The Avengers are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 (cover-dated September 1963). Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Hulk, Thor, and Wasp. Captain America was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him. The Avengers are an all-star ensemble cast of established superhero characters from the Marvel Comics portfolio.
Diegetically, these superheroes usually operate independently but occasionally assemble as a team to tackle especially formidable villains. This in contrast to certain other superhero teams such as the X-Men, whose characters were created specifically to be part of their team, with the team being central to their identity.
The cast usually features a few highly popular characters who have their own solo books, such as Iron Man, alongside a number of lesser-known characters who benefit from exposure, such as Quicksilver, Wonder Man, and Tigra.
The Avengers have appeared in a wide variety of media outside of comic books, including several different animated television series and direct-to-video films. Beginning in 2008, the group were adapted in a film series from Marvel Studios, known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, culminating with The Avengers in 2012 and continued in subsequent films.
Publication history
1960s
The team debuted in The Avengers #1 (September 1963). Much like the Justice League of DC Comics, the original line-up of the Avengers consisted of heroes who each had existing series of their own. All of the characters were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This initial series, published bi-monthly through issue #6 (July 1964) and monthly thereafter, ran through issue #402 (Sept. 1996). As set out in the first issue, when the Asgardian god Loki seeks revenge against his brother Thor, his machinations unwittingly lead the Hulk's friend, the teenager Rick Jones, to collect Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Iron Man to help Thor and the Hulk, the latter of whom Loki used as a pawn. After the group vanquished Loki, Ant-Man stated that the five worked well together and suggested they form a team; the Wasp named the group Avengers.
The roster changed almost immediately; in the second issue (November 1963), Ant-Man assumed the new name and identity of Giant-Man, and at the end of the issue, the Hulk left once he realized how much the others feared his unstable personality. Captain America joined the team in issue #4 (March 1964),DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 99: "'Captain America lives again!' announced the cover of The Avengers #4. A mere [four] months after his imposter had appeared in Strange Tales #114, the real Cap was back." and he was later given the status of "founding member." The Hulk, upset about being replaced by Captain America and the apparent betrayal by Rick, sought revenge against the Avengers, who teamed up with the Fantastic Four to stop him in The Fantastic Four #26 (May 1964). The Avengers went on to fight foes such as Baron Zemo, who formed the Masters of Evil,DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 101: "The Masters of Evil, the Avengers' evil counterparts, launched their first attack in The Avengers #6." Kang the Conqueror first appeared in issue #8;DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 101: "Time travel had fascinated writers of speculative fiction ever since H. G. Wells published The Time Machine, so Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced their own master of time in The Avengers #8." Kirby left the series following this issue, replaced by Don Heck. Wonder ManDeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 102: "Created to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers, Wonder Man ultimately sacrificed himself to save them." and Count NefariaDeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 106: "Europe's wealthiest nobleman, Count Nefaria, had a terrible secret: he was also the most powerful crime lord on Earth. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, Nefaria secretly ran the worldwide criminal organization called the Maggia." appeared as antagonists subsequently. In issue #16 (May 1965), every member but Captain America resigned. They were replaced by three former villains: Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver.DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 108: "No super hero team in the history of comic books had ever gone through such a massive overhaul. A new precedent had been set! The Avengers line-up continued to change and evolve over the years." This version of the group became known as "Cap's Kooky Quartet." In issue #28, Giant-Man, now calling himself Goliath, and the Wasp rejoined.
In 1966, Roy Thomas replaced Lee as the writer of the series. Under Thomas's tenure, Hercules became part of the team, while the Black Knight and Black Widow abetted the Avengers but did not become members until years later. Spider-Man was offered membership but did not join the group. John Buscema replaced Heck as the main artist for the series with issue #41 (June 1967). The Black Panther joined in issue #52 (May 1968), after rescuing the team from the Grim Reaper and Klaw.DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 130: "For issue #52, [writer Roy] Thomas introduced [Wonder Man's] brother Eric, who became the Grim Reaper." The X-Men #45 (June 1968) featured a crossover with The Avengers #53 (June 1968). This was followed by the introduction of the android Vision, in issue #57 (October 1968).DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 132: "The updated Vision was created by writer Roy Thomas, who continued his trick of taking a name that Marvel already owned and creating a new super hero around it ... The new Vision, drawn by John Buscema, was a synthozoid – an android with synthetic human organs." Pym assumed the new identity of Yellowjacket in issue #59,DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "Hank had suffered a mental breakdown and created this new identity." and married the Wasp the following month.DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 134: "Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp) and Hank Pym ... finally tied the knot in The Avengers #60."
The Avengers headquarters was in a New York City building called Avengers Mansion, courtesy of Tony Stark (Iron Man's real identity). The mansion was serviced by Edwin Jarvis, the Avengers' butler,DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 103: "Tales of Suspense #59 also presented Edwin Jarvis for the first time, the longtime butler of the Avengers." and furnished with state of the art technology and defense systems, and included the Avengers' primary mode of transport: the five-engine Quinjet.
1970s The team encountered new characters such as Arkon in issue #75 (April 1970)Sanderson, Peter "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 145 and Red Wolf in #80 (Sept. 1970).Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 146: "Red Wolf was Marvel's first Native American super hero." The team's adventures increased in scope as the team crossed into an alternate dimension and battled the Squadron Supreme.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 148 In a nine-part storyline, beginning in issue #89 (June 1971), the group fought in the Kree–Skrull War,Daniels p. 150: "This wild tale ... attempted to tie together more than thirty years of the company's stories ... More than any previous work, 'The Kree-Skrull War' solidified the idea that every comic book Marvel had ever published was part of an endless, ongoing saga."Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 150: "Unprecedented in Marvel history, this epic spanned nine issues of The Avengers. The saga began in The Avengers #89." an epic battle between the alien Kree and Skrull races guest-starring the Kree hero, Captain Marvel. The Avengers briefly disbanded when Skrulls impersonating Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man used their authority as founders of the team and disbanded it. The true founding Avengers, minus the Wasp, reformed the team in response after complaints from Jarvis.
Mantis joined the team along with the reformed Swordsman. "The Avengers-Defenders Clash" storyline crossed over with issues of another Marvel superhero team, The Defenders.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 160: "Loki and Dormammu manipulated two super-teams into the Avengers-Defenders war, starting in The Avengers #116 and The Defenders #9 in October ." "The Celestial Madonna" arc linked Mantis' origins to the very beginnings of the Kree-Skrull conflict in a time-spanning adventure involving Kang the ConquerorSanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 166: "Writer Steve Englehart started an epic story line in which Kang the Conqueror tried to locate the Celestial Madonna." and Immortus, who were past and future versions of each other. Mantis was revealed to be the Celestial Madonna, destined to give birth to a being that would save the universe. It was revealed that the Vision's body had only been appropriated, and not created by Ultron, and that it had belonged to the original Human Torch, who had been an android created by Professor Horton. With his origins clear to him and a new feeling of rootedness, the Vision proposed to the Scarlet Witch. The "Celestial Madonna" saga ended with their wedding, presided over by Immortus.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 169: "Writer Steve Englehart and veteran Avengers artist Don Heck presented the grand finale of the long-running 'Celestial Madonna' saga ... Immortus presided over the double wedding of Mantis to the resurrected Swordsman, and the android Vision to the Scarlet Witch." Beast and Moondragon joined the team soon after. A seven-part story featured the Squadron Supreme and the Serpent Crown.
The series spawned spinoffs including several annuals and miniseries, and a giant-size quarterly sister series that ran briefly in the mid-1970s. Writers of the first series included Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, Jim Shooter, David Michelinie, and Roger Stern. Artists included Jack Kirby, Don Heck, John Buscema, George Tuska, Gene Colan, Barry Smith, Tom Palmer, Neal Adams, Bob Brown, Dave Cockrum, Sal Buscema, George Perez, John Byrne and Steve Epting.
Other classic storylines included "The Bride of Ultron", the "Nefaria Trilogy", and "The Korvac Saga", which featured nearly every Avenger who joined the team up to that point.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 184: "Writer Jim Shooter and artist George Pérez began their saga pitting their seemingly omnipotent villain, Michael Korvac against Earth's Mightiest Heroes in The Avengers #167." Henry Peter Gyrich became the Avengers' liaison to the United States National Security Council. Gyrich was prejudiced against superhumans and acted in a heavy-handed, obstructive manner, and insisted that the Avengers follow government rules and regulations or else lose their priority status with the government. Among Gyrich's demands was that the active roster be trimmed down to only seven members, and that the Falcon, an African American, be admitted to the team to comply with affirmative action laws. Hawkeye lost his membership slot to the Falcon because of the seven-member limit, which he resented. The Falcon, in turn, was unhappy to be the beneficiary of what he perceived to be tokenism, and decided to resign from the team, after which Wonder Man rejoined. 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).Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 190: "Readers learned how a mysterious woman, Magda, gave birth to the mutant twins at Wundagore Mountain before disappearing into the wilderness." After this adventure, the Scarlet Witch took a leave of absence and Ms. Marvel officially joined the team as her replacement.
1980s