After Annihilation event (see reading order) and its direct sequel as part of the modern Marvel Cosmic saga, Annihilation: Conquest (see reading order), the Marvel Cosmic Universe kept going forward for a good year, then a new crossover storyline written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning titled War of King happened.
Here is the official synopsis: Intending to restore their strength and security in the aftermath of the Secret Invasion, Black Bolt finds he has to lead the Inhumans into direct confrontation with the Shi’Ar Empire and their insane ruler, Vulcan. What happens when an Inhuman-led Kree go to war with the Shi’ar led by the crazed Summers brother Vulcan? When these mighty powers turn their rage upon one another, what happens to those caught in the crossfire? When two mighty rulers wage war, who will rule?
What to read before War of Kings?
A lot happened since Annihilation: Conquest with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, but also the X-Men and the Secret Invasion. In order to go in fully prepared, you’ll want to take a look at those books:
- War of Kings Prelude: Road to War of Kings Omnibus
Collects Son Of M #1-6, X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6, Silent War #1-6, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4, Guardians Of The Galaxy (2008) #1-12, Nova #13-22, Nova: The Origin Of Richard Rider, War Of Kings Saga.
Or in trade paperbacks:
- Decimation: Son of M
Collects Son of M #1-6 - X-Men: Deadly Genesis
Collects X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1-6 - Silent War
Collects Silent War #1-6
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Legacy
Collects Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #1–6. Also collected in Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning Omnibus. - Nova vol. 3 – Secret Invasion
Collects Nova (vol. 4) #13-18 - Nova vol. 4 – Nova Corps
Collects Nova (vol. 4) #19-22, and Nova: Origin of Richard Rider - Secret Invasion: Inhumans
Collects Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4
War of Kings Reading Order: Collected Editions
- War of Kings Omnibus
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #475-486, X-Men: Emperor Vulcan (2007) #1-5, Secret Invasion: War of Kings (2009) #1, X-Men: Kingbreaker (2009) #1-4, War of Kings: Darkhawk (2009) #1-2, War of Kings: Warriors (2009) #1-2, War of Kings (2009) #1-6, War of Kings: Ascension (2009) #1-4, War of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar (2009) #1, Nova (2007) #23-28, Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) #13-19, War of Kings: Who Will Rule? (2009) #1, Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings (2009) #1, material from X-Men: Divided We Stand (2008) #2
Or, in paperbacks:
- Uncanny X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire
Collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #475-486. - X-Men: Emperor Vulcan
Collects X-Men: Emperor Vulcan #1-5. - War of Kings: Road to War of Kings
X-Men: Kingbreaker #1-4, Secret Invasion: War of Kings, War of Kings Saga - War of Kings
Collects Secret Invasion: War of Kings, War of Kings #1-6, War of Kings: Who Will Rule?, and Marvel Spotlight: War of Kings. - War of Kings: Warriors
Collects War of Kings: Darkhawk #1-2, War of Kings: Ascension #1-4, War of Kings: Savage World of Sakaar, and War of Kings: Warriors #1-2. - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: War of Kings – Book 1
Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #7-12. Also collected in Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning Omnibus. - Nova Vol. 5: War of Kings
Collects Nova #23-29. - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: War of Kings – Book 2
Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #13-17. Also collected in Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning Omnibus.
War of Kings Reading Order: Issue by Issue
- Uncanny X-Men #475-486
- Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4
- X-Men: Emperor Vulcan #1-5
- War of Kings Saga
- Secret Invasion: War of Kings
- X-Men: Kingbreaker #1-4
- War of Kings #1-2
- War of Kings: Darkhawk #1-2
- War of Kings: Savage World of Skaar
- War of Kings: Warriors #1-2
- Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #8-17
- Nova (vol. 4) #23-28
- War of Kings: Ascension #1-4
- War of Kings #3-6
- War of Kings: Who Will Rule?
- Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #18-19
After War of Kings
Following the conclusion of War of Kings, the War of Kings: Who Will Rule? one-shot set the stage for Realm of Kings, its direct follow-up.
- War of Kings Aftermath: Realm of Kings Omnibus
Collects Realm Of Kings #1; Realm Of Kings: Inhumans #1-5; Realm Of Kings: Imperial Guard #1-5; Realm Of Kings: Son Of Hulk #1-4; Nova (vol. 4) #29-36; Guardians Of The Galaxy (vol.2) #20-25; Thanos Imperative #1-6, Ignition, Devastation; Annihilators #1-4; Annihilators: Earthfall #1-4; Thanos Sourcebook; Material From I Am An Avenger #3.
Or in Paperbacks
- Realm of Kings
Collects Realm Of Kings, Realm Of Kings: Inhumans #1-5, Realm Of Kings: Son Of Hulk #1-4, Realm Of Kings: Imperial Guard #1-5 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4: Realm of Kings
Collects Guardians of the Galaxy #20-25. - Nova Vol. 6: Realm of Kings
Collects Nova #29-36. - The Thanos Imperative
Collects The Thanos Imperative 1–6, The Thanos Imperative: Ignition, The Thanos Imperative: Devastation, and the Thanos Sourcebook.
Last Updated on November 5, 2022.