The Avengers franchise is what made Marvel Studios the completely dominant force in comic based entertainment. The way they streamlined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and other characters into an expansive universe that also includes television shows like Daredevil and Agents Of SHIELD is something that has never been achieved before in motion picture entertainment.


The Avengers continuity, even without including the individual characters is supremely daunting. So, I’ve put together a chronology of some of the best Avengers related books that are currently or were recently available in collected editions (the recently available are still around for pretty cheap on various online outlets and in bookstores) into ten TV seasons.

​Season 8 was all a big lead up to the end of all things Avengers and Marvel. The complete destruction of 616. But it wasn’t just 616 that got destroyed, there was a whole nother universe completely eradicated, and that’s where we start season nine.

​Serial 1: The Ultimates Ultimate Collection
(written by Mark Millar, art by Bryan Hitch)

Super powered being are popping up all over the place, and the government decides to form a team to deal with them. It’s a whole different version of The Avengers.

The Ultimates. 2 episodes



Episode 3: Ultimate Fantastic Four The Fantastic
(written by Mark Millar and Brian Michael Bendis, art by Adam Kubert, John Dell, and Danny Miki)

Awww, look at the adorable little fantastic fourlings. They’re all teenaged and excited about life. I hope they never ever change.

The Fantastic. 1 episode



Episode 4: Ultimate Galactus Nightmare, Ultimate Galactus Secret, Ultimate Galactus Extinction
(written by Warren Ellis, art by Trever Hairsine, Mark Bagley, Steve Mcniven, and Scott Hannah)

The devourer of worlds descends on The Ultimate Universe, and a team of Ultimates, and a team of X-Men need to figure out how to stop him before it’s too late. Ga Lak Tus hungers. Even The Fantastic Four join in on the, uhhh…fun?

Ga Lak Tus. 1 episode



Episode 5: Ultimates 2 Gods And Monsters, Ultimates 2 Grand Theft America
(written by Mark Millar, art by Bryan Hitch)

The origin of Thor, Ultimates dating Ultimates, the celebrity life of being superheroes, The Hulk gets outed, and one of the Ultimates is probably a traitor. Dra-ma.

Gods And Monsters. 1 episode



Episode 6: Ultimate Origins
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Butch Guice)

Everything. is connected.

The Ultimate Connection. 1 episode



Episode 7: Ultimate Comics Avengers Next Generation, Ultimate Comics Avengers Crime & Punishment
(written by Mark Millar, art by Carlos Pacheco and Francie Lienil Yu)

Nick Fury must protect Captain America at all costs. AT ALL COSTS. What does The Punisher have to do with any of this?

Crime And Punisher. 1 episode



Episode 8: Ultimate Comics Doomsday
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Rafael Sandoval)
There’s a new Big Bad in The Ultimate Universe. And he’s going to be doing some major damage.

The Face Of Evil. 1 episode



Episode 9: Ultimate Comics Ultimates By Hickman Volumes 1 & 2
(written by Jonathan Hickman and Sam Humphries, art by many)

The Ultimates have to contend with Reed Richards and his Children Of Tomorrow. The Universe is, of course, at stake.

The Children Of Tomorrow. 1 episode



Episode 10: Ultimate Comics Ultimates Disassembled
(written by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Carmen Di Giondomenico)

It’s Reed Richard’s world, and you’re just living in it.

New World Order. 1 episode



Episode 11: Original Sin
(written by Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, and Mark Waid, art by Mike Deodato JR, Javier Pulido, and Jim Cheung)

I bet you thought we were never going to get back to the 616. Well, surprise, we’re back in the old continuity. And whenever some huge event is about to take place in the Marvel Universe, Uatu The Watcher can be seen observing. So, what do you do when someone shoots and kills him? PANIC!!!!

Original Sin. 1 episode



Episode 12: Avengers Infinite Avengers
(written by Jonathan Hickman, art by Leinil Francis Yu)

Remember that time Steve Rogers was part of The Illuminati? Well he doesn’t. Remember how they mindwiped him? Well, now he does. That and other revelations come out due to Original Sin. It could distract our heroes from some very important going-ons.

The Past Catches Up To The Future. 1 episode



Serial 3: Secret Avengers Let’s Have A Problem, Secret Avengers The Labyrinth, Secret Avengers God Level
(written by Ales Kot, art by Michael Walsh)

It really does seem like the whole world is coming undone, doesn’t it? Can the addition of Deadpool and MODOK possibly help take down AIM? Probably not. Plus, Fury the monster threatens to completely destroy the team put together by Fury, the man,

The Labyrinth. 2 episodes



Episode 15: Thor Goddess Of Thunder, Thor Who Wields The Hammer
(written by Jason Aaron, art by Russel Dauterman)

After being deemed unworthy during Original Sin, the Odinson can no longer lift Mjolnir (his hammer). While we’ve seen many heroes attempt to lift it over the years, apart from Storm of the X-Men,  frogs and horse faced aliens are way more likely to be worthy of the hammer than any humans. And yet, a woman on the moon picks up the hammer easily. Who is this new Thor? Odinson would like to know.

Goddess Of Thunder. 1 episode



Episode 16: Avengers World Before Time Runs Out
(written by Frank J Barbiere, art by Marco Checchetto)

The super, mega, universe destroying event is about to occur, so let’s tie up as many loose threads as possible before we get the…we’re introducing new plots? Why?

Before Time Runs Out. 1 episode



Serial 4: Avengers  Time Runs Out Books 1-4
(written by Jonathan Hickman, art by Jim Cheung, Kev Walker, and many more)

This is it. This is really it. All of the plots from the Hickman run, plus all the plots from The Ultimates universe converge in one dizzying story where all continuity unravels. Truly, the end of Marvel 616 and The Ultimate Universe. How will any of our heroes survive the destruction of The Universes?

Time Runs Out. 4 episodes



This penultimate season (“but how”,  you ask, “is not everything gone?”) is 20 episodes

The Avengers franchise is what made Marvel Studios the completely dominant force in comic based entertainment. The way they streamlined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and other characters into an expansive universe that also includes television shows like Daredevil and Agents Of SHIELD is something that has never been achieved before in motion picture entertainment.


The Avengers continuity, even without including the individual characters is supremely daunting. So, I’ve put together a chronology of some of the best Avengers related books that are currently or were recently available in collected editions (the recently available are still around for pretty cheap on various online outlets and in bookstores) into ten TV seasons.

​Can you believe Norman Osborne was still in charge at the end of last season? Surely this Dark Reign can’t last forever. Can it?

Episode 1: Dark Wolverine Prince
(written by Daniel Way and Marjorie Liu, art by Guiseppe Camuncoli)
If there was a Wolverine continuity (and I’ll probably get to it), you’d already know all about Wolvey’s son, Daken. But all you have in this continuity is that there’s a Wolverine looking guy on the Dark Avengers that you met briefly last season. Well, get to know him a little better, and maybe understand why all his teammates hate him.

Dark Wolverine. 1 episode



Episode 2: Dark Avengers Molecule Man
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Mike Deodato JR)
Molecule Man is one of the least used Megavillains. He’s got a lot in common with The Scarlet Witch. Of course, Norman Osborne is probably a much bigger problem. Or, is either of them a match for The Sentry?

Molecule Man. 1 episode



Serial 1: Siege, Siege New Avengers, Siege Mighty Avengers, Siege Avengers The Initiative Siege Dark Avengers, Siege Thunderbolts, Thor Siege
(written by Brian Michael Bendis and many more, art by Alex Coipel and many more)
Norman Osborne’s next target is…Asgard. This doesn’t sit well with Asgardians or Midgardians, and the time has finally come to fight back at full power. In the end, an Avenger will die (but not one anyone remembers…fondly) and heroes will go back to being heroes again. No more fighting amongst themselves ever again. Cough cough cough cough cough.

Siege. 6 episodes



Episode 9: Avengers Prime
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Alan Davis)

Now that Osborne has fallen, everyone can calm down and be friends ag…damn it, are Tony Stark and Steve Rogers STILL fighting? What will get these two back together? Maybe if we toss them and Thor into Asgard they can hash out their issues?

The Big Three. 1 episode



Episode 10: Avengers By Bendis Vol 1
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by John Romita JR)

Formerly Mighty, the regular team of Avengers loses their adjective. Also, a certain purple faced time traveling jerk is back.

Kangtankerous. 1 episode



Episode 11: New Avengers by Bendis Vol 1 & 2 
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Stuart Immonen, Daniel Acuna, Mike Deodato JR, and Howard Chaykin)

Steve Rogers hands leadership of the team, and the keys to the mansion to Luke Cage. And now we go back to your usual sort of Avengers stories, like how Nick Fury messed everything up for these guys way back in the 1950s.

Old Business. 1 episode



Episode 12: Secret Avengers Mission To Mars
(by Ed Brubaker, art by Mike Deodato JR, and Will Conrad)

The former Captain America, Steve Rogers, has assembled a special ops team to deal with issues that the public shouldn’t find out about. But who is The Shadow Council that opposes them?

Secret Avengers. 1 episode



Episode 13: Avengers by Bendis Vol 2
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by John Romita JR)

Red Hulk. Red Hood. Loads of Infinity Gems. Uhoh.

The Infinity Hood. 1 episode



Episode 14: Osborn Evil Incarcerated
(written by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Warren Ellis, art by Emma Rios)

While the various Avengers teams are out gallivanting around the world, poor Norman Osborn is in prison. But maybe not for long.

Evil Incarcerated. 1 episode



Serial 2: Avengers Academy Permanent Record, Avengers Academy Will We Use This In The Real World
(written by Christos Gage, art by Mike McKone)

Hank Pym continues the idea behind The Initiative but without all the bad politics. A new class of Avengers steps into the spotlight, hoping to learn how to be the heroes of tomorrow.

Avengers Academy. 2 episodes



Serial 3: Fear Itself, Avengers Academy Fear Itself, Avengers Fear Itself
(written by Matt Fraction and more, art by Stuart Immonen and more)

Thor isn’t the only hammer wielder in The Marvel Universe. A few more of the troublesome Asgardian weapons fall to Midgard, and various heroes and villains take possession of them to wreak havoc. Luckily, Tony Stark has a plan. Thor? Not so much.

Fear Itself. 2 episodes



Serial 4: New Avengers Volume 3, Avengers Volume 3
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Neal Adams, Mike Deodato JR, Will Conrad)

Osborne is on the loose. Again. But now he has a whole new team of Dark Avengers at his disposal. Plus AIM and other things Osborn should never have access to.

Stop HAMMER Time. 2 episode


Season 6 is 20 episodes.

The Avengers franchise is what made Marvel Studios the completely dominant force in comic based entertainment. The way they streamlined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and other characters into an expansive universe that also includes television shows like Daredevil and Agents Of SHIELD is something that has never been achieved before in motion picture entertainment.

The Avengers continuity, even without including the individual characters is supremely daunting. So, I’ve put together a chronology of some of the best Avengers related books that are currently or were recently available in collected editions (the recently available are still around for pretty cheap on various online outlets and in bookstores) into ten TV seasons.
​
Last season ended with The Scarlet Witch’s nervous breakdown nearly taking down the entire Avengers roster. We start this season with them tracking her down, not to hurt her but to figure out if they can help her.

Serial 1: New Avengers Breakout, Spider-Man Breakout
(written by Brian Michael Bendis and Tony Bedard, art by David Finch and Manuel Garcia)

The Avengers are all broken up but when dozens of prisoners break out of a prison called The Raft, someone has to keep the streets safe. Spider-Man tries on his own but doesn’t have much success so he joins The New Avengers, a virtual Who’s Who of Marvel heroes.

Breakout. 2 episodes



Episode 3: New Avengers Sentry
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Steve Mcniven)

One of the New Avengers is totally new. A Superman like hero with some serious mental problems could fit perfectly on to this team, or, you know, could cause a lot of problems.

New Avengers. 1 episode



Serial 2: Young Avengers Sidekicks, Young Avengers Family Matters
(written by Allan Heinberg, art by Jim Cheung)

A group of teenagers who seem to resemble classic Avengers shows up in New York City and start fighting crime. What are their ties to the original team? Are there ties? Jessica Jones, Iron Man, Captain America and…J Jonah Jameson? are on the case.

Young Avengers. 2 episodes



Episode 6: The Pulse Fear
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Michael Gaydos and Oliver Copiel)

Jessica Jones and Luke Cage have a baby. Then they get married, and The New Avengers are at the wedding. Enjoy the somewhat fun sidetrack while you have the chance.

The Baby. 1 episode



Serial 4: New Avengers Secrets & Lies, The Amazing Spider-Man New Avengers
(written by Brian Michael Bendis and J Michael Straczynski, art by David Finch and Mike Deodato JR)

Spider-Woman gets caught up in some New Avengers drama, and Spider-Man is upgrading to life in the big leagues with a swanky new apartment and new friends. Isn’t it just a great time to be a superhero? Oh, who the hell is Ronin?

Secrets & Lies. 2 episodes



Serial 5: House Of M
(written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Oliver Coipel)

Still suffering from her nervous breakdown, Wanda uses her powers to distort reality so that every hero gets everything they’ve ever wanted. But in this fantasy world, one little girl keeps activating the memories of certain heroes who know that what they need to do is convince The Scarlet Witch to return reality to the way it was. That is not, precisely, what she does.

House Of M. 2 episodes



Serial 6: Captain America Winter Soldier, Captain America Red Menace
(written by Ed Brubaker, art by Steve Epting, Michael Lark, Jon Paul Leon, Mike Perkins, Javier Pulido, and Marcos Martin)

The Red Skull gets killed over possession of The Cosmic Cube, and it’s up to Captain America to find out who killed him. Also, there’s an assassin running around who seems to be Captain’s long dead partner, Bucky. Someone should make a movie about this.

Red Menace. 2 episodes



Episode 13: The Road To Civil War
(written by Brian Michael Bendis and J Michael Straczynski, art by Alex Maleev, Ron Garney, Mike McKone, and Tyler Kirkham)

A group of top tier Marvel heroes have been meeting every few years to solve major crises like The Infinity Gauntlet. Their current problem is what to do about The Hulk. Thor’s hammer appears to have fallen and Dr. Doom and The Fantastic Four are all trying to prove worthy of it. Plus, Peter Parker works for Tony Stark now, and his new Spider-Man costume is definitely more useful, but it feels as though something is about to go horribly wrong for everyone.

Illuminati. 1 episode



Episode 14: Iron Man Extremis, Iron Man Execute Program
(written by Warren Ellis, Daniel and Charles Knauf, art by Adi Granov and Patrick Zircher)

It’s the Extremis storyline, so uhhh, Iron Man 3. But then Nick Fury, Captain America, and The New Avengers step in to stop Tony and a rogue assassin.

Extremis. 1 episode



Episode 16: Ms Marvel Best Of The Best
(written by Brian Reed, art by Roberto De La Torre)

Carol Danvers woke up from House Of M remembering how her life could have been. So the former Avenger who’s gone by Ms Marvel, Captain Marvel, Binary, and Warbird, returns to her Ms. roots to fight crime. Doctor Strange and The Fantastic Four are on hand for a few of her exploits before Captain America shows up with an offer.

Ms. Marvel. 1 episode



Serial 7: Civil War, Amazing Spider-Man Civil War, Peter Parker Spider-Man Civil War, Young Avengers Civil War, New Avengers Civil War
(written by Mark Millar, J Michael Straczynski, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and Zeb Wells, art by Steve McNiven, Ron Garney, Angel Medina, Clayton Crain, Sean Chen, and Stefano Casselli)

After a group of reality TV superheroes called The New Warriors are involved in a massacre that wipes out an elementary school, The Government finally decides to push for a Superhuman Registration Act. Tony Stark leads the movement to get all superheroes to unmask for the government, including Spider-Man (and, oh that does not go well for him). Meanwhile, Captain America runs an underground group of superheroes who don’t want to register. A few deaths, and some personal conflicts surface that aren’t going to disappear for a while.

Civil War. 5 episodes



Season 3 is 20 episodes



Interseason Special: Planet Hulk
(written by Greg Pak, art by Carlo Pagulayan and Aaron Lopresti)

​Remember how, in episode 13, The Illuminati thought it would be a good idea to fling The Hulk into space and let God or Science or whatever sort him out? Wellllll, he went a little off course and is now a gladiator on an unfamiliar planet. He has one thing on his mind, though, escaping, and getting back to Earth.

Galactus and The Dark Phoenix eat planets and suns.  The Red Skull cashed paychecks directly from Hitler himself.  But ask your average person who the scariest villain in comics is and they'll choose either Lex Luthor, Magneto, or The Joker.  Lex is a MENSA level billionairre who hates aliens and poor people.  Magneto is a Holocaust survivor with the power of magnetism (he's not so much a fan of Red Skull).  But The Joker is perhaps the most terrifying of all.  He has no super powers, no millions of dollars, he's merely a sociopath with a sense of humor, and a very complicated relationship with Batman.

But where does The Joker come from?  What set him on his life of crime?  Who was he before he showed up in Batman's rogue gallery?  What's his real name?

What makes The Joker an effective villain is that those questions have never really been answered.  There's no Holocaust in his background.  There's no absuive parents.  No orphanned when your parents threw you out of an airplane before they were enslaved by aliens.  The Joker occasionally offers a piece of his past, but will later contradict it.  A gag that's used beautifully in The Dark Knight.

So, given The Joker's muddled history, it's not much of a surprise that, even by comic book standards, his continuity is an erratic mess.  Several writers have written origins or first appearances for The Clown Prince Of Crime.  Most notably in recent years, Ed Brubaker and Michael Green.

Lovers and Madmen by Michael Green serves as a possible origin story.  An expert thief gets bored of how perfectly he executes his crimes and contemplates getting out of the business when he runs across Batman, and becomes obsessed.  (There's a fun little scene in a bar where "Jack" discusses his boredom at work with a blonde psychology student who calls him Mr. J.)

During "Jack"'s crime spree, Bruce Wayne meets a woman named Lorna.  The introduction of a love interest in a story involving The Joker can only mean one thing.  She gonna die.  And, of course, Batman has to watch.  With Lorna bleeding in his arms, he decides he can't go after Jack, so he tosses his baterang after him, marking his face into a permanent smile.

Now willing to do whatever it takes to pursue Jack, he calls in a favor from the mob, and consults a Gotham psychiatrist named Jonathan Crane, who labels Jack's methods insane.  While the mob is holding him, Jack escapes and gets in a gun/fist/lead pipe fight with his captors, and ends up falling into a vat of anti-psychotics.  Voila, Joker.  Whose first two acts are a crime spree, and an act of altruism (paying all of the future Miss Harley Quinn's college expenses).

Also, it turns out that Lorna doesn't die, but decides Gotham isn't safe, and Julie Madisons out of town.

Story: 4/5, Art 3/5 

The Man Who Laughs doesn't bother with The Joker's past, but focuses on his first crime spree in Gotham.  It could almost be a follow-up to Lovers And Madmen, except that Gordon and Batman are unfamiliar with The Joker, despite having arrested him at the close of Lovers And Madmen.  The whole story is pretty much a three issue summation of  a Joker story.  There's gas, there's the relationship between Batman and Gordon, and Batman blaming himself from creating The Joker.  This story also outs Gordon as being associated with Batman, allowing him to create The Bat Signal.

Story 3/5. Art 4/5

The Man Who Laughs trade paperback also features a backup story,with pencils by Patrick Zircher, called "Made Of Wood".  If you're reading this for chronological sake, put the book down as this story comes waaaaaaay later in The Batman mythos.