WARBIRD READING ORDER: Carol Danvers (1998-2005)

She started out as a support character for Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell, the Kree superhero), later gaining superpowers and a half-Kree biology from exposure to the Psyche-Magnitron and becoming Ms Marvel. She then lost those powers to Rogue of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, hung out with the X-Men, then gained a whole new power set thanks to the alien Brood. In her new Binary identity, Carol joined the Starjammers and spent time fighting injustice in space. Now, Carol's back on Earth in her Ms Marvel costume having been drastically powered-down. Taking on the name Warbird and rejoining the Avengers, Carol is about to face a whole new set of problems...

As always, I'd like to thank the guys over at the Marvel Chronology Project which I've used as a basis and then worked out my own version of the Marvel Universe continuity.

MCG Notes:

• Issue listings in blue & black: The must-read Warbird stories from this time period, along with any often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
• issue listings in grey: Part of Warbirds chronology, cameo appearances or stories of note that non-essential or no longer considered 'required reading'.
• Chronology: Every Carol Danvers appearance from this period is included in chronological order - mapping out his timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
• Spoilers: The are some spoilers in the story overviews, though I've tried to keep them to a minimum - just be warned!

Carol Danvers' earlier stories are covered in these reading orders:

• 1968-1982: Ms Marvel
• 1982-1998: Binary

Avengers #4 (1998)
Carol Danvers (back in her old Ms Marvel costume) renames herself Warbird after vintage military aircraft; Warbird returns to active duty as a member of the Avengers during HEROES RETURN.

Avengers #5-6 (1998)
Alongside the Avengers, Warbird clashes with the Squadron Supreme when they're manipulated by the Corruptor during NEW WORLD ORDER.

Iron Man #7 (1998)
Captain America #8 (1998)
Quicksilver #10 (1998)
Avengers #7 (1998)
Aside from battling the Lunatic Legion when they return to claim the Kree's Psyche-Magnitron, Warbird battles with the bottle; Warbird's struggle with her past and her place among the Avengers leads to her drinking heavily, fighting Iron Man and almost costing the team their victory; Warbird quits the Avengers before they get a chance to fire her during LIVE KREE OR DIE.

Iron Man #11-12 (1998)
Warbird comes to Iron Man's aid when Sunset Bain sends the new War Machine after him.

Wolverine #133-134, 138 (1999)

Warbird catches up with her drinking buddy Wolverine, only to end up fighting him when he's possessed by the fugitive alien Aria; after almost killing the drunken Warbird, the possessed Wolverine regains control and heads into space to help Aria; after returning to Earth, Wolverine reunites with the seriously injured Warbird.

Contest of Champions II #3, 5 (1999)
Earth's heroes are pitted against each other in a plot by the disguised Brood Queen; her efforts to reclaim Carol Danvers and assimilate her Binary powers into the Brood; Warbird escapes the Brood and threatens to kill the Brood Queen when she possesses Rogue's body; the Brood Queen opts for escape over death.

Avengers #16-18 (1999)
The Avengers come to Carol Danvers' aid when she's kidnapped by the Doomsday Man.

Iron Man #18[1/2]-19 (1999)
Warbird asks Iron Man for help with her alcoholism after drunkenly battling Sapper and Golden-Blade.

Iron Man #21[1/2] (1999)
Warbird continues to struggle without alcohol and believes she can overcome her problems more easily when she drinks.

Iron Man #23-25 (1999-2000)
Sapper and Golden-Blade awaken Ultimo; a drunken Warbird comes to Iron Man's aid only to collide into him and send him crashing into a the wing of a passenger jet; Iron Man and Warbird save the jet and Warbird is taken to a medic; after defeating Ultimo, Iron Man gets Warbird into Alcoholics Anonymous.

Avengers #26-27[1/6] (2000)
Warbird is duped into joining a team of Avengers led by 'Captain America' to break into the Triune Understanding headquarters and turn the public against the real Avengers; Iron Man vouches for Warbird, allowing her to return as an active member of the Avengers.

Warlock #8 (2000)
The Avengers lend a hand when Mainspring causes chaos on New York.

Avengers #28-30 (2000)

The Avengers do charity work to earn some good PR until Kulan Gath transforms New York City into a Hyborian land of sword and sorcery under his control.

Magneto: Dark Seduction #2-4 (2000)
The UN send the Avengers to Genosha in an effort to overthrow Magneto's rule during X-MEN REVOLUTION.

Avengers #31 (2000)
The Avengers tackle the Grim Reaper during THE NEFARIA PROTOCOLS.

Incredible Hulk 2000 Annual (2000)
The Avengers step in when the Hulk decides to take his cousin, She-Hulk, as a mate.

Avengers #32 (2000)
Thunderbolts #43 (2000)
Avengers #33 (2000)
Thunderbolts #44 (2000)
Avengers #34 (2000)
Count Nefaria turns Wonder Man and Atlas against the Avengers during THE NEFARIA PROTOCOLS.

Iron Fist/Wolverine: The Return of K'un-Lun #2 (2000)
Warbird is among the heroes opposing the Hand and the Dragon-Kings during THE RETURN OF K'UN-LUN.

Maximum Security #1-2 (2000)
Avengers #35 (2000)
X-Men Unlimited #29 (2000)
Maximum Security #3 (2001)
Warbird allies herself with her old nemesis, Rogue, when the Earth is turned into a prison planet for outlaw aliens during MAXIMUM SECURITY.

Avengers #36-37 (2001)
After rounding up the last of the stray aliens, the Avengers deal with Bloodwraith when he attacks Slorenia.

Black Panther #27 (2001)
The Avengers hear about the Black Panther going to war against Genosha and Latveria.

Sentry #5 (2001)
Sentry/Spider-Man #1 (2001)
Warbird is among the heroes who side with the Sentry against the Void during THE SENTRY.

Avengers #38-40 (2001)
In Greece, the Avengers are faced with an army of Hulks who merge into a giant, composite Hulk during THE KANG DYNASTY.

Thanos: Infinity Abyss #1 (2001)
Warbird cameo.

Avengers #41-44 (2001)
Kang announces his plan to take over present day Earth; Warbird fights the Scarlet Centurion (aka Marcus Kang, an alternate version of Marcus Immortus); Warbird becomes the leader of a band of Deviants during THE KANG DYNASTY.

Iron Man Annual 2001 (2001)
The Avengers aid Iron Man against Sarawak. 

Avengers: The Ultron Imperative #1 (2001)
The Avengers face the combined threat of Alkhema and Ultron during THE KANG DYNASTY.

Captain America #46-48 (2001)
The Avengers assist Captain America against the Red Skull and Hate-Monger.

Thunderbolts #57 (2001)
Warbird is among the heroes facing Graviton during LIFE SENTENCES.

Avengers #45-48, 52-55 (2001-2002)
Warbird and a small band of fellow Avengers infiltrate the Master of the World's base; Scarlet Centurion secretly rescues Warbird from Plodex wolves, reveals his fascination with her and explains he's not that same man (as Marcus Immortus) who manipulated her; Warbird's team kill the Master and take over his base; Warbird's Avengers squad use the Master's base to drive Kang and the Scarlet Centurion back to Damocles Base; Kang kills the Scarlet Centurion for betraying him with Warbird which costs him control of Earth; Warbird is court-martialed by the Avengers for killing the Master of the World, but is cleared of any wrongdoing during THE KANG DYNASTY.

JLA/Avengers #1-4 (2003)
Warbird is among the Avengers who join forces with the Justice League of America (heroes of an alternate universe) against Galactus, Krona and a horde of villains from both their respective worlds. 

The Order #2-3, 5-6 (2002)
Warbird is among the heroes who stand against the corrupted Defenders in their new role as the Order during ONCE MORE, THE END.

Black Panther #42-43 (2002)
Warbird is among the heroes fighting against Kiber the Cruel and XCON when they try to take over America and Canada.

Alias #3, 6 (2002)
Jessica Jones calls on her old friend Carol Danvers for help with a case; Carol advises Jessica to avoid a relationship with Luke Cage and offers to helps set her up with Ant-Man (Scott Lang), instead.

Citizen V and the V-Battalion #3 (2002)
Warbird makes a cameo appearance during HEROES RETURN: BRAVE NEW WORLD.

Avengers #57-60 (2002-2003)
The Avengers face Mister Hyde, Scorpio, the Brotherhood of the Ankh and the new Zodiac; the Avengers are recognised as a world power and Avengers Mansion becomes Avengers Embassy.

X-Treme X-Men #11 (2002)
The Avengers consider getting involved with the Shaitan situation in Madripoor.

Alias #18 (2003)
Carol Danvers leaves Jessica Jones a message about Scott Lang. 

Wolverine/Captain America #1-4 (2004)
Warbird assists Captain America and Wolverine when they go up against the Contingency.

Avengers #65-70 (2003)
Warbird gets a new costume; the Avengers oppose the Red Skull's attack on America.  

Iron Man #75 (2004)
The Avengers give their take on Tony Stark's new role in the US Government's Department of Defence.

Iron Man #79 (2004)
Warbird cameo.

Alias #24, 28 (2003-2004)
The Purple Man tries to turn Jessica Jones against the Avengers.

Iron Man #85 (2004)
The Avengers deal with Arsenal Alpha when it rampages through the Avengers Embassy during AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED.

Avengers/Thunderbolts #6 (2004)
Warbird cameo.

Uncanny X-Men #445 (2004)
Warbird vouches for Wolverine when he and Nightcrawler are wrongfully arrested during X-MEN RELOAD.

Avengers #82 (2004)
Warbird attends Kelsey Leigh's funeral during ONCE AN INVADER.

Wonder Man: My Fair Super Hero #1-5 (2007)
Warbird and Beast help Wonder Man rehabilitate an assassin called Ladykiller.

Avengers #501-503 (2004)
Avengers: Finale #1 (2005)
Warbird is present when the Avengers face a relentless assault; branded a failure, the Avengers disband during AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED.

New Thunderbolts #4 (2005)
Mach-IV gets advice from Warbird on how to run the Thunderbolts during ENEMY OF THE STATE.

New Thunderbolts #5-6 (2005)
Warbird and the Thunderbolts vs Fathom Five and Hydra.

Marvel Team-Up #11-13 (2005)
Warbird is among the heroes who defend Earth from Titannus.

Young Avengers #9 (2005)
Warbird catches a jumper before Wiccan gets a chance to get into costume.

Carol Danvers' story continues in these reading orders:

• 2006-2008: Ms Marvel
• 2009-2012: Ms Marvel
• 2013-2015: Captain Marvel

Avengers Assemble vol.1
Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Perez Omnibus vol.1
both include... 

Avengers #4-7

Captain America #8

Iron Man #7

Quicksilver #10

Iron Man by Kurt Busiek & Sean Chen Omnibus
Includes... 

Avengers #7

Captain America #8

Iron Man #7, 11-12, 18-19, 21, 23-25

Quicksilver #10

Iron Man: Revenge of the Mandarin
Includes... 

Iron Man #11-12

Wolverine Epic Collection vol.12: Shadow of Apocalypse
Includes...

Wolverine #133-134, 138

Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Perez Omnibus vol.2
Includes... 

Avengers #26-48, 52-55

Maximum Security #1-3

Thunderbolts #43-44

Avengers Assemble vol.3-5
Include... 

Avengers #26-48, 52-55

Maximum Security #1-3

Thunderbolts #43-44

Alias Omnibus
Alias: Ultimate Collection vol.1
Jessica Jones: Alias vol.1
All include... 

Alias #3, 6

Avengers by Geoff Johns: The Complete Collection vol.1
Avengers: World Trust
Both include...

Avengers #57-60

Avengers by Geoff Johns: The Complete Collection vol.2
Avengers: Red Zone
Both include...

Avengers #65-70

Avengers Disassembled

New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection vol.1

Both include... 

Avengers #500-503

Avengers Finale #1