10 Marvel Characters Who’ve Been Avengers (For a Limited Time)

The Avengers is the premiere super-team of the Marvel universe. They have become a pillar of the Marvel universe in their own right and have been the centerpiece of countless event stories, team-ups, and crossovers. The advent of the MCU, which highlights the Avengers even more, only shot them to a new level of stardom. However, their history and influence throughout the Marvel universe. As such, plenty of heroes from all walks of life have served on the team… at least for a little while.

The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes aren’t the most consistent bunch. Sure, there are some mainstays, especially nowadays. Captain America and Iron Man are both practically a given. There’s usually some kind of a Hulk. Hawkeye, surprisingly enough, has been on so many different versions of the team that it’s hard to keep track. And now, the Avengers feel like a rotating billboard for whoever the MCU is trying to push. Either way, there have been many members over the years who have genuinely impacted the team, even if they were only there for a little while.

10 Ghost Rider is Already All About Vengeance

The Younger, More Personable Spirit Made the Cut

Everyone knows Marvel’s favorite Spirit of Vengeance, with its flaming skull, chains, and wheels. Despite being such a popular character and appearing on teams like the Defenders, the Fantastic Four, and more, Ghost Rider doesn’t have a lot of history with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Perhaps it is because of his looser moral code or mission to purge the world of sinners instead of defending the innocent.

There are tons of different Ghost Riders, with a few popular names. The most significant stint for the Rider on the Avengers isn’t Johnny Blaze, the most famous Ghost Rider. Instead, it is the newest Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes, who joined the team during Jason Aaron’s run on Avengers in 2018. This new era for the team featured big changes for other characters. Robbie was kind of the “rookie” of this team, although his powers certainly helped him punch above his weight.

9 The Dark Avengers Were a Neat Concept

Even if They Are a Bunch of Jerks

The Dark Avengers are a bit of a special case. Are they actually the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? No. Are they at least defending the planet from evil on a daily basis? Also no. However, they’re using the name, so they technically count. Plus, the world’s deadliest villains joining forces and perverting the epitome of heroism is too cool a concept, not to mention.

In the wake of Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn took control of S.H.I.E.L.D. This meant he also took control of the Avengers. He filled the roster with other like-minded ne’er-do-wells parading around as heroes. Mac Gargan and the Venom symbiote became Spider-Man, Moonstone became Ms. Marvel, Bullseye became Hawkeye, and so on. While this was a short-lived change to the status quo, it was still one of the coolest change-ups in comic history.

8 Moon Knight Makes Other Heroes Uncomfortable

But He’s Still a Huge Asset for the Avengers

Moon Knight is easily one of Marvel’s most unique characters. On the surface, he appears to be a Batman-like figure, striking against criminals from the shadows, butthe truth is much more complex. Moon Knight is a host to various personalities, all of which are the chosen anointed of the moon god, Khonshu.

Moon Knight is usually a lone wolf, as his distinct personalities, brutality, and old-school paganism are off-putting to many other heroes. However, Steve Rogers himself recruited Moon Knight to be part of the Secret Avengers. Here, he proved himself a valuable team member as a combatant and an expert on certain aspects of the mystic arts and criminal underworld.

7 Jessica Jones Always Wants to Do What’s Right

Even if it Isn’t Popular

Jewel was Jessica Jones’s semi-regular moniker. In fact, Jones has a few identities, including Knightress and Power Woman, although she often opts not to use a nom de guerre. Jessica Jones is probably best known for her work as a super-powered private eye, but she has been known to get into large-scale punch-ups every now and again.

Jessica joined the New Avengers along with her husband, Luke Cage. However, her role in the story was rather unique. While she was initially a full-fledged member, the double-whammy of the Superhuman Registration Act and Skrull invasion put her into semi-retirement, as she focused on raising and protecting her daughter, Dani Cage. This was an interesting story, as heroes are rarely shown balancing parenting and heroics.

6 Beast Isn’t Only the Fuzziest X-Men

He Sheds All Over Avengers Mansion, Too

Beast, aka Hank McCoy, is one of the most famous X-Men. He’s part of that revered “First Class,” although he became much more recognizable after gaining a shaggy coat of blue fur. In addition to his physical abilities, McCoy is also a super genius. Combined with his enhanced physique, this makes him an invaluable addition to any superteam… including the Avengers.

After Hank’s experimentation further altered his body, he was briefly adrift. He was invited to the Avengers and joined the team for a number of years. While he occasionally helped the X-Men, he was a full-fledged Avenger, bonding with teammates like Wonder Man and bringing his scientific expertise to bear. Unfortunately, Hank doesn’t often hang out with his former team.

5 The Thing Clobbers With the Best of ‘Em

He’s Powerful Enough to Keep Up With the Hulk and Thor

The Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing, Benjamin Grimm, is one of Marvel’s first family. While he’s most famous for sporting the Fantastic Four’s blue and black, he’s occasionally joined the Avengers. After unplanned exposure to cosmic radiation, Ben Grimm was transformed from a regular man into a lumpy orange rock monster, which made him take the Thing out of self-pity.

The Thing first joined the West Coast Avengers after his ex-girlfriend started dating Johnny Storm. He served with the team but later returned to the Four. However, Luke Cage later asked Ben to join his New Avengers team, letting the Thing pull double-duty with the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Ben’s strength, invulnerability, and affability make him a great team member for any super-squad.

4 Sentry Could’ve Been Marvel’s Superman

His Dark Alterego Prevents Him from True Greatness

Sentry is one of the greatest Marvel heroes… or at least, he was. Despite holding “the power of one million exploding suns,” Sentry’s contributions to Marvel history are sparse. This is because he and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes erased the world’s memories of him to prevent a villain known as the Void from destroying Earth. The twist is that the Void is just an alternate personality for the Sentry.

Sentry (and the rest of the world) eventually remembered his capabilities, and the hero joined the team properly. However, he was always at odds with his darker half and became unreliable at the best of times and downright dangerous at the worst. This makes him one of the more unique heroes to join the Avengers since he wants to do good but can cause harm.

3 Wolverine’s Already THE X-Man, So Why Not THE Avenger?

Despite Being a Self-Professed Loner, He’s Great in a Team-Up

He’s the best there is at what he does, and what he does isn’t very nice. But it sure is useful when trying to stop the Red Skull. Wolverine is easily one of Marvel’s biggest heroes and has been since he joined up with the X-Men in 1975. He’s one of the few X-Men to receive an ongoing solo series, and despite his history mostly being confined to the Mutant corner of the Marvel universe, he has broken out some too.

Wolverine was on the Avengers for a while, most famously during New Avengers. He was a valuable addition to the team, with his adamantium claws, nigh-immortality, and vast web of connections across the globe. While he is certainly a big personality on any team, he’s been one of the biggest X-Men for years for a reason. He’s just that cool.

2 The Reader is Just as Important as the Characters

At Least for a Few Moments, They Were

In 2015, all of Marvel’s ongoing titles ended ahead of Secret Wars. Most books give their heroes an incredibly poignant send-off, allowing readers to explore their favorite heroes when time runs out. One especially notable story comes in the final issues of Captain America and the Mighty Avengers. This title followed a team of Avengers attempting to connect more with the civilian population.

At the end of this story, the reader is placed into the point of view of an unnamed, unseen character, who is implied to be the reader themselves. This person comes to in a hospital, having been injured while saving lives. A doctor patches them up, and the two compare their Avengers ID cards. This moment is a great homage to the fans and genuinely extends the title of Earth’s Mightiest Hero to any reader.

1 Spider-Man Is the Biggest Name in Marvel Comics

He Can Stick to Anything… Except Promises to be a Team Player

Love him or hate him, Spider-Man is pretty much synonymous with superheroing. This is why it is surprising that he doesn’t usually play a role on the biggest Marvel team. Sure, he always shows up in a pinch, and he’s joined other teams like the Future Foundation, but a card-carrying Avenger he is not. At least, not usually.

During Brian Michael Bendis’s run on The New Avengers, plenty of fan-favorite characters like Spider-Man joined the team. Peter is a natural fit with the lineup. He’s the Spidey everyone knows and loves, quick with a joke, web, or punch. Plus, he gets on the other heroes’ nerves just enough to make things interesting but not so much that it becomes grating for the audience.