The Avengers (comic book)
The Avengers is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics that features the superhero team Avengers. The series first appeared in The Avengers no. 1 in September 1963, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. It was developed as a team title that brought together established Marvel characters. It has since become one of the publisher’s longest-running and most prominent franchises.
The series has been relaunched and renumbered multiple times, reflecting changes in creative direction, continuity and publishing strategy. Its roster has included various characters, including Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Captain America, along with many others added over time. Stories usually focus on large-scale threats which individual heroes cannot face alone, a structure that helped define the team’s role in the larger Marvel Universe.
Publication history
In 1960, DC Comics launched a comic book series featuring a team of superheroes called the Justice League. Impressed by that book's strong sales, Martin Goodman, the owner of Marvel Comics predecessor Timely Comics, asked Stan Lee to create a title featuring a similar team of superheroes for Marvel. Lee recounts in Origins of Marvel Comics:Much like the Justice League, the Avengers were an assemblage of pre-existing superhero characters created by Lee and Jack Kirby. Kirby did the artwork for the first eight issues only, in addition to doing the layouts for issues #14–16. This initial series, published bi-monthly through issue #6 and monthly thereafter, ran through issue #402, with spinoffs including several annuals, miniseries and a giant-size quarterly sister series that ran briefly in the mid-1970s. Marvel filed for a trademark for "The Avengers" in 1967 and the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued the registration in 1970.
Between 1996 and 2004, Marvel relaunched the primary Avengers title three times. In 1996, the "Heroes Reborn" line, in which Marvel contracted outside companies to produce four titles, included a new volume of The Avengers. It took place in an alternate universe, with a revamped history unrelated to mainstream Marvel continuity. The Avengers vol. 2 was written by Rob Liefeld and penciled by Jim Valentino, and ran for 13 issues. The final issue, which featured a crossover with the other Heroes Reborn titles, returned the characters to the main Marvel Universe.
The Avengers vol. 3 relaunched and ran for 84 issues from February 1998 to August 2004. To coincide with what would have been the 500th issue of the original series, Marvel changed the numbering, and The Avengers #500-503, the one-shot Avengers Finale became the "Avengers Disassembled" storyline and final issues. Avengers vol. 4 debuted in July 2010 and ran until January 2013. Vol. 5 was launched in February 2013. After Secret Wars, a new Avengers team debuted, dubbed the All-New, All-Different Avengers, starting with a Free Comic Book Day preview.
1960s
In the first issue, the Avengers team began with Ant-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and the Wasp. The roster changed almost immediately after the first issue; in the second issue, Ant-Man became Giant-Man, and at the end of the issue, Hulk quit the team. Issue #4 brought the title's first major milestone: the revival and return of Captain America.1970s
The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema introduced new characters such as Arkon in issue #75 and Red Wolf in #80. The team's adventures increased in scope as the team crossed into an alternate dimension and battled the Squadron Supreme, and fought in the Kree-Skrull War, which guest-starred the Kree hero Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell). Novelist Harlan Ellison plotted two stories for the series. The first was published in issue #88 and the second in #101.Writer Steve Englehart introduced Mantis, who joined the team along with the reformed Swordsman.
During the summer of 1973, Englehart and artists Bob Brown and Sal Buscema produced "The Avengers-Defenders Clash" storyline which crossed over between the two team titles. This eight-issue story was the first summertime cross-title event, and was very popular with readers.
George Pérez became the title's artist with issue #141 which saw the start of a seven-part story featuring the Squadron Supreme and the Serpent Crown. In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Englehart's run on The Avengers eighth on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".
After Englehart departed and a seven-issue stint by Gerry Conway, Jim Shooter began as writer, generating several classic adventures, including "The Bride of Ultron", the "Nefaria Trilogy", and "The Korvac Saga". Shooter introduced the character of Henry Peter Gyrich, the Avengers' liaison to the United States National Security Council. The true origins of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch were revealed in a three-part story that ran in issues #185-187.
1980s
The first major development was the breakdown of Hank Pym, which writer Roger Stern resolved by having Pym outwit Egghead and defeat the latest incarnation of the Masters of Evil single-handedly. Pym proved his innocence.Stern developed several major storylines, such as "Ultimate Vision"; the formation of the West Coast Avengers; and "Avengers Under Siege". Rogue, who would later become a member of the X-Men, was introduced in The Avengers Annual #10 by writer Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden.
Stern created the villain, Nebula, who falsely claimed to be the granddaughter of Thanos. Following Stern's departure, Walt Simonson wrote the series briefly but left due to editorial conflicts.
John Byrne took over writing both West Coast Avengers and The Avengers and merged the two separate Avengers teams into one team with two bases. Byrne's contributions included a revamping of the Vision, and the discovery that the children of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision were actually illusions. The Avengers titles in late 1989 were involved in the major crossover event "Acts of Vengeance".
1990s
Bob Harras and Steve Epting took over the title in the summer of 1991 and introduced a stable lineup with ongoing story lines and character development. Their primary antagonists in this run were the mysterious Proctor and his team of other-dimensional Avengers known as the Gatherers.This culminated in "Operation: Galactic Storm", a 19-part storyline that ran through all Avengers-related titles and showcased a conflict between the Kree and the Shi'ar Empire.
Marvel contracted out The Avengers and three related titles — Captain America, Fantastic Four, and Iron Man to former Marvel artists Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld, two of the founding creators of Image Comics. While The Avengers was relaunched as a new series, the "Heroes Reborn" line ended after a year as planned and the license reverted to Marvel.
Writer Kurt Busiek and penciler George Pérez launched a new volume of the series with The Avengers vol. 3, #1. Busiek concurrently wrote the limited series Avengers Forever. Busiek's run included many of the Avengers' traditional villains.
2000s
Successor writer Geoff Johns dealt with the aftermath of Busiek's Kang arc, as the Avengers were granted international authority by the United Nations. Chuck Austen followed as writer. Writer Brian Michael Bendis then rebooted the series with the "Avengers Disassembled" storyline.2010s
All four Avengers series were canceled, and a new ongoing series titled Avengers was launched in May 2010, written by Brian Michael Bendis and penciled by John Romita Jr.In 2012, a biweekly Avengers title was launched, written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by different artists for each story arc. After "Secret Wars", a new Avengers title dubbed the All-New, All-Different Avengers launched in 2015 written by Mark Waid, with alternating artwork by Mahmud Asrar and Adam Kubert, and covers by Alex Ross. Mark Waid and Alex Ross continued with Avengers vol. 7, which launched in 2017, with artwork by Mike del Mundo.
It was relaunched once again in 2018 as part of Marvel's "Fresh Start" relaunch featuring a creative by Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness.
Contributors
Vol. 8 (2018–2023)
Cast
Volume 1The below information for Volume 1 is based on the upper left corner of issues, which would show faces of avengers which allows us to have a general idea of the official roster.
| Issues | Years | Team roster |
| #191-194 | 1980 | Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Carol Danvers, Vision, Wasp, Beast, Falcon |
| #195-200 | 1980 | Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Carol Danvers, Vision, Wasp, Wonder Man |
| #201-211 | 1980-1981 | Beast, Wasp, Vision, Iron Man, Captain America, Wonder Man, Scarlet Witch |
| #212-216 | 1981-1982 | Captain America, Wasp, Hank Pym, Thor, Iron Man, Tigra |
| #217-218 | 1982 | Captain America, Wasp, Hank Pym, Thor, Iron Man |
| #219-220 | 1982 | Captain America, Wasp, Iron Man, Thor |
| #221-231 | 1982-1983 | Captain America, Wasp, Hawkeye, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Thor |
| #232 | 1983 | Wasp, Thor, Captain America, She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau, Starfox, Hawkeye |
| #233-234 | 1983 | Wasp, Thor, Captain America, She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau, Starfox |
| #235-239 | 1983-1984 | Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Captain America, She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau, Starfox |
| #240-241 | 1984 | Starfox, She-Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Monica Rambeau |
| #242 | 1984 | Captain America, She-Hulk, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Thor, Starfox |
| #243-247 | 1984 | Captain America, Vision, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Witch, Starfox |
| #248 | 1984 | Starfox, Vision, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Witch |
| #249 | 1984 | Thor, Vision, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Witch, Starfox |
| #250 | 1984 | Vision, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Hercules, Starfox |
| #251 | 1985 | Captain America, Vision, Hercules, Monica Rambeau, Scarlet Witch, Starfox |
| #252-253 | 1985 | Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Starfox, Hercules, Vision |
| #254 | 1985 | Captain America, Starfox, Black Knight, Wonder Man, Hercules, Scarlet Witch |
| #255-256 | 1985 | Captain America, Hercules, Wasp, Black Knight, Starfox |
| #257-261 | 1985 | Captain America, Starfox, Black Knight, Wasp, Hercules, Monica Rambeau |
| #262 | 1985 | Captain America, Black Knight, Hercules, Wasp, Monica Rambeau |
| #263-277 | 1986-1987 | Namor, Black Knight, Hercules, Wasp, Monica Rambeau, Captain America |
| #278 | 1987 | Hercules, Monica Rambeau, Captain America, Black Knight, Wasp |
| #279 | 1987 | Monica Rambeau, Captain America, Thor, Doctor Druid, She-Hulk, Black Knight |
| #280 | 1987 | Namor, Black Knight, Hercules, Wasp, Thor, Captain America |
| #281 | 1987 | Thor, Monica Rambeau, She-Hulk, Doctor Druid, Black Knight, Captain America |
| #282 | 1987 | Monica Rambeau, Doctor Druid, Black Knight, Namor, Captain America, She-Hulk |
| #283-286 | 1987 | Monica Rambeau, Namor, Black Knight, Thor, Captain America, She-Hulk |
| #287-293 | 1988 | Monica Rambeau, Black Knight, She-Hulk, Doctor Druid, Namor |
| #294-298 | 1988 | Thor, Black Knight, Doctor Druid, She-Hulk |
| #299 | 1989 | Captain America, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman |
| #300-305 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Mister Fantastic, Forgotten One, Invisible Woman |
| #306 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Black Panther, Quasar, She-Hulk |
| #307 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Quasar, Forgotten One, She-Hulk |
| #308-309 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Namor, Forgotten One, She-Hulk |
| #310 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Namor, Sersi, She-Hulk |
| #311 | 1989 | Thor, Captain America, Sersi, Namor, Quasar, She-Hulk |
| #312 | 1989 | Falcon, Wasp, Hank Pym, Vision, Scarlet Witch |
| #313 | 1990 | Thor, Vision, Quasar, Captain America |
| #314 | 1990 | Thor, Sersi, Captain America |
| #315 | 1990 | Thor, Sersi, Captain America, Vision |
| #316-319 | 1990 | Thor, Sersi, Iron Man, Captain America, Vision |
| #320-324 | 1990 | Stingray, Sersi, Quasar, Captain America, Vision |
| #325-331 | 1990-1991 | Thor, Sersi, Iron Man, Captain America, Vision |
| #332-334 | 1991 | Thor, Sersi, Captain America, Vision |
| #335-342 | 1991 | Thor, Sersi, Hercules, Captain America, Vision |
| #343 | 1992 | Thunderstrike, Crystal, Captain America, Hercules, Black Knight |
| #344-350 | 1992 | Thunderstrike, Vision, Black Knight, Hercules, Captain America, Crystal |
| #351-357 | 1992 | Thunderstrike, Vision, Hercules, Black Knight, Crystal |
| #358 | 1993 | Sersi, Vision, Hercules, Black Knight, Crystal |
Collected editions
''Avengers'' Vol. 1
[Marvel Masterworks]
| Volume | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
| Vol. 1 | Avengers #1–10 | ||
| Vol. 2 | Avengers #11–20 | ||
| Vol. 3 | Avengers #21–30 | April 6, 2011 | |
| Vol. 4 | Avengers #31–40 | April 11, 2012 | |
| Vol. 5 | Avengers #41–50, Annual #1 | July 9, 2013 | |
| Vol. 6 | Avengers #51–58, Annual #2, X-Men #45 | December 13, 2006 | |
| Vol. 7 | Avengers #59–68, Marvel Super–Heroes #17 | October 17, 2007 | |
| Vol. 8 | Avengers #69–79 | December 17, 2008 | |
| Vol. 9 | Avengers #80–88, The Incredible Hulk #140 | May 28, 2009 | |
| Vol. 10 | Avengers #89–100 | May 19, 2010 | |
| Vol. 11 | Avengers #101–111, Daredevil #99 | July 13, 2011 | |
| Vol. 12 | Avengers #112–119, Defenders #8–11, and material from FOOM #5–7. | March 2012 | |
| Vol. 13 | Avengers #120-128, Giant-Size Avengers #1, Captain Marvel #33 and Fantastic Four #150 | June 19, 2013 | |
| Vol. 14 | Avengers #129-135, Giant-Size Avengers #2-4, and material from FOOM #12 | July 16, 2014 | |
| Vol. 15 | Avengers #136-149 | ||
| Vol. 16 | Avengers #150-163, Annual #6, and Super-Villain Team-Up #9 | ||
| Vol. 17 | Avengers #164-177, Annual #7, and Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 | ||
| Vol. 18 | Avengers #178-188, Annual #8-9, Marvel Premiere #49 and material from Marvel Tales #100 | ||
| Vol. 19 | Avengers #189-202, Marvel Premiere #55 and Tales to Astonish #12 | ||
| Vol. 20 | Avengers #203-216, Annual #10 and material from Marvel Super-Action #35-37 | ||
| Vol. 21 | Avengers #217-226, Annual #11, The Vision and The Scarlet Witch #1-4 and material from Marvel Fanfare #3 | ||
| Vol. 22 | Avengers #227-235, Annual #12, The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, Doctor Strange #60, Fantastic Four #256 and part of #257. | ||
| Vol. 23 | Avengers #236-245, Annual #13 and Hawkeye #1-4. | ||
| Vol. 24 | Avengers #246-254, Avengers West Coast #1-4 and Iron Man Annual #7 | ||
| Vol. 25 | Avengers #255-263, Annual #14, Marvel Graphic Novel #27 & Fantastic Four #286 |
''Avengers'' Vol. 3
Complete Collections
NB: The Avengers Assemble volumes comprise most of the Busiek and Pérez run.| Volume | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 1 | Avengers vol. 3 #1–11, Annual 1998; Iron Man vol. 3 #7; Captain America vol. 3 #8; Quicksilver #10 | January 12, 2011 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 2 | Avengers vol. 3 #12–23 and #0, Annual 1999; Avengers: Rough Cut. | March 2012 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 3 | Avengers vol. 3 #23–34, #1½, Annual 2000; Thunderbolts #42–44 | July 26, 2006 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 4 | Avengers vol. 3 #35–44, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative, "Maximum Security #1-3" and "Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet" | January 31, 2007 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 5 | Avengers vol. 3 #45–56, Annual 2001 | November 7, 2007 | |
| Avengers: The Complete Collection by Geoff Johns, vol. 1 | Avengers vol. 3 #57-63, Vision #1-4, Thor vol. 2 #58, Iron Man vol. 3 #64 | 2013 | |
| Avengers: The Complete Collection by Geoff Johns, vol. 2 | Avengers vol. 3 #64-76 | 2013 |
Hardcovers
NB: The Avengers Assemble volumes and Avengers: Disassembled are oversized.| Volume | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 1 | Avengers vol. 3 #1–11, Annual 1998; Iron Man vol. 3 #7; Captain America vol. 3 #8; Quicksilver #10 | August 4, 2004 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 2 | Avengers vol. 3 #12–22, #0 and Annual 1999 | April 6, 2005 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 3 | Avengers vol. 3 #23–34, #1½, Thunderbolts #42–44 | July 26, 2006 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 4 | Avengers vol. 3 #35–40, Annual 2000, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative, Maximum Security #1-3" and "Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet" | January 31, 2007 | |
| Avengers Assemble, Vol. 5 | Avengers vol. 3 #41–56, Annual 2001 | November 7, 2007 | |
| Avengers, Vol. 1: World Trust | Avengers vol. 3 #57–61 | February 10, 2010 | |
| Avengers, Vol. 2: Standoff | Avengers vol. 3 #62–64, Thor vol. 2 #58, and Iron Man vol. 3 #64. | February 10, 2010 | |
| Avengers, Vol. 3: Red Zone | Avengers vol. 3 #65–70 | May 26, 2010 | |
| Avengers, Vol. 4: The Search for She-Hulk | Avengers vol. 3 #71–76 | August 4, 2010 | |
| Avengers: Disassembled | Avengers #500–503 ; Avengers Finale | December 20, 2006 |
''Avengers'' Vol. 5
Avengers Vol. 5, entirely written by Jonathan Hickman, is best read in tandem with his concurrent New Avengers Vol. 3. As such, given below are the collected editions for both his Avengers and New Avengers series.Trade Paperbacks and Standard-Size Hardcovers
All volumes listed here were available as trade paperbacks and standard-size hardcovers with the exception of Infinity, which was released only as a paperback and as an oversized hardcover.| Volume | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
| Avengers Vol. 1: Avengers World | Avengers vol. 5 #1–6 | April 30, 2013 | |
| Avengers Vol. 2: The Last White Event | Avengers vol. 5 #7-11 | July 23, 2013 | |
| Avengers Vol. 3: Prelude to Infinity | Avengers vol. 5 #12-17 | October 29, 2013 | |
| Avengers Vol. 4: Infinity | Avengers vol. 5 #18-23 | January 28, 2014 | |
| Avengers Vol. 5: Adapt or Die | Avengers vol. 5 #24-28 | July 15, 2014 | |
| Avengers Vol. 6: Infinite Avengers | Avengers vol. 5 #29-34 | November 18, 2014 | |
| Infinity | Infinity #1-6, Avengers vol. 5 #14-23, New Avengers vol. 3 #7-12 | ||
| New Avengers Vol. 1: Everything Dies | New Avengers vol. 3 #1-6 | July 16, 2013 | |
| New Avengers Vol. 2: Infinity | New Avengers vol. 3 #7-12 | January 14, 2014 | |
| New Avengers Vol. 3: Other Worlds | New Avengers vol. 3 #13-17 | July 1, 2014 | |
| New Avengers Vol. 4: A Perfect World | New Avengers vol. 3 #18-23 | November 18, 2014 | |
| Time Runs Out, vol. 1 | Avengers vol. 5 #35-37; New Avengers vol. 3 #24-25 | January 14, 2015 | |
| Time Runs Out, vol. 2 | Avengers vol. 5 #38-39; New Avengers vol. 3 #26-28 | March 10, 2015 | |
| Time Runs Out, vol. 3 | Avengers vol. 5 #40-42; New Avengers vol. 3 #29-30 | May 26, 2015 | |
| Time Runs Out, vol. 4 | Avengers vol. 5 #43-44; New Avengers vol. 3 #31-33 | June 30, 2015 |