Thinking of getting back with Avengers, am I nuts?

[Ross2]

So I lasted with Avengers from the early 80s until about 3 years into the Busiek era (volume 3 I think its called). Life caught up with me and I gave up on comics completely then. Its too bad, because I had pretty much all of the Avengers ever printed from the mid 70s until 2001.

My son is now at the age where he likes Thor, Iron Man and Cap and of course the movies are a big deal now.

Am I nuts to try to catch up and start reading the different Avengers books?

I was thinking of starting around Disassembled and work my way up. Thoughts?

[kevinbastos]

If you can find this, perhaps on eBay?

http://www.amazon.com/40-years-of-the-A ... 741&sr=8-9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ross2]

Nice suggestion, but I have pretty much all from 1977 to 2001 already, and for the parts that I was missing, I could get it all for a lot less than $300.

Wondering if there were any other Avengers fans on these boards.

[kevinbastos]

Nice suggestion, but I have pretty much all from 1977 to 2001 already, and for the parts that I was missing, I could get it all for a lot less than $300.

Wondering if there were any other Avengers fans on these boards.

Keep an eye on eBay. It was originally a $50 item. When the movie slows down, you could probably find it around $100.

[MrBigFeathas]

Nuts would be getting all of those and then going for everything you need prior to 1977.

[Dr. Solar]

You're nuts.

Granted, I enjoyed Avengers from Disassembled through House of M and Civil War, and a lot of it from Civil War up to Secret Invasion.

After Secret Invasion, I was out. I haven't really enjoyed it since.

[kevinbastos]

I haven't read big chunks of Avengers - but my reading and exposure to others told me some great stories were in those sixties and seventies books. I'm still early in the sixties - and the book has taken a big upward turn since the 'Silver Age' started. Frankly, most of those EARLY Silver Marvel books were PAINFUL! (spider-Man noted exception). Has anyone attempted to read Hulk 2-6 from the sixties? Ugh...

[Cyberstrike]

With the many changes, cancellations, restarts, reboots, and renumbering since the end of the Disassembled arc, it's hard for me too even the descriptions of the various Avengers titles without getting a headache. Frankly the last great story I read was Avengers Forever a 12 issue maxi-series written by Kurt Busiek and the 60 issue Captian Marvel spin-off series written by Peter David.

I gave New Avengers vol. 1 a chance but utterly disappointed by it. It was (and IMHO still is) a great idea, just Bendis didn't make it feel like a big deal, like Morrison did on JLA #1 back in the 90s.

[Ross2]

Well I got Disassembled and New Avengers volume 1. So far I think they are great. Considering what ppl have told me, I was expecting more completely whack continuity and terrible art/writing. But so far its been great and I have no real complaints (okay fine, I don't want Spidey and Wolverine in it, but both do have some great banter).

I am expecting Iron Man and Captain America to leave though, right? I thought New Avengers was Cage's baby.

[Doorman]

I really enjoyed New Avengers - especially the Secret Invasion stuff (I think I read 30 issues of Secret Invasion and tie-ins in one day - totally sucked in!).

Avengers: the Initiative is an even better read (but it doesn't have the draw of big name characters).

[Ross2]

I really enjoyed New Avengers - especially the Secret Invasion stuff (I think I read 30 issues of Secret Invasion and tie-ins in one day - totally sucked in!).

Avengers: the Initiative is an even better read (but it doesn't have the draw of big name characters).

Is Initiative the one where evil Iron Man tried to create a SuperHero Army school or something?

[Lightning Strike]

So I lasted with Avengers from the early 80s until about 3 years into the Busiek era (volume 3 I think its called). Life caught up with me and I gave up on comics completely then. Its too bad, because I had pretty much all of the Avengers ever printed from the mid 70s until 2001.

My son is now at the age where he likes Thor, Iron Man and Cap and of course the movies are a big deal now.

Am I nuts to try to catch up and start reading the different Avengers books?

I was thinking of starting around Disassembled and work my way up. Thoughts?

I have read all of the Avengers issues (been a fan since I was a kid), and I would have to say that after the Busiek/Perez series, it's been all down hill. The only exception is Avengers Initiative, which I'm reading right now and loving it.

[Lightning Strike]

I really enjoyed New Avengers - especially the Secret Invasion stuff (I think I read 30 issues of Secret Invasion and tie-ins in one day - totally sucked in!).

Avengers: the Initiative is an even better read (but it doesn't have the draw of big name characters).

Is Initiative the one where evil Iron Man tried to create a SuperHero Army school or something?

I wouldn't quite put it that way, but yeah

[Lightning Strike]

I really enjoyed New Avengers - especially the Secret Invasion stuff (I think I read 30 issues of Secret Invasion and tie-ins in one day - totally sucked in!).

Avengers: the Initiative is an even better read (but it doesn't have the draw of big name characters).

[Doorman]

yeah - the Busiek/Perez stuff was a lot of fun!

I really enjoyed Busiek's Avengers Forever, too. Perfect read for an Avengers continuity junkie like myself.

[Chiclo]

yeah - the Busiek/Perez stuff was a lot of fun!

I really enjoyed Busiek's Avengers Forever, too. Perfect read for an Avengers continuity junkie like myself.

I have most of that series. Good stuff, Rick Jones, the Kree Supreme Intelligence and Kang team up to save the Avengers.

[Dr. Solar]

Well I got Disassembled and New Avengers volume 1. So far I think they are great. Considering what ppl have told me, I was expecting more completely whack continuity and terrible art/writing. But so far its been great and I have no real complaints (okay fine, I don't want Spidey and Wolverine in it, but both do have some great banter).

I am expecting Iron Man and Captain America to leave though, right? I thought New Avengers was Cage's baby.

It started off pretty well. It isn't terrible continuity or anything, it isn't a mess like you might think from some of the comments here. It's pretty streamlined actually, as long as you know the order of the various series (not hard to figure out).

What got to me, and probably got to some is the "aBendisitis" of it all. Terrible issues with one quarter of an issues worth of story, drawn out over too many pages.

[Lightning Strike]

yeah - the Busiek/Perez stuff was a lot of fun!

I really enjoyed Busiek's Avengers Forever, too. Perfect read for an Avengers continuity junkie like myself.

Yep. AF is all around fun even if you're not an Avengers fan. But if you are, it makes it even more awesome. I have both the floppies and the trade of this. It's that cool

[Lightning Strike]

Well I got Disassembled and New Avengers volume 1. So far I think they are great. Considering what ppl have told me, I was expecting more completely whack continuity and terrible art/writing. But so far its been great and I have no real complaints (okay fine, I don't want Spidey and Wolverine in it, but both do have some great banter).

I am expecting Iron Man and Captain America to leave though, right? I thought New Avengers was Cage's baby.

It started off pretty well. It isn't terrible continuity or anything, it isn't a mess like you might think from some of the comments here. It's pretty streamlined actually, as long as you know the order of the various series (not hard to figure out).

What got to me, and probably got to some is the "aBendisitis" of it all. Terrible issues with one quarter of an issues worth of story, drawn out over too many pages.

Bingo!

[400yrs]

Well I got Disassembled and New Avengers volume 1. So far I think they are great. Considering what ppl have told me, I was expecting more completely whack continuity and terrible art/writing. But so far its been great and I have no real complaints (okay fine, I don't want Spidey and Wolverine in it, but both do have some great banter).

I am expecting Iron Man and Captain America to leave though, right? I thought New Avengers was Cage's baby.

It started off pretty well. It isn't terrible continuity or anything, it isn't a mess like you might think from some of the comments here. It's pretty streamlined actually, as long as you know the order of the various series (not hard to figure out).

What got to me, and probably got to some is the "aBendisitis" of it all. Terrible issues with one quarter of an issues worth of story, drawn out over too many pages.

I agree but the second stage of aBendisitis is when you realize that every single character has the same exact voice. That of Bendis.

[Ross2]

So I read Disassembled and now I am reading through New Avengers volume 1. Should I branch out at any time? Isn't the next Avengers comic called Mighty Avengers?

[leonmallett]

I have been re-reading from the Disassembled launch too; I am reading full volumes and catching up between titles (New/Mighty/Dark) and the events I have in collected editions (Civil War, Secret Invasion etc), and to be honest, a strict issue by issue reading order hasn't been necessary to re-read in this way.

But hey, I may go against the grain as a long-time Avengers fan who mostly likes Bendis' run (save for the over-use of Osborn and the latter-day lack of distinction between various teams that he was writing in terms of cast).

[Ross2]

When I got to the end of Disassembled, it did really make sense. Wanda really should have been a complete nutcase and its a little surprising this didn't happen earlier. I think the only thing I didn't like was the sequencing of the Events and the deaths.

I'm just going to assume that everyone that died has probably come back by now.

On another board, someone gave this reading order list, hope it helps:

Avengers Disassembled
New Avengers vol 1: Breakout
New Avengers vol 2: Sentry
House of M
New Avengers vol 3: Secrets and Lies
New Avengers vol 4: The Collective
Civil War
New Avengers vol 5: Civil War
Death of Captain America vol 1: Death of the Dream
Death of Captain America vol 2: The Burden of Dreams
Death of Captain America vol 3: The Man Who Bought America
Avengers: The Initiative vol 1: Basic Training
Avengers: The Initiative vol 2: Killed in Action
New Avengers vol 6: Revolution
New Avengers vol 7: The Trust
Mighty Avengers: Assemble
Thor vol 1
Secret Invasion
Avengers: The Initiative vol 3: Secret Invasion
Avengers: The Initiative vol 4: Disassembled
Thor vol 2-3
Mighty Avengers: Dark Reign
Invincible Iron Man: World's Most Wanted
Dark Avengers vol 1: Assemble
Dark Avengers vol 2: Molecule Man
New Avengers vol 10: Power
New Avengers vol 11: Search for the Sorceror Supreme
New Avengers vol 12: Powerloss
Avengers: The Initiative: Dreams and Nightmares
Thor: Latverian Prometheus
Captain America: Reborn
Invincible Iron Man: Stark Disassembled
Siege
Avengers: The Initiative: Siege
New Avengers: Siege
Dark Avengers: Siege
Avengers vol 1
Avengers vol 2
New Avengers vol 1
New Avengers vol 2
Secret Avengers vol 1
Secret Avengers vol 2
Avengers Academy vol 1
Avengers Academy vol 2
Fear Itself
Fear Itself: Avengers
Fear Itself: Secret Avengers
Fear Itself: Avengers Academy
Avengers vol 3
New Avengers vol 3
Secret Avengers: The Descendants
Avengers Assemble

[Doorman]

The Mighty Avengers books by Bendis aren't really that good - but I enjoyed the run after his on the title.

[Xtianhardy]

IMHO all of the Bendis Avengers titles suffered a significant drop in quality after Civil War concluded. Secret Invasion et al can be skipped completely. Avengers titles by writers other than Bendis have been good (Secret Avengers, in particular). One series that cannot seem to get enough praise, particularly on the CBR boards, is Avengers Academy: The Children's Crusade.

Personally, I feel that the Thunderbolts (now retitled Dark Avengers, temporarily I hope) have been much more enjoyable for the past few years than the Avengers titles.