• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Crushing Krisis

The Newest Oldest Blog In New Zealand

  • DC Guides
    • DC Events
    • DC New 52
    • DC Rebirth
    • Batman Guide
    • The Sandman Universe
  • Marvel Guides
    • Marvel Events
    • Spider-Man Guide (1963-2018)
    • X-Men Reading Order
  • Indie & Licensed Comics
    • Spawn
    • Star Wars Guide
      • Expanded Universe Comics (2015 – present)
      • Legends Comics (1977 – 2014)
    • Valiant Guides
  • Drag
    • Canada’s Drag Race
    • Drag Race Down Under
    • Drag Race France
    • Drag Race Philippines
    • Dragula
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race
    • RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
  • Archive
  • Contact!
You are here: Home / Collecting Avengers comic books as graphic novels: a definitive guide / Collecting Young Avengers, Avengers Academy, The Initiative, & Avengers Arena as graphic novels

Collecting Young Avengers, Avengers Academy, The Initiative, & Avengers Arena as graphic novels

The definitive, chronological, and up-to-date guide on collecting Young Avengers, Avengers Academy, and other youthful and in-training Avengers comic books via omnibuses and trade paperback graphic novels. A part of Crushing Krisis’s Collecting Avengers Graphic Novels: A Definitive Guide. Last updated November 2018 with titles scheduled for release through January 2019.

The Avengers has not historically included division for younger heroes, unlike the X-Men, whose entire premise was based upon a school. That made sense, since being an Avenger was a serious duty and frequently a job. A random team couldn’t declare themselves Avengers, though they could could be mutants by birth. And from a publishing standpoint, Avengers never had the cache to support more than a handful of titles.

yav02 - 14 and 15 combinedThat all changed in 2005 in a series created by budding superstar artist Jim Cheung and TV and film writer Allan Heinberg. In the wake of Avengers Disassembled fundamentally altering the team, a group of teen heroes arose to take on the mantles of their heroes – some of whom had fallen in battle. Inspired by Avengers members like Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, Vision, Iron Man, and Giant-Man, this new group declared themselves Young Avengers.

With the proverbial seal broken and the Avengers brand hotter than ever thanks to the stewardship of Brian Bendis, Marvel seized the opportunity for a decade-long run of titles focused on a next generation of Avengers. While the Young Avengers continued in a string of mini-series, an official training-squad was coined in Avengers: The Initiative, followed by an actual Avengers school in Avengers Academy.

The line-wide Marvel Now relaunch in 2012 brought with it not one but three Avengers titles focused on training squads – a redux of Young Avengers from the hip team of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, the Hunger Games inspired Avengers Arena (which became Avengers Undercover), and finally a team of android and robot characters in Avengers A.I.

  • Young Avengers (2005)
  • Young Avengers mini-series (2006 – 2011)
  • Avengers: The Initiative (2007)
  • Avengers Academy (2010)
  • Young Avengers, Vol. 2 (2013)
  • Avengers Arena & Undercover (2013 – 2014)
  • Avengers A.I. (2013)
  • Avengers Undercover (2014)
  • Young Avengers in All-New, All-Different Marvel (2015)

Join the Crushing On Crushing Krisis mailing list for a notice whenever this page is updated with new collections – plus, a not-more-than-weekly ping about new comics content.

Young Avengers (2005 – 2006)

YAvgV01 - 0010While this series relies on the fact that Avengers Disassembled just occurred, there is no prior reading or knowledge required – it’s a fresh start and entirely self-contained! Note that Kate Bishop as Hawkeye has her appearances tracked individually in the Hawkeye guide.

#1-12: Young Avengers Ultimate Collection (ISBN 0785149074)
This story begins just after Avengers Disassembled and continues across the first 12 issues of New Avengers. Includes Special #1. Also available in oversized hardcover (ISBN 0785130330). Reprinted in 2017 as Complete Collection.

#1-6: Young Avengers, Vol. 1: Sidekicks (ISBN 0785120181)
Also available in hardcover (ISBN 078511470X)

#7-12: Young Avengers, Vol. 2: Family Matters (ISBN 0785117547)
Includes Special #1. Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785120211)

Young Avengers mini-series (2006 – 2011)

The Young Avengers title continued to be evoked for special events through Avengers: The Initiative until the launch of Avengers Academy (which does not feature any of the same characters).

Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (ISBN 0785123172)
Collects Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1-4.

Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers (ISBN 078513266X)
Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1-3

Young Avengers Presents (ISBN 0785129758) out of print
Collects a series of six one-shots focusing on each member of the team.

Dark Reign: Young Avengers (ISBN 0785139095)
Collects a 2009 five-issue limited series following the events of Secret Invasion.

Siege: Battlefield (ISBN 0785147667)
The Young Avengers one-shot is collected in Siege: Battlefield. Available in hardcover.

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade (ISBN 0785135499)
Collects Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #1-9, which re-introduces Scarlet Witch after a half-decade away from the spotlight. Also includes the B-story from Uncanny X-Men #526 and Avengers: The Children’s Crusade -Young Avengers. (In X-Men books, this occurs prior to Schism). Also available in oversized hardcover. Reprinted with seemingly no changes in a 2017 paperback.

Avengers: The Initiative (2007 – 2010)

This series picks up from the events of Civil War, alongside The Mighty Avengers. However, this book maintains the “Avengers in-training” vibe, and (somewhat) precedes the Avengers Academy ongoing.

This series was collected into a pair of Complete Collections in 2017.

AvgTI - 0001#1-19 & Annual 1: Avengers: The Initiative – The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 (ISBN 978-1-302-90411-1)

#20-35: Avengers: The Initiative – The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Collects Avengers: The Initiative #20-35, Avengers: The Initiative Special #1, Avengers: The Initiative Featuring Reptil #1

As originally collected…

#1-6: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 1 – Basic Training (ISBN 0785125167)
Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785121609)

#4-5: World War Hulk: X-Men (ISBN 0785128883)
This is sometimes titled as “World War Hulk: Marvel Universe.” Includes Avengers: The Initiative #4-5, Ghost Rider #12-13, The Invincible Iron Man #19-20, The Irredeemable Ant-Man #10, and World War Hulk: X-Men #1-3.

#7-13: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 2 – Killed in Action (ISBN 0785128611)
Includes Annual 1. Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785128689).

#14-19: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 3 – Secret Invasion (ISBN 0785131671)
Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785131507). #16-19 later recollected in Skrulls Must Die!: The Complete Skrull Kill Krew

#20-25: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 4 – Disassembled (ISBN 078513168X)
Includes the one-shot “Featuring Reptil,” which occurs before issue 20. Also available in hardcover (0785131515).

#26-30: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 5 – Dreams & Nightmares (ISBN 0785139052)
Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785139044).

#31-35: Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 6 – Siege (ISBN 0785148183)
Includes Avengers: The Initiative Special, which takes place chronologically before issue #20. Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785148175).

Avengers Academy (2010 – 2012)

AvgAcademy - 0014-1Though this book continues the theme of the Avengers training younger heroes, all of them were invented newly for this title – there is no complex back story to catch up on! Your humble editor feels this was the best and most-consistent Avengers title out in 2011.

as reprinted in complete collections…

Avengers Academy: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Collects Avengers Academy #1-12, Avengers Academy Giant-Size #1, Thunderbolts (1997) #147, material from Enter The Heroic Age #1

Avengers Academy: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Collects Avengers Academy #13-20, #14.1; material from Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #661-662, Fear Itself: The Home Front #1-7, and Avengers: Solo #1-5

as originally collected…

#1-6: Avengers Academy, Vol. 1: Permanent Record (ISBN 0785144951)
Includes portions of Enter the Heroic Age. Also available in hardcover (ISBN 0785144943).

#7-13: Avengers Academy, Vol. 2: Will We Use This in the Real World? (ISBN 0785144978)
Available in hardcover (ISBN 078514496X). Issue #7 also in Ant-Man/Giant Man: Growing Pains.

Avengers Academy: Arcade – Death Game (ISBN 0785156305)
Collects Avengers Academy Giant Size, as well as two classic Arcade stories from Marvel Team-Up (1972) #89 and Spider-Man (1990) #25.

#14.1 & 14-20: Fear Itself: Avengers Academy (ISBN 0785152016)
Available in hardcover (ISBN 0785152008) [Ed. Note: This is really quite good, and not your typical event tie-in fare.]

#21-28: Avengers Academy: Second Semester (ISBN 0785152032)
Available in hardcover (ISBN 0785152024)

#29-33: Avengers Academy: Avengers vs. X-Men (ISBN 0785165819)
These issues are also collected in oversize format in the AvX Companion Omnibus.

#34-39: Avengers Academy: Final Exams (ISBN 0785160329)
Available in hardcover.

Marvel Now: Young Avengers (2013)

YAvgV02 - 0013 promoFan-beloved creators Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie present their take on the Young Avengers with a team of familiar faces Wiccan, Hulking, and Kate Bishop as Hawkeye – plus new additions Marvel Boy, Miss America Chavez, and Loki, and guest stars Speed and Prodigy.

#1-15: Young Avengers Omnibus by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie Oversize Hardcover
Also includes the introductory Loki & Ms. America Chavez story from Marvel Now! Point One

#1-5: Vol. 1: Style > Substance (ISBN 0785167080)
Also includes an introductory story from Marvel Now! Point One.

#6-15: Vol. 2: Alternative Cultures

#11-15: Vol. 3: Mic Drop at the End of the Universe

Loki continues to Loki: Agent of Asgard.

Marvel Now: Avengers Arena (2013) & Undercover (2014)

This book pits the Avengers Academy cast and a number of other young heroes against each other in a Hunger Games knockoff designed by joke character Arcade. The creators have promised the senseless deaths of number of the characters in the cast … but the premise may be more than what it seems.

AvgArena - 0001The cast includes Hazmat, Mettle, Reptil, Juston Seyfert, and X-23 from Avengers Academy; Nico and Chase Stein from Runaways; Cammi from the Annihilation events; the newly created Kid Briton, Nara, Bloodstone, Anachronism, and Apex from Braddock Academy; the newly created Death Locket (a teen Deathlok); and Darkhawk.

as recollected in 2018…

Avengers Arena: The Complete Collection

Avengers Undercover: The Complete Collection

as originally collected…

#1-6: Avengers Arena, Vol. 1: Kill or Die (ISBN 0785166572)

#7-12: Avengers Arena, Vol. 2: Game On (ISBN 0785166580)

#13-18: Avengers Arena, Vol. 3: Boss Level (ISBN 0785189289)

Most of the surviving cast members continue to Avengers Undercover, but X-23 continues to All-New X-Men.

#1-5: Vol. 1: Decent

#6-10: Vol. 2: Going Native

Avengers A.I. (2013 – 2014)

Spinning out of Age of Ultron, this title focuses on Hank Pym and a team of robotic Avengers.

#1-6: Vol. 1: Human After All

#7-12: Vol. 2: 12,000 AD

Young Avengers in All-New, All-Different Marvel (2015 – present)

Kate Bishop continues her co-starring run in Hawkeye. Wiccan and Hulkling appear in New Avengers. Miss America Chavez stars in Ultimates and later merits her own 2017 series, simply titled America – collected in America, Vol. 1 and America, Vol. 2.

Back to Crushing Comics

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caleb says

    May 3, 2017 at 5:12 am

    Original Sins (with an “s”) #1-5 feature the Young Avengers in backup stories throughout all five issues

    Reply
    • krisis says

      May 3, 2017 at 10:11 am

      This guide could definitely use an update with the remainder of the Marvel Now and then the ANAD action from the kids!

      Reply
  2. Jamie B says

    May 30, 2019 at 2:10 pm

    The Civil War and Secret Invasion crossovers are also collected together in Runaways Complete Collection Vol 2

    Reply
  3. JB says

    August 21, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    Missing Avengers Academy: The Complete Collection Vol 3 which collects; Avengers Academy (2010) 21-39

    Reply
    • JB says

      August 21, 2021 at 12:08 pm

      Also, Avengers Academy Giant Size comes between issues #12 and #13

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar


Support Crushing Krisis on Patreon
Support CK
on Patreon


Follow me on Twitter Contact me Watch me on Youtube Subscribe to the CK RSS Feed

About CK

About Crushing Krisis
About My Music
About Your Author
Blog Archive
Comics Blogs Only
Contact Krisis
Terms & Conditions

Crushing Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Events Guide

Spider-Man Guide

DC Comics

  • Breaking News: D&D continues support of Open Gaming License (OGL 1.0), releases their core rules SRD under Creative Commons
    Breaking news! Dungeons & Dragons made the shocking announcement that they're keeping OGL v1.0 and releasing SRD 5.1 under Creative Commons! […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Civil War Box KickstarterMarvel United: Multiverse has a Civil War in their new expansion box (and uses it to solve their Young Avengers problem)
    All out war breaks loose in CMON's Marvel United Multiverse Civil War expansion set, adding several classic Avengers and a new PVP play mode. […]
  • The Reading Order Guide to Excalibur - image from Excalibur (1988) #1Updated: Guide to Excalibur
    My updated Reading Order Guide to Excalibur adds several new collections, including big Epic Collection news! […]
  • X-Factor Math & Maps: Collected Issue Counting and Future Omnibus Mapping
    it's time for mathing and mapping X-Factor! How much of X-Factor been collected from its start in February 1986 to the team's most-recent appearance Dec 2021? And, how could it all fit into Omnibus? […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Age of Apocalypse - Kickstarter Exclusive BoxMarvel United: Multiverse enters the Age of Apocalypse! (plus, predicting the 10 most-likely expansion boxes)
    CMON's Marvel United: Multiverse - Age of Apocalypse brings more mutants to the game! What are the 10 next expansions we might see soon? […]
  • The Guide to Unstoppable WaspNew for Patrons: Guide to Unstoppable Wasp, Nadia van Dyne
    Who is The Unstoppable Wasp, and how did an elegant retcon from writer Mark Waid make her a different character than the MCU's Hope van Dyne? […]
  • Champions (2016) #1 variantGuide to The Champions – now available to the public!
    My Guide to The Champions is now available to everyone! Learn why Marvel abandoned this team concept after its 1977 cancellation until 2016. […]
  • Dolly told me I’m doing okay
    Do you know what happens when you run a lot, even when you hate every single second of doing it? Eventually, it gets easier. But, Dolly Parton doesn't always offer you encouragement when you shatter your personal record. […]
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, Episode 4 – Snatch Game, Review & Power Ranking
    The double-size Season 15 Snatch Game gave us 14 celebrity impressions and a surprising amount of successes, though queens struggled with their "Beautiful Nightmare" runway prompt. […]
  • Marvel United: Multiverse makes more mutants, plus Inhumans enter the fray with War of Kings!
    The Marvel United: Multiverse campaign debuts a War of Kings box, and I tally a few hundred missing mutants they could add to the campaign. […]
  • Washington Post - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern resigns ahead of electionA Surprise Farewell to Prime Minister Ardern
    It felt like Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was personally keeping my family safe with her decisive actions on gun violence and COVID policy. Now that era is coming to a close. […]
  • Marvel United Multiverse Kickstarter Campaign ImageCMON’s Marvel United returns to Kickstarter with Marvel United: Multiverse!
    Board game publisher CMON is back on Kickstarter with a third wave of their delightful Marvel United game - and this time, it's multiversal! Their new campaign is for Marvel United: Multiverse! […]
  • mall-based time travel
    There are many things about New Zealand that delightfully feel retro to me, and that feeling is magnified whenever I visit a shopping mall. […]
  • Caught in the Act by Courtney ActCrushing On: Caught In The Act by Courtney Act (2022)
    Courtney Act's memoir Caught in the Act isn't just for Drag Race super fans. It's for anyone who has struggled to accept their own identity or success. […]

Layout copyright © 2017 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

Links from Crushing Krisis to retailer websites may be in the form of affiliate links. If you purchase through an affiliate link I will receive a minor credit as your referrer. My credit does not affect your purchase price. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to: Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (in the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), eBay Partner Network, and iTunes Affiliate Program.