Where to Start for Avengers Comics?

[TJByrum]

No doubt been asked a million times, probably answered by a Google search, but I'd rather ask my own questions and receive answered directed at me specifically.

I don't understand all the multiple universes, and I surely didn't understand what a 'Battleworld' was, but I want to start reading the Avengers comics. However, I want to start where they matter. I know there's some from the 60's or 70's or 80's and whatnot, but from what I am aware of they're not part of the '616 Universe', right?

So which volume is actually part of the concurrent time line for 616 Avengers? Where does it begin?

 

[Lord]

The universe just ended, most stuff from the 60s onwards was still canon nowadays, but in Secret Wars 1 everything just came to an end. I don't think you'll be very lost with just starting from that comic book. But if you want to know more, then Jonathan Hickman's entire Avengers run is what lead into this event.

If you start with Secret Wars 1, maybe this can help:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/05/secret-wars-7-things-you-need-to-know-to-read-marvels-big-event

Either way, it seems like the universe is getting rebooted, if you want to, you can just wait a few more weeks and start from the beginning of their relaunch.

 

[TJByrum]

A rebooted universe? I read they were just merging the existing stuff into a single universe.

If you mean reboot like start over entirely, then I'll just wait. That's better than trying to buy every comic book from the past. I'm not even sure where to buy comics, but Marvel has a digital comic app I've used before and I was just gonna use it.

I am mostly interested in Cap and the Avengers. But I think I'd like Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Falcon, and Daredevil and such too.

 

[Lord]

Yeah, they're merging, but also starting over, so it's technicaly a reboot.

Maybe you should wait a bit then, but if you want to start with something already, you could try some of the most important events like Civil War.

 

[chamber-music]

What I would call the classic Avengers comic ran from 1963 to "Avengers Disassembled" in 2004 (vol 1-3).

The classic Hero For Hire/Power Man and Iron Fist & Luke Cage (Power Man) is a good start. Luke Cage early nineties solo comic is good and expanded his backstory.

These are collected in
Luke Cage, Power Man vol. 1 (Hero For Hire #1-16, Power Man #17-27)
Luke Cage, Power Man vol. 2 (Power Man #28-49, Annual #1)
Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 (Power Man and Iron Fist #50-72, 74-75)
Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 2 (Power Man and Iron Fist #76-100)

The Immortal Iron Fist by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction is the best mordern Iron First comic to checkout. You can find it collected in Volume 1: The Last Iron Fist Story.

The best Captain America comics of recent years is the Ed Brubaker run which you can find in trades. The Winter Soldier movie borrowed from his run and Brubaker made a cameo in the movie.

 

[BoredGuy]

I know it'll get slack from the older readers on here

but for a newer reader looking to wade in, I might suggest starting with New Avengers #1 in 2004
It's got a lot of Cap and Luke Cage, with some of the others you're looking for

while the 60's and 70's stuff is classic (and definitely canon) the dialogue can read a little stilted and corny these days. Then you had that whole dark era in the 80's. There's a reason X-Men took over as Marvel's top seller from the 70's through the 90's.

so for books with some grit and some solid writing, go to the newer stuff
Plus like Lord said, the big events from House of M through Siege are pretty good, and should give you your fix

then when you reach AvX you can stop, nothing good has happened since, lol

 

[chamber-music]

Lots of stuff from past is definitely a bit dated but there is still some solid entertaining things in there.

Luke Cage 90's series holds up incredibly well and the storyline 'The Evil And The Cure' is still one of the best stories in the characters history.

Luke Cage kicking Sabertooth's ass after he attacked his girlfriend was also a pretty great classic story for the character from the old Iron Fist and Power Man days.