52.Firebird
Great costume but such a short run that mainly had her just standing there, it would be hard if not impossible to rank her higher.
51.Two-Gun Kid
How does a western outlaw end up as a member of the Avengers? Questionable writing that is how. I refuse to rank him higher only because the run was so short and so pointless that most refuse to acknowledge it happened, but he did more than stand in panels so he goes here.
50.Human Torch(Jim Hammond)
The original Torch kinda completes the Fantastic Four in Avengers, kinda….but as an individual character he just never appealed to me. Significant? Sure. Interesting? Not really. I get the writers were nodding at those that came before them, the same as I do in much of my writing, but like I have found out, not everyone appreciates the references to the past, even I have my limits.
49.Swordsman
Great design, like top notch, just really wish they would have created a character worthy of it. As a villain/anti hero who showed up every now and again he was fine, as a member of the World’s Greatest Super-Team, he was weak sauce. Many alternate versions of this character went on to be great but this version is just kinda there.
48.Namor
Fantastic Four villain, X-Men member, founder of the Defenders, King of Atlantis. Namor has played many roles in many books but one I never really found him interesting in was as an Avenger member. It just always felt like a waste of his time. He is kinda above the things the Avengers were doing at the time.
47.Gilgamesh
Who?
46.Incredible Hulk
Old green jeans isn’t this low because I do not think he is a great character. I would likely put him in my Top 50 Marvel characters list (Link coming?) His placement here is simply because he doesn’t really work as an Avenger member. He doesn’t have the interesting relationships that Shulkie has or the great stories that others have. He is a significant character in Avenger history yes, but he isn’t an important character after that formation.
45.Mr. Fantastic
See#44
44.Invisible Woman
The Richards/Storm Family should be appearing in Fantastic Four, not Avengers. Couple this with the fact that their run as active members being so short, I can not separate them nor rank them any higher than this.
43.Demolition Man
Is there any world were he should actually be this high on my list? No not really, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love that he was an Avenger. I am cheating here as a huge reason he’s this high on list is because of the way he was written is appearances after Heroes Reborn, in particular when Cage was looking for a babysitter.
42.Starfox
Powers and the way they are used are just really creepy and pushes him this far down, not much else to say about him, that basically covers how I feel about him.
41.Living Lightning
A good character design, coupled with decent ideas mixed with writers who were less interested in him than they were the letter column end up with him down here in the bottom third. A few decades later with more interested writers he could of been a breath of fresh air instead of a blip on the radar.
40.Machine Man
Feel the rhythm with your hands
(Steal the rhythm while you can)
Machine Man
Speak the rhythm on your own
(Speak the rhythm all alone)Machine Man
Machine Man, come together with your hands
Save me, I’m together with your plan
Save me, yeah
Save, oh
Well, all my friends are Indians
(All my friends are brown and red)
Machine Man
And all my friends are skeletons
(They beat the rhythm with their bones)
Machine Man
Oh, hmm
39.Hank Pym
Outside of the Big 3 and Vision there are few characters I can associate with the Avengers as much as Hank and Wanda, The Wasp, his wife. Rather it was as Dr. Hank Pym or Ant-Man or Goliath or Giant-Man or Yellowjacket or..you get the point, but Pym was always there playing an important role in the story. With that said, why is he so low? I grew up in a house with abusive male in it, heroes don’t hit their wives.
38.Moondragon
I first discovered Moondragon through Marvel Universe Trading Cards and was like well that is an interesting costume….but after discovering her ties to Drax and later reading her run in Infinity Watch I really took a liking to her character. She just wasn’t very interesting in her time with the Avengers.
37.Quasar
I really do not know what it is but I’m not a huge fan of most cosmic powered Avengers. That said, I did really dig Quasar’s solo book and he was an effective useful member during his time with the team. Could his run have been better? Of course but you can say the same thing about every one on this list as it’s art, perfection is rarely if ever achieved.
36.Darkhawk
He was in the Avengers?
Yep.
Not a good Avenger, not a bad Avenger, just a guy who was an Avenger.
35.Thing
Ben belongs in Fantastic Four not Avengers. He was not a part of many memorable stories or moments in Avengers, so despite Aunt Petunia’s protest Thing can’t rank any higher than this.
34.Photon
Cap Marvel to me, as she was the character sporting that name when I was first reading comics. Monica is a great character, a great leader and one of the most powerful Avengers to ever exist. A crying shame that she was so horribly written and was used to explain why the previous chair people were great despite their mistakes. They did my girl wrong. Why is it Marvel sucks at writing women with name Marvel in their title?
33.Hellcat
Superb character who was desperately underused in the Avengers titles. I love the design of her costume, very Balent Catwoman like. Was a great character to play off of but was obviously in book to add a female and not because of any love of the writers for the character. I have read numerous stories that feature her that are great, just makes me wonder why they used her instead of any other random female character.
32.Wasp
Janet really should be higher on this list and I blame the writers of the 70s and 80s for her being this low on list. You could make the argument that most Marvel female characters were written awful during this era, but between Carol Danvers and Janet Van Dyne I think it’s a free roll to say that the Avengers didn’t always write women with the proper care they were owed. Now I’m not going to act like I’m a master of team book dynamics that has the skills needed to pull it off, but its just a matter of treating each character as relevant, something Wasp wasn’t often given, despite a run as Chairperson of the Avengers.
31.Hercules
I wanted Herc to be ranked higher I really did. The Marvel version of the character is the version I think most fits what he would be like in real life. He is a drunk kinda asshole demigod who doesn’t care about these human standards that have become the standard way. He wants much drink, much fighting and much comradery. Biggest issue with him in Avengers is that he was often used as not Thor and little else. Great when used right, annoying when used incorrectly.
30.Mantis
Only this high because her story was handled over multiple companies by Steve Englehart. Look up the story on Wiki if you want to, but only ranked this high because of that one fact. Cool design but pales in comparison to the version that appears in Guardians stuff.
29.Tigra
Wait that’s not Feral? Or Rahne? Oh my how many cute cat ladies does Marvel have? No Ive never heard the word ‘furry’ why do you ask? A great spoiler type character who often acted as the reason for other characters to evolve and become better, would be much higher if she didn’t make me so uncomfortable about my thoughts.
28.Falcon
I do not think Falcon should have became Cap, not because an African American shouldn’t as I once wrote a story were Luke Cage became Cap (obviously not a published story). I just think Falcon had a unique enough role without having to put him in the role of Cap. Great character who was held back by being Cap’s sidekick instead of his own character too often.
27.Dr. Druid
He looks like a mix between Dr. Strange and Dr. Mindbender and appeared in the X-Men vs Avengers mini series that made me fall in love with him. The Ellis written Druid mini series is under rated book though as well.
26.Sersi
Hey who is a character that you would be absolutely shocked to find near your top 25 Avengers members? Sersi? Me too. It is not at all that she was a bad character or that I ever disliked her, it was just that I had no idea that she would rank this high. I have the feeling if it was not for the Proctor/Gathering run she would make her appearance way lower on this list. Not a bad character at all just really shocked she is this high on list.
25.She-Hulk
Shulkie! Way better fit for Avengers than her cousin Bruce, Jen was always a blast to have around. She might have faded into the group on occasion which is why she isn’t higher on list but was never a time I was not happy to see her on the roster. I think her solo book, Sensational She-Hulk by John Bryne was her at her best but she was a great character in Avengers as well.
24.Crystal
When do you love a character that you don’t even like? I think Crystal is the ultimate play off character. I do not care at all for her as a character outside of how she interacts with the characters I really like. Be it her hubby Quicksilver, Black Knight, her sis in law Scarlet or her doggo good pet Lockjaw she was always great character to interact with. It’s just that I didn’t care for any story that featured her as the main character.
23.Spider-Man
Okay so best Spidey Avengers stories came well after the window I am checking here, yes he was little more than a guest star during this era who was eventually technically a member, but damn if he didn’t entertain the shit outta me in every single appearance. I wish he had more extended runs in the book but i always loved the ones he did appear in.
22.Black Panther
Great character with very kick ass design and look, I should like him way more than I do, but and this isn’t his fault but very often it was an African king being written by middle aged white American guy who had zero idea what an African king would sound like and it showed. I like the way he was written by Priest and a few others but that is mainly after the window I’m using here. A great character who never realized that potential (during the window I’m examining in the Avengers’ books)
21.Sandman
Yes he had an incredibly short run as a team member, yes he was a villain far far longer than he was a team member but the arc and what it did for the book and his character was simply amazing. Flint Marko is a great underrated character who too often gets just thrown into Spidey villain groups and forgotten about. What this run did and the way it was continued in Silver Sable and the Wildpack book was basically recreate the character in an interesting way.
20.Black Widow
Natasha deserves to be ranked higher. She is another glue character that really holds the book together. Her friendships with Tony, Cap, Clint or Wasp are all great elements that add real depth to the characters and increase the likeability of each. Bad Ass kinda normal with a great accent and the figure of a world class athlete, no idea why she is such a beloved character huh?
19.Quicksilver
Piotr Maximoff is an asshole. He isn’t a cool character. He isn’t an overly heroic character. What he is is an asshole who wants to be a hero. That makes him a very compelling read, in particular in team based stories. His various relationships be it with sister Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, his wife Crystal or even his interactions with Cap, he also added the needed tension to keep interest high.
18.Thunderstrike
BloodAx vs Thundrstrike is one of my favorite fights in comics history. Eric Masterson is the best fill in Thor we could have had and I love the fact that he was more focused on being an Earth hero than a god like Don Blake Thor is, but most of his time in Avengers he was the guy that wasn’t really Thor and not much else.
17.Stingray
This is me being a shallow fuck and basic bitch really, cause look at that fucking costume. The character was only ever a supporting character and not the focus which sucks cause could see numerous stories he could be great in. But again, that costume is Hall of Fame worthy.
16.Carol Danvers
I first discovered Carol not in Avengers, not in her own book, but in the pages of Claremont’s X-Men. She was Binary at the time and despite being written to be bitter and angry about her situation she still shined through as a great character. I will admit that What they did to her in Avengers #200 was one of the single dumbest stories ever and honestly drops her out of top 10 on it’s own.
15.Vision
I want to like Vision a lot more. In a lot of ways hes kinda the Martian Manhunter of the Avengers, in that he normally didn’t have his own book or adventures and centered his heroic career as a member of the top team in the universe. Also like J’onzz, Vision is best used as a foil to the younger or more outspoken team members and as a secret final boss for the bad guys to have to confront.
14.Spider-Woman(Julia Carpenter)
I’m actually surprised that she is this low down the list, I would of guessed she was in my top 10 until I actually started to list them. I am a huge fan of the character and wish she had been given a better arc to work with since then, but her run up through Force Works was outstanding. I still say a super hero parent play date group with her as lead character would sell a ton.
13.US Agent
There was a time I would of listed US Agent as my 2nd favorite comic character. That was very long ago though. While I still adore the character, the right wing nutjobs that have espoused some of the things he did in his ignorant hothead days have really moved him down my list, through no fault of his own. Love me some Agent and one of my dream jobs is writing an Ongoing for him and Cap’s various hanger ons.
12.Moon Knight
Best costume in the Marvel cannon? It’s only a question, but a very legitimate one. While I will not express that his run is definitive or act like he was the glue that held a team together. What he was is an interesting new dynamic that was not explored enough before ending with one of the cooler covers in Avengers history when he burned his Avengers card.
11.War Machine
James Rhodes, arguably the best hero to wear the Iron Man armor, but doesn’t end up higher than Tony on my list. Make no doubt James is way more heroic, way more of a hero than Tony, but that isn’t what this list is ranking, its ranking Avengers based on my personal taste. Rhodey is a great character with a great look and is naturally a well respected team member, the issue is much like Thunderstrike and US Agent, writers often wrote him as simply not Iron Man or Iron Man but different. Not his fault but not untrue either.
10.Mockingbird
My love for Mockingbird starts with one story arc near the end of West Coast Avengers. It continued through to the end of my time reading the books. She is just a very cool, interesting and strong character. I love her relationship with Hawkeye but some of her best moments are with the rest of the team members whom she often acted as a sounding board/advisor too.
9.Wonder Man
From traitor to noble sacrifice to shocking return to ionic icon and back, very few characters have had the interesting roller coaster ride that Simon has. I’m not even going to get into the entire mess involving his “brain patterns” and Vision and what that means for his relationships with Ultron, Jocasta and the rest of that branch of the story. I love his relationship with Grim Reaper, I love his relationship with Beast and Scarlet Witch. I love most of Wonder Man’s Avenger run.
8.Beast
Mrs. McCoy’s Baby Boy is one of the funnest most entertaining characters ever to hang out at the Mansion (Be that Avengers or ‘X’). Beast is one of those characters that instantly improves team chemistry on any team he is apart of. He is one of my favorite X-Men, X-Factor, Defenders, Champions, Avengers and basically any team he appears on. The contrast between genius and beastly appearance, the sense of humor and possible most importantly his friendships. His Bromance with Simon/Wonder Man is the stuff of legend for a reason.
7.Black Knight
I kinda got a thing for Arthurian legends (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6QT17DN for proof), and love when the ideas are used to spin off interesting ideas that can stand on their own without the need of knowing the legends. I really fell in love with Dane here after the character of Exodus was introduced. The way the writers weaved Exodus, Bloodwraith, the Ebony Blade and Black Knight legacy together with various myths was great work by multiple writers and editors.
6.Scarlet Witch
I do not know if in current continuity Wanda is Magneto’s daughter or not, but for me she will always be. I think it adds so much to her that she overcame well him to be such a hero, the nature vs nurture thing. But she stood on her own and was an incredibly influential character as far as many of her stories or ones directly tied to her drove the West Coast team for a time and she established her place very early as an elite Avenger.
5.Hawkeye
Outside of the Big 3 and a character I personally relate to, Clint is my fave Avenger. His take no bullshit attitude and desire to do the right thing regardless of the cost make him a compelling character and him being non powered make him incredibly easy to relate to. Any Avenger story missing Clint is missing a bit of something it needed.
4.Rage
Why is he this high? Cause he was a character who I instantly understood. I wasn’t a super powered hero or a young person of color but outside of those two things I saw a lot of myself in both his personality and his story. I think the arc he had in his short run in Avengers was one of the best arcs pulled off in a short run with any character. I love what happened with him as a character in New Warriors and other books, but even with them considered he wouldn’t move in higher than this.
3.Thor
Okay to be clear I think Don Blake is an okay character. I think the Asgard centric stuff in his solo book was often less than thrilling if not written by Walter Simonson. I say that, but in the Avengers’ books he kinda was the magic ingredient to many great stories. When Thor is hanging around Earth heroes doing good work down on Migard he’s a 1000 times more interesting.
2.Iron Man(Tony Stark)
Tony Stark will always be one of my faves. Something about the rich genius trying to do good but who has massive flaws and an ego problem that is inherently fun to read. Tony easily wins number one on this list if the guy ahead of him doesn’t exist. Some of my most beloved Avengers memories involve Tony. Avengers West Coast and Force Works really made me care about the character even as the Iron Man cartoon made him rather annoying.
1.Captain America
Come on now, did you think I was going to choose anyone else as the definitive Avenger? Cap to me is one of the all time great characters, not just in Marvel, not just in comics, in all of creation he is an all timer. For my money no one represented what the Avengers meant to me more than Cap did. No Avenger had more, OMG jaw dropping moments that made me say “I LOVE COMICS!!” the way Cap did. Cap, Steve Rogers, for me he is The Avenger.
