Your Avengers collection

[dlw66]

So, what do you have?

I have a complete run of volume 1, including all annuals and giant-size. I am more of a "possesser" than a collector, so some of my older books aren't in the best shape. I purchased my copy of #1 in VG condition; my #2 is G.

I also have complete runs of volumes 2 and 3 as well as New Avengers (ugh). I don't have some of the mini-series and spin-offs during this era. I also have a few WC Averngers, but to be honest, the Al Milgrom art was killing me, so outside of the Byrne issues I was not much of a fan of that book.

[Van Plexico]

As of last year, I had pretty much everything after about issue #80 or so, plus a smattering from the earliest issues. But I was never a huge fan of the earliest run of AVENGERS, actually-- the Stan Lee stuff and some of Roy's stuff. I came to AVENGERS during Jim Shooter's first run, and his approach always defined what the book should be, to me. By contrast, Stan Lee seemed too over-the-top goofy, and Roy Thomas far too wordy for me. And I had all that in the first five volumes of ESSENTIALS, anyway.

Now I've sold everything except the Shooter issues, the Busiek issues... and the current run--much as I hate it. If I miss the old stuff, I'll get more of the Essentials.

[dlw66]

I love the Essentials! I was upset that it took so long between FF vol. 3 and 4, and I hope it's not that long before vol. 5 comes out. I understand what you said about Stan's dialogue -- reading the Essential Silver Surfer is too much "angst" for me, but reading his Spider-Man of the same period, while containing its fair share of teen angst, works better.

As for Essential Avengers, I wish they had been able to shoot straight from the original inks instead of from color plates for some of the reprints in vol. 3 -- I haven't picked up vol. 4 yet, so I don't know what it looks like.

I am happy to see DC venturing into this market, although as I have all 12 volumes of the Legion Archives, I am hoping to continue that run instead of switching to the B&W's.

[captparamedic]

I have a full run of Volume #1 from the early 90's or so. I don't have any of Volume 2. I have all of Volume #3. I have all of Avenger's Spotlight/Solo Avengers and a large run of WCA. Though I had read the Avengers for years, I didn't really start collecting comics until The Mansion Siege storyline. I wanted to buy back issues, but found that the X-men (my favorite at the time) back issues were very expensive, but Avengers were dirt cheap (like $1 an issue). So, I collected the back issues and enjoyed the series greatly.

James W. Hooper
"Captain Paramedic"

[Bored Yesterday]

I collect Volume I, and have all but 36 issues. that includes almost everything after the first two years, and a flawless run from issue 101 to 403., I'm also lacking 2 annuals and 2 giant size. Hardly anything is mint, because I don't care about that. I just want a decent read that's not all tore up.

Would like to get volume 3 some time when money permits.

I don't care about limited series too much.

I will finish out Volume I some day, because I want to have one complete set of a Marvel title. And the Avengers have everybody in it from time to time. The early issues area also a bargain, compared to other Marvel titles of the same period.

www.avengersjournal.blogspot.com

[John Avengerfan]

From 1 to 288 when the whole "Roger Stern won't do what I want so I'll hire someone who will" debacle with Mark Gruenwald. I never bought another Avengers comic again.

[vision66]

Just got really interested in collecting all the avengers comics last summer.I always had a handful at home ,about 50 or so but then i saw an almost complete collection of back issues at my local comic shop from issues 15-170 or so.They kept grabbing my attention when i'd go in and i finally picked them all up when the shop had his annual sale.Since then i have been picking up bits and pieces ever since and have about 60% of all the avenger books.It's been lots of enjoyable reading ever since!

[Shiryu]

Uhm, pretty much the whole of V3 (except for 2 issues), and 40 or so issues from the Shooter / Stern period. Also some reprints, like the Korvac Saga and the Perez Marvel Legends. Not much at all
I'm tempted by the Essentials, but I thoroughly hate black and white, I need good old colors in my books / comics / movies.

[Yellowjacket]

I´ve got a nearly complete Avengers collection, all in very nice condition (yes, I´m still a reader and a collector

For the first 101 issues of Volume 1, I´ve (only) got the German versions, but they are exceptionally well done, just like the US-Versions, only with a higher paper and printing quality (and of course, in German language). For comparison purposes I´ve got the first four Essentials as well.

From #102 on I´ve got nearly every (US) Avengers issue, the rest of Volume 1, complete sets of Volume 2 and 3 and New Avengers (whicht I enjoy quite a bit as well. West Coast complete, Giant Sizes, all annuals and all major mini series as well.
Only thing I´m not reading so far, Young Avengers. I know, they are praised to the sky (and maybe rightly), but I still have a grave identification problem with the concept of teen versions of our heros.

As I haven´t read most of 70s/80s/early 90s issues so far (what a benefit!), I know there are waiting quite some good stories for me, at least I would think until the higher 2xx numbers.

So far I was able to learn, that Steve Englehart was one hell of a writer (what a surprise for me, to read his great story arcs), easily on par with Roy Thomas, I´m not impressed by Gerry Conways stories and I´m looking forward to Jim Shooters Korvac storyline, which I will read next. At least this Shooter story should be a good one (and I think the Pym/court-martial storyline is a great one as well).
Otherwise I´m looking forward for the stories from Michelinie, Mantlo, Byrne, Stern etc. - there should be still some fine stories waiting for me.

Secluding I can say that the quality of Avengers stories (at least for the first 20 years or so) is continuously VERY high, much better and durable than every other series I´ve read.

[scottharris]

I've got most everything, except crossovers/appearances/spinoffs from the past 10 years. Some of my issues in Vol. 1 aren't in great shape -- my #4 in particular is trashed, probably in Fair condition. However, it was one of the first Avengers back issues I ever got, as I threw down and then personal-record whopping $12.50 for it. So, I don't care too much about the condition of it. All my other issues are at least in G with most all of them being VG or better.

Somewhere during Kurt's run I stopped being a collector so much as a reader; thus, though I know I purchased and must therefore own all the issues of Vol. 3 and New Avengers, I don't have any idea where they are, as they are randomly strewn throughout my belongings.

Besides complete runs of Vol. 1, 2 and 3 I also have complete runs of WCA, Solo Avengers and approximately 200 Avengers appearances and crossovers in other titles.

[Abe]

I have every Avengers comic. Period. WCA, Solo, All runs of Avengers, Young, New, Thunderbolts, Force Works, Unplugged *shudders* all limited series, major corssovers with other comics (not, "oh look, the Avengers are in the background"), every Captain America since 1976, every Thor since 1976, every Iron Man since 1976 (I was born then) every series of Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon, Wonder Man, Spider Woman II, Ms. Marvel, Quicksilver, Thunderstrike, Moon Knight, Sentry now, US Agent, Quasar, She-Hulk, Black Panther, Black Knight and more I'm sure I can't think of at the moment. I even have Marvel Premieres, Team-Ups, Spotlights, Two-in-one's etc as appropriate, such as the Tigra single, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Wonder Man, Jack of Hearts, etc.

Here is what I dont have: Pre-1976 canon characters comics, Hulk, Spider-Man, Jessica Drew Spider Woman's old 70's series although I have her new one, Darkhawk, and I stopped buying the latest Black Panther because I found it to be so bad. Ditto whatever the name of the new comic with Monica in it is called, it was horrid too.

-Abe

[Shiryu]

abe said:

I have every Avengers comic. Period. WCA, Solo, All runs of Avengers, Young, New, Thunderbolts, Force Works, Unplugged *shudders* all limited series, major corssovers with other comics (not, "oh look, the Avengers are in the background"), every Captain America since 1976, every Thor since 1976, every Iron Man since 1976 (I was born then) every series of Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon, Wonder Man, Spider Woman II, Ms. Marvel, Quicksilver, Thunderstrike, Moon Knight, Sentry now, US Agent, Quasar, She-Hulk, Black Panther, Black Knight and more I'm sure I can't think of at the moment. I even have Marvel Premieres, Team-Ups, Spotlights, Two-in-one's etc as appropriate, such as the Tigra single, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Wonder Man, Jack of Hearts, etc.

W O W

Mind if I come over for a couple of months and read them all ? ;D

[Abe]

I wouldn't mind, but then you are not local either...

-Abe

[av3680]

I have a complete collection of vol. 1, vol. 2, and vol. 3 - all of the regular issues, annuals, giant-size, and vol. 2 & 3 variants. Don't have any of the WCA, spin-offs, crossovers, limited series, or other odd-ball stuff.

[redstatecap]

The main run of my collection starts about #160 and goes through the early 300s. (I dropped out of comics in the early 1990s.) I have a decent smattering of earlier issues. Lately I've been working on filling in my collection from #300-on since they're cheap and available.
I've got a couple of issues of Vol. 2 and will probably only pick more up if I find them in the quarter bin.
I've got a nearly complete run of Vol. 3, but I've held off reading it. That should help tide me over while Bendis is running things.
I have #1-15 of Vol. 4, but I most certainly won't be buying any more for the foreseeable future.

RSC

[asgardian]

abe said:

I have every Avengers comic. Period. WCA, Solo, All runs of Avengers, Young, New, Thunderbolts, Force Works, Unplugged *shudders* all limited series, major corssovers with other comics (not, "oh look, the Avengers are in the background"), every Captain America since 1976, every Thor since 1976, every Iron Man since 1976 (I was born then) every series of Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, War Machine, Falcon, Wonder Man, Spider Woman II, Ms. Marvel, Quicksilver, Thunderstrike, Moon Knight, Sentry now, US Agent, Quasar, She-Hulk, Black Panther, Black Knight and more I'm sure I can't think of at the moment. I even have Marvel Premieres, Team-Ups, Spotlights, Two-in-one's etc as appropriate, such as the Tigra single, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Wonder Man, Jack of Hearts, etc.

Here is what I dont have: Pre-1976 canon characters comics, Hulk, Spider-Man, Jessica Drew Spider Woman's old 70's series although I have her new one, Darkhawk, and I stopped buying the latest Black Panther because I found it to be so bad. Ditto whatever the name of the new comic with Monica in it is called, it was horrid too.

-Abe

That's dedication. I can say I've read most everything, but sold everything long ago. My problem is that I'm something of a toffee-nosed completist who only collects quality, and as such at the end I only had:


Volume 1:


The Kree-Skrull War

#160 - 200

#225 - 226 (The Black Knight two-parter)

#255- 290


Annuals #7 - 15


Volume 3:


Busiek's run, even though some of it was flawed


Funny how you change. Comics I once wowed over I now critique and usually only see bad writing and/or artwork.

[kingb]

I have pretty much every issue of Avengers (including all the volumes of the main book, WCA, Solo/Spotlight, all the minis), except 3-5 of the pre #20 issues (which I'll buy eventually) and the last 6 or 7 issues of New Avengers. I include in this things like Guardians of the Galaxy and Force Works, even though most people don't.

I've got all of the trades, novels, graphic novels, hardcovers, digests, etc. ever printed under the Avengers name (except the most recent New Avengers HC). I also have most of the trades, etc. that just co-starred them or someone like Cap or Iron Man.

I've got pretty much every Avengers appearance outside of their own title listed on the Marvel Chronology Project (and lots that aren't) with the exception of a handful of silver age issues of Iron Man, Captain America and a couple others. This includes a myriad of alternate reality Avengers that appeared in things like Exiles. The only exceptions to this are the most recent appearances of New Avengers.

I have somewhere between 10-20 posters, lithos, etc.

I've got pretty much every action figure (under 9") ever made of an Avengers character. I have bought a few over 9" (the Marvel Famous Covers leap to mind).

I've got an extensive collection of Avengers memorobilia that includes Slurpee cups, an old Avengers Flyer (isn't that what they were called...kind of a glorified paper airplane?), DVD's, VHS tapes sold under the Marvel's Greatest Avengers name, pins, busts, etc., etc.

I have a George Tuska drawn piece of original art (Yellowjacket).

I'm sure I'm leaving a lot of stuff out.

In other words, Marvel killed the golden goose when I stopped buying Avengers. ;D

[kingb]

Something I know I left out:

I've bought a lot of the foreign reprints (a German-language Avengers #1, Los Vengadores, Le Vengeurs, etc.).

Also some crossovers from England that I don't think were published in the U.S.

[dlw66]

{reader's jaw drops to the floor}

Man, you've spent more than the GDP of many third world nations!!!

Any pix of your action figure collection, or all of this stuff in general???

[kingb]

I'm about to leave on a two-week vacation. I should be able to get some photos posted when I get back. I'll try to post the rarest (or strangest) stuff first. The action figures may take some time. I packed a lot of stuff away after my daughter was born (choke hazard, y'know).

[Yellowjacket]

kingb said:

I've got all of the trades, novels, graphic novels, hardcovers, digests, etc. ever printed under the Avengers name (except the most recent New Avengers HC).

Novels? Are there more Avengers novels than the THE AVENGERS & THE THUNDERBOLTS novel? Can you post the titles of these? And perhaps your rating of them (if you remember them)?

[ultron69]

Wow, I feel so insignificant. My oldest Avengers volume 1 is #10, and I've got 41 issues from #10-92. I've got almost all of Avengers vol. 1 from #104 through#321, then sporadic issues after that. I've got Giant size #2 and Annuals #5 and #8-18. I've got Essential Avengers vol. 1-6, so that gives me pretty much the entire volume 1 run up to about #321.
I've got Avengers Forever, and Ultron Unlimited.
I've got a few New & Mighty, but stopped collecting (I had just started up again after a hiatus of 17 years) when I realized how much Bendis sucked.

[kidcage]

Here we go, my type of topic.

Volume 1 - I'm only about thirty or so issues off from a complete set, and the glaring omissions are #1 - 6. I know it'll take me a while (and probably a nice amount of money) to acquire those six comics, but like some, I'm just looking to have them, not bank on them for college tuition.

Volume 2, 3, Mighty, New, Dark, Young, A-Next, United We Stand, Classic, WCA, GLA, Solo, and the Avengers' mini-series I have.

TPB I have the Essentials and some more peppered throughout, along with Graphic Novels of the Vault and Emperor Doom. I also have several of the Avengers themed TSR Roleplaying Games.

I have also collected Avengers appearances in other comics and that is definitely the time-consuming one in trying to figure out where they are all at, lol.

I have the Gamma Quest Trilogy (w/ X-Men) novels, the Avengers/Thunderbolts, and "The Man Who Stole Tomorrow" novel.

Posters, minimates, heroclix, action figures, Classic Figurine collections, and etc. have also peppered my collection. Comic-wise though, it's the volume 1 issues I'm missing that are the Avengers-titled comics that taunt me.

[humanbelly]

Heya Kidcage-
Might I strongly recommend the Marvel Masterworks Avengers volume?
Unless you are absolutely driven to complete that collection (which could be financially devestating, at this point), it's a terrific way to capture those issues. Especially as they reprint the covers, as well. The color is also far superior to the original books, IMO. The one minor drawback is they don't reprint the editorial or letters pages. I'm missing issue #'s 1 & 4 (of course), and am quite happy with having the gaps filled this way.

HB

[kidcage]

I've definitely thought about getting the Masterworks series, but it is a hope to complete the series with the actual comics. I've been using sites like milehighcomics, mycomicshop, and midtowncomics to try and plug in, along with some small shops in the area.

#1 and #4 are probably going to cripple me when it comes to finding them for a decent price (but there's always ebay, lol). To me, if they have pen marks on them or a small chip of the cover/back page missing that's fine, I will use the "Essentials" collection for the reading.

I will look into the Masterworks though, thanks for the input on them.

[dlw66]

May 26, 2009 14:38:44 GMT -5 kidcage said:

#1 and #4 are probably going to cripple me when it comes to finding them for a decent price (but there's always ebay, lol). To me, if they have pen marks on them or a small chip of the cover/back page missing that's fine, I will use the "Essentials" collection for the reading.

It's almost too bad that you're so close, as it looks like now you have to rely on secondary market retailers, who almost always want to charge current guide price. When I wanted a collection of all of the Bronze Age John Buscema FFs, I was lucky enough to happen on a guy selling 10-issue lots on Ebay. I bought a 30-issue run for less than $100.

You should try cons, too, if you have them in your area. Face-to-face, dealers are much more willing to dicker on price. It might also help if you have books of similar vintage to trade, although in this economy I'd imagine that cold hard cash is the preferred medium of exchange. Sunday afternoons at the big cons is the time to buy, because a) they don't want to take stuff back home, and b) they want to leave thinking it was a very successful show. I bought my copies of ASM 39 and 40 like that.

At any rate, good luck!! I bought my G/VG #1 way back around 1990 for $190; don't recall exactly what I paid for my VG #4, but it was a similar price. I haven't looked at a guide in the past 4-5 years, but I'm sure dealers would want quite a bit more for them now.

[Shiryu]

Regarding Ebay, I would suggest to check some of the foreign branches too. Ebay UK, France and Italy often have original American comics on sale. Sometimes, even when they say they don't ship abroad, they then agree to when asked directly.
There actually is an Avengers #1 on sale on Ebay UK at the moment (here) The price is very low, but the cover looks in awful conditions though.