5 Avengers Stories You Probably Haven't Read But Absolutely Should

The Avengers are among the greatest superheroes in the Marvel Universe and are always ready to assemble to fight evil. The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and their stories have only gotten more popular thanks to their starring roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given the Avengers’ role in Marvel Comics, many of their biggest stories, including “The Kree-Skrull War,” “Ultron: Unlimited,” “Korvac Saga,” and Civil War, have long-lasting and widespread consequences on the universe. Yet, while these stories get all of the attention from the majority of readers, there are plenty of other great Avengers storylines that have unfortunately fallen under the radar.

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From lighthearted adventures to gripping character studies, the Avengers have a wide catalog of captivating yet forgotten storylines that every diehard fan should read.

5) Marvel Adventures The Avengers: Heroes Assembled

Not every Avengers storyline has to be dark and harrowing; sometimes they can be lighthearted fun. “Heroes Assembled” is the first volume of the underrated series Marvel Adventures The Avengers. Because this series is non-canonical and aimed primarily at younger audiences, many readers tend to skip it. However, that would be a huge mistake because “Heroes Assembled” is full of great action, characterization, and humor. Each comic tells a tightly knit one-shot tale, allowing the series to have the Avengers take on battles against numerous menacing villains, including Baron Zemo, Loki, the Leader, and Ultron. The Avengers’ roster is made up of Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Storm, and Giant Girl. Never taking itself too seriously, the series has great comedy. If you want a simple yet exciting and funny series of tales about the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, then Marvel Adventures The Avengers: Heroes Assembled is perfect for you.

4) Avengers: Infinity

Not to be confused with the massive Infinity event of 2013, Avengers: Infinity is a four-part 2000 miniseries that saw some of the Avengers’ most underrated members partaking in a mission of cosmic proportions. When an alien colony is destroyed, the spacefaring hero Quasar calls upon the reserve Avengers Thor, Photon, Tigra, Moondragon, and Starfox to investigate. At the disaster site, the Avengers find the hero Jack of Hearts, who reveals the colony was attacked by an army of planet-killing robots called Servitors. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Servitors work for omnipotent cosmic entities known as the Infinities who seek to reshape the entire multiverse and destroy countless worlds. Even against these impossible odds, these lesser-known Avengers still find the courage to engage in an intergalactic mission that’ll determine the fate of reality. Marvel has always had a talent for compelling cosmic storylines, and Avengers: Infinity is one of its most overlooked yet exciting.

3) “Avengers: No Surrender”

All-New, All-Different Marvel was meant to be a new chapter for the company, but it fell flat because of its mostly weak storylines. Still, one Avengers story managed to stand above the mediocrity: “Avengers: No Surrender.” In this action-packed and character-driven storyline, the Earth itself is stolen. To solve this crisis, not one, but three incarnations of the Avengers must assemble to find and save their world. The Avengers, Avengers: Unity Division, and U.S. Avengers soon find themselves in a cosmic game involving the nefarious Grandmaster, the Challenger, and Thanos and his Black Order. Along the way, these teams meet a person named Voyager, who claims to have been a founding Avenger, though nobody remembers her. “Avengers: No Surrender” is among the best storylines in recent years centered on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes because, on top of its great action, team-ups, and character developments, it explores what it truly means to be an Avenger.

2) “On the Matter of Heroes”

After battling the universal threat known as Korvac, the Avengers found their roster had expanded drastically to include over a dozen members, including the Guardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately, this situation caused the Avengers to face their greatest challenge of all: American bureaucracy. “On the Matter of Heroes” sees government agent and frequent thorn in the superhero community’s side Henry Gyrich demand that the Avengers cut their numbers down to a mere seven. The government chose Captain America, Iron Man, Vision, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, and Beast to fill the smaller roster. The government picked these heroes because it believed they were the most trustworthy to access national security files. What follows is an intense debate on politics, regulation, and how much sway the government has over superheroes. In many ways, “On the Matter of Heroes” can be seen as a precursor to other government vs. Avengers plotlines like Civil War and Avengers: Armageddon.

1) “Assault on Olympus”

The Avengers’ very first enemy was Loki, so it should come as no surprise that they’d be willing to challenge an entire pantheon. After the brutal attack on Avengers’ Mansion by the Masters of Evil in the iconic “Under Siege” arc, “Assault on Olympus” serves as a gripping examination of the fallout of such a disaster. Many Avengers are left critically injured or resign, and the Masters of Evil try to kill Hercules as he lies comatose in the hospital from the battle. If things couldn’t possibly get worse for the Avengers, the Earth’s Mightiest Avengers find themselves under attack by none other than Zeus himself, who blames the heroes for his son’s condition. Fueled by rage, Zeus commands the gods and armies of Olympus to destroy the Avengers. “Assault on Olympus” may often be forgotten because of its proximity to “Under Siege,” but its exploration of trauma, grief, misplaced retribution, and the willingness to still fight is equal parts thought-provoking and inspiring.