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25 Best Marvel Comic Books to Read: Our selection of the best Marvel Comics

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From Spider-Man to Captain America, the world has become quite familiar with Marvel Superheroes. Before becoming iconic characters on the big screen, those heroes were already living great adventures on paper for several decades.

If you are unfamiliar with the Comic Book World, getting into Marvel can look daunting. As the Marvel Universe is continuously growing, there are new stories to discover as well as old ones to explore. And you can’t read everything as it is obviously the sort of mission only reserved for Ethan Hunt’s team (meaning: impossible!)

To help you find some of the best Marvel stories out there, Comic Book Treasury has made a selection of 25 of the Best Marvel Comics to read. This is not an exhaustive list, and there are easily more greatest stories from Marvel out there.

Whether you are a new reader, an old one, or someone who read Marvel Comics for some past decades and wants to reconnect with the characters, we hope you’ll find something you want to read or re-read in this list.

As said above, this is not an ultimate list, so don’t hesitate to leave your own suggestions of the best Marvel Comics in the comments below!

Here is our selection of what we consider 25 of the best Marvel comics to read (in chronological order):

The Coming of Galactus by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Sinnott (1966)

Released in 1961, Fantastic Four #1 is considered the start of the Marvel Universe as we know it, so you can actually go ahead and read pages of history with their Fantastic Four run! Though, you don’t have to read everything to appreciate one of the most famous FF stories ever written: The Coming of Galactus, where Galactus and Silver Surfer made their debut.

When creating Galactus, Lee and Kirby didn’t want another ‘would-be world conquerors’. Galactus was designed to break from the mold and be of god-like stature, a hungry god who needs the life force and energy from living planets! The rest, as we say, is history.

The Avengers: The Kree/Skrull War by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams, John Buscema & Sal Buscema (1971-1972)

With a massive cast of characters, the introduction of the Vision/Scarlet Witch romance, and interstellar warfare, The Kree-Skrull War story arc is a perfect example of a story of cosmic scope done right! To this day, this story is still considered one of the best stories from the Avengers.

The Kree and Skrulls are at war, and Earth is just in the middle of it! The question is: can the Avengers stop the fighting before humanity pays the price? The solution to victory lies in the hands of the Kree Captain Mar-Vell, who now resides on Earth, and his ally Rick Jones.

This story arc is collected in:

Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, John Romita, Jr. and Carmine Infantino (1979)

In this classic Iron Man story, Tony Stark is not facing your classic Marvel villains, as the bad guy of the story is alcoholism. This slow burn depicts Tony’s life slowly dissolving around him, and finding refuge in the bottle.

As successful Tony Stark is, this time he can’t use his armor or his money to win his battle, he needs to find the mental strength to defeat the demon in the bottle.

The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont and John Byrne (1980)

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is the story of the Dark Phoenix Saga, a story about Jean Grey’s corruption by the power of the Phoenix and the Hellfire Club, and the consequences of this corruption (from destruction to heartbreak).

This is one of the most iconic X-Men storylines for all the good reasons: well-paced, from a slow start to epic moments and finally gut-wrenching. It’s a perfect illustration of what the X-Men stands for, what identity and humanity really mean.

The Death of Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin (1982)

The first Captain Marvel left his marks on the Marvel Universe, not with his heroic career, but with his death told in Marvel’s first large-format graphic novel, “The Death of Captain Marvel,” published in 1982.

In one of the most emotional Marvel stories, Mar-Vell is diagnosed with cancer and is confronted with an adversary he cannot overpower. He must then come to terms with the inevitable.

Thor by Walter Simonson and Sal Buscema (1983-1987)

You’ll find Thor by Jason Aaron in our list of 50 Best Comic Books To Read. It would seem logical to also put it on this list. But we chose to highlight here another great (sometimes considers the greatest) run on Thor: Walt Simonson’s classic tales!

Focused on Thor’s mythological origins, this run contains many classic tales for Thor: The Casket of Ancient Winters! The death of Odin! The origins of Asgard! The sacrifice of the Executioner! Thor as a frog! The Mutant Massacre! The curse of Hela! The debut of Thor’s body armor! Guest-starring Beta Ray Bill, Nick Fury and the Avengers! Featuring the threats of Fafnir the dragon, Loki, Lorelei, Malekith the Dark Elf, Surtur, Hela, the Titanium Man, Kurse, Zaniac, the Marauders, the Absorbing Man, Fin Fang Foom, the Destroyer and the Midgard Serpent!

Daredevil: Born Again, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (1986)

After having written the most influential run ever on Daredevil (part of our 50 Best Comic Books To Read!), Frank Miller teamed up with genius artist David Mazzucchelli to create what is still considered the most definitive story about Daredevil.

Karen Page, Matt Murdock’s former lover, has traded away the Man Without Fear’s secret identity for a drug fix. Now, Daredevil must find strength as the Kingpin of Crime wastes no time taking him down as low as a human can get. This is the story of the fall and rise of Matt Murdock, following the religious idea that to find salvation, you must lose yourself to gain everything.

Kraven’s Last Hunt by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck (1987)

Spider-Man has no doubt one of the best Rogues Gallery in the Marvel Universe. If The Green Goblin is the most famous of them all (for good reasons), you can also count on Sergei Kravinoff to wreak havoc on Spider-Man. And he is at the center of one of the most memorable Spider-Man stories of all time – naturally part of our selection of the greatest Spider-Man stories to read!

Kraven the Hunter has stalked and killed every beast known to man. But there is one prey that has eluded him. One quarry that has mocked him at every turn: the Spider. Now, in one last hunt, Kraven will finally prove he is Spider-Man’s master… by burying him alive and taking his place! To destroy the spider, he must become the spider! Prepare for one of the greatest Spidey stories ever told – a tale that has cast its shadow over Peter Parker’s life for years!

Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment by Roger Stern and Mike Mignola (1989)

This unlikely team-up associate two masters of the mystic arts in a story subverting reader expectations and featuring some of the best Mike Mignola’s art at Marvel.

Every year on Midsummer’s Eve, Victor von Doom clashes with the forces of evil in a vain attempt to free his mother’s soul from Hell. Only when Doctor Stephen Strange — Master of the Mystic Arts and Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme — is convinced to join the fight, does the outcome have any hope of changing. But first these unlikely allies must journey to Mephisto’s infernal realm … where they find that the cost of one soul may be more than they are willing to pay!

Weapon X by Barry Windsor-Smith (1991)

The classic masterpiece written, illustrated, and colored by Barry Windsor-Smith, Wolverine: Weapon X is the definitive story about Wolverine’s time in the Weapon X Program.

After being taken hostage by an experimental Canadian military science outfit, Logan is transformed into Weapon X, an unstoppable killing machine with an indestructible Adamantium skeleton and razor-sharp claws. But Weapon X cannot be contained by his captors — and trapped in their lab with the monster they have made, they will face his feral wrath!

  • Wolverine: Weapon X
    Collects Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #72-84, Uncanny X-Men (1981) #205, material from Wolverine (1988) #166.

Black Panther by Christopher Priest (1998-2003)

Christopher Priest wrote what is today the most celebrated run on Black Panther. The writer modernized the character by exploring and expanding the mythology, with a little bit of retcon for Wakanda.

Prepare to see the king of Wakanda through new eyes: those of U.S. government attaché Everett K. Ross! When a new regime stages a coup in Wakanda, T’Challa finds himself an enemy of the state! The Black Panther is always two or three steps ahead — but with foes like Mephisto, Malice, Klaw and Killmonger against him, will T’Challa’s cool head and intricate maneuvers be enough to free his nation without alienating his allies and destabilizing the world? Plus, meet Queen Divine Justice — and the deadly Dora Milaje!

Alias, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos (2001-2004)

Also part of our 50 Best Comics to Read, Alias can be considered one of Bendis’ best works at Marvel (next to his Daredevil run). What defines his style, with panel repetition, ping-pong dialogue and quirks are used here with efficiency and real impact.

Meet Jessica Jones. Once upon a time, she was a costumed superhero — but not a very good one. Now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic, Jessica is the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations, specializing in superhuman cases. But when she uncovers a hero’s true identity, Jessica becomes the target of a far-reaching conspiracy. Can her sardonic wit, charm and intelligence help her survive? Or has she burned too many bridges to turn to old friends for help?

New X-Men by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (2001-2004)

No one writes about what it means to be an outsider, someone weird or ugly like Grant Morrison. Nothing can complement those themes like Quitely’s detailed artwork. At a time when our mutants were in need of some serious changes, this creative team seriously shook things up for the better and gave us the defining modern run on the X-Men.

The X-Men, re-imagined with a new look and a new mission, must face weird new threats including evil twins, organ harvesters, sentient bacteria, rebellious mutant youth, power-enhancing street drugs and living weapons! Joined by wicked telepath Emma Frost and mysterious powerhouse Xorn, the X-Men go public – expanding Xavier’s school to train a new generation of mutants including the insect-like Angel, the bird-boy Beak, the living sandstorm Dust and eerie telepathic quintuplets the Stepford Cuckoos.

X-Force/X-Statix by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred (2001-2004)

As Morrison and Quitely reimagined the X-Men, Peter Milligan and Mike Allred deconstructed them! Far away as possible from your heroic X-Men team, this one explores the pitfall of acceptance, fame, and celebrity with a massive body count!

What really happens when an X-team becomes huge media stars? Find out in this wild examination of celebrity culture! Fall in love with the Orphan, the Anarchist, Dead Girl, Phat, Vivisector, U-Go Girl, the incomparable Doop and more -but don’t get too attached, as there’s no guarantee that any of them will make it out of each battle alive! And when the team relaunches their brand as the X-Statix, will it propel them to even greater fame? Or will the interactive O-Force become the hot new thing?

Fantastic Four by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo (2002-2005)

For some fun family times, Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo deliver a series full of action, comedy, and relationships. This is a great illustration of what the FF represents: a family with a special bond, with the twist of being superheroes. This run is also a great starting point for new Fantastic Four readers!

 Giant bugs! Living equations! Johnny Storm, CEO! Exploding unstable molecules! The secret behind the Yancy Street Gang! And Doctor Doom’s plans are truly unthinkable! Victor will push the FF beyond their limits – and when his actions lead to the death of one of their own, they’ll storm the gates of Heaven to save their beloved teammate! Plus: Spider-Man and the Human Torch take on Hydro-Man! But with the Fantastic Four’s reputation in tatters, is associating with a misunderstood wall-crawler really wise? And when Manhattan finds itself surrounded by a fleet of miles-high alien spacecraft, it’s time for the Fantastic Four to do what they do best!

The Modern Cosmic Saga by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (2004-2011)

This huge cosmic saga was overseen by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and reintroduced Nova & the Nova Corps, The Guardian of the Galaxy, and Ronan the Accuser. A captivating and epic story without the usual big names of the Marvel Universe.

Marvel’s cosmic superstars return in explosive, widescreen sci-fi style! Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone, has declared war! And as his unstoppable Annihilation Wave swarms into the Marvel Universe, demolishing all in its path, only a handful of heroes can resist the destruction! Nova learns the ways of war from Drax the Destroyer; the Silver Surfer seeks out his former master, Galactus, for aid; the Super-Skrull fights for his son’s life; and Ronan the Accuser faces Gamora and her woman warriors! Nova and Quasar’s army leads the charge — but as heroes fall and Annihilus rises, the universe’s one remaining hope may be Thanos, the Mad Titan!

  • Annihilation Omnibus
    Collects Drax The Destroyer #1-4, Annihilation: Prologue, Annihilation: Nova #1-4, Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1-4, Annihilation: Super-Skrull #1-4, Annihilation: Ronan #1-4, Annihilation #1-6, Annihilation: Heralds Of Galactus #1-2 And Annihilation: Nova Corps Files.
  • Annihilation: Conquest Omnibus
    Collects Nova #1-12, Nova Annual #1, Annhilation: Conquest Prologue #1, Annihilation: Conquest – Starlord #1-4, Annihilation: Conquest – Quasar #1-4, Annihilation: Conquest – Wraith #1-4, Annihilation: Conquest #1-6, Annihilation Saga.
  • War of Kings Prelude: Road to War of Kings Omnibus
    Collects Son Of M #1-6, X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6, Silent War #1-6, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4, Guardians Of The Galaxy (2008) #1-12, Nova #13-22, Nova: The Origin Of Richard Rider, War Of Kings Saga.
  • War of Kings Omnibus
    Collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #475-486, X-Men: Emperor Vulcan (2007) #1-5, Secret Invasion: War of Kings (2009) #1, X-Men: Kingbreaker (2009) #1-4, War of Kings: Darkhawk (2009) #1-2, War of Kings: Warriors (2009) #1-2, War of Kings (2009) #1-6, War of Kings: Ascension (2009) #1-4, War of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar (2009) #1, Nova (2007) #23-28, Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) #13-19, War of Kings: Who Will Rule? (2009) #1, Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings (2009) #1, material from X-Men: Divided We Stand (2008) #2
  • War of Kings Aftermath: Realm of Kings Omnibus
    Collects Realm Of Kings #1; Realm Of Kings: Inhumans #1-5; Realm Of Kings: Imperial Guard #1-5; Realm Of Kings: Son Of Hulk #1-4; Nova (vol. 4) #29-36; Guardians Of The Galaxy (vol.2) #20-25; Thanos Imperative #1-6, Ignition, Devastation; Annihilators #1-4; Annihilators: Earthfall #1-4; Thanos Sourcebook; Material From I Am An Avenger #3.

Punisher MAX by Garth Ennis and Laurence Campbell (2004-2009)

If Garth Ennis already wrote some classic Punisher stories under the Marvel Knights imprint, he created one hell of a run for the Punisher when he used the freedom of the MAX imprint to write more realistic stories.

Do the Punisher’s origins trace back even further than the fateful day in the park when he lost his family? In 1971 Vietnam, with his platoon under attack, Captain Castle must make a grim choice. And in the modern day, Punisher’s old partner Microchip resurfaces with a startling offer! Nick Fury has a proposition, too – a dangerous mission involving a Siberian nuclear missile silo and a lethal retrovirus. But Castle’s actions set off a chain reaction that will bring him into conflict with a ruthless Russian general – and take the world to the brink of war.

Captain America by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting and Mike Perkins (2005-2013)

Though Ed Brubaker didn’t write the longest run of Captain America, he certainly wrote the most celebrated run of the Captain America modern series. This is also a perfect run for new readers!

Everything begins with a midnight call to duty that brings Captain America aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D Heli-carrier to identify the corpse of his most feared adversary: the Red Skull! The shocking murder of Cap’s oldest enemy is only the beginning of a bigger story, with the return of Bucky as the Winter Soldier, Cap’s death and resurrection, and the emergence of a new threat, General Aleksander Lukin, the head of one of the most powerful corporations in the world!  

Madrox/X-Factor by Peter David and Pablo Raimondi (2005-2013)

Jessica Jones is not the only private eye in the Marvel Universe. There is also Jamie Madrox as the head of the ‘X-Factor Investigations’. Because it’s not always about the world going to be destroyed. Sometimes, it is just some good mystery stories inspired by X-Files.

Jamie Madrox has become a private eye. But with so many of his duplicates out in the world, is an identity crisis imminent? X-Factor Investigations recruits Guido, Wolfsbane, Siryn, M and Rictor — plus Layla Miller, who knows stuff! But can the team help mutantkind navigate M-Day and deal with their unbalanced former ally Quicksilver? X-Factor butts heads with Singularity Investigations, X-Cell, the Isolationist and more. But what happens when two of Madrox’s dupes want their own lives — and when Jamie and Layla are thrown into the future? With Mutant Town under siege, Skrulls running rampant, personal problems tearing the team apart and a major change for Siryn, can X-Factor survive?

  • X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 2
    Collects Madrox #1-5; X-Factor (2005) #1-20, 21-24 (A stories), 25-39; X-Factor: The Quick and the Dead One-Shot (2008); X-Factor Special: Layla Miller One-Shot (2008); She-Hulk (2005) #31.

Nextwave Agents of H.A.T.E. by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen (2006-2007)

Nextwave is Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen’s satirical and comedic take on the superhero genre and there is nothing quite like that out there!

RRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!! Action! Excitement! Explosions! The Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort, or H.A.T.E. (a subsidiary of the Beyond Corporation©) put NEXTWAVE together to fight Bizarre Weapons of Mass Destruction. When NEXTWAVE discovers that H.A.T.E. and Beyond© are terrorist cells themselves, and that the BWMDs were intended to kill them, they are less than pleased. In fact, they are rather angry.

Planet Hulk, by Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti (2006-2007)

Hulk and Bruce Banner are the Jekyll and Hyde of the Marvel Universe. The relationship between those two is quite complicated, and the unpredictable nature of Hulk leading to destruction around him put them at odds and on different sides a countless number of times. Planet Hulk is the perfect story of Hulk and Banner working together in a grand space adventure.

After a brutal battle between the Hulk and the Fantastic Four, Earth’s greatest heroes decide that for the good of all, they must shoot the Hulk into space! But when he lands on the savage world of Sakaar, an epic for the ages begins. This one has it all: Strange alien planet! Oppressed barbarian tribes! Corrupt emperor! Deadly woman warrior! Gladiators and slaves! Battle-axes and hand blasters! Monsters and champions! And the Incredible Hulk! Let the smashing commence!

  • Hulk: Planet Hulk Omnibus
    Collects Fantastic Four (1998) #533-535, Incredible Hulk (2000) #88-105, Giant-Size Hulk (2006) #1, What If? Planet Hulk, Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook And Material From New Avengers: Illuminati (2006) #1 And Amazing Fantasy (2004) #15.

Silver Surfer: Requiem by J. Michael Straczynski and Esad Ribić (2007)

From Esad Ribić’s beautiful art to J. Michael Straczynski’s emotional story, Requiem is a unique Silver Surfer story, a poetic contemplation on loss and regret, as well as a bittersweet celebration on a life well lived.

For untold years, Norrin Radd has surfed the galaxy, exploring the darkness between stars, witnessing the rise and fall of vast civilizations. Now, his ride is about to come to an end. It starts with a small spot – a blemish that will spread until he is no more. Until then, the Silver Surfer would undertake his final voyage – to the one destination that has always eluded him.

Loki: Journey into Mystery by Kieron Gillen (2011-2012)

The first part of what is unofficially called The Loki Trilogy (Gillen and McKelvie’s Young Avengers and Al Ewing’s Loki: Agent of Asgard being the two other parts), Journey into Mystery follows a reborn god of lies as Kid Loki as he is wrestling with his own morality and destiny.

The god of lies has been reborn, but will young Loki be Asgard’s savior? For when Earth is gripped by Fear Itself, ancient prophecy says only Thor can stop the monstrous threat of the Serpent – but the plan is doomed to fail without help from Loki. Will the trickster find redemption – or damn himself for eternity? Either way, a Nightmare lies in wait hoping to rule the world – and Loki will have to risk everything on his craziest scheme of all!

Moon Knight, by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey (2014)

Part of the Marvel NOW! era, Moon Knight was relaunched, with Warren Ellis at the helm for a now 6-issues classic run, a collection of short stories exploring the mind of Marc Spector, changing the tone and the genre each issue offering a different approach to the character.

Marc Spector is Moon Knight! Or is he? It’s hard to tell these days, especially when New York’s wildest vigilante protects the street with two-fisted justice and three — that’s right, count ’em — three different personalities! But even with the mystical force of Egyptian moon-god Khonshu fueling his crusade, how does the night’s greatest detective save a city that’s as twisted as he is? The road to victory is going to hurt. A lot. Be there as Moon Knight punches ghosts(!), investigates a sleep experiment that’s driving its patients insane, travels to the mushroom graveyard planet(!!), faces the Black Spectre and takes on twenty mob enforcers to save an abductee…alone. Marvel’s most mind-bending adventure begins as Moon Knight sleuths his way to the rotten core of New York’s most bizarre mysteries!

Black Bolt by Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward (2017-2018)

Though an important Inhumans (he is the King after all), Black Bolt is also rarely the main focus as he can’t speak. For readers, this beautiful Black Bolt series is a perfect treat, humanizing the character, and showing his resilience and sense of honor through Ward’s art and Ahmed’s writing with internal narration. It’s in the silence the Black Bolt shines.

The king of the Inhumans has been imprisoned! But where? Why has he been jailed? And who could be powerful enough to hold Black Bolt? The answers will shock you — and Black Bolt as well! If he is to learn the truth, he must first win a fight to the death against a fellow inmate: the Absorbing Man! As a prison revolt begins, the bounty hunter Death’s Head enters the fray — but is he there to help or to hunt? And who — or what — is the warden of this strange place? Black Bolt’s jailer knows only penance and fear. And soon so will the Silent King of the Inhumans! For if Black Bolt can somehow escape his hellish prison, the journey home will be even more deadly — and his welcome may not be a warm one!

If you want to read more Marvel stories, don’t forget to check out our pages dedicated to all our Marvel Reading Orders!

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