Avengers: Next Generation Era Reading Order (2015-2019)

Following Secret Wars in 2015, Marvel decided to revamp the Avengers, focusing not on one storyline starring key players, but on multiple separate storylines starring the next generation of heroes, including Sunspot, Squirrel Girl, Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel, Sam Wilson aka Captain America, Deadpool, and Rogue. This era is split into two main parts, separated by Civil War II, and unified by their themes of the next generation working to be better than the old. The three main storylines are headed by Al Ewing (New Avengers and then U.S.Avengers), Mark Waid (All-New, All-Different (ANAD) Avengers and then Avengers and Champions), and Gerry Duggan followed by Jim Zub (Uncanny Avengers). While these three runs are disconnected plot-wise, they are connected thematically and all interact with the same big events in different, interesting ways.

This reading order covers Avengers: Rage of Ultron, the three Ultron Forever one-shots, 2015's New Avengers, All-New All-Different Avengers and its annual, 2015's second volume of Uncanny Avengers, the three Avengers Standoff one-shots, Civil War II, 2016's Champions #1-18, 2016's Avengers, U.S.Avengers, Secret Empire #10, and Avengers: No Road Home. General pop culture knowledge of the Avengers would provide context and make the run far more enjoyable. Minor spoilers for Avengers comics from 2015-2018.

Quality:★★★★☆ Cohesion:★★☆☆☆ Accessiblity:★☆☆☆☆

Standoff Sub-Era (2015-2016)

The first half of this era features the heroes at odds with each other and the world around them. The New Avengers struggle to deal with an over-reaching SHIELD, ANAD Avengers sees the young heroes work to prove themselves alongside the old, and the Uncanny team similarly struggles internally along lines of race and agenda. This all culminates in Civil War II, when every hero is forced to take sides and drastic measures to fight for their vision of the future.

1. Avengers: Rage of Ultron (2015) #1
• This graphic novel feels kind of out-of-continuity with the rest of the storylines, but sets up some very important stuff for later, most notably Hank Pym's death. It is also kind of the end of Rick Remender's previous Uncanny Avengers run, which is why it is the only issue by him in this reading order. Just assume that some time passes after this issue.
2. Avengers: Ultron Forever (2015) #1
3. New Avengers: Ultron Forever (2015) #1
4. Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever (2015) #1
• These three issues are written by Al Ewing and feature a set of time-displaced Avengers that sets up a lot of details for the future. However, they are also resolving arcs from the past that may not be as satisfying without the prior setup, but they are worth reading here nonetheless and make enough sense on their own. Along with Rage of Ultron, read these as a set of prologue issues.
5. New Avengers (2015) #1-7
6. All-New, All-Different Avengers (2015) #1-6
7. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #1-6
• New Avengers has to go first due to it being referenced in both of the other series. While ANAD and Uncanny can go in either order, Uncanny flows into the next arc the best. Also make sure to read the second Uncanny series that released in 2015, the one written initially by Gerry Duggan and not Rick Remender. This series should have Deadpool in it, and is the only Uncanny series released in 2015 to have more than 5 issues.
8. Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill (2016) #1
9. Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha (2016) #1
10. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #7
11. All-New, All-Different Avengers (2015) #7
12. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #8
13. All-New, All-Different Avengers (2015) #8
14. New Avengers (2015) #8-10
15. Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega (2016) #1
16. New Avengers (2015) #11
• These issues make up the Avengers Standoff storyline, which is technically a Captain America story that heavily features the Avengers. The Uncanny and ANAD issues act as one long storyline that is basically an Uncanny story guest-starring the ANAD team, while the New Avengers issues tell their own related story in parallel to the main event. New Avengers issue #11 then acts as an epilogue to the whole thing from the New Avengers' perspective.
17. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #9-12
18. All-New, All-Different Avengers (2015) #9-12
19. All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual (2016) #1
• These arcs can basically be read in any order, but Uncanny is more related to Standoff than ANAD is.
20. Civil War II (2016) #0
21. Civil War II Free Comic Book Day (2016) #1
22. Civil War II (2016) #1-2
23. New Avengers (2015) #12
24. Civil War II (2016) #3
• These issues start the Civil War II storyline, which wraps up this era of heroes fighting each other. It also uses the three Avengers teams without focusing on them, but does have major ramifications for all of them. New Avengers #12 has to take place before Civil War II #3 due to Hawkeye, whose actions in issue #3 anchor the rest of the series.
25. All-New, All-Different Avengers (2015) #13-15
26. New Avengers (2015) #13-18
27. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #13-14
• ANAD spotlights three Avengers and their actions during Civil War II, all of which pretty much fit here and kick-off plotlines in the next era. New Avengers again tells its own story in parallel to the main event, ending the first half of Ewing's AIM storyline. Uncanny is the first half of a storyline that breaks and remakes the team, which continues directly after Civil War II concludes.
28. Civil War II (2016) #4-8
29. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #15-17
• Uncanny acts as an epilogue from their perspective that simultaneously respositions the team in an optimistic direction going forwards. While Civil War II can be seen as an end to this era of Avengers stories, they all continue directly into the next era, pioneered by the same writers, themes, and storylines.

No Surrender Sub-Era (2016-2019)

Whereas Standoff saw the heroes at odds with each other, the No Surrender period sees the heroes do whatever it takes to achieve peace and justice. The U.S.Avengers join the U.S. government, the Uncanny Avengers find unified footing without the disruptive agenda of Steve Rogers, and the Champions split off from the Avengers to fight the small battles while the Avengers fight the big ones. In the end, instead of tearing each other apart, every hero puts aside their differences to protect the Earth from threats beyond the cosmos.

1. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #18-23
2. Champions (2016) #1-4
• Uncanny Avengers is the only series to directly continue from the previous era and keeps going with its own storylines. Champions marks the end of the ANAD Avengers team as half of the members form their own team. Despite not being officially an Avengers team, it ties into Avengers heavily.
3. Avengers (2016) #1-6
4. Avengers (2016) #1.1-5.1
5. Avengers (2016) #7-8
6. Champions (2016) #5-9
• The Avengers form a new team to augment their diminished ANAD roster. Issues #1.1, #2.1, #3.1, #4.1, and #5.1 take place in the past, but are immediately relevant for Avengers #7. Champions then continues, with Vision guest-starring.
7. U.S.Avengers (2017) #1-7
• U.S Avengers #5 kicks off the Secret Empire storyline, which continues below. Despite all of the Avengers series having crossovers with it, Secret Empire is primarily a Captain America story with no real impact on the Avengers. Instead of reading the whole series, which makes little sense without the preceding Captain America issues, U.S. Avengers anchors Secret Empire nicely for this reading order.
8. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #24-25
9. Avengers (2016) #9-10
10. Champions (2016) #10-11
11. U.S.Avengers (2017) #8-9
12. Secret Empire (2017) #10
• The crossover issues for Secret Empire, with the main storyline concluding here in U.S.Avengers issues #8-9. Secret Empire issue #10 works enough on its own, featuring both Captain Americas and concluding the storyline set up in Standoff. Most of the other issues are standalone and spread throughout the event, but the Uncanny issues tie into that series' main story and Avengers issue #9 is a really good Thor issue.
13. Avengers (2016) #11
14. U.S.Avengers (2017) #10-12
15. Champions (2016) #12
16. Uncanny Avengers (2015) #26-30
• The Secret Empire aftermath issues, with Avengers issue #11 specifically drawing on the events from Secret Empire issue #10. The Uncanny issues also continue on past Secret Empire and are written by Jim Zub.
17. Avengers (1963) #672
18. Champions (2016) #13
19. Avengers (1963) #673
20. Champions (2016) #14
21. Avengers (1963) #674
22. Champions (2016) #15-18
• The Worlds Collide arc and its aftermath, tying together the Champions and the Avengers for the last time and concluding the stories of both teams.
23. Avengers (1963) #675-690
24. Avengers: No Road Home (2019) #1-10
• The No Surrender storyline and its follow-up, No Road Home, combine the Uncanny, U.S., and main Avengers casts and creative teams for a set of world-spanning battles against the Black Order and Lethal Legion, and the goddess Nyx, respectively. While No Surrender emphasizes the Uncanny cast, it also provides a solid conclusion to the U.S. team. No Road Home then focuses more what's left of the main Avengers team, including Hawekye and Hulk, bringing everything to a conclusion that is both dramatically and thematically satisfying.