The History and Story Behind The Avengers Logo
Superhero teams have existed since the earliest period of superhero comics. After all, the first superhero team was the Justice Society of America, which debuted in the third issue of All Star Comics in the winter of 1940 and 1941. As for why this happened, it seems safe to say that superhero fans in those times enjoyed stories featuring their favorite characters interacting with one another in the same way that superhero fans in these times enjoy the same, thus making it a smart commercial move.
Anyways, superhero teams weren’t a novel concept by the time that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby came up with the Avengers in the early 1960s. However, the two didn’t just decide to come up with a new superhero team out of nowhere. Instead, what happened was that DC Comics launched a comic book series centered on a new superhero team called the Justice League of America, which was a kind of reimagining of the Justice Society of America that had been discontinued when superhero comics became less and less popular in the 1940s. Said comic book series proved to be very popular, which prompted Timely Comics owner Martin Goodman to ask Lee to come up with something similar. Due to this, Lee and Kirby put together a number of their pre-existing superheroes, with the result that the initial Avengers line-up in 1963 consisted of Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the Wasp, and Ant-Man. Meanwhile, the original Captain America wasn’t added until the fourth issue of the comic book series, meaning that he isn’t included in the initial line-up in spite of his iconic status.
Since that time, the Avengers have proven to be very popular. For proof, look no further than the fact that there has been a main comic book series published on a more-or-less continuous basis since 1963, which speaks of long-lasting popularity. On top of that, there have been numerous spinoffs, which include other comic book series as well as other works in other media. In particular, it is worth mentioning the 20+ movies that make up the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, those movies might not be centered on the Avengers and no one but the Avengers. However, there can be no doubt about the fact that said group has served as its center, as shown by the name borne by the big crossover movies.
How Has the Avengers Logo Changed Over Time?
The Avengers logo that sees the most use in the present time wasn’t invented for some time. However, it had more than one predecessor. For instance, one can make the argument that the title of the first issue of The Avengers should be counted as the first version of the Avengers logo. In which case, it isn’t very impressive, seeing as how it consisted of “The Avengers” in white letters laid over their own shadows. Still, it has a touch of an unconventional feel to it that is fitting considering the basic nature of superhero media. In considerable part, this can be credited to the font used for the letters. Later, there was another version of the Avengers logo that consisted of “The Mighty Avengers” in letters. While there were some shared elements with its predecessor, this one managed to stand out to some extent because the letters curved in from both sides. Something that made for an increased sense of emphasis as well as an increased sense of dynamism.
Having said that, while both of these Avengers logos were serviceable enough, neither one was particularly impressive. As a result, while there have been variations on these two put out for various products, interested individuals in the present time should be most familiar with the variations based on a third version of the Avengers logo. In short, this one came about because Gaspar Saladino asked the writer Sol Brodsky whether he wanted a new Avengers logo in the early 1970s. Since Brodsky was unenthusiastic about the first logo and outright unfond when it came to the second logo, he agreed right away, thus resulting in Saladino coming up with something new. Soon enough, Brodsky had managed to get it approved by Lee, with the result that variations on it have become the most recognizable form of the Avengers logo in the present time.
As for why that happened, well, that isn’t very difficult to guess. In Brodsky’s words, the third version of the Avengers logo is the one version with real character to it. For instance, it retains a fair amount of dynamism thanks to the rightward slant of its letters. However, it balances that with a sense of solid strength thanks to the look of the font, the thickness of the letters, and the black used to outline the whole thing. On top of that, the third version even has a touch of visual interest in the form of the arrow-shaped crossbar on the letter A that serves to further strengthen the impression created by the rest of the elements. In comparison, the other versions are banal at best, so much so that they look like stereotypes of what the titles of a superhero-themed comic book series should look like. It is possible that they are victims of their own success to an extent because they have set a lot of the expectations for what a superhero-themed comic book series should look like. However, their lack of particularly memorable elements mean that they have no way of avoiding this problem.
In any case, the version of the Avengers logo used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a clear derivative of the third version of the Avengers logo. To be exact, its central element is the “A” from the “Avengers.” However, that “A” has been encapsulated in a circle, thus turning it into a badge of the kind that is often seen on superhero costumes. The result is simple and straightforward. However, it nonetheless serves its intended purpose well enough, which is fine because sometimes logos don’t need to be anything more than that. In fact, one could make the argument that simple and straightforward is particularly well-suited to these movies, seeing as how they are meant to be simple and straightforward blockbusters aimed at the general audience.
