Secret Empire is a massive Marvel crossover storyline published in 2017 which revolves around Captain America Steve Rogers and his defection to Hydra and the subsequent fallout when his friends rebel to put an end to their former leaders dastardly plans. Although it is ultimately a Captain America storyline it does have a host of tie-ins and sprawls a few different series. Now that Secret Empire is over it is possible to plot the entire Secret Empire reading order from the prologue all the way to the epilogue.
In this guide, as is the custom on Gotham Archives, we will provide the complete issue by issue reading order and an alternative trade/omnibus reading order which would be the easiest and cheapest method to read this colossal crossover storyline.
The Full Secret Empire Reading Order
Contents
The full, chronological reading order for Secret Empire is as follows:
*italics denote tie ins
*bold denotes main series
- Deadpool #31
- Thunderbolts #12
- U.S.Avengers #5
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #16
- Secret Empire #0
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #5
- Amazing Spider-Man #29
- U.S.Avengers #6
- Secret Empire Free Comic Book Day
- Amazing Spider-Man #30
- Secret Empire #1
- Champions #10
- Secret Warriors #1
- Secret Empire #2
- Champions #11
- Ultimates 2 #7
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #17
- Secret Warriors #2
- Secret Empire #3
- Secret Empire: Uprising #1
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #22
- Doctor Strange #21
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #1
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #23
- Secret Empire #4
- Secret Empire: United
- Secret Warriors #3
- Uncanny Avengers #24
- Deadpool #32
- Secret Empire: Underground (one-shot)
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #18
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #2
- U.S.Avengers #7
- Doctor Strange #22
- Secret Empire #5
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #6
- Occupy Avengers #8
- All-New Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #3
- Avengers #9
- X-Men: Gold #7
- Uncanny Avengers #25
- Secret Warriors #4
- X-Men: Blue #7
- Deadpool #33
- Occupy Avengers #9
- Secret Empire #6
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #4
- Doctor Strange #23
- X-Men: Gold #8
- U.S.Avengers #8
- Secret Empire #7
- Captain America: Steve Rogers #19
- Captain America: Sam Wilson #24
- X-Men: Blue #8
- Deadpool #34
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #7
- Avengers #10
- Captain America #25
- Doctor Strange #24
- Secret Empire #8
- Secret Warriors #5
- Amazing Spider-Man #31
- Secret Empire: Brave New World #5
- X-Men: Blue #9
- U.S.Avengers #9
- Secret Empire #9
- The Mighty Captain Marvel #8
- Secret Empire #10
- Deadpool #35
- Champions #12
- Secret Empire Omega
- Secret Warriors
U.S .Avengers #10- Deadpool #36
- Avengers #11
Secret Empire Trade Reading Order
At time of writing, there is no omnibus for Secret Empire which means the easiest and cheapest way to read Secret Empire is via the trades. Here’s the trades you’ll need to pick up to get the full Secret Empire experience.
Secret Empire: Prelude
Where better to start than with the prelude which contains Captain America #21 and #25, Captain America: Sam Wilson #7 and #8, Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha, Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Omega; Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 & #2. This isn’t quite the early issues that the issue by issue reading order has but it does set up Secret Empire well enough.
- English (Publication Language)
- 248 Pages - 05/09/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
Secret Empire
The Secret Empire main trade collection contains
- Spencer, Nick (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 06/26/2018 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Secret Empire: United We Stand
Secret Empire: United we Stand collects the Secret Empire
- Landy, Derek (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 09/17/2023 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Secret Warriors, Volume 1: Secret Empire
Secret Warriors covers the Inhumans/Ms. Marvel/S.H.I.E.L.D tie in
- Rosenberg, Matthew (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Marvel Enterprises (Publisher)
Captain America: Secret Empire
Captain America: Secret Empire includes both Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson’s issues during the Secret Empire storyline. Although not the ‘main series’ per se, this is nevertheless a very important part of the crossover as a whole and shouldn’t be missed. Captain America: Secret Empire includes Captain America: Steve Rogers #17-#19 and Captain America: Sam Wilson #22-#24.
- Spencer, Nick (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 09/19/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Secret Empire: Brave New World
Secret Empire: Brave New World catalogues the experiences of our other Marvel heroes and where they stand following Captain America’s shocking change of sides. Secret Empire: Brave New World contains Secret Empire: Brave New World #1-#5.
- Allor, Paul (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Marvel Enterprises (Publisher)
Avengers, Unleashed, Volume 2: Secret Empire
The Avengers have their say on what they think about Steve Roger’s defection to Hydra with their second volume of Unleashed dedicated to the Secret Empire storyline and slips into the reading order effortlessly. Avengers, Unleashed, Volume 2 contains Avengers #7-#11.
- Waid, Mark (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 112 Pages - 11/14/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Deadpool: World’s Greatest, Volume 10: Secret Empire
Deadpool plays a petty big role in Secret Empire and volume 10 collects the Secret Empire issues. This trade collects Deadpool #31-#35.
- Duggan, Gerry (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 10/31/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Amazin Spider-Man Worldwide, Volume 7: Secret Empire
Peter Parker and Spider-Man tend to always play a big role in Marvel’s crossover storylines but in Secret
- English (Publication Language)
- Panini Publishing Ltd (Publisher)
Thunnderbolts , Volume 2: No Going Back
There’s only one Thunderbolts issue that ties in with Secret Empire and that’s #12 which included in this trade. Bit of a waste if you’re just collecting Secret Empire if you ask us.
- Zubkavich, Jim (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Marvel Enterprises (Publisher)
U.S .Avengers, Volume 2: Cannonball Run
Issues #5-#10 of U.S.Avengers are Secret Empire tie in so this trade is good value for money as it includes #7-#12. You can get volume 1 which has #5 and #6 if you wanted.
- Ewing, Al (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 01/30/2018 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
X-Men: Gold, Volume 2: Evil Empires
Not even the X-Men can get away from the massive impact of the Secret Empire and Hydra! Only #7 and #8 are Secret Empire tie ins so there is a bit of wastage here as this trade collects #7-#12.
- Guggenheim, Marc (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 11/14/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
X-Men: Blue, Volume 2: Toil and Trouble
X-Men: Blue, however, has three
- Bunn, Cullen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 136 Pages - 11/21/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Champions, Volume 2: The Freelancer Lifestyle
There are three Champions Secret Empire tie ins and all three are included in the Freelancer Lifestyle trade. You’ll also get another three issues thrown in as this trade includes Champions #6-#11.
- Waid, Mark (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 160 Pages - 12/12/2017 (Publication Date) - Marvel Universe (Publisher)
Last update on 2023-09-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
