The definitive, chronological, and up-to-date guide and trade reading-order on collecting Uncanny Avengers comic books via omnibuses, hardcovers, and trade paperback graphic novels. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics. Last updated May 2024 with titles scheduled for release through July 2024.
Collecting Uncanny Avengers
Before 2012 the word “Uncanny” had always been a mutants-only adjective at Marvel and The Avengers franchise included relatively few mutant members.
That all changed in the wake of Marvel’s massive Avengers vs. X-Men crossover in 2012. The flagship book of their new Marvel Now line-up was Uncanny Avengers – a greatest hits combination of the most recognizable members of both teams, all striving to maintain Professor Xavier’s message of unity and the Avenger’s mandate of protecting the Earth.
What felt like an uneasy alliance to start began to feel more natural with 2016’s All-New, All-Different Marvel. Maybe that’s because the book felt less like X-Men problems pasted onto the Avengers, or maybe it’s the mix of characters – now also includes of The Inhumans.
The third volume (there was a brief second one after Axis) jettisons the idea that the team must be comprised entirely of major stars like Wolverine and Thor and leans hard into Rogue as the central character. It rotated more Avengers in and out of the mix, plus brought in Deadpool and then Cable (the latter of whom has always been a great partner and foil to Rogue when they occasionally bump up against each other, as they did early in Mike Carey’s X-Men Legacy run).
Now, over half a decade since their debut, Uncanny Avengers feel like their own institution distinct from their pair of parent franchises. Who knows how that feeling will be affected by “No Surrender,” mega all-Avengers crossover in early 2018 that will see all of the books merged down to a single Avengers weekly title.
- Marvel Now: Vol. 1 & 2 (2012 – 2015)
- Marvel Now: A+X (2012 – 2013)
- All-New, All-Different Marvel: Vol. 3 (2015 – 2017)
- The Age of Krakoa – Fall of X: Vol. 4 (2023)
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Marvel Now! (2012 – 2015)
In the wake of Avengers vs. X-Men anyone can be an Avenger – including lifelong X-Men like Havok and Rogue, and Avengers disassembler Scarlet Witch! They team up with Captain America, Thor, and the omnipresent Wolverine under the pen of Rick Remender.
Two stories play out in this run: one, a time travel paradox with Apocalypse and Kang was seemingly meant as the climax of his Uncanny X-Force run. The second is a Red Skull story that emerges directly from AvX and is resolved in Axis. A subsequent brief volume is an adventure on Counter Earth with a markedly different team that now also includes Quicksilver and Doctor Druid.
in a oversized hardcover…
Uncanny Avengers Omnibus Oversize Hardcover
Collects #1-25, 8AU, & Annual 1
Avengers & X-Men: Axis Oversize Hardcover
Collects Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1-9. This event is effectively Uncanny Avengers Omnibus Vol. 1.5 – it was written by Rick Remender, continues all of the themes of his run, and Uncanny Avengers wasn’t published during the event. See Marvel Universe Events for more information.
Vol. 2, #1-5: Not collected in this format
as originally released…
#1-5: Vol. 1: The Red Shadow
Art by John Cassaday, with #5 by Olivier Coipel. Available in hardcover. Issue #1 is also collected in the Marvel Now omnibus.
After issue #4, some iteration of the team makes an appearance in Young Avengers (2013) #2, The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #700, X-Factor (1986) #253, Thunderbolts (2013) #7, Avengers Assemble (2012) #16-17, Gambit (2012) #9, All-New X-Men (2013) #11-14, Iron Man (2013) #16, and Gambit (2012) #17
After issue #5-6, some iteration of the team makes an appearance in A+X (2012) #12 and Cable and X-Force (2013) #1, 3, 8-10, & 13-14
Starting with issue #7, the next three volumes tell a single, long-form story with no breaks for other continity.
#6-11 & 8.AU: Vol. 2: The Apocalypse Twins
Art by Daniel Acuna. Available in hardcover. The special Age of Ultron issue co-written with Gerry Duggan is also collected with Age of Ultron hardcover and Age of Ultron: Companion paperback. See Marvel Universe Events for more information.
#12-17: Vol. 3: Ragnarok Now
Art by Steve McNiven. Available in hardcover
#18-22: Vol. 4: Avenge the Earth
Available in hardcover.
Here the single story finally breaks so that members of the team can again appear and interact elsewhere.
After #22 (so, before Axis), some iteration of the team appears in FF (2013) #14, Iron Man (2013) #16, Avengers Assemble (2012) #20, Avengers A.I. (2013) #8-10, Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe (2014) #2, Nova (2013) #10, All-New X-Men (2013) #25, Fantastic Four (2014) #2, Thunderbolts (2013) #27, Captain America (2013) #25, and New Warriors (2014) #12
Annual 1: Avengers: Revelations
Collects Thanos Annual 1, Uncanny Avengers Annual 1, New Avengers Annual 1, Avengers Annual 1
#23-25 & Annual 1: Vol. 5: Prelude to Axis
Also includes Magneto #9-10, which includes some key scenes that fill in the gaps between the Uncanny issues. Available in hardcover.
Avengers & X-Men: Axis: See Marvel Universe Events. This is very much an Uncanny Avengers event – in fact, it was originally going to be the next nine issues of the series! It is available in standard-size paperback for shelf continuity with your collection of this run.
During Axis, the team appears in: (after #2) Magneto (2014) #11, (after #3) Magneto (2014) #12, (after #4) Captain America & the Mighty Avengers (2014) #2, Amazing X-Men (2014) #14
After Axis, an iteration of the team appears in Nova (2013) #25
Vol. 2, #1-5: Vol. 1: Counter-Evolutionary
A brief, somewhat vestigial relaunch of the team prior to Secret Wars whose main purpose in existing seems to be introducing Doctor Voodoo to the team and retconning Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to be not the children of Magneto anymore.
Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever (2015) #1: Ultron Forever
Part of a Al Ewing’s trio of “Ultron Forever” one-shot specials from Avengers, New Avengers, and Uncanny Avengers. This paperback also collects The Incredible Hulk (1962) #6, Iron Man (1968) #188, and Thor (1966) #378
Avengers: Rage of Ultron OGN (2015)
This Remender-penned original graphic novel was actually Marvel’s first story in the post-Secret Wars era, though fans didn’t know that at the time. It not only represents his last hurrah with the franchise, but continues some elements of his second run (Sabretooth as an Avenger) and sets up a major thread for Duggan to continue to below (the Pym vs. Ultron struggle). It’s absolutely a part of the fabric of Uncanny Avengers.
In this period, an iteration of the team makes an out-of-continuity appearance in Marvel: Now What?! (2013) #1, Deadpool’s Art of War (2014) #3-4, and Ultimate End (2015) #3-4
A+X – Marvel Now! (2012 – 2013)
A chance for big name creators to make unusual pairings out of Avengers and X-Men, with two stories in each issue. Though this sounds like a mini-series, it has been promoted as an ongoing – and it’s pretty entertaining.
#1-6: A+X, Vol. 1 = Awesome (ISBN 0785166742)
#7-12: A+X, Vol. 2 = Amazing (ISBN 0785166750)
#13-18: A+X, Vol. 3 = Outstanding (ISBN 0785190112)
All-New, All-Different Marvel (2015 – Present)
Deadpool writer Gerry Duggan takes the reigns of this edition through Secret Empire, at which point Jim Zub finishes out the volume and takes the team into “No Surrender.” Both authors foreground Rogue as the main character and combat leader, though Captain America, Quicksilver, Human Torch, and the unlikely additions of Deadpool and Deadpool all play key roles.
#1-6: Unity Vol. 1: Lost Future
Also contains material from Avengers (2015) #0. The one-shot story from #5 was reprinted as True Believers: Uncanny Avengers-The Bagalia Job (2016)
Annual 1: Scarlet Witch, Vol. 3: The Final Hex
A tie-in to the Scarlet Witch series and written by her author, James Robinson.
In this period, an iteration of the team appears in Black Knight (2016) #1-2, Deadpool (2016) #1, 5, & 10, Howard the Duck (2016) #8, Spider-Woman (2016) #1, Squadron Supreme (2016) #1-3, The Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #14, Uncanny X-Men (2016) #6, and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe (2016) OGN HC
#7-8: Avengers: Standoff
Uncanny Avengers crosses over directly with All-New, All-Different Avengers as a tie-in to this event, but the Uncanny issues are written such that they can easily be read on their own. This edition. Collects Welcome To Pleasant Hill Prologue #1, Assault On Pleasant Hill Alpha #1, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3-4, Uncanny Avengers #7-8, All-New, All-Different Avengers #7-8, New Avengers #8-10, Captain America: Sam Wilson #7-8, Illuminati #6, Howling Commandos #6, and Assault On Pleasant Hill Omega #1. Available in oversize hardcover.
#7-12: Unity Vol. 2: The Man Who Fell to Earth
Civil War II: See Marvel Universe Events. This conflict (and the secret divisiveness of Captain America that emerges from it) has major ramifications for the team that can be felt throughout the next collection. Issues #13-14 are direct tie-ins. An iteration of the team appears in Civil War II (2016) #1-3 & The Fallen (2016), Deadpool (2016) #14 & 18, New Avengers (2015) #12, carlet Witch (2016) #9
#13-17: Unity Vol. 3: Civil War II (ISBN 978-1-302-90234-6)
#18-23: Unity Vol. 4: Red Skull
Note that the solicit text does not include #23, but it is in this book.
In this period, an iteration of the team appears in Captain America: Steve Rogers (2016) #15, Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up (2017) #1, Monsters Unleashed (2017) #4, Spider-Man/Deadpool (2016) #12, and X-Men: Gold (2017) #6
#24-25: Secret Empire: United We Stand
Secret Empire: See Marvel Universe Events. An iteration of the team appears in Secret Empire (2017) FCBD, #0, & 9 and Deadpool (2016) #33
#26-30: Unity Vol. 5: Stars and Garters
At this point all of the remaining Avengers titles are dissolved for their teams and writers to be combined into a single, weekly Avengers title for the “No Surrender” crossover at the beginning of 2018. It remains to be see if Uncanny Avengers will return after the crossover has ended. See Guide Avengers Flagship Titles (2010-Present) for “No Surrender” collection information.
The Age of Krakoa – Fall of X:
Uncanny Avengers (2023) #1-5 by Gerry Duggan
Gerry Duggan once again returns to the Unity Squad, this time also wearing the hat of being the writer of the main X-Men flagship book! This Rogue-centric mini-series is part of the “Fall of X” period of the X-Men line. See Guide to X-Men – The Age of Krakoa for more information.
#1-5: The Resistance (2024 paperback, ISBN 978-1302952334 / digital)
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Due to the team line up and appearance of the characters in the first Uncanny Avengers Annual, it would have to happen prior to the storyline that begins with #9 of that series.
Fitting things between issue #22 and #23 is also difficult as #23 establishes multiple times that the Unity Division of the Avengers have taken a break for several weeks and that characters like Rogue, Havok and Sunfire have been healing in pods while Wasp and Wanda were staying in a cabin, so none of the team could be available to fight. Rogue also had Wonder Man stuck inside her body, Sunfire had drastically changed appearance, Havok was disfigured and Steve had aged.