CHAPTER SEVEN: DARK REIGN 2008 - 2010
17 Dec 2008
Notes: This is a 5-part prequel to Secret Warriors, Agents of Atlas, War Machine and New Avengers: The Reunion. You can skip Skrull Kill Krew. If you’re only here for Avengers World, read War Machine only. If you’re here for Secret Agents, skip War Machine.
“New Nation”
21 Dec 2008 - 29 Apr 2009
“Iron Heart”
21 Jan 2009 - 28 May 2009
“Down South”
4 Feb 2009 - 29 Jul 2009
“Nick Fury, Agent of Nothing”
4 Feb 2009 - 16 Sep 2009
“Dark Reign”
“Turf Wars”
Collectors: The first trade includes #1-5 and some bonus issues, the second trade in the series includes #6-11.
4 Feb 2009 - 22 Jul 2009
“Shuri - Deadliest of the Species”
11 Feb 2009 - 22 Jul 2009
“Vampire State”
18 Feb 2009 - 28 Oct 2009
“Time and a Half”
“Overtime”
X-Factor: Layla Miller (2008) # 1
Collectors: This trade collects #39-45 (#39 is in the previous), and the next trade in the series collects #46-50 and the Layla Miller special.
25 Feb 2009 - 22 Apr 2009
“Dark Reign”
Incredible Hercules (2008) #126-128
Collectors: You’ll read the last two issues of the trade before the Siege event in the next chapter of the guide.
4 Mar 2009 - 3 Jun 2009
“The Reunion”
4 Mar 2009 - 19 Aug 2009
“Return of the King”
25 Mar 2009 - 26 Aug 2009
”Elektra”
8 Apr 2009 - 27 Jan 2010
“Hawkeye”
8 Apr 2009 - 30 Sep 2009
“Adamantium Men”
15 Apr 2009 - 24 Jun 2009
“The Sisterhood”
22 Apr 2009 - 17 Jun 2009
“Earth’s Mightiest”
4 May 2009 - 22 Jul 2009
”Fantastic Four”
6 May 2009 - 26 Aug 2009
“Return of Legion”
Collectors: The trade includes issue #5 as well, but you’ll read that as a part of the Nation X crossover later in the guide.
6 May 2009 - 15 Jul 2009
“Bullseye”
20 May 2009 - 29 Jul 2009
“The Master of Doom”
28 May 2009 - 15 Jul 2009
“American Son”
28 May 2009 - 28 Oct 2009
“War of the Marvels”
28 May 2009 - 9 Dec 2009
“Dark Reign”
10 Jun 2009 - 26 Aug 2009
“Godhunter”
16 Sep 2009 - 17 Mar 2010
”Shock and Awe”
17 Jun 2009 - 19 Aug 2009
”Mr. Negative”
Dark Reign: Mr. Negative (2009) #1-3
Collectors: Seems like it’s hard to find a copy of this trade.
24 Jun 2009
”Disassembled”
24 Jun 2009 - 30 Sep 2009
“Lethal Legion”
Dark Reign: Lethal Legion (2009) #1-3
Collectors: One more trade that’s hard to get a copy of.
24 Jun 2009 - 30 Sep 2009
“Sinister Spider-Man”
24 Jun 200 - 7 Oct 2009
24 Jun 2009 - 26 Aug 2009
“The Prince”
3 Jun 2009 - 24 Jun 2009
Event Icon: This full title builds up to the “Siege” event.
Notes: As you know by now, Bendis tends to write his stories so that nothing can take place in between his issues, not even his own stories in other titles (like New Avengers). Osborns team of Avengers appears in many titles between Dark Avengers #4 and #5.
“Assemble”
25 Mar 2009 - 24 Jun 2009
Notes: It seems like this should be happening right after New Avengers #50, but it cannot happen until now. The Hood plays an important role here, and he’s been through a lot, and appeared in many stories, in between New Avengers #50 and #51.
“Search for the Sorcerer Supreme”
22 Jul 2009 - 5 Aug 2009
Notes: It’s a bit weird when they talk about S.H.I.E.L.D. here like that’s still a thing. But Hulk #600 can’t happen until now really. Savage She-Hulk continues the second half of that issue.
29 Jul 2009 - 28 Oct 2009
“Powerloss”
15 Jul 2009 - 18 Nov 2009
Event Icon: Builds up to upcoming events and stories concerning both the Avengers and the Inhumans.
“The Unspoken”
23 Sep 2009 - 17 Mar 2010
“Agent of S.W.O.R.D.”
17 Jun 2009 - 24 Oct 2009
“World’s Most Wanted”
17 Jun 2009 - 23 Sep 2009
“Romulus”
17 Jun 2009 - 23 Sep 2009
Event Icon: Continues to build to the upcoming “Avengers vs. X-Men” event.
Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia (2009) #1
Dark X-Men: The Beginning (2009) #1-2
Dark X-Men: The Beginning (2009) #3
Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus (2009) #1
Collectors: Dark X-Men: The Confession, which is a part of the collected trade, is best read after Messiah War.
4 Feb 2009 - 28 Oct 2009
Notes: This story is written somewhat as though it begins before Utopia and concludes after, but that is not possible. Best to read this as though it all happens directly after the exodus to Utopia.
X-Men: The Times And Lifes Of Lucas Bishop (2009) #1-3
X-Force / Cable: Messiah War Prologue (2009) #1
Dark X-Men: The Confession (2009) #1
Notes: This takes place before Utopia but is best read here.
Collectors: I’m not sure if the Times and Life of Lucas Bishop is collected in a trade.
20 May 2009 - 25 Nov 2009
Dark Reign: The List - Secret Warriors (2009) #1
Dark Avengers: Ares (2009) #1-3
Collectors: The trade I’ve linked here is for Secret Warriors #7-10.
24 Jun 2009 - 12 May 2010
Event Icon: Follows the “Civil War” event and marks the beginning of many stories onward.
1 Jul 2009 - 11 Nov. 2009
“Stranded”
22 Jul 2009 - 6 Sep 2009
22 Jul 2009 - 25 Nov 2009
“Immortal Weapons”
26 Aug 2009 - 16 Dec 2009
“Code Red”
26 Aug 2009 - 9 Dec 2009
21 Oct 2009 - 17 Mar 2010
Notes: This arc takes place during the “Son of Banner” storyline in the Incredible Hulk, but is best read after.
“Seven the Hard Way”
23 Sep 2009 - 24 Mar 2010
Notes: If you’re just reading Deadpool, just read that title.
Dark Reign: The List - X-Men (2009) #1
X-Men vs. Agents Of Atlas (2009) #1-2
X-Men: Legacy Annual (2009) #1
Nation X (2010) #1-4
Notes: These are a bunch of short stories that happens on Utopia between Uncanny X-Men #515 and X-Necrosha.
23 Sep 2009 - 18 Nov 2009
“Return of the Black Cat”
21 Oct 2009 - 16 Dec 2009
28 Oct 2009 - 20 Jan 2010
Note: Unusually gory.
“Insane in the Brain”
29 Jul 2009 - 25 Nov 2009
“Dark Son Rising”
18 Nov 2009 - 5 May 2010
Notes: Hulk icon only refers to Son of Hulk.
11 Nov 2009 - 10 Mar 2009
“No Time to Breathe”
11 Nov 2009 - 10 Feb 2010
”The Doctor is Out”
18 Nov 2009 - 20 Jan 2010
“Versus the Agents of Atlas”
Collectors: Issues #141-143 that is also in this trade is a part of the Siege event in the next chapter.
18 Nov 2009 - 28 Apr 2010
“Franken-Castle”
Dark Reign - The List: Punisher (2009) #1
Collectors: The rest of the Franken-Castle trade is a crossover that you’ll get to in the next chapter “Siege”.
25 Nov 2009 - 24 Feb 2010
“Best You Can Be”