The Avengers have long been Marvel's premier super team but with the advent of the MCU, they are the foremost super team in all of fiction. The team faces some of the most powerful villains in comics, boasts rosters full of the greatest superheroes in the Marvel Universe, and have had some of the best... and worst... leaders in all of comics.
The Avengers have been around for decades and their adventures have spanned time and space. It can be daunting to find the best stories as a new reader- there's just so much to choose from. However, a closer look will yield a wealth of tales that are perfect for a reader just starting out with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
10 "Red Zone"
Avengers (vol. 3) #65-70, by writer Geoff Johns and artist Olivier Coipel, sees the Avengers try to limit the damage of a biological weapons attack on the US, one that's origin will shock and surprise them, as well as the man behind it, an old foe of theirs who is no stranger to atrocities.
The second story in Geoff Johns's criminally underrated (and very short) Avengers run, this is a story that has been lost to time but deserves its place in the pantheon of greatest Avengers stories of all time and one that every new fan of the team should read.
9 "Assemble"
Dark Avengers #1-6, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato Jr, is a weird choice for new readers, since its heavily dependent on continuity from over a decade ago, but it's also a perfect choice to show them a different kind of Avengers team- one composed of some of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe.
Pitting the team against Morgan Le Fay, this story sees the team and their leader Norman Osborn basking in the fame of being heroes and also realizing just what that entails. It's a novel look at what it means to be a member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
8 "Avengers World"
Avengers #1-6 (2012), by writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Jerome Opena and Adam Kubert, sees the largest team of Avengers ever assembled, full of old stand-bys and all new members, tackle a brand new threat, one whose first salvo has changed vast swathes of the planet Earth.
The beginning of Hickman's acclaimed run on the book, this story highlights the Avengers doing what they do best- tackling the biggest threats in the universe, which was a change from the preceding years of Avengers stories. It can be read as either a great stand alone group of stories or as a way to get someone into Hickman's run.
7 Siege
Siege #1-4, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Olivier Coipel, sees Loki talk Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers into attacking Asgard and the war that followed. The Avengers, driven underground by Osborn and his cronies, come to the rescue but things get very bad, especially when the Dark Avengers' most powerful member gets even more unhinged than usual.
One of the best Marvel event books of recent years, it's Avengers centric, pitting the heroes against the villainous usurpers that took their places. It may depend on knowing some decade old continuity, but it does a good job of explaining its status quo and just presenting a great Avengers story in general.
6 Civil War
Civil War #1-7, by writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven, sees the US government decide that all superheroes need to be registered after a disaster caused by the New Warriors going after a group of villains they aren't prepared for. Battle lines are drawn with Captain America and his side against registration and Iron Man and his side siding with the government.
Another great Marvel event, this one pitted hero against in an ideological battle. Full of great art, big moments, and some knock down, drag out fights, this book changed the Avengers for years to come.
5 "Kree-Skrull War"
Avengers (vol. 1) #89-97, by writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams and John Buscema, saw two alien races, the Kree and the Skrull, go to war with each other... and the planet Earth was in the middle of it all. The Avengers take it upon themselves to not only protect the planet but to stop the war before it gets too out of hand.
While the Avengers had been no stranger to aliens and their shenanigans up to this point, this was the first time they took an active role in the universe. A straight up classic, this is a must read for any new fan.
4 "Breakout"
New Avengers #1-6, by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch, sees a new team of Avengers rise when Electro is paid to bust open the supervillain prison the Raft. That's just the beginning, though, as the team discovers that there's something more behind everything that's been happening and investigates, opening up a whole can of worms.
This story brought fan favorites like Wolverine and Spider-Man into the Avengers, as well as Marvel mainstays like Luke Cage and Spider-Woman, and combined them with Captain America and Iron Man for a unique on the classic team.
3 Avengers Forever
Avengers #1-12, by writers Kurt Busiek and Roger Stern and artist Carlos Pachecho, sees the Kree Supreme Intelligence and Immortus gather a team of Avengers from throughout time in a quest to save all of time and space.... from the Avengers of the future, who lead the forces of humanity, viciously conquering all in their path. On top of that, Kang the Conqueror has noticed something wrong with the universe and prepares to investigate.
Avengers Forever is heavy on the Avengers continuity but is an extremely rewarding read for any fan who puts the time in, as it explains a lot of very confusing things about Earth's Mightiest Heroes and clears up all kinds of tangles in the team's continuity while also telling a straight up great Avengers story.
2 "Ultron Unlimited"
Avengers (vol. 3) #19-22, by writer Kurt Busiek and artist George Perez, sees the return of one of the team's greatest foes- the mad android Ultron. He attacks the country of Slorenia, slaughtering every human there and it's up to the Avengers to stop him.
Ultron is one of the team's greatest villains and this is easily one of the best stories with the villain, as he mobilizes an army of Ultron to face down the Avengers. Chock full of great art, killer action, and amazing moments, it doesn't get much better than this.
1 "Under Siege"
Avengers (vol. 1) #270-277, by writer Roger Stern and artist Sal Buscema, sees Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil sneak attack the Avengers and do something they've never done before- beat the team and drive them from Avengers Mansion.
Honestly, this is probably the greatest Avengers story of all time as it pits one of the all time greatest rosters of Avengers against their worst enemies in a pulse pounding battle where the bad guys have all the advantages. It's rare to see the Avengers as underdogs but this story plays it perfectly and it's one every Avengers fan needs to read.