Throughout their decades of continuity,Marvel Comicshas featured countless crossovers and globe-shattering events featuring thousands of characters from across their publishing line. Oftentimes, many these events are held in high regard, while every now and then, a handful of other crossovers just don’t land the way that creators – or fans – may have wanted.
So for every must-read Marvel Comics crossover, there are just as many stories that fans would be better off avoiding entirely. And readers will want as mnuch guidance as possible when it comes to findingthe best and worst Marvel Comics crossover events.
10Avoid:Avengers & X-Men: Axis
By Rick Remender, Adam Kubert, Leinil Francis Yu, & more
After facing off with an Onslaught-powered Red Skull, several of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes find themselves spurred to villainy to varying degrees of success. Source of the infamous and oft-maligned retcon surroundingthe familial relationship between Magneto, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch,Avengers & X-Men: Axisis conceptually very intriguing, but unfortunately, the event series itself doesn’t quite live up to its potential.
The idea of personality inverted heroes and villains facing off for the fate of the world sounds interesting, but several of the event’s tie-in miniseries likeSuperior Iron Manby Tom Taylor and Yildray Çinar end up being more engaging than the main event itself. As the culmination of story seeded by Rick Remender throughout his time spent writingUncanny X-ForceandUncanny Avengers,Avengers & X-Men: Axiswas ultimately inverted into a missed opportunity.
By Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, & more
Arguablythe defining event book so far for Marvel Comics in the 21st Century,Civil Warfinds Captain America and Iron Man leading opposite sides of a superhero civil war that split their community in two with countless spin-offs and tie-in issues depicting the relationship of practically every Marvel hero to the ongoing conflict.
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There are many longtime fans who feel that many of the series’ primary characters –Iron Man and Mister Fantastic especially– were written out of character to service the story, while there are others who malign the series for as the strongest example of the hero versus hero trope.Civil Warmay not be as beloved by fans as it was impactful, but it’s still a must-read event for any fan of the House of Ideas old or new.
8Avoid:Secret Empire
By Nick Spencer, Rod Reis, Daniel Acuńa, & more
After a sentient Cosmic Cube rewrites his history, a Hydra-loyal Captain America uses his influence to infiltrate society and take over the world.Secret Empireis not a story that anyone ever expected to see and, seeing as how it was criticized from the very beginning of the event’s buildup over a year before, it was one that not many wanted to.
This series was under immense pressure that it ultimately failed to withstand, with its lingering effects perceived as more engaging than the story itself. Considering the political climate of the United States for the better part of a decade, any comic about a nationwide takeover by the rise of fascism was going to be controversial one way or another. Butmaking Captain America the ultimate mastermind behind these eventswas a choice derided by fans at all ends of the political spectrum.
By Brian Michael Bendis, Olivier Coipel, & more
The arguable climax of a saga that began inNew Avengers #1by Brian Michael Bendis, David Finch, and more,Siegeis the conclusion of Marvel Comics’ “Dark Reign” era which saw Norman Osborn’s ascension to the role of top cop of the Marvel Universe andthe creation of the Dark Avengersas the world’s primary superhero team.
Pitting Osborn’s HAMMER forces againstthe reassembled Avengers, Nick Fury’s Secret Warriors, and the Gods of Asgard, this event is one of the handful of crossovers whose payoff match the anticipation. After all, the story’s main series and dozens of tie-in issues wrapped up several years’ worth of ongoing plotlines, relaunched multiple series into the “Heroic Age” publishing initiative, and featured the reunification of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor sinceAvengers: Disassembledsix years prior.
6Avoid:Ultimatum
By Jeph Loeb, David Finch, & more
Arguably the most pivotal crossover event of Marvel’s original Ultimate Universe,Ultimatumis as divisive as it was impactful. After Magneto kills Professor X, the Ultimate Master of Magnetism launches his ultimate attack on mankind and irrevocably changes this universe’s continuity in the process. Resulting in the deaths of Ultimate icons likeDaredevil, Cyclops, Doctor Fate, the Wasp, and even Wolverine, this event relied heavily on shock value, much to the chagrin of Ultimate Universe readers.
This world-shaking event led into the line’s “Ultimate Comics” rebrand – a promising new era of the Ultimate Universe relaunched with new and revived series – and truly offered the opportunity for interesting new explorations of classic characters. But to many readers, the results ofUltimatumdidn’t justify the bombast and devastation of the series itself.
By Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, Pepe Larraz, & more
The finale to the first act of the Krakoan Era,X of Swordsput the X-Men’s new island nation to its first major test as an incursion of ancient mutants threatens both Earth and Otherworld. Tying into the entire Dawn of X line and centered around a tournament of swords,this relatively recent X-Men eventembraces just how epic and exciting comics can be without negating their inherently wacky roots.
Not only was this story well-received by the readership, but it ultimately changed the Marvel Universe in exciting and lasting ways with the introduction of the Arrakki as well asthe original Horsemen and wife of Apocalypse. Having also debuted or resulted in the debut of several other fan-favorite new mutants like Isca the Unbeaten, Pogg Ur-Pogg, and Bei the Blood Moon, theX of Swordstournament was truly won by the readers.
4Avoid:Civil War II
By Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, & more
When a new Inhuman manifests precognitive visions of crimes and disasters before they happen, the superhuman community is split into two camps led by Iron Man and Captain Marvel over just how deeply they can trust the mysterious Ulysses. As a follow-up to one of Marvel Comics’ most important events,the odds were already stacked againstCivil War IIfrom the very beginning– especially considering how tired fans were with the notion of heroes fighting heroes.
But ultimately,Civil War IIfelt more like a prologue for other events likeSecret EmpireandInhumans vs. X-Menthan it felt like a fulfilling story on its own merit. And the same reader qualms surrounding mischaracterization and forced conflict that existed in the days of the originalCivil Warwere only magnified for the even more controversial sequel.
By Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, & more
When Annihilus’ forces breach the Negative Zone and invade the positive matter universe, Marvel Comics’ greatest cosmic champions – and their readers – are thrown into a year-long war for the very survival of the Marvel Universe. It’s safe to say thatAnnihilationis one of the most beloved events in Marvel Comics’ history, and its far-reaching effects are still very much in play almost twenty years after its publication.
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This interstellar conflict revitalized the Cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe, breathing new life to characters like Nova, Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, and even Thanos – ultimately leading up to the formation ofthe contemporary Guardians of the Galaxy as fans know themwith its legacy eventAnnihilation: Conquest. The status quo for the Marvel Cosmic of the 21st Century truly begins here, and fans don’t want to miss it.
2Avoid:Inhumans vs. X-Men
By Charles Soule, Jeff Lemire, Leinil Francis Yu, & more
Inhumans vs. X-Menis one of Marvel Comics’ most unpopular events, and despite the incredibly talented creators involved, it’s not hard to see why. Essentially the culmination of what many fans perceived as a corporate push for the Inhumansto overtake the prominence of the X-Menacross their publishing line, the build-up to this event dragged for far too long with the aftermath leaving behind very few positives aside from fans’ relief over the end of a particularly maligned era.
Like most hero versus hero conflicts,Inhumans vs. X-Mensuffers from the standard criticisms surrounding motivations behind the supposed good guys duking it out, but in this instance, it’s hard to argue with the fans that anybody was written totally in-character. These days, both the Marvel Universe and the longtime readershipsimply act as ifInhumans vs. X-Mennever happened– and new fans would be wise to do the same.
When the Marvel Multiverse is destroyed by one final incursion,a godlike Doctor Doom remakes the universe as he sees fit, creating a patchwork Battleworld from the remnants of dead timelines to rule with an iron fist. Paying off years of build-up from Hickman’s time onFantastic Four,Avengers,New Avengers, and more,Secret Warsis a simultaneously engaging and esoteric event that manages to totally entice new fans while also bringing older readers into the fold by capitalizing on the entire history of Marvel.
In fact, this event is so popular, that it was considered the end-all-be-all of potential Marvel adaptations for the big screen long before it was announced for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a capstone to the previous five decades ofMarvel Comicshistory,Secret Warsis not only one of the best events to ever come out of the House of Ideas, butone of the best comic book events of all time.
