Sooo.... When it comes to comics, I've mostly read stuff started in the last 12 years or so(excluding Witchblade and The Darkness). Its not that I have anything against older comics, I just feel overwhelmed by the amount of back story I'd be missing out on.

That said, I'd like to get into Avengers mainstream line up. I enjoy the Ultimate Avengers but sometimes its a little dark for me, and... I hate to be the guy, but I'm not liking Peter Parker being dead. Especially since in Ultimate, a lot of the story kicks off with Parker kind of fucking up the previous Status Quoe... que... however that word's supposed to go. For me the Ultimate Universe isn't the same. What can I say, I'm a nerd and we don't like change.

Anyway, this isn't a bitch fest(or rather, isn't supposed to be). I was hoping some of y'all could direct me to a good place to jump in to the earth 616(I think that's right) storyline. Last I read in that world was Civil War, but I think I'd like to go back a little farther than that.

Any help would be much appreciated folks.