I was wondering what are considered the essential runs of Avengers?

busiek

>>89836549
- Stan Lee and Don Heck's "Cap's Kooky Quartet" era (issues 16-30) famous for kicking out the original team and becoming a team of ex-villains, established the Avengers as the book whose roster is always changing

- Roy Thomas took over the book and had the longest run, the key issues are 57-58 (introducing the Vision) and 89-97 (Kree-Skrull War)

- Steve Englehart used the book for wacky cosmic stuff and development of the Vision/Scarlet Witch relationship and Kang the Conqueror as the main villain. See issues 129-135 (Celestial Madonna saga)

- Roger Stern had a long run on the book whose most famous arc is the "Masters of Evil" storyline that eventually inspired Thunderbolts (270-277)

- Kurt Busiek had a long and successful run of which the two most famous stories are the Ultron Unlimited storyline (Avengers v3 issues 19-22) and the Kang Dynasty (Avengers v3 issues 41-55)

Brian Bendis then had a long run with a mostly revamped team, introduced the Avengers Tower and a bunch of other things. I can't say I know which are the best storylines from his run.

>>89837329
Thanks. I've read most of the modern stuff but am going to check Busiek's work.

>>89836549
Check out The Ultimates and The Ultimates 2 by Mark Millar - it's the ultimate universe rendition of the Avengers. It's a very modern take of the classic themes, revamping the characters, while keeping them familiar. The story of the Miller runs is superb, and serves as a huge inspiration to the movies

>>89836549
>Avengers

isn't that the illumnati???

>>89838825

This.

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T READ 3

>>89839320
If want to laugh and cry he need to read U3.

Busiek is definitely the watermark, but IMO the Avengers never really had a can't miss, ultra defining run like Morrison and Waid on JLA.

Bendis (even if he annoys me), The Ultimates and Hickman are the best and more relevant "modern" runs.

>>89839455
I think the problem is that the Avengers doesn't have a definitive lineup the way JLA does. Its identity is based on the fact that the lineup is always changing.

Everyone knows the "classic" JLA lineup has to include a bunch of big heroes + Martian Manhunter. Avengers has the big 3 but they rarely do much in the book, and mostly it's been the story of a bunch of B and C list characters, so everyone has a favorite lineup.

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445KB, 853x1100px

>>89836549
Stern and Busiek runs are the best, with Avengers Forever being the crowning achievement of the whole series.

>>89839455
Being relevant isn't really important at all unless you actually want to actually read modern trash.
Millar Ultimates are alright but I prefer oldschool Avengers so much more to the simpified "movie versions" of the characters.

>>89839455
Gruenwalds Squadron is the defining JLA run