Marvel Rising is a new “multi-platform franchise” from Marvel, featuring two of their biggest young adult darlings: Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl. Part of the project is a 5-issue team-up miniseries, following the two young heroes as they dash across college campuses and do an endearingly bad job of keeping their identities secret from each other. It’s cute, it’s fun, and its numbering is incredibly confusing.
See, Marvel Rising is composed of five single-issue comics, released monthly (mostly). These comics include a #0, a #1, another #1, a third #1, and finally… another #1. They all have different but similar titles, and the stories in them are sequential. If you pick up Marvel Rising: Alpha #1, it… works, but doesn’t make as much sense as it would have if you’d read Marvel Rising #0 first.
But have no fear, I’ve got your back. Check out the chart below for a reading order:
The reading order for the Marvel Rising comics is actually pretty straightforward: the comic that came out first is the first chapter in the story, they go sequentially by publication date from there, and all the titles start with “Marvel Rising.” But nothing on the outside of the actual comics tells readers where they’re jumping in, and the story on the inside just isn’t as good if it’s not read in the right order.
If this is all too much nonsense, there’ll also be an easier solution once all the single issues come out: all five will be collected into a trade paperback, set to release on November 7th. You can preorder it now (it helps your local comic shop if they know you want it!), just hang tight until then, or search out the individual issues as they come out. It’s up to you!
The numbering system on Marvel Rising is bonkers, but the story and art really are wonderful. Don’t let Marvel’s thirst for gimmicks get between you and a good read!
