What was the best Avengers run?

[The Kid]

Busiek was my favorite. I kinda liked Bendis' run in parts and Hickman's was obviously fantastic. I guess you could say that Hickman's run encompassed a lot more of the Marvel Universe than just the Avengers but seeing as Iron Man and Captain America were probably the two most important characters, I still view it as a seminal Avengers run in the end. "One was life, one was death".

And "The Ultimates" of course.

[manymade1]

If the Ultimates counts, I might have to change my vote to that. The Ultimates (Specifically the first one) really feels like a definitive Avenger's story. It gets to the heart of the characters and their mission statement in a way that it feels like it's honoring everything that came before it.

[Ultimate Captain America]

Nobody has mentioned the initial run by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, or the "cap's kooky quartet" period.

[Adset]

I think Busiek holds the top spot for me because I really hated the Avengers for most of the 90s. It just never landed with me. Then we got Heroes Reborn, which was a giant punch to the groin...

So when Heroes Return happened, and Busiek took over, it was the first time in forever that I was enjoying Avengers. For those who weren't reading comics in the mid-90s, it's hard to explain just how bad the core Avengers books were at the time (Avengers, Iron Man, Thor). Captain America was experiencing a revival w/ Waid and Garney, but the rest... egads. It was a very painful time to be a fan of anything that wasn't X-related, IMO. Busiek's tenure ushered in a return to greatness.

[K7P5V]

It was a very painful time to be a fan of anything that wasn't X-related, IMO.

I'm sure there were a few fans of Wolverine who thought the 90's were painful.

[Marvell2100]

No particular order:

Stern
Shooter
Busiek
Harras

[Triniking1234]

Thomas on Avengers, Byrne with WCA.

Nobody has mentioned the initial run by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, or the "cap's kooky quartet" period.

crap

[Witchfan]

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby saved their best stuff for Fantastic Four. Avengers was just their B Team. Don Heck wasn't a great artist, so I don't love his issues. The first forty issues aren't the best. The book only really takes off with the arrival of John Buscema as artist.

[Zero Hunter]

The answer is Roger Stern. This is not even up for debate. It is Stern and the rest of you are just wrong.

[Anthony Shaw]

I don't quite have a favorite, but I loved the runs by Shooter, Englehart, Stern, & Busiek.

I will give honorable mentions to Thomas, Johns, & Bendis. I actually liked the Bendis run, despite the insanity it brought.

After Infinity, Hickman bored me off the books, and I have stuck to the classics since.

[shooshoomanjoe]

I like the 90s run simply for Operation Galactic Storm.

[Cap808]

Whoa...forgot about the Ultimates. Definitely like to add Millar to my list.

[Marvel/DC Fan]

Definite Roger Stern, Under Siege is still my favorite story ever. As far as contemporary stuff goes, I loved the Bendis Dark Avengers books.

[Superfan90]

Roger Stern: Avengers under siege, Assault on Olympus and Marrina arc are my top 3 Avengers storylines ever.

Jim Shooter: Korvac saga, nuff said.

Kurt Busiek: Avengers Forever, Avengers V3

Steve Englehart: Avengers, Avengers/Defenders War

[kilderkin]

Roger Sterns tenure was sensational, I loved the Count Nefaria, Absorbing Man and Korvac storylines.
Kurt Busieks run was very good also.

Gotta agree with you here on both counts