Marvel followed the success of the Fantastic Four with a second super-hero team in the mold of DC Comics's Justice League. The Avengers united characters with their own solo series into a group of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But it didn't take long for the team to receive new members and a personality of its own. Through the years, it has seen many incarnations, many rosters, its popularity has ebbed and flowed, as has the quality of the stories. Today, the team is among the biggest franchises in Comics. Here we present every run and phase of the series, with a reading order and starting points for new readers.

The essential reading order goes as follows:

Avengers - the Origin - by Joe Casey
Stan Lee's run
Roy Thomas' run
Steve Englehart's run
Jim Shooter's runs
Roger Stern's run
Steve Englehart's West Coast Avengers
John Byrne's West Coast Avengers
Kurt Busiek's run - v3
Geoff Johns' run - v3
Avengers Disassembled
Brian Bendis' New Avengers - v1 & v2
Brian Bendis' Mighty Avengers - v1
Avengers Initiative
Brian Bendis' Dark Avengers - v1
Brian Bendis' Avengers - v4
Avengers Academy
Secret Avengers - v1 to v3
Uncanny Avengers - v1 to v3
Jonathan Hickman's Avengers v5
Jonathan Hickman's New Avengers v3
Mark Waid's run - ANAD & v7
Ultimates
Jason Aaron's run - v8

Top Ten ranks as follows:

1 - Roger Stern's run
2 - Jim Shooter's first run
3 - Roy Thomas' run
4 - Steve Englehart's run
5 - Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers
6 - Jonathan Hickman's run
7 - Kurt Busiek's run
8 - John Byrne's run
9 - Ultimates 1 & 2
10 - Brian Michael Bendis' Dark Avengers

Like and subscribe for more content.
We publish new content every week.