After Jonathan Hickman’s immensely popular run on the Fantastic Four, he took over The Avengers from the legendary Brian Michael Bendis in 2012. The result? A truly epic saga filled with a large cast of heroes, mind-boggling science fiction concepts, and stunning artwork. Both critics and fans loved Hickman’s Avengers comics, especially his work on New Avengers, which even made it onto our readers’ top 10 comics of 2014 list.
Hickman’s run is unique in that it spans two titles: Avengers and New Avengers. While these two series can be read independently, they actually complement each other perfectly, like two sides of the same coin.
In Avengers, you’ll find the traditional Avengers team, joined by additional characters depending on the situation at hand. On the other hand, New Avengers focuses on a smaller, more secretive team comprising some of the most powerful and influential heroes in the Marvel Universe.
These two titles run parallel to each other and can be enjoyed separately. However, for a much grander and fuller experience, reading both is highly recommended, especially towards the end of the run when the storylines in both titles converge.
To make it easier for you, here is a reading order list of Hickman’s entire Avengers run. We’ve divided it into trade paperback collections, as this is the most accessible way to dive into the story. This includes his Avengers/New Avengers series as well as the Infinity event, which heavily interacts with both titles.
Reading Order
New Avengers Volume 1: Everything Dies
- Collects: New Avengers #1-6
- Artist: Steve Epting
Avengers Volume 1: Avengers World
- Collects: Avengers #1-6
- Artists: Jerome Opena and Adam Kubert
Avengers Volume 2: The Last White Event
- Collects: Avengers #7-11
- Artists: Dustin Weaver and Mike Deodato
Avengers Volume 3: Prelude to Infinity
- Collects: Avengers #12-17
- Co-writer: Nick Spencer
- Artists: Mike Deodato and Stefano Caselli
New Avengers Volume 2: Infinity
- Collects: #7-12*
- Artist: Mike Deodato
- *Read issues #7-8 before Infinity (see below) and then read #9-12 as part of Infinity.
Infinity
- Collects: Infinity #1-6, New Avengers #9-12, Avengers #14-23, Infinity: Against the Tide Infinite Comic 1-2
- Artists: Jim Cheung, Jerome Opena, Dustin Weaver, Mike Deodato, Stefano Caselli, and Leinel Francis Yu
- *These issues are also available in Avengers Volume 4: Infinity or New Avengers Volume 2: Infinity.
Avengers Volume 5: Adapt or Die
- Collects: Avengers #24-28
- Artist: Salvador Larroca
New Avengers Volume 3: Other Worlds
- Collects: New Avengers 13.INH, 14-17
- Artists: Simone Bianchi and Rags Morales
Avengers Volume 6: Infinite Avengers
- Collects: Avengers #29-34
- Artist: Leinil Francis Yu
New Avengers Volume 4: A Perfect World
- Collects: New Avengers #18-23
- Artists: Valerio Schiti and Kev Walker
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 1
- Collects: Avengers #35-37, New Avengers #24-25
- Artists: Jim Cheung, Stefano Caselli, Mike Deodato, Valerio Schiti, Kev Walker, Nick Bradshaw, Paco Medina, and Dustin Weaver
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 2
- Collects: Avengers #38-39, New Avengers #26-28
- Artists: Kev Walker, Stefano Caselli, Mike Deodato, Szymon Kudranski, and Mike Perkins
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 3
- Collects: Avengers #40-42, New Avengers #29-30
- Artists: Kev Walker, Stefano Caselli, Mike Deodato
Avengers: Time Runs Out Volume 4
- Collects: Avengers #43-44, New Avengers #31-33
- Artists: Kev Walker, Stefano Caselli, Mike Deodato
For a more detailed and granular reading order, here is the recommended order for those reading on Marvel Unlimited or those who want to take a more immersive approach:
- New Avengers #1-3
- Avengers #1-4
- New Avengers #4
- Avengers #5
- New Avengers #5-6
- Avengers #6-13
- New Avengers #7
- Avengers #14-17
- New Avengers #8
- Infinity #1
- Avengers #18
- New Avengers #9
- Infinity #2
- Avengers #19
- New Avengers #10
- Infinity #3
- Avengers #20
- Infinity #4
- Avengers #21
- New Avengers #11
- Infinity #5
- Avengers #22-23
- Infinity #6
- New Avengers #12-15
- Avengers #24-28
- New Avengers #16-17
- Avengers #29-34
- New Avengers #18-23
- Avengers #35
- New Avengers #24-25
- Avengers #36-37
- New Avengers #26
- Avengers #38
- New Avengers #27
- Avengers #39
- New Avengers #28
- Avengers #40
- New Avengers #29
- Avengers #41
- New Avengers #30
- Avengers #42
- New Avengers #31
- Avengers #43
- New Avengers #32
- Avengers #44
- New Avengers #33
If you prefer to have all the issues in one comprehensive collection, Marvel is releasing Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection. These editions will allow you to immerse yourself in the entire saga:
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 1
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #1-5, New Avengers (2013 series) #1-6, and Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld #1-6
- Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld is a digital-exclusive comic from 2008 featuring Sunspot and Cannonball. It adds a nice bonus to the collection, but it’s not essential to understanding Hickman’s run.
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 2
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #6-17, New Avengers (2013 series) #7, and material from Shang-Chi: Masters of Kung Fu
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 3
- Collects: Infinity #1-6, Avengers (2012 series) #18-23, New Avengers (2013 series) #8-12
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 4
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #24-34 and New Avengers (2013 series) #13-23
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 5
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #35-44 and New Avengers (2013 series) #24-33
For those seeking the ultimate Avengers reading experience, Marvel has also released Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers run in two omnibus editions:
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Volume 1
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #1-23, Free Comic Book Day 2013 (Infinity story), Infinity #1-6, Infinity: Against the Tide Infinite Comic #1-2, Astonishing Tales: Mojoworld #1-6, and material from Shang-Chi: Masters of Kung Fu
Avengers by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Volume 2
- Collects: Avengers (2012 series) #24-44 and New Avengers (2013 series) #13-33
Now that you’re armed with this ultimate guide to Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers, you’re ready for an incredible journey through this extraordinary saga! For more fantastic content, check out Ratingperson.com!
So, tell us, will you be diving into this monumental series, or are you planning to be more selective? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter. Happy reading, true believers!