Summary

• It’s been 60 years since the debut of The Avengers, and to mark the occasion Marvel is bringing fans the most comprehensive guide to the franchise ever assembled.
• Each decade is broken up into five sections, focusing on key creators, characters, stories and more. Behind-the-scenes stories come from the Avengers' greatest creators.
• Marvel's Avengers: The First 60 Years is out now from Marvel and Titan Comics.

It’s been 60 years since the debut of The Avengers, and to mark the occasion Marvel is bringing fans the most comprehensive guide to the franchise ever assembled. Going through every decade of Avengers comics, the book will give both story synopses and behind-the-scenes info on all the different comics eras of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, from their first team-up in the '60s all the way to their current series.

As of July 2, Marvel and Titan Comics have just released Marvel's Avengers: The First 60 Years, a guidebook taking readers through the entire history of the Avengers decade by decade.

This deluxe book explores the comic book history of Marvel’s premiere Super Hero team, looking in-depth at their greatest battles, deadliest enemies, and their unlikeliest allies. Lavishly illustrated with stunning art, this tribute to the much-loved comic books also includes profiles of the talented creators behind the team’s ongoing adventures.

Each decade will be split into five subsections, focusing on different Avengers rosters, creators and stories which have made the franchise what it is. As Marvel’s preview shows, the book will recap classic Avengers stories in full prose while simultaneously exploring the behind-the-scenes making of each. While there have been Avengers guidebooks before, none have had quite this level of insider detail.

Avengers: The First 60 Years Is Marvel's Exhaustive History of Earth's Mightiest Heroes

Six Decades of Iconic Heroes and Creators

The book’s deluxe hardcover format allows for comprehensive detail to be paid to referencing. Marvel’s preview shows both pages that include a timeline of key Avengers issues in the lower third and pages with detailed sidenotes along the border to give image credits for specific issues. It can be easy to take these touches for granted, but this graphic design is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to get the whole picture.

It’s also extremely gratifying that this book promises to delve into the behind-the-scenes history of the Avengers with features on, and quotes from, important creators. Some subsections of the book will even focus specifically on creators who had a major impact on the franchise, including writers Roy Thomas and Steve Englehart, as well as previous Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter. The fictional stories that readers know are only ever half the story when it comes to any creative work, and this focus on the people who made the comics is essential for a truly exhaustive study of the franchise's history.

The Real-Life Story of the Avengers Is Important to Get Right

The Behind-the-Scenes Story Is Equally Dramatic

It'll be fascinating to see how Marvel re its own real-life history after the fact, especially in relation to a property co-created by Jack Kirby, who famously disagreed with Marvel and Stan Lee's of who did what. Hopefully, this book won't avoid the messy history that created this media behemoth, and will offer fans the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories that can be just as impactful as Thanos or Ultron's latest plot. Sixty years is a long time period to cover, and there are so, so many stories both on and off the page to talk about when it comes to The Avengers.

Marvel's Avengers: The First 60 Years is out now from Marvel and Titan Comics.

Source: Marvel Comics