Why “start at issue #1 of everything” does not work
Marvel’s shared universe began with Fantastic Four #1 in 1961, and most of its big characters have been relaunched, renumbered or retold many times since. There is no single reading order for “all of Marvel”, and reading from the beginning is rarely how new readers enjoy it.
A better plan is to pick one character or one complete story, read it in a collected edition, then follow the creators or the character you liked. These starting books each need no earlier reading. If you are unsure, a library copy is a free and easy way to try a first volume before you spend anything.
Daredevil: Born Again
Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli
A hard-boiled story that breaks down Matt Murdock's life.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Chris Claremont, John Byrne
A story about a future that the X-Men try to prevent.
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal
G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona
A teenager in Jersey City gets shape-shifting powers and has to work out who she wants to be.
Marvels
Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross
A photojournalist's view of Marvel's early superheroes.
Street-level stories: Daredevil, Hawkeye and Captain America
Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli is a hard-boiled story that breaks down Matt Murdock’s life, and it is often the first recommendation for readers who like Marvel’s street-level heroes. For a lighter start, Daredevil by Mark Waid Vol. 1 is a friendly way into the character.
Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and David Aja follows Clint Barton’s day-to-day life when he is not Avenging. Captain America: The Winter Soldier by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting is a spy-thriller take on Captain America.
Daredevil by Mark Waid, Vol. 1
Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera
Collects the first six issues of Mark Waid’s Daredevil run, a friendly way into the character.
Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
Matt Fraction, David Aja
Clint Barton's day-to-day life when he is not Avenging.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection
Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting
A spy-thriller era of Captain America.
The X-Men
Chris Claremont’s run on Uncanny X-Men, from the mid-1970s to 1991, is the foundation of most later X-Men storytelling. X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga by Claremont and John Byrne and X-Men: Days of Future Past, a story about a future the team tries to prevent, are two of its most referenced stories. God Loves, Man Kills is a graphic novel about prejudice.
For something newer, New X-Men by Grant Morrison, Vol. 1 starts a run without years of backstory, Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday is a self-contained modern run, and House of X/Powers of X, from 2019, relaunched the line.
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga
Chris Claremont, John Byrne
The classic Claremont and Byrne story of Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force.
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
Chris Claremont, Brent Anderson
A graphic novel about prejudice and the X-Men.
New X-Men by Grant Morrison, Vol. 1: E Is for Extinction
Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
Collects issues #114-117, the opening arc of Grant Morrison’s X-Men run, so you can start without years of backstory.
Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted
Joss Whedon, John Cassaday
A modern run built around a mutant cure.
House of X/Powers of X
Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz
The 2019 relaunch of the X-Men line.
Modern, friendly starting points
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona follows a teenager in Jersey City who gets shape-shifting powers, and it is the most broadly accessible modern jumping-on point. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze is a political story about Wakanda’s future, written for older teens and up.
For Spider-Man, which has its own long tangle of history, see our best Spider-Man comics guide and the Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) guide.
Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 1
Ta-Nehisi Coates, Brian Stelfreeze
A political story about Wakanda's future.
Wolverine
Chris Claremont, Frank Miller
A four-issue miniseries set in Japan.
Event comics: go carefully
Crossover events are popular but often assume you follow several series at once, so they work better after you have a character you care about. If you want one as a first, Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin and George Perez is one of the most self-contained: a small cast and a clear, finite conflict. Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross is a different kind of book, a photojournalist’s view of Marvel’s early heroes.
Infinity Gauntlet
Jim Starlin, George Perez
The cosmic Marvel crossover in which Thanos collects the Infinity Gems.
Numbering and relaunches, explained
Marvel often relaunches a series at issue #1 for marketing reasons, sometimes continuing the same story. That means the issue number is not a reliable guide to reading order. Collected editions solve this by grouping the issues into a clear order inside one book, which is why this guide recommends collections.
How to pick your starting point
Use this as a short decision list.
- You want street-level noir: Daredevil: Born Again.
- You want a lighter Daredevil: Daredevil by Mark Waid Vol. 1.
- You want character study over action: Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon.
- You want the X-Men foundation: The Dark Phoenix Saga or Days of Future Past.
- You want a friendly modern start: Ms. Marvel Vol. 1.
- You want a cosmic crossover: Infinity Gauntlet.
Omnibus or softcover?
Marvel Omnibus editions are large premium hardcovers that gather a run, and they suit readers who already know they like it. Softcover collections are lighter and easier to try. For a first Marvel book, a softcover is usually enough. We show no prices, because they change, so check the listing for the format and page count.
Where to go after your first Marvel book
If you liked Daredevil, try other street-level heroes, such as Hawkeye or Captain America in his spy stories. If you liked the X-Men, follow the same writer, or pick another X-Men run from this guide. If you liked Ms. Marvel, look for other character-driven, lower-stakes books by the same creators. The Comic Finder can search by title for matches, and each card shows an age band and a one-line reason to read it.
Creators matter as much as characters
Each recommendation here is a writer-artist partnership, and the artist counts as much as the writer. David Aja’s layouts are as often praised as Matt Fraction’s scripts for why Hawkeye works. When you want more like a book you enjoyed, search for the artist’s other work as well as the writer’s.
Tone and age
Daredevil: Born Again is violent and for adult readers, and Black Panther and Winter Soldier are for older teens and up. Ms. Marvel and the Claremont X-Men stories are friendlier, though they still have fights. We place most Marvel books in our teen band, so check the age rating on each listing and look through a copy before buying for someone younger.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start with Marvel comics?
Pick one character and one complete story, in a collected edition. Daredevil: Born Again is a gritty street-level start, X-Men: Days of Future Past or The Dark Phoenix Saga starts the X-Men, and Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 is a friendly modern pick. None needs earlier reading. Our Comic Finder can search by title and age.
Do I need to read Marvel comics in order?
No. There is no single reading order for all of Marvel, and reading chronologically from 1961 is rarely fun. Each book in this guide is a complete story that works on its own. For a long run such as Claremont’s X-Men, start with one famous arc and go on from there if you like it.
Should I read the X-Men or the Avengers first?
It depends on the tone you want. The X-Men are a team of outsiders, with long-running themes of prejudice, and our guide has several complete starting stories. The Avengers have no single definitive run to point to, so we suggest picking a character you already know. Try one story, then decide.
What is the best Marvel comic for a total beginner?
Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal is the most accessible modern pick, and Daredevil by Mark Waid Vol. 1 is a friendly way into a street-level hero. Marvels, by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, shows the early heroes through a photojournalist. Pick the tone you like, and read one volume before you buy more.
Are Marvel event comics a good place to start?
Usually not. Crossover events tend to assume you follow several series at once. Infinity Gauntlet is one of the more self-contained, with a small cast and a clear conflict, so it is the event we would try first. Read it after you know a few characters, not as your very first Marvel book.
Are Marvel comics suitable for kids?
Some are. Ms. Marvel and many X-Men stories are friendlier than the darker street-level books, but we place most Marvel books in our teen band. Daredevil: Born Again is for adults. Check each book’s age rating on the listing, and look through a copy before buying for a younger reader.