When was the Avengers good?

[SamuraiMike]

So I'm on a major buying spree of classic stuff that I've always been meaning to read but never have. Soon I will be filling in the Roger Stern Avengers issues that I'm missing, but I'm not quite sure of where to go with it next - I know the Roy Thomas run is well regarded, but what other memorable runs are there that I should look into?

[Scott Harris]

So I'm on a major buying spree of classic stuff that I've always been meaning to read but never have. Soon I will be filling in the Roger Stern Avengers issues that I'm missing, but I'm not quite sure of where to go with it next - I know the Roy Thomas run is well regarded, but what other memorable runs are there that I should look into?

For my money, The Avengers was the most consistently good series Marvel put out over the company's first 25 years or so. It's hard to go wrong with anything from #1-285. But there are some parts that were better than others. If I had to rank the best runs (which I now do!) here's what I would say:

1. Roy Thomas #51-100
2. Jim Shooter and company #158-177
3. Jim Shooter and company (see below) #211-230
4. Roger Stern #227-285
5. Kurt Busiek vol. 3 #41-55
6. Steve Englehart #116-150 (and assorted crossovers, tie-ins and annuals)
7. Kurt Busiek Avengers Forever
8. David Michelinie and company #181-197
9. Stan Lee #1-28
10. Kurt Busiek and George Perez vol. 3 #1-24

[MRP]

I will second everything Scott said, but my personal favorite era of Avengers was the Englehart/Shooter/Perez issues with a little help from friends running from about 140-177 and the Michelinie/Byrne issues from 181-191. That encompasses most of the mid-late 70's.
-M

[Cei-U!]

I honestly can't think of anything I'd add to Scott's list except that I'd extend the Roy Thomas run back to #41 and include Avengers Specials #1 and 2. Other than that, it's all gold.

Cei-U!
I summon the assemblers!

[Chris N]

For classic Avengers, I recommend #41-300. Buscema, Thomas, Englehart, Gerber, Shooter, Michelinie, Stern, Simonson, Perez... you can't go wrong. Geek points to whoever knows what makes those two issues significant in Avengers history.
For more modern Avengers, I recommend Busiek's, #1-55 of vol. 3

[Kurt Busiek]

For more modern Avengers, I recommend Busiek's, #1-55 of vol. 3

You just don't like my last issue, huh?

kdb

[Scott Harris]

For classic Avengers, I recommend #41-300. Buscema, Thomas, Englehart, Gerber, Shooter, Michelinie, Stern, Simonson, Perez... you can't go wrong. Geek points to whoever knows what makes those two issues significant in Avengers history.
For more modern Avengers, I recommend Busiek's, #1-55 of vol. 3

I may be mistaken, but I believe those are the first and last issues drawn by John Buscema.

[crossbones]

my personal favorite was always #181-203... the Michelinie/Byrne/Perez run. that's what got me hooked to begin with.

strangely enough, i don't think it's ever been collected. i could be wrong though... and if i am, someone please point me towards it.

[Kurt Busiek]

my personal favorite was always #181-203... the Michelinie/Byrne/Perez run. that's what got me hooked to begin with.

strangely enough, i don't think it's ever been collected. i could be wrong though... and if i am, someone please point me towards it.

Parts of it have:

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Night...8244450&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Yeste...8244450&sr=8-7

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Visio...8244582&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Aven...244615&sr=8-10

kdb

[crossbones]

Parts of it have:

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Night...8244450&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Yeste...8244450&sr=8-7

http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Visio...8244582&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Aven...244615&sr=8-10

kdb

thanks for the reply.

i think i actually have the "Nights of Wundagore" paperback somewhere.

i do wish they'd just omnibus the whole run... maybe one day they will!

[Boro David]

I may be mistaken, but I believe those are the first and last issues drawn by John Buscema.

The regular issues I think, but he also drew Avengers Annual 23 in 1994 - Roy Thomas wrote it.


Prompted by my 11 year old son, I've just been re-reading the stories in Essential Avengers Vol 4 for the first time in years - Avengers 69-97 all written by Roy Thomas with art by John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams and Tom Palmer.

It features the Kang/Grandmaster, Zodiac, 2nd Sons of the Serpent, Arkon, Red Wolf, Squadron Supreme and Lady Liberator stories and of course the Skrull/Kree war. A high point in late 60's / early 70's Marvel.

David

[SamuraiMike]

Thank you everyone for the advice - I'll have no trouble wondering what to get now!

[destro]

I 2nd all of the opinions given, but unless you plan on buying all of this stuff I suggest you narrow it down a bit by choosing the teams you enjoy most. Perfect example here is Roger Stern's run. Love the man's writing, but really disliked his Avengers rosters. That's not to say it isn't worth reading, it's an amazing run. But for example if I had to choose between say, picking up the Roy Thomas stuff or the Stern stuff I'd go for RT...just because I enjoy the makeup of his teams more.

[Righty]

I consider the most memorable Avengers classics from at least 7 different eras:
#1-8 Lee/Kirby (#9-15 were decent)

Annuals 1 and 2,
first Vision and Yellowjacket 57-60 (41-88 were all good)

Kree-Skrull War 89-97
Asgard by Smith 98-100
post-Thomas through Defenders War 101-118 (119-159 and the Giant Sizes are highly regarded by some)

best of Shooter/Perez/Byrne 160-190 (191-202 were still fun)
Annual 7 and Marvel Two-in-One Annual 2 tie-in -- best Marvel annual crossover ever

best of Stern/Buscema/Palmer 255-285

The Gatherers by Harras/Epting/Palmer, inconsistently through 355-375

best of Busiek/Perez Vol. 3 1-22 AND Ultron Imperative (cool multi-artist 84-page special from 2001)

[Chris N]

You just don't like my last issue, huh?

kdb

Oops. I meant to say #1-54. Those last two...