Your Definitive List of Avengers Members

The good doctor Henry Hank Pym is an OG when it comes to his Avengers affiliation. The very first incarnation of Marvel’s widely recognized superhero team-up series featured Ant-Man, plus he was the one that birthed the Avengers concept during the very first issue back in 1963. Throughout his many superhero alter-ego changes, Pym has remained an integral member of the main Avengers team and also a reliable member of the group’s spinoff organizations. Pym’s been in some harrowing situations alongside the Avengers, most notably his clash with his greatest (and most sinister) creation Ultron.

Janet Van Dyne is also one of those Marvel Comics icons that are also known as one of the Avengers’ founding members. What’s even cooler about The Wasp’s Avengers history is the fact that she came up with the team’s moniker in the first place. Janet was looked at as one of the weakest members of the crew at first, but she eventually grew into a top-tier individual who got by due to her high intelligence. The Wasp remains a recognizable component of the Avengers unit to this very day. Whether she’s Janet Van Dyne, a Hank Pym variation or Hank Pym’s super-powered daughter, The Wasp is an Avenger through and through.

It’s hard to imagine the Avengers without Tony Stark’s steel-plated heroics playing a part during their toughest struggles. The genius intellect and power suit enabled abilities that Iron Man is known for making him the perfect candidate for the original Avengers lineup. Thanks to Tony, the Avengers got their very own headquarters in the heart of New York City with the introduction of Avengers Mansion. So not only is he a card-carrying member of the Avengers’ original starting lineup, but he’s also the guy responsible for building the group’s most prolific watering hole. Tony’s beliefs during the first Civil War storyline may have put him at odds with other Avengers members at the time, but his unrelenting loyalty has continued to keep him in the fold.

Thor had no choice but to join in on the original Avengers’ fight since his brother Loki caused their main issue in the first place. Mr. Odinson has used his immense strength and trusty hammer Mjolnir to aid the Avengers during Marvel Comics’ most epic events, such as Secret Invasion, Siege, Avengers vs. X-Men, etc. The Asgardian god of thunder has always found time to deal with his personal issues against his mischievous sibling and handle his Avengers responsibilities (two issues that usually become intertwined, by the way). And judging by his role in the continuing MCU, Thor has quite an interesting future ahead of him on the superhero big screen.

Everyone’s favorite destructive green giant was on the opposite end of the Avengers during their very first meeting. But that’s only because Loki used his trickery to morph The Hulk into his pawn. He eventually came around and joined the combined forces of his fellow Marvel superheroes, but he left the group during the second issue of the series once he realized how unstable his alter ego could be. Bruce Banner eventually found a way to control his inner angst and wield his Hulk powers more intelligently. The Hulk is a founding member of the Avengers and an important teammate that played a huge part during the impactful Avengers vs. X-Men crossover event.

After the Avengers discovered Steve Rogers’ frozen body in the fourth issue of their comic series, they helped him recover and eventually put his combat expertise to good use within their ranks. Due to The Hulk’s absence, Captain America was given his founding member status and went on to become an essential member of the team. Cap’s battles alongside the Avengers put him at odds with Marvel’s most notorious baddies, such as Baron Zemo, Kang the Conqueror, and Thanos. Captain America has played the part of the respected leader of the Avengers Unity Division and also leads the team in their most current form. The Avengers just don't feel nor look complete without America’s superheroic icon close by.

Hawkeye wasn’t exactly superhero material during his initial Marvel Comics run. His evil acts put him at odds with Iron Man, but he eventually came around to the good and righteous side after saving Edwin Jarvis and his mother from a mugger. After a meeting with the Avengers that proved to them how serious he was about changing his ways, Hawkeye became the newest member of the team. Hawkeye’s Avengers inclusion came during the group’s second iteration. During his Avengers stint, Mr. Clinton Francis Barton founded the West Coast arm, took on the role of Goliath, switched his alias to Ronin alongside the New Avengers, and played a crucial role as a member of several other Avengers spinoff affiliates.

Magneto’s reality-warping daughter is a powerhouse that’s nothing to scoff at within the Marvel universe. Scarlet Witch first joined the Avengers during their second iteration with her brother Quicksilver by her side. Wanda Maximoff’s unique toolset has been a huge help to the group (and a major hindrance too, as evidenced by her involvement during the House of M storyline). Her alignment with the group has seen her become a member of the West Coast Division, rejoin the main company during the Avengers vs. X-Men event, and group up with the Avengers Unity Division. Her evil deeds committed as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants once painted her in a bad light, but her work as an Avenger presented her as a savior later down the line.

Quicksilver’s sound barrier-breaking speed is an asset that can be called upon in any situation that requires superheroic feats. With that skill set in mind, it’s easy to see why the 1960s Avengers team led by Captain America would add him to their ranks. Pietro Maximoff’s story is a mirror image of Wanda Maximoff’s – he once fought on the side of villainy alongside the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and his father Magneto, but eventually changed his ways and became a part of the second generation of Avengers. Quicksilver also joined the West Coast arm of the team, the Mighty Avengers, and the Avengers Unity Division. He put all his superhero know-how to good use as a professor at the Avengers Academy as well.

So here we have another Avengers member who wasn’t exactly the world-saving type at first. What’s even more interesting about her is the fact that she was once in cahoots with Hawkeye when he was a sworn enemy of Iron Man. After being brainwashed within the Red Room, she set out with future Avengers member Swordsman and the first Power Man to destroy the team. But she eventually found a way to break the psychological hold placed on her and become a purveyor for good once she began fighting for S.H.I.E.L.D. Once the 1970s rolled around, Natasha Alianovna Romanoff finally linked up with the Avengers and is actually one of their main members in the current Marvel Comics timeline. Her top-notch espionage skills were also relied upon during her stint within the Secret Avengers black ops team.

Wakanda’s strong-willed king is as powerful as they come. When the Avengers faced the insurmountable threat of the Grim Reaper and Klaw, Black Panther aided the team by saving them from such overwhelming evil. Once he did away with both foes, T’Challa made the wise decision to align himself with Marvel’s greatest band of superheroes. Today’s comic book and the movie-going crowd fell in love with the big-screen version of the character, which debuted in a major way in 2016’s Civil War film. His current Marvel Comics stint sees him acting as the chairperson for the main Avengers team. And let’s not forget to mention his time spent as a member of The Ultimates, which was the Ultimate Marvel rendition of the iconic team.

The android life form known as Vision is a force to be reckoned with. His superhuman stats, flight ability, use of self-regeneration, solar energy projection powers, etc. presents him as a go-to guy for any Marvel superhero unit. He joined the Avengers squadron during the late 1960s and then went on to do great things with several other versions of the iconic team. He’s spent plenty of time alongside the West Coast Avengers, Avengers A.I., the Mighty Avengers, and New Avengers. Vision’s first appearance actually occurred within an Avengers comic, so it makes sense that he’d go on to become such a key member of the organization.

This entry needs to be broken down a bit in order for non-comic heads to wrap their heads around it all. So Carol Danvers was the first character to take on the mantle of Ms. Marvel and link up with the Avengers back in the late 1970s. Years later, she went on to take the name Captain Marvel in a display of respect for the original wielder of her superpowers, Mar-Vell. Several women adopted Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel moniker over time, such as Sharon Ventura, Karla Sofen, Monica Rambeau, and most notably Kamala Khan. Ms. Danvers ran with the Avengers as Warbird back in 1998, plus she fulfilled her world-saving duties alongside the New Avengers and the Ultimates. The Captain Marvel of today is currently upending evil as a member of the modern-day version of the Avengers.

Dr. Henry “Hank” McCoy has always been a crucial member of the mutant superhero squad known as the X-Men. His genius-level intellect and animal-like mobility have been seen in many a battle against the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and a slew of other X-Men villains. Beast also plied his trade among the Avengers as a provisional member at first, but he was eventually given full membership status later on. His many stints with the main team and his run with the Secret Avengers and Avengers Unity Division speak to his reliability and trustworthiness within the Marvel Universe.

Bruce Banner isn’t the only member of the Avengers who’s known for tapping into the superpowers granted by their green-skinned alter ego. Jennifer Walters has also been the second Hulk hero to lend her power-based toolset to the Avengers, which is a trend that kicked off in the early 1980s. At one point, She-Hulk even linked up with the Fantastic Four during a pretty cool run. As for her additional Avengers affiliations, She-Hulk played the part of the leader for the A-Force (a group consisting of Marvel’s strongest heroines) and ran with the Mighty Avengers. She’s currently doing all her superhero work as a member of the current Avengers roster.

While Luke Cage is known more for his Heroes for Hire run, Luke Cage has also spent some time showcasing his strongman specialties with the Avengers. His team membership kicked off in 2005 when he got the role of leader FOR the New Avengers, which is a concept that was birthed after a mass breakout occurred at the supervillain prison known as The Raft. Cage also tended to his superhero duties as captain when he led the Mighty Avengers.

The X-Men’s most popular and well-received mutant has to be James “Logan” Howlett aka Wolverine. Good ol’ Wolvie has worked with the main Avengers team while still maintaining an important role within the X-Men at one time. Wolverine’s been given the honor of fighting alongside several Marvel super teams, such as the Savage Avengers (which happens to feature the most vicious characters within the Marvel Universe), the Avengers Unity Squad, Alpha Flight, X-Force, etc. Wolverine may present himself as a loner at times, but he’s shown that he can be a team player numerous times.

It’s pretty wild to realize that Spidey’s been offered an Avengers membership and made the surprising choice to decline it way back when. He finally made the transition from Avengers reserve member to an official ally during the early 1990s. Peter Parker’s a young guy with a ton of responsibilities, but he’s always found the time to fight for the greater good and lend his scientific knowledge and amazing combat skills to any team that requires them. Spider-Man has put in work with the main Avengers lineup, the New Avengers, and the Avengers Unity Division. What’s even cooler about Spidey’s Avengers association is that he once served as a member of that group while he also worked with the Future Foundation (while adorned in a sweet black and white getup, by the way).