The Avengers are one of the most famous super-teams in the world of comics. Their rosters have included some of the most powerful heroes of the Marvel Universe. As such, there is never a shortage of Avengers’ comics and with all the different teams running around, it can be overwhelming to those unfamiliar. Some fans disagree as they think there are actually too many being published.

The year 2012 will see the Marvel heroes take their adventures to the big screen. In what is becoming typical Marvel fashion, they have released another ongoing series based on a movie property and it’s called Avengers Assemble. The same action was taken with both Captain America and Thor films. The roster in this book will match that of the film. The events of this series will still remain in continuity, which may confuse some readers because the roster is made up of members who currently operate on different teams. But the purpose is to engage readers who are jumping on because of the movie.

Of the Avengers titles being produced, I’m only reading Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Avengers. The Avengers are the main team and they’ve recently wrapped up a storyline which saw Norman Osborn return from prison with another group of fake Avengers.

The New Avengers has showcased Luke Cage’s rising celebrity and leadership skills. The team has recently added to its’ membership a street level hero in Daredevil who has previously always denied invitations to join the collective.

The Secret Avengers are exactly as the name implies; a secret operations unit. Formerly led by top cop Commander Steve Rogers, they are currently run by another longtime Avenger mainstay, Hawkeye. In Secret Avengers #23, the current Ant-Man, Eric O’Grady, was attempting to save the life of a young boy whose mother had recently displayed superpowers. This Ant-Man has a questionable past and has been searching for redemption and appears to have found it at the cost of his life.

Avengers Academy features younger members of the superhero community who are in training to become full-fledged card carrying members of the Avengers. This is not just a title starring lesser known characters. It has become quite popular among readers.

The Avengers have some other big things happening in comics as they prepare for a showdown against another super-team, the X-Men. Beginning in Avengers: X-Sanction, Cable has returned from the dead or comic book limbo to prevent something from occurring in the future. This leads him to battle the Avengers. Stemming from that is the conflict of the year, Avengers vs. X-Men.

If you’ve been reading any of the Avengers books, what do you think? If you’ve been curious about the numerous titles, I hope this has shed some light on them for you. There is likely something out there to fit your tastes and character interests. Happy searching and enjoy the reading.