The Avengers (comic book)

1960s

In the first issue, the Avengers team began with Ant-Man (Hank Pym), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Iron Man (Anthony Stark), Thor, and the Wasp (Janet van Dyne).[14] 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.[15] Issue #4 brought the title's first major milestone: the revival and return of Captain America (Steve Rogers).[16][17]

1970s

The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema introduced new characters such as Arkon in issue #75 (April 1970)[18] and Red Wolf in #80 (Sept. 1970).[19] The team's adventures increased in scope as the team crossed into an alternate dimension and battled the Squadron Supreme,[20][21][22] and fought in the Kree-Skrull War,[23][24][25] which guest-starred the Kree hero Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell). Novelist Harlan Ellison plotted two stories for the series. The first ("The Summons of Psyklop") was published in issue #88 (May 1971)[26][27] and the second ("Five Dooms to Save Tomorrow") in #101 (July 1972).[28]

Writer Steve Englehart introduced Mantis, who joined the team along with the reformed Swordsman.[29]

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.[30][31][32] This eight-issue story was the first summertime cross-title event,[33] and was very popular with readers.

George Pérez became the title's artist with issue #141 (Nov. 1975) which saw the start of a seven-part story featuring the Squadron Supreme and the Serpent Crown.[34] In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Englehart's run on The Avengers eighth on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".[35]

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",[36][37] the "Nefaria Trilogy",[38][39][40] and "The Korvac Saga".[41][42] Shooter introduced the character of Henry Peter Gyrich, the Avengers' liaison to the United States National Security Council.[39][43] The true origins of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch were revealed in a three-part story that ran in issues #185-187 (July-Sept. 1979).[44]

1980s

The first major development was the breakdown of Hank Pym,[45] 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.[46]

Stern developed several major storylines, such as "Ultimate Vision";[47][48][49][50] the formation of the West Coast Avengers;[51][52] and "Avengers Under Siege".[53] Rogue, who would later become a member of the X-Men, was introduced in The Avengers Annual #10 (1981) by writer Chris Claremont and artist Michael Golden.[54][55]

Stern created the villain, Nebula, who falsely claimed to be the granddaughter of Thanos.[56] Following Stern's departure, Walt Simonson wrote the series briefly but left due to editorial conflicts.[57][58]

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.[59] 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.[60]

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.[61] 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.[62]

Writer Kurt Busiek and penciler George Pérez launched a new volume of the series with The Avengers vol. 3, #1 (Feb. 1998).[63] 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.[64][65]

2010s

All four Avengers series (The Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Dark Avengers, and Avengers: The Initiative) 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.[66]

In 2012, a biweekly Avengers title was launched, written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by different artists for each story arc.[67] After "Secret Wars", a new Avengers title (vol. 6) 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.[68] 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 (w) and Ed McGuinness (pen).[69]

Vol. 1 (1963–1996, 2004, 2017–2018)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 2 (1996–1997)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 3 (1998–2004)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 4 (2010–2013)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 5 (2013–2015)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 6 (2015–2016)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 7 (2017)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 8 (2018–2023)

Writers

Pencilers

Vol. 9 (2023–present)

Writers

Pencilers

Avengers Vol. 1

Omnibus

Marvel Masterworks

(hardcover only after Volume 6)

Epic Collections

Other Collections

Avengers Vol. 2

Avengers Vol. 3

Omnibus

Complete Collections

NB: The Avengers Assemble volumes comprise most of the Busiek and Pérez run.

Hardcovers

NB: The Avengers Assemble volumes and Avengers: Disassembled are oversized.

Trade Paperbacks

Avengers Vol. 4

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.

Omnibus

Oversized Hardcovers

Complete Collections

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.

Avengers Vol. 6: All-New, All-Different Avengers

Avengers Vol. 7: Avengers Unleashed

Avengers Vol. 8

Avengers Vol. 9