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About This Series
Issues
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About This
Series:
Issues:
"Avengers", as a
series, is really a mixed bag. Sometimes you get a good issue,
sometimes it's rather dry. A major drawback to this series is
that there is NEVER a regular cast. The team members change every
few issues. To say the series is unstable is an
understatement. I'm very surprised that it lasted as long as it
did. The change in personnel is as frequent as the
second-stringer Marvel team Defenders, or the even more popular
X-Men. At least with groups like Fantastic Four, Invaders, or
Nightstalkers the cast stays mostly the same with an experimental phase
now and then.
You really do have to take each issue of "Avengers" by itself. The art is always pretty good, but sometimes the writing is dull. Other times, however, the stories are very cool and innovative. This series started out in September of 1963 (cover date). The team was formed in order to stop the Hulk, the comic world's first "bad boy" hero. Original members included Ant-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Wasp. I know, not a very impressive line-up, is it? Hulk became a member near the end of the first issue. He was tricked by villain Loki (Thor's adopted brother) into smashing a railroad track. After an initial misunderstanding, Hulk joins the team and the five beat the bad guy.
Issue #2 marked incredible changes. Ant-Man became Giant-Man. Hulk leaves the team when he learns of how the others fear his instability.
The series really didn't pick up steam, however, until issue #4. It was at that point Captain America joined the team and became leader. From then on, Captain America has typically been associated as leader of the Avengers team. He is not always in the Avengers comics, and at certain times he's "resigned" from the group, but Cap is ALWAYS thought of as the heart and soul of the team.
There have been so many changes with the series that it's impossible to list them all with any brevity. This first series of "Avengers" ran for an impressive 402 issues, ending in September of 1996.
You really do have to take each issue of "Avengers" by itself. The art is always pretty good, but sometimes the writing is dull. Other times, however, the stories are very cool and innovative. This series started out in September of 1963 (cover date). The team was formed in order to stop the Hulk, the comic world's first "bad boy" hero. Original members included Ant-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Wasp. I know, not a very impressive line-up, is it? Hulk became a member near the end of the first issue. He was tricked by villain Loki (Thor's adopted brother) into smashing a railroad track. After an initial misunderstanding, Hulk joins the team and the five beat the bad guy.
Issue #2 marked incredible changes. Ant-Man became Giant-Man. Hulk leaves the team when he learns of how the others fear his instability.
The series really didn't pick up steam, however, until issue #4. It was at that point Captain America joined the team and became leader. From then on, Captain America has typically been associated as leader of the Avengers team. He is not always in the Avengers comics, and at certain times he's "resigned" from the group, but Cap is ALWAYS thought of as the heart and soul of the team.
There have been so many changes with the series that it's impossible to list them all with any brevity. This first series of "Avengers" ran for an impressive 402 issues, ending in September of 1996.
Issues:
#194: April,
1980. Team consists of Captain America as leader, with: Beast,
Falcon, Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Vision, Wasp, and Wonder Man. In
this issue, Wonder Man returns to the team, and Falcon promptly leaves,
feeling he never belonged or was wanted by the other heroes. A
romance is budding between Captain America and Ms. Marvel. THAT
would have been a cool direction for Captain America's character, but
it never really took off. Wasp has a sexy white and blue
outfit. She's one of the first comic superheroines to regularly
change her costume. Beast is a smart and witty character that
should have stayed with the Avengers forever (he later returned to the
X-Men).
Despite the high points, I'd have to say this was a dull issue. Nothing much of consequence really happened. Next issue is a lot more interesting.
Despite the high points, I'd have to say this was a dull issue. Nothing much of consequence really happened. Next issue is a lot more interesting.