This page features not only the Avengers Masterworks, but also those of the so-called "big three" Avengers members Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America.
Whereas the Fantastic Four were a family, and the X-Men a close-knit group of students (note both groups had matching costumes), the Avengers represent the "Supergroup." Originally a collection of popular heroes who each had their own solo adventures, the team eventually evolved into a mixture of these "varsity" heroes (especially the "big three" mentioned above) and heroes who didn’t have their own books.
The Avengers is the ultimate comic book for the anal-retentive fan, as one of the book’s main charms is keeping up with which members appear in which issues. By the second issue, one member quit (the Hulk) and another had changed identities (Ant Man > Giant Man!) This really set the pace for what was to become the status quo: constant change.
The fourth issue is one of the Silver Age’s most important single comics, as it brought Captain America, WWII’s most popular superhero, back to the Marvel Universe and he quickly became the heart of the Avengers. Stan Lee really shook things up with issue 16 when he decided that the "Justice League" approach – juggling the stars’ solo adventures with those of the group’s – was a bit of a pain in the Marvel Universe, which was more complex and demanding than the DC Universe at the time. He then had all of the original members take leaves of absence, leaving Cap in charge of a group consisting of three former criminals. From then on, Avengers’ Mansion has had a revolving door, with almost every Marvel hero, it seems, having done some time in the Avengers. The group’s earliest adventures were chronicled by Lee and Kirby, and while a lot of fun, was neither’s most inspired work of the era. Utility man Don Heck took over the pencilling duties with issue 9, and his work on the book, particularly the post-issue 16 team, is some of his best. Likewise, Stan’s writing improved with the new team, as their friction gave the book something to revolve around. - - - Dum Dum Dugan
MM # 4- Avengers 1-10
ISBN #0-87135-479-9. List price: 29.95. 232 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
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MM # 9- Avengers 11-20
ISBN #0-87135-595-7. List price: 29.95. 210 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
MM # 27- Avengers 21-30
ISBN #0-87135-993-6. List price: 34.95. 224 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
MM # 14- CAPTAIN AMERICA: Tales Of Suspense 59-81
ISBN #0-87135-630-9. List price: 34.95. 231 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
MM # 20- IRON MAN: Tales Of Suspense 39-50
ISBN #0-87135-912-X. List price: 34.95. 206 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
THOR: Journey Into Mystery 83-100
ISBN #0-7851-0733-9. List price: 34.95. 261 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
MM # 26- THOR: Journey Into Mystery 101-110
ISBN #0-87135-990-1. List price: 34.95. 240 pages. Foreword by Stan Lee.
THOR: Journey Into Mystery 111-120, Annual 1
ISBN #0-7851-0814-9. List price: 49.95. 240 pages.
