Marvel Disassembled Reading Order

Part 13: Fear Itself

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Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1 Cover

Part 13.1: The Road to Fear Itself

Like Civil War and Secret Invasion before it, Fear Itself is one of the biggest crossover events in Marvel’s history. This selection of titles takes place in the days and weeks just before the event, focusing on major characters, teams, and storylines that will set the stage for Sin’s revenge on Marvel’s pantheon of heroes. Peter Parker embarks on a new career, the Fantastic Four experience a tragic death and hopeful rebirth, Captain America goes on trial, and Thor fights for both Asgard and Midgard while a dark secret from Odin’s past bubbles to the surface.

Reading Order:

  • I Am An Avenger #2 – #5

  • Thor #620.1, #615 – #621

  • Amazing Spider-Man #648

  • Osborn #1 – #5

  • Amazing Spider-Man #649 – #651

  • Wolverine #5.1

  • Captain America: Hail Hydra #1 – #5

  • Invincible Iron Man #500, #500.1

  • Fantastic Four Annual #32

  • Fantastic Four #579 – #582

  • Avengers Academy #7 – #14, #14.1

  • Avengers #7 – #12, #12.1

  • Skaar: King of the Savage Land #1 – #5

  • Hulk #30.1, #31 – #36

  • Alpha Flight #0.1

  • Amazing Spider-Man #652 – #654, #654.1, #655 – #656

  • FCBD 2011: Spider-Man #1

  • Heroes for Hire (2010) #1 – #8

  • Daredevil: Reborn #1 – #4

  • Iron Man 2.0 #1 – #4

  • Secret Avengers #12.1, #16 – #21

  • Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood #1

  • New Avengers #9 – #13

  • Fantastic Four #583 – #588

  • Amazing Spider-Man #657

  • FF #1 – #2

  • X-23 #10 – #16

  • Iron Age: Alpha #1

  • Iron Age #1 – #3

  • Iron Age: Omega #1

  • Herc #1 – #2

  • Captain America Corps #1 – #5

  • Captain America #611 – #615, #615.1, #616 – #619

  • Silver Surfer (2011) #1 – #5

  • The Mighty Thor #1 – #6

  • Fear Itself: Sin’s Past #1

  • Fear Itself: Book of the Skull #1

  • Thunderbolts #151 – #157

  • Invincible Iron Man #501 – #503

  • Amazing Spider-Man #658 – #662

Related Collections:


Fear Itself #1 Cover

Part 13.2: Asgard’s Sin

Sin—the Red Skull’s daughter—has uncovered an ancient Asgardian secret that unleashes fear itself on the Marvel Universe. While heroes and civilians alike grapple with their greatest fears, Sin’s forces launch a shocking attack on Washington D.C. that not everyone makes it out of alive.

Reading Order:

  • Fear Itself #1

  • Journey Into Mystery #622, #626.1

  • Fear Itself: The Home Front #1

  • Fear Itself #2

  • Fear Itself: The Worthy #1

  • Avengers #13

  • Thunderbolts #158 – #159

  • Journey Into Mystery #623

  • Herc #3

  • Fear Itself: Spider-Man #1

  • Fear Itself: The Home Front #2

  • Invincible Iron Man #504 – #505

  • Fear Itself: Deadpool #1 – #3

  • Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #1

  • Fear Itself: Wolverine #1 – #2

  • Secret Avengers #13

  • Iron Man 2.0 #5 – #7

  • Fear Itself #3

Related Collections:


Fear Itself #5 Cover

Part 13.3: The Worthy

The Serpent was Odin’s dark counterpart who he had locked away and erased from history. But now he’s back, and with him he’s brought seven ancient weapons to Earth—deadly weapons as powerful as Mjolnir itself. But who are the villains—or heroes—capable of wielding such devastating weapons? Meet the Worthy as they unleash a campaign of destruction across the Earth.

Reading Order:

  • Journey Into Mystery #624

  • Herc #4

  • Fear Itself: Spider-Man #2

  • Fear Itself: FF #1

  • Heroes for Hire #9 – #11

  • Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #2

  • Alpha Flight (2011) #1 – #3

  • Avengers Academy #15 – #16

  • Fear Itself: The Home Front #3 – #4

  • Ghost Rider (2011) #0.1, #1

  • Secret Avengers #14

  • Hulk #37

  • Avengers #14

  • New Avengers #14

  • Hulk #38

  • Fear Itself: Wolverine #3

  • Fear Itself: Spider-Man #3

  • New Avengers #15

  • Avengers #15

  • Hulk #39 – #41

  • Ghost Rider #2 – #4

  • Thunderbolts #160

  • Fear Itself: Fearsome Four #1 – #4

  • Thunderbolts #161 – #162

  • Black Panther: Man Without Fear #521 – #523

  • Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force #1 – #3

  • Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #3 – #5

  • Uncanny X-Men #540

  • Journey Into Mystery #625

  • Avengers #16

  • Fear Itself #4

  • Avenger Academy #17 – #18

  • Alpha Flight #4

  • Herc #5

  • Journey Into Mystery #626

  • New Mutants #29 – #31

  • Uncanny X-Men #541 – #543

  • New Mutants #32

  • Avengers #17

  • Fear Itself #5

Related Collections:

Fear Itself #7 Cover

Part 13.4: Midgard’s Last Stand

The war against Sin and the Serpent comes to a head in the town of Broxton as several of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are outfitted with Asgardian weapons and armor. But will it be enough to banish the Serpent for good? And will the prophecy foretelling victory at the cost of Thor’s life come to pass? Witness the finale of Fear Itself!

Continuity Note: This section ends with The Mighty Thor #7, which is technically a flashback issue detailing the origins of Odin’s war with the Serpent. It has some glaring continuity issues and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but I had to place it somewhere.

Reading Order:

  • Fear Itself: The Home Front #5 – #6

  • Herc #6

  • Secret Avengers #15

  • Fear Itself: Black Widow #1

  • Fear Itself: Hulk vs. Dracula #1 – #3

  • Fear Itself: The Deep #1 – #4

  • Fear Itself: The Monkey King #1

  • Journey Into Mystery #627

  • Avengers Academy #19

  • Invincible Iron Man #506 – #508

  • Fear Itself #6

  • Journey Into Mystery #628

  • Invincible Iron Man #509

  • Fear Itself #7

  • Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #6

  • New Avengers #16

  • Journey Into Mystery #629

  • Fear Itself: The Home Front #7

  • Avengers Academy #20

  • Journey Into Mystery #630

  • The Mighty Thor #7

  • Fear Itself #7.1, #7.2, #7.3

Related Collections:


Battle Scars #1 Cover

Part 13.5: Shattered Heroes

Shattered Heroes is banner that ran across several titles that was meant to indicate they dealt with the immediate aftermath of Fear Itself. While not all of the following titles fall under that banner, they all reveal what happens next for several characters who were closely involved in the action including Luke Cage’s investigation into the missing Thunderbolts, the true fates of Bucky and Thor, and the emergence of a brand new character who may just have ties to Marvel’s oldest spy.

Reading Order:

  • Thunderbolts #163

  • New Avengers #16.1

  • Avengers #18

  • Invincible Iron Man #510 – #513

  • Journey Into Mystery #631 – #636

  • Battle Scars #1 – #6

  • Thunderbolts #163.1, #164 – #167

  • Fear Itself: The Fearless #1 – #12

  • Alpha Flight #4 – #8

  • The Mighty Thor #8 – #17, #12.1

  • Captain America & Bucky #620 – #628

  • Captain America (2011) #1 – #14

  • Avengers Academy #21

  • Ghost Rider #5 – #8

  • Iron Man 2.0 #7.1, #8 – #12

  • Defenders #1 – #12

  • Thunderbolts #168 – #174

  • Incredible Hulk #1 – #7, #7.1, #8 – #15

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