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{{other uses|The Avengers (disambiguation)}}
{{For|the comic books that feature this team|The Avengers (comic book)}}
{{multiple issues|
{{all plot|date=May 2016}}
{{primary sources|date=May 2016}}
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{{Infobox comics organization <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|name          = The Avengers
|image         = Avengers (Marvel Comics) vol 3 num 38.jpg
|imagesize     =
|caption       = Cover of ''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #38 (March 2001).<br>Art by [[Alan Davis]].
|publisher     = [[Marvel Comics]]
|debuthead     =
|debut         = ''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #1
|debutmo       = September
|debutyr       = 1963
|creators      = [[Stan Lee]]<br>[[Jack Kirby]]
|type          = Superheroes
|business      =
|organisation  =
|organization  = y
|team          = y
|base          = [[Stark Tower|Avengers Tower]]<br>[[Avengers Mansion]]<br>[[Hydro-Base]]
|owners        = [[Captain America]]<br>[[Iron Man]]
|members       = [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]]<br>[[Blade (comics)|Blade]]<br>[[Carol Danvers|Captain Marvel]]<br>[[Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)|Ghost Rider]]<br>[[She-Hulk]]<br>[[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]
|fullroster    = [[List of Avengers members]]
|cat           = teams
|subcat        = Marvel Comics
|altcat        =
|hero          = y
|villain       =
|sortkey       = Avengers
}}

The '''Avengers''' are a fictional team of [[superhero]]es appearing in Jake and Logan Paul’s limited series comic books published by [[Marvel Comics]]. The team made its debut in ''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #1 (cover-dated Sept. 1963), created by writer-editor [[Stan Lee]] and artist/co-plotter [[Jack Kirby]]. The Avengers is Lee and Kirby's renovation of a previous superhero team, [[All-Winners Squad]], who appeared in comic books series published by Marvel Comics' predecessor [[Timely Comics]]. 

Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", the Avengers originally consisted of [[Ant-Man (Hank Pym)|Ant-Man]], the [[Hulk]], [[Iron Man]], [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]], and the [[Wasp (comics)|Wasp]]. Ant-Man had become [[Giant-Man#Hank Pym|Giant-Man]] by issue #2. The original [[Captain America]] was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him. A rotating roster became a hallmark of the series, although one theme remained consistent: the Avengers fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." The team, famous for its battle cry of "Avengers Assemble!", has featured humans, [[Mutant (Marvel Comics)|mutants]], [[Inhumans]], androids, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains.

The team has appeared in a wide variety of media outside of comic books, including a number of different animated television series and direct-to-video films. Most notably, the superhero team has been the predominant focus of the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (MCU), appearing and being referred to in multiple MCU films, particularly with the 2012 live-action feature film, ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]].'' The film spawned three sequels, ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron|Age of Ultron]]'' (2015), ''[[Avengers: Infinity War|Infinity War]]'' (2018), and ''[[Avengers: Endgame|Endgame]]'' (2019), with each film drawing influences from the comic book storylines.

==Publication history==
[[File:Avengers-1.jpg|thumb|left|The debut of the original Avengers: ''The Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1963). Cover art by [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Dick Ayers]] The five founding members were: Ant-Man, The Wasp, Iron Man, Thor, and The Hulk.]]
The team debuted in ''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #1 (Sept. 1963).  Much like the [[Justice League]], the Avengers were an assemblage of pre-existing superhero characters created by [[Stan Lee]] and [[Jack Kirby]]. This initial series, published bi-monthly through issue #6 (July 1964) and monthly thereafter ran through issue #402 (Sept. 1996), with spinoffs including several [[annual publication|annuals]], [[miniseries]] and a giant-size quarterly sister series that ran briefly in the mid-1970s.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 1571|title= The Avengers}}</ref>

Other spinoff series include ''[[West Coast Avengers]]'', initially published as a four-issue miniseries in 1984, followed by a 102-issue series (Oct. 1985–Jan. 1994), retitled ''Avengers West Coast'' with #47;<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 3061|title= West Coast Avengers ''vol. 2''}}</ref><ref>{{gcdb series|id= 3830|title= Avengers West Coast}}</ref> and the 40-issue ''[[Solo Avengers]]'' (Dec.1987–Jan. 1991), retitled ''Avengers Spotlight'' with #21.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 3435|title= Solo Avengers}}</ref><ref>{{gcdb series|id= 3829|title= Avengers Spotlight}}</ref>

Between 1996 and 2004, Marvel relaunched the primary Avengers title three times. In 1996, the "[[Heroes Reborn (comics)|Heroes Reborn]]" line took place in an alternate universe, with a revamped history unrelated to mainstream Marvel continuity.

''The Avengers'' vol. 3 relaunched and ran for 84 issues from February 1998 to August 2004. To coincide with what would have been the 500th issue of the original series, Marvel changed the numbering, and ''The Avengers'' #500–503 (Sept.– Dec. 2004), the [[one-shot (comics)|one-shot]] ''Avengers Finale'' (Jan. 2005)<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 224494|title= Avengers Finale}}</ref> became the "[[Avengers Disassembled]]" storyline and final issues. In January 2005, a new version of the team appeared in the ongoing title ''[[The New Avengers (comics)|The New Avengers]]'',<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 12464|title= The New Avengers}}</ref> followed by ''[[The Mighty Avengers]]'', ''[[Avengers: The Initiative]]'', and ''[[Dark Avengers]]''. ''Avengers'' vol. 4 debuted in July 2010 and ran until January 2013.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 48969|title= The Avengers ''vol. 4''}}</ref> Vol. 5 was launched in February 2013.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 70263|title= The Avengers ''vol. 5''}}</ref> After [[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]], a new Avengers team debuted, dubbed the ''[[All-New, All-Different Avengers]]'', starting with a [[Free Comic Book Day]] preview.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://marvel.com/cards/60/all-new_all-different_avengers_assemble|title= All-New, All-Different Avengers Assemble!|first= Ben|last= Morse|date= 2015-03-26|publisher= Marvel Comics|archiveurl= https://www.webcitation.org/6lpbQhgPt?url=http://marvel.com/cards/60/all-new_all-different_avengers_assemble|archivedate= November 7, 2016|deadurl= no}}</ref> Following ''[[Civil War II]]'', the book was relaunched in 2016 as ''Avengers'', while retaining the same writer and much of the cast from the ''All-New, All-Different'' run.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/first-look-mark-waids-relaunched-flagship-avengers-comic-set-after-civil-war-ii|title=First look at Mark Waid's relaunched, flagship Avengers comic set after Civil War II|first=Trent|last=Moore|date=4 October 2016|website=syfy.com|accessdate=21 February 2018}}</ref> The series ran for 11 issues before reverting to the numbering of the original ''Avengers'' series with issue #672. Starting with issue #675, all four Avengers titles being published at the time (''Avengers'', ''Uncanny Avengers'', ''[[U.S. Avengers]]'' and ''[[Occupy Avengers]]'') were merged into a single weekly series dubbed ''Avengers: No Surrender'', designed to close out this era of the team's history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsarama.com/36645-tom-brevoort-avengers-no-surrender-interview.html|title=AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER is 'AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED' For the Modern Team|website=newsarama.com|accessdate=21 February 2018}}</ref>

Following the conclusion of ''No Surrender'' in 2018, the series will be relaunched again as ''Avengers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicbook.com/marvel/2018/02/20/new-avengers-team/|title=Marvel Reveals New Avengers Team|website=comicbook.com|accessdate=21 February 2018}}</ref>

==Fictional biography==

===1960s===
When the [[Asgard (comics)|Asgardian]] god [[Loki (comics)|Loki]] seeks revenge against his brother [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]], his machinations unwittingly lead teenager [[Rick Jones (comics)|Rick Jones]] to collect [[Hank Pym|Ant-Man]], the [[Wasp (comics)|Wasp]], and [[Iron Man]] to help Thor and the [[Hulk]], whom Loki used as a pawn. After the group vanquished Loki, Ant-Man stated that the five worked well together and suggested they form a team; the Wasp named the group ''Avengers''.<ref name="AvengersDebut">{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=[[Kirby, Jack]]|inker=[[Ayers, Dick]]|story=The Coming of the Avengers|title=The Avengers|issue=1|date=Sep 1963|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = DeFalco|first = Tom|authorlink = Tom DeFalco|last2= Gilbert|first2= Laura, ed.|chapter= 1960s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 94|isbn =978-0-7566-4123-8|quote= Filled with some wonderful visual action, ''The Avengers'' #1 has a very simple story: the Norse god Loki tricked the Hulk into going on a rampage&nbsp;... The heroes eventually learned about Loki's involvement and united with the Hulk to form the Avengers.}}</ref>

The roster changed almost immediately; at the beginning of the second issue, Ant-Man became Giant-Man, and at the end of the issue, the Hulk left once he realized how much the others feared his unstable personality.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Kirby, Jack|inker=[[Reinman, Paul]]|story=The Space Phantom|title=The Avengers|issue=2|date=Nov 1963|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> [[Captain America]] soon joined the team in issue #4,<ref name="CapReturn">{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Kirby, Jack|inker=[[George Roussos|Roussos, George]]|story=Captain America Joins&nbsp;... The Avengers!|title=The Avengers|issue=4|date=March 1964|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 99: "'Captain America lives again!' announced the cover of ''The Avengers'' #4. A mere [four] months after his imposter had appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #114, the real Cap was back."</ref> and he was given "founding member" status in the Hulk's place.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Kurt Busiek|Busiek, Kurt]]|penciller=[[George Pérez|Pérez, George]]|inker=Vey, Al|story=Once an Avenger&nbsp;... |title=The Avengers|volume=3|issue=1|date=Feb 1998|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> The Avengers went on to fight foes such as [[Baron Zemo]], who formed the [[Masters of Evil]],<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 101: "The Masters of Evil, the Avengers' evil counterparts, launched their first attack in ''The Avengers'' #6."</ref> [[Kang the Conqueror]],<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Kirby, Jack|inker=Ayers, Dick|story=Kang, the Conqueror|title=The Avengers|issue=8|date=Sep 1964|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 101: "Time travel had fascinated writers of speculative fiction ever since H. G. Wells published ''The Time Machine'', so Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced their own master of time in ''The Avengers'' #8."</ref> [[Wonder Man]],<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=[[Heck, Don]]|inker=Ayers, Dick|story=The Coming of the Wonder Man!|title=The Avengers|issue=9|date=Oct 1964|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 102: "Created to infiltrate and destroy the Avengers, Wonder Man ultimately sacrificed himself to save them."</ref> and [[Count Nefaria]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Heck, Don|inker=Ayers, Dick|story=Trapped in the Castle of Count Nefaria!|title=The Avengers|issue=13|date=Feb 1965|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 106: "Europe's wealthiest nobleman, Count Nefaria, had a terrible secret: he was also the most powerful crimelord on Earth. Created by Stan Lee and Don Heck, Nefaria secretly ran the worldwide criminal organization called the Maggia."</ref>

The next milestone came when every member but Captain America resigned; they were replaced by three former villains: [[Hawkeye (comics)|Hawkeye]], the [[Scarlet Witch]], and [[Quicksilver (comics)|Quicksilver]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Kirby, Jack|inker=Ayers, Dick|story=The Old Order Changeth!|title=The Avengers|issue=16|date=May 1965|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Daniels|first= Les|authorlink= Les Daniels|title= Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics|publisher= [[Abrams Books|Harry N. Abrams]]|year= 1991|location= New York, New York|page= 111|isbn= 978-0-8109-3821-2|quote= Stan Lee has admitted that by this period the intertwined tales of the Marvel Universe were beginning to confuse even him. Keeping top heroes like Thor active in ''The Avengers'' without contradicting the information in Thor's own series was becoming a chore. A changing of the guard was the result for ''The Avengers''.}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 108: "No super hero team in the history of comic books had ever gone through such a massive overhaul. A new precedent had been set! The Avengers line-up continued to change and evolve over the years."</ref> Giant-Man, now calling himself Goliath,<ref name="GoliathWaspReturn">{{Cite comic|writer=Lee, Stan|penciller=Heck, Don|inker=[[Frank Giacoia|Ray, Frankie]]|story=Among Us Walks a Goliath!|title=The Avengers|issue=28|date=May 1966|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> and the Wasp rejoined.<ref name="GoliathWaspReturn"/> [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]] became part of the team,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Thomas, Roy]]|penciller=Heck, Don|inker=[[Vince Colletta|Colletta, Vince]]|story=Blitzkrieg in Central Park!|title=The Avengers|issue=45|date=Oct 1967|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> while the [[Black Knight (Dane Whitman)|Black Knight]],<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Thomas, Roy|penciller=[[Buscema, John]]|inker=[[George Tuska|Tuska, George]]|story=...&nbsp;And Deliver Us From the Masters of Evil!|title=The Avengers|issue=54|date=July 1968|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> and the [[Black Widow (Natalia Romanova)|Black Widow]],<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Thomas, Roy|penciller=Heck, Don|story=The Ultroids Attack!|title=The Avengers|issue=36|date=Jan 1967|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> abetted the Avengers but did not become members until years later. [[Spider-Man]] was offered membership but did not join the group.<ref>{{cite book|last= Manning|first= Matthew K.|last2= Gilbert|first2= Laura, ed.|chapter= 1960s|title= Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher= [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 36|isbn= 978-0-7566-9236-0|quote= Spider-Man nearly became an Avenger in this lead story [of ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #3 (1966)] written by [Stan] Lee with layouts by [John Romita Sr.] and pencils by Don Heck. Packaged&nbsp;... in a 72-paged oversized special, '...&nbsp;To Become an Avenger' saw Spidey actively recruited for Avengers membership.}}</ref> The [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]] joined after rescuing the team from the [[Grim Reaper (comics)|Grim Reaper]] and [[Klaw (comics)|Klaw]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Thomas, Roy|penciller=Buscema, John|inker=[[Vince Colletta|Colletta, Vince]]|story=Death Calls for the Arch-Heroes!|title=The Avengers|issue=52|date=May 1968|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 130: "For issue #52, [writer Roy] Thomas introduced [Wonder Man's] brother Eric, who became the Grim Reaper."</ref> ''[[Uncanny X-Men|The X-Men]]'' #45 (June 1968) featured a crossover with ''The Avengers'' #53 (June 1968).<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Gary Friedrich|Friedrich, Gary]]|penciller= Heck, Don; [[Werner Roth (comics)|Roth, Werner]]|inker= [[John Tartaglione|Tartaglione, John]]|story= When Mutants Clash!|title= [[Uncanny X-Men|The X-Men]]|issue= 45|date= June 1968}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy|penciller= Buscema, John|inker= Tuska, George|story= In Battle Joined!|title= The Avengers|issue= 53|date= June 1968}}</ref> This was followed by the introduction of the android the [[Vision (Marvel Comics)|Vision]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Thomas, Roy|penciller=Buscema, John|inker=[[George Klein (comics)|Klein, George]]|story=Behold&nbsp;... The Vision!|title=The Avengers|issue=57|date=Oct 1968|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 132: "The updated Vision was created by writer Roy Thomas, who continued his trick of taking a name that Marvel already owned and creating a new super hero around it&nbsp;... The new Vision, drawn by John Buscema, was a synthozoid – an android with synthetic human organs."</ref> Pym assumed the new identity of Yellowjacket in issue #59,<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133: "Hank had suffered a mental breakdown and created this new identity."</ref> and married the Wasp the following month.<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 134: "Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp) and Hank Pym&nbsp;... finally tied the knot in ''The Avengers'' #60."</ref>

The Avengers headquarters was in a New York City building called [[Avengers Mansion]], courtesy of Tony Stark (Iron Man's real identity). The mansion was serviced by [[Edwin Jarvis]], the Avengers' faithful butler,<ref>DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 103: "''Tales of Suspense'' #59 also presented Edwin Jarvis for the first time, the longtime butler of the Avengers."</ref> and furnished with state of the art technology and defense systems, and included the Avengers' primary mode of transport: the five-engine [[List of vehicles in Marvel Comics#Quinjet|Quinjet]].

The prequel comic ''Avengers'' #1 1/2 (Dec. 1999), by writer Roger Stern and artist Bruce Timm, told a retro-style story taking place between issues #1 and #2, detailing Ant-Man's decision to transform himself into Giant-Man.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://marvel.com/news/comics/18751/avengers_classics_avengers_1_12| title=Avengers Classics: ''Avengers'' 1 1/2|first=Jim|last=Beard| publisher=Marvel Comics|date=May 18, 2012|archiveurl= https://www.webcitation.org/6lpbf2C16?url=http://marvel.com/news/comics/18751/avengers_classics_avengers_1_12|archivedate= November 7, 2016|deadurl= no}}</ref>

===1970s===
The team encountered new characters such as [[Arkon]] in issue #75 (April 1970),<ref>[[Peter Sanderson|Sanderson, Peter]] "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 145</ref> and [[Red Wolf (comics)|Red Wolf]] in #80 (Sept. 1970).<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 146: "Red Wolf was Marvel's first Native American super hero."</ref> The team's  adventures increased in scope as the team crossed into an alternate dimension and battled the [[Squadron Supreme]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy|penciller= [[John Buscema|Buscema, John]]|inker= [[Frank Giacoia|Giacoia, Frank]]|story= The World Is Not for Burning|title= The Avengers|issue= 85|date= February 1971}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy|penciller= [[Sal Buscema|Buscema, Sal]]|inker= [[Jim Mooney|Mooney, Jim]]|story= Brain-Child to the Dark Tower Came|title= The Avengers|issue= 86|date= March 1971}}</ref><ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 148</ref> and fought in the [[Kree-Skrull War]],<ref>{{cite book|last = Thomas|first = Roy |author2=Buscema, Sal |author3=[[Neal Adams|Adams, Neal]] |author4=Buscema, John|title = Avengers: The Kree-Skrull War |publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2000|page = 208|isbn = 978-0-7851-0745-3}}</ref><ref>Daniels p. 150: "This wild tale&nbsp;... attempted to tie together more than thirty years of the company's stories&nbsp;... More than any previous work, 'The Kree-Skrull War' solidified the idea that every comic book Marvel had ever published was part of an endless, ongoing saga."</ref><ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 150: "Unprecedented in Marvel history, this epic spanned nine issues of ''The Avengers''. The saga began in ''The Avengers'' #89."</ref> an epic battle between the alien [[Kree]] and [[Skrull]] races and guest-starred the Kree hero, [[Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)|Captain Marvel]]. The Avengers briefly disband when Skrulls impersonating Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man used their authority as founders of the team and disbanded it.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Roy Thomas|Thomas, Roy]]|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= [[George Roussos|Roussos, George]]|story= All Things Must End!|title= The Avengers|issue= 92|date= September 1971}}</ref> The true founding Avengers, minus the Wasp, reformed the team in response after complaints from Jarvis.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy|penciller= Adams, Neal|inker= [[Tom Palmer (comics)|Palmer, Tom]]|story= This Beachhead Earth|title= The Avengers|issue= 93|date= November 1971}}</ref>

[[Mantis (Marvel Comics)|Mantis]] joined the team along with the reformed [[Swordsman (comics)|Swordsman]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Steve Englehart|Englehart, Steve]]|penciller= [[Bob Brown (comics)|Brown, Bob]]|inker= [[Mike Esposito (comics)|Esposito, Mike]]|story= Night of the Swordsman|title= The Avengers|issue= 114|date= August 1973}}</ref> "The Avengers-Defenders Clash" storyline crossed over between the two team titles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.steveenglehart.com/Comics/Avengers-Defenders%20Clash.html |title=The Avengers-Defenders Clash |first=Steve |last=Englehart |date=n.d. |publisher=SteveEnglehart.com |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6GizT1Ggc?url=http://www.steveenglehart.com/Comics/Avengers-Defenders%20Clash.html |archivedate=May 19, 2013 |deadurl=no |accessdate=May 19, 2013 |quote=From the moment it was born, this sequence was called the Avengers-Defenders ''Clash''. |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Englehart|first = Steve|author2= Brown, Bob|author3= Buscema, Sal|title = Avengers/Defenders War|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2007|page = 136|isbn = 978-0-7851-2759-8}}</ref><ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 160: "Loki and Dormammu manipulated two super-teams into the Avengers-Defenders war, starting in ''The Avengers'' #116 and ''The Defenders'' #9 in October [1973]."</ref> "The Celestial Madonna" arc linked Mantis' origins to the very beginnings of the Kree-Skrull conflict in a time-spanning adventure involving Kang the Conqueror,<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 166: "Writer Steve Englehart started an epic story line in which Kang the Conqueror tried to locate the Celestial Madonna."</ref> and [[Immortus]], who were past and future versions of each other.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= [[Joe Staton|Staton, Joe]]|story= Yesterday and Beyond&nbsp;... |title= The Avengers|issue= 133|date= March 1975}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Staton, Joe|story= The Times That Bind!|title= The Avengers|issue= 134|date= April 1975}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Tuska, George|inker= [[Frank Chiaramonte|Chiaramonte, Frank]]|story= The Torch is Passed!|title= The Avengers|issue= 135|date= May 1975}}</ref> Mantis was revealed to be the Celestial Madonna,<ref>{{cite book|last= Cooke|first= Jon B.|title= Comic Book Artist Collection, Volume One|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|year= 2000|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|page= 166|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=H3Zv6DN7eRIC&pg=PA166&dq=Steve+Englehart+You+planned+for+her+to+become+the+Celestial+Madonna#v=onepage&q=Steve%20Englehart%20You%20planned%20for%20her%20to%20become%20the%20Celestial%20Madonna&f=false|isbn= 978-1-893905-03-0}}</ref> who was destined to give birth to a being that would save the universe.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= [[Dave Cockrum|Cockrum, Dave]]|inker= Cockrum, Dave|story= A Blast from the Past!|title= Giant-Size Avengers|issue= 2|date= November 1974}}</ref> It was revealed that the Vision's body had only been appropriated, and not created by Ultron, and that it originally belonged to the 1940s [[Human Torch (android)|Human Torch]]. With his origins clear to him, the Vision proposed to the Scarlet Witch. The "Celestial Madonna" saga ended with their wedding, presided over by Immortus.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Heck, Don|inker= Tartaglione, John|story=...&nbsp;Let All Men Bring Together|title= Giant-Size Avengers|issue= 4|date= June 1975}}</ref><ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 169: "Writer Steve Englehart and veteran ''Avengers'' artist Don Heck presented the grand finale of the long-running 'Celestial Madonna' saga&nbsp;... Immortus presided over the double wedding of Mantis to the resurrected Swordsman, and the android Vision to the Scarlet Witch."</ref> The [[Beast (comics)|Beast]] and [[Moondragon]] joined the team soon after.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Englehart,, Steve|penciller= Tuska, George|inker= [[Vince Colletta|Colletta, Vince]]|story= We Do Seek Out New Avengers!!|title= The Avengers|issue= 137|date= July 1975}}</ref> A seven-part story featured the Squadron Supreme and the [[Serpent Crown]].<ref>{{cite book|last = Englehart|first = Steve|author2=Pérez, George |authorlink2=George Pérez |title = Avengers: The Serpent Crown|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2007|page = 136|isbn = 978-0-7851-5751-9}}</ref>

Other classic storylines included "[[Jocasta (comics)|The Bride of Ultron]]",<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jim Shooter|Shooter, Jim]]|penciller= Pérez, George|inker= [[Pablo Marcos|Marcos, Pablo]]|story= Beware the Ant-Man!|title= The Avengers|issue= 161|date= July 1977}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim|penciller= Pérez, George|inker= Marcos, Pablo|story= The Bride of Ultron!|title= The Avengers|issue= 162|date= August 1977}}</ref> the "[[Count Nefaria|Nefaria]] Trilogy",<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter Jim|penciller= [[John Byrne (comics)|Byrne, John]]|inker= Marcos Pablo|story= To Fall by Treachery!|title= The Avengers|issue= 164|date= October 1977}}</ref><ref name="Avengers165">{{cite comic| writer= Shooter Jim|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= Marcos Pablo|story= Hammer of Vengeance!|title= The Avengers|issue= 165|date= November 1977}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter Jim|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= Marcos Pablo|story= Day of the Godslayer!|title= The Avengers|issue= 166|date= December 1977}}</ref> and "The [[Korvac]] Saga", which featured nearly every Avenger who joined the team up to that point.<ref>{{cite book|last = Shooter|first = Jim |author2=Pérez, George |author3=Buscema, Sal |author4=[[David Wenzel|Wenzel, David]]|title = Avengers: The Korvac Saga|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2010|page = 240|isbn = 978-0-7851-4470-0}}</ref><ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 184: "Writer Jim Shooter and artist George Pérez began their saga pitting their seemingly omnipotent villain, Michael Korvac against Earth's Mightiest Heroes in ''The Avengers'' #167."</ref> [[Henry Peter Gyrich]] became the Avengers' liaison to the [[United States National Security Council]].<ref name="Avengers165" /><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim|penciller= Pérez, George|inker= Marcos, Pablo|story= First Blood|title= The Avengers|issue= 168|date= February 1978}}</ref> Gyrich was prejudiced against superhumans and acted in a heavy-handed, obstructive manner, and insisted that the Avengers follow government rules and regulations or else lose their priority status with the government. Among Gyrich's demands was that the active roster be trimmed down to only seven members, and that the [[Falcon (comics)|Falcon]], an [[African American]], be admitted to the team to comply with [[affirmative action]] laws. This last act was resented by Hawkeye, who because of the seven-member limit lost his membership slot to the Falcon.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[David Michelinie|Michelinie, David]]|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= [[Gene Day|Day, Gene]]|story= On The Matter Of Heroes!|title= The Avengers|issue= 181|date= March 1979}}</ref> The Falcon, in turn, was unhappy to be the beneficiary of what he perceived to be [[tokenism]], and decided to resign from the team, after which Wonder Man rejoined.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Michelinie, David|penciller= Pérez, George|inker= [[Josef Rubinstein|Rubinstein, Joe]]|story= Interlude|title= The Avengers|issue= 194|date= April 1980}}</ref> The true origins of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch were revealed in a three-part story that ran in issues #185–187 (July–Sept. 1979).<ref>Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 190: "Readers learned how a mysterious woman, Magda, gave birth to the mutant twins at Wundagore Mountain before disappearing into the wilderness."</ref> After this adventure, the Scarlet Witch took a leave of absence and [[Ms. Marvel]] officially joined the team as her replacement.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Michelinie, David|penciller= Byrne, John|inker= [[Klaus Janson|Janson, Klaus]]|story= The Redoubtable Return of Crusher Creel!|title= The Avengers|issue= 183|date= May 1979}}</ref>

===1980s===
The first major development was the breakdown of Henry Pym,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim|penciller= [[Bob Hall (comics)|Hall, Bob]]|inker= [[Dan Green (artist)|Green, Dan]]|story= Court-Martial|title= The Avengers|issue= 213|date= November 1981}}</ref> with his frequent changes of costume and name being symptomatic of an identity problem and an [[inferiority complex]]. After he abused his wife, failed to win back the confidence of the Avengers with a ruse and was duped by the villain [[Egghead (Marvel Comics)|Egghead]], Pym was jailed.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= Green, Dan|story= Double-Cross!|title= The Avengers|issue= 217|date= March 1982}}</ref> Pym would later outwit Egghead and defeated the latest incarnation of the Masters of Evil single-handedly, and proved his innocence.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Roger Stern|Stern, Roger]]|penciller= [[Al Milgrom|Milgrom, Al]]|inker= [[Joe Sinnott|Sinnott, Joe]]|story= Final Curtain!|title= The Avengers|issue= 229|date= March 1983}}</ref> Pym reconciled with the Wasp, but they decided to remain apart.<ref name="Avengers 1983">{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Milgrom, Al|inker= Sinnott, Joe|story= The Last Farewell!|title= The Avengers|issue= 230|date= April 1983}}</ref> Pym retired from super-heroics,<ref name="Avengers 1983"/> but returned years later.<ref name="WCA21">{{cite comic| writer= Englehart, Steve|penciller= Milgrom, Al|inker= Sinnott, Joe|story= Lost in Space-Time Part 5: A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven!|title= [[West Coast Avengers]]|volume = 2|issue= 21|date= June 1987}}</ref>

This was followed by several major storylines, such as "Ultimate Vision" in which the Vision took over the world's computer systems in a misguided attempt to create world peace;<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= Sinnott, Joe|story= Deceptions!|title= The Avengers|issue= 251|date= January 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= Sinnott, Joe|story= Deciding Factor!|title= The Avengers|issue= 252|date= February 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= [[Ian Akin|Akin, Ian]]; [[Brian Garvey (comics)|Garvey, Brian]]|story= Conquering Vision|title= The Avengers|issue= 253|date= March 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= Rubinstein, Joe; DelBeato, Joe|story= Absolute Vision|title= The Avengers|issue= 254|date= April 1985}}</ref> the formation of the [[West Coast Avengers]];<ref name="WCA1">{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= [[Brett Breeding|Breeding, Brett]]|story= Avengers Assemble!|title= West Coast Avengers|issue= 1|date= September 1984}}</ref><ref>DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 219: "Hawkeye and his new wife, Mockingbird, were given the job of running the West Coast branch&nbsp;... The initial four-issue limited series proved so popular that it became a regular monthly book that ran for 102 issues."</ref> and "Avengers Under Siege" which involved the second [[Baron Helmut Zemo|Baron Zemo]] and the Masters of Evil taking over the mansion and severely injuring Jarvis and Hercules.<ref>{{cite book|last = Stern|first = Roger|author2=Buscema, John|title = Avengers: Under Siege|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2010|page = 160|isbn = 978-0-7851-4382-6}}</ref> "Assault on Olympus" featured Hercules' father, Zeus, blaming the Avengers for his son's injuries and brought them to Olympus for trial,<ref>{{cite book|last = Stern|first = Roger|author2=Buscema, John|title = Avengers: Assault on Olympus|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2011|page = 192|isbn = 978-0-7851-5533-1}}</ref> and the "Heavy Metal" arc saw the [[Super Adaptoid]] organized several robotic villains for an assault on the team.<ref>{{cite book|last = Stern|first = Roger|author2-link = Ralph Macchio (comics)|last2=Macchio|first2=Ralph|last3=Buscema|first3=John|title = Avengers: Heavy Metal|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2013|page = 200|isbn = 978-0-7851-8452-2}}</ref> New members during the 1980s included [[Tigra]];<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim|penciller= [[Gene Colan|Colan, Gene]]|inker= Green, Dan|story=...&nbsp;By Force of Mind!|title= The Avengers|issue= 211|date= September 1981}}</ref> the [[She-Hulk]];<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Shooter, Jim; Michelinie, David|penciller= Hall, Bob|inker= Breeding, Brett|story=...&nbsp;New Blood!|title= The Avengers|issue= 221|date= July 1982}}</ref> [[Monica Rambeau]] (then going by the name Captain Marvel);<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Buscema, Sal|inker= Breeding, Brett|story= Testing&nbsp;... 1&nbsp;... 2&nbsp;... 3!|title= The Avengers|issue= 227|date= January 1983}}</ref> [[Starfox (comics)|Starfox]] (the brother of [[Thanos]]);<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Milgrom, Al|inker= Sinnott, Joe|story= And Now&nbsp;... Starfox!|title= The Avengers|issue= 232|date= June 1983}}</ref> Hawkeye's wife, [[Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)|Mockingbird]];<ref name="WCA1"/> and [[Namor]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Buscema, John|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Many Brave Hearts&nbsp;... |title= The Avengers|issue= 262|date= December 1985}}</ref> while Henry Pym emerged from retirement to join the West Coast Avengers.<ref name="WCA21"/> Spider-Man was again offered membership,<ref>Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 129: "The Avengers were looking for some new blood, and once again Spider-Man's name had come up in discussion."</ref> but failed to gain admission due to security concerns by the Avengers' government liaison.<ref>Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 136: "Spidey still wouldn't make the team, receiving a veto from the National Security Council based on his rather spotty record"</ref>

The villain [[Nebula (comics)|Nebula]] falsely claimed to be the granddaughter of [[Thanos]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Buscema, John|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Holocaust In A Hidden Land!|title= The Avengers|issue= 257|date= July 1985}}</ref> The team relocated for a period to a floating island off the coast of New York called Hydrobase after Avengers Mansion was severely damaged during the events in "Under Siege".<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Stern, Roger|penciller= Buscema, John|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Pressure|title= The Avengers|issue= 278|date= April 1987}}</ref> Hydrobase was later sunk during the ''Acts of Vengeance'' crossover.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Byrne, John|penciller= [[Paul Ryan (cartoonist)|Ryan, Paul]]|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= The Weakest Point|title= The Avengers|issue= 311|date= December 1989}}</ref>

The Avengers and West Coast Avengers changed to allow members to be active when available and reserved when not available and merged the two separate Avengers teams into one team with two bases.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Byrne, John|penciller= Ryan, Paul|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Avengers Assemble!|title= The Avengers|issue= 305|date= July 1989}}</ref> The Vision had his personality fundamentally altered, along with the discovery that the children of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision were actually illusions. The loss of the Scarlet Witch's children and the Vision, who was disassembled by government agents in retaliation for the ''Ultimate Vision'' storyline, drove her insane, although she eventually recovered and rejoined the team. This story revealed that the Scarlet Witch's powers included wide-range reality manipulation and she was what the time-traveling Immortus refers to as a "nexus being" setting the stage for 2004's eventual ''Chaos'' and ''Avengers Disassembled'' storylines.<ref>{{cite book|last1= Housel|first1= Rebecca|last2= Wisnewski|first2= J. Jeremy|last3= Irwin|first3= William|title= X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse|publisher= [[John Wiley & Sons|Wiley]]|year= 2009|location= New York, New York|page= 91|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=bK-ax5Ttj3wC&pg=PA90&dq=Scarlet+Witch+origin+X-Men+and+Philosophy#v=onepage&q=Scarlet%20Witch%20origin%20X-Men%20and%20Philosophy&f=false|isbn= 978-0-470-41340-1}}</ref> This played out in the ''Darker than Scarlet'' storyline which ran in ''Avengers West Coast'' from issues #51–62 (Nov. 1989–Sept. 1990). The Avengers titles in late 1989 were involved in the major crossover event "[[Acts of Vengeance]]" where Loki assembled many of Marvel's arch-villains, his inner circle consisted of Doctor Doom, [[Magneto (comics)|Magneto]], [[Kingpin (comics)|Kingpin]], [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]], [[Wizard (Marvel Comics)|Wizard]], and [[Red Skull]], in a plot to destroy the team. Loki orchestrated a mass breakout of villains from prison facility, the [[Vault (comics)|Vault]], as part of his "Acts of Vengeance" scheme, but he ultimately failed in his goal to destroy the Avengers.

===1990s===
The U.S. government revoked the Avengers' New York State charter in a treaty with the Soviet Union. The Avengers then received a charter from the United Nations and the Avengers split into two teams with a substitute reserve team backing up the main teams.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Larry Hama|Hama, Larry]]|penciller= Ryan, Paul|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Wind From the East|title= The Avengers|issue= 326|date= November 1990}}</ref>

At this point, ongoing storylines and character development focused on the Black Knight, [[Sersi]], [[Crystal (comics)|Crystal]], Hercules, the Vision, and the Black Widow. Their primary antagonists in this run were the mysterious [[Proctor (comics)|Proctor]] and his team of other-dimensional Avengers known as the Gatherers. During this period, the Avengers found themselves facing increasingly murderous enemies and were forced to question their rule against killing.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Bob Harras|Harras, Bob]]|penciller= [[Steve Epting|Epting, Steve]]|inker= Palmer, Tom|story= Empire's End|title= The Avengers|issue= 347|date= May 1992}}</ref>

This culminated in "[[Operation: Galactic Storm]]", a 19-part storyline that ran through all Avengers-related titles and showcased a conflict between the Kree and the [[Shi'ar|Shi'ar Empire]].<ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 258</ref> The team split when Iron Man and several dissidents executed the [[Supreme Intelligence]] against the wishes of Captain America. After a vote disbanded the [[West Coast Avengers]], Iron Man formed a proactive and aggressive team called [[Force Works]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Dan Abnett|Abnett, Dan]]; [[Andy Lanning|Lanning, Andy]]|penciller= Tenney, Tom|inker= Garcia, Rey|story= Daybreak|title= [[Force Works]]|issue= 1|date= July 1994}}</ref> During the team's first mission, Wonder Man was killed again, though his atoms were temporarily scattered. Force Works later disbanded after it was revealed that Iron Man became a murderer via the manipulations of the villain Kang,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Abnett, Dan; Lanning, Andy|penciller= [[Andrew Wildman|Wildman, Andrew]]|inker= Garcia, Rey|story= Pain Threshold|title= Force Works|issue= 22|date= April 1996}}</ref> the same storyline seeing Iron Man sacrificing himself and being replaced by his teenage counterpart from a parallel timeline.

During the [[Heroes Reborn (comics)|Heroes Reborn]] event, many of the Avengers together with the [[Fantastic Four]] and others, died trying to stop the psychic entity [[Onslaught (comics)|Onslaught]], although it was revealed that [[Franklin Richards (Fantastic Four)|Franklin Richards]] preserved those heroes in a pocket universe. Believing the main team to be gone, the [[Black Widow (Natalia Romanova)|Black Widow]] disbanded the Avengers, and only butler Edwin Jarvis remained to tend to the Mansion.

The previous continuity of the [[Marvel Universe]] was set aside as the heroes were "reborn" in the pocket universe created by Franklin Richards to save his parents and their friends, while the "[[Heroes Reborn (comics)|Heroes Reborn]]" line ended<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 282: "Although the flashy excitement of the Heroes Reborn event had given fans a nostalgic visit to the early part of the decade, by the end of the year, Marvel had set the stage for the return to its time-honored classic lineup."</ref> and the heroes returned to the prime Marvel Universe. This restoration also undid recent changes to the team members such as the Wasp being mutated into an insectoid state, Hawkeye being rendered deaf, and Stark being replaced by his teenage self, attributed to Franklin's childish perception recreating the heroes in the manner he was more familiar with.

After the Heroes Reborn series concluded, the Avengers comic was restarted with vol. 3 #1 written by [[Kurt Busiek]] and pencilled by [[George Pérez]].  New members during this run included the revived Wonder Man, [[Vance Astrovik|Justice]], [[Firestar (Marvel Comics)|Firestar]], [[Silverclaw]], and [[Triathlon (comics)|Triathlon]]. The Avengers fought many of their traditional villains such as the [[Grim Reaper (comics)|Grim Reaper]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Kurt Busiek|Busiek, Kurt]]|penciller= [[George Pérez|Pérez, George]]|inker= Vey, Al|story= Pomp & Pageantry|title= The Avengers|volume= 3|issue= 10|date= November 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Busiek, Kurt|penciller= Pérez, George|inker= Vey, Al|story=...&nbsp;Always an Avenger!|title= The Avengers|volume= 3|issue= 11|date= December 1998}}</ref> [[Ultron]],<ref>{{cite book|last = Busiek|first = Kurt|author2=Pérez, George|title = The Avengers: Ultron Unlimited|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2001|page = 96|isbn = 978-0-7851-0774-3}}</ref> [[Count Nefaria]], and [[Kang the Conqueror]].<ref>{{cite book|last = Busiek|first = Kurt|author2= Davis, Alan|author3= Dwyer, Kieron|title = The Avengers: The Kang Dynasty|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2004|page = 384|isbn = 978-0-7851-0958-7}}</ref> The [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] ''[[Avengers Forever]]'', starting during this period, was a time travel story that explored the history of the Avengers and resolved many outstanding questions about Kang and Immortus's past manipulations of the team, featuring various Avengers from the past, present and possible futures working alongside Kang the Conqueror and Rick Jones as part of Kang's attempt to escape his perceived 'destiny' as Immortus.

===2000s===
The Avengers were granted international authority by the United Nations. Members joining during that period included [[Jack of Hearts]] and the second [[Ant-Man (Scott Lang)|Ant-Man]]. A new [[Lionheart (comics)|Captain Britain]] was added to the team. The "[[Avengers Disassembled]]" storyline followed.<ref>{{cite book|last = Bendis|first = Brian Michael|author2=Finch, David |authorlink2=David Finch (comics) |title = Avengers Disassembled|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2006|page = 184|isbn = 978-0-7851-2294-4}}</ref><ref>Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 323: "Writer Brian Michael Bendis would turn the Avengers' world on its end with this shocking new crossover event drawn by artist David Finch. "</ref> Titled ''Chaos'', the story featured the deaths of some members and a loss of credibility for the team. The culprit is revealed to be the [[Scarlet Witch]], who had gone insane after agonizing over the memory of her lost children and who subsequently lost control of her reality-altering powers.<ref>{{cite book|last = Bendis|first = Brain Michael|author2=Coipel, Olivier |authorlink2=Olivier Coipel |title = House of M|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2006|page = 224|isbn = 978-0-7851-1721-6}}</ref> With the team in disarray and Avengers Mansion ruined, the surviving members agreed to disband.

A new Avengers team formed, in the series ''[[The New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]]'' after a group of heroes banded together to thwart a break-out at super-villain prison the Raft, composed of Iron Man, Captain America, [[Luke Cage]], [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], [[Ronin (Marvel Comics)|Ronin]], [[Spider-Man]],<ref>Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 289: "Spider-Man had always been thought of as a solo hero and one who wouldn't work well in a team. Writer Brian Michael Bendis shattered that myth in the mid-2000s when he made Spidey a member of the New Avengers."</ref> [[Spider-Woman]], and the mysterious [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]].<ref>Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 324: "Superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch relaunched the title under the name ''The New Avengers''. The comic focused more on Marvel's arguably most popular super heroes."</ref> This was soon followed by the ''[[House of M]]'' event.

In the company-wide "[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]" story arc, Marvel superheroes were split over compliance with the U.S. government's new [[Superhuman Registration Act]], which required all superpowered persons to register their true identities with the federal government and become agents of same. The New Avengers disbanded, with a rebel underground starring in a series retaining ''The New Avengers'' in its [[trademark]]ed cover logo and ''New Avengers'' in its [[copyright]] [[indicia (publishing)|indicia]]. Luke Cage led this team, consisting of himself, [[Echo (Marvel Comics)|Echo]], Ronin, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Wolverine, [[Iron Fist (comics)|Iron Fist]], and [[Doctor Strange]]. During the long-term [[Secret Invasion]] by the shape-shifting alien race the [[Skrulls]], it was revealed that Spider-Woman had been abducted and replaced by the Skrull queen [[Veranke]] before she even joined the team. After the Skrulls' defeat, Spider-Woman was rescued along with other abducted and replaced heroes. During the company-wide story arc "[[Dark Reign (comics)|Dark Reign]]", Echo and Iron Fist left the team and the Avengers gained [[Ms. Marvel]], [[Bucky Barnes]] as a fill-in [[Captain America]], and [[Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)|Mockingbird]].

Iron Man, in the series ''[[The Mighty Avengers]]'', formed a team under the aegis of the government's [[Avengers: The Initiative|Fifty State Initiative]] program, and took up residency in New York City, joined by [[Ares (Marvel Comics)|Ares]], the [[Black Widow (Natalia Romanova)|Black Widow]], the Sentry, the [[Wasp (comics)|Wasp]], [[Wonder Man]], and leader Carol Danvers as [[Ms. Marvel]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Bendis, Brian Michael|penciller= [[Frank Cho|Cho, Frank]]|inker= Cho, Frank|story= The Mighty Avengers|title= [[The Mighty Avengers]]|issue= 1|date= May 2007}}</ref><ref>Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 335: "With the help of artist Frank Cho, [Brian Michael] Bendis created the Mighty Avengers, a government-sponsored team that would serve as the antithesis to the still-underground New Avengers."</ref> After the events of the [[Secret Invasion]] story arc, [[Norman Osborn]] assumed control of the formerly S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored Avengers, now under the auspices of his own agency, H.A.M.M.E.R. All but Ares and the Sentry left this team — the Wasp appeared to have died — and the team migrated to the series ''[[Dark Avengers]]''. Osborn recruited [[Marvel Boy]] to pose as Captain Marvel and [[Daken]] to pose as his father, [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], bringing Moonstone, Bullseye, and Venom from his previous [[Thunderbolts (comics)|Thunderbolts]] team to impersonate Ms. Marvel, Hawkeye, and Spider-Man respectively.

In ''The Mighty Avengers'', Pym, assumed the Wasp identity in tribute to his fallen ex-wife, led a new team of Avengers, and claimed the name for his team as he was the only founding Avenger on any of the three active Avengers rosters (Wasp and Cap were dead, Thor was acting solo, and Iron Man was on the run from Osborn). His team operated under a multinational umbrella group, the Global Reaction Agency for Mysterious Paranormal Activity (GRAMPA). This team featured the roster of [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]], [[Amadeus Cho]], [[Cassandra Lang|Stature]], the Vision, [[Jocasta (comics)|Jocasta]], [[U.S. Agent (comics)|U.S. Agent]], [[Quicksilver (comics)|Quicksilver]], and Pym. [[Loki (comics)|Loki]] in disguise as the [[Scarlet Witch]] was a recurring character. Iron Man and the Hulk were briefly with them.

===2010s===
After Osborn's Dark Avengers are exposed as criminals and their attack on Asgard was thwarted, the next iteration of the Avengers roster consists of [[Thor (Marvel comics)|Thor]], [[Hawkeye (comics)|Hawkeye]], [[Spider-Man]], [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], [[Captain America]], [[Spider-Woman]], [[Iron Man]], and team leader [[Maria Hill]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24925|title=Bendis Assembles His Avengers|first= Dave|last= Richards|publisher= Comic Book Resources|date= 2010-02-19|accessdate= 2010-03-02|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100328085825/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24925|archivedate= 2010-03-28|deadurl= no}}</ref> [[Captain America|Steve Rogers]], briefly eschewing his Captain America persona, responds to Luke Cage's concerns about the team reverting to old methods by granting Cage's "New Avengers" recognition as an official team independent of Stark's more traditional Avengers. Bucky Barnes as Captain America joined the main Avengers, while Iron Fist, [[Jessica Jones|Power Woman]], and the [[Thing (comics)|Thing]] joined Cage's team, Spider-Man and Wolverine maintaining dual membership in both teams. Rogers was an occasional presence and [[Victoria Hand]] was added as a government liaison for the New Avengers with Rogers's backing.

A second series, titled ''[[Secret Avengers]]'', was released in May 2010, written by [[Ed Brubaker]] with [[Mike Deodato]] as the regular artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24750|title= ''Secret Avengers'' Creative Team Announced|publisher= Comic Book Resources|date= 2010-02-08|accessdate= 2010-02-08|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100210025205/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24750|archivedate= 2010-02-10|deadurl= no}}</ref> The second volume of the ''[[The New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]]'' series was relaunched in June 2010, written by Bendis and drawn by [[Stuart Immonen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25026|title= Luke Cage is a New Avenger Again|publisher= Comic Book Resources|date= 2010-03-01|accessdate= 2010-03-02|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100303223836/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25026|archivedate= 2010-03-03|deadurl= no}}</ref> A fourth title, ''[[Avengers Academy]]'', was launched in June 2010, replacing ''Avengers: The Initiative''. [[Christos Gage]] served as writer, with [[Mike McKone]] as artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25250 |title=Christos Gage Enrolls at ''Avengers Academy'' |first=Dave |last=Richards |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=2010-03-16 |accessdate=2011-02-01 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6GkHKpdm4?url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25250 |archivedate=2013-05-20 |deadurl=no }}</ref>

Following a meeting between Rogers and [[MI-13 (comics)|MI-13]], [[Captain Britain]] accepts a position with the Avengers.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Paul Cornell|Cornell, Paul]]|penciller= [[Leonard Kirk|Kirk, Leonard]]|inker= Kirk, Leonard|story= Diplomatic Incident|title= Age of Heroes|issue= 1|date= July 2010}}</ref> [[Noh-Varr]] later does as well.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Bendis, Brian Michael|penciller= Romita Jr., John|inker= Janson, Klaus; Palmer, Tom|story= A favor? What sort of favor would you ask of Ultron, Tony Stark?"|title= The Avengers|volume= 4|issue= 6|date= December 2010}}</ref> [[Hulk|Bruce Banner]] made arrangements with Rogers for the [[Thunderbolt Ross|Red Hulk]] to join.<ref name="HulkV2#24">{{Cite comic|Writer= [[Jeph Loeb|Loeb, Jeph]]|Penciller= [[Ed McGuinness|McGuinness, Ed]]|Inker= [[Mark Farmer|Farmer, Mark]]|Story=The Strongest There Is|Title= The Hulk|volume=2|Issue=24|date= October 2010}}</ref><ref name="HulkV2#25">{{Cite comic|Writer=[[Jeff Parker (comics)|Parker, Jeff]]|Artist= Hardman, Gabriel|Story=Scorched Earth Part 1: Singularity|Title= The Hulk|volume=2|Issue=25|date=November 2010}}</ref>

The "[[Shattered Heroes]]" storyline leads to several changes in the main Avengers lineup, with [[Daisy Johnson|Quake]] and [[Storm (Marvel Comics)|Storm]] being recruited, and the [[Vision (Marvel Comics)|Vision]] rejoining the team. Wolverine and Spider-Man leave the main team and become more involved with the [[The New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Bendis, Brian Michael|penciller= [[Daniel Acuña|Acuña, Daniel]]|inker= Acuña, Daniel|story= I don't know|title= The Avengers|volume= 4|issue= 19|date= January 2012}}</ref> During the events of the ''[[Avengers vs. X-Men]]'' storyline, Storm quits to side with her fellow mutants as a member of the X-Men. The Avengers dismiss Noh-Varr after he attempted to betray the team, though ultimately he did not. The conflict ends with both teams united but defeated by an unrepentant [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]]. A new series, ''[[Uncanny Avengers]]'', debuted in the flagship title of the [[Marvel NOW!]] initiative. The title is written by [[Rick Remender]] with art by [[John Cassaday]], and the team contains members of both the Avengers and the X-Men.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19136/marvel_now_qa_uncanny_avengers |title=Marvel NOW! Q&A: ''Uncanny Avengers'' |first=Ben |last=Morse |date=2012-08-01 |publisher=Marvel Comics |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6GkHdtU2o?url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19136/marvel_now_qa_uncanny_avengers |archivedate=2013-05-20 |deadurl=no |df= }}</ref> As well, a biweekly ''Avengers'' title was launched, written by [[Jonathan Hickman]] and drawn by different artists for each story arc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40821 |title=Marvel Reveals Weaver's Interlocking ''Avengers'' Covers |first=Kevin |last=Melrose |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=2012-09-04 |accessdate=2012-11-10 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6GkHxMfQA?url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=40821 |archivedate=2013-05-20 |deadurl=no }}</ref> Hickman also began writing ''New Avengers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19167/marvel_now_qa_avengers |title=Marvel NOW! Q&A: ''Avengers'' |last=Uzumeri |first=David |date=2012-08-06 |publisher=Marvel Comics |accessdate=2012-08-09 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6GkIJ5x0G?url=http://marvel.com/news/story/19167/marvel_now_qa_avengers |archivedate=2013-05-20 |deadurl=no |df= }}</ref>

[[File:5.5.18ClaytonCrainSignsAvengersByLuigiNovi19b.jpg|thumb|Artist [[Clayton Crain]] signing the first issue of the 2018 series at [[Midtown Comics Downtown]] in Manhattan]]
During the 2014 "[[AXIS (comics)|AXIS]]" storyline, when a now-evil Scarlet Witch invades Latveria, Doctor Doom forms his own team of Avengers consisting of 3D Man, Elsa Bloodstone, Stingray, Valkyrie, and U.S. Agent.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Barbiere, Frank J. Barbiere; [[Nick Spencer|Spencer, Nick]]|penciller= Checchetto, Marco|inker= Checchetto, Marco|title= [[Avengers World]]|issue= 15|date= January 2015}}</ref> After various heroes and villains experience a moral inversion in the battle against the Red Skull empowered with Professor Charles Xavier's abilities, Rogers later assembles Magneto, Doctor Doom, the Absorbing Man, Carnage, Deadpool, the Enchantress, the Hobgoblin, the fifth Jack O'Lantern, Loki, Mystique, and Sabretooth, all temporarily 'inverted' to act as heroes, to assist he and Spider-Man in defeating the inverted Avengers and X-Men until the original spell can be undone.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Rick Remender|Remender, Rick]]|penciller= [[Terry Dodson|Dodson, Terry]]|inker= [[Rachel Dodson|Doodson, Rachel]]|story= Inversion: Chapter 3|title= [[AXIS (comics)|Avengers & X-Men: AXIS]]|issue= 6|date= January 2015}}</ref> During the "[[Time Runs Out]]" storyline, [[Sunspot (comics)|Sunspot]] created a team of the Avengers, consisting of himself, Black Widow, Cannonball, Manifold, Pod, Shang-Chi, Smasher, Spider-Woman, Validator, and the Children of the Sun. The "Multiversal Avengers" division of this team consists of Abyss, the Ex Nihili (including Ex Nihilo), Hyperion, Nightmask, Odinson, and Star Brand.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Jonathan Hickman|Hickman, Jonathan]]|penciller= [[Jim Cheung|Cheung, Jim]]; Medina, Paco; Bradshaw, Nick; Weaver, Dustin|inker= Morales, Mark; Ortega, Guillermo; Vlasco, Juan; Bradshaw, Nick; Weaver, Dustin|story= The Three Avengers|title= The Avengers|volume= 5|issue= 35|date= November 2014}}</ref>

Following the destruction and reconstruction of reality in the 2015 "[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]" storyline, a new team is created known as Avengers Idea Mechanics, set to tackle Avengers-level threats beyond simply fighting villains, while the Avengers Unity Squad continues to operate to support mutant relations. Iron Man forms a new team of Avengers in the ''All-New All-Different Avengers'' series consisting of himself, the Vision, Nova (Sam Alexander), Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Captain America (Sam Wilson), and Thor (Jane Foster).<ref>''All-New All-Different Avengers'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> Following the ''[[Civil War II]]'', storyline, the title was canceled and replaced with a new volume of the regular ''Avengers'' title. The roster was also changed, where following Iron Man being placed in a coma, and Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Nova, and Ms. Marvel's resignation from the team (who instead teamed up with other heroes their own age to form their own group the [[Champions (2016 team)|Champions]]<ref>''Champions'' vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>), the remaining three members are paired up with Spider-Man (Peter Parker), [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]] and Wasp (Nadia Pym) to form a new team.<ref>''Avengers'' vol. 7 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the 2017 "[[Secret Empire (comic book)|Secret Empire]]" storyline, the Hydra regime has their own Avengers consisting of Odinson, Deadpool, a [[Chthon (Marvel Comics)|Chthon]]-possessed Scarlet Witch, Vision (who was suffering from an A.I. Virus created by [[Arnim Zola]]), [[Taskmaster (comics)|Taskmaster]], [[Eric O'Grady]]'s [[Life Model Decoy]] counterpart [[Black Ant (comics)|Black Ant]], and [[Doctor Octopus]]' Superior Octopus appearance.<ref>''[[Secret Empire (comics)|Secret Empire]]'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> However, in the final stand, Odinson rejects Rogers' authority and sides with his old allies, while the Vision's daughter purges him of the virus and Brother Voodoo exorcises Chthon from the Witch, while Taskmaster and Black Ant free the imprisoned Champions in exchange for leniency.<ref>''Secret Empire'' #9. Marvel Comics.</ref>

In May 2018, another volume for the series was launched as part of Marvel's [[Fresh Start (comics)|Fresh Start]] initiative, written by [[Jason Aaron]] and drawn by [[Ed McGuinness]]. This new volume also saw the return of the main three core members, the original Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor to the team. The roster for the new team in this volume also includes [[Doctor Strange]], [[She-Hulk]], [[Carol Danvers|Captain Marvel]], [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]], [[Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)|Ghost Rider]] (Robbie Reyes), and [[Blade (comics)|Blade]].<ref>''Avengers'' (vol. 8) #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Other versions==
===1950s Avengers===
{{Main|Agents of Atlas}}

A short-lived team of superheroes in the 1950s called themselves the ''Avengers''. It consisted of [[Marvel Boy (Robert Grayson)|Marvel Boy]], [[Venus (Marvel Comics)|Venus]], the [[3-D Man]], [[Gorilla-Man]], [[M-11 (comics)|M-11]], [[Jimmy Woo]], [[Namora]], and [[Jann of the Jungle]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Donald F. Glut|Glut, Don]]|penciller= [[Alan Kupperberg|Kupperberg, Alan]]|inker= [[Bill Black (comics)|Black, Bill]]|story= What If&nbsp;... the Avengers Had Been Formed During the 1950's?|title= [[What If (comics)|What If&nbsp;... ?]]|issue= 9|date= June 1978}}</ref> and existed in an [[Parallel universe (fiction)|alternate timeline]] that was erased by the time-manipulating [[Immortus]].<ref>{{cite book|last = Busiek|first = Kurt|authorlink = Kurt Busiek |author2=[[Roger Stern|Stern, Roger]] |author3=[[Carlos Pacheco|Pacheco, Carlos]] |title = [[Avengers Forever]]|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2011|page = 328|isbn = 978-0-7851-3752-8}}</ref> [[Agents of Atlas]], a version of the group, without 3-D Man and Jann existed in mainstream continuity, and eventually reformed in the present day.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jeff Parker (comics)|Parker, Jeff]]|penciller= [[Leonard Kirk|Kirk, Leonard]]|inker= Justice, Kris|story= The Golden History|title= Agents of Atlas|issue= 1|date= October 2006}}</ref>

===Avengers 1959===
{{Main|Avengers 1959}}

The ''[[The New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]]'' vol. 2, #10 revealed another 1950s Avengers team, formed by [[Nick Fury]] to hunt the last remnants of the [[Third Reich]] and consisted of Fury himself, [[Dominic Fortune]], [[Dum Dum Dugan]], [[Namora]], [[Silver Sable]], [[Sabretooth (comics)|Sabretooth]], [[Kraven the Hunter]], and [[Ulysses Bloodstone]]. A follow-up miniseries penned by [[Howard Chaykin]] showed this group assisted by [[Blonde Phantom]], [[Eric Koenig]] and a brand new character British wizard and spy, Powell McTeague. That time they fought against a cult based on the Nazi party which employed several agents, including [[Baron Blood]] and [[Brain Drain (comics)|Brain Drain]].

===Avengers (1,000,000 B.C. version)===
In the one-shot issue that ties in with "[[Marvel Legacy]]," there was a version of the Avengers that existed back in 1,000,000 B.C. The line-up consists of [[Agamotto]], [[Odin (comics)|Odin]], [[Phoenix Force (comics)#Lady Phoenix|Lady Phoenix]] and Stone Age versions of [[Black Panther (comics)#Black Panther 1,000,000 B.C.|Black Panther]], [[Ghost Rider#1,000,000 B.C. version|Ghost Rider]], [[Iron Fist (comics)#Fan Fei|Iron Fist]], and [[Star Brand#1,000,000 B.C. version|Star Brand]]. This group first came together to defeat an out-of-control [[Celestial (comics)|Celestial]] called the Fallen where they defeated it and sealed it underground somewhere in South Africa.<ref>''Marvel Legacy'' #1</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/marvel-1000000-bc-avengers-heroes-revealed-1025133|title=Marvel Unveils Its '1,000,000 B.C. Avengers' Comic Book Heroes|website=hollywoodreporter.com|accessdate=21 February 2018}}</ref>

===Avengers Next===
{{Main|A-Next}}

In the alternate future timeline known as [[Marvel Comics 2|MC2]], the Avengers disbanded and Avengers Mansion was a museum. An emergency forced Edwin Jarvis to sound an alert, and a new generation of heroes formed a new team of Avengers. Most of the new Avengers were children of established Marvel superheroes.

===Ultimate Marvel===
{{Main|Ultimates}}
In the [[Ultimate Marvel]] Universe, the Avengers are named the [[Ultimates]], and were formed by [[Ultimate Nick Fury|General Nicholas Fury]] to protect America against superhuman threats. They first appeared in ''[[The Ultimates (comic book)|The Ultimates]]'' by [[Mark Millar]] and [[Bryan Hitch]].<ref>{{cite book|last = Millar|first = Mark|authorlink = Mark Millar|author2=Hitch, Bryan |authorlink2=Bryan Hitch |title = [[Ultimates|The Ultimates Vol. 1: Super-Human]]|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2006|page = 160|isbn = 978-0-7851-0960-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Millar|first = Mark|author2=Hitch, Bryan|title = The Ultimates Vol. 2: Homeland Security |publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2006|page = 200|isbn = 978-0-7851-1078-1}}</ref> After the events of ''[[The Ultimates 2]]'', the team left S.H.I.E.L.D. employment to become independent and financed by [[Ultimate Iron Man|Tony Stark]].<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Millar, Mark|penciller= Hitch, Bryan|inker= [[Paul Neary|Neary, Paul]]|story= Independence Day|title= [[The Ultimates 2]]|issue= 13|date= February 2007}}</ref>

A Black Ops team called the ''Avengers'' debuted sometime after the ''[[Ultimatum (Ultimate Marvel)|Ultimatum]]'' storyline. This version was a project headed up by Nick Fury and Tony Stark's brother [[List of Marvel Comics characters: S#Gregory Stark|Gregory Stark]] to bring Captain America back. Its known members consisted of [[War Machine]], [[Hawkeye (comics)|Hawkeye]], the Black Widow II (Monica Chang), Spider (a Spider-Man clone created by Gregory Stark from the DNA of Spider-Man and Professor X), [[Tyrone Cash]] (who was the original Hulk before Bruce Banner), the [[Swarm (comics)|Red Wasp]], and Nerd Hulk (an intelligent clone of the Hulk who lacks the Hulk's rage).<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Millar, Mark|penciller= [[Steve Dillon|Dillon, Steve]]|inker= Lanning, Andy|story= Blade Versus The Avengers Part 1 of 6|title= [[Ultimate Comics: Avengers]]|issue= 13|date= October 2010}}</ref> Additional members included [[Punisher]] (who joined the Avengers against a [[Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)|Ghost Rider]] manhunt)<ref>{{cite book|last = Millar|first = Mark|author2=Yu, Leinil Francis|title = Ultimate Comics Avengers Vol. 2: Crime and Punishment|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2011|page = 144|isbn = 978-0-7851-3671-2}}</ref> and the half vampire [[Blade (comics)|Blade]] (who joined the group to help against a [[Vampire (Marvel Comics)|vampire]] invasion).<ref>{{cite book|last = Millar|first = Mark|author2=Dillon, Steve|title = Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade Vs. the Avengers|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2011|page = 152|isbn = 978-0-7851-4009-2}}</ref>

===Avengers Forever===
One of the timelines seen in ''[[Avengers Forever]]'' is an alternate future where [[Martians (War of the Worlds)|Martians]] have ravaged Earth and killed most of its heroes. An older version of [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]] leads a team of Avengers consisting of [[Killraven]], [[Living Lightning]], [[Jocasta (Marvel Comics)|Jocasta]], a new [[Crimson Dynamo]], and [[Thundra]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer= Stern, Roger; Busiek, Kurt|penciller= Pacheco, Carlos|inker= Merino, Jesus|story= Running Out of Time|title= Avengers Forever|issue= 4|date= March 1999}}<br>{{cite comic|writer= Stern, Roger; Busiek, Kurt|penciller= Pacheco, Carlos|inker= Merino, Jesus|story= Past Imperfect… Future Tense!|title= Avengers Forever|issue= 5|date= April 1999}}<br>{{cite comic|writer= Stern, Roger; Busiek, Kurt|penciller= Pacheco, Carlos|inker= Merino, Jesus|story= In the Meantime... In Between Times…|title= Avengers Forever|issue= 6|date= May 1999}}</ref>

===Marvel Zombies===
The Avengers existed as a team prior to a zombie contagion's arrival in the original Marvel Zombies universe and resembled their pre-disassembled roster. When several of their members were infected, they set about eating humanity and sent out a bogus "Avengers Assemble" call to draw super-humans to the Avengers Mansion, infected more heroes and thus spread the virus. The team fell apart and many of its members were killed as time passed.<ref>{{cite book|last = Kirkman|first = Robert|authorlink = Robert Kirkman|author2=Phillips, Sean |authorlink2=Sean Phillips |title = [[Marvel Zombies]]|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2007|page = 136|isbn = 978-0-7851-2014-8}}</ref>

The second team of zombie Avengers appeared in ''Marvel Zombies Return''. That team was brought together to find food and kill any resistance (zombie or uninfected) and was led by [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]]. Also on the team were the zombies [[Moon Knight]], [[Namor]], [[Quasar (comics)|Quasar]], [[Quicksilver (comics)|Quicksilver]], [[Thundra]], and [[Super-Skrull]]. They were joined by zombie Giant-Man of the original Zombiverse, who was trying to power a dimensional teleporter, but were all killed by [[Spider-Man]]'s New Avengers. The team was composed of himself with Iron Man, Sandman, and the zombie Hulk and Wolverine.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Fred Van Lente|Van Lente, Fred]]|penciller= Alves, Wellington|inker= Hanna, Scott|story= What's my number one?|title= [[Marvel Zombies Return]]|issue= 5|date= November 2009}}</ref>

===House of M: Avengers===
In an alternate reality which was created by the Scarlet Witch, the Avengers were a street gang of superpowered humans formed by Luke Cage in Hell’s Kitchen, a human ghetto in the mutant-ruled reality. Although they were initially criminals, the disenfranchised human residents came to view the Avengers as their protectors and would often go to Cage when the mutant authorities refused to help them.<ref>{{cite book|last = Gage|first = Christos|authorlink = Christos Gage|author2=Perkins, Mike |authorlink2=Mike Perkins |title = [[House of M|House of M: Avengers]]|publisher = Marvel Comics|year = 2008|page = 120|isbn = 978-0-7851-2750-5}}</ref>

===Age of Apocalypse===
A humanized version of the Avengers banded together during the [[Age of Apocalypse]] and were known as the Human High Council.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Terry Kavanagh|Kavanagh, Terry]]|penciller= Pacheco, Carlos|inker= [[Cam Smith|Smith, Cam]]|story= Last Stand|title= [[Age of Apocalypse|X-Universe]]|issue= 1|date= May 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Kavanagh, Terry|penciller= Pacheco, Carlos; [[Terry Dodson|Dodson, Terry]]|inker= Smith, Cam; [[Robin Riggs|Riggs, Robin]]|story= Dying Breath|title= X-Universe|issue= 2|date= June 1995}}</ref>

===Avengers 2099===
During the "Secret Wars" storyline in the Battleworld domain of 2099, the Avengers are a team of corporate superheroes sponsored by [[Alchemax]]. The group consists of Captain America (a Latina woman named Roberta Mendez), Black Widow (an African-American woman named Tania), Iron Man (a [[Dwarfism|dwarf]] named Sonny Frisco), Hawkeye (a half-man, half-bird creature named Max), and [[Hercules (Marvel Comics)|Hercules]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Peter David|David, Peter]]|penciller= Sliney, Will|inker= Sliney, Will|story= Nueva York. The year 2099|title= Secret Wars 2099|issue= 1|date= July 2015}}</ref>

==In other media==
{{Main|Avengers (comics) in other media}}
Three animated series have been based on the team. ''[[The Avengers: United They Stand]]'' was loosely based on the [[West Coast Avengers]] and ran from 1999 to 2000. ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'' was based on the early adventures of the team and ran from 2010 to 2013. ''[[Avengers Assemble (TV series)|Avengers Assemble]]'' is based on a new version of the team and premiered on May 26, 2013.

[[Marvel Animation]] has made three Avengers films, ''[[Ultimate Avengers]]'', ''[[Ultimate Avengers 2]]'', and ''[[Next Avengers]]''.

The Avengers are prominent in current popular culture due to the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] from [[Marvel Studios]]. The Avengers as an organization was emphasized in ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]''. This film featured Nick Fury recruiting [[Tony Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Iron Man]], [[Steve Rogers (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Captain America]], [[Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Hulk]], [[Thor (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Thor]], [[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Black Widow]], and [[Hawkeye (comics)|Hawkeye]] to form the Avengers to fight [[Loki (comics)|Loki]], who leads an invasion of New York City with a Chitauri army. The Avengers are successful in stopped by the Avengers in the end. It is revealed in the film ''[[Captain Marvel (film)|Captain Marvel]]'' – set in the 1990's – that Fury named the Avengers Initiative after [[Carol Danvers]], whose call sign when she was an Air Force pilot was "Avenger". A second ''Avengers'' film titled ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron]]'' was released on May 1, 2015, which ended with Falcon, War Machine, Vision and Scarlet Witch joining the team after Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor and Hulk left the team to explore personal issues (Quicksilver also featured in the film but was killed in the battle with Ultron). The team also was featured in the film ''[[Captain America: Civil War]]'', which saw Captain America and Iron Man acting as leaders to two opposing Avenger teams acting against and for the 'Sokovia Accords'. The Accords would bring heroes under government control, Captain America leading the team of Winter Soldier, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Ant-Man against Iron Man and his team of War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, Black Panther and Spider-Man. The film concluding with the Avengers essentially disbanded due to the conflict over the Accords. A third ''Avengers'' film titled ''[[Avengers: Infinity War]]'' was released on April 27, 2018, where the heroes join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange to stop the mad titan [[Thanos]] as he attempts to claim the [[Infinity Gems|Infinity Stones]].  A third sequel titled ''[[Avengers: Endgame]]'' was released on April 26, 2019. The Avengers roster in the final battle against Thanos and his forces is as follows: [[Iron Man (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Iron Man]], [[Captain America (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Captain America]], [[Thor (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Thor]], [[Hulk (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Professor Hulk]], [[Hawkeye (comics)|Hawkeye]], [[Scarlet Witch]], [[War Machine]], [[Falcon (comics)|Falcon]], [[Winter Soldier (comics)|Winter Soldier]], [[Spider-Man]], [[Carol Danvers|Captain Marvel]], Doctor Strange, Wong, [[Ant-Man (Scott Lang)|Ant Man]], [[Hope Pym|Wasp]], [[Star-Lord]], [[Gamora]], [[Drax the Destroyer]], [[Nebula (comics)|Nebula]], [[Groot]], [[Mantis (Marvel Comics)|Mantis]], [[Rocket Raccoon|Rocket Racoon]], [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]], [[Shuri (comics)|Shuri]], [[Okoye (comics)|Okoye]], [[Man-Ape|M'Baku]], [[Pepper Potts]] and [[Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)|Valkyrie]].

==See also==
* {{Portal inline|size=tiny|Avengers (comics)}}
* [[Alpha Flight]] – The Canadian version of the Avengers.
* [[Big Hero 6 (comics)|Big Hero 6]] – The Japanese version of the Avengers.
* [[Winter Guard]] – The Russian version of the Avengers.
* [[List of Marvel Comics superhero debuts]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://avengersendgame.live/avengers-4-leak Avengers 4 leak] At Avengers Endgame
* [http://www.superherodb.com/avengers/20-4/ Avengers] at the Superhero Database
* {{official website|http://www.marvel.com/comics/Avengers}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120508001027/http://www.comichron.com/titlespotlights/Avengers.html Avengers Comic Book Sales History]—Sales figures from 1966–present
* [[MarvelDatabase:Avengers|MDP:Avengers]]—Marvel Database Project (wiki)
* [http://www.avengersassemble.net Avengers Assemble!]—Archives and Database
* [http://toonopedia.com/avengers.htm The Avengers] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://www.webcitation.org/66jofxtfW?url=http://toonopedia.com/avengers.htm Archived] from the original on April 7, 2012.
* https://marvelcinematicdatabase.fandom.com/wiki/Avengers
* https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Avengers
* https://superheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Avengers

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[[Category:Characters created by Jack Kirby]]
[[Category:Characters created by Stan Lee]]
[[Category:Comics by Geoff Johns]]
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[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1963]]