Where to start with Avengers?

[Telos]

Hi, guys. With the Avengers movie coming out soon, I decided to jump into the world of Marvel comics. What are some classic runs for the Avengers?

Hi, welcome to Comic Book Resources! Hope you decide to stay.

There are many runs considered to be "classic". Of those, some of the most popular are Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Roger Stern and Kurt Busiek. My personal favourite is Busiek.

Thomas (#36-104)
Marvel Masterworks: Avengers vol 4-11

Englehart (#105-152. Also wrote West Coast Avengers #1-41)
Avengers/Defenders War
Avengers: Celestial Madonna
West Coast Avengers: Family Ties

Stern (#227-288)
West Coast Avengers: Assemble
Avengers: Under Siege
Avengers: Assault on Olympus

Busiek (1997 relaunch, #1-56):
Avengers Assemble vol 1-5
Avengers Forever

If you'd like some more contemporary Avengers stories, I'd recommend these:

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes by Joe Casey
Siege by Brian Michael Bendis
The Ultimates by Mark Millar - The Avengers movie is heavily based on this story
Avengers: Red Zone by Geoff Johns
Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest by Dan Slott

[Reinos]

Hi, welcome to Comic Book Resources! Hope you decide to stay.

There are many runs considered to be "classic". Of those, some of the most popular are Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Roger Stern and Kurt Busiek. My personal favourite is Busiek.

Thomas (#36-104)
Marvel Masterworks: Avengers vol 4-11

Englehart (#105-152. Also wrote West Coast Avengers #1-41)
Avengers/Defenders War
Avengers: Celestial Madonna
West Coast Avengers: Family Ties

Stern (#227-288)
West Coast Avengers: Assemble
Avengers: Under Siege
Avengers: Assault on Olympus

Busiek (1997 relaunch, #1-56):
Avengers Assemble vol 1-5
Avengers Forever

If you'd like some more contemporary Avengers stories, I'd recommend these:

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes by Joe Casey
Siege by Brian Michael Bendis
The Ultimates by Mark Millar - The Avengers movie is heavily based on this story
Avengers: Red Zone by Geoff Johns
Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest by Dan Slott

Thanks for the suggestions Telos! And I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking around.

[Telos]

Thanks for the suggestions Telos! And I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking around.

No worries! Glad to hear it. Hope you enjoy the stories.

[Libaax]

My brother thought Avengers film was alot of fun. He wonder if there is a run with Hulk as Avenger ? He wonders about hailed fun style Avenger writer/run.

Im not Avenger fan myself so i cant help with recommendations. Im Cap/Bucky/BW fan in their ongoings.

[Lord Bravery]

Hulk has never really been an Avenger. IIRC he was around for the first couple of issues, then went off in a hissy fit.

He's an Ultimate though, but that version of Hulk is... slightly different to the one most are used to.

[Telos]

Hulk was an Avenger in Marvel Adventures: Avengers.

In the main Marvel Universe, though, Hulk was only an Avenger for an issue and a half.

[Libaax]

Hulk has never really been an Avenger. IIRC he was around for the first couple of issues, then went off in a hissy fit.

He's an Ultimate though, but that version of Hulk is... slightly different to the one most are used to.

Oh i think i confused Hulk as Ultimate with him as an Avenger in 616. First marvel team book i read was Ultimates which i enjoyed early on. Good for newbie like me back then who didnt know Cap,Thor and co from 616.


Okey then can anyone recommend any over the top fun Avenger runs ? No epic events stories like Avengers getting killed or fighting X-men type stories....

Busiek ? How is his run ? Only reason i have never really followed Avenger personally is i cant stand Bendis writing post his DD work!

[Nomads1]

Oh i think i confused Hulk as Ultimate with him as an Avenger in 616. First marvel team book i read was Ultimates which i enjoyed early on. Good for newbie like me back then who didnt know Cap,Thor and co from 616.


Okey then can anyone recommend any over the top fun Avenger runs ? No epic events stories like Avengers getting killed or fighting X-men type stories....

Busiek ? How is his run ? Only reason i have never really followed Avenger personally is i cant stand Bendis writing post his DD work!

If you've only read Bendis, you've never truely read Avengers. Roger Stern and Busiek's are widely recieved as the best of all Avengers runs. Pratically the whole of Busiek's run and specific arcs of Stern's are out in TPBs or HC (Go a few pages back looking for some of Telos posts He yusually prints lists of collected editions). Other very well recieved runs include Roy Thomas', Jim Shooter's (the first one, but a collection of the second's most important development is forthcomming in the Trail of Yellowjacket_ and Steve Englehart's. Personally, I've always loved Bob Harras's run, but not much of it has been collected so far.

Peace

[Libaax]

If you've only read Bendis, you've never truely read Avengers. Roger Stern and Busiek's are widely recieved as the best of all Avengers runs. Pratically the whole of Busiek's run and specific arcs of Stern's are out in TPBs or HC (Go a few pages back looking for some of Telos posts He yusually prints lists of collected editions). Other very well recieved runs include Roy Thomas', Jim Shooter's (the first one, but a collection of the second's most important development is forthcomming in the Trail of Yellowjacket_ and Steve Englehart's. Personally, I've always loved Bob Harras's run, but not much of it has been collected so far.

Peace

I did say i have never followed or read Avengers because usually i read a modern version of a series before backreading classic runs. I didnt do that for Avengers because Bendis was in the way. Brubaker Secret Avengers was the only Avengers i have read. But there was weird team there.

Thanks for the recommendation. My brother is not a superhero comics reader like me, is Busiek run easier for newbies you think ? Its newer than Stern i guess.

Myself i will try a trade with both those runs.

[Telos]

Busiek's run is great to start off a new reader.

If you're looking for mad, over the top fun you can't go wrong with Dan Slott's Mighty Avengers. It's got a bit more continuity to it, but it's full of humour.

[Lord Bravery]

Yea, Busiek's is the definitive Avengers run in my opinion. Kang Dynasty is awesome. As is Ultron Unlimited.

[Libaax]

Thanks guys i will recommend Busiek run to my brother. Ultron i know from cosmic marvel events.


I wont recommend Ultimates because other than black fury and Hulk as ultimate there is not much like it in the film. Cap,Thor in Ultimate world are not as classic modern hero as they are in the films. I prefer 616 versions.

[DragonPiece]

Hey guys, I have been a fan of DC Comics for a while and am trying to get into Avengers right in time for AVX, though I am already late...what are all the comics I need to be caught up for this? PS. I don't want to read much X Men, as I am rooting for Avengers!

[Telos]

Hey guys, I have been a fan of DC Comics for a while and am trying to get into Avengers right in time for AVX, though I am already late...what are all the comics I need to be caught up for this? PS. I don't want to read much X Men, as I am rooting for Avengers!

The core stuff is:
Avengers Disassembled
New Avengers vol 1
House of M
Avengers: The Children's Crusade
Avengers: X-Sanction
Avengers vs X-Men

[Hulkernaut]

this thread is such a wealth of info....i appreciate it all. i've read various avengers stories, but never really had a particular starting point.