Avengers (comics)

The Avengers comics are stories about superheroes in the Marvel Universe created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. The heroes include humans, mutants, and extraterrestrials; some heroes are former villains. The Avengers battle a lineup of recurring villains and new threats, including aliens and robots. While the members of the top-tier superhero team fight and work together, they also frequently fight one another. Many old grudges rise to the surface as they face old and new threats.

While the collective name Avengers remains, the lineup of heroes in the comic books constantly shifts. Members have included Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Ant-Man, Hulk, Human Torch, Doctor Druid, Invisible Woman, Spider-Woman, Sentry, and Ares among others. The heroes existed in separate comic book series prior to the creation of the Avengers team but were assembled into one book as a reaction to the success DC Comics had in 1960 with its Justice League of America team of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

Background

Marvel Comics grew from Timely Comics. The latter was founded in 1939 by Martin Goodman, a magazine publisher, as a response to the increasing success of comic books. The first comic he published in October of that year featured superheroes Human Torch and Sub-Mariner. Through the 1940s, Timely Comics introduced other heroes who fit with the times. Captain America, for example, debuted to fight Nazis in 1941 during World War II. With the end of the war, however, superhero comics lost readership. The last Timely superhero comic book was published in 1950. The following year, Goodman formed a distribution company, and Timely was reborn as Atlas Magazines, which focused on horror, humor, science fiction, and westerns.

The superhero comic book game changed completely in 1956. Goodman’s rival, DC Comics, introduced multiple successful characters and titles. As it took on its chief competitor, Atlas changed its name again in the early 1960s, becoming Marvel Comics.

Through the rest of the 20th century, Marvel had multiple owners and even faced bankruptcy in 1996. Newly invigorated when it emerged from bankruptcy two years later, Marvel Comics diversified its demographics and developed properties through its Marvel Studios. The Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel’s parent company in 2009.

The rivalry with DC Comics heated up through the 1960s due to some of Goodman’s hiring decisions. He brought writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby together. The pair created the Fantastic Four: scientist Dr. Reed Richards, pilot Ben Grimm, and siblings Sue and Johnny Storm. The four were genetically altered by cosmic rays. Richards became stretchy and rubbery and was dubbed Mr. Fantastic. Grimm became a man of rock called the Thing. Sun, Richards’ fiancée, could become invisible. Because of this, she became known as the Invisible Girl. Johnny could erupt into flames and fly, so he was called the Human Torch. The Fantastic Four faced off against many villains, including aliens such as Super-Skrull. Other foes included Mole Man, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and Doctor Doom.

The four eventually agreed to work together, forming a family dynamic that was flawed and ultimately human. This grounding in reality—which covered topics such as marital strife and parenting grief—appealed to readers. The comics also kept up with the times, as Invisible Girl developed self-worth and liberation to become Invisible Woman during the 1980s. The characters were by this time in the hands of other writers and artists, due to Lee’s and Kirby’s departure from Marvel during the 1970s.

Over the years, some superheroes came and went and were replaced by heroes such as Crystal, Medusa, and Power Man. The Fantastic Four was so popular that the characters appeared in a brief animated cartoon series that further raised its profile and boosted awareness of Marvel Comics in general. This led to several forays into live-action films. However, these had only limited success, at least with the Fantastic Four franchise.

The Fantastic Four was the first success Lee and Kirby had at Marvel, but it was far from the biggest hit. During the 1960s, the pair along with artist Steve Ditko created many characters, including the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, and the X-Men team. These characters’ experiences were similar to the Fantastic Four’s: They bickered, disagreed, and cooperated, often grudgingly, for the greater good.

Marvel drew on other talent during the 1960s and 1970s as well. Jim Steranko created Strange Tales anthology character Nick Fury in 1967. The secret agent went on to become a central figure in the Avengers story lines. Writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne revived the X-Men franchise, creating such memorable characters as Wolverine. Captain America’s storylines were revitalized by Mark Gruenwald when he took over the character’s trajectory in 1985. These and other characters developed more mature storylines during the 1990s and 2000s as new writers made their mark.

Marvel’s financial success during the 21st century relied on merchandising and, increasingly, films. While the movies often dealt with different characters and situations, Marvel made a strategic decision to set them all in one world, commonly known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to multiple films featuring Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, among others, the universe encompassed multiple television series on ABC Network Television and Netflix. Though the television shows did not delve deeply into the cinematic universe, the events in the films influenced the television series.

The comics and characters have also inspired several theme park worlds and attractions. In 1999 Universal Studios in Florida launched their Hulk roller coaster, reaching speeds of over 60 miles per hour. That same year the theme park also opened the The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride, a 3-D motion simulator. After Disney acquired Marvel in 2009, the Disney theme parks began developing exhibits and attractions around the Avengers. The Avengers Campus at Disneyland opened in 2021, replacing A Bug's Land. The area features the Guardians of the Galaxy ride and the Web Slingers ride, a spiderman inspired interactive 3-D ride.

Overview

The Avengers comic no. 1 debuted in September 1963. Loki, the trickster Norse god and half-brother of Thor, was imprisoned by his father, Odin. Loki used his powers to try to start a war between Thor and the Hulk. He reached out to Earth and framed Hulk for damage to a passenger train. Hulk’s friend Rick Jones put out a call for help. Iron Man (Tony Stark), Ant-Man (Hank Pym), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), and Thor responded. Hulk fought the superheroes, but in the end, Thor realized Loki was manipulating them all. Thor retrieved his brother from Odin’s prison and made him confess. Ant-Man suggested teamwork might be worth keeping, and the others—including Hulk—agreed. The Wasp came up with the name the Avengers.

Not long after forming the cooperative crime-fighting unit, team unity was abruptly interrupted. Space Phantom attacked, and Hulk found that the others did not trust him. Hulk briefly worked against the Avengers, which led them to discover a deep-frozen Captain America (Steve Rogers). When Cap regained consciousness, the Avengers invited him to join the team.

Over the years, many Avengers have morphed repeatedly. Some have been alternately villains and heroes, changed hero identities, and even merged with other beings. Newcomers have also picked up the roles and put on the capes when Avengers retired. The list is extensive and includes a number of individuals from alternate-universe storylines.

• Tony Stark/Iron Man is a billionaire industrialist, a human genius who develops a super armor that gives him superhuman abilities.
• Steve Rogers/Captain America was a World War II recruit who was treated with an experimental serum. He became a super soldier who had speed, strength, and stamina. He also uses an indestructible shield made of Vibranium.
• King TChalla/Black Panther is the monarch of Wakanda, an African country that hides its technological superiority. He gained his powers and hereditary title from a mystical herb. Black Panther also relies on technology provided by his scientific team in Wakanda.
• Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow was trained as a Russian spy and excels at undercover work and infiltration. She is a favorite operative of Nick Fury.
• Bruce Banner/Hulk are bound together. Scientist Banner was exposed to gamma radiation that changed his DNA and fed his bulked-up, angry alter ego. Hulk is strong and has endurance as well as rage. In his human form, Banner is one of the genius-level brains of the Avengers.
• Thor is a member of the Asgardian race and a nearly immortal Norse god. He is super strong and wields an enchanted hammer. Thor can harness the power of thunder and lightning.
• Peter Parker/Spider-Man was bitten by a radioactive spider and gained powers such as strength and agility. After his uncle is murdered, the teen uses his powers—and the tech he develops—to fight crime.
• Captain Marvel is the name used by multiple individuals. The first was a Kree warrior named Mar-Vell who was disguised as a human, Walter Lawson, to observe life on Earth. Mar-Vell met Carol Danvers while working at NASA. After his death, Monica Rambeau was exposed to energy that gave her new powers, and she took the name Captain Marvel, becoming the first female African American Avenger. Genis-Vell, son of Mar-Vell, and several other extraterrestrials have also used the name. Eventually Carol Danvers, who was exposed to radiation from a Kree weapon, took on the Captain Marvel title. Danvers has also used other names, including Ms. Marvel.
• Dr. Hank Pym created the technology behind shrinking and growing heroes Ant-Man and the Wasp. Pym later relinquished the role of Ant-Man (and Giant-Man) to Scott Lang. Pym also created a robot that rejected his authority and rebuilt itself as Ultron. Ultron repeatedly attempted to destroy humankind, but ultimately, Ultron and Pym merged.
• Janet Van Dyne, Pym’s wife, passed the torch of the Wasp to their daughter, Hope Van Dyne.

The team has always operated under one leader who steers the course. Captain America, Iron Man, and the Wasp are regarded by many fans as the most successful leaders. During his time directing the team, Captain America had to draw new recruits to fill holes left by founding members who departed the team. Three of his recruits—Hawkeye, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver—were former villains.

The Avengers have an extensive support system. The Fantastic Four have frequently answered the call to aid the Avengers. One unwavering friend is Edwin Jarvis, the Stark family butler. He remains in the family mansion after Stark offers it to the Avengers as a team base. Jarvis cares for the superheroes and serves as a parental role model to young superheroes.

The Avengers generally base their operations in the United States, operating with the approval of the U.S. government and sometimes the United Nations. This tacit status as world protectors allowed the Avengers to operate without oversight most of the time.

The Avengers frequently face otherworldly threats. For example, when they participated in the intergalactic Kree-Skrull War, the Skrull race of shapeshifters did significant damage to the team by sowing distrust. The Avengers have also fought Thanos, Ronan the Accuser, and the Supreme Intelligence, among other alien threats.

Bibliography

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Casey, Dan. “A Brief History of the Avengers Dying in the Comics.” Nerdist, 25 Apr. 2018, nerdist.com/article/a-brief-history-of-the-avengers-dying-in-the-comics/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

David, Peter Allen. The Avengers Vault. Quarto Publishing Group UK, 2015.

“History.” Marvel, www.marvel.com/teams-and-groups/avengers/in-comics. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

McSweeney, Terence. Avengers Assemble!: Critical Perspectives on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Columbia UP, 2018.

Robb, Brian. A Brief History of Superheroes: From Superman to the Avengers, the Evolution of Comic Book Legends. Little, Brown Book Group, 2014.

SFX Staff. “The Complete History of the Avengers Comics.” GamesRadar, 22 Apr. 2015, www.gamesradar.com/complete-history-avengers-comics/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024..

Williams, Trey and Ross A. Lincoln. “The Weird and Diverse Comic Book History of ‘Captain Marvel.’” The Wrap, 16 Mar. 2019, www.thewrap.com/the-weird-and-diverse-comic-book-history-of-captain-marvel/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.