownership and won the battle for Angela’s rights. After that, Neil Gaiman sold her to Marvel.
In Image, she was part of Spawn and was an Angel that started as an enemy of the titular character. She gained a lot of popularity, receiving many solo series and crossovers with other characters from the universe. She also became an ally of Spawn, appearing in a lot of his issues. Her last appearance was in a fight against Malebolgia, one of Spawn’s greatest enemies and his creator, in Spawn #100.
Later, in 2013, she was reintroduced in the Marvel Universe. Despite receiving a new origin, she still has many similarities. Her name is still Angela, her costume is pretty much the same (although it has seen a few more changes throughout the years), and she is an angel created to hunt evil creatures. Her new origin also makes her part of Thor’s family, so they have a few adventures together. Here’s hoping Al Ewing makes great use of her in Immortal Thor.
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Spawn
Collects: Spawn #7-9, #11-14
Many incredible writers have written Spawn, and the one who creates Angela is Neil Gaiman himself. He starts the story in a distant past, presenting her mythology, mission, and characteristics, like her strength and smarts. However, that also shows how much we don’t know about Spawn.
Although Angela’s first appearance is rather anti-climatic, she already shows potential. The angels (and their distinct interest in hunting Spawn) are a good addition to the Spawn universe.
Angela Cut (Every issue she’s in): Spawn #9.
Collects: Angela #1-3, Angela Special #1
Neil Gaiman comes back to write Angela’s first solo series. After the events of Spawn #9, Angela is hunting a dragon on her birthday, but celebrations are interrupted when the other angels accuse her of treason. While she tries to understand why she’s on trial, some of her friends ask Spawn for help.
Collects: Spawn #27-32
Angela Cut: Spawn #30-31.
“Rage of Angels” hasn’t been collected yet. The order is:
Angela/Glory: Rage of Angels #1, Youngblood #6, Team Youngblood #21, Glory #10, Maximage #4, Glory & Angela: Angels in Hell #1.
Curse of the Spawn, Book 3: Shades of Gray
Collects: Curse of the Spawn #9-11, #29
Angela Cut: Curse of the Spawn #9-11.
The Best Of Curse Of The Spawn
Collects: Curse of the Spawn #1-8, #12-16, #20-29
Angela Cut: Curse of the Spawn #15.
Collects: Spawn #57-62
Angela Cut: Spawn #62.
Collects: Spawn #63-68
Angela Cut: Spawn #65.
Collects: Spawn #87-92
Angela Cut: Spawn #89.
Collects: Aria-Angela #1-2
Collects: Spawn #93-98
Urizen, a demon older than memory, is set free from his prison. Having such a powerful force attack the Earth is already as bad as it seems, but Spawn and Angela also must prepare for a possible Armageddon.
Angela Cut: Spawn #96-98.
Collects: Spawn #99-104
Angela’s final issues in the Spawn comics mark a great battle against Malebolgia.
Angela Cut: Spawn #99-101
Marvel Universe
Collects: Avengers #12.1, Age of Ultron #1-10
Angela comes to the Marvel universe knowing less about what happened than us. To destroy Ultron, Wolverine messed with the space-time continuum, affecting the multiverse in many ways. And that was the perfect move to bring Angela to a new world.
Angela Cut: Age of Ultron #10.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2: Angela
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #4-10
Gamora intercepts a strange being, the only one from their species in the known universe, and stops them from reaching Earth. The thing is, Angela is the alien, and she knows as much as the Guardians about her current situation. After the usual superhero fight, Angela tells them she is an Angel from Heven, where everyone learns the art of hunting.
It’s great that this part of her story remains because if you had liked her in Spawn, there’s a great chance you’ll enjoy her comics in the Marvel universe too.
As Peter Quill sympathizes and helps her, Angela returns his kindness by saving the Guardians from Thanos’ forces. She quickly joins the team and starts searching for a way to return home.
Angela Cut: Guardians of the Galaxy #5-10.
Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #11-13, All-New X-Men #22-24
To stop Cyclops’ revolution, Beast brought the original X-Men from the past. That obviously only brings more trouble, and one of the problems it causes is Gladiator announcing the Shi’ar will put young Jean Grey on trial for the crimes her future self committed as the Phoenix. The Guardians participate in the battle with the mutants to save her.
All-New X-Men Volume 5: One Down
Collects: All-New X-Men #25-30
Angela Cut: All-New X-Men #26.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3: Guardians Disassembled
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #14-17, Free Comic Book Day 2014 (Guardians Of The Galaxy) 1, Amazing Spider-Man #654 (B story), Captain Marvel (2012) #1
Angela Cut: Guardians of the Galaxy #16-17.
Rocket Raccoon Vol. 1: A Chasing Tale
Collects: Rocket Raccoon #1-6
Angela Cut: Rocket Raccoon #1.
Original Sin: Thor & Loki – The Tenth Realm
Collects: Original Sin: Thor & Loki #1-5
After the Watcher is found dead, tons of secrets about the heroes’ lives are revealed, including the fact Thor had a sister. We finally get the full picture of Angela’s past and why she couldn’t go back to her world, a realm banished by the Asgardians.
Original Sin makes her seem even more like a part of the Marvel universe and strengthens her lore with new elements, relationships, plot points, and possible future conflicts.
Angela: Asgard’s Assassin Vol. 1: Priceless
Collects: Angela: Asgard’s Assassin #1-6
Definitely one of the best stories of the character, Angela: Asgard’s Assassin follows the titular character and her friend Sera after Angela kidnaps Odin’s new daughter.
Understanding why they are doing that is great, but it’s so good because the writers go deep into Angela’s psyche. What debt means to her is sometimes played as funny but also as a characteristic that means everything to her. It’s involved in all relationships she has, including Sera, another high point of the reading.
For every comic fan searching for it, Sera is another example of good trans representation in the medium. Her presence also shows a different side to Angela and deepens our comprehension of Heven’s culture.
Loki: Agent of Asgard Vol. 3: Last Days
Collects: Loki: Agent of Asgard #12-17
Angela Cut: Loki: Agent of Asgard #12.
Thor Vol. 2: Who Holds the Hammer?
Collects: Thor (2014) #6-8, Annual 1, What If? (1977) #10
Angela Cut: Thor (2014) #7-8.
Collects: 1602 Witch Hunter Angela #1-4, 1602 #1
Collects: Guardians of Knowhere #1-4, New Avengers: Illuminati #3
Angela Cut: Guardians of Knowhere #1, #3.
Collects: Angela: Queen Of Hel #1-7
After learning Sera’s whereabouts, Angela goes to Hel to save her beloved. The story further details and explores their relationship and has some beautiful moments between the two. If you wanna see them together or Angela killing and conquering whatever she needs to see Sera, this is the comic for you.
Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 2 – Wanted
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy (2015) #6-10
Angela Cut: Guardians of the Galaxy (2015) #9-10.
Collects: Civil War II #0-8, Free Comic Book Day 2016
Angela Cut: Civil War II #4-5.
Guardians Of The Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 3
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #11-14, material from Free Comic Book Day 2016 (Civil War II)
Angela Cut: Guardians of the Galaxy #11-12.
Mighty Thor Vol. 3: The Asgard/Shi’ar War
Collects: Mighty Thor #13-19
Angela Cut: Mighty Thor #13-14.
Guardians of the Galaxy: New Guard Vol. 4: Grounded
Collects: Guardians of the Galaxy #15-19
Angela Cut: Guardians of the Galaxy #16, #18-19.
Asgardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1: The Infinity Armada
Collects: Asgardians Of The Galaxy #1-5
Asgardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: War of the Realms
Collects: Asgardians of the Galaxy #6-10
Collects: War of the Realms (2019) #1-6, War of the Realms Omega (2019) #1, War of the Realms: War Scrolls (2019) #1-3, War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Land of the Giants (2019) #1, War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Dark Elf Realm (2019) #1, War of the Realms Strikeforce: The War Avengers (2019) #1; Giant-Man (2019) #1-3, War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery (2019) #1-5, Spider-Man & the League of Realms (2019) #1-3, War of the Realms: The Punisher (2019) #1-3, War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men (2019) #1-3, War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas (2019) #1-4, Asgardians of the Galaxy (2018) #8-10, Tony Stark: Iron Man (2018) #12-13, Venom (2018) #13-15, Thor (2018) #8-16, Avengers (2018) #18-20, Captain Marvel (2019) #6-7, Champions (2019) #5-6, Deadpool (2018) #13-14, Fantastic Four (2018) #10, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #43, Superior Spider-Man (2019) #7-8, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015b) #43-46
Angela Cut: Thor #8, Asgardians of the Galaxy #8-9, War of the Realms #5, Asgardians of the Galaxy #10, War of the Realms #6, Thor #16.
Collects: Strikeforce #1-5
Amazing Spider-Man by Nick Spencer Vol. 8: Threats & Menaces
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #37-43
Angela Cut: Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #38.
Collects: Marvel’s Voices: Pride (2021) #1, King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling (2021) #1, material from Marvel’s Voices (2020) #1, United States of Captain America (2021) #1
Angela Cut: Marvel’s Voices (2020) #1, Marvel’s Voices: Pride (2021) #1.
Spider-Woman Vol. 1: Bad Blood
Collects: Spider-Woman (2020) #1-5
Angela Cut: Spider-Woman (2020) #1.
Collects: Strikeforce (2019) #6-9, War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Dark Elf Realm (2019) #1
Angela Cut: Strikeforce (2019) #6-9.
Thor by Donny Cates Vol. 3: Revelations
Collects: Thor (2020) #15-18, Thor Annual (2021) #1
Angela and Freyja know Thor is having problems reigning Asgard and using Mjolnir, so they come to his aid and make him understand what needs to be done.
Angela Cut: Thor (2020) #16-17.
Thor by Donny Cates Vol. 4: God of Hammers
Collects: Thor (2020) #19-24
Angela Cut: Thor (2020) #20, #22-24.
Collects: Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha (2022) #1, Thor (2020) #25-26, Hulk (2021) #7-8
Angela Cut: Thor (2020) #25.
Collects: Marvel’s Voices: Pride (2022) #1
View Comments (3)
I'm looking to start reading Angela's Marvel run. Is it worth starting with Avengers 12.1, or should I just start with Age of ultron?
I’ve just done this read through. I started with the Guardians of the Galaxy TP, it gives you a brief overview as Angela is introduced to the team. I then read Original Sin, Angela: Assassin of Asgard and then Angela: Queen of Hel (Angela’s ahead of its time truncated 7 issue ongoing). There is also a mini series Angela: Witch Hunter 1602 which is not a necessary read but is alternate universe Angela and ties into Queen of Hel (briefly and the exposition explains her reintroduction). I’m now thinking of tracking down her most recent single issue appearances but could easily leave off where I’m at now having just finished Queen of Hel run.
She should've stayed with Spawn