This article contains pretty much nothing but Marvel spoilers.

The books wont necessarily be listed in chronological order.

Theyll be listed in reading order.

Note: Click theorangeAmazon affiliate links to buy the stories.

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S.H.I.E.L.D.

What you should probably Know:ForSecret Wars?

First and most importantly: it hasnt finished yet.

The first issue ofSHIELDcame out in 2010.

The second thing it’s crucial that you know is itsstunning.

This was Dustin Weavers first big project at Marvel.

He went on to draw what I thought wasthe bestSecret Warstie-in,Infinity Gauntlet.

What to Read:

Read order forSHIELDisnt extremely complicated.

Youre safe just picking up:

And hang tight!

Secret Warriors

What Was It?Jonathan Hickmans first major work at Marvel followed two threads.

The first saw Nick Fury and several hidden teams of superheroes fighting the enemies of a completely compromised SHIELD.

Leviathan, a Cold War-era Soviet superspy agency, is back in operation and at open war with Hydra.

Also, The Gorgon, a Hydra semi-mech who floats aroundAvengers World, is very important to this story.

Fantastic Four

What Was It:Maybe Jonathan Hickmans Marvel masterpiece.

The story that ends inSecret Wars#9 began here.

What you oughta Know:A ton, to be honest.

This also gives the Celestials a view into the 616, and they start trying to invade.

Even if it were entirely unconnected toSecret Wars, Hickmans time with Marvels first family would be highly recommended.

Reprints make this complicated to read.

Fortunately, the two omnibus editions print the books in the correct order.

The cyborgs then leave The City (what theyre calling the dome) and kill all of Ultimate Asgard.

Ultimate Reed spentSecret Warshanging around with 616 Reed, breaking into Doomgard and having a final confrontation with Doom.

What you oughta Know:A few things were set up inA vs Xthat were important toAvengersandSecret Wars.

Eventually, it was split into five and entered different X-Men hosts, among them Cyclops and Namor.

Most writers used this as an excuse to slowly turn Cyclops into a supervillain over the next several years.

As a whole, it was really bad.

But what it set up was really good!

What it’s crucial that you Know:Everything dies.

Thats howNew Avengersstarted, and howAvengersended.

Reed Richards reforms the Illuminati (Captain America, Beast, Dr.

They stop Ex Nihilo and Abyss from making the 616 Earth sentient.

They integrate Starbrand and Nightmask, two characters from the New Universe who are part of Earths defense system.

The problem is, that fleet is trying to destroy Earth to prevent an incursion from killingeverything.

Infinityis the story of the war with that fleet, the Builder army.

Theyre imprisoned in the Necropolis in Wakanda, alongside a Black Swan and Terrax from an incursion.

The omnibus integrates material fromInfinity,Avengers volume 4andNew Avengers volume 2)

Time Runs Out.

Caps reaction to being told to let the Illuminati try and fix the incursions is…pretty bad.

Time Runs Out is the final storyline in bothAvengersandNew Avengersleading intoSecret Wars.

Eventually a peace is brokered between the two sides by Sunspot and AIM (!

He found that the Ivory Kings are the Beyonders, and theyre trying to destroy the entire Multiverse.

Meanwhile, we find out that Dr. At least Strange is successful, though!

By defusing the bomb, I mean murdering as many Molecule Men as he can find.

This is the point where Reed, looking at the multiverse through his Bridge on 616, thinks Crap.

And, thankfully, the threat ofaWanted-esque ending collapsenever materialized.

Cyclops, in possession of a Phoenix egg, also ends up on that ship.

And the screen flashes to white, with only a glimpse of Dooms mask ending the first issue.

[related article: Ranking Every Secret Wars Tie-In]

The second takes us through Battleworld.

Secret Wars #1-9 are still available at your local comic shop, or you canpre-order the hardcover here.