MOVIES
Spider-Man
Your guide to the 10 best Marvel comics at USA TODAY PLAY
There are hundreds of curated Marvel comic books you can read on the USA TODAY PLAY app. Try out these 10 classic superhero series first
Brian TruittUSA TODAY
July 8, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there was a universe of Marvel comic books
Since the 1960s, Marvel Comics has published the ongoing adventures of iconic superheroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man and so many more who have become an essential part of Americana and pop culture. Audiences have gravitated toward these characters on screen, yet they’ve also enraptured generations of true believers on the page. And now readers have a chance to catch upcs issues at their fingertips
Obviously, the best place to start is our exclusive weekly “Spider-Man TODAY” series, with a fourth issue out now that spins a tale where Spidey faces not only the incredible Hulk but also a bunch of trigger-happy Hulk-Busters. (The big green guy isn’t the only recognizable personality showing up – the series also will feature drop-ins from other Marvel names like Daredevil and the X-Men.)
From there, readers can dive into all sorts of comics from Marvel history, from original Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics from the ’60s to more recent titles and event crossovers that were the basis for MCU story lines
So what’s the best stuff for a Marvel newcomer to read? Here are 10 must-read series on the PLAY app to try out. (Everyone can read up to two issues per week, while USA TODAY PLAY subscribers have access to all the comics.)
‘Black Panther’ (2018)
The same year the Chadwick Boseman film became a phenomenon, best-selling author Ta-Nehisi Coates launched a story line that reimagined Wakanda as an intergalactic empire. The heroic T’Challa here is not a ruler but instead a nameless enslaved man working in space vibranium mines who doesn’t remember his past and leads a rebellion against his imperial oppressors
‘Civil War’ (2006)
Before they battled in the movies, Captain America and Iron Man butted heads in comics in this limited series. After a disastrous incident turns the public against superheroes, the government creates a superhuman registration act that causes a deep rift among Avengers and other do-gooders along ideological lines. Cap goes rogue with his crew, Iron Man recruits supervillains to take down his fellow hero, and Spider-Man unmasks his secret identity for the first time
‘Doctor Doom’ (2019)
Get to know Marvel’s arguably biggest bad before Robert Downey Jr. plays him in “Avengers: Doomsday” (in theaters Dec. 18). This comic centers on Victor Von Doom, the ruler of Latveria and longtime Avengers and Fantastic Four villain, as a more complicated guy: When he gets blamed for a terrorist attack that kills thousands of people, Doom deals with frenemies and foes alike in an effort to prove his (relative) innocence
‘Hawkeye’ (2012)
The inspiration for the “Hawkeye” TV show was this fun and quirky series that took the Avengers’ ace archer and gave him adventures of a less high-stakes, more grounded nature. Hawkeye tussles with the Russian mafioso trying to drive residents out of his building, plus meets – and, to a degree, passes the bow-and-arrow to – young heroine Kate Bishop. Come for the lively banter, stay for Pizza Dog
‘Ms. Marvel’ (2014)
If you dig coming-of-age and young adult stories, Marvel’s intro to Kamala Khan is excellent – especially for kid comic fans. The Muslim teen from Jersey City idolizes Captain Marvel and the Avengers but doesn’t dare dream of being like them. That is, until she encounters strange mists after sneaking out on a school night, gains superpowers, teams up with Wolverine, and has a Valentine’s Day encounter with Loki
‘Secret Invasion’ (2008)
All that internal superhero distrust from “Civil War” boiled over into this intriguing, paranoia thriller follow-up. Iron Man discovers that shapeshifting alien Skrulls have infiltrated important organizations and operations all across the world for unknown reasons that are probably not great for mankind. Heroes have to figure out who’s who, what’s going on, and if longtime friends are actual allies or extraterrestrial imposters
‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ (2000)
The Ultimate universe line of comics revamped Marvel’s greatest heroes for the 21st century, kicked off by a Spidey series that modernized the classic ’60s origin tale and revamped his longtime supporting characters. Peter Parker, a quiet, bullied 15-year-old from Queens, gets extraordinary powers when he’s bit by a genetically modified spider on a school field trip, and he comes on the radar of shady science industrialist Norman Osborn
‘Uncanny X-Men’ (1963)
While the X-Men began in the early ’60s, they didn’t find huge popularity until the mid-1970s with a team of OGs like Cyclops and Jean Grey paired with newcomers including Wolverine, Storm and Colossus. USA TODAY Play includes standout issues from that era including the Phoenix Saga, where Jean is given god-like abilities when possessed by the all-powerful Phoenix Force while on a cosmic mission
‘Vision’ (2015)
For those folks who dug Disney+’s “WandaVision” series, there are shades of the same suburban turmoil in this acclaimed miniseries starring the Avengers’ resident android. In an effort to be more human, the Vision creates a family – including wife Virginia and twin kids Viv and Vin – that looks like him and has similar powers, though their attempts at a “normal” life lead to psychological trauma, tragedy and conflict
‘World War Hulk’ (2007)
It’s the Hulk vs. everybody! After years of him rampaging around and causing destruction, a braintrust of heroes exiled the green monster into space. This event series finds Hulk returning to Earth after a stint as a space gladiator and now he’s super-irked. With a new bunch of warrior pals, the Hulk threatens Manhattan and the planet as a whole, and Iron Man (outfitted with spiffy new armor) leads Marvel’s finest to battle the big guy
