Marvel NOW! Reading Order

Updated: January 13, 2017
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Marvel NOW! and All-New Marvel NOW! Reading Order

Below you will find a list of issues in optimal reading order for the Marvel NOW! marketing initiative from Marvel Comics.

What is Marvel NOW?

The Marvel NOW! initiative is the marketing brand associated to a series of creative shifts and new title launches for Marvel Comics following their Avengers vs. X-Men event in 2012. Issues within the initiative were clearly marked with trade dress containing a red bar on the bottom of the cover. Titles that weren’t relaunched or changed significantly also had the Marvel NOW! trade dress, though they never had the official NOW! logo on their covers. These issues are marked as “Red” in the reading order below, while true “NOW!” books are marked with NOW! for filtering purposes.

What’s part of the Marvel NOW! Reading Order?

The reading order below includes all of the above mentioned issues, as well as issues published at the same time that have important events pertaining to the Marvel NOW! books (AvX Consequences and Spider-Man Dying Wish detail important changes that occur between NOW! books). Also, recent events shed the Marvel NOW! trade dress temporarily, and marked as being considered NOW! books despite its absence. All-New Marvel NOW! titles, representing the second phase of the initiative, will also be marked to designate their distinct title.

State of the Marvel NOW! Reading Order

This is a draft with most issues included. This list has not been “audited”, though your comments are welcomed. A read-through of select runs will be completed by December for another, more complete, update. However, this reading order should be “good enough” for most readers, who are looking just get the events in right order without skipping over key moments.

Some books may seem to have a strange placement, such as Young Avengers, which has its last issue placed alongside issues that were published nearly a year before. Since the final issue takes place on New Year’s Eve, we placed it before the Hawkeye series were Kate leaves for Los Angeles (where she currently resides) and therefore alongside the FF and Fantastic Four issues that takes place at that time, and not near the year-end 2013 Avengers issues published at the same time.

And, Yes, New Avengers #1-4 is placed after Avengers #1. Chronologically, they do come before, but the reveal in New Avengers #4 is a quick payoff to seed planted in Avengers #1, and reading them in chronological order removes the mystery (and the fun).

The reading order now goes up to Last Days, but not into Secret Wars, which will be dealt with seperately -> Here: Marvel Secret Wars reading order

For those wondering about the order to read current or recently ended arcs, I would suggest just following the publication dates. The order of issues near the end of the list are subject (and entirely likely) to change. This list only gets an update every few months, so no need to inquire when/if it will be updated.


Marvel NOW! Reading Order

Continue to the Marvel Secret Wars reading order

56 thoughts on “Marvel NOW! Reading Order”

  3. Hi this is awesome and helps a ton. I was wondering if at any point you have considered a filter, so that each user could select a few series and see their order rather than having to sieve through every issue of everything. I’m not sure how hard that would be to implement, but it would be epic.

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  4. Is it true that Age of Ultron takes place right in the middle of the Marvel NOW line? I thought it was kinda of the catalyst for Marvel NOW…

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    1. Avengers vs. X-Men was the catalyst. Age of Ultron has tie-ins with Marvel NOW books that were around the 7-8th issue range.

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  5. Thank you so much for this list! I’ve been trying to find one that stays updated and you’ve just updated today so YAY. I just have a question, though – for the ‘Original Sin’ Event, I don’t see a lot of the tie-in issues, ie Hulk vs. Iron Man, Thor & Loki: The Tenth Realm. Will those be added or are those not being counted? Thanks!

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  6. The way you have New Avengers now in the order is a bit off. Looks like as of issue 19 they mostly happen after issue 29 of Avengers, as Cap ‘knows’ about certain stuff from then on which is essential to the story! GREAT READING LIST HOWEVER, so this is just a minor thing that bugged me. This is my main source for following marvel now aside from event specific reading orders! So thanks!

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    1. I just read those issues, and I believe that the events of Avengers #29 (with Cap’s “reveal) should come after the Illuminati’s showdown with the Great Society in New Avengers #19-23. There are also a few cues regarding certain characters that make those New Avengers issues placed before Original Sin.

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      1. the events of New Avengers #19-29 have to take place after All-New Invaders #8 since we see Banner joining the Illuminati in Invaders #8 as a continuation of the same scene near the end of Avengers #28….. that means that the showdown with the Great society takes place after the current story arc since there has been no break for Namor since Invaders #8…. this places the Great Society battle at least in the middle of Original Sin since Invaders #6,7 are Original Sin tie-ins

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  8. I think The Secret Origin of Tony Stark should be placed before the Prelude to Infinity issues. I finally read the whole Secret Origin of Tony Stark story and the last issue has a really large time-jump, so the arc could work a lot earlier in the NOW! order, depending on how it syncs with Guardians of the Galaxy (which I don’t pick up every month), Tony says he is on a break from the Guardians at the beginning of the arc, and the arc does end with him returning to Earth. New Avengers 8’s first pages are Reed and Tony discussing Tony’s return from space.

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  9. Great guide, I’ve been using it for awhile. A couple of notes: Deadpool 29 is a part of Original Sin, yet you have it earlier in the list (not sure if that was intentional or not). You have the Iron Man Annual listed twice (the first instance I believe is out of order. Finally, you have Original Sin 3.5 listed, but the 3.x series went through 3.4.

    Thank you very much for the exhaustive list!

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  10. your placement of Infintiy, Battle of the Atom and the majority of Uncanny Avengers is off in relation to each other……. It should be Infinity, Apocaylpse Twins/Planet X, then Battle of the Atom…..

    the reasoning behind this…… the entire Uncanny arc that starts in #7 and carries all the way to #22 (this should not be broken as the team never has any time to be anywhere else during this whole arc) ends with Wonder Man trapped in Rogues body, and then she is put into stasis until they pull her out in Uncanny Avengers #23 some time later. Since Wonder man appears in Infinity in one of the Avengers Assemble tie-ins with Wasp and Scarlet Witch, this means that Infinity has to take place before the big Uncanny Avengers arc were he gets trapped.

    Now because of this, we will then have Wolverine appearing after Infinity with his healing factor still working in the big Uncanny Avengers arc. so this means that the entire Wolverine v6 has to take place right after Uncanny Avengers and deffinitly after Infinity.

    And this answers why Battle of the Atom has to take place after Infinity and the Uncanny Avengers arc, because Wolverine does not have his healing factor in Battle of the Atom.

    I would also argue that the new placement of Uncanny Avengers also justifies placing Captain America #1 thru 11 after Infinity as well, due to the comment he makes to Wasp in the Uncanny Avengers arc when they are trying to stop the tachyon dam the first time that he has only been back from Dimension Z for a couple days…… there is no way that these titles should be spread super far apart from each other…. I know the argument of Cap’s costume, but that is easier to explain away then dialogue from him that confirms that it just happened right before the apocalypse twins story arc…….

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  11. this would also place the first 12 issue of All-New X-Factor after Infinity but before the big Uncanny Avengers arc since Havok is also in stasis from the end of Uncanny Avengers #22, not to mention that his face is permanently deformed after #22….. this mean all his appearances in X-Factor have to take place before he gets deformed which means they have to take place before the Uncanny Avengers Arc…..

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  12. As to March to AXIS you are a little off……

    this is a much more fluid read

    1. Uncanny Avengers #23
    2. Captain America #22
    3. Captain America #23
    4. Captain America #24 (MtA)
    5. Captain America #25 (MtA)
    6. Loki: Agent of Asgard #6 (MtA)
    7. Magneto #9 (MtA)
    8. Uncanny Avengers #24 (MtA)
    9. Magneto #10 (MtA)
    10. Uncanny Avengers #25 (MtA)
    11. Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #1

    I would squeeze anything Death of Wolverine related directly after Uncanny Avengers #23 also, since everything, including the tie-ins need to take place before AXIS and the big battle on Genosha……

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  13. the reason for placing Uncanny Avengers #23 before Captain America #22-25 is becuase that arc ends in #25 with Rogue and Sunfire both very specifically seen out of stasis in this issue when they announce the new captain america

    also my mistake, Death of Wolverine has to take place after Uncanny Avengers #24 as Logan is seen in that issue

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  15. First six issues of Nova happens even before AvX so they should be pushed earlier in order.
    The first Deadpool Annual happens before the first issue of the series and is used to retcon OOC behaviour in previous run.

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    1. Indestructible Hulk mentions that Hulk wasn’t seen for a long time, so it should happen before Avengers, especially because he has his SHIELD bioarmor there.
      Iron Man has his new armor in serious action (so its not really testing) and is seen in person so beginning issues of Avengers, New Avengers and Hulk should fall somewhere in the middle of the Believe arc, especially that it shows that there were breaks in hunting Extremis 2.0 guys. Also NA 1-3 -> Avengers 1-4 -> Spider -> A 5 -> NA 4-6 -> A 6-9 -> EW makes much more sense than what is there now, as it makes better use of breaks in storytelling.

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  16. Hi there!

    Great list! I’m trying to catch up with the X-men titles and this was really helpful.
    When are you going to update the list?

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  17. Thank you for this helpuf list!! I was wondering where AND when to start reading this new re-launch!! Could you add a filter for the date so it will be easier to read the titles published week per week?? Or just add a week number for each issue and a filter on it (Iknow, it’s a HUUUUUUGE lot of work to do!! ^^). Anyway, this actual list will help me to buy the correct issues (or trades) in a weekly chronomogical order!!! Again, THANK YOU!!!!

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  18. Hey thanks so much for the list it has really helped a lot. I just noticed this and I might be wrong but I think Mighty Avengers #10 should be placed during the Original Sin event.

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  21. We need an update soon 🙁 there is not a single list as conprehensive as this anywhere! And Marvel hardly publishes in chronilogical oder -_-

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  22. There are some lapses in this reading order 1st the issue #1 of Avengers takes place before New Avengers #1, the correct order is New Avengers 1 to 3 then Avengers takes place after that.

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    1. That is the chronological order, yes. However, it reads better with Avengers #1 before New Avengers #3, as the mystery surrounding Cap’s bad dream is supposed to be a mystery. Putting it in chronological order removes that small mystery for first time readers, and those types of foreshadowing/flashback reveals are an important feature of Hickman’s books.

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      1. I think that make sense. I just wonder about Thor, well you know in the last issue/s of Original Sin, Nick Fury Sr. whispered something to Thor that makes him unworthy of wielding the Mjolnir, but in the last issues of Captain America where Zola tried to invade New York he still wields the Mjolnir. So it really bugs me, is there a explanation about this?

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        1. I believe it was just a publishing error. It’s best not to get too caught up in those things, since you can easily take Mjolnir-wielding Thor out of that equation.

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          1. Well. I’m trying to get over that Mjolnir issue of Thor. I just finished reading the Black Vortex arc and I think Guardians Team-Up #1 & #2 should be placed further back just after the events of AXIS maybe? Because Guardians Team-Up #3 happens within the Black Vortex story arc.

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  23. Hi! Love the List By The Way! Just wondering when you’re going to update, because I’m really hyped for all the new stuff I’ve got ready to read. I’m assuming you’re going to wait until Time Runs Out, or even Secret Wars, before you update, however could you please update BEFORE Secret Wars, because, as it’s got so many tie-ins, Secret Wars is going to take a long time to put together a smooth order for. Thanks!

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    1. I just updated last week. As mentioned repeatedly, I won’t update for just the latest batch of books, as the reading order is too fluid, and if you are reading books that new, just read them in publication order.

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  24. This list is amazing, I rely on it so much. Thank you for doing this and please keep it up. I personally don’t mind when you update it as I’m way behind anyway, but I used this to catch up.

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  25. There is a misspelling; it says “All-New Casptain America” Where it should be ‘Captain’. Just letting you know! 😀

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  26. Hi,

    Thanks you for this work

    Could you tell me if you will continue this list by including the Secret War event ?

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    1. I will probably end this right up to Secret Wars, and have a separate Secret Wars page, then an All-New All-Different list after that.

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  27. thank you so much for putting this list together. I owe all my reading of comics to you. I would like to donate to you if that helps this amazing site going

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  28. Hi there! I already said it, but this is an awesome list :D!
    One question: Is there any way I can import this list nicely in Excel or Word?

    Reply

  30. Thanks for the list!!!
    2 things:
    In the “Last Days” section, should Silk 6 not be Silk 7? Silk 7 is the last days issue. Silk 6 can then maybe join into the “Spider-Verse Aftermath” Section?

    And then I was wondering about the placement of Guardians Team-Up 9 and 10 which is not on your list..best to add them with the others under “Black Vortex Prelude”?

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  32. Seriously amazing list! It’s impressive enough that Marvel created such a dense set of stories and crossovers in the 3 years between AvX and Secret Wars, but I’m even more impressed that you’ve been able to successfully catalog individual issues in chronological and logical reading order, considering the variables and inconsistencies between titles. I’m confused about one problem, and the answer might be as simple as “suspension of disbelief, man!” In the mega tie-in of Uncanny Avengers, Cap’s solo title, NA and Avengers, Cap becomes ‘aware’ by the end of Original Sin followed by the Infinite Avengers storyline propelling Cap into the future while he’s still young, but the Iron Nail storyline from solo CA takes place before that, right? Was it an issue of spoilers? Remender’s books seem to line up, as do Hickman’s, but they don’t seem to match one another IMHO. Again, INCREDIBLE work on this list!

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  34. Magneto 13-17 have to take place BEFORE AXIS, because In issue 15, Sabretooth is clearly a murderous animal, while in AXIS he remained ‘reversed’ and became a good guy

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  36. A couple of things:
    1) Secret Avengers 1-5 (2013) should not be so late in the list. In #5 Maria Hill becomes Director of Shield, so it should be placed before Indestructible Hulk #1.
    2) Bruce Banner is seen healing Captain America in Captain America #11, but in Indestructible Hulk #1 he has been missing for a month. So the whole Captain America Dimension Z arc should be after Indestructible Hulk #1.

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    1. To add to this, I think the question of Cap’s costume just has to be ignored. Yes, he’s wearing his old costume when he enters Dimension Z but there is simply no way to justify that Dimension Z occurs before even AvX: Consequences. Too many thing don’t line up.

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  37. Nobody notice that “Death of Wolverine Deadpool & Captain America” plays after “Wolverine and the X-Men 2nd series #10” and “Storm 3rd series #4” ?
    Logans room is nearly untouched in this issues and destroyed in “Death of Wolverine Deadpool & Captain America” .

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  39. Actually New Avengers #7 should take place after the beginning of the Fantastic Four series, despite Reed’s appearance. It doesn’t make any sense of course, but it is directly referenced and hand waved in the issue so there you go.

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