Hey there, I have recently gotten back into buying graphic novels after about a year or two hiatus. I'm interested in buying the complete AvX graphic novel, but I'm kinda really anal about an accurate reading order. I was hoping that someone on hear could help me out! I am only interested in buying graphic novels, not the single back issues. What would be the best starting point, and what are all the books in between leading up to AvX? I had House of M, Decimation, Secret Invasion, Siege, Endangered Species, Messiah CompleX, and X-Force/Cable: Messiah War (although a lot of them got destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, which helped push me away from comics :( ). So yeah, if anyone could point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

@weareallskrulls: honestly, I think if you've read House of M and any Utopia era X-men, you should have no problem diving into AvsX.

I typed this out on another thread, so I'm just going to paste it here; I think it's as comprehensive a run-up to AvX as possible and covers virtually all of all the issues and conflicts involved.

1. Avengers Disassembled ---- The beginning of the Scarlet Witch's mental breakdown.

2. House of M --- Scarlet Witch snaps, recreates reality, wipes out the mutant gene and makes mutants an endangered and slowly dying species.

3. Decimation: House of M: The Day After/Generation M/X-Men: The 198/X-Men: Endangered Species ----- optional stories you could check out to get a feel as to the scope and severity of what Wanda did to the mutant race.

4. Messiah CompleX ---- Birth of Hope Summers, first mutant to be born after the Decimation.

5. Cable volume 2. ---- Hope growing up with Nathan Summers in the future. Not terribly important unless you really like Hope or Cable.

6. Second Coming ---- Hope and Cable return from the future. Emergence of the Five Lights.

7. Uncanny X-Men #526-530 ---- Hope tracks down the Five Lights. Unimportant.

8. Generation Hope ----- Hope's adventures with the Five Lights. Also not terribly important.

9. Avengers: The Children's Crusade ---- The Scarlet Witch returns.

9. Schism + Regenesis ----- X-Men split into two sides, one led by Cyclops and the other by Wolverine.

10. Avengers: X-Sanction --- Hope's relationship with the Phoenix Force underlined.

11. Avengers vs X-Men.

For other major Marvel events, read Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign and Siege in that order.

I thank you, this was extremely helpful! I hate falling out of the continuity, it's so hard to bet back to yesterday!