10 Marvel Heroes You Forgot Were Avengers

[[{“value”:”

The heroes of the Marvel Universe often come together to fight threats bigger than they could manage on their own — forming teams like the Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and, of course, the Avengers. The team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has had dozens of different rosters, different leaders, and different off-shoot teams. This means tons of characters from across the Marvel Universe have come and gone as members of the planet’s premiere super-team.

Across the years since the team’s introduction, different variations of the team have been a constant mainstay in Marvel Comics. From the New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, West Coast Avengers, or even the Great Lakes Avengers, there have been an endless supply of characters that have at some point or another been considered a member of the Avengers, even if fans have since forgotten.

10

Deadpool Was An Unlikely Addition to the Avengers

The Merc With the Mouth Joined the Team In Avengers Vol. 6 #0

The Uncanny Avengers, an off-shoot team from the original group, served as a coming together of mutant and non-mutant heroes on one team. Specifically designed originally in the wake of the shocking Avengers VS. X-Men event, the team has had a number of iterations over the years. Sometimes known as the Avengers Unity Squad, the Uncanny Avengers surprised readers and in-universe characters alike when Wade Wilson joined the team.

The fourth-wall-breaking mercenary was an odd addition to the new team of Uncanny Avengers, but his respect for Captain America made Deadpool a compelling and engaging aspect of the team’s dynamic. When the Uncanny Avengers book was reintroduced in 2023 during the Fall of X era, Deadpool once again stood side-by-side with Captain America and company as a member of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. He might not be the most conventional team member, but Wade Wilson more than lived up to his role as a hero and an Avenger.

9

Agent Venom Joined the Black Ops Avengers Off-Shoot

Flash Thompson’s Time As An Avenger Started In Secret Avengers #23

One-time schoolyard bully to Peter Parker, Flash Thompson went on to join the United States military and deploy into dangerous battlegrounds. After a war injury left him without his lower legs, Flash received the alien symbiote and became Agent Venom, a new and improved version of one of Spider-Man’s oldest foes.

Though many people were uneasy with a brand-new Venom walking around, Captain America recruited Flash to join his Secret Avengers, a group composed of operatives assigned to carry out black ops missions that the main Avengers team wasn’t equipped for. Agent Venom proved himself to be a worthy addition to the Avengers, and his time alongside teammates like Valkyrie, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye made him an integral part of a complex puzzle of heroes.

Dane Whitman Became a Card-Carrying Avenger in Avengers #71

The descendant of the medieval knight known as Sir Percy the Black Knight, Dane Whitman was also the nephew of a supervillain known as the Black Knight, who had faced off against the Avengers previously. Finally taking the mantle on as his own, Dane became a hero and joined the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as one of Marvel’s greatest swordsmen.

Though Black Knight was a major member of the team for quite some time, it has been decades since the character has had as much focus as he did in the early days of his existence. While he has remained a consistent character throughout Marvel history, the Black Knight’s time as an Avenger is something that many newer fans might not know about.

7

Ghost Rider Is a Recent Addition to the Avengers Team

Robbie Reyes, The Fifth Ghost Rider, Joined the Team in Avengers Vol. 8 #6

The antihero imbued with the spirit of vengeance known as Ghost Rider has been a staple of Marvel Comics for decades. With numerous characters taking on the mantle over the years, it’s a bit surprising it took so long for a Ghost Rider to finally become a member of the Avengers.

Robbie Reyes is a fairly new addition to the Marvel Universe, but his time as Ghost Rider has made him a fan favorite among comic readers and viewers of his live-action appearances on the popular television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Driving a car instead of the typical Ghost Rider vehicle of the motorcycle, Robbie joined the mainline Avengers alongside Captain America, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, She Hulk, and more.

The Hot-Headed Fantastic Four Member Joined The Avengers In Uncanny Avengers Vol. 3 #1

Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, has been a classic Marvel Comics character for decades. His time as the youngest member of the iconic Fantastic Four is obviously what he is most known for with fans and readers, but Johnny has also joined a number of other teams and groups. From his time alongside Spider-Man to his work with the Inhumans to his eventual Avengers role, the Human Torch is a hero who has left his mark all over the Marvel Universe.

In the wake of Secret Wars, The Fantastic Four disbanded, and the Human Torch found himself looking for purpose and a new path in life. The new team of Uncanny Avengers proved to be the perfect opportunity, and he joined the team alongside other newcomers like Deadpool. Though his time with The Fantastic Four will never be topped, Johnny’s Avengers tenure was certainly a memorable one, and something that fans have looked back on fondly.

5

Moon Knight Has Been On a Few Avengers Teams

The Disturbed Vigilante First Became an Avenger In West Coast Avengers Vol. 2 #33

Marc Spector, aka Steven Grant, aka Jake Lockley, aka Moon Knight, is one of the most compelling characters in Marvel’s roster of heroes. He is typically a solo hero, fighting crime on more of a street level, but he has also been known to occasionally join up with other heroes to face threats that he couldn’t possibly face alone.

Having been a member of the mainline Avengers, the West Coast Avengers, and even the Secret Avengers, Moon Knight is no stranger to the world of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but many fans are unaware that the character has had such a long history with the team. Though it is true that he is mostly known to work alone, Moon Knight’s tenure as an Avenger is a highlight among his darker, more brutal history.

4

Havok Led the First Uncanny Avengers

The Mutant Brother of Cyclops Joined The Avengers In Uncanny Avengers #1

Alex Summers, the brother of Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, leader of the X-Men, is one of the more complicated characters in the Marvel Universe. Though he shares a love and bond with his brother, Alex is often on opposing sides from Cyclops. In the wake of Avengers VS. X-Men, Cyclops was considered a threat to the world, and Alex Summers stepped in to become the new face of mutantkind.

Using his position on the Uncanny Avengers to try and benefit his species of mutants, Havok was often at odds with the human members of the team about how they should be portrayed and looked at by the media and the world. Alongside Wolverine, Rogue, Thor, Scarlet Witch and Captain America, Havok faced off against many terrifying threats as an Avenger, and his mutant powers were a great benefit to the team.

3

Ares Was a Major Player In The Mighty Avengers

The God of War Joined The Avengers In Mighty Avengers #1

In the wake of the Civil War event, the Marvel Universe was fractured. Even the Avengers were split down the middle, with Captain America’s side of the conflict forming the New Avengers and Iron Man’s side creating the Mighty Avengers, a government-sanctioned team of superheroes.

First appearing as an enemy of Thor, Ares has grown into the role of more of a complex anti-hero than a straightforward villain. Though his time with the Mighty Avengers was on the side of heroics, Ares also remained a member of the team when Norman Osborn took over and renamed the team the Dark Avengers — a team of villains disguised as heroes to trick the public. Ares’ Marvel history is complicated, but his time as an Avenger is a highlight.

The Furry Mutant Genius First Joined The Avengers In Avengers #151

Though Henry McCoy, aka Beast, is most known for his time on the X-Men, he has been a member of a number of other supergroups. Still in the mutant corner of things, he has led X-Force, been a member of X-Factor, and led scientific studies by some of the Marvel Universe’s most brilliant minds.

Beast left the X-Men behind for a while when he joined the Avengers alongside characters like Moondragon and Hellcat. He remained a major part of the team throughout the 1970s and has continued to make regular appearances on offshoot teams like the Secret Avengers in the decades since.

1

Luke Cage Led The New Avengers After Captain America’s Death

The Unbreakable Power Man Joined The New Avengers In New Avengers #3

Often depicted as a solo hero or alongside his longtime partner Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist, as one half of the Heroes for Hire, Luke Cage has become a major player in the world of the Avengers in the last few decades. His time as a core member of the New Avengers redefined the team and the era, and his leadership skills and dedication to what was right made him an integral part of the events occurring in the comics at the time.

Though his time as an Avenger seems to be mostly done, Luke Cage remains one of the most effective additions to the roster in its many decades of existence. Alongside his wife, Jessica Jones, and his friends and allies, Luke Cage gave Captain America a run for his money on who is the best leader for the team.

“}]] The Avengers’ roster has been packed with a myriad of Marvel heroes over the years, but so many members makes it easy for fans to forget who’s joined.  Read More