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Civil War reading order

Marvel's 2006 superhero registration event, from the Illuminati and Iron Spider lead-in through the seven-issue main series, its key tie-ins and the aftermath. New readers should start with Civil War #1.

  1. Lead-in2006

    4 issues · about 1.5 hours0 essential issues · about 0 min

    Background on the secret Illuminati group and the growing bond between Tony Stark and Peter Parker. Helpful context, but the main series explains what you need.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Civil War Vol. 1: Prologue (2016)Covers New Avengers: Illuminati #1; The Amazing Spider-Man #529–531

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. New Avengers: Illuminati (2006)#1May 2006, optional

      Shows the secret council whose split mirrors the coming war.

    2. The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)#529–5313 issues, optional
      1. #529April 2006
      2. #530May 2006
      3. #531June 2006

      Peter gets the Iron Spider suit from Tony Stark.

  2. Start here

    Registration begins2006

    11 issues · about 3.5 hours4 essential issues · about 1.5 hours

    A disaster in Stamford pushes the government to pass the Superhuman Registration Act, and heroes have to choose a side. Spider-Man makes the biggest decision of his life.

    Read this stretch in 4 books
    1. Civil War: Front Line (2016)Covers Civil War: Front Line #1–4Find it
    2. Civil War [Marvel Premier Collection] (2025)Covers Civil War #1–2Find it
    3. Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Vol. 2 (2020)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #532–533Find it
    4. Civil War Vol. 4: Fantastic Four (2016)Covers Fantastic Four #538–539

    Not in these books: New Avengers #21. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Civil War (2006)#1July 2006
    2. Civil War: Front Line (2006)#1–22 issues, optional
      1. #1August 2006
      2. #2August 2006

      Journalists' view of the war, with back-up stories; good but not required.

    3. New Avengers (2005)#21August 2006, optional

      Captain America's first move as a fugitive.

    4. Civil War (2006)#2August 2006
    5. The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)#532–5332 issues
      1. #532July 2006
      2. #533August 2006

      Read after Civil War #2.

    6. Fantastic Four (1998)#538–5392 issues, optional
      1. #538August 2006
      2. #539September 2006

      The Fantastic Four's marriage strains under the Act.

    7. Civil War: Front Line (2006)#3–42 issues, optional
      1. #3September 2006
      2. #4September 2006

  3. Battle lines2006

    12 issues · about 4 hours4 essential issues · about 1.5 hours

    Pro- and anti-registration teams clash openly, and the cost starts to show. Spider-Man begins to doubt the side he chose.

    Read this stretch in 5 books
    1. Captain America Modern Era Epic Collection Vol. 2: Death of the Dream (2024)Covers Captain America #22–24Find it
    2. Civil War: Front Line (2016)Covers Civil War: Front Line #5–7Find it
    3. Civil War [Marvel Premier Collection] (2025)Covers Civil War #3–4Find it
    4. Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Vol. 2 (2020)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #534–535Find it
    5. Civil War Vol. 4: Fantastic Four (2016)Covers Fantastic Four #540–541

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Civil War (2006)#3–42 issues
      1. #3September 2006
      2. #4October 2006
    2. The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)#534–5352 issues
      1. #534September 2006
      2. #535November 2006
    3. Fantastic Four (1998)#540–5412 issues, optional
      1. #540November 2006
      2. #541November 2006
    4. Civil War: Front Line (2006)#5–73 issues, optional
      1. #5October 2006
      2. #6October 2006
      3. #7November 2006
    5. Captain America (2005)#22–243 issues, optional
      1. #22November 2006
      2. #23December 2006
      3. #24January 2007

      Sharon Carter and the Winter Soldier's side of the conflict; sets up Captain America #25.

  4. Side fronts2006

    30 issues · about 10 hours0 essential issues · about 0 min

    Tie-ins showing how the war hits other corners of the Marvel Universe. Read any of these alongside Civil War #3 to #6, or skip them.

    Read this stretch in 4 books
    1. Civil War: X-Men (2011)Covers Wolverine #42–48; Civil War: X-Men #1–4Find it
    2. Civil War: Fantastic Four (2010)Covers Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1–4; Black Panther #21–25Find it
    3. Civil War Vol. 3: Avengers (2016)Covers New Avengers #22–25; Ms. Marvel #6–8
    4. Thunderbolts: Dark Reign Omnibus (2026)Covers Thunderbolts #103–105Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. New Avengers (2005)#22–254 issues, optional
      1. #22September 2006
      2. #23October 2006
      3. #24November 2006
      4. #25December 2006

      Character studies of heroes caught between the sides.

    2. Wolverine (2003)#42–487 issues, optional
      1. #42July 2006
      2. #43August 2006
      3. #44September 2006
      4. #45October 2006
      5. #46November 2006
      6. #47December 2006
      7. #48January 2007

      Wolverine hunts the villain behind the Stamford disaster.

    3. Civil War: X-Men (2006)#1–44 issues, optional
      1. #1September 2006
      2. #2October 2006
      3. #3November 2006
      4. #4December 2006

      The mutant community tries to stay neutral.

    4. Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (2006)#1–44 issues, optional
      1. #1September 2006
      2. #2October 2006
      3. #3November 2006
      4. #4December 2006

      Teen heroes targeted by registration enforcers.

    5. Thunderbolts (2006)#103–1053 issues, optional
      1. #103August 2006
      2. #104September 2006
      3. #105October 2006

      Villains recruited to hunt unregistered heroes.

    6. Ms. Marvel (2006)#6–83 issues, optional
      1. #6October 2006
      2. #7November 2006
      3. #8December 2006

      Carol Danvers on the pro-registration side.

    7. Black Panther (2005)#21–255 issues, optional
      1. #21December 2006
      2. #22January 2007
      3. #23February 2007
      4. #24March 2007
      5. #25April 2007

      Black Panther and Storm visit the US during the conflict; issue #25 is best read after Civil War #7.

  5. The final battle2006–2007

    13 issues · about 4.5 hours6 essential issues · about 2 hours

    Both sides prepare for one last confrontation in New York. Spider-Man deals with the fallout of his choices.

    Read this stretch in 5 books
    1. Civil War [Marvel Premier Collection] (2025)Covers Civil War #5–7Find it
    2. Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus Vol. 2 (2020)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #536–538Find it
    3. Civil War: Front Line (2016)Covers Civil War: Front Line #8–10Find it
    4. Civil War: Captain America / Iron Man (2016)Covers Iron Man #13–14Find it
    5. Civil War Vol. 4: Fantastic Four (2016)Covers Fantastic Four #542–543

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Civil War (2006)#5–62 issues
      1. #5November 2006
      2. #6December 2006
    2. The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)#536–5383 issues
      1. #536December 2006
      2. #537February 2007
      3. #538March 2007
    3. Fantastic Four (1998)#542–5432 issues, optional
      1. #542March 2007
      2. #543April 2007
    4. Civil War: Front Line (2006)#8–103 issues, optional
      1. #8November 2006
      2. #9December 2006
      3. #10December 2006
    5. Iron Man (2005)#13–142 issues, optional
      1. #13December 2006
      2. #14January 2007

      Tony Stark's side of events.

    6. Civil War (2006)#7January 2007

  6. Aftermath2007

    9 issues · about 3 hours2 essential issues · about 40 min

    The war's consequences: a new order for registered heroes, and a loss that reshapes the Marvel Universe.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Civil War Vol. 10: Aftermath (2016)Covers Civil War: The Initiative #1; Captain America #25; Civil War: The Confession #1; Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #1–5

    Not in these books: Civil War: Front Line #11. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Civil War: Front Line (2006)#11April 2007, optional

      Epilogue to the Front Line series.

    2. Civil War: The Initiative (2007)#1April 2007, optional

      Sets up the Initiative era that follows.

    3. Captain America (2005)#25April 2007
    4. Civil War: The Confession (2007)#1May 2007

      Tony Stark and Captain America after the war; read after Captain America #25.

    5. Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America (2007)#1–55 issues, optional
      1. #1June 2007
      2. #2June 2007
      3. #3July 2007
      4. #4July 2007
      5. #5August 2007

      Heroes react to the events of Captain America #25.

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