Moviegoers Assemble! The Avengers From Comics to Film

copyright Alex Ross

Over the weekend, Marvel’s “The Avengers”  passed $1 billion in worldwide box office. After raking in $207.4-million last weekend (a record for the biggest opening — not adjusting for inflation) the comic book adaptation piled up an additional $103.2 million in its second weekend of domestic release. (Kaufman, Los Angeles Times)

What’s more, The Avengers is getting very good reviews. Knowing all of this, the 8-year-old version of me would be shocked and appalled that I haven’t yet seen this movie. After all, I still love comics (as readers of this blog probably know) and the superhero blockbusters of today are mostly high quality action/adventure films that I want to see just simply because they’re good. Not to worry, 8-year-old me, I’ll finally be seeing The Avengers tonight.

Fans have been looking forward to The Avengers ever since Iron Man (starring Roberty Downey, Jr.) was released in 2008. Now that most of the principal Avengers characters have had their own movie (or two), the stars have aligned and director Joss Whedon‘s Avengers has not only been released, but it’s smashing records like the Hulk smashes, well, everything.

Though I’ve waited out the really big crowds, I’m very excited that I’m finally seeing the movie. In honor of The Avengers film, I’d like to suggest you read some really great Avengers stories from the library’s collection. Have any questions? Leave a comment or attend this month’s meeting of Out of the Gutter: CLP’s Graphic Novel Discussion Group.

Avengers Assemble!

a list of great Avengers graphic novels

For all Avengers comic collections, click HERE.

Essential Avengers (v. 1-6) – Co-created by Stan Lee and the immortal Jack “King” Kirby (also the original illustrator), The Essential Avengers features black and white reprints of the original Avengers issues from the 60s. Here you’ll find the first appearances of Kang the Conqueror, Immortus, and the Masters of Evil as well as the return of Captain America in issue #4.


Avengers/Defenders War by Steve Englehart ; pencilers, Bob Brown & Sal Buscema– So you’ve read The Avengers’ origin story, now you need to pick up this classic 70s crossover. Long before event books became the norm, Avengers/Defenders was a rare crossover, but unlike today’s big events, Avengers/Defenders is self-contained, clear, and concise. In this story, the demon Dormammu’s planned conquest of  the universe is underway when he enlists the aid of a blind Loki. The Defenders unwittingly help the villain which puts them at odds with “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”, The Avengers. If you’re reading Avengers vs. X-Men, you will be interested in hero vs. hero fights like: Dr. Strange vs. Black Panther and Mantis, Vision and Scarlet Witch vs. Silver Surfer, and Iron Man vs. Hawkeye.


Avengers/Invaders by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger – The original Invaders (Captain America, Bucky, Human Torch, Toro, and, Namor the Sub-Mariner) return, courtesy of Alex Ross. The Marvel Universe’s first super team finds itself transported from the battlefields of World War II to the present where they encounter two teams of Avengers who, post Secret Invasion, wonder whether or not they can trust these heroes.

Avengers Disassembled by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch – The proverbial crap hits the fan in this, the beginning of Brian Michael Bendis’ run on Avengers. A recently deceased Avenger returns…as a zombie! She-Hulk goes nuts, Ant-Man dies, and an Avenger is responsible for all of it! This is a great jumping-on point for current Avengers readers. Start here and follow Bendis all the way to the present if you want to get to know the current Avengers roster.


New Avengers: Breakout! by Brian Michael Bendis – In the wake of the systematic destruction of the original Avengers, just what sort of threat to the world could persuade Captain America to assemble an all-new team? Try a breakout at The Raft, a prison where all of Marvel’s most dangerous super-villains and ne’er-do-wells reside. Check out the new lineup here: Cap, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Wolverine! Fate has brought them together, and now Captain America wants to make it permanent! Who will take his hand and join the new Avengers? And will they be strong enough to fight the mysterious forces at play around them?

Excelsior!

Corey, Digital Learning Librarian