Now that they are the best-selling movie franchise of all time its easy to forget that the MCU avengers look a lot different than the comic’s Avengers. Maybe now is a good time to reacquaint yourself with the original versions of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
- Avengers: No Road Home– A love letter to all of Avenger’s history that features some of the team’s lower profile but most stalwart members.
- Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers/New Avengers run- In 2012, Jonathan Hickman took over writing duties for the relaunches of both the Avengers and New Avengers titles. Using the two books to tell separate aspects of an epic main story it all culminates in the line-wide Secret Wars event. Together these books tell the most expansive Avengers story ever attempted. A remarkable achievement in storytelling.
- New Avengers- The first series to bear the title New Avengers calls together one of the more unique teams in Avenger’s history, incorporating big-name characters Spider-Man and Wolverine for the first time. The series begins with a mass super-villain breakout and leads into some of the biggest events in Avenger’s history.
- Ultron Unlimited– The best Ultron story ever written and one that really homes in on his twisted relationship with his Avengers “Family”. Also, this has Thor’s best line in any medium, ever.
- The Kree/Skrull War– An interstellar war, a budding romance, and consequences that still resonate almost fifty years later. One of the defining sagas in Avengers history and one that has more than a few political overtones. Because it was released in the early 70s even some die-hard marvel fans haven’t gone back and read this one. But they and you should, first chance you get.
- The Korvac Saga- What happens when an ordinary person gains god-like powers and more importantly what can mere mortals do in the face of such power? Epic in scope, deeply personal in execution. This is a story that won’t ever get the movie treatment so best to go read it as soon as you can.
- The Ultimates– A contemporary retelling of the Avengers mythos that heavily influenced the MCU. Darker and bloodier than its source material but it still maintains the core dynamics of what makes the Avengers the World’s Mightiest Heroes.
- Under Siege– Proof that a story doesn’t have to be complicated to be great. The Master’s of Evil take control of Avenger’s Mansion. The Avengers have to take it back. Sometimes it’s just that simple.
- The Kang Dynasty– Kang finally manages to take over the world. They don’t call him “The Conqueror” for nothing. The best use of this villain before or since. A great story that pushes these heroes to their limits.
- Avenger’s Forever– Steeped in Avenger’s lore, seven Avengers picked out of different places in the timestream must join forces to stop Immortus. The artwork is sublime, and the story will have you wanting to get your hands on every Avenger’s story ever written.