Avengers: Everything Dies, the Jonathan Hickman Era Reading Order (2012-2016)

In 2012, writer Jonathan Hickman moved right from his stellar Fantastic Four run to a three year run on Marvel's flagship title, Avengers. Partnering it with a second poorly-titled series called New Avengers (it really stars the Illuminati, Marvel's superhero world leaders) the two series see the Avengers expand to new heights as the end of the universe slowly looms in the background. The run is split into two parts, the first of which climaxes with the Infinity event and the second of which concludes with Secret Wars.

This reading order covers 2012's Avengers, 2013's New Avengers, Infinity, Avengers World, 2013's New Avengers Annual, and 2015's Secret Wars. Some prior knowledge of the Avengers and Hickman's Fantastic Four run are not necessary, but provide context and make the run far more enjoyable. Mild spoilers for Hickman's Avengers run.

Quality:★★★★★ Cohesion:★★★★☆ Accessiblity:★★★☆☆

Infinity Sub-Era (2012-2013)

The first part of Hickman's run establishes the two Avengers teams, although keeps them fairly separate. This is essentially a high-point for the Avengers, ending with them protecting Earth and the cosmos in a two-fronted battle against Thanos and the Builders. While not the end of Hickman's run, it provides a solid endpoint for people looking to get started. The rest of the Infinity tie-ins are not included to keep the focus on the main story.

1. Avengers (2012) #1-4
2. New Avengers (2013) #1-6
• The start of Hickman's Avengers run. While New Avengers #1-3 takes place before Avengers, Avengers is designed to be read first and the first six issues of New Avengers go well together.
3. Avengers (2012) #5-17
4. New Avengers (2013) #7-8
• A series of arcs ending with the Prelude to Infinity. While Prelude to Infinity occurs in both series, they are two separate arcs, with New Avengers more directly leading into Infinity.
5. Infinity (2013) #1
6. Avengers (2012) #18
7. New Avengers (2013) #9
8. Infinity (2013) #2
9. New Avengers (2013) #10
10. Avengers (2012) #19
11. Infinity (2013) #3
12. Avengers (2012) #20
13. Infinity (2013) #4
14. Avengers (2012) #21
15. New Avengers (2013) #11
16. Infinity (2013) #5
17. Avengers (2012) #22-23
18. Infinity (2013) #6
19. New Avengers (2013) #12
• These issues make up the storyline Infinity, a massive event that pulls together threads from everything in Hickman's run thus far. Each of the issues pretty much have to be read in the order lister here, although in the cases when Avengers and New Avengers are back to back, the order just determines which issue flows best into and out of the main Infinity book. The six issues of Infinity can also be read by themselves, but the two Avengers series provide the complete story.

Avengers World Sub-Era (2013-2016)

Despite following Infinity, its events are only marginally relevant until later. This era focuses on bringing the Avengers and Illuminati together in a heated conflict as secrets are revealed and the end of the universe draws near. This time period features some optional stories focusing on the larger Avengers cast before everything comes together in Time Runs Out. This leads directly into Secret Wars, the plot conclusion to Hickman's Avengers run and the thematic conclusion to his Fantastic Four run.

1. New Avengers (2013) #13-15
• The immediate aftermath of Infinity helps set up the next set of stories.
2. Avengers World (2013) #1-14
• A sprawling multi-part story written primarily by Nick Spencer with help from Hickman. It shows off the Avengers at the peak of their power, but has few consequences for the main story and is technically optional.
3. Avengers (2012) #24-34
4. New Avengers (2013) #16-23
• These two sets of issues tie Avengers and New Avengers directly together. While the exact chronology is slightly more nuanced, reading all of Avengers before New Avengers works to tell the story in a satisfying way that is easy to read. These issues also bring things to the breaking point, setting up Time Runs Out, the next major storyline.
5. Avengers (2012) #34.1-34.2
6. New Avengers (2013) Annual #1
7. Avengers World (2013) #15-21
• A set of stories during the eight-month time jump between main Avengers issues. The Avengers issues and the New Avengers annual are optional but fun character stories while Avengers World focuses on bigger consequences and sets up Time Runs Out. Despite some events taking place partway into the storyline, Avengers World works best before Time Runs Out.
8. Avengers (2012) #35-36
9. New Avengers (2013) #24-25
10. Avengers (2012) #37
11. New Avengers (2013) #26
12. Avengers (2012) #38
13. New Avengers (2013) #27
14. Avengers (2012) #39
15. New Avengers (2013) #28
16. Avengers (2012) #40
17. New Avengers (2013) #29-33
18. Avengers (2012) #41-44
• The climactic Time Runs Out storyline which brings together all of the previous plot threads for a massive storyline across Earth and the cosmos. By the end of this storline, there is nothing left but Secret Wars.
19. Secret Wars (2015) #1-9
• The finale to Hickman's Avengers run, wrapping up any loose ends and bringing everything to a close. Secret Wars is arguably as much of a sequel to Hickman's previous Fantastic Four run as it is his Avengers run, mostly due to the prominence of Fantastic Four characters. By the time Secret Wars closes, Hickman's universe-spanning epic will have concluded. While there are a myriad of tie-ins to Secret Wars, only the main series is part of Hickman's story.