What order do I read?

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I was never really into comics, but after seeing reviewed from time to time on TRS (http://www.totallyradshow.com/), I'm really interested in picking up a few good stories. After spending some time on Wikipedia and Google today, I really want to read some Marvel stuff and I made a short list of things that look interesting. Problem is, I don't know where to start. I don't know the order of events here and there seem to be many concurrent story lines and I'm a little confused. If someone wouldn't mind helping me out, here's a list of series that I'd like to check out but I don't quite know the correct chronological order to them. Or, if some of them don't quite line up, I'd love your suggestions on how I should read these.

Here's what I'd like to read (I got some of these from a current-running thread here 'New to Marvel' but I didn't want to hijack that thread):

Secret War (2004)
Beyond!
The Ultimates 1, 2, & 3
Illuminati
Civil War
Secret Invasion


It seems like Secret Invasion is currently running, so I'm pretty sure I'll hold off on that one for a while. I didn't read too much into Civil War (didn't want to ruin anything) but it seems like some neat stuff has spun off from there too, like Thunderbolts.

I'm sure people come in here all the time asking where to start and I realize it may be frustrating to help newbs, but hopefully it's exciting to see people get into comics again. I sort of got into it when I was 8 or 9, but I couldn't buy comics regularly, some seemed over my head, and I got into computers eventually. I'd like to start with Marvel, but I'm also going to check out Y: The Last Man because I really liked Children of Men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_men).

Thanks for helping!

[Will.S]

I was never really into comics, but after seeing reviewed from time to time on TRS (http://www.totallyradshow.com/), I'm really interested in picking up a few good stories. After spending some time on Wikipedia and Google today, I really want to read some Marvel stuff and I made a short list of things that look interesting. Problem is, I don't know where to start. I don't know the order of events here and there seem to be many concurrent story lines and I'm a little confused. If someone wouldn't mind helping me out, here's a list of series that I'd like to check out but I don't quite know the correct chronological order to them. Or, if some of them don't quite line up, I'd love your suggestions on how I should read these.

Here's what I'd like to read (I got some of these from a current-running thread here 'New to Marvel' but I didn't want to hijack that thread):
Secret War (2004)
Beyond!
The Ultimates 1, 2, & 3
Illuminati
Civil War
Secret InvasionIt seems like Secret Invasion is currently running, so I'm pretty sure I'll hold off on that one for a while. I didn't read too much into Civil War (didn't want to ruin anything) but it seems like some neat stuff has spun off from there too, like Thunderbolts.

I'm sure people come in here all the time asking where to start and I realize it may be frustrating to help newbs, but hopefully it's exciting to see people get into comics again. I sort of got into it when I was 8 or 9, but I couldn't buy comics regularly, some seemed over my head, and I got into computers eventually. I'd like to start with Marvel, but I'm also going to check out Y: The Last Man because I really liked Children of Men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_men).

Thanks for helping!
In order of events:

Secret War
Beyond!
Civil War
Illuminati
Secret Invasion

Illuminati bounces around a lot through Marvel's history but it ultimately sets up Secret Invasion. Ultimates is set in the ultimate universe so that can be read at any time since it's self contained.

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In order of events:

Secret War
Beyond!
Civil War
Illuminati
Secret Invasion

Illuminati bounces around a lot through Marvel's history but it ultimately sets up Secret Invasion. Ultimates is set in the ultimate universe so that can be read at any time since it's self contained.

Thanks so much!! Good to know about the Ultimates, I didn't catch that at all when reading around today. I see Ultimates Origins is being made now, but I can probably read Vol 1, 2, & 3 before getting into Origins, right?

Does Thunderbolts branch off of the end of Civil War? Is it a good series?

[Will.S]

Thanks so much!! Good to know about the Ultimates, I didn't catch that at all when reading around today. I see Ultimates Origins is being made now, but I can probably read Vol 1, 2, & 3 before getting into Origins, right?
No problem.

And yeah you can read all the Ultimates volumes before getting into Origins. Ultimate Origins is only 2 issues in anyway so I'd wait for the trade/hardcover on that one as well.

Does Thunderbolts branch off of the end of Civil War? Is it a good series?
Oh man, Thunderbolts is a GREAT book and yeah it's a book that comes right off of Civil War's premise. Post Civil War it uses the roster of Radioactive Man, Songbird, Swordsman, Venom, Norman Osborn (a.k.a Green Goblin), and Bullseye. When Warren Ellis writes it, you can read it without having to have read Fabian Nicieza's previous run which was fairly enjoyable.

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Sweet! That should be enough to get me started! Thanks for answering my questions!