Marvel is known for its events books. Fans always love to see their favorite heroes and villains together, and these stories often promise some kind of status quo change that makes them worth reading. Marvel's best events follow this formula to a tee, using the biggest stage to shake things up and introduce great new characters into the mix, changing the Marvel Universe as fans have known it.

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When an event story is done right, it's a pulse-pounding read that gives readers more than any normal story could, and Marvel has produced some great event books over the years.

10 Original Sin Is A Well Structured, Exciting Event Book

Marvel-event-Original-Sin

Original Sin, by writer Jason Aaron and artist Mike Deodato Jr., isn't a beloved event but it should be. While the story promised to reveal big secrets about Marvel's heroes that would change everything, its only real impact was on Thor, Nick Fury, and the Winter Soldier. However, divorcing it from those promises of seismic change reveals a great superhero mystery.

The murder of the Watcher, who did it, and why is fascinating, revealing some new aspects of Marvel history that make perfect sense. Aaron supplies a well structured plot with some great action and Deodato Jr.'s art was amazing throughout.

9 The First Secret Wars Is Still Epic All These Years Later

Marvel Comics' Secret Wars The Heroes rushing forth

In the early '80s, the event book was still in its infancy, but Marvel was about to drop a book that would make it grow up. Secret Wars, by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, started life as an advertisement for Marvel's new toy deal with Kenner but transformed into something special as it developed. Secret Wars would provide a guiding light for event books in the years to come.

Pitting Marvel's greatest heroes versus their most dangerous foes at the behest of the Beyonder, the story delivered all the action and drama that fans would expect out of a story this big. It holds up even all these years later and is full of iconic moments.

8 2004's Secret War Changed S.H.I.E.L.D. For Years To Come

Secret War Nick Fury In His Chair

Marvel loves using the words secret and war in event book titles as a homage to their first big event. However, that's the only similarity between the early '80s original and 2004's Secret War, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Gabrielle Dell'Otto. The story revolves around an attempted secret coup Nick Fury tried to commit in Latveria using some of Marvel's greatest heroes and the consequences of his actions.

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The book was Bendis's first event of the 2000s and still one of his best. Dell'Otto's painted art is amazing and this story is pretty unfairly forgotten by fans and Marvel alike. Its effect on S.H.I.E.L.D. would have major repercussions in the years to come.

7 Siege Ended The Dark Reign In Epic Fashion

marvel-siege

The Dark Reign was one of the best status quo shake-ups of 2000s Marvel, but all good things must come to an end. Siege, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Olivier Coipel, was that ending and it was the best anyone could have asked for. Pitting the Norman Osborn-led Superhero Initiative against Marvel heroes in a climactic battle for Asgard, it's full of epic moments.

Bendis's events often suffered from feeling bloated and drawn out, which was his writing style at the time, but Siege is a four-issue all killer, no filler event book. Coipel is able to capture the big action feel of the story perfectly and it's Bendis's best event book of his Marvel tenure.

6 World War Hulk Delivered Everything It Advertised

World War Hulk - Hulk In His Gladiator Armor

Sometimes, event book advertisements write a check they can't cash, but that wasn't the case with World War Hulk by writer Greg Pak and artist John Romita Jr. Playing out of the events of Planet Hulk, the book showcased Hulk's arrival on Earth for revenge, smashing his way through Earth's heroes before learning the devastating truth of the destruction of Sakaar.

World War Hulk has stood the test of time. The story is simple but Pak is able to add all kinds of nuance to it and Romita Jr. proves on page after page that he's one of the premiere action pencilers in comics. World War Hulk is a smashing good time that gave readers exactly what it promised.

5 Civil War Is Better Than Its Reputation Lets On

Negative Zone 42 Civil War Prison

Civil War, by writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven, has been a controversial book for years. On the one hand, many of the characters act out of character to make the story work, but Marvel was famous for that in the Quesada years. On the other hand, it's an action-packed story that did exactly what it advertised and changed the Marvel Universe for years.

Even all these years later, Civil War is a compelling read. It's smarter than it gets credit, lampooning the Bush-era tendency for the government attempts to take away freedoms, win, and believe they were the heroes. It's also an action-packed story that delivers everything an event book needs.

4 Infinity War Is Better Than Its Predecessor

Cover to the Infinity War comic event

Marvel's various event book "wars" vary wildly in quality but one of the best is Infinity War, by writer Jim Starlin and artist Ron Lim. A sequel to the classic Infinity Gauntlet, it pits the heroes of the Marvel Universe against a mysterious manipulator, one with ties to Thanos and Adam Warlock, in a game of chess where they are all pawns.

Infinity War is much more of a narrative than its predecessor; a twisting, turning labyrinth where readers are left on the edge of their seats. Starlin is in rare form here and Lim does what he does best- drawing all of Marvel's characters in massive action scenes like he was born for it.

3 2015's Secret Wars Is An Epic Like Few Others

Secret Wars Was Published In 2015

Jonathan Hickman's Marvel work is full of gems and one of the shiniest is Secret Wars, with art by Esad Ribic. Secret Wars was a return to the big cosmic events that made Marvel events so exciting back in the day, building out of plots that Hickman had laid down in Fantastic Four, Future Foundation, Avengers, and New Avengers. It's nearly impossible to top its scope and action.

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Secret Wars revealed the fate of the Multiverse after the Final Incursion, a hodgepodge reality created and ruled over by God Emperor Doom. Things only got bigger from there, as heroes thought dead returned to fix reality. Hickman and Ribic gave readers an event book for the ages.

2 House Of X/Powers Of X Set The X-Men In A Bold New Direction

House of X full cast assembled

Secret Wars was Hickman's last Marvel book for a while but he came roaring back in 2019 with House Of X/Powers Of X, alongside artists Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva respectively. Marvel had spent years marginalizing the X-Men but once Disney gained their film rights, it was time to fix the damage. Hickman was the perfect writer for it and spun a yarn that has changed the X-Men ever since.

Few events books in recent Marvel memory have had the impact that HoX/PoX had. The two books that are one are full of amazing moments that make the X-Men fresh for the first time since Morrison's New X-Men. Adroit writing and perfect art put HoX/PoX among the best.

1 Infinity Gauntlet Is The Pick Of The Marvel Event Book Litter

Thanos Looming Large With The Infinity Gauntlet, surrounded by foes in Marvel Comics

Marvel event books almost died on the vine after Secret Wars II. It wasn't until 1991 that Marvel tried another one, the six-issue classic Infinity Gauntlet, by writer Jim Starlin and artists George Perez and Ron Lim. The story is simple- the universe tries to stop the genocidal rampage of the Infinity Gauntlet wielding Thanos- but it's gone down as one of the best event books of all time.

Infinity Gauntlet has proven to be one of the most important Marvel stories of all time, as it inspired the MCU for its first three phases. It put Starlin creations like Adam Warlock, Thanos, and more back onto the map and revitalized the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe.

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