10 Marvel Characters Who Were Avengers (For A Limited Time)

The Avengers are the premier super-team in the Marvel Universe. They have become a mainstay of the Marvel Universe in their own right and have been the focus of countless event stories, team-ups, and crossovers. The advent of the MCU, which puts the Avengers in even greater prominence, has only propelled them to a new level of stardom. However, their history and influence spans the entire Marvel Universe. As such, many heroes from all walks of life have served on the team… at least for a while.

Earth's Mightiest Heroes isn't the most cohesive group. Sure, there are some mainstays, especially these days. Captain America and Iron Man are both pretty much a given. There's usually some kind of Hulk. Hawkeye, surprisingly enough, has been in so many different iterations of the team that it's hard to keep track. And now, the Avengers feel like a revolving billboard for whoever the MCU is trying to push. Still, there have been plenty of members over the years who have had a genuine impact on the team, even if they've only been there for a little while.

10 Ghost Rider is already all about revenge

The youngest and most affable spirit made the cut

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

There are tons of different Ghost Riders, with some popular names. The most notable run for the Rider in Avengers isn't Johnny Blaze, the most famous Ghost Rider. Instead, it's the most recent Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes, who joined the team during Jason Aaron's run on Avengers in 2018. This new era for the team saw big changes for other characters. Robbie was somewhat of a “newbie” to this team, although his powers certainly helped him shine.

9 The Dark Avengers were a clean concept

Even if they are a bunch of idiots

The Dark Avengers are a bit of a special case. Are they really Earth's Mightiest Heroes? No. Do they at least defend the planet from evil every day? Nope. 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 good a concept not to mention.

Because you never know who the last people to see you alive will be.

In the wake of Secret InvasionNorman Osborn took over SHIELD. That meant he also took over the Avengers. He filled the team with other like-minded slackers who paraded 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 from the status quo, it was still one of the coolest changes in comic book history.

8 Moon Knight makes the other heroes uncomfortable

But he's still a huge asset to the Avengers.

Moon Knight is without a doubt one of Marvel's most unique characters. On the surface, he appears to be a Batman-like figure, striking down criminals from the shadows, butThe truth is much more complex. Moon Knight is a host of various personalities, all chosen as anointed by 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 join the Secret Avengers. Here, he proved himself to be a valuable member of the team as a fighter and expert in certain aspects of the mystic arts and the criminal underworld.

7 Jessica Jones always wants to do what's right

Even if it is not popular

Jewel was the semi-regular nickname for Jessica Jones. In fact, Jones has several identities, including Knightress and Power Woman, although she often chooses not to use a nom de guerre. Jessica Jones is probably best known for her work as a super-powered private detective, but she has been known to get into large-scale brawls from time to time.

Jessica joined the New Avengers alongside her husband, Luke Cage. However, her role in the story was rather unique. Although initially a full member, the double whammy of the Superhuman Registration Act and the Skrull invasion forced her into semi-retirement as she focused on raising and protecting her daughter, Dani Cage. This was an interesting storyline, as heroes are rarely shown balancing parenthood and heroism.

6 Beast isn't just the hairiest of the X-Men

He also loses hair all over Avengers Mansion

Beast, aka Hank McCoy, is one of the most famous X-Men. He is part of the revered “First Class”, although he became much more recognizable after gaining a shaggy blue fur cape. 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 experiments further altered his body, he was briefly adrift. He was invited into the Avengers and joined the team for a number of years. While he occasionally aided the X-Men, he was a full-fledged Avenger, bonding with teammates like Wonder Man and putting his scientific expertise to good use. Unfortunately, Hank doesn't hang out with his former team very often.

5 The thing hits with the best of them

He's powerful enough to hold his own against Hulk and Thor.

The Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing, Benjamin Grimm, is one of the earliest members of the Marvel family. While he is best known for donning the blue and black of the Fantastic Four, he has occasionally joined the Avengers. After an unplanned exposure to cosmic radiation, Ben Grimm was transformed from a normal man into a lumpy, orange rock monster, causing him to take the Thing out of self-pity.

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

4 Sentry could have been Marvel's Superman

His dark alter ego prevents him from achieving true greatness.

The Sentry is one of Marvel's greatest heroes… or at least he was. Despite wielding “the power of a million explosive suns,” the Sentry's contributions to Marvel history are scant. That's 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 abilities, and the hero joined the team as a fitting fit. However, he was always at odds with his dark side, and became unreliable at the best of times and downright dangerous at the worst. This makes him one of the most unique heroes to join the Avengers, as he wants to do good but can cause harm.

3 Wolverine is already the X-Man, why not the Avenger?

Despite being a self-confessed loner, he is fantastic in a team.

He's the best at what he does, and what he does isn't very pretty. But he's definitely useful when trying to stop Red Skull. Wolverine is easily one of Marvel's greatest heroes, and has been ever since he joined the X-Men in 1975. He's one of the few X-Men to have received an ongoing solo series, and while his history has mostly been confined to the Mutant corner of the Marvel Universe, he's managed to break out a bit.

Wolverine has been in the Avengers for a while, the most famous period was during New Avengers. He's been a valuable addition to the team, with his adamantium claws, near-immortality, and vast network of contacts around the world. While he's certainly a big personality on any team, he's been one of the greatest X-Men for years for a reason. He's just so cool.

2 The reader is as important as the characters

At least for a few moments, they were.

In 2015, all of Marvel's ongoing titles ended before Secret Wars. Most books give their heroes incredibly touching send-offs, allowing readers to explore their favorite heroes when time runs out. One particularly notable story comes in the final issues of Captain America and the Mighty AvengersThis title follows a team of Avengers as they attempt to make contact with the civilian population.

At the end of this story, the reader is put in the point of view of an unnamed and invisible character, who is assumed to be the reader. This person wakes up in a hospital, having been injured while saving lives. A doctor treats them and the two compare their Avengers ID cards. This moment is a great tribute 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 practically synonymous with superheroism. That’s why it’s surprising that he doesn’t usually play a role in the larger Marvel team. Sure, he always shows up in times of trouble, and he’s joined other teams like the Future Foundation, but he’s not a card-carrying Avenger. At least, not usually.

During Brian Michael Bendis's run The New AvengersMany fan-favorite characters like Spider-Man have joined the team. Peter is a natural fit for the lineup. He's the Spidey everyone knows and loves, quick with a quip, a web, or a punch. He also gets on the other heroes' nerves just enough to keep things interesting, but not so much that he becomes annoying to the audience.