During the South By Southwest event this year Marvel teased a big red number one with a bunch of Comic Book creator names in it.

Nobody on the internet could figure out what it meant, until Marvel revealed what the image was. 700 that’s right folks, 700 number one issues were made free on the Comixology service for user enjoyment.

However when the service launched a few weeks ago, so many people logged on that the server crashed. Some were able to get a peek at the Comics being offered and even downloaded a few of them.

Luckily the exceptionally handsome writer of this article managed to log on and even download a few titles to enjoy for himself. This is convenient for readers because Comixology just announced the promotion is restarting on this thursday!

Here a few of the books that require further examination from any comic book fan. Basically if you log onto the Comixology servers on thursday and pass these titles up for free, do not come back to this site!

The Color Books

Spiderman: Blue, Daredevil: Yellow, and Hulk: Gray

While this might seem like a silly suggestion at first glance due to the names, these issues are wonderful touch stones for those willing to dig deeper into the Marvel mythos. Telling the reader what these Comic Books are about would be spoiling them to a degree. What is in store for those brave enough to traverse these issues are quality from Jeph Loeb and from Tim Sale. Stories like these take a magnifying glass to the characters of the Marvel Universe and explore their motivations.

Infinity Anything!

The Thanos Quest, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War

In the early nineties Jim Starlin revolutionized Marvel Comics by scripting the crossover known as the Infinity Gauntlet. With the tease of Thanos at the end of Avengers many fans are more than curious about the character. Starlin and company had been exploring the mind-scape of Thanos for the better part of the 90’s and for good effect. The story starts with The Thanos Quest and kicks off the Infinity Gauntlet. Marvel kept the train going and Infinity War was launched shortly after. The next Infinity title called The Infinity Crusade lost focus and lacks the storytelling of the other series. Make sure to snag these wonderful titles and get entrenched in the mind of Jim Starlin, before the upcoming movie and event!

Annihilation

Annihilation, Annihilation Conquest, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Nova, Thanos Imperative

For those curious about the other upcoming Marvel film these comics are a great primer for the flick. The 2008 iteration of the Guardians Of The Galaxy launched from the wreckage of the Annihilation miniseries. The cosmic character Nova has strong ties to the Guardians Of The Galaxy team and is likely to show up in some form within the silver screen. In addition to being really important these comics are all written well by Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning. These issues also have deep ties with Thanos himself, and the event known as The Thanos Imperative ripped the Cosmic Marvel Universe in pieces.

Avengers

Avengers (1998), New Avengers, Avengers (2012)

For those seeking more Avengers exposure the 1998 series is a great place to start. The series has aged very well and features some great artwork from industry legend George Perez. New Avengers (2004) also features a great deal of entertainment and quippy dialogue throughout the book. The newest Avengers (2012) series is not for casual fans as it features Jonathan Hickman writing a long form story. Basically if you don’t plan on going forward after the first issue Avengers (2012) will not be worth your time.

1960’s Stan Lee

Daredevil, Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Captain America, Avengers, Fantastic Four

Witnessing the birth of the Marvel Universe before your eyes is truly a sight to behold. With the flagship title Fantastic Four artist Jack Kirby founded a great deal of the modern Marvel that readers adore. These first issues are overwritten and beautiful at the same time, they are silly and Stan Lee never takes anything too seriously! The stories have a such a strange established style that makes them a joy to read. Expect the unexpected because nothing in the Marvel Universe stays the same issue by issue!

Marvelites will be much better versed in their universe after experiencing these great titles for themselves!