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Your Guide to Comic Reading Orders

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New timelines

X-Men - Age of Krakoa

X-Men - Age of Krakoa

Marvel Comics
2019-2024

Mutants rise as a unified nation on Krakoa, forever reshaping their destiny!

In 5 parts
670 Issues
380 Essential
Completist Reading Time
331 hours
Dark Nights: Metal to Death Metal

Dark Nights: Metal to Death Metal

DC Comics
2017-2021

A forbidden discovery unleashes the Dark Multiverse, leading to a villain-fueled uprising that fractures the DC Universe and culminates in a cosmic war to reset reality itself.

In 9 parts
265 Issues
85 Essential
Completist Reading Time
154 hours
Batman Essentials
Under Construction

Batman Essentials

DC Comics
1987-present

We are building a chronological timeline of core Batman events in DC’s main continuity, tracing Bruce Wayne’s evolution from his first year as the Dark Knight to his most recent battles. Ideal for beginners, but don't feel you need to read it all - why not start at the beginning and see where it takes you?

In 32 parts
30 parts completed
652 Issues (so far)
394 Essential (so far)
Completist Reading Time
377 hours (so far)

New event reading orders

Absolute Power

Absolute Power

DC Comics
2024

Amanda Waller seizes control of metahuman abilities across the world, forcing Earth’s heroes into a desperate resistance against a global regime that has stripped them of their power and agency.

53 Issues
33 Essential
Completist Reading Time
27 hours
Main Teams/Characters
Amanda Waller, The Trinity of Evil, Batman (Bruce Wayne), Superman, Wonder Woman
Event Type
Crossover
Fall of X

Fall of X

Marvel Comics
2023

Krakoa faces collapse, threatening mutantkind’s dream.

135 Issues
84 Essential
Completist Reading Time
61 hours
Main Teams/Characters
X-Men
Event Type
Arc
Batman: Fear State

Batman: Fear State

DC Comics
2021

Orchestrated by the Scarecrow, Gotham is plunged into an oppressive campaign of fear.

29 Issues
8 Essential
Completist Reading Time
20 hours
Main Teams/Characters
No main characters listed
Event Type
Arc
Secret Wars (2015)

Secret Wars (2015)

Marvel Comics
2015

The multiverse collapses into a patchwork world ruled by godlike power, where remnants of realities clash for dominance and survival.

246 Issues
10 Essential
Completist Reading Time
99 hours
Main Teams/Characters
All major Marvel characters!
Event Type
Crossover
Final Crisis

Final Crisis

DC Comics
2008

Darkseid's fall through time triggers the collapse of reality, forcing Earth’s heroes to battle against the spread of anti-life and the end of the multiverse.

56 Issues
7 Essential
Completist Reading Time
34 hours
Main Teams/Characters
All major DC characters!
Event Type
Crisis
Civil War

Civil War

Marvel Comics
2006

The Marvel Universe is divided as Iron Man and Captain America take opposing sides on the Superhuman Registration Act

147 Issues
34 Essential
Completist Reading Time
76 hours
Main Teams/Characters
All major Marvel characters!, Captain America, Iron Man
Event Type
Crossover

New collected edition comicographies

DC Compact Comics Editions

DC Compact Comics Editions

A complete index of DC Compact Comics—the portable paperback line for cornerstone DC stories. Organized release year. New here? Maybe start with Kingdom Come, All-Star Superman, or Batman: Hush.

Absolute Universe

Absolute Universe

The key collected editions from DC's Absolute Universe—a fresh, unified continuity. Each series reads standalone and links into the wider line. New here? Start with Absolute Batman, Absolute Superman, or Absolute Wonder Woman.

New Ultimate Universe

New Ultimate Universe

The essential New Ultimate Universe collections—a modern relaunch with tightly linked, standalone series. New here? Start with Ultimate Invasion and then move on to Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, or Ultimate Black Panther.

Green Lantern

Green Lantern

The essential Green Lantern collections, organized by era. New to GL? We recommend kicking things off with the Geoff Johns era (2005) — it's a fan-favorite and a fantastic entry point.