The Avengers first appeared in The Avengers #1, cover-dated September 1963. The team was conceived by writer-editor stan_lee and artist/co-plotter jack_kirby. The creation was, in part, a strategic response to the success of DC Comics' popular superhero team, the Justice League of America. Marvel had already established a stable of popular solo heroes, including Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk, and a team-up book was a logical next step to capitalize on their shared popularity.
Stan Lee has often recounted that the inspiration came from a need to fill a last-minute gap in the publishing schedule. The initial concept was simple: a catalyst forces Marvel's most powerful heroes to unite. Loki, Thor's archnemesis, was chosen as the inaugural villain, providing a direct link to one of the publisher's flagship characters. The initial lineup was a “who's who” of Marvel's early heavy hitters, with the notable inclusion of the less-famous Ant-Man and the Wasp, which added a unique dynamic of science and scale to the team's power set.
A pivotal moment in the team's early history occurred in issue #4 (March 1964) with the reintroduction of the Golden Age hero, Captain America. Discovered frozen in a block of ice, Steve Rogers's revival and induction into the team cemented the Avengers' core identity. He brought a sense of history, leadership, and unwavering morality that would come to define the group for decades. This issue established a core tenet of the Avengers: the roster is fluid. This was solidified in issue #16 with “Cap's Kooky Quartet,” where the founding members (sans Captain America) were replaced by former villains Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch, proving that redemption was a key theme and that anyone could become an Avenger.
The catalyst for the Avengers' formation is remarkably similar across its primary continuities—the machinations of Loki—but the execution and context differ dramatically.
In the prime Marvel comic universe, the Avengers' formation was an accident of fate, not a planned initiative. The Asgardian God of Mischief, loki, sought revenge on his half-brother, thor. To lure him into a trap, Loki created an illusion of the hulk on a rampage, knowing Thor would investigate. Loki's plan, however, had unforeseen consequences. The distress call sent out by Rick Jones, the Hulk's teenage friend, using a ham radio was not only intercepted by Thor, but also by Tony Stark (iron_man), Dr. Hank Pym (ant_man), and his partner Janet van Dyne (wasp). The four heroes converged on the scene, initially viewing the Hulk as a threat. Ant-Man and the Wasp were the first to realize Loki's magical involvement, tracking his magical signature. As the heroes worked together, they uncovered Loki's deception and realized that their combined might was necessary to defeat a god-tier foe. After successfully cornering and defeating Loki, forcing his retreat to Asgard, the heroes recognized the potential of their impromptu alliance. It was Ant-Man who proposed they make the team-up permanent to face future menaces. The Wasp, in a moment of inspiration, coined the name “The Avengers,” stating it sounded dramatic. Thus, with the famous cry of “Avengers Assemble!”, the team was officially born. The founding roster was Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man, and the Wasp. Their first headquarters was Stark Mansion, later known as Avengers Mansion. The Hulk's tenure was brief; feeling distrusted by his teammates and manipulated by the Space Phantom, he quit the team in only the second issue. His departure directly led to the team's search for him, which resulted in their discovery of the frozen Captain America in issue #4, an event that would forever change the team's destiny.
In the MCU, the formation of the Avengers was a deliberate, long-term project known as the “Avengers Initiative.” The concept was spearheaded by shield Director nick_fury following the emergence of super-powered individuals like Tony Stark and the arrival of threats like the Destroyer from Asgard. Fury envisioned a response team composed of remarkable individuals who could fight the battles that S.H.I.E.L.D. never could.
The seeds were planted throughout Phase One of the MCU. Fury first approached Tony Stark about the initiative at the end of Iron Man (2008). S.H.I.E.L.D. monitored Bruce Banner's activities, recovered Captain America from the Arctic ice, and had agents Clint Barton (hawkeye) and Natasha Romanoff (black_widow) on its payroll.
The catalyst for the team's activation was, once again, loki. As depicted in The Avengers (2012), Loki arrived on Earth via the Tesseract, an artifact of immense power. He brainwashed several S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel, including Hawkeye, and stole the Tesseract with the goal of opening a portal for the Chitauri, an alien army, to invade Earth.
Fury was forced to activate the Avengers Initiative, bringing together Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Bruce Banner aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. thor joined the conflict while attempting to apprehend his brother. The early stages were fraught with tension and ego. The heroes clashed ideologically and physically, unable to work as a team. It was the apparent death of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson at Loki's hands that finally galvanized them. This personal loss gave them “a push” and a common cause. They united in New York City to repel the Chitauri invasion in a spectacular battle that revealed the Avengers to the world.
The key differences from the comics are structural and character-based. The MCU team was a government-created entity, not a spontaneous alliance. The founding members were chosen to align with the established film characters: Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Ant-Man and the Wasp, founding members in the comics, would not join until much later, a change made to streamline the cinematic origin story.
The core mandate—“To fight the foes no single super hero could withstand”—remains consistent, but the organization's structure, funding, and operational oversight have varied significantly over time and between universes.
The primary mission is global and cosmic security. While they often operate on U.S. soil, their jurisdiction is self-proclaimed as wherever they are needed. Their relationship with world governments has been a constantly evolving narrative point. Initially, they operated with a degree of autonomy, but eventually, they were granted an official charter by the United States National Security Council and later by the United Nations. This charter provided them with priority clearance, access to intelligence, and a degree of legal immunity. However, this sanction has been revoked and reinstated multiple times, most notably following events like Civil War and Secret Invasion, forcing them to operate as outlaws.
The Avengers' structure is defined by its flexible roster and leadership.
The list of Avengers is vast, but some members are foundational to its identity.
The MCU Avengers began as a direct extension of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority. After the Battle of New York, they operated with a degree of autonomy, largely funded and equipped by Tony Stark. This lack of oversight became a major point of contention following the destructive events of Avengers: Age of Ultron in Sokovia and a mission in Lagos in Captain America: Civil War. This led to the creation of the Sokovia Accords.
The Accords were a set of U.N.-ratified legal documents that required all enhanced individuals to register with the authorities and placed the Avengers under the direct control of a U.N. panel. Signing the Accords meant a hero could no longer act independently. This issue famously split the team, leading to the conflict between the pro-Accords faction led by Iron Man and the anti-Accords faction led by Captain America. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, the status of the Accords is unclear, and the team itself is largely disassembled, though its legacy continues.
The MCU team's structure is more centralized and less formal than its comic counterpart.
Age of Ultron. It was destroyed by thanos in Endgame.The MCU roster is iconic and defined by the actors who portrayed the characters.
Infinity Gauntlet saga forced the Avengers to rally all of Earth's heroes to stop him. In the MCU, he was the ultimate antagonist of the “Infinity Saga,” succeeding in wiping out half of all life before the Avengers mounted a desperate time-travel mission to undo his victory in Avengers: Endgame. He represents the ultimate cosmic-level threat that justifies the Avengers' existence.These storylines from the Earth-616 comics represent defining moments that have shaped the team's history and character.
This epic by Roy Thomas, Neal Adams, and John Buscema was a landmark in comic book storytelling. The story involved the Avengers being caught in the middle of a centuries-old interstellar war between the militaristic kree and the shapeshifting skrulls. The conflict is brought to Earth, forcing the team to operate on a galactic scale, dealing with alien armadas, political intrigue, and internal dissent over their allegiance to the Kree hero, Captain Mar-Vell. The Kree-Skrull War elevated the Avengers from Earth-bound heroes to cosmic defenders and set a new standard for long-form, serialized comic narratives.
Written by Roger Stern and drawn by John Buscema, “Under Siege” is often hailed as the definitive Avengers story. Baron Zemo assembles the largest-ever Masters of Evil and, instead of a direct assault, uses cunning strategy to systematically dismantle the team. They isolate members, launch a surprise attack on Avengers Mansion, brutally beat Hercules into a coma, and torture the team's loyal butler, Edwin Jarvis. The story is a harrowing look at the team's vulnerability, stripping them of their home and their sense of security. Their eventual triumph is hard-won and emotionally resonant, a testament to their resilience in their darkest hour.
The brainchild of writer Mark Millar, this company-wide crossover event tore the Marvel Universe apart. Following a catastrophic incident involving reckless young heroes, the U.S. government passes the Superhuman Registration Act. Tony Stark, believing in accountability, leads the pro-registration faction. Captain America, defending civil liberties, leads the anti-registration resistance. The Avengers are the heart of this conflict, fracturing into two opposing teams: the officially sanctioned Mighty Avengers and Cap's underground Secret Avengers. The war pitted friend against friend, forever scarring the relationships between Marvel's greatest heroes and fundamentally changing the team's dynamic for years to come.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, this event was the culmination of years of foreshadowing. It is revealed that the shapeshifting Skrull empire has been secretly infiltrating Earth for years, replacing key heroes and figures of power with Skrull agents. Paranoia runs rampant as no one can be trusted. The Avengers, already fractured from the Civil War, must fight a war on two fronts: against the invading Skrull fleet and against the possibility that their closest allies are enemy agents in disguise. The event shattered the public's trust in heroes and directly led to the “Dark Reign” era, where the villainous Norman Osborn took control of national security and formed his own state-sponsored “Dark Avengers.”
The Ultimates were a primary influence on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Secret Wars event, the multiverse was destroyed and reformed into a single planet called Battleworld. One of its domains, Arcadia, was an island paradise protected by A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers led by She-Hulk and featuring members like Captain Marvel, Dazzler, and Nico Minoru. The concept proved popular enough to receive its own short-lived series in the main Marvel Universe after Secret Wars.