At the end of the year 2000, Marvel Comics launched a crossover event titled Maximum Security that was written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Jerry Ordway–at least the three-issue self-titled limited series.
Here is how Marvel presents the main plot: “Welcome to Earth: penal colony for the universe’s deadliest villains! When the civilized alien races-influenced by the Supreme Intelligence and his newly-evolved Kree-tire of Earth’s involvement in their affairs, they decide to make it their new prison planet! Featuring all the world’s greatest heroes-including the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four–against the most bizarre and deadly threats they can conceive of!”
Influenced by Australian history, and more precisely the way the British used Australia as a penitentiary–sending their convicts so far they would never come back to England!–, Busiek’s Maximum Security introduced the idea that Earth would become a prison for the scum of the galaxy. It was introduced as a way for the Intergalactic Council to deal with Earth–and its interfering heroes.
Maximum Security is composed of a three-issue limited series and almost 20 tie-in issues.
What to read before Maximum Security?
Thor, Tigra, Starfox, Moondragon, and Monica Rambeau are the Avengers in Space in the mini-series Avengers Infinity by Roger Stern and Sean Chen that set up the events of Maximum Security.
- Avengers Infinity Classic
Collects Avengers Infinity #1-4.
Maximum Security Reading Order:
Maximum Security Reading Order: The Collected Editions
- Avengers / X-Men: Maximum Security
Collects Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet, #1-3, Captain America (1998) #36, Thor (1998) #30, Uncanny X-Men #387, Bishop: the Last X-Man #15, Iron Man (1998) #35, Avengers (1998) #35, Gambit (1999) #23, X-Men (1991) #107, X-Men Unlimited (1993) #29.
Being part of Kurt Busiek and George Perez’s run on Avengers, the Maximum Security series is also collected in two other books:
- Avengers Assemble, Vol. 4
Collects Avengers vol. 3 #35–40, Annual 2000, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative, Maximum Security #1-3’’ and ‘’Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet.’’ - Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Perez Omnibus Vol. 2
Collects Avengers #24-56, 1 1/2, Annual 2000-2001; Thunderbolts #42-44; Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet; Maximum Security #1-3; Avengers: The Ultron Imperative.
Maximum Security Reading Order: Issue by Issue
Truth is, most of the tie-ins are barely connected to the event. In fact, some of them only contained one or two pages (I put them in italics, you can skip them completely).
- Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet
- Captain America #36
- Maximum Security #1
- Thor #30
- Captain Marvel #12
- Iron Man #35
- Amazing Spider-Man #24
- Incredible Hulk #21
- Peter Parker, Spider-Man #24
- Uncanny X-Men #387
- Black Panther #25
- Bishop: The Last X-Man #15
- Maximum Security #2
- Thunderbolts #45
- Marvel Knights #6
- Gambit #23
- X-Men #107
- X-Men Unlimited #29
- Avengers #35
- Maximum Security #3
After Maximum Security
Once Maximum Security ended, things got back to normal. To know how to read Kurt Busiek and George Perez’s run on Avengers, you can take a look at our Avengers Reading Order.
Last Updated on April 22, 2024.