This week, the culmination of 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to a head with the release of Avengers: Infinity War in theaters. We all know where the last Avengers movie left off, but what has been going on since then? And what’s the big deal with the stones that Thanos is trying to collect? Marvel answers some of the questions in the mini-series Infinity Countdown. 

“The Saga of the Infinity Stones begins! As the Infinity Stones reappear around the cosmos, the ultimate race for power is on!! Battles will be fought, blood will be spilled, lives will be lost… all as the greatest cosmic heroes and villains vie for possession of the Power Stone, towering over a remote asteroid, somehow grown to the size of a building. Watch as the path to Infinity opens before your eyes and the END lies near.”

Infinity Countdown provides background for Infinity War, showing the quest for missing stones and the battles fought to get them. There is a huge cast of characters, including the Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova Corps, Black Widow, Wolverine, Adam Warlock, members of the Chitauri Empire, Ultron… it goes on and on. (There are also one-shot Infinity Countdown tie-in comics following specific characters.) The series starts with the Guardians battling the Gardener, who has been infected with madness by Loki. So, you know, just an average day for Marvel heroes.

The series isn’t exactly deep and meaningful, but it’s a fun read if you want to see how things tie together. Plus, you’ll get to see what characters who aren’t in the movie are up to. Infinity Countdown is a 5-part series, with the first two issues already out. Issue 3 releases next week.