The definitive issue-by-issue comic book collecting guide and reading order for Marvel’s Adam Warlock (and his counterpart Magus) in omnibus, hardcover, trade paperback, and digital. Part of Crushing Krisis’s Crushing Comics. Last updated August 2024 with titles scheduled for release through December 2024.
Adam Warlock is Marvel’s cosmic savior and destroyer all rolled up into one. He’s also one of the keys to the formation of the modern Guardians of the Galaxy as we know them from the MCU.
You would never be able to guess that from his first appearance as a gross, throbbing cocoon incubating the lab-grown progeny of a group of intellectual supremacists. The cocoon opens to reveal a naive golden-skinned god with cosmic power, whose early instincts are to flee Earth (though he returns to find himself a mate).
On one of his early flights from Earth, Warlock encounters the man who he would come to think of as a father – The High Evolutionary. Evolutionary had just created his Counter-Earth with its sped up evolution creating a dark mirror of our own history. In an on-the-nose biblical allegory, one from High Evolutionary’s twisted creations, Man-Beast, had descended on the planet with plans to corrupt it. In response, he sent his newly adopted Space Jesus down to defeat Man-Beast – but not before imparting some important philosophy as well as pressing the Soul Gem into Warlock’s forehead.
That is the peculiar status quo of the first half of Warlock’s 1972 series. It is set entirely on Counter-Earth, away from Marvel’s familiar heroes and the potential sales boosts that come from their team-ups (although Hulk manages to drop by twice). Unsurprisingly, the title didn’t last long and was shuffled off into cancellation before it could finish its story, which was later completed in Incredible Hulk.
A year later, Jim Starlin brought Warlock back via Strange Tales, an anthology book on its death bed after the departure of its anchor Nick Fury into his own title. Starlin immediately broke Warlock out of his earthly confines to make him an intergalactic hero waging war on the Universal Church of Truth – inexplicably led by his own dark mirror, Magus.
Each of Starlin’s early issue is a powerful act of imagination and creation as he introduces Pip the Troll and Gamora in quick succession before bringing in his creation Thanos to launch Warlock back into his own series. Yet, once Starlin resolved his initial Church plot, the series meandered and was quickly cancelled for a second time. Starlin bid farewell to the trio of Warlock, Gamora, & Pip the Troll in a pair of Avengers and Marvel Two-in-One Annuals, after which they sat unused (and rarely-referenced) for nearly 15 years.
It was Starlin would would bring Warlock back to the limelight for Infinity Gauntlet, which served as the explosive reintroduction of Thanos to the Marvel Universe after a year of simmering plots in Silver Surfer. With the original Captain Marvel still dead, this solidified Warlock as Thanos’s signature opponent… and, sometimes, friend. Warlock regained his own title spinning out of the event, Warlock & The Infinity Watch, which is recognizable as a sort of proto-Guardians of the Galaxy thanks to includin Gamora & Drax amongst its members.
After the conclusion of Starlin’s Infinity Trilogy and the Infinity Watch series, Warlock once again lost his purpose at Marvel. He returned briefly in 1998, and Starlin used him to support Thanos again in 2002-2004, but there was a sense that Warlock’s character was too power and too unstable to use alongside any other Marvel heroes (though Dan Slott made a valiant effort in his She-Hulk).
That all changed in the wake of 2007’s Annihilation: Conquest. Hot of their second smash hit cosmic event in a row, writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning gathered together a squad of Marvel’s Bronze Age space heroes – including Warlock and Gamora – and dubbed them as the new Guardians of the Galaxy. Warlock was central to this team, and it was the first time he had been written at length by someone other than Starlin in over 30 years. Yet, once again he was shuffled off-stage as being too powerful and too mercurial for heroes to trust.
Warlock has made some occasional returns since 2010, including in a line of Thanos OGNs by Starlin and in the 2018 event Infinity Countdown & Infinity Wars. With renewed focus on the Infinity Stones thanks to the MCU Infinity Saga, event author Gerry Duggan brought back the Infinity Watch concept of Warlock as the shepherd of all six gems (though they may not want him).
- Where to Start Reading
- Warlock Bookshelf – A summary of standard collection formats
- Adam Warlock Reading Order
- Debut as “Him” in Fantastic Four & Thor
- Adam Warlock & The Saga of Counter-Earth
- Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2
- Warlock (1972) #1-8
- Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178
- Jim Starlin’s Adam Warlock
- Strange Tales (1951) #178-181
- Warlock (1972) #9-15
- Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55
- Avengers (1963) Annual 7 & Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2
- Warlock, the Irreplaceable
- Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #61-63
- Incredible Hulk (1968) Annual 6
- Avengers (1963) #262
- Warlock (1982) #1-6 – This series is all reprints of earlier Warlock material
- Warlock & The Infinity Watch (1992)
- Infinity Gauntlet: Silver Surfer (1987) #46-48 and Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1-6
- Infinity War: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-11 & Infinity War (1992) #1-6
- Infinity War Aftermath: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #12-17 & Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection (1993) #1-4
- Infinity Crusade: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #18-22, Warlock Chronicles (1993) #1-5, & Infinity Crusade (1993) #1-6
- Blood & Thunder: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #23-25 & Warlock Chronicles (1993) #6-8
- Broken Watch: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #26-42
- Warlock (1992) #1-6 – This series is all reprints of earlier Warlock material
- Adventures in the Ultraverse
- Warlock (1998) #1-4
- Thanos’s Keeper in Infinity Abyss (2002) #1-6 & Thanos (2003) #1-6
- Warlock (2004) #1-4
- Annihilation: Conquest (2008) #1-6
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) #1-19
- Marvel Now: The Thanos Infinity Trilogy by Jim Starlin
- Infinity Countdown (2018) & Infinity Wars (2018)
- Marvel Fresh Start (2018 – 2022)
- Who Is…? Adam Warlock Infinity Comic (2023) #1 (May 2023)
- Warlock: Rebirth (2023) #1-5 (Apr – Aug 2023)
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Where to Start Reading Adam Warlock
If you want to jump into Adam Warlock, there are three broad suggestions of where to begin, with a few finer degrees of choice inside of the first of them.
Silver & Bronze Age Adam Warlock. You can start Adam Warlock at the start! But… what is really the start? If you’re a completionist, begin with his debut as a weird cocoon in Fantastic Four (1961) #66 and keep reading sequentially. If you want to skip over the Silver Age silliness (but have the patience for the Bronze Age and Counter-Earth hippies), start with Marvel Premiere (1972) #1 which leads into his ongoing series. And, if you want pure cosmic goodness with Gamora and Thanos, begin with Jim Starlin’s Saga in Strange Tales (1951) #178.
The Infinity Trilogy. Adam Warlock was dormant in the Marvel Universe for over a decade before coming back for the Infinity Trilogy of Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, and Infinity Crusade – and, he had his own long-running series that bridged the three events and ran two years past them. Altogether, it adds up to more than 80 continuous issues. You can start these from Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1, or read a brief prologue in Silver Surfer (1987) #46-48 to get acquainted with his status quo before the event.
Modern Guardians of the Galaxy. Jump into the Marvels mid-00s cosmic events with Annihilation: Conquest, where Warlock plays a major role. This is the event that launches the version of Guardians of the Galaxy we’d meet in the MCU in 2014 – in the comics, Warlock is a founding member!
The Adam Warlock Bookshelf
Omnibus & Oversize Hardcover
Adam Warlock Omnibus (2023 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302949877 / digital)
Collects the full Silver & Bronze Age Warlock saga all in one place for the first time! You can read this and continue directly to Infinity Gauntlet. Collects (in order of chronology) Fantastic Four (1961) #66-67, Thor (1966) #165-166, Marvel Premiere (19720 #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) Annual 2, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) #61-63, and Incredible Hulk (1968) Annual 6.
Warlock by Jim Starlin Gallery Edition (2021 “Gallery” oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302931780 / digital)
Collects just the Starlin Saga of Warlock’s Bronze Age years from Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-in-One (1972) Annual 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Solo Classic Omnibus (2015 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-0785198321)
This edition contains the majority of the stories of the modern movie team of Guardians, plus the Warlock’s Starlin Saga (which prominently features Gamora). Collects Incredible Hulk (1968) #271 & Annual 5; Iron Man (1968) #55; Captain Marvel (1968) #27-33, 43-44, 58-62; Strange Tales (1951) #180-181; Warlock (1972) #9-11, 15; Avengers (1963) #219-220, Annual 7; Marvel Two-in-One (1972) Annual 2; Marvel Preview [Magazine] (1975) #11 (Star-Lord story); Marvel Spotlight (1979) #1-2, 6-7; Marvel Premiere (1972) #61; Rocket Raccoon (1985) #1-4; material from Star-Lord Special Edition (1982), and more.
Infinity Gauntlet Omnibus: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Gauntlet
Infinity War Omnibus: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity War
Infinity Crusade Omnibus: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Crusade
Infinity Countdown & Infinity Wars: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Countdown & Infinity War
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Masterworks: Warlock, Vol. 1 (2007 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785124115 / 2015 paperback, ISBN 978-0785188582 / digital)
Collects Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, and The Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178
Marvel Masterworks: Warlock, Vol. 2 (2009 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785135111 / digital)
Collects Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, The Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-In-One (1974) Annual 2.
Essentials
Essential Warlock, Vol. 1 (2012 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785163312)
Collects Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2. (Some solicits mistakenly have this as Marvel Team-Up Annual 2).
Adam Warlock Reading Order
Adam Warlock debuts as “Him” in Fantastic Four & Thor
Note that these issues do not appear in Warlock’s Masterworks or Essentials, but are in his complete Omnibus.
Fantastic Four (1961) #66-67: See Guide to Fantastic Four. This is Warlock’s unlikely 1967 origin, in which he barely appears! This two-issue plot focuses on a group of scientists who are trying to create a new “master race” to rule humanity. They kidnap Alicia Masters to act as their consultant, but her unending compassion proves to be their undoing – and leads to the birth of a being known simply as “Him.” Even if this origin isn’t strongly referenced in ensuing Warlock appearances, I still think it’s worth reading purely for being Lee/Kirby in chilling hard sci-fi mode! Warlock’s presence is implied throughout the origin story set-up in #66 without him appearing in full on panel, which he does only at the close of issue #67.
Thor (1966) #163-166: See Guide to Thor, The Odinson. Two years after the original “Him” tale the unnamed golden man returns in the pages of Thor in 1969. The final page of both #163-164 teases that Him is in stasis back on Earth – and his slumber has been interrupted by the events of the issues. Issue #165 expands on this with an origin recap, as well as explaining how Him returned to Earth (though he has no idea of the events). Playing out a role similar to that of his biblical namesake, he reveals he’s simply looking for a “mate” and set his eyes on the lovely Sif! This leads to a crackling two issue fight against Thor, which results into this proto-version of Warlock re-cocooning himself returning to deep space.
Adam Warlock & The Saga of Counter-Earth
The Marvel Premiere (1972) anthology series launched with Roy Thomas and Gil Kane tale of the High Evolutionary finding Warlock’s cocoon in space just as he births his Counter Earth! The first issue of this series is packed with philosophy and short on action, with Evolutionary and Warlock forming an immediate (and, apparently, deeply emotional bond) – which leads Evolutionary to give Warlock his name and his forehead gem at the end of issue #1. He’s meant to fight Man-Beast, but instead he loses his memory and falls in with some hippies on Counte-Earth – who give him his first name.
His adoptive relationship with Evolutionary continues to drive the plot of the early part of this series. While these issues are formative, they aren’t especially cosmic. The problems of Counter-Earth are all-too-human. If you’re looking for an Infinity-style Warlock story, you should skip to the next section.
After issue #8, Warlock’s series goes on a two-year hiatus. His Counter-Earth plot is resolved in Incredible Hulk.
in a single oversize hardcover…
Adam Warlock Omnibus (2023 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302949877 / digital)
Collects the full Silver & Bronze Age Warlock saga all in one place for the first time! You can read this and continue directly to Infinity Gauntlet. Collects (in order of chronology) Fantastic Four (1961) #66-67, Thor (1966) #165-166, Marvel Premiere (19720 #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) Annual 2, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) #61-63, and Incredible Hulk (1968) Annual 6.
in a single Masterworks hardcover…
Marvel Masterworks: Warlock, Vol. 1 (2007 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785124115 / 2015 paperback, ISBN 978-0785188582 / digital)
Collects this entire period from Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, and The Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178
in a single black-and-white Essentials paperback…
Essential Warlock, Vol. 1 (2012 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785163312)
Collects Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2. (Some solicits mistakenly have this as Marvel Team-Up Annual 2).
reading order by single issue or storyline…
Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2: Collected in various formats, above. These continue directly to Warlock (1972) #1.
#1: Marvel Visionaries: Gil Kane
The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #99 & #123, Captain Marvel (1968) #17, Daredevil (1964) #146, Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #116, Marvel Premiere (1972) #1 & 15, Tales of Suspense (1959) #88-91, Tales to Astonish (1959) #76, What If? (1977) #3
We see a brief flashback to Adam’s re-debut in Marvel Two-In-One (1974) #63 and in Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #15.
Warlock (1972) #1-8: Collected in various formats, above.
After issue #2, in Incredible Hulk (1968) #158, Warlock and his hippy friends spend a couple of panels reacting to Rhino crashing to the ground of Counter-Earth in the midst of a titanic battle with Hulk. He may have a blink and you’ll miss it appearance in Avengers Forever (1998) #12.
After #7: in Avengers (1963) #118 Warlock notices the rending of reality resulting from the Avengers/Defenders war, even from Counter-Earth.
Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178: Collected in various formats, above. Also, see Guide to Hulk, Bruce Banner. Warlock is revealed on the final page of #176.
Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) Annual 8 (4th story) recaps many of Warlock’s interactions with High Evolutionary in this period as well as their unseen encounter from the flashback in Marvel Two-in-One #62, below. We later glimpse the conclusions of this era many times over, including in brief panels of flashback in Fantastic Four (1961) #172, Marvel Two-In-One (1974) #63, Thor (1966) #317
Jim Starlin’s Adam Warlock Saga
Strange Tales was a struggling anthology book in the wake of Nick Fury & SHIELD graduating into their own run. Warlock arrives after a brief run of Brother Voodoo followed by a starring turn by “The Golem,” if that gives you an idea of how far into the wilderness of Marvel Comics we are.
Yet, writer/artist Jim Starlin’s psychedelic work on Warlock was strangely compelling from the start. Starlin introduces the power of the Soul Gem in Warlock’s head, the Magus, and the sinister Universal Church of Truth.
As soon as Starlin’s anthology feature gets promoted to continue Warlock’s ongoing series, he brings out the big guns – immediately connecting Gamora to Thanos and bringing in the big purple guy for the final page reveal. The initial Magus Saga resolves in issue #11, leading to a lumpy run of further stories. With Starlin’s big bang out of the way, it feels as though he was immediately out of ideas for what to do with his adopted progeny.
in a single oversize hardcover…
Adam Warlock Omnibus (2023 oversize hardcover, ISBN 978-1302949877 / digital)
Collects the full Silver & Bronze Age Warlock saga all in one place for the first time! You can read this and continue directly to Infinity Gauntlet. Collects (in order of chronology) Fantastic Four (1961) #66-67, Thor (1966) #165-166, Marvel Premiere (19720 #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) Annual 2, Marvel Two-in-One (1972) #61-63, and Incredible Hulk (1968) Annual 6.
in a single Masterworks hardcover…
Marvel Masterworks: Warlock, Vol. 2 (2009 hardcover, ISBN 978-0785135111 / digital)
Collects the entire period from Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, The Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-In-One (1974) Annual 2.
in a single paperback…
Warlock by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection (2014 paperback, ISBN 978-0785188476 / digital)
Collects Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, The Avengers (1963) Annual 7, Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2, and additional content from Masterworks Vol. 2 (but, not Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55!)
in a single black-and-white Essentials paperback…
Essential Warlock, Vol. 1 (2012 b&w paperback, ISBN 978-0785163312)
Collects Marvel Premiere (1972) #1-2, Warlock (1972) #1-8, Incredible Hulk (1968) #176-178, Strange Tales (1951) #178-181, Warlock (1972) #9-15, Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55, Avengers (1963) Annual 7, and Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2. (Some solicits mistakenly have this as Marvel Team-Up Annual 2).
reading order by single issue or storyline…
Strange Tales (1951) #178-181: Collected in various formats, above. Also, see Guide to Thanos or Guide to Gamora for further collections that do not contain this complete run. Issue. #179 is the debut of Pip the Troll and #180 the debut of Gamora!
Warlock (1972) #9-15: Collected in various formats, above. Also, see Guide to Thanos or Guide to Gamora for further collections that do not contain this complete run.
Both Doctor Strange (1974) #27 and Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) #1 AKA The Death of Captain Marvel OGN, flashback to this time in a montage.
Marvel Team-Up (1972) #55: See Guide to Spider-Man, Peter Parker (2013 – 2018) or Guide to Marvel Team-Up (eventually). A issue-long team-up that resumes (and resolves) Warlock inability to return to Earth Collected in Warlock Masterworks and Omnibus above, but not in Essentials or Starlin-focused collections.
Incredible Hulk (1968) #248 flashes back to this appearance. Flashbacks in Marvel Two-In-One (1974) #62 fill in the plot between the end of Team-Up to the beginning of Avengers Annual 7. However, the story ends on a spoiler for Avengers Annual 7, so you should wait to read this in continuity order. In Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) Annual 8 (4th story), a flashback to this flashback.
Avengers (1963) Annual 7 & Marvel Two-in-One (1974) Annual 2: Collected in various formats, above. These Jim Starlin annuals act as the resolution to the Warlock series and his uneasy alliance with Thanos. It also establishes the powers of the assembled Infinity Gems! He primarily plays a part in the Avengers annual, but also appears in the Two-in-One annual. See Guide to Avengers (1963 – 1996), Guide to Thing (eventually), Guide to Marvel Two-in-One (eventually), and Guide to Thanos – as these issues all appear in collections of those titles.
We flash back on this story many times over, including in Doctor Strange (1974) #27, Hercules (1984) #3, and Silver Surfer (1987) #36
Warlock, the Irreplaceable
While Warlock is on his extended hiatus, three series briefly address the further efforts of his original creators.
Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #61-63: See Guide to Thing (eventually) or Guide to Marvel Two-in-One (eventually). This is the origin of Her, the female counterpart to Warlock. He does not appear in the present, but issue #62 fills in how he got from the end of his series (and Team-Up #55) to Avengers annual, and issue #63 establishes the reason behind his continued absense.
Incredible Hulk (1968) Annual 6: See Guide to Hulk. While Warlock does not appear, this continues the trend of his original makers trying to replace him with other creations.
Avengers (1963) #262: See Guide to Avengers (1963 – 1996). This briefly continues the story of the scientists who created Warlock, but it’s mostly just an elaborate bait-and-switch for the reveal of a different hero in a cocoon in issue #263.
Infinity Gauntlet: Silver Surfer (1987) #46-48 and the Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1-6
Silver Surfer (1987) #46-48: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Gauntlet or Guide to Silver Surfer. Silver Surfer enters the Soul Gem in #46-47, where he finds the consciousness of Warlock, Gamora, and Pip – where they’ve been for over a decade of comic continuity! They adventure together, but stay behind in the gem while Surfer departs. Yet, as Thanos amasses all six gems, we see Warlock and the denizens of the gem resolve to resist him in the closing scenes of #48. part of the lead-up to Infinity Gauntlet.
New Warriors (1990) #11-13 includes an alternate version of Warlock in the background of an alternate-reality story.
Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1-6: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events- Infinity Gauntlet. Adam Warlock is effectively a co-lead character of this series. He appears throughout the main story and most of its tie-ins. If you’ve never read this, it’s a fascinating look at the ascendency of Thanos in the Marvel Universe, with a few interesting parallels to his appearances in the MCU. This ends with Warlock more powerful than ever before.
Click for a reading order of Warlock\'s appearances in this event.
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #36: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events- Infinity Gauntlet or Guide to Doctor Strange. This epilogue to the Gauntlet shows the uneasy balance struck when a being such as Warlock holds infinite power. We’ve certainly seen a dark side of him before! In a way, this sets up Infinity Watch.
Infinity War: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-11 & Infinity War (1992) #1-6
This new Warlock ongoing series opens with one of the most impressive meetings in Marvel Universe history! Eternity brings a case against Warlock to the Living Tribunal, which is attended by Galactus, The Strangers, Master Order & Lord Chaos, a Celestial, a Watcher, and more! The verdict? Warlock must amass a group of other beings to aid him in guarding the Infinity Gems.
That plot develops for seven issues before it is interrupted by Thanos himself, seeking the aid of the gems to defeat a familiar foe of Warlock’s – Magus!
#1-11: Infinity Watch, Vol. 1 (2016 paperback, ISBN 978-0785195276 / digital)
Collects Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-22
#1-6: Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath (2013 paperback, ISBN 978-0785184867 / digital)
Collects Silver Surfer (1987) #60-66, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #36 (stars Gamora), Warlock & the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-6, material from Silver Surfer (1987) Annual 5. This book is included in hardcover in the Infinity Gauntlet Box Set.
#7-11 & Infinity War (1992) #1-6: These issues are part of Infinity War. See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity War. Adam Warlock is effectively the lead character of this event.
Click for a reading order of Warlock\'s appearances in this event.
Infinity War Aftermath: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #12-17 & Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection (1993) #1-4
Warlock appears but is not an active presence in issues #12-14, though they both have subplot scenes dealing with the aftermath of Infinity War. Then, in issue #15, he has a conversation with Eternity that awakens him. From there, he immediately comes to Surfer’s aid in Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection (1993) #1-4 before two more issues of Infinity Watch and then being thrust into the third chapter of the Infinity Trilogy.
#12-17: Infinity Watch, Vol. 1 (2016 paperback, ISBN 978-0785195276 / digital)
Collects Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-22
Silver Surfer / Warlock: Resurrection (1993) #1-4: Infinity War Aftermath (2015 paperback, ISBN 978-0785198147 / digital)
This volume collects Warlock & The Infinity Watch #11-17, Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4, Quasar #41-43; material from Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #112, Marvel Holiday Special #2, Marvel Swimsuit Special #2. This book is included in hardcover in the Infinity Gauntlet Box Set.
After #12: In Cyberspace 3000 (1993) #6-8, both Warlock and Thanos briefly appear as mental constructs in this far-future series.
After #15: Resurrection #1-4, above
After #17: A brief, wordless cameo on the final page of Quasar (1989) #50
Infinity Crusade: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #18-22, Warlock Chronicles (1993) #1-5, & Infinity Crusade (1993) #1-6
While you can read Infinity Crusade on its own, it is actually structured as an irregular direct crossover that runs through all three of these titles.
#18-22: Infinity Watch, Vol. 1 (2016 paperback, ISBN 978-0785195276 / digital)
Collects Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #1-22
#18-22, Warlock Chronicles (1993) #1-5, & Infinity Crusade (1993) #1-6: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Crusade. Contained in. dam Warlock is effectively the lead character of this event. He appears throughout every issue of the main three-title crossover, though he is not in any tie-ins outside of that.
Click for a reading order of Warlock\'s appearances in this event.Next in Quasar (1989) #53, Starblast (1994) #1. Spider-Man Halloween Special Edition (1993) #1 may simply be a reprint of earlier content.
Blood & Thunder in Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #23-25 & Warlock Chronicles (1993) #6-8
Directly out of Infinity Crusade, both of Warlock’s titles push directly into another direct crossover with Thor and Silver Surfer.
#23-25 & Warlock Chronicles (1993) #6-8: See Guide to Thor, The Odinson and Guide to Silver Surfer. This crossover has had its own collection, but is also now covered in Epic Collections. Note that Warlock Chronicles #6 is collected in Infinity Watch Vol. 2 in the next section.
During Warlock Chronicles #6: Quasar (1989) #54 (which is part of the Starblast crossover)
Click for a reading order of Warlock\'s appearances in this event.
Broken Watch: Warlock and the Infinity Watch (1992) #26-42
After the conclusion of Infinity Crusade and Blood & Thunder, Warlock’s continuity gets much simpler! He simply appears in the end run of this series, which leads to the Watch becoming fractured and the gems (along with Him), disappearing.
#26-42: Infinity Watch Vol. 2 (2016 paperback, ISBN 978-1302900625 / digital)
Also collects Warlock Chronicles (1993) #6
After #33: in Incredible Hulk (1968) #418, attending Hulk’s wedding. In Silver Surfer (1987) #94, Warlock guides Surfer on a journey through his soul.
After #39: in Cosmic Powers Unlimited (1995) #1, another exploration of Surfer’s mind
Adventures in the Ultraverse
Warlock, along with Silver Surfer and Black Knight, are some of the Marvel characters to make a brief excursion to Malibu’s Ultraverse, which Marvel acquired in the mid-90s.
Warlock appears in Rune/Silver Surfer #1, Curse of Rune (1994) #4, Rune (1994) #∞, & Rune Vol. 2 (1995) #1, 3, 6-7, and Ultraverse Unlimited (1996) #1
Warlock (1998) #1-4
Writer/Artist Tom Lyle orchestrates Warlock’s return to the Marvel Universe after his excursion in the Ultraverse, which begins with a hunt for Drax and ends with a trip to the Negative Zone.
#1-4: Guardians of the Galaxy: Road to Annihilation, Vol. 1 (2017 paperback, ISBN 978-1302904418 / digital)
Collects Warlock (1998) #1-4; Captain Marvel (2000) #4-6 & 15-16; Infinity Abyss (2022) #1-6; She-Hulk (2004) #7-8.
Warlock may continue directly from here to his 2004 series prior to Infinity Abyss, but that is a “continuity-lite” series and it’s hard to say for sure.
Warlock (1999) is an X-Men spinoff and not related to this character. He appears in Thanos’s non-continuity memory in Avengers: Celestial Quest (2001) #8.
Magus appears in Captain Marvel (1999) #32-34 and Captain Marvel (2002) #21-24. These series both star Genis-Vell as Captain Marvel. See Guide to Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers or Guide to Genis-Vell (eventually)
Thanos’s Keeper: Infinity Abyss (2002) & Thanos (2003)
Jim Starlin returns for another round with Thanos, which once again brings Warlock back to relevance after several “back to basics” years for Marvel dominated by Marvel Knights and the birth of the Ultimate Universe. Warlock sets himself against Thanos, but has to make a difficult choice about one human being in order to save the Earth.
Infinity Abyss (2002) #1-6: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Abyss or Guide to Thanos
Warlock is unwittingly pulled out of his retirement from the end of Infinity Abyss into Thanos’s redemption arc in this Jim Starlin series, which brings them both into conflict with Galactus.
Thanos (2003) #1-6: See Guide to Thanos.
She-Hulk (2004) #7-8: See Guide to She-Hulk. This is a truly unusual appearance because it’s purely to anchor a two-issue story arc that has nothing to do with Infinity Gems, Thanos, or the Magus. Instead, She-Hulk gets involved in an intergalactic fight club when Warlock is knocked out by the current champion. It’s fun, but not an essential read for Warlock’s continuing story.
Warlock (2004) #1-4
While this series was published after the pair of Starlin Thanos series above, it can actually be read prior to them just after Warlock’s 1998 series.
#1-4: Warlock: Second Coming (2018 paperback, ISBN 978-1302914097 / digital)
Annihilation: Conquest (2008) #1-6
Warlock joins the Guardians in trying to repel a twin mechanical invasion from Ultron and the Phalanx. At points, Warlock is both the hero and the villain of this event – and, certainly he is a featured character throughout
In Annihilation: Conquest – Quasar #3-4, the new Quasar is on a quest to free a potential savior from assimilation. Warlock appears only briefly at the close of issue #4.
Annihilation: Conquest (2008) #1-6: See Marvel Universe Events: Annihilation: Conquest for collection information for the entire event.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2008)
The series that birthed the movie franchise! Warlock begins this run as a full-time member of the Guardians team. Except… the team disbands at the end of the first arc, which leaves the rest of the series to follow their fragments through other stories. Warlock initially pairs off with his longtime companion Gamora to investigate the return of the Universal Church of Truth.
While Warlock skips a few issues of this series, I’d highly recommend reading it straight through to #19, which is his final appearance.
#1-8, 10, 13-15, 17-19: See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. Warlock does not appear in #18, but the story still involves him. He only appears in flashback or memory after #19.
In War of Kings: Who Will Rule? #1, we glimpse Magus at some unspecified future point around the same time issue #19 was published, implying there is more plot to come. We follow up on this in issues #22-23 and after the end of the series in Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1, where he seems to be destroyed.
In Annihilators 1 & 4 (2nd stories), we glimpse Warlock multiple times in Rocket’s flashbacks to the Guardians team. Much later, in Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah (2020) #1, we glimpse the formation of the team from a different angle than the flashbacks we see in issue #1. In Secret Avengers (2010) #15, a panel of flashback of Warlock at some unspecified time flying through space.
Annihilators: Earthfall (2011) #1-4: See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. Though Warlock does not appear, this series is relevant to the continuing plot of Magus.
Marvel Now: The Thanos Infinity Trilogy by Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin penned series is a tangle of philosophy that harkens back to his original run on Warlock in the 70s as well as Warlock acting as Thanos’s conscience in his 2002 series. This has been treated as far-to-the-side continuity by most of the Marvel-616 books, which don’t tend to directly reference these events – and, generally the continuity is treated as happening before the entirety of Marvel Now.
However, the net effect is that Warlock is somewhere out in the universe during Marvel Now, though he is unseen for the entirety of the era.
Thanos: The Infinity Revelation (2014), Thanos Infinity Relativity (2015), & Thanos: The Infinity Finale (2016): See Guide to Thanos.
Infinity Countdown (2018) & Infinity Wars (2018)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2018) #150: See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. Here we see that Adam is one again in the Soul Gem, due to some unspecified events.
Infinity Countdown (2018): Adam Warlock (2018) and Infinity Countdown (2018) Prime & #2-5: See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Countdown. Warlock is an active participant in the mad scramble to reassemble (or drive apart) the reformed Infinity Stones.
Infinity Wars (2018): See Guide to Marvel Universe Events – Infinity Wars. Warlock is a key player and has a major role to serve in the resolution of the story. He appears in Infinity Wars (2018) Prime & #1-2, 4-6. He also appears between #4-5 in Infinity Wars: Soldier Supreme (2018) #2 and after the event in Infinity Wars: Fallen Guardian (2019) #1.
Marvel Fresh Start (2018 – 2022)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) #1: See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. Warlock appears in the deep background of a massive cast of intergalactic heroes assembled to view a funeral. Silver Surfer: Black (2019) #1 shows some of these scenes from another perspective, though Warlock is not prominent in them.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2019) Annual 1: See Guide to Guardians of the Galaxy. In a single story in this anthology issue, we learn where Warlock disappeared to at the end of issue #1.
Also in this period: Magus appears in the present day sequence of Thanos (2019) #4-6. In Silver Surfer Rebirth (2022) #5, Warlock appears in non-continuity memory. During the Empyre, he appears briefly in Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah (2020 #1 in flashback to the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
He also appears in Tarot (2022) #1, a flashback series.
Who Is…? Adam Warlock Infinity Comic (2023) #1 (May 2023)
A digital one-shot recapping Adam’s origins. [Marvel Unlimited]
#1: Not collected
Warlock: Rebirth (2023) #1-5 (Apr – Aug 2023)
A flashback series from Ron Marz & Ron Lim set just after Infinity Gauntlet.
#1-5: Rebirth (2023 paperback, ISBN 978-1302952136 / digital)
Adam also appears in another Marz flashback series, Silver Surfer Rebirth: Legacy (2023) #1-2 & 5
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[…] As we count down to the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 in just 10 days, I’ll be releasing a number of Guardians-related guides and guide updates! First up is the major Marvel character finally making his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (after they have arguably already told his biggest story!). Read all about Him in my Adam Warlock Guide! […]