King in Black Reading Order

King in Black was a 2020/2021 Marvel wide crossover event which began with the very end of Empyre and then Absolute Carnage (not needed for King in Black but it helps with Venom and Venom is a major part of King in Black) then into Venom and beyond.

The core issues are written by Donny Cates and drawn by Ryan Stegman with various tie-ins written by their respective authors at the time.

It focuses on the God of Symbiotes, Knull, as he arrives on Earth after being slowly teased leading up to this event. If you’re a fan of the symbiotes then this is perhaps the ultimate storyline for you to get into.

The reading order for King in Black have been debated a fair bit online with many subtle differences in opinions, however, the spine of the story is easy to follow and the collected editions make sense.

King in Black and it’s reading order encompasses the following runs:

King in Black Trade Reading Order

It gets confines here in the same way it was with Absolute Carnage, there are two Omnibuses which share the same issues.

King in Black Omnibus

This is all you’ll need for the complete reading order. Saves you money and time. But, there is some crossover issues if you also want to get the Donny Cates Venomnibus, namely the main King in Black #1-#5 issues and Venom #31-#34 so bare that in mind.

Collects King In Black #1-#5; King In Black: Immortal Hulk #1, Iron Man/Doctor Doom #1, King in Black: Black Knight #1, Marauders #1, Black Panther, Captain America, Wiccan And Hulkling, Spider-Man, Scream, and Ghost Rider; King In Black: Gwenom Vs. Carnage #1-#3; King In Black: Namor #1-#5; King In Black: Planet Of The Symbiotes #1-#3; King In Black: Return Of The Valkyries #1-#4; King In Black: Thunderbolts #1-#3; Symbiote Spider-Man: King In Black #1-#5; Black Cat #1-#3; Daredevil #26-#27; Deadpool #10; Fantastic Four #29-#30; Guardians of The Galaxy #10; Miles Morales: Spider-Man #23; S.W.O.R.D. #2-#4; Savage Avengers #17-#19; Spider-Woman #7-#8; The Union #1-#2; Venom #31-#34; And King In Black Handbook.

Venomnibus by Donny Cates

An alternative method to read King in Black is via Venom. You’ll get the main series, no KIB tie ins but you will get the main Venom series. A good choice but if you did want the tie ins then getting the separate trades is your best bet.

As a bonus, Venomnibus comes with #1-#5 of Absolute Carnage as well. If it’s Venom that’s drawn you into wanting to read about Knull then this could make sense.

Collects Venom #1-#35, Venom Annual #1, Web of Venom: Ve’Nam #1, Web of Venom: Carnage Born #1, Web of Venom: Wraith #1, Absolute Carnage #1-5, King in Black #1-#5; material from Free Comic Book Day 2019 #1, Free Comic Book Day 2020 (Spider-Man/Venom) #1, Incoming #1, Carnage: Black, White & Blood #2.

Separate Trades

If collecting the trades, refer to the issue by issue reading order on what order to read them in.

Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black

By Peter David. Collects Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black #1-5

Not in the reading order but it can flesh out the prelude, read it before the even if you get it.

King in Black: Namor

Collects King in Black: Namor #1-#5

Set in the past but should be read in the middle as it reveals things that won’t make sense without some context from previous issues.

King in Black

Collects King in Black #1-#5.

King in Black: Avengers

Collects: King in Black: Black Panther #1, King in Black: Captain America #1, King in Black: Ghost Rider #1, King in Black: Immortal Hulk #1, King in Black: Iron Man/Doom #1, King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling #1

King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes

Collects King In Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #1-3, King in Black: Black Knight #1.

King in Black: Return of the Valkyries

By Jason Aaron. Collects King in Black: Return of the Valkyires #1-#4.

King in Black: Thunderbolts

By Matthew Rosenberg. Collects King in Black: Thundebolts #1-#3 and King in Black: Marauders #1.

King in Black: Gwenom vs. Carnage

Has more than just Gwenom vs. Carnage.

By Seanan McGuire. Collects King in Black: Gwenom vs. Carnage #1-#3, King in Black: Scream #1 and King in Black Spider-Man #1.

Spider-Woman: King in Black

By Carla Pacheco. Collects Spider-Woman #6-#10.

The Union: The Britannia Project

By Paul Grist. Collects The Union #1-#5.

King in Black Issue by Issue Reading Order

• King in Black Handbook #1
• King in Black #1
• The Union #1-2
• Venom #31
• Spider-Woman #7-8
• Daredevil #26
• King in Black: Ghost Rider #1
• King in Black #2
• Venom #32
• Fantastic Four #29
• King in Black: Black Knight #1
• Miles Morales: Spider-Man #23
• King in Black: Namor #1-5
• Black Cat (2020) #1
• Guardians of the Galaxy #10
• Daredevil #27
• King in Black: Immortal Hulk #1
• King in Black: Gwenom vs. Carnage #1-3
• King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #1
• King in Black: Iron Man/Doom #1
• King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #1-2
• King in Black: Thunderbolts #1-3
• King in Black: Marauders #1
• Savage Avengers #17-19
• King in Black: Scream #1
• S.W.O.R.D. #2-4
• King in Black #3
• Venom #33
• King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #3
• King in Black: Black Panther #1
• Deadpool #10
• King in Black: Spider-Man #1
• Black Cat #2-3
• King in Black: Return of the Valkyries #2-4
• King in Black #4
• Venom #34
• King in Black: Captain America #1
• King in Black #5

What characters are involved with King in Black crossover?

• Venom
• Spider-Man
• Avengers
• Thor
• Immortal Hulk
• SWORD
• Fantastic Four
• Spider-Woman
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Daredevil
• Ghost Rider
• Namor
• Thundebolts
• Marauders
• Black Panther
• Deadpool
• Black Cat
• Captain America
• Wolverine

What writers were involved with King in Black?

• Peter David
• Matthew Rosenberg
• Al Ewing
• Donny Cates (Main writer)
• Geoffrey Thorne
• Clay McLeod
• Jason Aaron
• Seanan McGuire
• Carla Pacheco
• Paul Grist
• Simon Spurrier

Last update on 2023-09-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API