AVENGERS' BEST BATTLES
We’ll never forget these ones! Read a handful of our favorite Avengers’ brawls, starring some of their fiercest (and most surprising) combatants!
Vs.
Ultron
In Avengers (1963) #54
Is that Crimson Cowl? Jarvis? Nope, that unmasked villain at the end of this issue is actually Ultron-5, an automaton with sentience all its own! Earth’s Mightiest don’t have direct blows with the android in his opening arc, but they do have an unbelievable showdown with Ultron’s Masters of Evil, then the Vision, through #57.
Kree AND Skrulls
In Avengers (1963) #89
The Kree/Skrull War starts here! The Avengers are caught in a delicate power struggle between two alien races, catalyzed by their involvement with Kree warrior, Mar-Vell. But it’s the Skrulls who stand a chance at becoming Earth’s conquerors supreme!
Korvac
In Avengers (1963) #167
Read through #177 for the full Korvac Saga! A 31st century computer technician uploads the Power Cosmic from Galactus’ space station. The Avengers must scramble to subdue this deeply flawed man with the power of Eternity! AFTER he’s hidden in plain sight for nearly seven issues!
The Beyonder
In Secret Wars (1984) #1
In an instant, all of Earth’s good guys (and non-good guys) are transported to a galactic arena outside the bounds of time! After a brief meet-and-greet in both the hero and super villains’ camps, the two sides lunge into battle to figure out who’s behind this weirdness!
Kang
In Avengers (1963) #267
The time-hopping conqueror menaces once more – this time backed by a Council of Kangs! New member Sub-Mariner joins the vets as they enter Kang’s temporally twisty battleground…with some members trapped in Limbo itself!
Masters of Evil
In Avengers (1963) #273
Read the “Under Siege” arc through #277! The unthinkable occurs: Baron Zemo and the new Masters of Evil, (including the Wrecking Crew), infiltrate Avengers Mansion by hacking all its defenses! Hercules is hospitalized, Cap’s tied up as a hostage, and the Avengers’ resolve is tested like never before! Shout out to Ant-Man and Wasp for one of their best team-ups in #275!
Onslaught
In Onslaught: Marvel Universe (1996) #1
A super-sized spectacle. The Avengers team with the X-Men (see what happens when they work together!?) to eliminate the psychic threat Onslaught. Jaw-dropping feats are pulled off, with some heroes making the ultimate sacrifice. This issue also marks the beginning of the Heroes Reborn Era!
Ultron Unlimited
In Avengers (1998) #19
Worse than one Ultron? An entire army of them. The Avengers must free the people of Slorenia when the majority of its citizens become cyborg mind-slaves. With nearly half the team captive in test tubes, the remaining Avengers rely on some desperate maneuvers just to get out alive!
Each Other
In Civil War (2006) #7
Arguably one of the most important Avengers’ events. Captain America and Iron Man stand on opposite sides of the Superhuman Registration Act, acting as leaders of their own Avengers teams. Their battle is drawn over super heroes’ accountability in civilian death, along with personal questions of privacy. Civil War would forever change the Avengers’ landscape, particularly after Steve Roger’s arrest.
Skrull Imposters
In Secret Invasion (2008) #1
After laying their subversive groundwork for years, it’s revealed that several of Earth’s heroes are actually shapeshifting Skrulls! One of the more psychologically fraught chapters in Avengers history, Secret Invasion waged a war through mistrust and broken ties. Read the entire event, available as a Reading List!
X-Men
In Avengers Vs. X-Men (2012) #1
If you ask us, there are no winners in this 2012 event. Two cornerstones of the Marvel Universe come into conflict over the reemergence of the Phoenix force. Want more super human vs. mutant? Check out a classic AVX story in Avengers (1963) #53!
Thanos
In New Avengers (2013) #8
One of their most climactic sagas against the Mad Titan would be 1991’s Infinity Gauntlet, but the global attack in 2013’s Infinity is a top contender too. Start here for the Avengers all-out assault against Thanos and his Black Order, and continue with Infinity (2013) #1!