From the outside, Pleasant Hill looks like a quiet small town (its name even suggests it) but the reality is that it’s all a lie. There’s something sinister lurking in this gated community and it won’t let those who inhabit leave. When this secret is revealed it will force both Captain Americas – Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, who have not seen eye-to-eye lately – to team up and try and stop this evil in the town as well as the townspeople. Why can’t the townspeople leave also? All I know is it will take more than two Captain America’s to stop them, it will take the combined efforts of the Avengers! Also, how is S.H.I.E.L.D. involved in all of this? You’ll have to read to find out.
What story am I talking about? (So many questions!) This is the premise for the new Avengers crossover, Avengers: Standoff a two-month crossover which involves many of the Avengers titles. It’s also an event which Marvel has promised some changes will come out the conclusion, especially for Captain America.
As crossovers can sometimes be confusing, I’ve created the Avengers: Standoff Reading Order Guide in order to help you make sense of it all. In it, I give you everything you need to know about this crossover including how to read it, the comics involved, release dates and creative teams.
Avengers: Standoff Reading Order Guide
Avengers: Standoff is not your regular crossover in the way it is read as each part is not read in one after the other. For this crossover, there’s much more freedom to pick and choose what you want to read as long as you read the Alpha and Omega issues. As a result, there are a few ways you can read it:
- Read Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Alpha and Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Omega.
- Read Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Alpha, any of the tie-ins that interest you and Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Omega.
- Read every issue in the list below.
It’s totally up to you on how you read it.
February
Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill #1 (Prelude)
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Mark Bagley.
Available February 17th.
March
Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Alpha #1
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Jesus Siaz.
Available March 2nd.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (tie-in)
Written by Marc Guggenheim. Art by German Peralta.
Available March 9th.
Uncanny Avengers #7 (tie-in)
Written by Gerry Duggan. Art by Ryan Stegman.
Available March 9th.
All-New, All-Different Avengers #7 (tie-in)
Written by Mark Waid. Art by Adam Kubert.
Available March 16th.
New Avengers #8 (tie-in)
Written by Al Ewing. Art by Gerardo Sandoval.
Available March 23rd.
Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #6 (tie-in)
Written by Frank Barbiere. Art by Brent Schoonover.
Available March 23rd.
Captain America: Sam Wilson #7 (tie-in)
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Daniel Acuna.
Available March 30th.
April
Uncanny Avengers #8 (tie-in)
Written by Gerry Duggan. Art by Ryan Stegman.
Available April 6th.
New Avengers #9 (tie-in)
Written by Al Ewing. Art by Marcus To.
Available April 6th.
Illuminati #6 (tie-in)
Written by Josh Williamson. Art by Mike Henderson.
Available April 13th.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #4 (tie-in)
Written by Marc Guggenheim. Art by German Peralta.
Available April 13th.
All-New, All-Different Avengers #8 (tie-in)
Written by Mark Waid. Art by Adam Kubert.
Available April 13th.
New Avengers #10 (tie-in)
Written by Al Ewing. Art by Marcus To.
Available April 20th.
Captain America: Sam Wilson #8 (tie-in)
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Paul Renaud.
Available April 20th.
Avengers Standoff: Assault On Pleasant Hill Omega #1
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Daniel Acuna.
Available April 27th.
May
Captain America: Sam Wilson #9 (Epilogue)
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Angel Unzueta.
Available May 5th.
Thunderbolts #1 (New series spinning out of Avengers: Standoff)
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Jon Malin.
Available May 5th.
Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 (New series spinning out of Avengers: Standoff)
Written by Nick Spencer. Art by Jesus Siaz.
Available May 5th.
Illuminati #7 (Aftermath)
Written by Josh Williamson. Art by Sean Crystal.
Available May 11th.
Will You Be Reading Avengers Standoff?
Will you be reading this Avengers-centric crossover event? Let me know in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.
I noticed your list here is the same as the one published in the back of these books. But if you read new avengers 8 and agents of shield 4, they take place at the same time. They share pages of dialogue as well. This would put agents of shield 4 prior to the events of new avengers 9 since new avengers 9 continues off of agents of shield 4.
Worst reading order list compilation ever. You need to break it down, not just say to read alpha, and any tie in that interests you…. you are defeating the point of your entire blog.
Hi Jon, thanks for getting in touch. I’m not being negative at in this article. I’m merely letting people know that they can pick and choose which stories they’d like to read as I often get the question if it is essential to read everything. Also, I’m a big X-fan and I’m reading all three titles at the moment.
Hi Jon, thanks for the feedback. I think I have broken it down and given it 3 options. Marvel has made this event quite open ended as to how the reader can read the middle parts and I have reflected that.
Do all the comics through the story tie in? I noticed uncanny avengers and all new avengers tie in. I don’t get agents of shield, but I do like the new avengers and I noticed that new avengers 8 takes place after agents of shield 3. Do I need to get agents just to complete the story?
Hi John, sorry for the slow reply. The tie-ins are telling their own story so you can pick and choose as you please. You shouldn’t have to read Agents of Shield if you don’t want to.
Can I just follow assault on the pleasant hill alpha and omega,welcome to the pleasant hill and all new all different avengers and uncanny avengers and understand the story? I don’t want the full picture…just want to understand it.Plz help.THANKS A LOT?????
Yep, that should be fine to do ?
How many standoff issues will there be excluding the (tie-ins) ?
Hi Finn, there’s the prelude issue and the Alpha and Omega issues.
Thanks for another reading order list Trevor. They are very helpful.
No worries, Mike. I’m glad you’re finding them helpful. I’ve got a few more coming in the next few months too.
Definately upload the civil war 2 event issues because there are lot of tie ins and I dont want to spend money on tie-ins. I will off course by the main event book