Looking for an Avengers run to get into

**KalEx71** · 10-29-2014, 06:13 AM

So growing up, I was always an X-Men guy and had little interest in what was going on in other Marvel books. That has changed in recent years (undoubtedly influenced by the MCU) and I want to read more Avengers.

Now, whenever someone asks me what to read for X-Men I point them in the direction of Morrison's New and Whedon's Astonishing run because I think it's the most assessable and doesn't require readers to go back 30, 40 or 50 years. I want to read something similar with the Avengers. I don't want to go back to the 1960s (at least not now) and I'm not sure if there is a big event that mirrors the start of the Claremont run in X-Men.

I've been told that the Busiek and Perez Avengers run that began in the late 90s is the closet I'll get to replicating what Morrison and Whedon did for the X-Men. Is this accurate? If I want that same experience that a new reader would have reading New and Astonishing, would you recommend me starting elsewhere?

Thanks!

**lilyinblue** · 10-29-2014, 06:51 AM

One other one I might suggest:

Bendis's original New Avengers run.

Ok, ok, ok. I know... the Bendis Avengers runs get a LOT of hate on these boards. He's very polarizing. A lot of people enjoy his stuff, but a lot of people also hate it. However, since New Avengers was effectively starting with a clean slate, I think it's pretty new-reader friendly. So I'd suggest checking it out and seeing whether or not it works for you, regardless of what everybody has to say about it.

I was like you... mostly an X-Men reader. I transitioned into Avengers via Bendis and House of M. Nowadays, I barely know what's going on in the X-Franchise and definitely live on the Avengers side of the fence.

(Ironically, while I actually did enjoy Bendis's work on Avengers... his X-Men stuff is just not doing it for me.)

**Witchfan** · 10-29-2014, 07:00 AM

The Busiek/Perez (Volume 3) run is the best place for a new reader to start. From that point, you can go backward or forward.

**Cap10nate** · 10-29-2014, 07:01 AM

My vote would be for Busiek's run.

It's my favorite and there are great stories like Ultron Unlimited, Nefaria Protocols, and my personal favorite, Kang Dynasty. It is a great run that goes 56 issues or so that builds upon itself nicely. Busiek is great with characterization and has great character arcs for Scarlet Witch, Carol Danvers, and Wonder Man. There are some slower moments as there is a long ranging story in there revolving around the Triathlon and the Triune Understanding, but it is still very entertaining.

I highly recommend it.

**Gordonstar** · 10-29-2014, 07:04 AM

All the entire 80s run.

**Kieran_Frost** · 10-29-2014, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by KalEx71

So growing up, I was always an X-Men guy and had little interest in what was going on in other Marvel books. That has changed in recent years (undoubtedly influenced by the MCU) and I want to read more Avengers.

Now, whenever someone asks me what to read for X-Men I point them in the direction of Morrison's New and Whedon's Astonishing run because I think it's the most assessable and doesn't require readers to go back 30, 40 or 50 years. I want to read something similar with the Avengers. I don't want to go back to the 1960s (at least not now) and I'm not sure if there is a big event that mirrors the start of the Claremont run in X-Men.

I've been told that the Busiek and Perez Avengers run that began in the late 90s is the closet I'll get to replicating what Morrison and Whedon did for the X-Men. Is this accurate? If I want that same experience that a new reader would have reading New and Astonishing, would you recommend me starting elsewhere?

Thanks!

I too am a massive X-fan (mostly X-fan). There are two runs that stick in my mind:
Bendis' Dark Avengers
Slott's Mighty Avengers

BOTH are self-contained, both require very little fore-knowledge (wikipedia can fill in any gaps) and both are only 4 TPBs long (so you don't have to committ too much time or money for the pay-off of ideas). Bendis' is more akin to Morrison (it's darker, grittier, and not black and white), Slott is more Whedon, very funny, very fun, old school heroism. AND (best of all) they came out at the same time AND tie-in together in one arc/two. So that saves on needing to reading anything else to get what the other is doing. I'd say these two are your best bet.

**victorxd1999** · 10-29-2014, 10:18 AM

Definitely Busiek's run. You can read it in bigger trades called Avengers Assemble (there are 5 volumes not including Avengers Forever and collect the whole run) or you can get the upcoming omnibus.

**Nomads1** · 10-29-2014, 11:24 AM

**RobinFan4880** · 10-29-2014, 11:38 AM

Bendis' New Avengers is the start of the modern Avengers titles. His run ran through New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and Dark Avengers. I would start there.

**krazijoe** · 10-29-2014, 11:47 AM

Under Siege. You can find the back issues easily enough. The trades are out there but it's out of print, or just buy them on Comixology.

**DrTraveler** · 10-29-2014, 12:06 PM

He gets a lot of hate, but yeah, the Bendis Run starting at New Avengers is fairly reader friendly and was a contemporary with the Whedon run. It actually crosses over with the Whedon team with House of M. It also has the advantage that it has a lot of clear on and off ramps. You can read right up to Civil War, you can hang around for the new status quo that hits from Civil War to Secret Invasion both in New Avengers and in Mighty Avengers. Once the Secret Invasion wraps, you can read Dark Avengers and New Avengers out to Siege. Following that you can read a different status quo from Siege out to Avengers Vs. X-Men. It can be uneven, but at moments it can also be brilliant.

Busiek's run is really good but has a heavy nostalgia after taste to it. I know that sounds weird, but if you read his Astro City or Marvels run you'll understand what I mean. The book feels like an old Silver Age story. That is not a knock at all, but if you're looking for a 90's, 00's, or 10's feel to the book, you aren't getting it there. On the upside though, Busiek's run has 3 of what are considered the absolute best Avenger's stories ever (Avengers Forever, Ultron Unleashed, and Kang Dynasty).

I'd also suggest the recent Avengers World run (1-14) or the Warren Ellis Secret Avengers run. Both are short self contained stories that are fairly awesome.

**Moriarty** · 10-29-2014, 12:40 PM

Busiek or Roger Stern. those are my two favorite eras. Dan Slott's Mighty Avengers is also a lot of fun. Brubaker and Remender on Secret Avengers is good. also Avengers Academy.

**RobinFan4880** · 10-29-2014, 01:09 PM

New Avengers (2005) 1-64
Mighty Avengers (2007) 1-36
Avengers: The Initiative 1-34
Dark Avengers (2009) 1-16
New Avengers (2010) 1-34

With these five titles, you should have a great grasp of the modern Avengers during the "Bendis Era".

**Ascended** · 10-29-2014, 03:35 PM

Gotta agree with these folks. I tried at various times to get into the Avengers with little success. The longest stint I stuck around with was the beginning of the Bendis era, but ultimately it was not to my tastes. However, these are all good recommendations until you find a flavor you like. Busiek was fun but felt too dated for me. Bendis treated the team more like a soap opera than the world's greatest heroes, and his treatment of the Sentry soured me greatly. But that's me, and those are two very high selling, popular runs so give them both a shot.

I'll also toss out (just to provide options) the current Avengers title by Hickman. This is the run that hooked me. Like Bendis its a little polarizing and a lot of people dont think it "feels" like the Avengers. But if you want to read about the greatest heroes on earth dealing with threats well beyond the abilities of any single person, Hickman's Avengers is where its at. The scope is huge, the roster is huge, everything about the book is over the top. And dont let anyone tell you otherwise, Hickman still manages to squeeze in some nice character moments, even if the title overall is driven by the plot moreso than characters. Its coming into its third and final Act right now, so if you find you like it you can eagerly await the conclusion with the rest of us.

Hickman also writes a companion series called New Avengers, which works with a very small cast and explores a different, morally gray side of the same conflict driving the main Avengers title. They feel quite different from each other so its not impossible you could find one more to your tastes than the other. And you can read either of them as a stand alone story and not miss out, but if you read them both together it paints a much bigger, more vibrant picture.

**Flash Gordon** · 10-29-2014, 07:45 PM

I actually own pretty much Bendis' entire NEW AVENGERS run. I love his work like TORSO, JINX, ALIAS, etc. and I also tend to wait till storylines are over to read through the books. So I pretty much kept buying on good faith...

Yeah, Bendis' AVENGERS are pretty bad. It started out decently. I love Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman so I got into it, then it just fell apart completely for me.

Hickman's AVENGERS is good, from the few issues I've read of it.

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