In 1963, the foundations of the Marvel Universe had already been laid. This followed the introduction of the Fantastic Four in 1961 and then the amazing Spider-Man, the astounding Ant-Man, the strange Doctor, the incredible Hulk, the invincible Iron Man, and the mighty Thor. Marvel's editor-in-chief Stan Lee realized that something was missing. Thus, Lee and artist Jack Kirby brought together Iron Man, Ant-Man, and Wasp, Thor, and Hulk to create the Avengers. This team was different. If the Fantastic Four were a family, the Avengers were colleagues you didn't choose. The Hulk clashed with everyone, but together they could defeat Marvel's most wicked enemies, such as Loki, Kang the Conqueror, the Masters of Evil, and Immortus. The lineup constantly changed: The Hulk left, Captain America joined, and Ant-Man grew and became Giant-Man. Then, to everyone's surprise, the villains Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch became heroes - and Avengers - while the founding members departed, leaving Captain America to lead the new heroes. Relive the classic early adventures of the Avengers Nos. 1–20 in an XXL edition that's bigger than the Hulk's fist, heavier than Thor's hammer, and with more extras than Iron Man's armor.

TASCHEN has aimed to create an ideal representation of these books as they were produced at the time of publication. The most flawless comics have been opened and photographed in collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company. Each page has been digitally restored using modern editing techniques to correct the problems of the era of economic and imperfect printing. Accompanying the stories is an original introduction from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and an in-depth story from Eisner Award-winning writer Kurt Busiek, illustrated with original art, rare photos, and rare documents. This powerful collection for the Mightiest Heroes of Earth deserves Tony Stark's library - or yours.

Pages: 630, Year of Publication: 0915, Dimensions: 28x28cm