From 1965 to 1967, Stan Lee and his partner Don Heck guided the Avengers through their “Kooky Quartet” era, packed with wild adventures and meaningful character development. Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Captain America faced every kind of threat, often in multi-part storylines that pitted the team against classic and new enemies such as the Enchantress, Doctor Doom, and Kang.

The Avengers of 1965–1967 brought major changes both to the roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and to the creators behind them. The Wasp and Giant-Man returned to the team, with the latter sporting a new suit and codename, while Black Widow and Hercules appeared as guest stars. In the summer of 1966, Lee stepped down as writer and handed the series to newcomer Roy Thomas, whose early stories laid the groundwork for his later acclaim and helped give the title its distinctive legacy.

Avengers issues #21–40 are collected here in a single volume that precisely reproduces the size and proportions of the original comic art boards. The originals come from the collection of Bob Bretall, holder of the Guinness World Record for the largest comic collection, and were photographed with meticulous care to match their first publication. They were also digitally restored using modern retouching techniques to correct flaws caused by the imperfect printing of the era. A special paper stock was developed exclusively for this series to recreate the feel of newsprint and the color quality of the original comics. The Marvel Comics Library has earned well-deserved praise for combining an old-school reading experience with a luxurious, oversized book format, and it received the coveted Eisner Award for Best Publication Design.

The comics are accompanied by an essay by Black Panther writer Christopher Priest, whose lively style reflects a deep love for the comics medium and a strong knowledge of its history. A gallery of original artwork, photographs, rarities, and other ephemera from the period complements his essay.

DETAILS: • Author: Christopher Priest • Publisher: Taschen • Format: Hardcover • ISBN: 9783836591596 • Ships direct from distributor in 3–7 business days