Usa marvel masterworks avengers vol 1 hc

Whereas the Fantastic Four were a family, and the X-Men a close-knit group of students (note both groups had matching costumes,) the Avengers represent the "Supergroup." Originally, the Avengers was a collection of popular heroes who each had their own solo adventures: Iron Man anchored Tales of Suspense, Thor was featured in Journey Into Mystery, and Hank Pym (Ant-Man/Giant-Man) and the Wasp held court in Tales to Astonish

The Hulk had had his own self-titled book, but it was cancelled several months before Avengers #1 bowed in September 1963

The team eventually evolved into a mixture of these "varsity" heroes (especially the "big three:" Captain America, Thor and Iron Man) and heroes who didn't have their own books

But for this first run of stories, the Avengers showcased the evergreens: Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Hank Pym and the Wasp, as well as the uber-sidekick Rick Jones

The Avengers is the ultimate comic book for the anal-retentive fan, as one of the book's main charms is keeping up with which members appear in which issues

By the second issue, one member quit (the Hulk) and another had changed identities (Ant Man > Giant Man!) This really set the pace for what was to become the status quo: constant change.