Submit or Perish - The Age of Ultron Reading Order

SUMMARY PAGE: THE AGE OF ULTRON EVENT

Beginning Date: March 6th, 2013
End Date: June 2013

What happens when an artificial intelligence destroys the world, most of our inhabitants, and puts the superheroes on the wanted list? Well it's happened, true believers! Signing up with writer Brian Michael Bendis, Marvel Comics has brought back Ultron, one of their greatest super-villains, to put teams like The Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men on notice. Called Age of Ultron, this major event has crossovers and tie-ins that will last for four months.

Premise: The villain wins. It's the day after - Ultron waged a surprise attack and takes over. The heroes - what's left of them - are surviving underground. Spider-Man and Hawkeye in New York City, Black Widow and Moon Knight in San Francisco, and Black Panther and Red Hulk in Chicago. The Invisible Woman and Wolverine are also working together as bands of heroes come together to survive the nightmare. The question now does a superhero do? How does he or she act with this level of oppression and psychological despair?

Greetings, This is the Reading and Summary Page for Age of Ultron. It will contain a Reading Order, Checklist, Summaries, and a limited scope of artword surrounding the event. It's built in a news-tiered format so that the further you go, the more details you're going to get. So spoil yourself as needed.

The Age of Ultron Reading Order

Final Edition

Age of Ultron: Prelude
Check Summary Notes for Detailed Explanations

P001 Marvel Point One (November 2011)
P002 Avengers Age of Ultron Point One FCBD 2012 (May 2012)

Age of Ultron: Main Event
001 Age of Ultron #1
002 Avengers Assemble #14AU
003 Avengers Assemble #15AU
004 Age of Ultron #2
005 Fantastic Four #5AU
006 Superior Spider-Man #6AU
007 Age of Ultron #3
008 Age of Ultron #4
009 Ultron #1AU
010 Age of Ultron #5
011 Age of Ultron #6
012 Wolverine and The X-Men #27AU
013 Age of Ultron #7
014 Age of Ultron #8
015 Uncanny Avengers #8AU
016 Fearless Defenders #4AU
017 Age of Ultron #9
018 Age of Ultron #10

Disclaimer: The Reading Order is now final.

10/12/2013 - Dang it! I missed the finalization to the Reading Order itself. Thanks to juank-pipoca and Pocketsnb for fixing my FUZZY logic. You guys hooked me up! Thanks again!

09/10/2013 - Greetings Everybody! This event has concluded. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I let some of the reading order slip, but I came back today to finish it up and make things right! Sorry for the inconvenience.
06/05/2013 - This week's issue is installed.
05/23/2013 - Two issues released this week; they account for events in the newly Pym-killed era. They have been implemented.
05/16/2013 - One issue released this week. It's been implemented into the list.
05/09/2013 - Updated this week's release. This issue, Avengers Assemble #15AU is best after issue #14; it also shows some of the immediate aftermath and response.
05/02/2013 - Updated this week's release. The Reading Order is holding firm.
04/18/2013 - Updated the issues for this week, noting that the Reading Order doesn't follow the recommended order in the issue. That's because of spoilers. If you read Wolverine and The X-Men #27AU, it won't make sense. You have to read Age of Ultron #6 to understand why those events took place.
04/12/2013 - I've implemented Avengers Assemble #14AU to the Reading Order today, but I've been a little skeptical on where to place it. It's actually the first issue, chronologically, but you have to give Age of Ultron #1 precedence because it sets the tone of the event. So here goes; hope you like it!
04/11/2013 - Added the two issues for this week. Anything else I say now will spoil the intentions of "future me", who is controlling me in the present.
04/04/2013 - This week is updated and you should be aware that the Marvel has already released a spoiler for the ending (Avengers A.I.) which will consist of a hero-robotic superteam. That said, I'm surprised that AU is only affecting a few titles and such a small event. Obviously, there's going to be a time-traveling component - meaning nothing actually happened - but elsewhere in the Marvel Universe, it's business as usual.
03/28/2013 - Implemented the issues for this week. It's still kinda weird that two of the issues are also part of the Marvel NOW! event. It won't mess up this Reading Order, but it'll play games with that one. It will also be interesting to see how this plays out. Someone will probably go back in time...
03/14/2013 - The second issue comes out, fleshing the plot. Well worth the read. Implemented it into the Reading and Summaries today.
03/07/2013 - I know people were pretty excited about AU and it was worth it. I've updated this week's release and will do a few write-ups at the website. Everything is running smoothly. Also, it's important to note that this doesn't appear to be coordinating with Marvel NOW!.
03/04/2013 - Created this Summary and Landing Page for the event. And now it's ready to rock and roll.

P001 Marvel Point One 2011 (Released 2011 November. As we moved into 2012 we were in the midst of waiting for the Avengers vs. X-Men event and the return of The Phoenix. This issue, comprised of a series of short stories, showed us one glimpse of Age of Ultron.)

Comprised of a series of short stories where a meditating Watcher is encountered in his resting chambers, the observers belong to a group called "The Unseen" see multiple upcoming futures. One of them involves the Age of Ultron, showing Spider-Man and Hawkeye attempting to survive in New York City as Ultron robots surround them.

This issue, in total, represents seven short stories - future glimpses, of what Marvel had prepared by late 2011.
1. "Behold The Watcher", which framed the entire stories and includes a plot by an unknown villainous group.
2. "Harbinger", showing us the return of Nova, the coming of The Phoenix Force, and the prelude to Avengers vs. X-Men event.
3. "The Myth of Man", introducing us to the alternate universe Age of Apocalypse.
4. "The Scarlet Thread", introducing us to The Scarlet Spider and his new title series.
5. "Yin & Yang", introducing us to two new super-powers humans, Coldmoon and Dragonfire.
6. "The Shaman of Greenwich Village", reintroducing Doctor Strange, The Defenders, and their plot.
7. "Age of Ultron", a prelude look at the major Marvel upcoming event.

P002 Avengers Age Of Ultron Point One FCBD 2012 (May 2012.The first Saturday of May is always Free Comic Book Day, or FCBD. In 2012, Marvel released this issue, giving us an idea to when, and how, Ultron returns to earth.)

Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman had disappeared after following the trail of an alien energy signature. It turned out to be the body of a deceased SpaceKnight already captured by a super-villainous group of geniuses called "The Intelligencia". Capturing Spider-Woman, The Avengers head to her location, meet the bad guys, and start beating them up. Once they find the SpaceKnight, though, it mysteriously activates and turns into Ultron! A sentient Artificial Intelligence, it realizes it is not ready and teleports itself away from the battle. The team is confused by Ultron's latest appearance, but Tony Stark tells them to prepare for Apocalypse, because Ultron will come back and destroy mankind in a future he has already seen.


Age of Ultron: Main Event
Detailed Summaries

Analysis: Although the details are sketchy at first, the starting point begins with earth having been decimated by Ultron's attack. There are survivors, but it's a kill or be killed psychology that keeps you alive. Hiding and avoiding detection is a primary skill. This is no longer about simple good guys and bad guys; their morals are the only thing dividing them...and those are questionable as you'll soon see.

001 Age of Ultron #1 (Starts the event. As the issue opens up, we are in an apocalyptic United States where Hawkeye is trying to rescue Spider-Man from the clutches of Hammerhead and The Owl. The bad guys have captured Spidey to use him as a payment to Ultron. Hawkeye now is taking no prisoners; he's using his arrows to kill people who get in his way. Finally reaching Parker, who is bleeding and tied to a chair, both heroes and villains are caught off guard as Ultron forces surround the premises. Causing an explosion, the heroes manage to get away and head to a secret hideout. They're ambushed by Luke Cage and She-Hulk; it turns out that Hawkeye is an ally to them both, but left the lair against their warnings to rescue Spider-Man. Tony Stark comes forth in a unique signature outfit, presumably to hide him against detections, and scans the two intruders for Ultron virus intrusions. Clean, he allows them in the lair, where they argue about rescuing Parker, being followed, and surviving to another day. The discussion then goes to a plan, which at the end focuses on one man, Captain America. Brooding in a corner, we see the American patriot, disheveled and quiet.)
002 Avengers Assemble #14AU (Officially, this issue isn't released until Age of Ultron #5. For Reading Order purposes, it's placed here, after the initial shock of Age of Ultron #1, and perfect for story flow. This is the blockbuster issue of the event so far and actually happens before all other issues in this chronology. However, to place it first spoils the introduction to the event. Centering on The Black Widow; Natasha is in San Francisco when she becomes aware that Ultron is taking over the world. It starts with strange news, then everything goes black and scary. Soon, they're all fleeing like terrified rabbits. Anything with technology is being used by Ultron to locate human so he can kill them. Natasha flees into the sewers with survivors, but Ultron's also ready down there; he kills them with gas. Natasha flees, but not before her friend with a Stark prosthetic arm slashes her face, removing her eye. Now controlled by Ultron, he has to kill him too. She finally makes it to a SHIELD safehouse, finding Marc Spector, The Moon Knight. Ultron has won; now they have to figure out their next move.)
003 Avengers Assemble #15AU (Best placed here after Avengers Assemble #14AU. Carol Danvers aka Captain Marval, stars in this issue with Captain Britain and Faiza Hussein aka Excalibur. Trapped in London, Carol is unable to use her flying powers and teams up with Captain Britain and an 80s hero named Computer Graham. They head to St. Paul and take on Ultron as Graham goes into its program. In the battle, all the heroes fall, but Graham manages to cause a severe explosion which gives Excalibur and Black Knight - Britain's two remaining heroes who left behind - the ability to call on other resources and fight another day.)
004 Age of Ultron #2 (Continues from Age of Ultron #1. Starting with San Francisco, we learn that Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow and Marc Spector aka Moon Knight have survived. Somehow their Black Ops routine pulled them out of the harm. Now, they reside in one of Nick Fury's hideouts, off the grid from any technology. The story then cuts back to Peter Parker, explaining his story to the rest of the heroes in New York. He explains how he woke up to the city under attack. We also learn that DC has been destroyed and probably the entire planet has been taken over. The heroes question what Ultron would want with Spider-Man when termination is it's ultimate purpose. But by the end, Captain America rises and says he now has a plan.)
005 Fantastic Four #5AU (Continues from Age of Ultron #3 and Fantastic Four #5. In the future, Franklin and Valeria wake up to strangeness on their vessal. Everyone is gone. They venture down to a compartment and a message plays out with the members of the Fantastic Four leaving them messages. The story also cuts to flashbacks where the Fantastic Four get a call from The Black Panther to return. Once they get there, the Baxter Building has been leveled. Ultron robots immediately come after them and Johnny is killed while the rest escape. In sequence, Ben is killed hours later, then Reed. Sue is buried under rubble for three days and is rescued by She-Hulk. Back in the future, Valeria and Franklin now learn that they have to go on by themselves, but Franklin receives a special vision from his mother that everything will be alright and that she will return someday.)
006 Superior Spider-Man #6AU (Continues from Age of Ultron #3, before Luke and She-Hulk leave, but after Sue Richards is part of underground team. It's now official that this is the Doc Ock Superior Spider-Man in the Age of Ultron event. After examining the wreck of New York, he blames Parker for being so weak until he took over his body. Stark offer consolence, then tells him of a plan with Quicksilver where they can get Negative Zone tech from Horizon Labs. Spidey agrees to go, but once inside he tries his own "superior" plan, thinking he can gain control over all the Ultron tech. It works at first, until he learns that Ultron isn't controlling the tech and is actually secured somewhere else, externally. While exerting his technical controls, Spidey is attacked by Ultron's consciousness. He barely escapes and then tries to grab the Negative Zone tech. Unfortunately, the Ultron robots destroy it and he returns to Stark's hideout empty-handed.)
007 Age of Ultron #3 (Continues shortly after Age of Ultron #3, but officially occurs after Superior Spider-Man #6AU. Starting out, Luke Cage and She-Hulk are out in the city. He knocks her out, according to their "plan". Then the issue flashbacks where Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and others debate Cap's plan. They now know Ultron is bargaining for superheroes. Exploiting that weakness, they decide to send in She-Hulk with Cage as her seller. The story also cuts to Chicago where we see Red Hulk, The Black Panther, and Taskmaster, scouting through the wrecked city. Once they spot and Ultron, Red Hulk attacks and rips its head off. Unfortunatly, other Ultrons are nearby and begin attacking. Red Hulk throws the head to the other two and they run off, but before they can escape, Black Panther is killed. Taskmaster ultimately escapes with Ultron's metal cranium. In the last few shots, the surprise of the issue reveals who is making the deals. Instead of Luke Cage meeting Ultron, he's face to face with the torso of The Vision!)

008 Age of Ultron #4 (Occurs almost immediately after Age of Ultron #3. Facing The Vision, once a member of The Avengers, Cage begins asking to see Ultron. That's when he's informed that the mastermind is controlling this world from the future. Almost seemingly in response, agony shoots through the android as he tells our hero. She-Hulk then jumps into action, hearing enough. She throws Cage clear of the lair and begins attacking. Shortly thereafter, though, she's killed. The Ultron robots go after Cage, but fortunately his unbreakable skin can take the damage. Being merciless automatons, they calculate this and unleash a nuclear blast on him. The story then skips around and then focuses on what's left of the heroes in Manhattan. Using Storm and Invisible Woman's skills, they fly over the city to The Savage Land. Once there, Ka-Zar finds them and takes them to a makeshift village. Cage is there, but dies within moments of their arrival. Using her telepathic abilities before his demise, Emma Frost finds out that Ultron is in the future and informs the rest of the group. At the end, Black Widow, Moon Knight, and Red Hulk also arrive in the city. The former two have been hiding in San Francisco...and they have a plan from Nick Fury that could save the human race.)
009 Ultron #1AU (There is no defined time in this issue, but we can see that Ultron has already struck and continues patrols to hunt for humans. Based on the release schedule, it's plausible here. This issue drives from the main plot and centers on Victor Mancha, son of Ultron, former member of The Runaways, and a cyborg. The last survivor of his team, his story takes him through Los Angeles. Ultron has already hit the area hard and Victor is attempting to help survivors the best he can. He's managed to create a hideaway for his small gang, but at the end, the Ultron patrols find it. Most of this is psychological, focusing on Victor's destiny to destroy the human race...and his defiance of that mandate.)
010 Age of Ultron #5 (Continues from Age of Ultron #4, after a short time period. The remaining heroes, now gathered in the Savage Land, trek to Fury's hideout and open it, finding the former Director of SHIELD within. After brief explanations, he reveals that he has a version of Dr. Doom's time machine and plans to send a team into the future to stop Ultron. The rest is...or will be, history. They split into two forces: one jumps into the future and the other stays to guard their location. Wolverine, though, takes matters into his own hand at the end: he tells those remaining to fire up the machine once more and send him back to the past where he can kill Hank Pym, Ultron's creator!)
011 Age of Ultron #6 (Technically, this continues from Wolverine and The X-Men #27AU. Reading that issue first, however, makes no sense. It's best after Age of Ultron #5. Now separated into two missions, Wolverine heads into the past to kill Pym and Nick Fury's team heads into the future to stop Ultron. Soon after, though, both realize Sue Richards deviated from the plan: she followed Logan. The Savage Land of the future is incredibly beautiful and Nick Fury's group heads towards the Eastern Seaboard; once there, they encounter an incredible and awesome technological landscape. Unfortunately, it's devoid of human life. As the heroes approach, bots begin attacking. They battle valiantly, but some - maybe all - of them appear to die; we're not sure yet. In the past, Logan and Sue find a SHIELD flying car and steal it off the past version of Fury. They take it to New York where Logan finds Pym, just as he's inspired for the Ultron invention. As Wolverine strikes, though, Susan stops him from the killing blow. He reminds her of all the deaths and she releases him. Pym is skewered and dies. One mission appears to fail and the other succeeds, the question now becomes "What awaits us in the present?".)
012 Wolverine and The X-Men #27AU (According the the information in the issue, this should be read before Age of Ultron #6. The problem, though, is that you'll never know why Sue Richards followed Wolverine into the past. That's why this is best placed here. While Sue and Logan travel to New York, their SHIELD flying car breaks down. They locate a SHIELD substation and stealthily make their way through, forewarned about messing up things in the past. They split up and things go bad. Wolverine sees an imprisoned creature and frees it. It turns out to a deadly Brood alien. It infects him, but he slices it out of his stomach. That's when the creature adapts and upgrades itself for future infestation. Meanwhile, Sue stumbles upon a spying station and notices that Reed is being watched. She speaks through an intercom and warns him. After getting a needed component, they meet back up and fly off to find Pym. The implications, now, are uncertain; each has secretly tampered with the past.)
013 Age of Ultron #7 (Continues from Wolverine and The X-Men #27AU. The assassination committed, Logan and Sue return to the future. The world is no longer Ultron-overwhelmed, but things are much different. When they arrive in New York, they are met by a force calling themselves The Defenders. Led by Dr. Strange and Colonel America, a strange Nick Fury-Captain America hybrid hero, they believe them to be Skrull Imposters and attack. Logan takes out his Wolverine counterpart, but they are eventually stopped and knocked out. And out of the sky comes the most surprising figure of this version of the present: Tony Stark. He's no longer the Iron Man we once knew.)
014 Age of Ultron #8 (Continues from Age of Ultron #7, immediately. After downloading and studying their memories, this era's version of Tony Stark realizes an alternate path has unfolded and he is amazed. A brief conversation with other operatives of SHIELD, Xavier and Frost, suggest to him that this is no trick, but absolute truth. Stark attempts to go through a list of alternatives with Logan, but it does no good. Meanwhile, also on the helicarrier, the Defenders are getting upset; The Thing wants to talk to Susan Richards and Wolverine wants to meet his alternate self. They decide to break past guards to Susan; turning invisible, she escapes while everyone is in turmoil. Suddenly, alarms go off; everyone is alerted: Morgan Le Fay is attacking in what could be this timeline's ultimate battle. The Defenders take to the battle, Stark included, but the invasion appears to be succeeding. In the last moments of the issue, one of the helicarriers crash into another.)
015 Uncanny Avengers #8AU (Continues in the new age created from Wolverine's assassination of Henry Pym, but belongs here to keep spoilers out. Following Kang and the Apocalypse Twins, he teaches them that they need to kill Colonel America to assure their victory. They encounter him as he is below ground attempting to negotiate with Havok and Rogue. The twins strike, but Captain America is quick to respond, he flees. As they attempt to track him, Havok and Rogue attempt to make them stand down. In return, the twins fight them and end up killing them. Before Rogue dies, she steals Uriel's memories and tells him of Kang's treachery. Colonel America has gotten away, but Kang considers it a learning experience anyhow. He shows the twins his trophy room and the weapon, Jarnbjorn which will be important later.)
016 Fearless Defenders #4AU (Continues in the new age created through Henry Pym's death, but belongs here so as to keep out spoilers. The Defenders inform Hippolyta that Doom was part of the death of the Amazons, causing her and Caroline Le Fey to travel to Latveria, where they appear to be captured. It's all part of their plan. In the War Pits, Doom has Misty Knight and scores of super-powered women attack, but before the battle can take further shape, she throws a dart as Doom's head and reveals a bot. Then Ares, her father comes out of the shadows and they fight. Hippolyta takes Ares down, but refuses to kill him. At the end, she commands all the woman to fight under her as the new Amazons.)
017 Age of Ultron #9 (Continues from Age of Ultron #8, but waits for post-Pym events to be revealed. With the destruction wrought by Morgan Le Fey, Wolverine is one of the only survivors of the crash. He slashes his way through enemy forces, finds the traveling device, and returns to the era where he is just about to kill Pym. Once there, he stops himself from killing Hank. They argue, but then it is decided to let him live. With the Susan Richards from that era, they incorporate a plan before returning to their original time; hopefully Pym will succeed in installing a virus code to activate at the moment of near-extinction. Both Wolverines, now in the present, represent a paradox. Determining which is better to remain, one kills the other.)
018 Age of Ultron #10 ( Continues in the alternate, newly-created timestream. Best placed here. Having identified a future of Ultron's control, Pym creates the virus and a video for himself, and is then conditioned to forget the whole incident with Wolverine and Susan Storm. At the beginning of this issue, it's a few month's back when the video appears on his doorstep. He plays it and learns the horrible truth. From there, he interferes in the events in Avengers: Age of Ultron FCBD (2012) by comm-linking in on the team and informing them on how to take out the killer robot. Stark activates a distracting back door Trojan Horse code, and while Ultron works on defeating it, the virus is triggered, shutting Ultron down and foiling his future plans.

In the final pages...
...Susan Storm and Wolverine meet and share a hug. Their gratefulness genuine until something...extremely wrong...occurs. The Space-Time Continuum is now, finally broken. Events are going awry, including the appearance of Angela.


Epilogue
A New Era Begins

019 Age of Ultron #10AI - (Follows on the heels of the events in Age of Ultron #10. This issue can unofficially be considered an Age of Ultron Aftermath title. Centered on the perspective on Henry Pym, he reexamines his entire life, showing us his origins and history from child to gifted scientist to original Avenger. Throughout the issue, Pym keeps telling himself his life wouldn't have make a difference, but after some thoughts, he realizes he is very wrong: life would have been apocalypse had he not existed. He now decides to continue his ways as a superhero, using his science to aid his powers and create an inspiring career. In the final pages of this issue, though, Henry recognizes that he is not done with the advancement of artificial intelligence. From one of his lab's holding cubes, he withdraws the functional head of a Doombot, preparing to reprogram it. "This" states Pym, will show the world that he means business.

To see the results of the Age of Ultron, you can go to The Age of Ultron Aftermath.

Greetings, and thank you for dropping by. This is the Age of Ultron Guestbook where you can talk about this page or anything related to the event. Please be courteous - no profanity, and tells us what you've seen or heard. Your opinion is valuable, including any discrepancies you've seen. Best of all, have fun and enjoy yourself while your here. If you just want to say "Hello", that's great!

Avengers in a World Changed

SUMMARY PAGE: AVENGERS, PART III, MARVEL NOW!

Click Here: The Marvel NOW! Reading Order

~Cover Art compiled from Avengers #1, #2, and #3 (2013), part of Marvel NOW!

Premise:Earth's Mightiest Heroes are now facing threats that need serious response. Some of the villains qualify as World-Killers. This story arc, therefore, represents an upgrade to the team. They're no longer a simple core association, but a power grab of the most powerful superheroes alive. Also important to the event, two new characters have been created, and will probably be around for a long time. Starbrand and Nightmask.

Avengers #1 (The key chronological maker in this issue is that Captain America's garb is now ungraded to look like armor. The wing-tipped mask is also now replaced with a helmet-chinstrap with painted wings. The start of this issue is a jump through the Marvel Timeline until it rests with Stark and Rogers saying they need to expand the concept behind the Avengers supergroup. The story then cuts to the super-villain Ex Nihilo and his team on Mars, sending evolutionary "origin" bombs to earth. The Avengers arrive - and it's the team from the 2012 movie - and are soundly defeated and captured. Although the issue is sketchy, Captain America is returned to Earth and begins to activate "the plan" he devised with Stark, calling on Avengers specialists to join the team. On the last page of the story, a whole array of new Avengers have assembled.)
Avengers #2 (Continues from Avengers #1 with no other chronological markers. As the story continues, Ex Nihilo explains his origin, which includes the origin of "The First Race" and the members of his team. Meanwhile, back on Earth Captain America is preparing his assemble Avengers to counterattack. The issue also uses flashbacks to show Stark and Rogers recruiting members like Captain Universe, Spider-Woman, Sunspot, Falcon, Cannonball, and others. In the final pages, one of their newest members, Manifold, teleports them to Mars.)
Avengers #3 (Continues from Avengers #2. Bannered. Concluding their battle with Ex Nihilo, Captain America leads the team to rescue the original Avengers. As the battle unfolds, Captain Universe, referred to as "The Universe", comes into play and destroys the Aleph.)
Avengers #4 (Continues from Avengers #3. Centering mostly on Hyperion, the story weaves its way back and forth through his origin, a titan that survives the collapsing of two, alternate universes, and how his public feelings are different from his private ones. The Avengers begin looking for the crash sites of the Bio-Bombs left by Ex Nihilo, they believe they find them all, including one later located in The Savage Land, but readers are surprised on the last few pages when Hyperion hides the fact that there is actually a seventh site, comprised of its own mysterious.)
Avengers #5 (Continues from Avengers #4. The Hulk is still with the team. Focusing on the superhero known as Smasher, "Izzy", a girl from Iowa. This issue details how she got her Sub-Guardian Shi'ar Empire powers and became an Avenger and transitions to her battling invaders and being promoted to Super-Guardian status. The final reports from the Empire is that the attackers weren't attacking at all, but runnning away from something.)
Avengers #6 (Continues after an undisclosed period, but Spider-Man is noticeably acting more brash and rude. This is likely to be happening because the Doctor Octopus alter-ego is controlling him, so this issue occurs after the Superior Spider-Man series. While Stark is running tests on the lifeform created from their encounter with Ex Nihilo, Shang-Chi is using his techniques to learn more about Captain Universe, also called "The Universe". Her real revealed name is Tamara Devoux and she came upon her powers immediately following a car crash. Shang-Chi gets her to reveal much information, but more prominently, he learns that the universe is dying. With Universe by his side, he approaches TOny and the lifeform, who Universe calls "Nightmask". It turns out both of them can talk, and that's when Nightmarks tells them the Universe is about to die from a "White Event".)

Left: Nightmask and Starbrand from Avengers #9 (2013)

Avengers #7 (Continues directly from Avengers #6. Notably, Banner is present and he's wearing a layer of armor. This means the Hulk series should occur before this. Captain Universe or "Universe", continues to help explain the plot, which at this time remains a bit confusing. The NightMask, however, is one of a series of heralds that will handle a "White Event". According to this the heralds are: a Starbrand, Justice, Cipher, and sometimes a Spitfire. This time, however, the "Universe is Broken", a common theme here as the sky brightens over the earth. The NightMask uses Stark Tech and finds an area, corresponding to a College where the Starbrand should be. The believe is that the wrong person got transformed -- and the Avengers show up just as a young student rises from the transformation.)
Avengers #8 (Continues immediately from the previous issue. The Avengers descend on a young boy named Keven Conner. He's received the Starbrand - a universal weapon designed to protect the planet during a White Event. Unfortunatley, something is wrong; Nightmask and Captain Universe detect there's a conflict of systems. Battle escalates when the Hulk attempts to grab him, but Nightmask and Starbrand teleport away, eventually ending up on Mars in a place called The Garden. This is where Nightmask was created, and before them is Ex Nihilo, his creator.)
Avengers #9 (Continues from the previous issue. Nightmask and Kevin now learn the truth as Abyss studies their physiology; the conflict is not with them, but with Earth. Ex Nihilo then reveals that he's unleashed evolutionary bombs to make the planet sentient. Instead of fearing it, he says, they may want to observe what happens. The two then head back to Earth, Crotia, where one of the bombs went off. As an evolutionary event transpires, Conner unleashes, destroying it. The Avengers arrive just in time to watch; now they worry Conner and the Nightmask are too dangerous to be on the planet. After some battle, though, they give up and are relocated to a Stark satellite in outer space.)
Avengers #10 (Continues from Avengers #9, and is a continuation of Ex Nihilio plot, but occurs roughly a month after that encounter. Centering on an evolution bomb in Regina, Canada, Department H and SHIELD call the Avengers in to investigate the inside of an unbreakable sphere. With them goes Agent Michaud of Department H. Once teleported inside, everything gets muddled, forgotten, or broken in recollection. Department H's only remaining scouting hero, Validator, has changed or been upgraded. When the Avengers and Michaud return to the outside world, the sphere disappears. They are debriefed, but say they have no memory of what occurred; this is mostly a lie. Michaud, having a data recorder implanted in his head, decides to kill himself. The only thing for certain now is what Validator, his daughter, said: "The system is online.")
Avengers #11 (Continues from Avengers #10, time period undefined. With Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, as the centerpiece, this story focuses on a market of biological weapons supposed to be on the market through the AIM organization. Shang-Chi and as assembled group of Avengers go undercover and fly into a Chinese Casino to uncover information. As it turns out, though, what they expected is heavily misunderstood. By the end of their mission, most of them learned nothing. Shang-Chi, however, has battled a super-villain known as Chimera and his assassin. In turn, he reveals that AIM is preparing to start a war and is looking to buy an army of killers.)
Avengers #12 (Continues from Avengers #11, an undefined period. There is a reference, however, to two weeks passing since the evolution bombs. There is also a reference that Tony Stark is physically in space with Rocket Racoon at the same time. With Iron Man, Thor, Hyperion, and a few others leading, the issue falls to the new life forms arising from the evolution bomb that fell in the Savage Land. Thor and Hyperion take the lead as they attempt to teach these self-sustaining children the importance of giving and other lessons. At the same time, though, the High Evolutionary has seen these creatures and uses a ruse to gather them together for plans of his own.)
Avengers #13 (Continues from Avengers #12, near immediately. With the children disappeared, Hyperion flies into a rage; the Avengers begin searching on all levels through the Savage Land. Finally, basic tracking leads them to an area that turns out to be a cloaking device. They pierce the veil and find the High Evolutionary with his minions. At the same time, he raises a Terminus unit to attack them. Hyperion goes directly after the High Evolutionary while the rest fight the monster. That's when we learn the children are being used as batteries. Once again Hyperion goes into a rage and destroys the devices, ultimately destroying Terminus and freeing the children.)

This is a Story Arc Summary Page provided by The Superheroes List. If you're just arriving, Marvel NOW! is a reformation of the Marvel Comics Publishing Group, reinventing and revitalizing their great superheroes and villains to the latest era. Are you interested in what's happening with Marvel NOW!? Well you're not alone. You can find the Reading Order and more information at The Marvel NOW! Reading Order. Twitter #MarvelNOW

Black Widow's Ledger

SUMMARY PAGE: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE PART II, MARVEL NOW!

Click Here: The MARVEL NOW! Reading Order

~Excerpt from Avengers Assemble #13 (2013), part of Marvel NOW!.

Analysis: All three heroes - Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Spider-Woman - have ties to spycraft and espionage; this may be the theme of this next story. It also serves as an introduction to Black Widow's debts, things from the past which continuously haunt her.

Avengers Assemble #12 (Continues after Avengers Assemble #11, but the period is undefined. Centering on Black Widow, she, Spider-Woman, and Hawkeye embark on an adventure into Russian territory to help the wife of Peter Anokhin, a man she murdered. It's a "Karmic Debt", according to the story, and she learns that another person - not the wife - called her in. His name is Karl, and he's the boyfriend of Galina, the daughter of Anokhin. She's missing and he wants them to locate her in the sewers. On the adventure, though, it turns out to be a trap. Galina is now half-reptilian and the place is crawling with other reptile-human hybrids. Karl is also there, and he appears to be out for the Black Widow's blood.)
Avengers Assemble #13 (Continues immediately from the previous issue. Presenting Black Widow to Galina, Karl uses it as a form of "Proposal", asking for her hand in marriage. Galina offers Karl her serum and in response, asks him to join her. Thats when Natasha, Hawkeye, and Spider-Woman spring into battle. But it's too late for Natasha, Galina slashes her throat causing a mortal wound. They are unable to save her until Hawkeye recovers the serum and uses it with full potency; Natasha then transforms into a reptilian, regenerating. Resuming the battle, they beat Galina and her reptiles and pull them into a detox safehouse. Later, Jessica asks Natasha how many more tokens she has; she says "eight" and we see Barton holding one of them.)

This is a Story Arc Summary Page provided by The Superheroes List. If you're just arriving, Marvel NOW! is a reformation of the Marvel Comics Publishing Group, reinventing and revitalizing their great superheroes and villains to the latest era. Are you interested in what's happening with Marvel NOW!? Well you're not alone. You can find the Reading Order and more information at The Marvel NOW! Reading Order. Twitter #MarvelNOW

Go Avengers, Into Marvel NOW!

SUMMARY PAGE: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, MARVEL NOW!

Click Here: The Marvel NOW! Reading Order

Above: The Avengers Core Team has a problem with few solutions. Note here that they are wearing their earliest versions of uniforms.

Analysis: Avengers, being one of Marvel's biggest franchises, has more than a couple titles and heroes who are going to evolve with the Marvel NOW! reformation. This Story Arc, however mainly represents the core group of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk. There are additional heroes, but they aren't the focus. This is before the mentioned four get their new uniforms and upgrades, placing it very early.

Avengers Assemble #9 (Begins the Story Arc. With competing ideologies, Stark and Banner decide to have a contest by each assembling a team and searching for a missing scientist at Camp Vostok. Stark gets Thor and Banner chooses Spider-Woman. They then head to the area; Iron Man's group get attacked and suddenly Hulk and Spider-Woman show up to bail them out. It's a battle against monstrosities; once the enemies are defeated, the four Avengers find murdered staff members inside the facility.)
Avengers Assemble #10 (Continuing from Avengers Assemble #9. Iron Man realizes that the organisms that killed the staff are in the water, but - too late - Banner has had a drink. In the meantime, Captain America and Captain Marvel intercept a fleeing aircraft; suddenly mutated soldiers jump on their Quiinjet and Cap goes into action. He reaches the aircraft in mid-air and meets the villains, Sergei Sorokin and Yun Guan Han. They force him to jump out of the plan or they will drop millions of organisms on the populace below. In the last scenes, The Avengers have Hulk contained in a cell with an organism inside. Spider-Woman has to carefully administer the cure.)
Avengers Assemble #11 (Continues from Avengers Assemble #10. Tracking the craft to a province in China, the Avengers reassemble and take the fight to Yun Guang Han, but not before he releases his poisonous water on a small village. Acting quickly, Thor and Captain Marvel draw the liquid through the atmosphere and jettison it into space; meanwhile, the now-cured Hulk is dropped on Han's HQ. The team then infiltrates the base and takes out the super-villain. After the adventure, the group musters back at their base; that's when Tony and Bruce are told they lost the bet. In the last few panels, they are streaking through New York.)

This is a Story Arc Summary Page provided by The Superheroes List. If you're just arriving, Marvel NOW! is a reformation of the Marvel Comics Publishing Group, reinventing and revitalizing their great superheroes and villains to the latest era. Are you interested in what's happening with Marvel NOW!? Well you're not alone. You can find the Reading Order and more information at The Marvel NOW! Reading Order. Twitter #MarvelNOW

The Avengers Give The Hulk His Shot

SUPERFUNNIES

Spider-Woman Draws The Short Straw

~Avengers Assemble #10 (2013)

Part of the Marvel NOW! event, the Incredible, or Indestructible, Hulk is still part of The Avengers in this issue. Unfortunately, he's contaminated. And angry.

Avengers Assemble #10 reveals it all when Tony Stark and Bruce Banner have a bet that turns a bit sour. By the end of this issue, the Hulk is host to an organism from the water he drank.

Are heroes and villains smart? Naw. #SuperFunnies updates every week on The Superheroes List. Here are the bloopers, flip-flops, and all-together moments of levity during exchanges of humor and snapshots of utterly ridiculous decisions in comic books.

The Scarlet Witch and Her Powers of Hex

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #1: The Scarlet Witch

~Scarlet Witch, from Avengers vs. X-Men #12 (2012)

Wanda Maximoff, also beloved (or hated) by fans as The Scarlet Witch, is possibly the greatest superhero to ever wear the title. Then again, she's also single-handedly responsible for destroying most of the mutant race, ending the Avengers, and killing multiple people within the span of days. That's the problem when you're having a mental breakdown.

From an emotionally disturbed past wrought with deception manipulation, Wanda was one of the original members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, inducted by her (then unknown) father Magneto. This was her first appearance (X-Men #4, 1964). Later, though, she would become an Avenger and serve as one of their greatest members. During that long career, she would study magic and learn the true art of witchcraft, disputably becoming one of their greatest practitioners.

From earlier times, numerous stories and events have seen the Scarlet Witch, a mutant herself with the ability to create probability-altering hexes, as their focus. Avengers Disassembled was the moment she took out the entire group, killing a few of their members. House of M details the aftermath of that time when she created an entirely new world and later removed the powers of 90% of the mutant population. In most cases, it's never been an intentionally destructive act, just misguided suggestions and advice that caused her to do bad things.

But Witches never seem to be that good - they've always got some strange agenda - and let's face it, Wanda is truly "witchy". Although considerably good of heart, she's performed incredibly powerful and destructive acts. She's been judged as an unpredictable ally. There is one caveat, though; in her latest adventures, part of Avengers Vs. X-Men, she turns out to be a force that saves the world. Go figure.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Who Punishes The Punisher? Not Spider-Man!

VILLAINOUS MOMENTS

There's No Such Thing As A Fair Fight

~Frank Castle vs. Spider-Man, Punisher War Journal #1 (2012)

After being out-maneuvered and pummeled by Spider-Man, The Punisher ends the fight with an explosive the wall-crawler can't dodge.

The Punisher has never played by the rules and has no problem killing bad guys; that's why he's about to be the number one target of interest with Spider-Man and The Avengers. Starting in the five-issue mini-series, Punisher War Journal #1, Earth's Mightiest Heroes have decided to end the manhunt for the vigilante.

Here's the problem, though: The Punisher won't go down without a fight.

Villainous Moments is a column from of The Superheroes List, updated weekly (usually Tuesday). What are the bad guys doing this week? Macabre and unthinkable, grotesque and unbearable; here's your answer! Look for #VillainousMoments on Twitter.

Thor, God of Thunder...Needs Quiet Time!

SUPERFUNNIES

The Mighty Avenger, Always Avenging

~Avengers #30 (2012)

Are heroes and villains smart? Naw. #SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List. Here are the bloopers, flip-flops, and all-together moments of levity during exchanges of humor and snapshots of utterly ridiculous decisions in comic books.

Avengers #4: Jarvis The Butler

~Mighty Avengers #21 (2009)

The panel above speaks the truth; one amazing constant that has endured longer than any other Avenger - a source of inspiration, as well as cleanliness and good house-keeping - is none other than Edwin Jarvis the Butler, who was first recognized in Tales of Suspense #59 (1964) by Captain America, and first appeared with the group in Avengers #16. (It was a rather dubious introduction, though; Hawkeye tied him up to prove he was worthy Avengers material.)


From a proper British background, Edwin Jarvis has no real special powers; what we know is that he is an experienced airman and former member of Her Majesty's Royal Air Force, meaning he likely has some combat under his wings. All that aside, his true contribution to the team has been his service to the Stark family, having been Howard Stark's butler, and then Tony's. Since the 1960's, what becomes apparent is that he keeps the team morally founded while also fixing personality conflicts.

And so, ironically, what puts Jarvis in this position are words from fellow Avengers. Captain America has stated that this gentlemen will forever stand as one of the team; Hercules and others have supported it with equally dedicated notions, furthering that without him, The Avengers wouldn't last.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Spidey and Cap, BFF?

~Avenging Spider-Man #5 (2012)

In the new Avenging Spider-Man series, our favorite wall-crawler has been hanging out with The Avengers and is currently in the middle of one of their missions. But just before they left, old comic books, drawn by Cap himself, appeared from back when he was a youth. Virtually everything from the WWII vintage Captain America era is selling hot on the internet these days.

Which leads us to Spider-Man, who we already know is a nerd. After viewing the young Steve Rogers drawings, he now feels a bond, a nerd-y kinship, with the star-spangled hero. And this, my friends, is what happens when Spidey has a man-crush on you.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.

Classic Avengers vs. X-Men

~Cover Scene from Uncanny X-Men #9 (1964)

If you're a fan of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, The Avengers, or The Uncanny X-Men, you might be a fan of the Avengers vs. X-Men event. which released in April of 2012. It heralds a confrontation between two extremely powerful groups from Marvel Comics with battles of world-breaking potential.

Okay, now how about if you're old school? A serious purveyor of theories and challenges?

Well now you can tackle an issue that may have been plaguing Marvel fans for many decades. Who would win in a match-up between the founding members of The Avengers and the first graduating class of The X-Men? That's right, this is a contest between two supergroups at their infancy.

In this article, you'll see analysis and commentary, some graphics, and pollings. Your opinion is also welcome; after all, maybe you see things in a way that escapes others. (Comic Book fanatics are, after all, a unique brand of people.)

In a tribute to the Avengers vs. X-Men event, we're providing a look at this classic match-up in our "Prepare For Battle!" section. You can go directly to the Classic Avengers vs. X-Men page, or head over to The Superheroes List and find it there. Hey folks, this is all about fun and the enjoyment of seeing your favorite heroes beat each other up. And remember to Check out the List!

Harley-Davidson Avengers #1

~Excerpt from Harley-Davidson Avengers #1 (2012)

Harley-Davidson Motorcycles has joined in, promoting the Avengers movie with a 2-part digital comic book release and a sweepstakes prize. The winner will be drawn into his or her own comic book and receive a custom built motorcycle. Now that is awesome! If you're interested, you can check out more info at h-d.com/Avengers

Harley-Davidson Avengers #1 (The team is exploring Russia for high-level Starcorp tech until one of them members, Hawkeye, disappears. He has been captured by Baron Zemo, working with Whiplash, Mister Hyde, and TigerShark. Hawkeye manages to set off a homing beacon and Earth's Mightiest Heroes head there. Suddenly, they are ambushed on the ground by Taskmaster, using a high-grade ray blaster. As Zemo and Avengers prepare to square off, the villain makes a deal with the Negative Zone Army. The Avengers are about to be overwhelmed until the U.N. Council sends in a special task team known as The Road Force!

This is a running article that will update on Monday on the Superheroes List Blog, The Superheroes List website, and the Spotlight On The Avengers Movie fan page. If you're interested in this movie, keep your eyes open and Check out the List! (The next update will occur with Harley-Davidson Avengers #2 releases.)

Avenger #5: The Mighty Thor

~Excerpt from, Secret Invasion #6 (2008)

His legacy comes from folktales and Norse mythology, a deity of storms and unheralded prowess, the son of Odin All-Father. And then, one day, after centuries of technology, a mystical walking stick in the hands of Dr. Donald Blake brought back his return. Of all the Avengers, he remains one of the most powerful and unstoppable. He is Thor, God of Thunder, wielding his enchanted hammer, Mjolnir.

Thor's first appearance to Marvel Comics is Journey Into Mystery #82 (1962), at the time it was pure luck that a debilitated doctor would find a gnarled cane in the wilderness and be transformed into an immortal being of immense strength and fury. But when he struck it to the ground, he enacted the Asgardian powers within, transforming to the god who would eventually become and Avenger.

An original , Thor is one of the founding members who created the group in Avengers #1; it was his muscle which helped stopped the Hulk, but also his relationship to Loki, God of Mischief, which brought the entire villainy upon the team. After their formation, Thor has been a constant appearing force when they are in trouble; there have been occasions where he was on hiatus, but he is never gone long. And to be honest, it's hard to think of the Avengers without him.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avengers #6: Hawkeye

~Excerpt from Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (2011)

Over the course of Avenger History, the team has had a multitude of members with gracious amounts of power. From time to time, this has included members of omega-level potential (The Hulk and Sentry, for example, are considered extreme-powered threats). Surprisingly, though, one member who has showed the highest level of presence and malleability is Hawkeye AKA Clint Barton, and guess what? He's not superhuman at all.

Technically having no powers of his own, Clint is an expert marksman and highly trained with the bow, his trademark weapon in the field which he wields with deadly precision. As Hawkeye, he first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 (1964), but joined the team in Avengers #16, a newly adopted member at the same time as The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver (Together, they comprise the "Second Wave" of Avengers).

Clint Barton, though, is a cut above almost any Avenger; he seems to be a part of that metaphysical glue holding them together. He's also served in different guises for different reasons: For awhile, he became Goliath (Avengers #63, 1969) with the help of Dr. Henry Pym; later, he would adopt the mysterious mantle of Ronin (New Avengers #26 (2007), using all the weapons of previous Avengers in his adventures. At one point in his career, with the help of his (now ex) wife Mockingbird, he led the West Coast Avengers. (Edit Note: It's also worth noting that Clint likes to flirt and date the ladies of the team, too.)

If we know one thing about Clint, he'll forever be representation of those heroes arriving when the cry of "Avengers Assemble!" is uttered. His sharp wit and quick draw has led him to be an iconic foundation that the supergroup cannot do without.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Nick Consolidates His Power

 ~excerpt from Fury's Big Week #7

Fury's Big Week #7 (After a shakeup around the northern hemisphere, Black Widow walks away from the devastated scene left by Hulk and Abomination, warning Fury that SHIELD isn't on this level of play against these gods, monsters, and machines of war. Nick contacts his superiors and begins a serious rundown of his week, telling them he'll need more authority, a bigger budget, and wider mandate; he also tying his operations into the restart of The Tesseract, also known as The Cosmic Cube. By the end of the conversation, he's given full consensus.)

This is a running article which will be updated Mondays on the Superheroes List Blog, The Superheroes List website, and the Spotlight On The Avengers Movie fan page. If you're interested in this movie, keep your eyes open and Check out the List!

Avenger #7: The Scarlet Witch

 ~The Scarlet Witch, Avengers v1 #105 (1972)

Heralded by the trademark red bodysuit with the crimson headress, Wanda Maximoff is one of the few glamorous members having a past and future highly enriched in Avenger's history. Her twin brother is Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver, and her former husband was the synthezoid known as The Vision. Although her background comes from her mutant powers, born from her father Magneto, Wanda rose to prominence as the Avenger called The Scarlet Witch in Avengers #16 (1965).

Much like her blood relatives, The Scarlet Witch debuted in the X-Men comics (Issue #4, 1964), joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a quest to take over the world. But from the beginning, readers recognized that she was a kinder personality, having little towards the design of mutant superiority. To resolve that conflict, Marvel sent her and her brother off to the United States to become the newest Avengers under Captain America's leadership.

The Scarlet Witch is currently one of the most transformative figures in the Avenger's history books; her exploits and powers of magically altering probability rival those of The X-Men's Phoenix, which can be witnessed in the Avengers vs. X-Men event. Single-handedly destroying her supergroup in the Avengers Dissembled story event, Wanda also removed most of the mutants from the world. Thereafter, she was thought dead, but surfaced in the Avengers: The Children's Crusade series.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avengers #8: The Vision

One hero, a green and gold clad figure with crimson-hued skin, became a common element among The Avengers, fighting with them for numerous years. Ironically, though, he wasn't meant to join the club, instead designed to kill them! Identified as The Vision by his creator Ultron, he was sent to infiltrate Avengers Mansion, take them out, and begin the enslavement of the human race.

Not surprisingly, Vision had no humanity; it wasn't incorporated into his programming. He also wasn't an alien or monster or even a robot. (But robot is a close guess.) Technically, he is known as a synthezoid, a complex android with synthetic organs appearing human. First appearing in Avengers #57 (1968), his abilities lent him the name because he appeared like a ghost or apparition.

Vision's power spreads across a high range of utility, making him a great asset to the team. Besides intangibility, he can also assume diamond-hard density; in addition, he fires solar blasts through his eyes or a gem matrix on his forehead, which is also used like a battery to recharge him. With an origin of sordid and uncanny revelations, he can truly be considered one of the core members of The Avengers; He has been their leader at one time, his brain was overwritten with Wonder Man's personality and he married The Scarlet Witch.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Fury Spots Hulk and Thor

 Fury's Big Week #5 (In this Avenger Movie prelude, Nick Fury has his hands full with superhuman activity. Back at Culver University, Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow, manages to sight Dr. Bruce Banner just as he transforms into the green gargantuan known as The Hulk. Back in New Mexico, SHIELD agents are reporting the appearance of a huge metallic monster (one that we know of as The Destroyer). Clint Barton, otherwise known as Hawkeye, arrives on scene just as The Mighty Thunder God, Thor, lays the magical golem flat.)

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avenger #9: Quicksilver

Never taking a major role among Earth's Mightiest Heroes, one man, a mutant gifted with the ability to move at blinding speeds, has spent a majority of his career with the supergroup and been a constant presence throughout the Avenger's franchise. His name: Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver, an imposing, silver-haired mutant, and he was added to their roster in Avengers #16 (1965).

Pietro's adventure wasn't always one of a hero...and this is well-known to Avenger's fans; with his twin sister, Wanda (aka The Scarlet Witch), the misguided souls were tricked into joining The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, a team organized by Magneto back in X-Men #4 (1964). Coupled with his super-fast running, their mission was to raise mutants to superiority over the human race. This ended very quickly, though, when the two showed less than villainous motives.

Quicksilver has had on and off relationships with The Avengers, but over time he has been recognized as a presence that consistently returns to their ranks of membership. Not only is he one of their earliest members, but he is their trademark speedster. He has also embarked on numerous appearances with other heroes such as Spider-Man and The X-Men, but always winds up back at Avengers Mansion. (Partly because his sister also played a major role in the group.)

Currently, Pietro has slowed down and is now working side by side with Dr. Hank Pym, another member of the supergroup. He can be seen teaching these young students in the Marvel comic book series Avengers Academy.


The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

The Annoying Spider-Man

~Amazing Spider-Man #680 (2012)

Spidey is extremely popular; his notoriety has gained him so many fans that Marvel has decided to infiltrate him into the Avengers franchise and take the place of Johnny Storm in the new FF (read Future Foundation) after the breakup of the Fantastic Four. As you can imagine, this keeps our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler extremely busy.

And lately, it's also making him irritable. In true comedic fashion, Amazing Spider-Man #680 is full of humorous anecdotes and one-line zingers. Parker teams up with Johnny, aka The Human Torch, both going on a space mission to save J.Jonah Jameson's son. Together, the two provide for a hilarious,  yet perfectly dangerous, adventure where each one tries to one-up the other.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.