Bendis Avengers Phase 3 — Heroic Age and 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.
Setup & reading order
Required setup along this run
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
- 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
Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Book 1 of 4 · The Heroic Age and the Incursions
The Avengers are rebuilt and reassembled openly as the Heroic Age begins.
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
9781302907730Planned edition#1–5#1–12#1#1Edition 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.
New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus Vol. 3
Book 2 of 4 · The Heroic Age and the Incursions
Luke Cage’s street-level team runs alongside the main Avengers through the Heroic Age.
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
9781302969752Planned edition#1–34, #16.1#1Avengers Assemble: An Oral History of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes also appears in Bendis’s Avengers Complete Collection Vol. 2. Read that prose history once; its second appearance does not continue the New Avengers plot.
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.
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.
Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Book 4 of 4 · The Heroic Age and the Incursions
The Avengers’ side of the fear war and the shaken team that comes out of it.
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
9781302907747Planned edition#13–24, #12.1#1The Avengers Assemble oral history repeats in New Avengers Omnibus Vol. 3. You can read that prose feature in either book and skip the duplicate without leaving a gap in either team’s comic story.
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 across this project
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) #1Show exact issues
Avengers Assemble: An Oral History of Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2012) #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.