There are a whole lotta great comics in between Civil War and Secret Invasion, and I’ve highlighted them all for you below. The below timeline includes Tony Stark’s Initiative following Civil War, as well as some universe wide events like Silent War and World War Hulk. All before driving to Secret Invasion!
I’d highlight a handful of comics that made my best 100 stories of the millennium as well. Check out Spider-Man: Back in Black, Thunderbolts, Immortal Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, Nextwave, and Silver Surfer: Requiem for some personal favorites that were published during this era.
Previously: Civil War
Issues: Incredible Hulk #92 to #95, Giant-Size Hulk #1, Incredible Hulk #96 to #105
Support For Comic Book Herald:
Comic Book Herald is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a qualifying affiliate commission.
Comic Book Herald’s reading orders and guides are also made possible by My Marvelous Year club support on Patreon, and generous reader donations.
Any size contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Support CBH’s My Marvelous Year on Patreon for exclusive rewards, or Donate here! Thank you for reading!
Note: Planet Hulk will take you up to World War Hulk, which is an event included below. Additionally, a number of the series below will hit World War Hulk tie-ins in the middle of the run (typically I will note which issues apply). My recommendation is to read until you approach a WWH tie-in, move on to the next series, rinse and repeat until you hit World War Hulk. You can then return and finish the series.
Issues: #15 to #32
Note that issues #19 and #20 are World War Hulk tie-ins.
Civil War: Fallen Son – The Death of Captain America
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #26 to #45
Issues: #1 to #11
Issues: #1 to #13
WWH tie-ins in issue #4 and #5.
Issues: #1 to #10
Matt Fraction writes this Initiative tie-in!
Issues: #539 to #545
Back in Black through “One More Day.”
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Issues: #17 to #24
One More Day tie-in w/ final issue.
Issues: #35 to #41
One More Day tie-in w/ final issue.
Issues: #26 to #37
Issues: #110 to #121
Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato put together one of my favorite Marvel series, and one of the most influential bits of continuity for the next 3 years.
Issues: #4 to #23
Punisher #12 is WWH tie-in.
Issues: #1 to #12
Begins before Civil War, during Wolverine: Enemy of the State
Issues: #475 to #486
Hey, what’s up with the X-Men? Rise and Fall of the Sh’iar Empire fits reasonably nicely in this time period, although note that you may have already covered those issues during Decimation!
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #6
Warren Ellis! Salvador Larroca!
Issues: #9 to #24
Issues: #13 to #24
Brian K Vaughn and Adrian Alphona Runaways era ends!
Issues: #25 to #30
Joss Whedon Runaways era begins!
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #33 to #43
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #16 to #32
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #24
Issues: #6 to #12
Issues: #16 to #24
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #33 to #50
Issues: #90 to #100
Issues: #6 to #35
Ghost Rider #12 and #13 are WWH tie-ins. I would say to just go ahead and read the full series once you start Jason Aaron’s run beginning with Ghost Rider #20. If memory serves there is no Secret Invasion crossover.
Issues: Ghost Rider Heaven’s on Fire #1 to #6
Issues: #15 to #30
Issues: #11 to #25
Issues: #50 to #72, Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant Size #1
Takes you through the ultimate Sabertooth showdown, Jason Aaron’s “Man in the Pit” and “Get Mystique” and the alternate reality “Old Man Logan.”
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #10 to #32
Issues #25 to #27 are Messiah CompleX tie-ins.
Issues: #4 to #15
Issues #11 to #15 are WWH tie-ins.
Silent War
Issues: #1 to #6
Mentioned in the Complete Marvel Reading Order main guide, but mentioning again here so it doesn’t get lost.
Issues: #1
World War Hulk
Issues: #113 to #116
Note that if you’re looking at the trades, these Hercules issues are packaged alongside the World War Hulk Incredible Hulk tie-ins. Minorly confusing, I know.
Issues: #1 to #9
Issues: #487 to #491
Takes you right up to Messiah CompleX.
Messiah CompleX
Issues: #200 to #207
Issues #205 to #207 are Messiah CompleX tie-ins. Note that the Messiah CompleX link above will provide the issue by issue event reading order.
Uncanny X-Men: Divided We Stand
Issues: #495 to #499
Issues: #208 to #219
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #11
Issues: #88 to #115
Issues: #1 to #12
You could just as easily read this prior to Civil War, but it occurs to me I haven’t included in the guide yet and this is a top 100 best stories pick with no hesitation.
Issues: #1 to #27
Once you begin, if you enjoy (and this is top 100 best story pick), you can just carry on through to the end.
Issues: #1 to #9
Issues: #544 to #561
Spider-Man: Brand New Day: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Issues: Amazing Spider-Man #546 to #564
Amazing Spider-Man started shipping, like, daily after “One More Day,” meaning there are a BOATLOAD of issues to read over a relatively shorter publication timeframe.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Issues: Amazing Spider-Man #565 to #577, Annual (2008) #1
Issues: #26 to #38
Issues: #1 to #5
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #1 to #16
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #1 to #13
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #12
Issues: #1 to #15
Nova will inevitably fit better with the Marvel Cosmic reading order.
Annihilation Conquest
Issues: #1 to #3
Pretty quickly swallowed up by Secret Invasion, and definitely fits better with the Marvel Cosmic guide.
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK’s 11
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #6
Shanna, The She-Devil: Survival of the Fittest
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #10
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #4
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #8
Issues: #1 to #18
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #3
Issues: #1 to #6
X-Factor: The Quick and The Dead
Issues: #1
Issues: #1 to #12
Issues: #1 to #7
Issues: #1 to #5
Issues: #1 to #6
Issues: #1 to #5
Next: Secret Invasion
Heroically Support Comic Book Herald!
If you like Comic Book Herald, and are able to donate, any small contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Donate here! Or, support CBH’s My Marvelous Year on Patreon for exclusive rewards! Thank you for reading!
Leave a Reply