Fear Itself
Brian Michael Bendis · John Romita Jr. · Stuart Immonen · Jason Aaron · Matt Fraction · Ed Brubaker
Story era 10 · The Heroic Age and the Incursions
Bendis’s Avengers and New Avengers follow the Heroic Age into Fear Itself before the conflict with the X-Men.
Book 3 of 4 in Bendis Avengers Phase 3 — Heroic Age and Fear Itself · 0 of 4 owned · 2,248 pages in all
Setup & reading order
Required setup for this book
These earlier stories explain events this book builds on. Reading checkpoints show where to switch books during a crossover.
- Secret War by Brian Michael Bendis OmnibusOwned
- Thor by Straczynski & Gillen OmnibusUnowned
- New Avengers Omnibus Vol. 1Owned
- House of MOwned
- Civil WarOwned
- Mighty Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete CollectionUnowned
- New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus Vol. 2Unowned
- Secret InvasionUnowned
- Dark Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: Osborn’s ReignUnowned
2 earlier books in this run come first
- After Avengers (2010) #12 and New Avengers (2010) #13
Read Avengers #12.1 in Complete Vol. 2, then begin the Fear Itself core. Avengers #13–17 in that volume and New Avengers #14–16 in Omnibus Vol. 3 are event tie-ins; they are not supplied by the lean Fear Itself collection. Resume Avengers #18 and New Avengers #16.1 after the event.
- After Avengers (2010) #24 and New Avengers (2010) #23
Pause for Phase 4. Avengers #24.1 in Complete Vol. 3 is the final pre-Avengers vs. X-Men checkpoint; New Avengers #24–30 belong alongside that event.
Optional context & path
Path: Bendis Avengers. Related projects that read well in this order; the order is a suggestion, not a requirement.
Only required setup and earlier volumes in the same project affect the queue. Everything here is optional.
About these books · 8 sources
Publisher and reference pages describe the editions. Reviews and reader discussions offer different views of the stories.
- Goodreads — Avengers by Bendis Complete Collection Vol. 1 reader reviews (opens in a new tab)Readers
- r/Marvel — The Avengers of the Heroic Age (opens in a new tab)Readers
- AIPT — Avengers by Bendis Complete Collection Vol. 1 review (opens in a new tab)Critics and editors
- AIPT — Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 review (opens in a new tab)Critics and editors
- Marvel — Avengers by Bendis Complete Collection Vol. 1 (opens in a new tab)Publisher
- Marvel — Bendis Avengers Heroic Age (opens in a new tab)Publisher
- Grand Comics Database — Avengers (2010) series (opens in a new tab)Reference
- Reference identity and legacy — Bendis Avengers Heroic Age (opens in a new tab)Reference
The books
Fear Itself
Book 3 of 4 · The Heroic Age and the Incursions
An ancient god of fear turns the world’s terror into weapons and Asgard is dragged back into war.
Secret War by Brian Michael Bendis OmnibusOwned
Thor by Straczynski & Gillen OmnibusUnowned
New Avengers Omnibus Vol. 1Owned
House of MOwned
Civil WarOwned
Mighty Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete CollectionUnowned
New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus Vol. 2Unowned
Secret InvasionUnowned
Dark Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: Osborn’s ReignUnowned
9781302961794Planned edition#1#1–6#7Book of the Skull #1 also appears in Return of the Winter Soldier, so the prologue needs only one reading. Fear Itself #7 supplies its main A story here; the issue’s other material is outside this edition.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
Duplication · Fear Itself
These books share full issues or parts of issues with other books in the plan. Open the lists below to see which stories repeat.
Show exact issues
Fear Itself: Book of the Skull (2011) #1Connected stories
Connected project: Bendis Avengers Phase 2 — Secret Invasion to Siege
Things to know
Collecting rule: The Secret Invasion, Dark Reign and Siege books come before this phase.
- Avengers Complete Vol. 2 and New Avengers Omnibus Vol. 3 extend beyond Fear Itself. Follow the pauses rather than reading each entire physical book before opening the event.