Hello everyone and welcome to the Kang the Conqueror comics reading guide!
After being set up in Loki season one, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror is about to take the MCU by storm in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
But who is this strange blue bully and what are his connections to the rest of the Marvel universe? Read on to find out!
Kang Comics Recommendations:
- Fantastic Four (1961) #19, Annual #2
- Avengers (1963) #8, 10, 23-24, 69-71, 128-135; Giant-Size Avengers #2-4
- Avengers (1963) #141-143, 267-269, 291-297, 300, Annual #21
- Fantastic Four (1961) #323-325, 337-341
- What If…? (1989) #39
- Citizen Kang (1992); The Terminatrix Objective (1993)
- Avengers Forever (1998) #1-12
- Avengers (1998) #41-55, Annual #2001
- Young Avengers (2005) #1-6; Children’s Crusade (2010); FF (2013) #8-16
- Avengers (2017) #1-6
- Spider-Ham (2019) #1-5
- Kang the Conqueror (2021) #1-5
- Fantastic Four (2018) #35
- Timeless (2021) #1; (2022) #1
Originally introduced in the early pages of Fantastic Four as the time-traveling pharaoh “Rama Tut,” the man named Nathaniel Richards has appeared as a dizzying array of alternate identities and multiversal variants across the past 60 years. But the most well-known of these incarnations is the identity Kang the Conqueror from Earth-6311.
Kang stories are usually about destroying his other variants, fighting against his predetermined future, and assembling groups across the multiverse (whether its a council of multiversal Kangs or a team of multiversal Avengers). As a result, Kang variants come in shades of villainy, ranging from dastardly manipulators to tragic heroes. He also has a complicated relationship with Doctor Doom, who is sometimes his ancestor, sometimes his ally, and sometimes his enemy.
In the comics below, we’ll dive into Kang’s most well frequent iterations, as well his more obscure variants like Victor Timely, Kamala Kang, Kang the Time-Eater, Kang the Conglomerator, and Kangaroo the Conqueror. Enjoy reading!
Be sure to check out our other reading guides here, including Ant-Man & The Wasp, Cassie Lang, and MODOK!
“Just wait till you meet my variants.”
The Identities of Kang: A Brief History
Before beginning the guide properly, it’s important to understand the general history of Nathaniel Richards and his many personas.
Nathaniel Richards of Earth-6311 is a time traveler from the 31st century. He is implied to be related to both Reed Richards and Doctor Doom, and shares their intelligence, as well as their obsessions for control. Ravonna Renslayer is the love of his life.
As a teenager, Nathaniel Richards visits the 21st century and leads the Young Avengers as Iron Lad. He later adopts the identity of Kid Immortus. After Kid Immortus grows up, he makes himself a pharaoh in Ancient Egypt called Rama Tut. When Rama Tut meets Doctor Doom, he is inspired to build his own suit of armor and calls himself the Scarlet Centurion.
When Scarlet Centurion realizes he has the potential to conquer the entire multiverse, he begins calling himself Kang the Conqueror. This becomes Nathaniel’s primary persona. However, frustrated with his constant defeats, Kang travels to the 1900s as the revolutionary roboticist Victor Timely, where he builds Chronopolis, Kang’s headquarters. Kang poses as multiple generations of the Timely family in order to study the Avengers from a human perspective and manipulate events across the 20th century.
In his 40s, Kang briefly becomes a businessman named Mr. Gryphon in the 21st century. Around the age of 60, Kang returns to Ancient Egypt and resumes his Rama Tut identity as he prepares for his retirement. However, unsatisfied with the mortality of time, Nathaniel travels into Limbo to become Immortus. Living at the end of time, he begins pruning timelines under the guidance of the Time-Keepers.
Continue reading in depth with our Guide to Kang Identities! (Includes extra reading recs for each identity)
Kang War: Once an Avenger (1960s-1970s)
These early comics introduce Rama Tut, Kang, and Immortus as separate characters. But it wasn’t long before Steve Englehart connected them intricately with “Celestial Madonna: Kang War,” an elaborate crossover between Avengers and Giant-Size Avengers.
- Fantastic Four (1961) #19, Annual #2-3
- Introduces Rama Tut!
- In FF Annual #2, Doctor Doom inspires Rama Tut to become the Scarlet Centurion in Avengers Annual #2
- Avengers (1963) #8, 10-11, 16, 23-24, 69-71, 128-135, 141-143, Annual #2
- Giant-Size Avengers (1974) #2-4
- #8, 11 introduce Kang!
- #10, 16 are the first appearances of Immortus!
- After #11: Strange Tales (1951) #134
- After #16: Fantastic Four (1961) Annual #3
- #23-24 introduces Ravonna Renslayer (“Once an Avenger”)
- #67-71 features Kang and Ravonna again! Continues in Incredible Hulk #135
- #128-135 ties in with Giant-Size Avengers #2-4 (“Celestial Madonna: Kang War”)
- #141-143 was originally written as the “final” Kang story
- Annual #2 is the first appearance of the original Scarlet Centurion, continuing from Fantastic Four Annual #2
- Avengers: The Man Who Stole Tomorrow (1979) (novel)
Extra watching:
- Fantastic Four (1967) S1 E19 (Rama Tut)
Extra reading:
- Thor (1966) #140
- Incredible Hulk (1962) #135
- Marvel Team-Up (1972) #9-11
The Once and Future Kang (1970s-1980s)
This era introduced the TVA and Time Keepers, and quickly linked them to Immortus as well. In the Avengers series, Roger Stern & John Buscema crafted one of the greatest Kang stories of all time with “Once and Future Kang.” This epic arc introduces the Council of Kangs and the concept of Kang trying to destroy his other variants, making it an essential part of Kang’s canon and the inspiration for He Who Remains’ story in Loki.
- Thor (1966) #243-245, 281-282, 371-372
- First appearance of the Time-Keepers and the TVA!
- #243-245 is the only appearance of He Who Remains! Introduces the Time-Twisters
- #281-282 features Immortus and introduces the Time-Keepers
- #371-372 introduces the TVA
- Avengers (1963) #200, 267-269, 291-297, 300
- #200 features Immortus. Infamous story with Carol Danvers’ pregnancy
- #267-269: Kang vs. Immortus! Features Ravonna and the original Council of Kangs! (“Once and Future Kang”)
- #291-297, 300 feature Ravonna, the Council of Cross-Time Kangs, and the Time Bubble!
- #297 continues in Fantastic Four #337-341
- #300 ties into X-Men: Inferno
- Doctor Strange (1974) #53
- Features Rama Tut!
- Calls back to Fantastic Four #19 and Avengers #128-135
- Secret Wars (1984) #1-4, 11
- Kang meets Doom!
- Fantastic Four (1961) #273, 323-325, 337-341, 346, 352-354, Annual #24
- Features Ravonna and the TVA!
- #323-325 ties into X-Men: Inferno and calls back to Avengers #128-135!
- #337-341 features Ravonna, the Council of Cross-Time Kangs, and the Time Bubble!
- #341 continues in Avengers Spotlight #37
- #338, 346, 352-354, Annual #24 feature the TVA
- #352-354 is the first appearance of Mobius!
- West Coast Avengers (1985) #20-22, 48-62
- #20-22 features Rama Tut and calls back to Fantastic Four #19 and Doctor Strange #53! (“Lost in Space-Time”).
- #48-62 features Immortus and the Scarlet Witch! (“Vision Quest” and “Darker than Scarlet”)
- #61 features the Council of Cross-Time Kangs!
- Continue reading with the Scarlet Witch reading guide!
Extra reading:
- What If? (1976) #29
- Features a Scarlet Centurion variant. Calls back to Avengers Annual #2
- Power Man and Iron Fist (1980) #79
- Incredible Hulk (1962) #286
- Squadron Supreme (1985) #1-12, Death of a Universe #1
- Features a Scarlet Centurion variant!
- Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (1989) #1 is also known as Marvel Graphic Novel #55
- Secret Wars II (1985) #7
- Avengers Spotlight (1989) #37
- Features Ravonna!
Citizen Kang and The Terminatrix Objective (1990s)
The 90s brought about the powerful “Terminatrix Objective.” More than just the final Ravonna/Kang story, this arc has become an important step in Kang comics canon and even inspired the Loki series with the monster Alioth.
“Terminatrix” was preceded by “Citizen Kang,” the first story to feature Kang traveling back in time and assuming the guise of a normal human named Victor Timely (similar to what he would later do as Mister Gryphon). Each issue of “Citizen Kang” also has a backup story retelling Kang’s history!
Meanwhile, the new What If series brilliantly fleshed out the relationships between Immortus, the TVA, and the multiverse, making it one of the most relevant Kang comics for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.
- What If…? (1989) #35-39
- Features Immortus and the TVA!
- Infinity War (1992) #1-5
- Kang works with Doom!
- Citizen Kang (1992), The Terminatrix Objective (1993)
- Features the Council of Cross-Time Kangs!
- Prologue: Avengers #291-297, Fantastic Four #337-341, Avengers Spotlight #37
- Captain America Annual (1971) #11
- Thor Annual (1966) #17
- Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #25
- Avengers Annual (1967) #21-22
- #21 features Victor Timely!
- Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective (1993) #1-4
- #3-4 feature Victor Timely!
- Rise of Apocalypse (1996) #1-4
- Features Rama Tut!
Extra watching:
- X-Men (1992) S4 E18-21
- Sometimes numbered as S4 E8-11
- Start with “Beyond Good and Evil – Part 1: The End of Time”
Extra reading:
- Silver Sable and the Wild Pack (1992) #4-5
- Ties into Infinity War (1992)
- Savage Hulk (1996) #1
- Avengers: The Crossing (1996)
- Features Immortus (not recommended)
- Marvel: Heroes and Legends (1996) #1
- Call back to Fantastic Four Annual #3
- Thunderbolts (1997) #13
- Star Trek/X-Men: Second Contact (1998) #1
- Extra TVA:
- Quasar (1989) #26, 30
- Deathlok (1991) #31-34
- Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #27
- Marvel Fanfare (1996) #1
- Unlimited Access (1997) #2
- Extra Rama Tut:
- Fantastic Four (1961) #400
- Killpower: The Early Years (1993) #1-2
- Iron Man (1996) #11
- Cable (1993) #57
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2000s)
This section is short but extremely important, cementing Kurt Busiek as the modern architect of Kang comics. His first Kang story, Avengers Forever, succinctly laid out the complete history of Kang and his alternate identities, from Rama Tut to Immortus, making it the most definitive finale for Nathaniel Richards thus far. In his follow-up, “Kang Dynasty,” Busiek crafted one of the most powerful Kang conquests of all time. These are essential Kang comics!
- Avengers Forever (1998) #1-12
- Also known as “Avengers: Destiny War”
- Kang assembles his own team of Multiversal Avengers!
- #9 features the Council of Cross-Time Kangs!
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2001)
- Avengers (1998) #38-55, Annual #2001, Ultron Imperative #1
- Features Kang and his son Marcus Kang XXIII, the new Scarlet Centurion!
- #38-40 are an optional prologue
Extra watching:
- The Avengers: United They Stand (1999) S1 E3
- X-Men: Evolution (2000) S3 E12 (Rama Tut)
Extra reading:
- X-Men & Spider-Man: Time’s Arrow (1993) Books 1-3 (trilogy of novels)
- Church of Immortus
- Universe X (2000) #1-12, X
- Universe X: 4 (2000) #1
- Universe X Special: Spidey (2001) #1
- Paradise X (2002) #0-8, Heralds #1
- Universe X #9 features the Council of Cross-Time Kangs!
- Excalibur (2001) #4
- Thunderbolts (1997) #57
- JLA/Avengers (2003) #3
- Marvel Universe: The End (2003) #5-6
- Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2005) #4
- Calls back to Avengers #8
Iron Lad: Young Avengers (2000s-2010s)
After the sweeping epic of the 2000s, Marvel took a step back and introduced a new spin on Kang, Iron Lad! This section features the birth of the Young Avengers through the eyes of 16-year-old Nathaniel Richards and the rise of Kid Immortus.
Meanwhile other series like Avengers and She-Hulk continued to flesh out Immortus and the TVA, while the Ultimate universe redefined Kang comics with Kang as a variant of Sue Storm!
Continue reading with the Young Avengers reading guide!
- Young Avengers (2005) #1-6, Special #1
- Kang vs. Iron Lad!
- Avengers (2010) #1-6
- Features Kang, Immortus, and multiversal Avengers
- Avengers: The Children’s Crusade (2010) #1-9, Young Avengers (2011) #1
- Features Ant-Man and Iron Lad!
- Young Avengers #1 features the Young Avengers as grown-up Avengers from the future!
- Fantastic Four (2013) #13-16
- FF (2013) #3, 8-16
- Features Ant-Man, Iron Lad, Kid Immortus, and a new version of Ravonna
- Introduces Doom the Annihilating Conqueror, the ultimate combination of Doom, Annihilus, and Kang!
- Continue with the Ant-Man reading guide!
Extra watching:
- Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008) (cameo)
- Marvel Super Heroes: What The–?! (2009) S1 E1, E6, E15, E39; Specials E18
- Avengers Micro Episodes: Captain America (2010) S1 E1-4
- Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2010) S1 E17-19; S2 E4, E23-24
- S1 E17-19 is sometimes numbered as S1 E12-14. Start with “Man Who Stole Tomorrow”
- S2 E23 features the Council of Cross-Time Kangs!
- Tie-in comic: Marvel Universe: Avengers – Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2012) #3, 16
Extra reading:
- Fantastic Four: Foes (2005) #1
- Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four (2005) #23
- What If? (2008)
- Fallen Son #1, House of M #1, Newer Fantastic Four #1, Spider-Man: Back in Black #1, Secret Wars #1
- 1939 Daily Bugle (2009) #1
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) #19
- Mighty Avengers (2007) #33
- Chaos War: Dead Avengers (2010) #1
- Captain America: Man Out of Time (2011) #4-5
- Ultimate Universe
- Ultimate Comics Wolverine (2013) #4
- Ultimate Comics Ultimates (2011) #25-30
- Extra TVA:
- Marvel Knights: 4 (2004) #15-18
- She-Hulk (2005) #1-5
- Avenging Spider-Man (2012) #17
- Extra Immortus:
- Avengers Classic (2007) #10 [B Story]
- Fantastic Four (2009) #581
- Annihilators (2011) #3-4
Avengers: Kang War One (2010s)
In the 2010s, Kang was featured in a series of smaller events. His shenanigans ranged from starting a business in the 21st century to raising the children of Apocalypse. Meanwhile, Deadpool got himself into a series of confrontations with the TVA.
The most important of these adventures might be Avengers: Kang War One by Mark Waid & Michael Del Mundo. In this strangely named story, the Avengers accidentally cause armies of Kang variants to emerge out of the multiverse, similar to the end of Loki.
- Uncanny Avengers (2012) #5-23
- Kang forms the Chrono Corps and tries to raise the children of Apocalypse!
- Siege (2015) #1-4
- Ties into Secret Wars (2015)
- All-New, All-Different Avengers (2016) #0-6, 13
- Uncanny Inhumans (2015) #0-4
- Kang gets trapped in the 21st century and creates the Mister Gryphon persona!
- ANAD Avengers #13 features Kang and Rama Tut
- Avengers: Kang War One (2017)
- Avengers (2017) #1-6
- Features Kang and Scarlet Centurion!
- #6 features a Kang Doom!
- Avengers: Back to Basics (2018) #1-6
- Features Mister Gryphon and Kamala Khan!
- Calls back to Avengers (1963) #8
- Continue reading with the Ms. Marvel reading guide
Video games:
- Video Games:
- Marvel: Avengers Alliance (2012)
- Marvel Contest of Champions (2014)
- Marvel Avengers Academy (2016)
- LEGO Marvel’s Avengers (2016)
- LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 (2017)
Extra watching:
- Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (2013) S3 E12-13; S4 E1-2, 9-14
Marvel Future Avengers (2017) S1 E21-26, S2 E9
Extra reading:
- All-New X-Men (2012) #5
- Features Rama-Tut
- Age of Ultron (2013) #10
- Avengers (2013) #33-34
- Features Iron Lad, Immortus, and Kang
- Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars (2015) #1
- S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015) #12
- Features Scarlet Centurion (Marcus Kang XXIII)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2018) #150
- Features Ant-Man and Kang!
- Extra TVA:
- Deadpool and Cable: Split Second Infinite Comic (2015) #1-6
- Despicable Deadpool (2017) #287-288
- Cable & Deadpool Annual (2018) #1
Kang the Conqueror: Timeless (2020s)
In the 2020s, Kang played an important part in the Infinity Wars event and came into conflict with both Thanos and Doctor Doom. In addition, this era features not only the Kang Corps and the Kang Collective, but also some of the best Kang variants yet, including Kamala Kang, Kangaroo the Conqueror, Kang the Conglomerator, and a Kang/Galactus variant called the Kang the Time-Eater!
Most importantly, the great miniseries Kang the Conqueror (2021) retold Kang’s full history in an thrillingly original new way. This is one of the best starting points for readers new to Kang comics, and a fun story for Kang experts too.
- Infinity Wars (2018)
- Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock (2018) #1
- Infinity Countdown (2018) #5
- Infinity Wars (2018) #1-6
- Continue with the Adam Warlock reading guide!
- Exiles (2018) #1-12
- Features Iron Lad, Iron Prince, and Kang the Time-Eater!
- Thanos (2018) Infinity Siblings #1, Infinity Ending #1
- Kang vs. Thanos!
- Doctor Doom (2019) #1-6, 10
- Spider-Ham (2019) #1-5
- Features Kangaroo the Conqueror, the Council of Kangs, and the Kang Collective!
- Kang the Conqueror (2021) #1-5
- Reformatted digitally as Only Myself Left to Conquer Infinity Comic (2023) #1-10
- Fantastic Four (2018) #35
- Timeless (2021) #1
- Timeless (2022) #1
Extra watching:
- Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (2021) S1 E4
- Loki (2021) S1 E1-6
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
- Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2025)
Extra reading:
- Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015) #42
- Features Kang and Immortus
- Moon Knight Annual (2019) #1
- Tarot (2020) #2
- Symbiote Spider-Man: King In Black (2020) #1-5
- Free Comic Book Day 2021 (Spider-Man/Venom) #1 [B Story]
- Savage Avengers (2019) #24-28
- Features the Kang Corps!
- The Last Annihilation: Wiccan & Hulkling (2021) #1
- Fantastic Four: Reckoning War Alpha (2022) #1
- Features the TVA!
- Venom (2021) #8-9
- Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic (2022) #5-10 (“Young Avengers”)
- Iron Lad returns!
- Continue with the Young Avengers reading guide!
- Kamala Kang:
- Infinity Wars (2018) #4
- Infinity Wars: Infinity Warps (2018) #2
- Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit (2022) #5
Variants of Kang
The stories above contain many of the best famous identities, divergences, and iterations of Kang, but in case that wasn’t enough, we’ve got even more Kang comics for you!
- Spidey Super Stories (1974) #17, 24, 30, 54
- Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham (1985) #15
- Kangaroo the Conqueror’s first appearance
- What The–?! (1988) #7-8, 17, 25
- The Last Avengers Story (1995) #1-2
- Avengers and Power Pack Assemble! (2006) #1-4
- Giant-Size Marvel Adventures The Avengers (2007) #1
- Kang becomes an Agent of Atlas!
- Marvel Adventures Super Heroes (2008) #3
- Exiles (2009) #6
- Multiple Kang variants!
- Edge of Spider-Geddon (2018) #1
- Meet Kang the Conglomerator! Set in the year 2099
Extra reading:
- Fantastic Four Roast (1982) #1 (Hembeck-verse) (Rama Tut)
- Excalibur (1988) #49
- Marvel Age (1983) #117 (Hembeck-verse)
- Spider-Boy Team-Up (1997) #1 (DC/Marvel Amalgam universe)
- Spectacular Spider-Man (UK) (1995) #111, 126
- Startling Stories: The Thing – Night Falls on Yancy Street (2003) #1 (Rama Tut)
- Mythos: Fantastic Four (2007) #1 (Rama Tut)
- Wolverine Weapon X (2009) #14 (25 Years From Now)
- Captain America Corps (2011) #3 (Ultra-Nationalist America)
- Red Skull (2015) #1 (Immortus)
- Avengers Assemble Featuring Captain Citrus (2015) #3
- Avengers (1963) #676
- Spider-Man: Life Story (2019) #3
- Old Man Quill (2019) #10 (The Wastelands)
- Darkhold: Wasp (2021) #1
- Avengers Mech Strike (2021) #1-5
And that’s the history of Kang the Conqueror! What are you planning to read before Quatumania? Which Kang identities do you want to see in the MCU? Let me know on Twitter @vinwriteswords and remember to follow the site @MyCosmicCircus for more Kang content coming soon!For more information about Kang, visit the official page.
Continue reading with our other reading guides here, including our Quantumania comics guides for Ant-Man & the Wasp, Cassie Lang, and MODOK!
Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Reading Guides
All images courtesy of Marvel Comics.
