MARVEL UNIVERSE: 1962 READING ORDER - Recommended & Essential Reading

The Marvel Universe reading order continues: Highlighting all the key moments, first appearances, crossovers and events in the ideal reading order. This time around, the heroes rise as Ant-Man, the Hulk, Thor and Spider-Man makes their debuts.

As always, I'd like to thank the guys over at www.chronologyproject.com which I use as a basis and work out my own continuity. Those guys have done all the heavy lifting for me!

MCG note: These pages are subject to change and will be constantly updated and added to. If you feel a story has been missed or want to know where tale would sit in continuity, I'm more than happy to add these for you though they may or may not be recommended by me. This guide is aimed more at fans who need help with continuity rather than those already obsessed with it.

The monster comics carried on through 1962, but they were completely overshadowed by the sheer creativity displayed in the Fantastic Four, the godly might of Thor and the angst-filled heroics of teenage super-star Spider-Man. The Sub-Mariner made his modern-day return and we were treated to a host of villainy as the Skrulls, Loki and Doctor Doom were introduced.

For those of you who love the obscure, the first mutant made his debut (before the first appearance of the X-Men), prototypes for Aunt May and Uncle Ben appeared just before the real deal arrived to raise young Peter Parker, and Korg first appeared (though we wouldn't find out til years later).

And the Hulk couldn't decide on his colour scheme... 

MCG NOTE - your guide to reading comics:

• Issues in blue are worth reading and often play a part in the great Marvel tapestry.
• Issues in grey are possibly of interest, stories of note that aren't essential or issues added by fan request or once-great tales that are no longer 'required reading'.

Tales to Astonish #27[1/4] (1962) 

First appearance of Hank Pym; Pym creates a formula that shrinks him down to ant size.

Fantastic Four #2 (1962) 

First official appearance of the Skrulls and the Daily Bugle; the FF discover an attempted invasion by alien shape-shifters; Mister Fantastic turns them into cows.

Amazing Adult Fantasy #9 (1962) 

First appearance of alien invader Tim Boo Ba.

Fantastic Four #3 (1962) 

First appearance of the Baxter Building, the Fantasti-Car, Pogo Plane, Fantasti-Coptor and the Fantastic Four's uniforms; the FF battle the Miracle Man.

Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) 

First appearance of the Hulk, Rick Jones, Betty Ross and General 'Thunderbolt' Ross; Bruce Banner is transformed into a grey behemoth dubbed the Hulk!

Fantastic Four #4 (1962) 

First modern appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner; Namor breaks out of his amnesia and takes a shine to the Invisible Girl.

Amazing Adult Fantasy #13[2/5] (1962) 

First modern appearance of Zeus.

Strange Tales #97[3/5] (1962) 

Prototype Aunt May and Uncle Ben characters appear, predating the May & Ben Parker characters by a few months.

Incredible Hulk #2 (1962) 

Banner transforms into a green Hulk, rather than grey (this was due to an editorial decision to change the colouring, but it's later worked into the Hulk's story).

Amazing Adult Fantasy #14[2/5] (1962) 

First appearance of Tad Carter; Tad develops telepathy and telekinesis in his teenage years, making him the first modern mutant.

Journey into Mystery #83[1/3] (1962) 

First modern appearance of Thor; first appearance of Dr Donald Blake, Korg (unnamed) and the Kronans; Dr Donald Blake discovers a stick that transforms him into Thor.

Tales to Astonish #35[1/3] (1962) 

Hank Pym first becomes Ant-Man, using his shrinking abilities and control over ants to fight crime.

Amazing Fantasy #15[1/4] (1962) 

First appearance of Spider-Man, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, May Parker and Ben Parker; Peter Parker learns to become a hero when his uncle is killed by a burglar.

Journey into Mystery #84[1/3] (1962) 

First appearance of Jane Foster.

Fantastic Four #5 (1962) 

First appearance of Doctor Doom; Mister Fantastic's old college nemesis returns as a tyrannical, armoured super-villain.

Fantastic Four #6 (1962) 

Doctor Doom first forms an alliance with the Sub-Mariner.

Journey into Mystery #85[1/3] (1962) 

First modern appearance of Loki; first appearance of Balder, Odin, Tyr and Asgard; Loki causes mischief for Thor.

Incredible Hulk #3[3/3] (1962) 

First appearance of the Circus of Crime.

Strange Tales #101[1/3] (1962) 

The Human Torch breaks out into solo adventures.

Two-Gun Kid #60 (1962) 

First appearance of the Two-Gun Kid; in the time of the Old West, Matt Hawk emulates his favourite fictional hero, becoming the real-life Two-Gun Kid.

Journey into Mystery #85[1/3] (1962) 

First appearance of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man.

Strange Tales #102[1/4] (1962) 

First appearance of the Wizard.

Fantastic Four #8 (1962) 

First appearance of the Puppet Master and Alicia Masters; the Thing first meets Alicia Masters.

Tales to Astonish #38[1/4] (1962) 

First appearance of Egghead; Ant-Man first faces the criminal genius and recurring nemesis, Egghead.

Fantastic Four #9 (1962) 

Sub-Mariner strikes the Fantastic Four again when they declare bankruptcy.

[1960] [1961] [1962] [1963] [1964] [1965] [1966] [1967] [1968] [1969] [1970] [1971] [1972] [1973] [1974] [1975] [1976] [1977] [1978] [1979] [1980] [1981] [1982] [1983] [1984] [1985] [1986] [1987] [1988] [1989] [1990] [1991] [1992] [1993] [1994] [1995] [1996] [1997] [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008] [2009] [2010] [2011] [2012] [2013] [2014] [2015]