The Infinity Gauntlet (1991-1992) Reading Order

The personification of Death has brought Thanos back to life (during the REBIRTH OF THANOS, 1990-1991). And, in order to carry out the task assigned to him, he’s gathered all six Infinity Gems and to create the Infinity Gauntlet. Now that he’s practically a god, do the heroes of Earth have any chance of stopping him?

Repeatedly voted as the greatest Marvel Universe saga of all time, ‘The Infinity Gauntlet’ pits what’s left of Earth’s heroes against impossible odds and sets the bar for event comics. Ironically, very few creators wanted to tie their titles into this epic so, aside from the ‘Silver Surfer’ and ‘Incredible Hulk’, only a handful of Marvel’s less popular titles of the time joined in. Two sequels – THE INFINITY WAR (1992) and THE INFINITY CRUSADE (1993) – followed the event.

‘The Infinity Gauntlet’ also restored Thanos as a major player in the Marvel Universe, despite being absent from it for over a decade. And it largely goes without saying, but the storyline heavily influenced the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and parts of the sequel, ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

New to comics and what to read this? It’s simple! You can order the Infinity Gauntlet paperback that contains the main six-issue series and read away! (Though I’d strongly recommend reading REBIRTH OF THANOS (1990-1991), first). As much as I love those ‘Incredible Hulk’ tie-ins, I’d avoid the crossover issues and just stick to the main six-issue series, as well as the epilogue in ‘Warlock and the Infinity Watch’. Especially if you’re new to the story.

You can head to your local comic store to track down individual issues or you could subscribe to Marvel Unlimited which contains a huge library of digital comics for a monthly fee, including the ones listed below!

Major event: With a primary mini-series and numerous related tie-ins, Infinity Gauntlet is considered to be one of the biggest events in the history of the Marvel Universe.

Must Reads: Essential issues are listed in bold in the Quick List and marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order; in the Fallout section, issues/story arcs marked with a ✔ are essential reading.

Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four. 

Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!

See our full recommend reading guide:

Or just read these previous events that directly impact this story:

Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:

  • Spider-Man #17 (tie-in)
  • Cloak and Dagger #18
  • Silver Surfer #51
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #1
  • Quasar #24 (tie-in)
  • Sleepwalker #6 (tie-in)
  • Incredible Hulk #383
  • Quasar #26
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31 [1/2]
  • Quasar #27
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #2
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #32 [1/2]
  • Silver Surfer #52
  • Silver Surfer #53
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #3
  • Silver Surfer #54
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #33 [1/2]
  • Silver Surfer #55
  • Silver Surfer #56
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #4
  • Silver Surfer #57
  • Silver Surfer #58
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #5
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #34
  • Incredible Hulk #384
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #35
  • Silver Surfer #59
  • The Infinity Gauntlet #6
  • Incredible Hulk #385
  • Sleepwalker #7
  • Silver Surfer #60 (tie-in)
  • Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #36
  • Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
Sleepwalker #6 (pp.1-21) (tie-in)
An explosion left the unconscious Spider-Man vulnerable, chained and in the clutches the wannabe crimelord Crimewave who offers Spidey to the Kingpin. Sleepwalker tries to help by switching paces with Spider-Man, so his unmasking at Crimewave’s hands reveals the creature’s strange visage. They escape the gangsters goons before Rick Sheridan wakes up, causing Sleepwalker to vanish. Later, Crimewave holds a number of models to ransom. Spider-Man and Sleepwalker rescue them and realise the Kingpin secretly slipped them the info they needed to do it…
Spider-Man #17 (tie-in)
Spider-Man is killed saving a girl and her mother from being crushed by a falling window cleaning platform. In Death‘s realm, he’s taunted by Thanos for failing to save the little girl who’ halfway to Death’s realm, too. After an exchange of punches between Spidey and Thanos, Death gives Spider-Man and the girl another shot at life… possibly to irritate Thanos.
Cloak and Dagger #18
Cloak, Dagger and Spider-Man’s conflict with Thule at the Eye of Force‘s secret Colorado base, Schamballah has been interrupted by the arrival of Mephisto who was manipulating the Neo-Nazi group into opening a doorway from Earth to his realm. Ghost Rider arrives in time to help stop his demon hordes from invading the planet. Mephisto is briefly summoned by Thanos, so the Hell-Lord offers his new master the four heroes’ souls. Thanos passes on the offer. Spidey and Ghost Rider escape the collapsing base. Cloak & Dagger teleport back to New York, only to find themselves at a dinner party from Hell!
Also see THE EYE OF FORCE SAGA
Quasar #24 (pp.1-13) (tie-in)
Maelstrom has gained Cosmic Awareness and now knows how to halt all motion in the universe, reverse its direction and cause it all to collapse in on itself. He’s already started with Earth and now he creates a black hole at the centre of the universe to swallow everything. Under Gaea’s instruction, Doctor Strange and the rest of Earth’s mystics combine their power to hold off Earth’s destruction. The disembodied Quasar – now existing in an energy form after losing his Quantum Bands (along with his hands) to Maelstrom – travels to the outer edge of the universe. Ghost Rider delivers Quasar’s body to Moondragon…

1st appearance: Infinity (full)
The Incredible Hulk #383 (pp.1-12)
The Hulk’s personalities have been merged and he’s agreed to join the super-human Pantheon organisation without consulting his wife, Betty Banner. Betty’s also struggling to deal with her new, permanently Hulked-out husband. Hulk’s first mission with the Pantheon is to deal with a super-powered stalker who’s making life difficult for a Russian actress on Broadway. And this stalker just so happens to be the Hulk’s old foe, the Abomination…
Silver Surfer #51
Galactus knows that he’ll soon face Thanos in battle and sends Nova (Frankie Raye) to find him the nearest world for his consumption to give him one last power-up. A lengthy flashback reveals that the Silver Surfer paid Nova a visit immediately after his forced stay in Dynamo City (during REBIRTH OF THANOS, 1991-1992) and tried to convince her not to lead Galactus to inhabited worlds. Now, time is of the essence and Nova has had no choice but to lead Galactus to an world full of sentient life. When she tries to talk Galactus out of consuming it, he dismisses her and devours the planet, leaving one guilty herald!
Silver Surfer #52 (p.1)
The Silver Surfer crashlands through Doctor Strange’s window…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (pp.1-27)
The Silver Surfer desperately recounts his recent run-ins with Thanos (during REBIRTH OF THANOS, 1991-1992) to Doctor Strange, hoping to get some help in preventing the ‘mad Titan’ from using the Infinity Gauntlet. Having obtained the six Infinity Gems, Thanos is now up to the task of halving the population of the universe. But he’s also become Death’s superior, so she continues to spurn his affections, despite creating a monument in space in her honour and offering her the ravaged, half-dead Nebula as a gift…

1st appearance: Thanos’ Palace
Quasar #24 (pp.14-22) (tie-in)
Maelstrom taunts Thanos. Despite possessing the power of the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos can’t sense Maelstrom when he blasts him with raw energy and believes him dead. At the edge of existence, Infinity reveals to Quasar that she gave him his energy form and he must now save the universe. Maelstrom discovers Quasar is alive and attacks him, knocking them both into the black hole at the centre of the universe. Maelstrom is torn apart. Quasar survives, but the universe is still collapsing.

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
Quasar #26 (pp.1-11)
Quasar has just died, been reborn, gained cosmic awareness, failed as Protector of the Universe (by killing his own mentor) and saved the universe from Maelstrom and Oblivion. Having returned to Earth with a new costume, Quasar enters the portal to the Eonverse and discovers cosmic Mourners gathering for his funeral. Thanos’s incredible cosmic senses reveal that Eon is dead and he decides to celebrate…

1st appearance: Mourners (Fath, Sardan, Wayopex)
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (pp.27-28)
Mephisto encourages Thanos to carry out the task Death appointed him. Raising the Infinity Gauntlet, he snaps his fingers…
Incredible Hulk #383 (pp.13-15)
The Silver Surfer demads action against Thanos. In New York, Rick Jones is watching Nadia Dornova’s performance from the wings when one of the actors vanishes…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (pp.29-30) / Incredible Hulk #383 (p.16)
Thanos’ actions set off Spider-Man’s spider-sense. Witnessing the sudden vanishing of half the people on New York City’s streets, he realises his wife may also have disappeared…
Incredible Hulk #383 (p.17)
Hulk watches helplessly as Rick Jones – and half the audience wathicng Nadia’s play – vanish before his eyes…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (pp.31-35)
Captain America sees Sersi and Hawkeye vanish. Nick Fury is given reports about the incident. The Hulk (who’s somehow in a bar?!) thinks the Abomination is responsible for the disappearances. The Skrulls think the Kree are behind the vanishings.
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (p.36)
The Incredible Hulk #383 (p.16)
Wong disappears from Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. The situation has a terrible impact on the Silver Surfer.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31 [1/2]
The Silver Surfer has passed out. Doctor Strange ignores the warnings of his apprentice, Rintrah, and transports his consciousness into the Surfer’s mind. There, he shows the Surfer a universe where he didn’t become a Herald of Galactus (Earth-91731). Realising he needs to toughen up, the Silver Surfer snaps out of it and decides to get back to saving the universe.
The Incredible Hulk #383 (pp.18-22)
In all the panic, the Abomination kidnaps Nadia Dornova and takes her down into the New York sewer system. The Hulk gives chase and has the Abomination on the ropes. But the Hulk is suddenly snatched from this moment in time when he’s sucked into a portal!
Sleepwalker #6 (p.22)
Sleepwalker materialises when Rick Sheridan goes to sleep, as normal. But when Rick vanishes, the Sleepwalker is permanently trapped on Earth.
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #1 (pp.27-40)
On Titan, Mentor’s disappearance sends Drax the Destroyer into a rage. In a sleazy motel somewhere in America, Adam Warlock, Gamora and Pip the Troll have been reborn, though Gamora vanishes in front of Pip’s eyes!
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #2 (pp.1-4)
In the days that follow, the remaining Avengers attempt to rescue as many people as possible whose lives have been endangered by the disappearances…
Sleepwalker #7 (pp.1-8)
Stranded on Earth, Sleepwalker tries to make himself useful. Four members of a chain gang escape and hideout in an InterTek lab where they accidentally gain superhuman powers…

1st appearance: Chain Gang (Master Link, Missing Link, Uplink, Weak Link)
Quasar #26 (pp.12-22)
Thanos attends Eon’s funeral in the Eonverse, meeting Eon’s last student, Quasar. Thanos recreates four past Protectors of the Universe – Marvel Boy, Stygian Starbender, Tranta and Ree – and orders them to kill Quasar. He then makes Eon’s dead form expand out of its Eonverse portals and into New York City. Back at Doctor Strange’s house, Her knocks on the door, looking for a super-human to breed with. The Silver Surfer rejects her offer!

1st appearance: Quantum Banders (Marvel Boy/Thelius, Ree, Stygian Starbender/Glakandar, Trantra)

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
Quasar #27 (pp.1-15)
Quasar fights for his life against Thanos’ recreated Protectors of the Universe (aka, the Quantum Banders). The fight that almost kills him, but he obliterates them by overcharging them with his own Quantum Bands. Her tries Doctor Strange’s door again, but is rejected by Warlock, this time…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #2 (pp.5-10)
In space, the Kree prepare for war against the Skrulls – with both believing the other to be responsible for their population decrease. Starfox disappears from Titan, right in front of Firelord and Drax the Destroyer…

1st appearance: Captain Dea-Sea
Silver Surfer #52 (pp.1-19)
On Titan, Drax the Destroyer has witnessed the disappearance of Mentor (when Thanos snapped his fingers), followed by Starfox vanishing before his eyes. His simple brain assumes Firelord is behind it all and attacks him. A small Eternal boy in the melee, reducing Drax to tears. The duo make up…
Silver Surfer #53
Clumsy Foulup was a space pirate who got caught up in a conspiracy created by the Contemplator (or rather an impostor, during THE KREE-SKRULL WAR II, 1989). An unlikely series of events led to Foulup becoming the Kree Emperor. Since then, he’s been running the empire into the ground by milking it for imaginary taxes. In the wake of the loss of 50% of their population, a group of Kree soldiers send a robot Silver Surfer to assassinate Foulup. A blue and a pink Kree share the killing of the fake ‘Surfer’ and retake control of the Empire.

1st appearance: General Ael-Dan, General Dar-Benn
Sleepwalker #7 (pp.9-13)
Doctor Strange leads Sleepwalker to Mahnattan where Eon’s expanding corse is causing chaos…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #2 (pp.11-16, 17-26)
The Avengers try to assess which of Earth’s super-humans are still left alive. Doctor Doom shows up uninvited at Doctor Strange’s house looking for answers, but it’s Adam Warlock and Pip the Troll who arrive in time to explain. Starfox finds himself sitting on one of the thrones in Thanos’ monument to Death. He prevents Starfox using his powers of persuasion by removing his mouth. Thanos proceeds to lose his temper over Death’s continued rejection, causing wave of energy from the Infinity Gauntlet that destroys nearby suns and planets, trapping the Council of God-Heads outside of reality and exploding a world Galactus was about to consume…

1st appearance: Svarog
Quasar #27 (pp.16-22)
Ego’s corpse grows through the streets of New York City and not even the combined might of Sleepwalker, Darkhawk, Deathlok, Jack of Hearts, Moon Knight and the Squadron Supreme can contain it. Quasar halts its growth when he discovers an egg at the centre of it all. Fending off ‘Marvel Boy’ who survived his last assault, Quasar witness the egg hatch and birth a baby version of Eon called Epoch. Now Quasar’s new role will be to protect and guide young Epoch. In space, Moondragon gains an ally in Jack of Hearts as part of her plan to acquire Quasar as a mate. At Doctor Strange’s house, Her makes a move on Adam Warlock, but he passes up sex with her in favour of saving the universe!
Sleepwalker #7 (pp.13-22)
Sleepwalker crosses paths with the Chain Gang – four recently-escaped felons who can activate their super-powers as long as they stay chained together. Further damage to the cosmos opens rips to other dimensions, allowing Sleepwalker to throw the bad guys into a rift to the Mindscape…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #2 (p.4, 17, 27-40)
Epoch encourages Quasar to head into space. By the time Thanos’ rage-wave gets to Earth, it causes a planet quake. The remaining heroes try to save lives, but the devastation is more than they can handle. Now it’s up to Warlock to gather those heroes and lead them against Thanos!

1st appearance: Epoch
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #32 [1/2]
Doctor Strange assigns Rintrah to finding out if Clea has survived Thanos’ cosmic culling. Instead, Rintrah and Pip the Troll, walk stright into a protest led by Silver Dagger. The Dagger now has the Amulet of Agamotto under his eye-patch and he wants his real eye back from Strange. Doctor Strange saves Rintrah from Silver Dagger’s followers, but ends up in an eye-off as they blast Agamotto Eyes at each other. Agamotto himself shows up and takes Silver Dagger as his prisoner. Clea returns to Earth, very much alive.

1st appearance: Weave Spell

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #3 (pp.1-10)
Doctor Strange, Adam Warlock, the Silver Surfer and Doctor Doom reveal Thanos’s plan to the Avengers. Strange begins summoning the last remaining heroes to form an army…
Silver Surfer #52 (pp.20-22)
Infinity Gauntlet #3 (p.10)
Drax and Firelord are teleported to Earth by Doctor Strange to join the small army of super-humans who are gathering to oppose Thanos…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #3 (pp.10-11)
Cloak, Cyclops and the Scarlet Witch are among the next round of recruits…
Silver Surfer #54 (p.1) / Infinity Gauntlet #3 (p.11)
The Hulk refused to join the heroes…
Silver Surfer #54 (pp.2-4)
When the Hulk initially refuses to join the fight against Thanos, the Silver Surfer sees it as a bad omen and flies to Central Park to clear his head…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #3 (p.12)
The Hulk agrees to join the fight when Captain America suggests he could be eligible for Avengers membership again…
Silver Surfer #54 (pp.5-22)
The Rhino has been releasing animals from the zoo so they can run free in the final hours before the end of everything. The Surfer suggests returning them to their cages, so the Rhino figures he’ll beat the him into submission. When a police officer shoots a tiger to protect himself, the Surfer heals the tiger and convinces the Rhino to return the animals to their cages. When he gets back to Avengers Mansion, the Hulk is there, raring to go beat up Thanos!
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #3 (pp.13-41)
Warlock and the Surfer travel to the furthest corner of the galaxy to petition the abstract astral deities of the universe for help, but only convinces half of them. Back at Avengers Mansion, Warlock gives the Hulk and Wolverine the task of killing Thanos. In space, Thanos creates himself a new love interest, Terraxia, in a failed effort to make Death jealous. Preparing for the assault on Thanos, Warlock and the Silver Surfer wait just outside what will be the arena of battle. Warlock reveals to the Surfer that Earth’s heroes are little more than a diversionary tactic as they teleport to Thanos’ shrine to Death, unaware that they’re just sacrificial lambs.

1st appearance: Terraxia
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #33 [1/2]
Thanos puts the heroes’ assault on his floating shrine on hold using the Time Gem and tries to sabotage the portal Doctor Strange is holding open for them by sending the Sorcerer Supreme and Clea back in time to Ancient Egypt. They meet Cleopatra (ten years before she meets a younger Doctor Strange) and locate the spell from the Legendary Library of Alexandria that will return them home. The sorcerer Zota of Pergamum tries to stop them, but is quickly defeated. Doctor Druid helps return Strange and Clea to the present where Doctor Strange resumes his efforts to keep the portal open.
Silver Surfer #55
Outside the arena of battle, Adam Warlock telepathically puts the Silver Surfer at ease. When he wakes, the two of them are soar into battle to find all their allies slaughtered at Thanos’ hands. The Mad Titan turns Warlock to stone, makes Death his fawning slave girl, throttles Mephisto to death and takes away the Surfer’s Power Cosmic. Thanos creates a homeworld, Necronos, the home of cosmic death-gulags. He puts the Surfer on a lead and makes him his scribe – the writer of Thanos’ bible.
Silver Surfer #56 (pp.1-21)
While Thanos’s attention is on bikini-clad Death, the Silver Surfer slips his lead and commits suicide. Thanos resurrects him and restores his Power Cosmic. In one last-ditch effort, the Surfer uses all his power against Thanos, only to be woken up by Warlock. It was all a dream. Now, in the real world, Warlock orders the Surfer into battle…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #4 (pp.1-35)
Mephisto talks Thanos out of instantly wiping Earth’s heroes out of existence so he can drop his newly-obtained cosmic senses and give them the slightest sliver of a chance of defeating him. It may be his last chance to impress Death and win her over. The Infinity Gauntlet still gives Thanos the edge and he makes light work of the heroes, killing them in increasingly creative ways. For example, the Hulk is shrunk in size, Doom is roasted in his armour, Thor is transformed into glass and shattered, and the Scarlet Witch is atomised. Captain America ends up being the last man standing and faces off against the Mad Titan without flinching…

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
Silver Surfer #56 (p.22)
The Infinity Gauntlet #4 (p.35)
Warlock commands the Silver Surfer to enter the battle…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #4 (pp.35-40)
Warlock chooses that moment to send the Silver Surfer into the war zone to snatch the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos’ raised fist, except he misses, allowing Thanos to restore his full cosmic awareness and swat Cap away. With no options left, Warlock summons the abstract astral deities of the universe. Even if they win, the battle will likely destroy all existence.
Silver Surfer #57
In retaliation for trying to nab the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos sends the Silver Surfer to the realm of a being called Virtual Reality who shows the Surfer all the worst moments of his life. The Surfer is made to relive his mother’s suicide, his father’s suicide, his mistreatment of Shalla-Bal, becoming the Herald of Galactus, abandoning the Defenders, failing Mantis and Nova and his defeat at the hands of Thanos. Elsewhere in space, Cap’n Reptyl is reborn as a dragon-creature.
Silver Surfer #58
Virtual Reality makes the Surfer face Denial, Doubt and Guilt in the forms of Namor, Doctor Strange and the Hulk who leave him chained up. The various ghostly figures from the Surfer’s past work to free him until he learns to forgive himself and unlock the last chain. Virtual Reality returns him to the regular universe where he’s reunited with Adam Warlock. Elsewhere in space, the Collector reels from an attack on his crashed ship.
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #5 (pp.1-22)
The cosmic abstracts and higher beings of the universe unleash their incalculable might on Thanos and the ripples are felt throughout the cosmos, tearing holes in reality. Even Death joins in the fight against him, but his powers enable him to pin their bodies above his throne like trophies. Eternity is the last to face him…
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #34
Doctor Druid, Doctor Strange, Clea and Doctor Druid start gathering survivors for the fight against Thanos, starting by snatching the Scarlet Witch from the moment before she died. Strange and Druid take Doctor Doom’s inert body back to Tibet where the monks who originally created his armour refry him in mystical fires. Instead, a shadow-form of Doom Doom’s repressed thoughts and feelings is created. Strange and Druid have to defeat Doom’s personified goodness to allow the real Doctor Doom to return.
Incredible Hulk #384
The tiny Hulk finds he’s been transported back to Earth; to the exact part of the New York sewer system where he left the Abomination. Still shrunken, the Hulk convinces the Abomination that he’s the voice of god and coerces him into returning his wife to her life on the surface before she can learn her husband is a monster. The Hulk then jumps through a portal opened by Doctor Strange. Elsewhere, Marlo Chandler sees her boyfriend, Rick Jones, blink out of existence on TV. And Betty Banner gets a job on an all-purpose emergency hotline.

1st appearance: Veronica
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #35
Doctor Strange transports the Hulk to a dimension that will allow him to return to his true size. Strange, Scarlet Witch and Clea then go to Hel where they attempt to reform the shattered glass that was once Thor. Back on Earth, Rintrah and Pip the Troll rescue Firelord and Drax the Destroyer from the Jurassic era, but get stranded there. The Scarlet Witch restores Thor, allowing Strange the time to leave and rescue Rintrah from the past.

1st appearance: Fire-Trolls, Frostlings
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #5 (pp.23-31)
Warlock and the Surfer barely escape the battle between Thanos and Eternity with their lives and, with the handful of surviving heroes, are returned to Avengers Mansion by Doctor Strange. In space, Thanos leaves his body and assumes Eternity’s place as the all-encompassing cosmic representative of everything. With his physical form unprotected, Nebula grabs the Infinity Gauntlet and gains all of its might, restoring her true form and casting Thanos into the depths of space. Thanos is saved by Doctor Strange who transports him back to Avengers Mansion…
Silver Surfer #59 (pp.1-3) / The Infinity Gauntlet #5 (p.31-32)
The Silver S..urfer immediately attacks Thanos. Strange summons the rescued heroes to separate the two foes.
Silver Surfer #59 (pp.4-22)
Adam Warlock needs a united front so the Silver Surfer and Thanos need to put their issues behind them. Doom suggests they duel on a magical battlefield, created by Strange with a medieval theme. The two knights duke it out on the mental plane and the Surfer almost wins, but Thanos takes advantage of the silver knight’s failure to deliver the killing blow. They wake from the battle with Thanos as the victor.

Must ReadsTitle, Issue Number & Synopsis
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #5 (p.32-40)
Warlock informs Thanos that his constant defeats are of his own making as he knows he’s not worthy of supreme power. The truth shocks Thanos into agreeing to help. Strange transports the last of the heroes to attack Nebula, but she defeats Firelord, Hulk, Drax the Destroyer, Doctor Doom and Thor with ease. Doctor Strange, the Silver Surfer and Thanos are the last to face her, but she seems unaware that Adam Warlock stands among them!
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #6 (pp.1-11)
Nebula taunts Thanos by undoing everything that he’d been done in the last 24 hours, restoring everyone who lost their life and all the destruction that followed. Though this briefly includes Nebula’s near-death state, she quickly restores herself. Adam Warlock touches the Infinity Gauntlet which, in turn, zaps the Surfer. The Cosmic Beings return to fight the new bearer of the Infinity Gauntlet…
The Incredible Hulk #385
Hulk is returned to Earth where a suited creature called Gestalt is fuelling and feeding off the hatred of the people of New York City. As the murder spree grows, so does he. The Hulk rescues a priest from a burning cross and defeats Gestalt by beating him to death. As the effect of Nebula’s undoing of time is felt, Rick Jones returns and reunites with the Hulk.
Sleepwalker #7 (pp.22)
Rick Sheridan returns when Nebula puts everything back the way it was, with the Sleepwalker assuming his experiences had all been a dream.
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #6 (pp.12-35)
The Surfer wakes in the Soul Gem’s Soulworld with Adam Warlock. Warlock coerces Nebula into throw off the Infinity Gauntlet. Doctor Strange summons Hulk, Thor, Drax and Starfox back and they race Thanos and Nebula to the discarded Gauntlet. Warlock emerges in the corporeal world and seizes the it, restoring the deities to their rightful places. Thanos avoids capture by blowing himself up. Warlock sends Drax and Starfox back to Titan to imprison Nebula. Doctor Strange, Thor and the Silver Surfer dispute Warlock’s claim to the Gauntlet…
Silver Surfer #60 (p.1) (tie-in) / The Infinity Gauntlet #6 (p.35)
Warlock transports Doctor Strange, the Silver Surfer and the Hulk away…
Silver Surfer #60 (pp.2-5) (tie-in)
The Surfer, Strange and Thor materialise on Earth where they all agree Warlock shouldn’t hold the Infinity Gauntlet, but they have no means of locating him or removing it from him. The Surfer returns to the stars…
✔The Infinity Gauntlet #6 (pp.36-40)
so he transports them and the Hulk back to Earth and transports his friends, Pip the Troll and Gamora, to his side. They travel to the near-future and discover Thanos is living out his life as a farmer. Despite all he’s done, Warlock allows Thanos to live out a peaceful existence, understanding the universe needs Thanos in it!
Silver Surfer #60 (pp.5-22) tie-in)
The Silver Surfer is attacked by Midnight Sun who just wants to learn who he was before the Kree manipulated him (during THE KREE-SKRULL WAR II, 1989). His inability to speak leads to a fight which ends on Earth’s moon. The Inhumans break it up and agree to help Midnight Sun. The Surfer returns to space. Sometime later, the Collector mentally contacts the Silver Surfer to ask for his help.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #36
Gamora and Pip the Troll believe the power of the Infinity Gauntlet has driven Adam Warlock insane and summon Doctor Strange. Warlock reveals his plan to remove all evil from the universe and make everyone good. After a brief magical conflict, Strange expresses his concern that unambitious creatures would live boring lives which changes Warlock’s mind. Doctor Strange’s journey back to Earth is interrupted by Eternity who reveals his plan to make Adam Warlock stand trial and wrest the Infinity Gauntlet from him.
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
Adam Warlock stands trial before the Living Tribunal, hoping to prove himself mentally capable of holding onto Infinity Gauntlet without it corrupting him. Eternity runs through his version of the key moments of the golden guardian’s life, prompting outbursts from Warlock. Ultimately, the Living Tribunal decides Adam Warlock is unfit to hold all six Infinity Gems. Instead, he’ll have to disperse them among five appropriate hosts of Warlock’s choice!

See how this story impacts the wider Marvel Universe with these reading orders:

Must ReadsIssues & FalloutEvent/
Crossover
Strange Tales #124 (1964)
Cleopatra and Zota of Pergamum go on to meet Doctor Strange for the second time, though it’s the first time Strange meets them.
Cloak and Dagger #19 (1991)
The mystery host at Cloak and Dagger’s strange dinner party is revealed to be D’Spayre.
THE EYE OF FORCE SAGA
Quasar #25 (1991)
Quasar’s conflict with Maelstrom is concluded, resulting in the death of Eon.
Web of Spider-Man #77-78 (1991)
Anna Johnson‘s fate and her connection to Cloak are revealed.
THE EYE OF FORCE SAGA
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #31 (1991)
Moon Knight deals with the fallout of Stained Glass Scarlet‘s attack on New York City.
Incredible Hulk #387 (1991)
Betty Banner gains unwanted press attention for working at the hotline.
✔Silver Surfer #61-65 (1991)
The Collector employs the Silver Surfer to locate the escaped Mondani child; the Surfer defeats the mutated Reptyl Prime.
✔Silver Surfer #66 (1992)
The Silver Surfer destroys Thanos’ monument to Death.
X-Men #1 (1991)
The X-Men were on Earth, so it’s unclear why it was only Wolverine who chose to help save civilians or join the fight against Thanos (maybe more than 50% of them vanished!); the X-Men do return with a nicely rebuilt mansion, though, so maybe that explains what they were up to!
MUTANT GENESIS
✔Quasar #28-29 (1991)
Her continues her pursuit of a mate; Quasar accidentally summons his old costume from his Quantum Bands (in an effort to explain away the continuity errors surrounding his costume changes during ‘The Infinity Gauntlet’); Her and Moondragon fight over Quasar; Moondragon rejects Quasar and frees Jack of Hearts from her mental control; Quasar talks Her out of being so desperate to find a mate.
Incredible Hulk #388 (1991)
The hotline receives a call from someone claiming to be Rick Jones’ mother.
Excalibur #42 (1991)
Excalibur next appear, though their lack of presence during the call to arms against Thanos is another mystery.
MUTANT GENESIS
Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness #1 (1991)
Ghost Rider next confronts Mephisto.
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #2 (1992)
Adam Warlock selects Moondragon to host the Mind Gem, Drax the Destroyer to hold the Power Gem, Pip the Troll to become the guardian of the Space Gem, Gamora to hold the Time Gem and a mysterious sixth member to claim ownership of the Reality Gem; having formed the Infinity Watch, Warlock keeps the Soul Gem and leaves; everyone goes their separate ways.
Incredible Hulk #391 (1992)
Jackie Shorr (the woman claiming to be Rick Jones’ mother) first appears.
WAR & PIECES
✔Avengers #346 (1992)
Despite time being reset by Negula, Ael-Dan and Dar-Benn’s assassination of Clumsy Foulup holds true; they restore the Supreme Intelligence, but are assassinated by Deathbird.
OPERATION: GALACTIC STORM

Must ReadsIssues & FalloutEvent/
Crossover
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #3-4 (1992)
Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Moondragon and Pip the Troll are all captured by a mystery foe; lacking omnipotence, Adam Warlock realises his choice of Infinity Gem wielders was far from sound.
✔Silver Surfer Annual #5 (1992)
Nebula is imprisoned on Titan; Firelord confronts Nebula over her role in the destruction his homeworld, Xandar.
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #5-6 (1992)
Adam Warlock rescues the Infinity Watch from the Man-Beast; the five known wielders of the Infinity Gems stay together as a team.
Darkhawk #19 (1992)
Spider-Man next teams up with Sleepwalker.
PORTALS OF POWER
✔The Infinity War #1 (1992)
Thanos returns and decides to help save the universe from the next major cosmic threat.

Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7 (1992)
The Infinity Watch begin using Monster Island as a headquarters; Thanos comes to the Infinity Watch, looking for their help.

The Infinity War #2-4 (1992)
It’s revealed that Adam Warlock expelled good and evil from himself while in possession of the Infinity Gauntlet; his ‘evil’ side takes the form of Warlock’s ‘evil future self, the Magus, who becomes a bigger threat to the cosmos than Thanos; Adam Warlock tries to reform the Infinity Gauntlet, only to discover the Living Tribunal has stopped the Infinity Gems from working in unison.
THE INFINITY WAR
Quasar #39 (1992)
The origin of the Mourners is revealed.
THE INFINITY WAR
✔The Infinity War #5-6 (1992)
The Magus restores the Infinity Gauntlet; Galactus convinces the Living Tribunal to activate the Infinity Gems in unison; the Magus is defeated; Eternity prevents the Infinity Gems from being used in unison once again; Adam Warlock’s good side prepares to change the universe.

Quasar #40 (1992)
Following the apparent death of Quasar, the ‘Marvel Boy’ duplicate renames himself Blue Marvel and takes Quasar’s place as Protector of the Universe.
THE INFINITY WAR
Incredible Hulk Annual #18 (1992)
The Silver Surfer is reunited with the real Defenders.
THE RETURN OF THE DEFENDERS
Silver Surfer Annual #4 (1992)
Midnight Sun recalls how he escaped the Kree and found himself in the path of the Silver Surfer.
Silver Surfer #70-75 (1992)
Nova outright refuses to lead Galactus to inhabited planets, forcing him to reject her and replace her with a new, more remorseless Herald called Morg; all of Galactus’ past Heralds join forces to take down Morg who kills Nova before his defeat.
✔Quasar #42-43 (1993)
Quasar learns of the White Room where all deceased Protectors of the Universe can manifest, along with Eon; another former Protector of the Universe, Andwella, is revealed; Quasar sends the Blue Marvel to the White Room and reclaims is place as Protector of the Universe.
✔What If? #49 (1993)
Uatu the Watcher reveals the alternate universe Earth-18451 in which the Silver Surfer obtains the Infinity Gauntlet.

Must ReadsIssues & FalloutEvents/
Crossover
Incredible Hulk #398-400 (1992)
Jackie Shorr stabs Marlo Chandler to death; the Leader resurrects Marlo, though her road to full recovery is a long one.
Thor #457 (1993)
The real Thor returns.

Thunderstrike #1 (1993)
Eric Masterson takes on a new identity as Thunderstrike.
THE FINAL GAUNTLET
Incredible Hulk #402 (1993)
Agamemnon passes his role as leader of the Pantheon on to the Hulk.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #51 (1993)
Doctor Strange places Rintrah in another dimension as a form of stasis after he’s mortally wounded in battle with Calyxis.  
A NIGHTMARE
ON BLEECKER STREET
Sleepwalker #19 (1992)
The Chain Gang are freed from the Mindscape by Cobweb who returns them to Earth in a bid to kill Sleepwalker.
What The–?! #24 (1992)
On Earth-9047, Thermos’ attempts to use the Infinity Mitten to impress Death, only to discover she has a new boyfriend – Super Mario.
Sleepwalker #24 (1993)
Sleepwalker breaks the chain that gives the Chain Gang their powers.
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #17 (1993)
The super-powered amnesiac Maxam joins the Infinity Watch, though he doesn’t host a gem.
✔The Infinity Crusade #1 (1993)
While he held the Infinity Gauntlet, Warlock inadvertently gave form to his ‘good’ side who dubs herself the Goddess who also proves to be a threat to the universe.

Warlock Chronicles #2 (1993)
Thanos is revealed to be the secret sixth member of the Infinity Watch and bearer of the Reality Gem.
THE INFINITY CRUSADE
Doctor Strange #56 (1993)
Victor Strange loses control of his vampiric ‘Baron Blood’ side and impales himself with a stake.
THE INFINITY CRUSADE
✔The Infinity Crusade #6 (1993)
The Goddess is defeated.
THE INFINITY CRUSADE
Sleepwalker #33 (1994)
Sleepwalker sacrifices himself to bring Rick Sheridan back to life; it’s unclear if Sleepwalker actually died or returned to the Mindscape, but Rick seems convinced Sleepwalker could easily come back from the dead.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #60 (1993)
Imei Chang is murdered by Sister Nil before she can marry Wong.
SIEGE OF DARKNESS
Secret Defenders #15 (1994)
Doctor Strange gives Doctor Druid new purpose by making him leader of the Secret Defenders.
Incredible Hulk #421 (1994)
Betty Banner finally moves into the Mount.
MYTH CONCEPTIONS
✔Namor the Sub-Mariner #58 (1995)
The Abomination continues to watch Nadia Dornova’s career from afar.

Must ReadsIssues & FalloutEvent/
Crossover
Incredible Hulk #425 (1995)
Hulk leaves the Pantheon by default when a burst of uncontrolled rage transforms him into a savage Bruce Banner.
Druid #4 (1995)
Doctor Druid’s second chance doesn’t last long as he’s shot dead by Nekra.
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #40 (1995)
Gamora quits the Infinity Watch; Maxam is given the Time Gem, restoring his lost memories.
THE WATCH IS BROKEN
✔Warlock and the Infinity Watch #41-42 (1995)
Maxam is revealed to have been sent back in time to kill Adam Warlock before he could become the Magus; the Infinity Watch disbands.
ATLANTIS RISING

THE WATCH IS BROKEN
✔Rune/Silver Surfer #1 (1995)
Rune of Earth-93060 steals all six Infinity Gems and takes them back to the Ultraverse.
GODWHEEL

SPINE: PRELUDE
TO BLACK SEPTEMBER

THE WATCH IS BROKEN
✔Avengers/Ultraforce #1 (1995)
Loki gathers up the Infinity Gems (plus a seventh gem, the Ego Gem) in the Ultraverse.
COUNTDOWN
TO BLACK SEPTEMBER
✔Star Masters #1 (1995)
Epoch leaves Earth, freeing Quasar from his role as her protector.
✔Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1 (1995)
Despite his apparent retirement from cosmic-genocide, Thanos tries to wipe out two universes to win Death’s favour.
MARVEL VERSUS DC
✔Over the Edge #2 (1995)
Silver Dagger returns, having escaped Agamotto’s imprisonment.
Marvel Fanfare #2 (1996)
Despite putting past animosity behind them, Hulk and Wolverine clash again.
✔What If? #104 (1998)
On Earth-95397, the Impossible Man claims the Infinity Gauntlet.
Incredible Hulk #472 (1999)
The Abomination finally returns to the surface to announce his revenge on the Hulk; Abomination reveals he gave Betty Banner gamma-poisoning, resulting in her death.
Galactus the Devourer #4 (1999)
The Silver Surfer learns Mantis didn’t die when he’s finally reunited with her.
Maximum Security #1 (2000)
Reptyl is revealed to have reverted to his original form.
MAXIMUM SECURITY
Avengers: Celestial Quest #3 (2002)
Reptyl transforms again (this time, thanks to Thanos) and attains god-like powers.
✔JLA/Avengers #2 (2003)
The Infinity Gauntlet ends up in the DC Universe, but doesn’t function in that reality.
The Order #6 (2002)
Clea leaves Doctor Strange to return to the Dark Dimension, ending their marriage.
ONCE MORE, THE END
✔Incredible Hulk #50-54 (2003)
Nadia Dornova-Blonsky is revealed to have discovered that her husband, Emil Blonsky, is the Abomination; she explains Blonsky was an abusive husband; Nadia sleeps with Bruce Banner and begins to form a relationship with him.
Incredible Hulk #76 (2004)
Nadia Dornova-Blonsky is killed during the destruction of the Leader’s base, ending her and Bruce Banner’s chance of happiness together.
✔Thanos #4-6 (2004)
Galactus gathers the Infinity Gems in an effort to cure his hunger, but is opposed by Thanos who scatters them again.
Thanos #11 (2004)
It’s revealed that Galactus had another Herald – the Fallen One – before Norrin Radd became the Silver Surfer.
✔New Avengers: The Illuminati #2 (2007)
The Illuminati (including Doctor Strange) gather the Infinity Gems and keep one each to prevent them from being used.
Annihilation Prologue #1 (2006)
The Negative Zone spills out into the positive matter universe again, allowing Annihilus to invade (though this time, it’s not wiped from history).
ANNIHILATION
Fantastic Four #544-546 (2007)
Epoch resurrects Gravity in the hope of making him her protector; Gravity defends Epoch from Galactus, but rejects the job offer.
FOUR THE HARD WAY

THE INITIATIVE

Must ReadsIssues & FalloutEvent/
Crossover
Annihilation: Conquest – Quasar #1 (2007)
Moondragon ends up with a different Quasar (Phyla-Vell).
ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST
Ultimate Origins #3 (2008)
On Earth-1610, an Infinity Gauntlet is seen in Project PEGASUS.
MARCH ON ULTIMATUM
✔What If: Newer Fantastic Four #1 (2009)
On Earth-90266, the New Fantastic Four (Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Wolverine) defeat Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet.
✔What If: Secret Wars #1 (2009)
On Earth-90251, Doctor Doom retains the power he took from the Beyonder in the ‘Secret Wars’, uses it to obtain the Infinity Gems and defeats the Celestials after a 407-year war.
Guardians of the Galaxy #11 (2009)
Maelstrom does return, only to face the new Quasar (Phyla-Vell).
WAR OF KINGS
Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu #1 (2009)
Midnight Sun finally returns to Earth where Shang-Chi tells him his origins.
✔Fantastic Four #570-572 (2009)
The Interdimensional Council of Reeds (a group consisting of alternate universe versions of Reed Richards) includes three members who wear Infinity Gauntlets from their own realities.
SOLVE EVERYTHING
✔Avengers: The Infinity Gauntlet #1-4 (2010-2011)
On Earth-20051 (the ‘Marvel Adventures’ universe), a much smaller line-up of heroes face Thanos.
✔Avengers #7-12 (2011)
The Hood recreates the Infinity Gauntlet but is defeated by the Avengers; the Infinity Gems are returned to the Illuminati.
✔FF #23 (2012)
Valeria Richards gives Doctor Doom a non-functioning Infinity Gauntlet from an alternate universe as a gift.
FOUNDATION
Avengers vs X-Men #11 (2012)
Hulk finally rejoins the Avengers.
AVX: AVENGERS VS X-MEN
✔New Avengers #2-3 (2013)
The Infinity Gems are destroyed (except for the Time Gem which disappears) when the Illuminati use them to stop another universe colliding with Earth-616.
MARVEL NOW!
✔Thanos: The Infinity Relativity (2015)
On Earth-19141, Adam Warlock forms the Infinity Watch in order to retain the Infinity Gems.
THE INFINITY SAGA
✔Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #21-25 (2013)
A second Infinity Gauntlet is revealed to exist on Earth-1610; it’s recovered from AIM by Thor and Sue Storm of Earth-1610’s Ultimates.
✔Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #29-30 (2013)
After Reed Richards of Earth-1610 tries to gather all the Infinity Gems and Infinity Gauntlets in that reality, he’s defeated by the Ultimates and the gems are scattered again.
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #3-4 (2014)
Midnight Sun returns to a life of crime, leading a clan of assassins to oppose Shang-Chi.
✔What If? Infinity: Dark Reign #1 (2015)
On Earth-14154, Norman Osborn obtains the Infinity Gauntlet.
✔Infinity Gauntlet #1-5 (2016)
Thanos of Earth-94241 creates an Infinity Gauntlet in the New Xandar arena of Doctor Doom’s Battleworld; the Reality Stone turns out to be a fake and the Gauntlet destroys him.

Secret Wars #7-9 (2016)
On Doctor Doom’s Battleworld, Doctor Strange is revealed to have gathered Infinity Gems from different universes to create a new Infinity Gauntlet that will function in Doom’s palace; the Black Panther uses Strange’s Infinity Gauntlet to defeat Doom; the Infinity Gems are destroyed again.
SECRET WARS
Marvel Legacy #1 (2017)
The Infinity Gems are revealed to have returned as ‘Infinity Stones’.
MARVEL LEGACY
All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #3 (2017)
Gamora learns part of her soul actually remained in the Soul Gem’s Soulworld and begins her crusade to reclaim it.
Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1 (2017)
Kang the Conqueror reveals to Adam Warlock that it was the act of leaving the Soul Gem’s Soulworld that actually gave Warlock a soul.
INFINITY COUNTDOWN
Infinity Wars #1-6 (2018)
Gamora reclaims the missing part of her soul when she obtains all six Infinity Stones; using the Stones, Gamora halves the population of the universe by merging every being with another, creating new combined beings; Gamora is defeated by Loki.
INFINITY WARS

Collected Edition TitleCollects…
Infinity GauntletInfinity Gauntlet #1-6
Infinity Gauntlet OmnibusCloak and Dagger #18
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31-36
Incredible Hulk #383-385
Infinity Gauntlet #1-6
Quasar #26-27
Silver Surfer #34-38, 40, 44-60
Sleepwalker #7
Spider-Man #17
Thanos Quest #1-2
Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
Silver Surfer: The Infinity Gauntlet OmnibusInfinity Gauntlet #1-6
Marvel Comics Presents #50, #69, #93-97 [part]
Silver Surfer #34-66
Silver Surfer Annual #3-4
Thanos Quest #1-2

Collected Edition TitleIncludes…
Infinity Gauntlet Box Set SlipcaseCloak and Dagger #18
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31-36
Incredible Hulk #383-385
Infinity Gauntlet #1-6
Quasar #26-27
Silver Surfer #51-60
Sleepwalker #7
Spider-Man #17
Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
Avengers and the Infinity GauntletInfinity Gauntlet #1
Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame PreludeInfinity Gauntlet #1
Cloak and Dagger: Agony and EcstasyCloak and Dagger #18
Cloak and Dagger Omnibus vol.2Cloak and Dagger #18
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus vol.1Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31-36
Doctor Strange Epic Collection: The Vampiric Verses (vol.9)Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #31-33
Doctor Strange Epic Collection: Infinity War (vol.10)Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #34-36
Hulk Visionaries: Peter David vol.7Incredible Hulk #383-385
Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus vol.2Incredible Hulk #383-385
Infinity Gauntlet AftermathDoctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #36
Silver Surfer #60
Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
Infinity Omnibus by Starlin & HickmanInfinity Gauntlet #1-6
Infinity Watch vol.1Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1
Marvel-Verse: ThanosSpider-Man #17
Quasar: Cosmos in CollisionQuasar #24
Silver Surfer Epic Collection: The Infinity Gauntlet (vol.7)Silver Surfer #51-60

Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023

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