The Avengers are one of the most recognizable superhero teams on the planet, largely thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes did look somewhat different before the dawn of one of the biggest cinematic franchises of all time.
Since 2012, the MCU has defined what the Avengers look like for mainstream audiences, shaping perceptions of the team far beyond what had been shown on the page. While the MCU’s lineup has since become iconic, it isn’t actually Marvel’s true core Avengers roster, at least not when we look at the comics.
The MCU Created The Iconic Avengers Roster We Know Today
Like most everything in the MCU, the franchise’s success has had a massive cultural impact since its inception with 2008’s Iron Man.
The MCU’s influence extends to the Marvel Comics universe as well, especially in terms of synergy, where comic storylines are often used to draw eyes to the films. It’s why the Guardians of the Galaxy received a complete visual overhaul right around 2014 so they would look more like their new MCU counterparts.
As a result, most people think of the MCU’s “Original Six” when they hear the word “Avengers”: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Vision, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, and War Machine can also be added, considering the expanded roster post-Age of Ultron.
That being said, the MCU’s original Avengers line-up did not perfectly mirror the original comics for most of Marvel’s publishing history. Before the MCU, other Marvel heroes served as founding Avengers compared to those who were seen on screen.
What Did The Avengers Look Like Before The MCU?
Avengers Debut 1963
In the original comics, The Avengers’ very first comic lineup in their first comic consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and the Wasp, with Hulk leaving the roster rather quickly. Likewise, Captain America didn’t join until the series’ fourth issue, after he was discovered and thawed from the ice.
Over the years, the roster would shift with characters like Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Vision, and Hawkeye becoming foundational long before the MCU, alongside other core members like Carol Danvers’ Ms. Marvel, Black Panther, and Wonder Man (who’s only now getting his own MCU series early next year).
The heroes stand in shadow in The New Avengers #1 cover
Later eras, especially Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers in 2005, redefined the team even further by adding Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Luke Cage, Ronin, Sentry, and more to a fresh roster led by Captain America and Iron Man. That roster would continue to evolve and change, especially as the MCU came into being just a few years later.
While it’s interesting to see how the current comics react and adapt to the progression of the MCU, it’s also fun to look back and see what the Avengers were like before they all had on-screen counterparts.
Release Date
May 4, 2012
Runtime
143 minutes