5 Marvel Comics For Everyone To Start With In 2026

Published Aug 9, 2026, 9:42 PM EDT Umair is a contributor for the ScreenRant anime section. He has always been enthusiastic about pop culture. Whether it's anime, movies, TV shows, manga, manhwa, video games, or pop music, he is always tuned in. From the classic Dragon Ball to the underrated Dororo, he has a broad knowledge of the most. When he's not writing, you may find him editing on his favorite anime, movie, or pop star on his Instagram. Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed pop culture forever with Iron Man in 2008, Marvel had already spent decades building the absolute gold standard for superhero storytelling. But getting into Marvel Comics in 2026 can feel like showing up 90 years late to a conversation. Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and The Fantastic Four all have decades of stories behind them, with countless crossovers, alternate versions, and continuity changes along the way. It is easy to look at all that history and wonder where to even begin. The brighter side is that reading Marvel Comics doesn't require going back to the beginning. Marvel has spent years creating fresh starting points for new readers, from new #1 issues and self-contained runs to major resets like the modern Ultimate Universe. Some of the best Marvel stories are also surprisingly easy to pick up without knowing every detail that came before. Between these fresh modern continuity resets and standalone creative runs, fans can easily pick up a new #1 issue today, completely skip the decades of baggage, and jump straight into the weekly conversation. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2001-2002) By Kurt Busiek, Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer, Rick Remender, Ivan Reis & Manuel Garcia With Marvel Studios moving away from Jonathan Majors' Kang and replacing Avengers: The Kang Dynasty with Avengers: Doomsday, there is no better time to see why the character was once being lined up as the MCU's biggest villain. For anyone curious about what the MCU missed out on by dropping the Conqueror, Kurt Busiek’s epic 16-issue comic storyline gives the perfect idea. Originally published in Avengers Vol. 3 from 2001 to 2002, the story throws the Avengers into a war they simply cannot win. Kang arrives on Earth with his massive Damocles Base and does something most Marvel villains never manage to do: he actually takes control. The Avengers are beaten, Washington, D.C. is destroyed, and the heroes are left scrambling for any way to fight back. What makes the story so good is that Kang never feels like a villain who needs endless multiverse rules to be interesting. He is simply an incredibly powerful conqueror who believes Earth belongs to him, and the Avengers have to figure out how to stop him. Even more than 20 years later, The Kang Dynasty proves exactly why Kang is a top-tier villain, giving readers a perfect taste of the cinematic climax that never made it to the big screen. Astonishing X-Men (2004-2008) By Joss Whedon & John Cassaday With Marvel Studios finally getting closer to bringing the X-Men into the MCU, there is no better time to jump into the comics and experience the mutant team at their peak. Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men is one of the easiest X-Men comic runs to pick up without getting buried under decades of continuity. The series brings back the classic superhero look and focuses on a tight team of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Beast, and Kitty Pryde. The story starts when geneticist Dr. Kavita Rao announces a "mutant cure," immediately putting the X-Men in a difficult position. Beast is secretly tempted by the chance to live without his powers, while Kitty sees the idea of fixing mutants as an insult. That simple conflict gives the story a lot more weight than a standard superhero fight. Marvel · Mutant Profile Which X-Men Character Are You? “Mutation: it is the key to our evolution.” 🐺 Wolverine The Loner 🧠 Professor X The Visionary 🧲 Magneto The Survivor ACTIVATE CEREBRO → 01 Humans discover your mutant abilities. What do you do? ADisappear. Go off the grid before anyone can come after me — I don’t owe them an explanation BReach out calmly and try to have a dialogue — fear comes from misunderstanding, and I can help bridge that gap CMake a show of strength — they need to understand that mutants will not be hunted or controlled, ever NEXT → 02 Anti-mutant protesters surround a school full of young mutants. What’s your first move? AGet between the kids and the mob. If anyone raises a hand, they answer to me BAddress the crowd telepathically or publicly — show them the children are just scared kids, not threats CEvacuate the children to safety, then make the protesters deeply regret their choices NEXT → 03 A team of mutants needs a leader for a dangerous mission. What role do you naturally fall into? AI work alone, but I’ll take point — someone’s gotta make sure nobody gets killed BI coordinate the team, play to each person’s strengths, and keep morale steady CI lead from the front — my vision, my plan, my responsibility if it fails NEXT → 04 A powerful mutant threatens innocent humans. How do you respond? APut them down fast — talk later. Innocent people don’t have time for a debate BTry to reach them mentally — understand why they’re doing this and find a peaceful resolution COffer them a place at my side — their power is wasted on chaos when it could serve a greater cause NEXT → 05 A human politician offers to champion mutant rights — but has a shady past. What do you do? AGive them a chance — people can change, and this alliance could mean real progress for coexistence BI don’t trust politicians. Watch them closely, and the second they betray us, I’ll be right there CUse them — let them think they’re in charge while I control the narrative from behind the scenes NEXT → 06 What’s your biggest flaw? AI push people away — I’d rather be alone than risk losing someone I care about BI’m too idealistic — I keep believing in people even when the evidence says I shouldn’t CMy anger — once I commit to a path, I’ll burn everything down before I admit I was wrong NEXT → 07 Sentinels are hunting mutants in your city. What’s your move? AHunt the hunters — tear them apart before they find anyone else BCoordinate an underground network to hide and protect every mutant in the area CSeize control of the Sentinels — turn the weapons of oppression into instruments of liberation NEXT → 08 What do you believe about coexistence between humans and mutants? ACoexistence is a fantasy. Humans will always fear what they can’t control — mutants must secure their own future BI don’t care about the big picture — I protect the people I care about, and everyone else can sort themselves out CIt’s possible and worth fighting for — the dream of a world where humans and mutants live in peace is everything REVEAL MY MUTANT IDENTITY → Cerebro Scan Complete Your X-Men Identity 🐺 Wolverine (Logan) “I’m the best there is at what I do. But what I do best isn’t very nice.” You’re the fierce loner who acts first and philosophises later — but beneath that adamantium-plated exterior beats a heart that cares far more than you’d ever admit. You’ve been burned enough times to distrust the world, so you keep people at arm’s length, yet you’d throw yourself into any fight to protect the ones who slip past your defences. You don’t need a cause or a manifesto — you just need someone worth fighting for. Like Logan, your greatest strength isn’t your claws or your healing factor; it’s the stubborn refusal to let the people you love face danger alone.Fierce Protective Resilient Untamed 🧠 Professor X (Charles Xavier) “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.” You’re the visionary who sees the best in everyone — even when the world gives you every reason not to. Your greatest power isn’t telepathy; it’s an unshakeable belief that understanding and compassion can bridge any divide. You lead not through force but through hope, building bridges where others build walls. Some call you naive, but you know that real strength lies in extending a hand to your enemy. Like Charles Xavier, you carry the weight of a dream that most consider impossible, and you refuse to let it die.Visionary Empathetic Diplomatic Hopeful 🧲 Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr) “Peace was never an option.” You’re the survivor who learned the hardest lesson life has to offer: the world will not protect you, so you must protect yourself. Your conviction is unbreakable and your patience is terrifying — you’ll wait years to set the right plan in motion. You don’t hate humanity; you simply refuse to let your people be victims ever again. Every action you take, no matter how ruthless, is driven by a profound love for those who share your struggle. Like Erik Lehnsherr, you are both revolutionary and tragic — a leader forged in pain who will bend the world before it bends you.Resolute Strategic Ruthless Unyielding ↻ PLAY AGAIN Of course, Astonishing X-Men still has plenty of classic superhero action. The arrival of the alien warlord Ord turns the mutant cure debate into a much bigger fight, while the series also delivers the unexpected return of Colossus. That resurrection remains one of the run's biggest moments and gives the story an emotional punch that goes well beyond its action scenes. Thor: God of Thunder (2012) By Jason Aaron (Writer) & Esad Ribic For anyone who walked out of Thor: Love and Thunder feeling completely let down by the overwhelming amount of comedy, Jason Aaron and Esad Ribić’s Thor: God of Thunder is exactly what that movie should have been. The 2012 run stands as the absolute biggest "what if" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showing just how dark and epic Taika Waititi’s film could have been if it actually stuck to the original source material. The 25-issue run introduces Gorr the God Butcher, a ruthless villain carrying the All-Black the Necrosword and hunting gods across the universe. What makes the story even more fun is how it follows three versions of Thor at once: a young Thor who cannot lift Mjolnir, the present-day Avenger at his peak, and an ancient broken King Thor sitting alone at the end of time in a ruined Asgard. Ribić's artwork, alongside that of Nic Klein, Ron Garney, Das Pastoras, Jeehyung Lee, Agustin Alessio and Simon Bisley, gives the entire run a huge fantasy feel, while Aaron uses Gorr's crusade to dig into what it actually means to be a god. It is dark, strange, and packed with iconic Thor moments, making it one of the best places to start for anyone wanting to see the character’s mythology. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) By Jonathan Hickman & Marco Checchetto For anyone who wants a fresh take on Spider-Man without digging through decades of Peter Parker's history, Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto's Ultimate Spider-Man is an easy pick. The series takes a completely different approach to the character, skipping the usual teenage origin story and giving Peter his powers in his mid-thirties. He is already married to Mary Jane and raising two kids, Richard and May, before ever putting on the mask. That change is what makes the series so fun. Peter isn't trying to balance high school with being Spider-Man. He is dealing with a career, a wife, two children, and the sudden responsibility of becoming a superhero. The result is a Peter Parker story that feels familiar while still doing something completely new with him. The other big advantage is that Ultimate Spider-Man takes place in a new version of the Ultimate Universe, so there is no need to know decades of Marvel continuity before starting, unlike the mainline Amazing Spider-Man universe, which carries decades of messy reboots and confusing continuity baggage. Hickman's 24-issue run also wrapped up in February 2026, meaning new readers can jump in and read the entire story without waiting for the next chapter. For a modern Spider-Man starting point, it is hard to ask for much more. Fantastic Four (2022) By Ryan North, Cory Smith, Steven Cummings, Ivan Fioretti & Carlos Gomez For anyone who wants to jump into Marvel's current weekly conversation, Ryan North's Fantastic Four is one of the best places to start. Unlike the new Ultimate books, this series takes place in the main 616 Universe, so it doesn't expect new readers to know every piece of the team's long history. Instead, North keeps things simple with a fun sci-fi adventure that puts the Fantastic Four's family dynamic front and center. The biggest reason to pick it up in 2026, though, is Doctor Doom. With Robert Downey Jr. taking on the mantle of the iconic villain in Avengers: Doomsday, Doom is about to become a much bigger part of the MCU. North's run gives readers a nice look at what makes Victor Von Doom so dangerous beyond simply being another supervillain. The series also leads directly into One World Under Doom, where Doom takes the title of Sorcerer Supreme and declares himself Emperor of Earth. That makes Fantastic Four more than just an easy starting point. It is also a great way to get familiar with Doom before he takes center stage in Marvel's next big cinematic chapter. Fantastic Four (2022) Writer Ryan North Penciler Ivan Fiorelli, Carlos Gómez, Iban Coello Colorist Jesus Aburtov Letterer Joe Caramagna Publisher(s) Marvel Comics