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X-Men: Reign of X Reading Order! (Hickman’s X-Men Pt. 2)

Following the beginning of Marvel’s Hickman era of X-Men in the Dawn of X and X of Swords event, the X-Men line of comics will move into the Reign of X, what is effectively the second part of life on Krakoa for the mutants.

Previously: Dawn of X

Previously: X of Swords

Reign of X promises an exciting post “Swords” era of X-Men comics, with mutants still living on their Krakoan island nation, but with growing numbers, power, and of course all the problems and villains that arise in the wake.

If you’re looking to get started with this era of X-Men, make sure to check out House of X / Powers of X before beginning the Reign of X, and again, you’ll likely want to check out portions of the Dawn of X guide linked above for part 1 of this reading order. In the meantime, you can check out my theories and predictions for the Reign of X based on Marvel’s promotional teasers!

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Collected Reign of X Trades:

Reign of X Vol. 1

Reign of X Vol. 2

Reign of X Vol. 3

Reign of X Vol. 4

Reign of X Vol. 5

Reign of X Vol. 6

Reign of X Vol. 7

Reign of X Vol. 8

Reign of X Vol. 9

Reign of X Vol. 10

Reign of X Vol. 11

Reign of X Vol. 12

Reign of X Vol. 13

Collected Reign of X Trades by Series

The below includes all the same comics as the above Reign of X collected editions, except you can pick and choose which series most interest you.

X-Men by Hickman Vol. 3

SWORD by Ewing Vol. 1

X-Force by Percy Vol. 3

Marauders by Duggan Vol. 3

Hellions by Wells Vol. 2

X-Factor by Williams Vol. 2

Wolverine by Percy Vol. 2

Cable by Duggan Vol. 2

Excalibur by Howard Vol. 3

New Mutants by Ayala Vol. 1

Children of the Atom by Ayala Vol. 1

Way of X by Spurrier vol. 1

X-Men: Hellfire Gala

SWORD by Ewing Vol. 2

X-Men by Duggan Vol. 1

Hellions by Wells Vol. 3

New Mutants by Ayala Vol. 2

Marauders by Duggan Vol. 4

X-Force by Percy Vol. 4

Wolverine by Percy Vol. 3

Excalibur by Howard Vol. 4

X-Men Trial of Magneto

X-Men Inferno by Hickman


Issue by Issue Reign of X Comics Checklist!

You can find full comic book reviews, analysis, and explanations via the Comic Book Herald Youtube Channel, and my ‘Krakin’ Krakoa’ series covering all things X-Men! Indented comics just means they aren’t part of our regularly scheduled X-Men line (but the stories include mutants!).

Hellions #7

X-Factor #5

Savage Avengers #15

Savage Avengers #16

Champions #3

Cable #7

While Cable #7 is published well after SWORD debuts, it makes more sense to me to read prior to the King in Black crossovers.

S.W.O.R.D. #1

King in Black #1

Technically, major members of the X-Men show up in Marvel’s King in Black event. It’s not worth reading for that reason alone, but given SWORD will tie into the event, it’s worth some awareness around what’s going on.

S.W.O.R.D. #2

Again, since SWORD is a King in Black tie-in, I’m recommending reading the issue alongside that event, which includes various X-characters (namely Storm!) who are doing all sorts of other things in other books! So my general thinking is let’s fit all of King in Black in here, and then proceed to the rest of the Reign of X, unless specific moments dictate otherwise.

King in Black: Marauders #1

Savage Avengers #18

Iceman, Bishop and Callisto all get to play a role in the Gerry Duggan written riff on Conan and Deadpool’s team-up during King in Black!

King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #2 to #4

Dani Moonstar has a strong supporting role!

S.W.O.R.D. #3

King in Black #4

S.W.O.R.D. #4

Marauders #16

Captain Marvel #24

Champions #4

Part of Marvel’s “Outlawed” crossover as well!

New Mutants #14

X-Force #15

Excalibur #16

X-Men #16

Wolverine #8

Hellions #8

X-Factor #6

Marauders #17

X-Force #16

New Mutants #15

Excalibur #17

X-Men #17

Wolverine #9

Wolverine #10

Hellions #9

X-Factor #7

Runaways #33

Runaways #34

Wolverine and Pixie show up to take Molly Hayes to Krakoa! The Rainbow Rowell written run is great, and this is a strong crossover.

X-Force #17

Excalibur #18

Marauders #18

Black Panther #23

Storm is present for the main “Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda” storyline written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, but in particular it’s the backup Storm feature by Saint Bodhi X-Fans will want to check out.

Cable #8

X-Men #18

X-Men #19

New Mutants #16

Hellions #10

Power Pack #4

Wolverine helps the Powers kids. Technically part of Marvel’s “Outlawed” crossover.

X-Factor #8

Children of the Atom #1

Excalibur #19

Excalibur #20

Cable #9

Marauders #19

Children of the Atom #2

Wolverine #11

X-Force #18

X-Force #19

Wolverine #12

SWORD #5

Way of X #1

Women of Marvel #1

Includes a handful of short stories set on Krakoa. Inessential but enjoyable for fans of characters like Jean Grey, Marrow, and Emma Frost.

Cable #10

New Mutants #17

Hellions #11

X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing

This is part 3 of the Steve Orlando written “Curse of the Man-Thing” mini, starring Krakoa’s Quiet Council and Magik and her Dark Riders. Note that the first two parts (Avengers, Spider-Man) don’t include much from mutants, but do include Hordeculture, so there’s some X-relevance!

X-Corp #1

Children of the Atom #3

X-Factor #9

Way of X #2

New Mutants #18

X-Men #20

Marauders #20

Hellfire Gala – Official Guide

Hellfire Gala (2021)

This link will take you to a reading order for the full Hellfire Gala crossover! Come back here when you’re done for the continuation of the Reign of X.

Marvel Voices: Pride #1

Elsewhere: Heroes Reborn (a few alternate reality mutant issues!)

X-Men #1

Marauders #22

Children of the Atom #5

Children of the Atom #6

Cable #11

Cable #12

Hellions #13

X-Force #21

X-Corp #3

Excalibur #22

New Mutants #20

Shang-Chi #3

Non-essential but features a Wolverine cameo

Wolverine #14

Wolverine #15

S.W.O.R.D. #7

Part of The Last Annihilation crossover!

Cable: Reloaded #1

Hellions #14

Hellions #15

X-Men #2

X-Force #22

Marauders #23

Marauders #24

X-Corp #4

X-Corp #5

New Mutants #21

X-Force #23

X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #1 to #4

Available exclusively via Marvel Unlimited. The first four issues are a short Wolverine story by Jonathan Hickman and Declan Shalvey. Inessential, and could be read pretty early in Krakoan continuity if desired. This approximates when the comics were released.

Way of X #4

Way of X #5

The Onslaught Revelation #1

X-Men #3

X-Men #4

SWORD #8

Wolverine #16

X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comics #5, #6, #7

Excalibur #23

Excalibur #24

SWORD #9

SWORD #10

SWORD #11

Wolverine #17

Wolverine #18

Wolverine #19

Marauders #25

Excalibur #25

Excalibur #26

X-Force #24

X-Force #25

X-Force #26

X-Men #5

Black Panther #3

X-Men #6

The Duggan X-Men can be seen next in a Devil’s Reign tie-in series, Devil’s Reign X-Men.

X-Men #7

Marauders #26

Marauders #27

Trial of Magneto #1

Trial of Magneto #2

New Mutants #22

New Mutants #23

Hellions #16

Hellions #17

Hellions #18

Trial of Magneto #3

Trial of Magneto #4

Trial of Magneto #5

Next: Inferno!

Next: X Lives of Wolverine / X Deaths of Wolverine

X Lives of Wolverine / X Deaths of Wolverine Reading Order

X Lives of Wolverine #1

X Deaths of Wolverine #1

X Lives of Wolverine #2

X Deaths of Wolverine #2

X Lives of Wolverine #3

X Deaths of Wolverine #3

X Lives of Wolverine #4

X Deaths of Wolverine #4

X Lives of Wolverine #5

X Deaths of Wolverine #5

Next: Destiny of X

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View Comments (40)

  • X-Force #19

    Wolverine #12. How this queue is possible? Hank was unconscious in X-force but suddenly we saw in wolverine healthy.

  • So, is it okay if I just read the collected editions of RoX until 11 and then read hellfire gala and then continue with RoX 12 and go straight into inferno, x lives / x deaths and so on?

    the issue by issue stuff just confuses me and I like reading collected editions..

  • I think the X-Corp TPB is missing from the TPB reading order. Where about would that fall?

  • Reign of X Vol. 1

    Reign of X Vol. 2
    Reign of X Vol. 3
    Reign of X Vol. 4
    Reign of X Vol. 5
    Reign of X Vol. 6
    Reign of X Vol. 7
    Reign of X Vol. 8
    Reign of X Vol. 9
    Reign of X Vol. 10

    THEN :
    Reign of X Vol. 11

    Reign of X Vol. 11 & Reign of X Vol. 12 = Hellfire Gala red Carpet Edition so If you are collecting all the Reign of X DO NOT BUY HELLFIRE GALA RED CARPET - X Vol. 11 & Reign of X Vol. 12 CONTAINS THE ENTIRE HELLFIRE GALA RED CARPET EDITION.

    Reign of X Vol. 14

    Reign of X Vol. 15 :
    TRIAL OF MAGNETO STARTS WITHIN THIS BOOK SO JUST LIKE HELLFIRE GALA YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY TRIAL OF MAGNETO PAPERBACK IF YOU ARE COLLECTING REIGN OF X

    Reign of X Vol. 16:
    COLLECTING: Cable: Reloaded (2021) 1, X-Men: Trial of Magneto (2021) 3-5, Wolverine (2020) 14
    TRIAL OF MAGNETO WILL END HERE

  • Can I ask why Trial of Magneto is so late in the order? I'm starting it where you said to but it really seems like it's supposed to be read right after Hellfire Gala.

    • Looking at the upcoming TPBs, Hellfire Gala runs through Reign of X vol 12-14, and Trial of Magneto in Reign of X vol 15-16. I agree, it should be much earlier in this list.

  • Can you do one with all the TPBs? That's the easiest way to buy them all for me. (Set it out like the Dawn Of X TPB section?)

    • Yeah! That’s just what I was looking for. With all the remembering and new titles and everything, it’s hard to track the tpb reading order. Thanks for your work on this site!

  • Looks like these are missing from the reading order:
    SWORD 11, Wolverine 19, Excalibur 26, X-Force 26, Marauders Annual, and X-Men 7 —I stuck them after the respective previous issue of each series for the time being, but wanted to check and see if you think that's the best placement. Thanks! And thanks for all the hard work you do here!

  • Hi, so i was surfing amazion and saw they have reign of x tpb. would u suggest just reading these in order?

  • So, X-Force 22 and 23 and CotA 6 are not in the reading order and it also seems to have skipped Excalibur 23 but has 24. Everything else looks good. This has been such a great help in keeping up with this whole run. Really appreciate your efforts!

  • Any idea where the X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic fits into all this? I've read that it's canon... I feel like there are probably events in the comic that would timestamp it well, but I'm just starting on my Hickman read-through and would like to get everything in order before I get there.

    Thanks!

  • Hello,
    I'm reading Hickman's run essentially on TPB, do you have any suggestion if i need to read a series before or after all the others for Reign of X era and the road to Hellfire Gala ?
    I don't care if it's minor.
    As an example, a significant thing could be to read X-Force 1-3 before any other tpb of DoX period.
    Thank you

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