Timeline · 13 story eras
The story,
mapped.
Browse all 374 books by story era. A creator’s run stays together even when it spans several eras. Each dossier explains where its stories fit and lists reading checkpoints for crossovers. Marvel time is elastic, and many large books straddle events. The timeline gives each book its place in the big story; each book’s reading checkpoints give the practical order.
Owned Next up Unowned Alternate worlds and retrospectives branch off the line↓ The book continues into a later era
The Gauntlet Years
Grey Hulks, doubled Spider-Men, and a Titan reaching for the stones: identity crises on Earth while the cosmos holds its breath.
Era 05 · 27 books
- Silver Surfer: The Infinity Gauntlet OmnibusThe Silver Surfer’s long cosmic road leading straight into Thanos’s bid to collect the Infinity Gems.
- Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 1Peter David begins the defining psychological reconstruction of Bruce Banner and the Hulk in 1987.
- Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 2The merged Hulk and the Pantheon develop through the middle of Peter David’s original run.
- Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther’s PreyPanther’s Quest (1989–1990) leads into Panther’s Prey (1991), followed by the book’s early-1990s anthology codas.
- Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 3Pantheon consequences and loss drive the third Peter David movement.
- Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 4The fourth omnibus closes Peter David’s original run in one uninterrupted block.
- X-Men by Chris Claremont & Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 1Jim Lee’s arrival carries Claremont’s mainline run into its final phase.
- X-Men: X-Tinction Agenda OmnibusGenosha pulls the X-Men, New Mutants, and X-Factor into one coordinated crossover.
- Marvel Black & White: Barry Windsor-Smith’s Weapon XWindsor-Smith’s 1991 Weapon X revelation follows the Claremont-era Logan readers already know, even though the captivity itself occurred earlier.
- X-Men by Chris Claremont & Jim Lee Omnibus Vol. 2The original Claremont era closes with the Blue and Gold team relaunch.
- Excalibur Omnibus Vol. 1Kitty, Kurt, Rachel, Brian, and Meggan form Excalibur and launch the Cross-Time Caper.
- Excalibur Omnibus Vol. 2Alan Davis resolves the title’s long-running multiversal and Captain Britain plots.
- X-Men: Age of Apocalypse OmnibusThe X-line is replaced by Earth-295 for the complete original 1995 event.
- Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne OmnibusByrne turns Jennifer Walters into Marvel’s definitive fourth-wall-breaking legal comedy.
- The Spectacular Spider-Man by DeMatteis & Buscema OmnibusDeMatteis and Buscema build a psychologically dense Harry Osborn and Parker-family saga.
- X-Factor by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 1Peter David rebuilds X-Factor as a government-sponsored ensemble with humor and psychological depth.
- Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol. 2The Captain identity crisis resolves into the U.S.Agent era and later Gruenwald conflicts.
- Captain America by Mark Gruenwald Omnibus Vol. 3Gruenwald’s third omnibus reaches #418 and U.S.Agent’s solo stories; Captain America #419–443 continues beyond this volume.
- The Amazing Spider-Man by Michelinie & McFarlane OmnibusMichelinie and McFarlane introduce Venom during Peter Parker’s later Amazing Spider-Man years.
- The Amazing Spider-Man by Michelinie & Larsen OmnibusLarsen continues Michelinie’s run through the Sinister Six and Spider-Man title crossovers.
- The Amazing Spider-Man by Michelinie & Bagley Omnibus Vol. 1Bagley’s first phase carries Michelinie through Carnage and issue #375.
- Avengers West Coast Epic Collection: Vision QuestByrne dismantles and reconstructs Vision while pushing Wanda toward the team’s defining crisis.
- Spider-Man 2099 Omnibus Vol. 1Miguel O’Hara’s original adventures take place in an alternate future, separate from Peter Parker’s present-day stories.
- Spider-Man 2099 Omnibus Vol. 2Miguel’s modern adventures bring him into the present; the book also revisits earlier episodes and a Secret Wars version of 2099.
- Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Into the Time StreamSimonson’s high-concept FF begins after the Byrne foundation.
- Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The New Fantastic FourSimonson’s run concludes here, including the replacement-team arc.
- Captain America by Waid, Garney & Kubert OmnibusSteve’s recovery and reunion with Sharon lead into Onslaught; his second Waid run resumes after Heroes Return.