SHE-HULK READING ORDER: Sensational! (1989-1991)

She started out solo, then joined the Avengers, took the Thing's place among the Fantastic Four and now she's solo once more... and sensational with it! She-Hulk gets her own title once again, though it gets off to a tricky start when John Byrne - the man who made us love her in the FF's series - is fired from Sensational She-Hulk after only eight issues. The series does continue, but this isn't the strongest period in She-Hulk history. Although Byrne would return once more, which I'll pick up in the next entry...

MCG Notes:

• Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read She-Hulk 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 She-Hulk's chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
• Chronology: Every appearance of She-Hulk from this period is included in chronological order - mapping out his timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
• Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
• WANT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE? Scroll down to THE CORE LIST to see a version of this reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns or less important appearances - just a list of the essentials.

See earlier She-Hulk reading order entries:

• 1980-1984: Savage!
• 1984-1989: Fantastic!

Marvel Comics Presents #18[3/4] (1989)

She-Hulk calls the Thing for advice on curing her boredom, before she's attacked by 'Doctor Doom', 'Magneto' and 'Galactus'. But this all turns out to have been how she would break up her boredom, then opens a present which contains a stack of complementary copies of Sensational She-Hulk #1 from Marvel Comics.

Sensational She-Hulk #1-3 (1989)

The Circus of Crime and Mysterio are hired by the Headmen to kidnap the She-Hulk who want to transfer the head of Chondu the Mystic onto her body; She-Hulk regains her head with help from Spider-Man.

Fantastic Four #328 (1989)

She-Hulk cameo; first appearance of the Fantastic Four Clones; Ben Grimm calls She-Hulk to find out more about her recent clash with Dragon Man.

Sensational She-Hulk #4-5 (1989)

First appearance of Lexington Loopner; She-Hulk meets her new boss Blake Tower and his secretary, Louise Mason who was once the Golden Age hero known as the Blonde Phantom; She-Hulk battles Stilt-Man and Doctor Bong.

Fantastic Four #333 (1989)

She-Hulk cameo; Sh-Hulk and the Avengers investigate the recent strange behaviour of the Fantastic Four.

Avengers #305-309 (1989)

She-Hulk, the Black Panther and Namor the Sub-Mariner rejoin the Avengers alongside Captain America, Gilgamesh, Thor and Wasp, as well as brand-new recruit Quasar; together they battle the Lava Men who blame the Avengers for turning them to stone; the Avengers travel to Olympia via the Negative Zone to seek out Sersi of the Eternals when Gilgamesh is critically injured.

Avengers #310 (1989)

The Avengers fight to free Olympia from Blastaar's control when he claims to have killed the Eternals during ACTS OF VENGEANCE.

Avengers West Coast #47-49 (1989)

She-Hulk, Captain America and Hawkeye & Mockingbird's Great Lakes Avengers come to the aid of the Scarlet Witch when she's manipulated by That Which Endures during GREAT LAKES AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

She-Hulk: Ceremony #1-2 (1989)

First appearance of Michel Souris and Carlton Industries; She-Hulk helps Wyatt Wingfoot's family fend off Carlton Industries' attempt to steal the souls of the Kewaazi tribe.

Sensational She-Hulk #6-9 (1989)

First appearance of the Star Stop; She-Hulk's attempt to stop Razorback and Taryn O'Connell from stealing an experimental space shuttle leads to a conflict with Xemnu the Titan; She-Hulk gets her own flying car; She-Hulk meets Nick St Christopher; Madcap competes with She-Hulk to decide who's funnier.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23[1/7] (1989)

Spider-Man and She-Hulk face the raging, mindless Abomination; She-Hulk is left with the mark of Set during ATLANTIS ATTACKS.

Avengers West Coast Annual #4[2/5] (1989)

She-Hulk and Wasp pick their favourite super-hunks.

Avengers Annual #18[1/4] (1989)

Avengers West Coast Annual #4[1/5] (1989)
Thor Annual #14[1/6] (1989)
Fantastic Four Annual #22[1/5] (1989)

She-Hulk and her fellow Avengers fight the invading forces of Atlantis; She-Hulk is summoned as one of the Seven Brides of Set to summon the creature from the dimension that imprisons him; the Avengers and Fantastic Four fight to free the Brides during ATLANTIS ATTACKS.

Thor #410 (1989)

She-Hulk accompanies Hercules and Eric Masterson on a journey to Latveria to reclaim Thor's hammer Mjolnir from Doctor Doom during ACTS OF VENGEANCE.

New Warriors #1 (1990)

She-Hulk cameo; the Avengers take over the site of Terrax's defeat from the rookie New Warriors.

Sensational She-Hulk #10-11 (1989-1990)

She-Hulk is hired by Lexington Loopner to defend him from the Pseudo-Man who believes himself to be an alien hero; She-Hulk starts her own law firm.

Cloak and Dagger #9 (1989)
Damage Control #2-3 (1989)

The Avengers realise the recent attacks on them are all connected when they team up with Cloak & Dagger against the Jester's crew; She-Hulk misses her chance to confront the Kingpin; She-Hulk and Speedball join forces against New & Improved during ACTS OF VENGEANCE.

Marvel Super-Heroes Spring Special #5[5/5] (1991)

She-Hulk and Wyatt Wingfoot face off against a Sea Serpent.

Marvel Fanfare #48[2/3] (1989)

She-Hulk returns to the west coast to help her friend deal with his manipulative psychic boss.

Marvel Fanfare #48[1/3] (1989)

She-Hulk's aunt grants her own son with enhanced strength that horribly mutants his body and sends him to kill She-Hulk and her father for being family favourites; She-Hulk ultimately defeats Brains & Brawn.

Sensational She-Hulk #12-19(pp.1-12) (1990)

First appearance of the Critic and Nosferata/Purple Hayes; She-Hulk's attempt to shut down a Hollywood film about her turns out to be an Atlantean scheme; She-Hulk clashes with a pastor who's controlling a small town; Doctor Angst reforms the Band of the Bland to cause other realities to squish Earth-616 out of existence, only to be opposed by She-Hulk and Howard the Duck; She-Hulk faces Doctor Doom's jealous fifth cousin, dentist Doctor Bob Doom; She-Hulk opens her own law office.

Marvel Graphic Novel #68 - Avengers: Deathtrap - The Vault (1991)

The Avengers are trapped in the Vault when a number of villains attempt a breakout.

Avengers #325 (1990)

Machinesmith and Mother Night test the spy tech they installed in the rebuilt Avengers Mansion when Sersi holds a party.

Avengers West Coast Annual #5[1/5] (1990)
Avengers Annual #19[1/5] (1990)
Avengers Annual #19[5/5] (1990)

The primary Avengers, West Coast Avengers and Great Lakes Avengers faced the combined might of two Termini; one Terminus consumes the other to form an Ulterminus during THE TERMINUS FACTOR.

Spectacular Spider-Man #168-170 (1990)

A Space Phantom disguised as 'She-Hulk' attacks Spider-Man, making him release a strange black swarm from containment and prompting him to retaliate against the real She-Hulk; Spider-Man gathers the Outlaws to investigate the cloud, leading to a fight with the Avengers; the two teams eventually realise they were tricked and end the threat of the swarm; Calculus of the Young Gods explains to Spider-Man that he set these events in motion as he was forbidden from interfering directly

Sensational She-Hulk #19(pp.13-22)-23 (1990-1991)

First appearance of Captain Rectitude/Bob Jones IV, Jack Serious/John Cereus and the Phantom Blonde/Wanda Mason; She-Hulk and Nosferata team up against Jack Serious - the man who killed Nosferata's parents - and numerous other inmates at Dorkham Asylum; Louise Mason's daughter becomes the Phantom Blonde and helps She-Hulk track her mother down when she's kidnapped by the Abominatrix and Captain Rectitude in a plot to help Jasper Keaton get his job back.

Marvel Comics Presents #45[2/4] (1990)

She-Hulk cameo; She-Hulk is present when Wonder Man receives a clean bill of health.

Silver Surfer #36 (1990)

She-Hulk cameo; the She-Hulk strikes at the Silver Surfer when he shows up at Avengers Mansion, not realising who he is during REBIRTH OF THANOS.

Thor #420[1/2]-421[1/2] (1990)

Thor and the Avengers stand against Stellaris when she attacks Earth.

Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular #1[4/11] (1990)

She-Hulk, Wasp and the Invisible Woman meet the Impossible Woman when she invades the Wasp's fashion show.

Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual #1[4/4] (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; She-Hulk attends a surprise birthday party held by the Avengers for Namor.

Incredible Hulk Annual #16[2/4] (1990)

Taking a holiday together, She-Hulk and Louise Mason how far one man will go to locate buried treasure on a tropical island.

Avengers #326-328 (1990-1991)
First appearance of LD50, Powersurge/Illarion Pavlovich Ramskov, Rage/Elvin Haliday and Edna Staples; the Avengers face a Russian soldier who was mutated and ended up with powers after exposure to Chernobyl; Rage demands Captain America make him one of the Avengers as the team have no black members; the Avengers accidentally unleash other-dimensional being when Sersi tries to banish Powersurge during STARTING LINE-UP.

Uncanny X-Men #272 (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; She-Hulk is interviewed for TV news over Genosha illegally holding the X-Men during X-TINCTION AGENDA.

Sensational She-Hulk #24-25 (1991)

Death's Head is hired to replace a broken a priceless vase in his future timeline with the one owned by She-Hulk in present day Earth-616; She-Hulk's fantasies about Hercules are ruined when she actually spends time with him while fighting the Fire Demons of Muspelheim.

Captain America #383[1/4] (1991)
She-Hulk cameo; She-Hulk attends a surprise birthday party held by the Avengers for Captain America.

Sensational She-Hulk #26 (1991)

She-Hulk flies to England to serve as defence counsel for Meggan of Excalibur when she's charged with destruction of private property; she discovers Meggan was possessed by the creature Trash when it takes control of the other members of Excalibur until She-Hulk frees them.

Avengers #329-331 (1991)

First appearance of the Tetrarchs of Entropy; Captain America announces a new Avengers line-up; Spider-Man is made a reserve member; Sandman and Rage become reserve substitutes; the Avengers battle the Tetrarchs of Entropy when they invade New York from the Dimension of Exile during STARTING LINE-UP.

Web of Spider-Man #75 (1991)

She-Hulk is among the heroes defending Manhattan from the Avant Garde's art attack.

X-Factor #66 (1991)

She-HUlk cameo; first appearance of Jen Askani; the Avengers defend Manhattan when Apocalypse unleashes the Techno-Organic Virus on New York.

New Warriors Annual #1[9/9] (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; She-Hulk saves Speedball from certain death.

Damage Control #4 (1991)

She-Hulk us among the heroes who gather to stop Edifice Rex.

Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD #26 (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; the Avengers come to the aid of SHIELD when Hydra destroy SHIELD Headquarters.

Avengers #332-333 (1991)

Doctor Doom takes over Avengers Mansion when the team hold a party to celebrate its official opening, hoping to learn how the team are capable of dimensional travel.

Alpha Flight #98-101 (1991)

The Consortium attempt to enslave the Earth, but are repelled by Alpha Flight, the Avengers, Her and Galactus. 

Punisher/Captain America: Blood & Glory #2 (1992)

She-Hulk cameo; the Avengers stage a funeral for Captain America.

Sensational She-Hulk #27-30 (1991)

First appearance of Isbisa/Simon Meke as Doctor Sanderson; She-Hulk defends Dragon Man from intergalactic hunter Surge; Mephisto tries to claim She-Hulk's soul; Isbisa pits She-Hulk against the Venom Symbiote, Hobgoblin and others when she snatches them from various points in time as part of a larger experiment.

Avengers #340 (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; Captain America and Wasp investigate the actions of an arms dealer who's brainwashing teenagers.

Iron Man #273 (1991)

She-Hulk trains with Captain America.

Infinity Gauntlet #2-3(pp.1-10) (1991)

Silver Surfer #52 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #3(pp.11-12) (1991) / Silver Surfer #54 (1991)
Infinity Gauntlet #3(pp.12-40)-4 (1991)

She-Hulk is among the heroes who still exist after Thanos wipes out half of all life in the universe; when she and the others confront Thanos, She-Hulk is dispatched pretty rapidly when he causes a suffocating fungus to grow on her (she's later revived off-panel when Nebula uses the Time Gem to undo Thanos' actions) during THE INFINITY GAUNTLET.

Avengers Annual #20[1/4] (1991)
Avengers West Coast Annual #6[1/4] (1991)

The Avengers try to break up a war between the Subterraneans and the Deviants, but end up captives of the Deviants; the West Coast Avengers free the captive East Coast team during SUBTERRANEAN WAR.

Amazing Spider-Man #348 (1991)

Sandman alerts the Avengers to illegal weapons dealers; even though the team deal with the criminals, they tell Sandman that they mostly focus on global threats, making him quit the team.

Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular #2[2/7] (1991)

She-Hulk cameo; the Impossible Man flies past She-Hulk.

A version of this reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns or less important appearances - just a list of the essentials:

• Marvel Comics Presents #18[3/4]
• Sensational She-Hulk #1-5
• Avengers #305-310
• Avengers West Coast #47-49
• She-Hulk: Ceremony #1-2
• Sensational She-Hulk #6-11
• Marvel Fanfare #48
• Sensational She-Hulk #12-23
• Avengers #325-328
• Sensational She-Hulk #24-26
• Avengers #329-333
• Sensational She-Hulk #27-30

She-Hulk's reading order will continue:

• 1991-1994: Still Sensational

She-Hulk Epic Collection vol.1: Breaking The Fourth Wall

Marvel Comics Presents #18

Marvel Fanfare #48

Sensational She-Hulk #1-12

She-Hulk: Ceremony #1-2

Solo Avengers #14

Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne Omnibus

Marvel Comics Presents #18

Marvel Graphic Novel #18 - The Sensational She-Hulk

Sensational She-Hulk #1-8, 31-46, 48-50

Characters featured in this reading order:

• ABOMINATION: Emil Blonsky (1967-2014)
• DEATH'S HEAD: Freelance Peace-Keeping Agent (1987-2014)
• DOCTOR DOOM: The Doom-Kristoff War (1982-1991)
• XEMNU: The Original Hulk (1960-2015)