War of the Realms is a major comic book event published by Marvel Comics that features a massive conflict between the various realms of Norse mythology. The event involves the dark elf Malekith, who seeks to conquer all ten kingdoms, including Earth, using his army of fire demons and other mythical creatures.
It is a massive crossover event that spans several comic book series, including Thor, Avengers, and Spider-Man.
Here’s the recommended order to read War of the Realms:
- War of the Realms Prelude: New Agents of Atlas #1-3
- War of the Realms #1-6
- War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1-3
- War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Land of Giants #1
- War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Dark Elf Realm #1
- War of the Realms Strikeforce: The War Avengers #1
- War of the Realms Journey into Mystery #1-5
- War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1-3
- War of the Realms: Spider-Man & The League of Realms #1-3
- War of the Realms: Giant-Man #1-3
- War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1-4
- War of the Realms: Punisher #1-3
- War of the Realms: Strikeforce #1-3
- War of the Realms Omega #1
Continue reading this article as I’ll discuss the concepts involved in the story, so you can better understand what’s happening and why.
What Is The War Of The Realms?
The War of the Realms is a comic book event published by Marvel Comics in 2019. It is a crossover storyline that involves many Marvel characters, including Thor, the Avengers, and other heroes from across the Marvel Universe.
In the story, Malekith the Accursed, a powerful Dark Elf, seeks to conquer all of the Ten Realms, including Earth. He gains control of the other realms and begins to invade Earth with his army of Dark Elves, Frost Giants, Fire Demons, and other mystical creatures.
Thor and his allies must fight back and defend the Earth, leading to an epic battle across multiple realms.
The War of the Realms was a significant event in the Marvel Comics universe, with tie-in issues and spin-off series exploring different aspects of the conflict. It was well-received by fans and critics for its action-packed storyline and focus on characters across the Marvel Universe.
What Is The War Of The Realms In Marvel Comics?
The War of the Realms is a significant event in the Marvel Comics universe in 2019. It was a crossover storyline involving many Marvel characters, including Thor, the Avengers, and other heroes across the Marvel Universe.
The story of War of the Realms begins when Malekith the Accursed, a powerful Dark Elf, seeks to conquer all of the Ten Realms, including Earth.
He gains control of the other realms and begins to invade Earth with his army of Dark Elves, Frost Giants, Fire Demons, and other mystical creatures.
Asgard, the home of the Norse gods, falls to Malekith’s forces, and Thor must find a way to stop him before he destroys all of reality.
The story is told in a 6-issue miniseries written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Russell Dauterman, with tie-in issues and spin-off series exploring different aspects of the conflict.
The War of the Realms was a significant event in the Marvel Comics universe, with consequences that continued to affect the Marvel Universe long after the event.
It was well-received by fans and critics for its action-packed storyline and focus on characters across the Marvel Universe.
How Many War Of The Realms Comics Are There?
The War of the Realms was a major crossover event in the Marvel Comics universe that involved multiple comic book series.
In total, around 90 comic book issues were published as part of the War of the Realms event, including the main 6-issue miniseries and tie-in issues from various ongoing series.
Here is a list of some of the top comics that were part of the War of the Realms event:
- War of the Realms #1-6 (miniseries)
- War of the Realms: Journey Into Mystery #1-5
- War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1-3
- War of the Realms: Punisher #1-3
- War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1-3
- War of the Realms: Spider-Man & the League of Realms #1-3
- War of the Realms: Strikeforce – The Land of the Giants #1-3
There were also tie-in issues from ongoing series such as Thor, Avengers, Asgardians of the Galaxy, Champions, Deadpool, and many more.
Additionally, several one-shot comics tied into the event, such as War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas, War of the Realms: Giant-Man, and War of the Realms: War Avengers.
Where To Start Reading War Of The Realms?
To get the most out of the War of the Realms event, we recommend starting with the main series, “War of the Realms,” #1-6, which serves as the backbone of the event.
These issues were written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Russell Dauterman, and they tell the story of Malekith’s invasion of the Ten Realms and the heroes’ struggle to stop him.
After that, you can check out some of the tie-in issues and spin-off series that explore different aspects of the conflict. Some of the most popular tie-in series include:
- War of the Realms: Journey Into Mystery
- War of the Realms: War Scrolls
- War of the Realms: Spider-Man & the League of Realms
- War of the Realms: Punisher
- War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men
- War of the Realms: Strikeforce – The Land of the Giants
You don’t necessarily have to read all of the tie-in issues, but they can provide additional context and perspectives on the events of the main series.
What Do We Need To Read Before War Of The Realms?
To fully understand and appreciate the events of the War of the Realms event, there are some comics you may want to read beforehand. Here are some recommended comics to read before War of the Realms:
- Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron: This series began in 2012 and serves as the foundation for much of the War of the Realms story.
It introduces Malekith, the Dark Elf villain, and sets the stage for the conflict that unfolds in War of the Realms. - The Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron: This series, which followed Thor after the events of Thor: God of Thunder, explores the relationship between Thor and the Asgardian realm and sets the stage for the War of the Realms event.
- Avengers by Jason Aaron: This series features many heroes who play a role in War of the Realms, including Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor.
- Asgardians of the Galaxy by Cullen Bunn: This series, launched in 2018, features a team of heroes made up of Asgardians and other cosmic characters. Some of these characters play a role in War of the Realms.
While reading all of these comics before War of the Realms is unnecessary, they can help you understand the characters and events leading up to the event and enhance your overall reading experience.
War Of The Realms Reading Order
With so many comics involved, figuring out the proper reading order can take time. Here is a detailed explanation of the War of the Realms reading order:
- Thor (2018) #1-6: The War of the Realms begins with the Thor series by writer Jason Aaron and artist Mike Del Mundo.
These issues set up the event and introduced the leading players, Thor, Odin, and Malekith. - Avengers (2018) #18-21: The following issues to read are Avengers #18-21, which feature a prelude to the War of the Realms storyline.
These issues show how the Avengers are affected by the events leading up to the War. - War of the Realms #1-6: The main event occurs in the six-issue War of the Realms series. These issues follow the heroes of Earth as they fight to defend the Nine Realms against Malekith and his army.
- War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1-3: This series provides additional stories set during the War of the Realms event.
These issues include short stories about characters like Daredevil, Wolverine, and Punisher. - War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #1-5: Journey into Mystery follows a group of characters, including Spider-Man, Kate Bishop, and Balder the Brave, as they try to save Thor’s baby sister from Malekith’s forces.
- War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1-3: This series focuses on the X-Men as they fight against Frost Giants and other creatures of the Nine Realms.
- War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1-4: New Agents of Atlas introduces a new team of heroes, including Amadeus Cho, Shang-Chi, and Silk, who band together to protect Asia from Malekith’s invasion.
- War of the Realms: Punisher #1-3: In this series, the Punisher takes on a new role as a hero of the Nine Realms as he tries to protect innocent people from Malekith’s forces.
- War of the Realms: Strikeforce – The War Avengers #1-3: This series features a team of Avengers led by Captain America as they carry out missions to stop Malekith’s invasion.
What To Read After War Of The Realms?
If you enjoyed War of the Realms and want to continue reading about the aftermath of the event, here are some recommended comics to check out:
- Valkyrie: Jane Foster by Jason Aaron and Al Ewing: This series follows Jane Foster as she takes on the mantle of Valkyrie and navigates her new role as a defender of the Ten Realms.
- Thor by Donny Cates: This series picks up after the War of the Realms events and features Thor as he faces new threats and challenges.
- The War of the Realms: Omega: This one-shot comic serves as an epilogue to the main event and explores the aftermath of the conflict.
- Guardians of the Galaxy by Al Ewing: This series features a new lineup of Guardians of the Galaxy, including Thor and other cosmic heroes who played a role in War of the Realms.
- Avengers by Jason Aaron: This series continues to follow the Avengers as they deal with the aftermath of the War of the Realms and face new threats to the world.
These comics will help you continue to explore the characters and stories introduced in War of the Realms, offering plenty of action, adventure, and drama for Marvel fans to enjoy.
Are There 9 Or 10 Realms?
In Marvel Comics, there are nine known realms within the Asgardian cosmology, known as the Nine Realms. These are:
- Asgard is the home of the Asgardians and is ruled by Odin.
- Vanaheim, the home of the Vanir gods.
- Alfheim, the home of the Light Elves.
- Midgard, or Earth, is the home of humanity.
- Jotunheim, the home of the Frost Giants.
- Svartalfheim, the home of the Dark Elves.
- Nidavellir, the home of the Dwarves.
- Muspelheim, the home of the Fire Demons.
- Niflheim, the realm of the dead.
However, in some stories, there is a tenth realm called Heaven, the home of the Angels. This realm was introduced in the comic series “Angela: Asgard’s Assassin” and referenced in other comics. So, there are nine or ten realms depending on the story or interpretation.
What Realm Is Thanos From?
Thanos is not from any Nine Realms of the Asgardian cosmology featured in Marvel Comics. He is actually from the planet Titan, located in a different galaxy in the Marvel Universe.
Titan is a moon-sized world once inhabited by a race of highly advanced beings known as the Titans, including Thanos’ family. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thanos’ backstory is slightly different, but he is still portrayed as from the planet Titan.
What Realm Is Kratos From?
Kratos is a fictional character from the God of War video game series. He is not from the Nine Realms in Marvel Comics or any other comic book universe.
In the God of War series, Kratos is a Spartan warrior who becomes the God of War after defeating Ares, the former God of War.
The God of War series takes place in a world inspired by Greek mythology rather than Norse mythology, the mythology on which the Asgardian cosmology in Marvel Comics is based.
Are The Seven Realms And Shattered Realms Related?
Yes, The Seven Realms series and the Shattered Realms series are related. The Shattered Realms series is a continuation of The Seven Realms series, set a generation later in the same world.
The Seven Realms series consists of four books: “The Demon King,” “The Exiled Queen,” “The Gray Wolf Throne,” and “The Crimson Crown.”
It follows the adventures of Han Alister, a former street lord and current wizard, and Raisa ana ‘Marianna, the princess heir to the Queendom of the Fells, as they navigate the complex politics and magical threats of their world.
The Shattered Realms series picks up a generation later, shifting the focus to a new set of characters, including Han and Raisa’s children.
The series includes four books: “Flamecaster,” “Shadowcaster,” “Stormcaster,” and “Deathcaster.”
The books continue to explore the complex world of the Seven Realms, including its magical systems, political factions, and ongoing conflicts.
Overall, while the two series can be read independently of each other, they are set in the same world and follow a connected storyline.
Readers who enjoyed The Seven Realms series may particularly enjoy the continuation of the story in the Shattered Realms series.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, reading War of the Realms can be a daunting task, but with the proper guidance and order, it can be an exhilarating journey through the Marvel Universe.
By starting with the “Thor” series and following the recommended reading order, readers can fully immerse themselves in the epic event and witness the ultimate battle for the fate of the Nine Realms.
From the awe-inspiring artwork to the heart-pounding action, War of the Realms is a must-read for any Marvel fan looking for an unforgettable adventure.
So, buckle up and prepare to join the fight against Malekith and his armies – the War of the Realms awaits!
