If you want to just read Infinity, you can buy the trade, which has everything you'd need. If you want to delve into Hickman's entire run, you can follow this guide. Personally, I only read from "Avengers World" on and I found everything totally easy to understand.
The best stuff to read before Secret Wars is Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers series that led up to the event.
If you're reading issue by issue, like with Marvel Unlimited, use this reading guide: http://i.imgur.com/X9zUA8X.png (Just start with the Avengers stuff)
If you're reading by collected editions, these are the ones you'll want:
The Black Order appear in the Infinity event comic of this epic Avengers saga. While you might still be able to enjoy reading Infinity by itself, it's definitely enhanced by reading all of the material leading up to it. This Omnibus collection actually includes most of the prior reading and the Infinity event itself all in one (large) book.
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Oh sure, so to be clear I think the whole "permanent physical transformation" part of terrigenesis is a little underexplored. If you want to check them out anyway my two recommendations would be:
Inhumans by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee: This is kind of considered the go to comic for introducing the inhumans. You don't need to have any prior knowledge to read this one. Lee's art is pretty stylish, really shadowy and stuff. Not everyone digs it but I think it works.
Infinity by Jonathan Hickman, Jim Cheung, and Jerome Opena: For something more recent, this is newish comic event that features the inhumans pretty heavily. It's more bombastic than Inhumans by Jenkins but I enjoy Hickman's sharp script a lot. There's some lead in material though. I would recommend also picking up this book to provide some context. Infinity was a crossover and culmination of two different books Hickman was writing, Avengers and New Avengers. Totally recommend reading the New Avengers stuff and totally recommend against the Avengers stuff. If you do decide to go this route, I could give you a summary of the Avengers stuff. Incidentally, I think Infinity would be great reading for Infinity War and maybe A4, as it seems like a lot of that movie might be inspired by this book.
Hey good luck! Comics aren't cheap but I hope you check one of these out!
I believe I posted on that as well. I recommended this large Hardcover linked below. Handles about the middle of the Avengers and New Avengers run until the end. Combine that with volume 1 of New Avengers to get the initial storyline and explanation of the excursions and you're in really good shape for Secret Wars lead up as far as Avengers books go. You could skip this book if you get the Secret Wars prelude book, as that includes I think the first 2 or 3 issues of New Avengers.
Optional add-on is the Hardcover for Infinity. I never found a book for just infinity 1-6. But the hardcover includes Avengers 14-23, so do not buy Avengers vol 2, or you'll have bought those issues twice. I made that mistake, had the Avengers book, then got Infinity which includes all the same issues. Sold it for half value used. Infinity is a good story, I wouldn't say it's absolutely essential for Secret Wars lead up though.
Edit: here's the Infinity book. Looks like it comes in paperback now, I'd recommend the hardcover though because it's a larger book. Again note that this includes the vol. 2 hardcover issues of Avengers and New Avengers. They're staggered through the book in order with the main Infinity 1-6
Needless to say, I'm not getting everything I want for Christmas, but this is what I've asked for. I haven't had the opportunity to read any of these, except for Infinity, which was the first event I ever read, but I only read the main series, not even the necessary Avengers/New Avengers issues.
To properly understand some of the stuff in Avengers World you need to read infinity, it explains all the stuff with the builders and what the avengers worlds are. It's really good and is collected in one volume that i'd really recommend.
A good example of Hickman doing exactly the same thing in the past was his Infinity event. Each issue provided a reading order in the back (Just like house of x and powers of x do) because that event was 3 different series that you had to read between, in the right order, to get properly. I believe this one will be simpler, and just House #1, Powers #1, House #2, Powers #2, etc. Knowing Hickman, around the 3/4 point the two will slam into each other and we'll all understand why we're reading both of them at the same time.
If you want to just read Infinity, you can buy the trade, which has everything you'd need. If you want to delve into Hickman's entire run, you can follow this guide. Personally, I only read from "Avengers World" on and I found everything totally easy to understand.
It's from here
The best stuff to read before Secret Wars is Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers series that led up to the event.
If you're reading issue by issue, like with Marvel Unlimited, use this reading guide: http://i.imgur.com/X9zUA8X.png (Just start with the Avengers stuff)
If you're reading by collected editions, these are the ones you'll want:
Avengers, New Avengers, Infinity | #1-44, #1-33, #1-6 | 2012-2015 | Hickman | Reading Order
So you're gonna want to start with Hickman's Avengers Vol 1 and then you're gonna want to read Hickman's New Avengers Vol 1 then Vol 2 of Avengers then Infinity
Here is a full reading order with everything you need
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0785184236/ref=mp_s_a_1_2
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0785120122/ref=mp_s_a_1_1
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Oh sure, so to be clear I think the whole "permanent physical transformation" part of terrigenesis is a little underexplored. If you want to check them out anyway my two recommendations would be:
Hey good luck! Comics aren't cheap but I hope you check one of these out!
And those characters are all from this storyline? https://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Jonathan-Hickman/dp/0785184236/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500054656&sr=8-2&keywords=marvel+infinity
Infinity https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785184236/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hmW5Ab4J4Z27R
I've never read a lot on most of those characters. They are mostly 2nd tier characters so don't get a lot of good stories...BUT....The black order debuts and features in Infinity, that's worth a read:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0785184236/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502322358&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=infinity&dpPl=1&dpID=51P6ZkLkYqL&ref=plSrch
Oh, and the new Thor movie is LOOSELY based on Planet Hulk which was a great story arc. If you want to be ahead of the curve:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0785120122/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502322593&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=planet+hulk&dpPl=1&dpID=51sWFEf9CGL&ref=plSrch
I believe I posted on that as well. I recommended this large Hardcover linked below. Handles about the middle of the Avengers and New Avengers run until the end. Combine that with volume 1 of New Avengers to get the initial storyline and explanation of the excursions and you're in really good shape for Secret Wars lead up as far as Avengers books go. You could skip this book if you get the Secret Wars prelude book, as that includes I think the first 2 or 3 issues of New Avengers.
Optional add-on is the Hardcover for Infinity. I never found a book for just infinity 1-6. But the hardcover includes Avengers 14-23, so do not buy Avengers vol 2, or you'll have bought those issues twice. I made that mistake, had the Avengers book, then got Infinity which includes all the same issues. Sold it for half value used. Infinity is a good story, I wouldn't say it's absolutely essential for Secret Wars lead up though.
https://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Time-Runs-Out-Marvel/dp/0785198091
https://www.amazon.com/New-Avengers-Jonathan-Hickman-1/dp/0785193960/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_3/139-1577242-7625700?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0785193960&pd_rd_r=1847ce12-9436-451c-b9a4-1409acb7bcdd&pd_rd_w=HSe82&pd_rd_wg=JHj6e&pf_rd_p=6e6afc8a-fbbd-4649-97cf-4e08f5113612&pf_rd_r=G2F8E79RPJ5E4KGB75V1&psc=1&refRID=G2F8E79RPJ5E4KGB75V1
Edit: here's the Infinity book. Looks like it comes in paperback now, I'd recommend the hardcover though because it's a larger book. Again note that this includes the vol. 2 hardcover issues of Avengers and New Avengers. They're staggered through the book in order with the main Infinity 1-6
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0785184236/ref=tmm_pap_title_sr?ie=UTF8&qid=1572465582&sr=8-2
Secret Wars Prelude I mentioned above which includes New Avengers 1-3.
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Wars-Prelude-Jonathan-Hickman/dp/0785193995
And what would follow the one /u/Tom-ocil suggested? I'm assuming this happens way after the original event?
Needless to say, I'm not getting everything I want for Christmas, but this is what I've asked for. I haven't had the opportunity to read any of these, except for Infinity, which was the first event I ever read, but I only read the main series, not even the necessary Avengers/New Avengers issues.
To properly understand some of the stuff in Avengers World you need to read infinity, it explains all the stuff with the builders and what the avengers worlds are. It's really good and is collected in one volume that i'd really recommend.
A good example of Hickman doing exactly the same thing in the past was his Infinity event. Each issue provided a reading order in the back (Just like house of x and powers of x do) because that event was 3 different series that you had to read between, in the right order, to get properly. I believe this one will be simpler, and just House #1, Powers #1, House #2, Powers #2, etc. Knowing Hickman, around the 3/4 point the two will slam into each other and we'll all understand why we're reading both of them at the same time.