Young Avengers is one of those overly simplistic ideas you’d have expected from Marvel in the Bronze Age, as an attempt to replicate DC’s Teen Titans. Instead, it’s a 2000’s era concept that remains shockingly effective, and has resulted in some of the best new characters in the entire Marvel Universe.
Below you’ll find a complete guide to the official Young Avengers comics through Marvel’s history, as well as background reading for team members, and spinoff series for individual heroes. I’ve marked my personal favorites with the Comic Book Herald logo next to the series title.
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Young Avengers Origins!
Young Avengers by Allen Heinberg and Jim Cheung: The Complete Collection
Collects: Young Avengers 1-12, Special
The concept for Young Avengers launched in the wake of the 2004 event Avengers Disassembled, and I would argue that familiarity with that event will provide valuable context for these original issues by Allen Heinberg and Jim Cheung. Young Avengers does an excellent job introducing an all-new teen Avengers lineup, and deftly subverting expectations. The original team lineup consists of Patriot, Iron Lad, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Hulkling, Wiccan, and Stature.
Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways
Collects: Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways 1-4
Following their strong debut in the pages of a short-lived ongoing, the Young Avengers bounced around a bit through the Marvel events landscape of the late 2000’s. If for no other reason than approximately similar ages, this means we get some generally fun crossovers with the Runaways.
For full event context, check out Comic Book Herald’s guide to Civil War.
Collects: Young Avengers Presents #1-6
Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers
Collects: Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1-3
For full event context, check out Comic Book Herald’s guide to Secret Invasion.
Young Avengers by Allan Heinberg & Jim Cheung: The Children’s Crusade
Collects: Avengers: The Children’s Crusade 1-9, Avengers: The Children’s Crusade – Young Avengers 1, Uncanny X-Men 526
Children’s Crusade is about as big as Young Avengers stories can get, with a shockingly central role in broader Marvel Universe loose ends. The comics include Doctor Doom, a major character death, and an attempted resolution for Scarlet Witch’s role in Avengers Disassembled and House of M. The oversized ambition results in a less cohesive narrative than the original twelve issues, and more or less puts the team on ice until 2013!
Young Avengers Reborn!
Young Avengers Vol. 1: Style > Substance
Collects: Young Avengers #1-5, Marvel Now! Point One
The Marvel NOW! era reinvigorated the Young Avengers, with creative tandem Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie relaunching the series with a lineup of Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), America Chavez, Wiccan, Hulkling, Marvel Boy, and Kid Loki!
Collects: Marvel Boy #1 To #6
If you want to know more about Marvel Boy, there’s always his origin by Grant Morrison and JG Jones. Marvel Boy was released in the early 2000’s as part of the Marvel Knights line.
Collects: Journey Into Mystery 622-636, 626.1
Similarly, if you’re looking for background on Kid Loki, Journey Into Mystery (also written by Kieron Gillen) is the place to find it.
Young Avengers Vol. 2: Alternative Culture
Collects: Young Avengers (2013) #6-10
Young Avengers Vol. 3: Mic-Drop At The Edge Of Time And Space
Collects: Young Avengers (2013) #11-15
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop Vol. 1: Anchor Points
Collects: Hawkeye (2016) #1-6
Following the combination of her starring role in the Fraction / Aja / Wu era of Hawkeye *and* her place on the Gillen / Mckelvie Young Avengers, Kate Bishop was ready for a starring role. Fortunately, Kate’s story found the perfect creative pairing of Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero, resulting in one of my favorite Marvel Comics since 2016. Likewise, Hawkeye (2016) doubles as my favorite solo Young Avengers spinoff.
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop Vol. 2: Masks
Collects: Hawkeye (2017) #7-12
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop Vol. 3: Family Reunion
Collects: Hawkeye (2016) #13-16 And Generations: Hawkeye & Hawkeye #1
America Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez
Collects: America 1-6
America Chavez also earned her own starring ongoing after Young Avengers, but unforunately the title never really coalesced. That said, America did find a fascinating place among the 2016 Ultimates, another of my favorite Marvel Comics since Secret Wars ended!
America Vol. 2: Fast and Fuertona
Collects: America 7-12
New Avengers: A.I.M. Vol. 1: Everything is New
Collects: New Avengers 1-6, Avengers 0
Hulking nad Wiccan find a home in the pages of New Avengers following Secret Wars.
New Avengers: A.I.M. Vol. 2: Standoff
Collects: New Avengers 7-11
New Avengers: A.I.M. Vol. 3: Civil War II
Collects: New Avengers 12-18
Collects: West Coast Avengers #1 To #4
Both Kate Bishop and America Chavez reunite for a more-west-coast-than-young Avengers lineup that also includes Old Hawkeye and Gwenpool.
Why did you skip “Dark Reign”?
Thank you so much for this. I love these kiddos so much!