From the Comics: The Origin of the Avengers

The Avengers are one of the comic book world’s most popular teams. Their series has been around for decades, they have inspired the formation of numerous other teams, movies and TV shows have been based off their adventures, and their presence is undeniable in the real world.

However, many fans of the team may be unaware of exactly how the group was formed and who exactly formed it. In today’s “From the Comics” exploration, we’re going all the way back to 1963 to see how the events of Avengers #1, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, created a team that would go on to be called “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”.

Background

Before the Avengers were formed, Thor’s adventures put him in direct conflict with his evil half-brother, Loki. Though Loki presented a serious threat to the Thunder God, Thor was always able to defeat him. After one of these confrontations, Loki was exiled to the Isle of Silence, a dimension near Asgard that served as his prison.

At the same time, the Hulk (Bruce Banner) was developing a tenuous relationship with heroism. Though he was often responsible for saving lives and preventing tragedy, his outbursts would occasionally make him seem like a villain. Even still, there were people who recognized his valor and a group of young people even went on to form the Teen Brigade in order to provide the Hulk with support.

Meanwhile, other heroes were also operating on their own. Ant-Man (Hank Pym), the Wasp (Janet van Dyne), and Iron Man (Tony Stark) had all become heroes in their own right. They each had their own adventures and were regularly preforming daring acts of heroism.

Foundation

One day, while trapped in his prison, Loki came up with a plan to defeat Thor. He found a way to set various traps around the Isle of Silence, which he was sure would be enough to defeat his arch-enemy. All he had to do was find a way to bring Thor to him.

To bait his trap, Loki needed to generate a disaster to draw Thor out. He projected his soul to Earth and saw the Hulk traveling near some railroad tracks. He then used his power of illusion to make Hulk attack the railroad tracks, right when a train was about to pass by. Though Hulk was able to prevent the train from crashing, the world believed that the Hulk was a menace once more.

Refusing to believe the Hulk would intentionally put people in danger, the Teen Brigade decided to find him and set the record straight. They sent a message to the Fantastic Four asking for help, but Loki intercepted the signal. He used his power to guide the message directly to Thor but, unintentionally, also allowed it to be received by Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Iron Man. All of the heroes responded to the call for help.

Thor, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Iron Man all arrived at the Teen Brigade’s headquarters and were briefed on Hulk’s trouble. They agreed to help and agreed to avoid hurting the Hulk, if possible.

While talking, Thor was lured away from the main group by one of Loki’s illusions. After pursuing the illusion for a bit, he realized only Loki could be responsible for everything that had been taking place. He immediately stormed Loki’s prison, blew past the traps, and captured Loki himself. He then grabbed the trickster and the brothers went back to Earth.

Meanwhile, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Iron Man all began chasing down the Hulk. After finding him, they attempted to resolve the situation through a calm discussion. However, things got out of control and a massive fight broke out between the three heroes and the Hulk.

Before the fight could conclude, Thor reappeared with Loki in tow. He explained the Loki had manipulated the group and was responsible for the Hulk’s apparent transgressions. In this moment, Loki attempted to free himself but was quickly stopped by the group of superheroes.

With the situation taken care of, it looked like each hero was ready to head their separate way. Then, Ant-Man suggested the group of heroes form some kind of superhero team. The rest of the group agreed and the Wasp suggested they call themselves “The Avengers”. Thus, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk created a team that would persist through the ages.

Note: Some of the exact details surrounding these events have been slightly altered by later comics. The exact nature of those retcons will be the subject of a future “From the Comics” exploration.

Recommended Reading

If you’re interested in reading these comic adventures for yourself, we recommend picking up the following titles:

• Avengers #1- Which depicts everything about the Avenger’s origin. This issue is collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1 (Review).
• The Incredible Hulk #1-6: Which explains Hulk’s origin, his bad reputation, and his relationship with the Teen Brigade. These issues are collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 1.
• Journey into Mystery #85, #88, #91, #92, and #94: All of which detail the early antagonism between Thor and Loki. These issues are collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor Vol. 1 (Review).

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