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Invincible reading order

Robert Kirkman's complete Invincible (2003–2018) in publication order, with the main Image spin-offs marked as optional side paths. Start at issue 1.

  1. Start here

    Family Matters2003–2004

    13 issues · about 4.5 hours13 essential issues · about 4.5 hours

    Mark Grayson, teenage son of the world's greatest hero, finally gets his powers and starts learning what that inheritance really means. The first thirteen issues set up everything the series runs on.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 1Covers Invincible #1–13Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#1–1313 issues
      1. #1January 2003
      2. #2February 2003
      3. #3March 2003
      4. #4May 2003
      5. #5July 2003
      6. #6November 2003
      7. #7December 2003
      8. #8February 2004
      9. #9March 2004
      10. #10April 2004
      11. #11May 2004
      12. #12May 2004
      13. #13May 2004

  2. Picking Up the Pieces2004–2006

    20 issues · about 6.5 hours19 essential issues · about 6.5 hours

    Mark heads to college and works out what kind of hero he wants to be on his own. New threats arrive and his supporting cast grows.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Invincible Compendium Vol. 1 (2011)Covers Invincible #14–16, 18–22, 0, 23–32Find it
    2. Invincible Vol. 4: Head of the Class (2005)Covers Invincible #17Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#14–229 issues
      1. #14June 2004
      2. #15July 2004
      3. #16August 2004
      4. #17September 2004
      5. #18October 2004
      6. #19November 2004
      7. #20January 2005
      8. #21March 2005
      9. #22April 2005
    2. #0April 2005, optional

      A recap of the origin story; skip it if you have just read issues 1 to 22.

    3. #23–3210 issues
      1. #23June 2005
      2. #24July 2005
      3. #25August 2005
      4. #26September 2005
      5. #27November 2005
      6. #28January 2006
      7. #29March 2006
      8. #30April 2006
      9. #31April 2006
      10. #32May 2006

  3. Out of This World2006–2008

    23 issues · about 7.5 hours21 essential issues · about 7 hours

    The scope widens to other planets and other dimensions while Mark's relationships on Earth shift. Several long-running villains take shape here.

    Read this stretch in 4 books
    1. Invincible Compendium Vol. 1 (2011)Covers Invincible #33–36, 38, 40–47Find it
    2. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 5Covers Invincible #48–53Find it
    3. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 4Covers Invincible #37, 39Find it
    4. Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode Vol. 1Covers Invincible Presents Atom Eve #1–2Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#33–4715 issues
      1. #33July 2006
      2. #34July 2006
      3. #35September 2006
      4. #36October 2006
      5. #37November 2006
      6. #38December 2006
      7. #39February 2007
      8. #40April 2007
      9. #41May 2007
      10. #42June 2007
      11. #43June 2007
      12. #44July 2007
      13. #45August 2007
      14. #46November 2007
      15. #47December 2007
    2. Invincible Presents Atom Eve (2007)#1–22 issues, optional
      1. #1December 2007
      2. #2March 2008

      Atom Eve's backstory; enjoyable but not needed for the main plot.

    3. Invincible (2003)#48–536 issues
      1. #48February 2008
      2. #49March 2008
      3. #50June 2008
      4. #51June 2008
      5. #52September 2008
      6. #53October 2008

  4. Happy Days to Growing Pains2008–2010

    21 issues · about 7 hours17 essential issues · about 5.5 hours

    Mark takes on bigger responsibilities and tougher choices as the series builds towards a war with the Viltrumites.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 6Covers Invincible #60–70; Invincible Returns #1Find it
    2. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 5Covers Invincible #54–59Find it
    3. Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode Vol. 1Covers Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode #1–3Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#54–6613 issues
      1. #54October 2008
      2. #55November 2008
      3. #56December 2008
      4. #57December 2008
      5. #58January 2009
      6. #59February 2009
      7. #60March 2009
      8. #61April 2009
      9. #62May 2009
      10. #63June 2009
      11. #64July 2009
      12. #65August 2009
      13. #66September 2009
    2. Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode (2009)#1–33 issues, optional
      1. #1October 2009
      2. #2November 2009
      3. #3February 2010

      Side stories for Eve and Rex Splode, published alongside this stretch.

    3. Invincible (2003)#67–704 issues
      1. #67October 2009
      2. #68November 2009
      3. #69December 2009
      4. #70February 2010
    4. Invincible Returns (2010)#1April 2010, optional

      A one-shot set between issues 70 and 71, leading into the Viltrumite War; the main series covers what matters.

  5. The Viltrumite War2010–2011

    14 issues · about 4.5 hours8 essential issues · about 2.5 hours

    The conflict that has been building since the first year finally breaks out across space.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 7Covers Invincible #71–78Find it
    2. Guarding the Globe Vol. 1: Under SiegeCovers Guarding the Globe #1–6Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#71–788 issues
      1. #71April 2010
      2. #72May 2010
      3. #73June 2010
      4. #74August 2010
      5. #75November 2010
      6. #76December 2010
      7. #77February 2011
      8. #78March 2011
    2. Guarding the Globe (2010)#1–66 issues, optional
      1. #1August 2010
      2. #2October 2010
      3. #3January 2011
      4. #4March 2011
      5. #5July 2011
      6. #6October 2011

      The Guardians of the Globe in their own mini-series; background on the team only.

  6. After the War2011–2013

    30 issues · about 10 hours24 essential issues · about 8 hours

    Earth deals with the fallout of the war, and Mark faces problems that punching cannot fix. This stretch leads into the 100th issue.

    Read this stretch in 4 books
    1. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 8Covers Invincible #85–96Find it
    2. Invincible Vol. 18: The Death of Everyone (2013)Covers Invincible #97–102Find it
    3. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 7Covers Invincible #79–84Find it
    4. Guarding the Globe Vol. 2: Hard to Kill (2013)Covers Guarding the Globe #1–2Find it

    Not in these books: Guarding the Globe #3–6. Look for the single issues.

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#79–9618 issues
      1. #79April 2011
      2. #80June 2011
      3. #81July 2011
      4. #82August 2011
      5. #83October 2011
      6. #84November 2011
      7. #85November 2011
      8. #86December 2011
      9. #87January 2012
      10. #88February 2012
      11. #89February 2012
      12. #90April 2012
      13. #91May 2012
      14. #92June 2012
      15. #93July 2012
      16. #94August 2012
      17. #95September 2012
      18. #96October 2012
    2. Guarding the Globe (2012)#1–66 issues, optional
      1. #1September 2012
      2. #2October 2012
      3. #3November 2012
      4. #4December 2012
      5. #5January 2013
      6. #6February 2013

      Second Guarding the Globe series; a team side story you can skip.

    3. Invincible (2003)#97–1026 issues
      1. #97November 2012
      2. #98December 2012
      3. #99January 2013
      4. #100January 2013
      5. #101March 2013
      6. #102April 2013

  7. The War at Home to Reboot?2013–2015

    36 issues · about 12 hours24 essential issues · about 8 hours

    Mark's family life and his place on Earth come under pressure from new directions.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 10 (2015)Covers Invincible #109–120Find it
    2. Invincible Vol. 22: Reboot? (2016)Covers Invincible #121–126Find it
    3. Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 9Covers Invincible #103–108Find it

    Not in these books: Invincible Universe #1–12. Look for the single issues.

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#103–1108 issues
      1. #103June 2013
      2. #104July 2013
      3. #105September 2013
      4. #106October 2013
      5. #107December 2013
      6. #108January 2014
      7. #109March 2014
      8. #110April 2014
    2. Invincible Universe (2013)#1–1212 issues, optional
      1. #1April 2013
      2. #2May 2013
      3. #3June 2013
      4. #4July 2013
      5. #5August 2013
      6. #6September 2013
      7. #7October 2013
      8. #8
      9. #9
      10. #10February 2014
      11. #11
      12. #12

      Follows other heroes in 2013 and 2014, alongside these issues; it adds texture but the main series stands alone.

    3. Invincible (2003)#111–12616 issues
      1. #111May 2014
      2. #112June 2014
      3. #113August 2014
      4. #114September 2014
      5. #115November 2014
      6. #116January 2015
      7. #117February 2015
      8. #118March 2015
      9. #119April 2015
      10. #120May 2015
      11. #121July 2015
      12. #122August 2015
      13. #123September 2015
      14. #124October 2015
      15. #125November 2015
      16. #126December 2015

  8. The End of All Things2016–2018

    18 issues · about 6 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    The final run, from Full House through the two-part ending that closes the series with issue 144.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Invincible Vol. 25: The End of All Things Part 2 (2018)Covers Invincible #139–144Find it
    2. Invincible Vol. 23: Full House (2017)Covers Invincible #127–132Find it
    3. Invincible Vol. 24: The End of All Things Part 1 (2017)Covers Invincible #133–138Find it

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

    1. Invincible (2003)#127–14418 issues
      1. #127April 2016
      2. #128May 2016
      3. #129June 2016
      4. #130August 2016
      5. #131November 2016
      6. #132February 2017
      7. #133February 2017
      8. #134March 2017
      9. #135April 2017
      10. #136May 2017
      11. #137June 2017
      12. #138July 2017
      13. #139August 2017
      14. #140September 2017
      15. #141October 2017
      16. #142November 2017
      17. #143December 2017
      18. #144February 2018

  9. Battle Beast2025 onwards

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

    An ongoing spin-off by Kirkman and Ryan Ottley following the warrior Battle Beast, for readers who have finished the main series and want more. It comes out in story arcs with breaks between them.

    1. Invincible Universe: Battle Beast (2025)#1–1212 issues, optional
      1. #1April 2025
      2. #2June 2025
      3. #3July 2025
      4. #4August 2025
      5. #5September 2025
      6. #6October 2025
      7. #7March 2026
      8. #8April 2026
      9. #9May 2026
      10. #10June 2026
      11. #11July 2026
      12. #12August 2026

      Set during the main series, between issues 19 and 55, but best read afterwards to avoid spoilers.

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