Best Avengers storylines from the comics?

[Dream]

I am a big fan of the movie and want to check out the Avengers comics. But their arcs aren't nearly as well known as the arcs from X-men. The only one I've even heard much about is the Kree/Skrull War arc.

Which Avengers storylines from the comics are considered the most famous/best that are also collected in trades?

What does everything think about the Ultimates? I heard it greatly inspired the movie?

 

[Kai "the spy"]

As someone who hasn't really read the Avengers that much, the most famous from recent history should be Civil War and Secret Invasion, though the Kree/Skrull War's the real classic.

I've read and enjoyed the JLA/Avengers miniseries by Kurt Busiek and George Perez a whole lot, but it can get a bit confusing for those not used to the out-there stuff from both the DC and the Marvel universe.

And I have read the first two series of The Ultimates, those from Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. I hold them in very high regard and the absolute pinacle of the Ultimate line. Millar went with a very semi-realistic and mature approach to this, and Hitch's highly detailed art went great with that. It almost felt like what an HBO version of the Avengers would look like (in much the same way "Supreme Power" felt like an HBO version of the Justice League).

 

[shivkala]

Count me as another person who hasn't read much of The Avengers. I did read the first 12 issues of The Avengers back in late 1997/early 1998 when Kurt Busiek and George Perez were on the title. I did like the book then, but in recent readings, it doesn't hold up. I found it very wordy in a "ton of exposition" manner. However, the action and character development is pretty good, still. I guess I'm just not big fan of Busiek's writing, though I do think his work on The Avengers is my favorite of the works of his I've read (though I have not read any Astro City...).

The Ultimates, as Kai "the spy" said, at least the first two TPBS, which is all I've read, were good.

 

[Greg Cox]

The original Kree-Skrull War by Roy Thomas was the storyline that first hooked me on Marvel Comics, way back when.

 

[Mr Light]

I've read very little pre-Bendis Avengers and haven't been very impressed. I read the Kree Skrull War and found it pretty forgettable. I've really enjoyed the epic Bendis multi year run on Avengers though, with all the huge stories like Civil War and Secret Invasion and Siege and Avengers vs X-Men.

 

[DWF]

The George Perez drawn Count Nefaria and Ultron stories are out in tradepaper, both were excellent.

 

[Mr Light]

Oh yes, the Buseik / Perez run of Avengers around 1997 was very good! I did read those and most of the stories were properly epic with great art.

 

[Dream]

I've read very little pre-Bendis Avengers and haven't been very impressed. I read the Kree Skrull War and found it pretty forgettable. I've really enjoyed the epic Bendis multi year run on Avengers though, with all the huge stories like Civil War and Secret Invasion and Siege and Avengers vs X-Men.

Is Civil War really that great?

I keep hearing how they turned Tony Stark into an ass in it. I would rather not have the comics ruin my opinion of the character after growing to like the Tony played by RDJ in the movies.

 

[Peacemaker]

The George Perez drawn Count Nefaria and Ultron stories are out in tradepaper, both were excellent.

Really! Those were the ones that hooked me when I was just a little nerd.

 

[Guy Gardener]

If you've been listening to Jim Rhodes for the last 30 years, Tony Stark has always been an asshole.

Comics are good when they're written.

They date quickly.

Every writer is trying to outdo themselves and their peers which just keeps shifting the goal posts.

Everything Bendis did, since disassembled (for the last 10 years), has been epic, but it's about to end. The problem is that it's not traded well, that that there are hundreds of glancing crossovers, and many ancillary series, one shots and miniseries that all interlock into a MechaBendis which you would need thousands of dollars to accurately follow.

Soon Bendis is taking over a few of the X-men Titles.

Right now, you're on the ground floor.

Once the 10 part miniseries Avengers vs X-men finishes.

They're going to clean house and give some new blokes some scorched earth to plant their own Avengers stories on.

But seriously.

Ultimates is good and small. the first few volumes are good, then Loeb just gets drunk on power becuase of all that heroes and Smallville money... But the current Volume is fantastic.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Kree-Skrull War

Celestial Madonna

Korvac Saga

Neferia Trilogy

Bride of Ultron

 

[Turtletrekker]

Under Siege
Assault on Olympus
The Korvac Saga
The aforementioned Kree/Skrull War
Or, you can start at the begining.

 

[Greg Cox]

I forgot about the Engelhart's "Celestrial Madonna" storyline. I was really into that back in the seventies.

 

[Starbreaker]

Check out the current Avengers vs. X-Men stuff going on right now. It's pretty good. Also doesn't hurt to start from the beginning if you can get a hold of them.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I forgot about the Engelhart's "Celestrial Madonna" storyline. I was really into that back in the seventies.

Who wasn't?

Englehart is still one of my favorite comic book writers. Cap, Avengers, JLA and Batman. All great runs.

Check out the current Avengers vs. X-Men stuff going on right now. It's pretty good. Also doesn't hurt to start from the beginning if you can get a hold of them.

Or better yet don't

 

[Silvercrest]

Any love for Operation: Galactic Storm? I didn't get to read the whole arc, but I liked the parts I did read.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Jeff Johnson was penciling Wonderman back then, his galleries for when the Avengers got to puff out their chests made the other 20 books from the storyline look shite.

 

[Agenda]

You basically can't go wrong with any Avengers storyline that has the names Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Jim Shooter, Roger Stern, or Kurt Busiek. These guys really *got* the Avengers. My personal favourite is Stern.

 

[Saga]

Avengers Forever
Under Siege
Assault on Olympus
Korvac Saga and the Kree/Skrull War are pretty good. also the first 20 or so issues of West Coast Avengers are really great. Avengers/JLA is a lot of fun.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I just got a woody thinking about Avengers Forever.

They took, 40 years of Avengers history and time traveled the shit out of it.

Of course, that's all about Kang and Immortus being the person at different points in their timeline... Then you have to bring in Young Avengers where Kid kang shows up and tells the beginning of the story.

Young Avengers was controversial for some reason because it had gay super heroes in a comited and loving stable relationship.