The reading orders I create generally wrap up around 2015 as I ended by 30+ years of obsessively reading all things Marvel after Jonathan's Hickman's SECRET WARS. Machine Man went through some major changes at the turn of the millennium when his own series ended with him heading off into space, only for a very different version of X-51 to return as a member of Nextwave. Despite him apparently having memories of being rejected by the Celestials, Nextwave's Machine Man was explained away as an impostor in the recent Marvel Comics #1001.
The way Marvel are constantly rewriting their continuity these days, that may no longer be the case by the time I finish typing this sentence. My advice is to worry less about 'canon', just find stories you like and believe this apparent impostor to be the real Machine Man if it makes you happy!
MCG Notes:
- Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read Machine Man stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
- Issue listings in grey: Part of the X-51' impostor's chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that are non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
- Chronology: Every appearance of Machine Man from this period is included in chronological order, mapping out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
- Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
Nextwave #1-12 (2006-2007)
First appearance of the 'Machine Man'/'Aaron Stack'/'X-51' (impostor), Dirk Anger, the Captain, the Broccoli Men, the Beyond Corporation, State 51, HATE (Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort), Nextwave and Earth-63163; a very different Machine Man fights the utterly bizarre terrorist actions of the Beyond Corporation alongside his Nextwave teammates (the Captain, Boom-Boom, Elsa Bloodstone & Monica Rambeau); though the members of Nextwave are from Earth-616, their exploits are later revealed to take place on Earth-63163; this Machine Man believes he was rejected by the Celestials.
Civil War #4-6 (2006-2007)
Machine Man cameos; first appearance of the Initiative and their incarnations of the Champions and Thunderbolts; Machine Man is revealed to be fighting against the Superhuman Registration Act as a member of Captain America's Secret Avengers during CIVIL WAR.
Marvel Comics Presents #8[2/4]-12[2/4] (2008)
Machine Man is revealed to have brought the Beyond Corporation's flying headquarters, State 51, back to Earth-616 and is using its androids for training and therapy purposes; Sunset Bain hijacks State 51; Machine Man assimilates State 51, transforming it into a giant version of himself in order to defeat her and pass her on to SHIELD.
Ms Marvel #18-24 (2007-2008)
Machine Man and Sleepwalker are recruited into Ms Marvel's covert SHIELD team Operation: Lightning Storm who focus on apprehending super-human threats rather than apprehending unregistered heroes; Machine Man helps stop the Puppet Master from controlling female heroes and thwarts a Brood invasion.
Ms Marvel #26-27 (2008)
Machine Man and the rest of Operation: Lightning Storm hunt down the real Ms Marvel, mistakenly believing her to be a Skrull impostor during SECRET INVASION: THE INFILTRATION.
First appearance of ARMOR (Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response Agency); following the death of most of Florida's Initiative team, the Command, Machine Man is 'reunited' with Jocasta by ARMOR and sent to investigate the source of superhuman zombies coming through a portal from Earth-2149.
Ms Marvel #34 (2009)
Machine Man cameo; Ms Marvel turns to Machine Man for help in tracking down the Essential during DARK REIGN.
Marvel Zombies 5 #1-5 (2010)
Machine Man goes rogue, turning his back on ARMOR and teaming up with Howard the Duck to search the multiverse for a cure for the zombie-making Hunger Virus.
Deadpool Team-Up #890 (2010)
Machine Man encourages Deadpool to make up for all the damage he's caused over the years, only for both of them to fall under the Puppet Master's control.
New Avengers #7 (2010)
Machine Man cameo; Machine Man is among those considered to become Danielle Cage's nanny.
Hulk #43-50, 53-57 (2011-2012)
The US Government pull the Secret Avengers out of a mission in the Persian Gulf, sending Machine Man (who's technically considered to be a drone) to replace them and avoid an international incident; Machine Man and the Red Hulk pursue Sultan Magus, but are unable to legally apprehend him; Machine Man meets Red She-Hulk; having formed a loose partnership, Machine Man and Hulk battle Zero/One, Black Fog and the Eternals; Machine Man and Red Hulk team up once more against the Mayapan - ancient superhumans who rebelled against the Mayan Empire and were worshipped as gods - with help from Alpha Flight.
Red She-Hulk #58-62 (2012-2013)
First appearance of Project Echelon; Red She-Hulk clashes with Machine Man over her plan to put a stop to General Reginald Fortean's super-soldier experiment, Project Echelon; the two join forces when they learn what the future holds for the project during MARVEL NOW!
Red She-Hulk #63-67 (2013)
First appearance of Mole Monster; Machine Man and Red She-Hulk continue their war with Project Echelon, encountering the son of the Mole Man, clashing with the Mad Thinker, investigating the Brotherhood of the Shield and teaming up with the Man-Thing against the heroes of Earth-13159 (including that world's Machine Man) before their showdown with Fortean.
Uncanny Avengers #21 (2014)
Machine Man cameo; Machine Man is among the heroes lined up to stop Kang and his Chronos Corps during ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW!
Notable further appearances of Machine Man from Earth-616:
Deadpool & the Mercs for Money #4-6 (2016-2017)
After initially opposing Deadpool's Mercs for Money, Machine Man joins the team during MARVEL NOW!
Tony Stark: Iron Man #2-5 (2018)
Machine Man shares an apartment with the rebuilt Jocasta, but they break up over Jocasta's involvement in the creation of Tony Stark's eScape during FRESH START.
Marvel Comics #1001[26/30] (2019)
The original Machine Man returns to Earth and reunites with Peter Spalding and Gears Garvin, revealing the trenchcoat-wearing Machine Man to be an impostor; no additional details are given, the impostor Machine Man doesn't appear and his reasons for replacing Machine Man and believing himself to be the real thing are unrevealed.
Tony Stark: Iron Man #6-11, 14-19 (2019)
When the eScape is corrupted, Jocasta turns to Machine Man for help, reuniting them; Jocasta turns to Arno Stark to help her become more human; Machine Man teams up with Iron Man to rescue Jocasta from Ultron; Machine Man starts fighting for A.I. rights.
Iron Man 2020 #1-2 (2020)
Machine Man 2020 #1 (2020)
Iron Age 2020 #1 (2020)
Machine Man 2020 #2 (2020)
Iron Man 2020 #4-6 (2020)
Machine Man heads up the A.I. Army with Iron Man who now believes himself to be an artificial version of the real Tony Stark; Machine Man clashes with his predecessor X-Model Robots and his successor X-52; Machine Man and the A.I. Army join forces against Arno Stark when he becomes Iron Man and tries to take mental control of everyone on Earth during IRON MAN 2020.
Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.: The Complete Collection
Nextwave #1-12
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