Avengers: The Initiative

In the wake of the Superhuman Registration Act, this 2007–2009 Marvel series, helmed primarily by writers Christos N. Gage and Dan Slott with art from Jim Cheung and Steve Kurth, reimagined the Avengers as a government-sanctioned training program for new heroes. Over its 3-issue run, the story examined the moral and practical costs of turning young recruits into state-approved operatives, with Captain America’s shadow looming over the initiative’s controversial mission. A sharp, character-driven exploration of what it means to be a hero under official oversight.