Big Marvel crossover Written by Nick Spencer (with artists Rod Reis, Daniel Acuña, Steve McNiven, and Andrea Sorrentino) published between April and September 2017, Secret Empire is one of those Universe Redefining massive event. One that started with a huge twist, as it was revealed that Captain America is—pardon my French—a f***ing Hydra Agent!
Here is the official description of the event: Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty, is living a lie! The Cosmic Cube has remade the world’s greatest hero into a secret true believer in the cause of Hydra, wholly dedicated to its mission of progress through authority and unity through adversity! Now, using the trust and respect he’s been accorded by the great powers of the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers makes Hydra’s ideals a reality—and changes the landscape of the world dramatically! How will he take some of his biggest threats off the board? Who will remain to stand against him? And which heroes will fi ght on his side? Find out as the impossible becomes real! Hail Hydra!
What to read before Secret Empire?
This limited series event addresses the aftermath of the crossover event Avengers: Standoff! and the ongoing series Captain America: Steve Rogers, in which Captain America has been acting as a sleeper agent and covertly setting the stage to establish Hydra as the main world power.
So, before reading Secret Empire, maybe take a look at the time when we discovered that Cap is a member of Hydra. To do that, you have to read Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 1: Hail Hydra, and you can go after that to Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 2: The Trial of Maria Hill, and then Captain America: Steve Rogers Vol. 3: Empire Building. If you want to read what’s essential, Marvel published a book collecting exactly that:
- Secret Empire Prelude
Collects Captain America (2012) 21, 25; Captain America: Sam Wilson 7 (A story), 8; Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha, Omega; Captain America: Steve Rogers 1-2.
Secret Empire Reading order:
The Secret Empire reading order: the collected editions
- Secret Empire
Collects Secret Empire #0-9, Free Comic Book Day 2017 Defenders #1 - Secret Empire: United We Stand
Collects Secret Empire: United #1, Secret Empire: Underground #1, Secret Empire: Uprising #1, Uncanny Avengers #24-25. - Secret Warriors Vol. 1: Secret Empire
Collects Secret Warriors #1-5. - Captain America: Secret Empire
Collects Captain America: Steve Rogers #17-19, Captain America: Sam Wilson #22-24. - Secret Empire: Brave New World
Collects Secret Empire: Brave New World #1-5. - Avengers: Unleashed Vol. 2: Secret Empire
Collects Avengers #7-11. - Doctor Strange Vol. 5: Secret Empire
Collects Doctor Strange #21-26 - Deadpool: World’s Greatest Vol. 10: Secret Empire
Collects Deadpool #31-35. - Amazing Spider-Man: Worldwide Vol. 7
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #29-32, #789-791. - Thunderbolts Vol. 2: No Going Back
Collects Thunderbolts #7-12. - U.S.Avengers Vol. 2: Cannonball Run
Collects U.S.Avengers #7-12. - X-Men Gold Vol. 2: Evil Empires
Collects X-Men: Gold #7-12. - X-Men Blue Vol. 2: Toil and Trouble
Collects X-Men: Blue #7-12. - Champions Vol. 2: The Freelancer Lifestyle
Collects Champions #6-11.
The Secret Empire reading order: issue by issue
I. The Secret Empire Prologue aka Opening Salvo
- Deadpool #31
- Thunderbolts #12 (Opening Salvo)
- U.S.Avengers #5 (Opening Salvo)
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #16 (Opening Salvo)
II. The Secret Empire Main Event
As always, you can just stick to the solo series, the 10-issues Secret Empire volume.
- Secret Empire #0
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #5
- Amazing Spider-Man #29
- U.S.Avengers #6
- Secret Empire Free Comic Book Day
- Amazing Spider-Man #30
- Secret Empire #1
- Champions #10
- Secret Warriors #1
- Secret Empire #2
- Champions #11
- Ultimates 2 #7
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #17
- Secret Warriors #2
- Secret Empire #3
- Secret Empire: Uprising #1
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #22
- Doctor Strange #21
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #1
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #23
- Secret Empire #4
- Secret Empire: United
- Secret Warriors #3
- Uncanny Avengers #24
- Deadpool #32
- Secret Empire: Underground
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #18
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #2
- U.S.Avengers #7
- Doctor Strange #22
- Secret Empire #5
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #6
- Occupy Avengers #8
- All-New Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #3
- Avengers #9
- X-Men: Gold #7
- Uncanny Avengers #25
- Secret Warriors #4
- X-Men: Blue #7
- Deadpool #33
- Occupy Avengers #9
- Secret Empire #6
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #4
- Doctor Strange #23
- X-Men: Gold #8
- U.S.Avengers #8
- Secret Empire #7
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #19
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #24
- X-Men: Blue #8
- Deadpool #34
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #7
- Avengers #10
- Captain America #25
- Doctor Strange #24
- Secret Empire #8
- Secret Warriors #5
- Amazing Spider-Man #31
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #5
- X-Men: Blue #9
- U.S.Avengers #9
- Secret Empire #9
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #8
- Secret Empire #10
- Deadpool #35 (Set during Secret Empire #10)
III. The Secret Empire Aftermath
- Champions #12
- Secret Empire Omega
- Secret Warriors #6
- U.S.Avengers #10
- Deadpool #36
- Avengers #11
What to read after Secret Empire?
With Secret Empire ending, it’s a Marvel era that ends. It’s time for Marvel Legacy! To build the foundations of this new era, Marvel published Generations, a limited ten-issue anthology.
Also, to know what’s happening in Captain America’s life after all of this, read Captain America by Waid & Samnee: Home Of The Brave (collecting Captain America #695-700).