While many players were undoubtedly first attracted to Snap because of its connection to Marvel, many others got into Snap feeling anywhere from neutral to hostile towards the intellectual property it's based on. Most players are at least somewhat familiar with the MCU. Still, I've heard from several people that, after playing Snap, they’ve begun to care about the characters and become interested in reading some Marvel Comics. Getting started with the comics can be daunting— so I've prepared a “decklist” of reading recommendations tailored to Marvel Snap players!
Here is the criteria I focused on to make this list:
- Easily accessible for new readers
- You shouldn’t need extensive lore knowledge or MCU knowledge to understand and follow along for any of these. Continuity-heavy storylines can be enjoyed later, but they often turn off new readers.
- Relatively self-contained
- None of these are part of a massive crossover or event. Again, these can be great, but you can get to them later.
- Focused on Marvel Snap
- This differentiates this from a generic list of recommendations I would make to a new reader. I wanted to include storylines that feature many characters, locations, and artists already in the game. The recommendations below contain plenty of “hey, I recognize that!” moments for Snap fans.
- Available on Marvel Unlimited
- Marvel Unlimited is an app that allows you to read nearly every Marvel comic published. I wanted to make sure these were accessible. That's not your only choice, though: you can also read a lot for free from your library, on paper, or with apps like Hoopla and Libby.
1) West Coast Avengers (2018) by Kelly Thompson, Stefano Caselli, and Tríona Farrel
Honestly, it was hard not to populate this entire list with the work of Kelly Thompson; her work is so great and accessible to new fans. Thompson's long Captain Marvel run is chock full of Snap-related Easter eggs (and Hazmat in a supporting role!), her Black Widow is a solid stand-alone story, and check out Rogue & Gambit and the follow-up Mr. and Mrs. X for the best adventures you’ll get with that mutant power couple.
But I chose West Coast Avengers because it's a great place to see Snap characters like America Chavez and Gwenpool at their best—as part of an ensemble. M.O.D.O.K. appears as a villain, and Jeff makes his debut! It's also a great way to get to know new Snap characters Kate Bishop and Marvel Boy. The 2016 Hawkeye series leads into this to a degree, so you can also start there if you're especially interested in Kate, or you can start back at the spectacular Aja/Fraction Hawkeye series and follow Kate’s story all the way from there.
2) Planet Hulk by Greg Pak (2006) | Hulk 92-105 + Giant Size Hulk #1
In this 15-issue run, Hulk is banished into space and crash lands on the planet of Sakaar. I didn't only choose this storyline because it was the basis for the January season—it's also just a great self-contained story. Most of the characters, aside from Hulk, appear for the first time in this story, so you don't need any outside knowledge before diving into one of the most acclaimed Marvel storylines of the 2000s.
3) Runaways (2003) by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona
Runaways follows six teenagers who discover their parents are supervillains, and it's a wildly original comic that new readers tend to love. The only member of the Runaways that has reached Marvel Snap is Nico Minoru, but I expect we'll eventually get more of them. Runaways also connects to the greater Marvel Universe, but so lightly that you could read straight through this series and all of the subsequent Runaways series without feeling the need to read other comics to get the complete picture.
4) Thor by Jason Aaron
Looking for something epic? Starting in late 2012 with Thor: God of Thunder, Jason Aaron began one of the most epic runs in comics. If you've never read a superhero book, but want to try it out, this is an excellent place to start. It's just over 8 years worth of Thor (and Jane Foster as Thor) doing Thor things, and it's very satisfying. Starting with Thor: God of Thunder (2012), rolling into Thor (2014), Thors (2015), Mighty Thor (2015), Thor (2018), and finally King Thor (2019), you can rock your way through Jason Aaron’s entire Thor saga. Other than the brief 2015 Thors series, which connects to the massive Secret Wars crossover event, you can roll straight through without needing to check out how everything connects to the larger universe unless you want to.
5) Guardians of the Galaxy by Brian Michael Bendis
There are a lot of places to start with Guardians of the Galaxy, but this is the one I'd recommend to a Snap player. Bear in mind, the Guardians are not identical to their MCU counterparts. Start with #0.1, as it'll give you all of the background you need to continue with issue #1. You'll get a run of Angela appearances starting with issue #5, and you can roll right into the 2015 series with Kitty Pryde in a prominent role once you finish these 27 issues. This series weaves into some crossover events, like Black Vortex, but you can use this as a way to dip your toe into those or you can just read what's included here and barrel through without missing anything important.
6) Superior Foes of Spider-Man (2013) by Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber
Starring Spider-Man’s C-list villains, this series is hilarious, both in dialogue and visual gags. But it's also just a really engaging look at the world of guys who run around committing crimes in silly costumes. It is an incredibly inventive series with a lot more charm than most comics, and features Shocker in the main cast alongside guest spots from other beloved Snap characters (You might even recognize a Snap variant from these very pages). Give us a Boomerang card soon please! If you like this series, you can jump into the convoluted world of the 2010s Spider-Man comics that saw Doctor Octopus take over the role of Spider-Man.
7) Domino by Gail Simone and David Baldeón
Gail Simone is more famous for her work at DC, but this book is an excellent way to introduce yourself to the writer of the newly relaunched Uncanny X-Men series. That new series also serves as a great jumping on point to the X-Men for a new reader, if you're interested. Domino might not be the greatest Marvel Snap card, but this series will give you a new appreciation for the lucky mutant. Steamy Shang-Chi guest spot included! There's also an annual from 2018, and this series leads into the 5-issue Domino: Hotshots, also by Simone and Baldeón.
8) Illuminati (2015) by Joshua Williamson, Shawn Crystal (a.k.a. Inkpulp), and John Rauch
Not to be confused with the secret cabal that includes Professor X, Black Panther, and Tony Stark, this Illuminati series features the Hood leading a team of villains, including Enchantress and Titania. This is far and away the best treatment of Titania and her lover, Absorbing Man. Wonderful Inkpulp interiors!
9) Venom (2018) Donny Cates | What if….? Venom (2024) by Jeremy Holt
The winding and convoluted publication history of symbiotes in Marvel can be hard to navigate. One solid starting place would be Donny Cates’ 2018 Venom series—here Knull is introduced for the first time. But if you're looking just to dip a toe in, the recent What if…? Venom series is a strong choice. You'll get to see some familiar characters “Venomized” and alternate timeline/what if stories are always pretty accessible for new readers since they break with canon rather than relying on years of story building.
10) Demon Days by Peach Momoko
These are non-canon stories and the first writing and interior artwork from legendary cover artist Peach Momoko. They are reimaginings of Marvel characters intertwined with Japanese folklore, so they are fully self-contained and require no outside knowledge. Momoko has also since fully created the new Ultimate X-Men series that is delightful and weird as well.
11) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) by Ryan North and Erica Henderson
Want to see Squirrel Girl go up against the likes of Kraven, Galactus, and Doctor Doom? Check out these two series with cute art from Erica Henderson and smart writing from Ryan North. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a series for little kids (though they can enjoy it): it's a funny, well-written series that both new readers and veterans dripping with lore knowledge love. Ryan North is just an excellent writer—he’s also currently in the midst of one of the best-ever runs on Fantastic Four. There's also a self-contained graphic novel The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe that North and Henderson did in late 2016.
12) Thanos (2016) Lemire/Cates
Reading through this series gets you two great runs: that of Jeff Lemire and Mike Deodato for the first 11 issues, followed by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw's excellent “Thanos Wins” storyline (which directly ties in to Cates’ Cosmic Ghost Rider series, another good time). For more of the Mad Titan alongside some familiar Snap characters, check out Kieron Gillen’s Eternals series from 2021.
Honorable Mention
It's Jeff Infinity Comic (2021)
With their scrolling format, Marvel Unlimited’s digital-first Infinity Comics are designed for phone reading. The best one to date features Jeff the Baby Land Shark in hilarious adventures written by Jeff co-creator Kelly Thompson and illustrated by Gurihiru.
Back issue bin
Older comics are often harder for new readers to get into, but if you're up for some retro goodness, check out these older issues featuring some Snap All-Stars.
Fantastic Four #48-53
In a brief 5 issues, you get the first appearances of Galactus, the Silver Surfer, and the Black Panther, along with one of the best Jack Kirby art issues of all time sandwiched in the middle, with plenty of his trademark crackle.
Thor #132 & 133
While Marvel and the MCU may have a current reputation among many as being corporate or generic, Marvel was built on bizarre, high-concept ideas. These two issues are packed with Kirby oddness and even more crackle. You'll gasp when Ego is revealed!
Sco's Soapbox
Come find me on Twitter for more intersection between Snap and Comics. I try to do a brief Comic-centric character primer for each new character added to the game. Also, please comment on and share this article if you enjoyed it. If the response is strong, I'll be allowed to do it again in the future!