The Avengers first appeared in The Avengers #1, published by Marvel Comics in September 1963. The team was created by the legendary writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The concept was born out of a practical publishing need: a looming deadline for a new title. Inspired by the success of DC Comics' Justice League of America, which united that publisher's top heroes, Lee and Kirby decided to do the same for Marvel.
Instead of a planned, deliberate formation, the original story depicted a chaotic, almost accidental assembly of existing heroes. This reflected Marvel's signature style of the era: heroes with flaws, tempers, and internal conflicts. The initial lineup consisted of characters who each had their own series or feature: Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man (Hank Pym), and the Wasp (Janet van Dyne). The name “The Avengers” was suggested by the Wasp in the first issue, cementing the team's identity.
A pivotal moment in the team's early history came in The Avengers #4 (March 1964), when the team discovered the frozen body of Captain America, a hero from the Golden Age. His revival and immediate induction into the team connected the modern Marvel Age to its past and provided the Avengers with a moral compass and field leader who would become their most defining member. This act established a key theme for the team: change is constant. The roster would famously shift just a few issues later in The Avengers #16, with the founding members departing (except for Captain America) to make way for a new lineup of reformed villains: Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch. This bold move, dubbed “Cap's Kooky Quartet,” solidified the idea that the Avengers were an ideal, not just a fixed group of people, and that redemption was a core tenet of their philosophy.
The formation of the Avengers on Earth-616 was not planned; it was a direct consequence of the schemes of Loki, the Asgardian God of Mischief. Seeking revenge on his half-brother, Thor, Loki used his magic to create an illusion of the Hulk rampaging on a railway track. His goal was to lure Thor into a battle with the misunderstood behemoth. However, Loki's plot inadvertently broadcast a radio distress call that was picked up by more than just Thor. Tony Stark (Iron Man), Dr. Hank Pym (Ant-Man), and his partner Janet van Dyne (the Wasp) also responded to the call. The young hero Rick Jones, an ally of the Hulk, was the one who sent the message, hoping the Fantastic Four would respond, but Loki diverted it to Thor. The heroes initially clashed, with Iron Man and Thor viewing the Hulk as the genuine threat. Ant-Man and the Wasp used their unique abilities to track the Hulk and investigate the situation. It was the Wasp who first noticed that the heroes were more effective when they worked together. After discovering that Loki was the true mastermind behind the incident, the five heroes put aside their differences. They traveled to Asgard (thanks to Thor) to confront Loki and successfully defeated him. Recognizing the power of their combined might, it was Ant-Man who first proposed they form a permanent team. The Wasp, in a moment of inspiration, suggested the name: “The Avengers.” Thus, “Earth's Mightiest Heroes” were born, united by a common threat and the shared realization that some foes were too great for any one of them to face alone. Their first major act as a formal team was the discovery and revival of Captain America, who quickly became the soul of the organization.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Earth-199999), the origin of the Avengers was a far more deliberate and calculated affair, the culmination of years of planning by Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. This plan was known as the “Avengers Initiative.” The concept was first introduced to Tony Stark following his public declaration that he was Iron Man. Fury envisioned a response team of remarkable individuals who could protect Earth from threats beyond the scope of conventional military and intelligence agencies. The catalyst for the Initiative's activation was the arrival of Loki on Earth. Wielding a scepter containing the Mind Stone and acting as an agent for the cosmic warlord Thanos, Loki stole the Tesseract (containing the Space Stone) from a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. His goal was to use the Tesseract to open a portal above New York City, allowing an invading army of the chitauri to conquer Earth. Fury and Agent Phil Coulson scrambled to assemble the candidates they had been vetting:
The team's initial gathering aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier was fraught with tension and ego. They were a collection of individuals, not a team, and their infighting was easily exploited by Loki. The turning point was the tragic death of Agent Coulson at Loki's hands. This loss galvanized the fractured heroes, giving them a cause to “avenge.” United by purpose, they confronted Loki and the Chitauri fleet in the Battle of New York. Through incredible teamwork—combining Captain America's strategy, Iron Man's technology, Thor's power, Hulk's strength, and the tactical skills of Black Widow and Hawkeye—they successfully defeated the invasion and captured Loki. This victory cemented their status as a team and announced to the universe that Earth was protected. Key Adaptation Differences: The MCU's origin is more grounded and structured, positioning the team as a direct response to an alien threat under government supervision. This contrasts with the comic's more spontaneous, hero-driven formation. The MCU founding roster notably excludes Ant-Man and the Wasp, whose introductions were saved for their own film, and instead includes S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Black Widow and Hawkeye, who were integral to the cinematic universe's established narrative. This change made the team feel more like a cohesive part of the MCU's spy-thriller-infused world.
The Avengers' founding creed, famously declared in their first issue, is “to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand.” This mission statement has remained their guiding principle for decades. They are a reactive force, assembling to confront planetary, and often cosmic, threats. Over time, their mandate has expanded. They are not just protectors but also a symbol of hope and the highest ideals of heroism. A key part of their philosophy is redemption; the roster has frequently included former villains like Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Rogue, proving that anyone can strive for good. Their authority has fluctuated. Initially, they were an independent group. Later, they received an official charter from the United States National Security Council and eventually the United Nations, granting them global jurisdiction and resources. This relationship has often been a source of conflict, leading to storylines like `Civil War` where government oversight clashed with heroic autonomy.
The Avengers' structure is typically centered around a chairperson, often Captain America or the Wasp, who directs the team in the field and manages internal affairs. The roster is fluid, with active members, reserve members, and various spin-off teams.
The team's membership is a veritable who's who of the Marvel Universe.
| Era | Key Members | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Founding Members | Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man (Pym), Wasp (Van Dyne) | The original team, formed by chance to stop Loki. |
| Cap's Kooky Quartet | Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch | Established the precedent of a changing roster and the theme of redemption by including former villains. |
| The Kree-Skrull War Era | Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Goliath (Pym), Wasp | A powerful and classic lineup that faced one of the first major cosmic threats, cementing the team's galactic importance. |
| West Coast Avengers | Hawkeye (Leader), Mockingbird, Iron Man (Rhodes), Tigra, Wonder Man | The first major expansion franchise, proving the Avengers concept could be duplicated to provide wider coverage. |
| New Avengers (Post-Disassembled) | Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Sentry | A revolutionary “street-level” roster formed in the wake of tragedy, bringing in popular but traditionally non-Avenger characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine. |
| Uncanny Avengers (Unity Squad) | Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Rogue, Scarlet Witch, Havok | A team formed to bridge the gap between humans and mutants, combining members of the Avengers and the X-Men to promote unity. |
Initially, the MCU Avengers' mandate was dictated by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.: to act as a special weapons and tactics team for extraordinary threats. After the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the team became an independent, privately funded entity financed by Tony Stark. Their mission remained the same—protecting the world—but their accountability became a central point of conflict. The destruction in Sokovia during their battle with Ultron led to the international community demanding oversight. This resulted in the Sokovia Accords, a legislative framework that required the Avengers to operate under the command of a United Nations panel. The team's philosophical split over the Accords—Captain America championing individual moral choice versus Iron Man advocating for accountability—was the central conflict of Captain America: Civil War, which fractured the team for years. After the defeat of Thanos, the team's formal status remains ambiguous, with its original members largely retired, deceased, or off-world.
The MCU team's structure was less formal than its comic counterpart, generally led by the dual charisma of Tony Stark and the tactical acumen of Steve Rogers.
The MCU roster evolved more slowly and deliberately than in the comics.
| Phase | Key Members Added/Active | Primary Threat(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 (Formation) | Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye | Loki and the Chitauri |
| Phase 2 (Expansion) | War Machine, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Quicksilver 1) | HYDRA, Ultron |
| Phase 3 (Fracture & Infinity War) | Ant-Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy 2) | Zemo, Thanos |
| Phase 4+ (Post-Endgame) | The original team is effectively disbanded. New heroes like Shang-Chi, the Eternals, and a new Captain America (Sam Wilson) now operate, but a formal “Avengers” team has not yet been re-established. | Varies |
This seminal storyline by Roy Thomas is considered one of the first true comic book epics. The plot involves the Avengers being caught in the middle of a galactic war between two ancient alien empires: the militaristic Kree and the shapeshifting Skrulls. The conflict is brought to Earth when the Kree hero Captain Mar-Vell becomes a key player. The Avengers must deal with Skrull infiltrators, a Kree Sentry, and the political machinations of both empires. The story arc was revolutionary for its scale, complex plot, and for directly questioning the team's role in cosmic affairs. It permanently elevated the Avengers from Earth-bound heroes to galactic protectors.
A tragic and transformative event that shattered the classic Avengers. A mentally unstable and cosmically powerful Scarlet Witch, driven mad by the repressed trauma of losing her magically-created children, unleashes her reality-warping powers on her teammates. She orchestrates a series of seemingly unrelated, devastating attacks: a zombified Jack of Hearts detonates at the Mansion, a fleet of Ultron robots attacks, and a Kree warship appears over New York. The chaos results in the deaths of Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Vision, and Hawkeye. The event was so traumatic that it caused the team to disband, paving the way for the New Avengers era and setting the stage for subsequent events like House of M.
Following a catastrophic incident involving the New Warriors that kills hundreds of civilians in Stamford, Connecticut, the U.S. government passes the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA), requiring all super-powered individuals to register their identities with the government and act as licensed agents. This act creates a profound ideological schism within the superhero community. Iron Man, haunted by past failures and believing in accountability, leads the pro-registration side. Captain America, believing the SRA is an unacceptable infringement on civil liberties, leads the anti-registration resistance. The conflict turns former friends into enemies, culminating in a massive battle in the heart of New York City. The Avengers are completely torn apart, with two opposing teams operating in its name until the war's tragic conclusion. The MCU adaptation used the Sokovia Accords as its catalyst and focused on a more personal conflict between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark over the fate of the Winter Soldier, but the core theme of government oversight vs. personal freedom remained.
The ultimate cosmic threat. The mad titan Thanos acquires all six Infinity Gems (Stones in the MCU) and assembles them into the Infinity Gauntlet, granting him absolute godhood. To court the cosmic entity Death, he uses the Gauntlet to erase half of all life in the universe with a simple snap of his fingers. The surviving heroes of Earth, led by a small, desperate contingent of Avengers alongside Adam Warlock and other cosmic champions, launch a seemingly hopeless assault on Thanos. The event showcases the Avengers' courage in the face of omnipotent power and their willingness to sacrifice everything for the universe. The MCU's Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame are heavily inspired by this storyline and its sequels, adapting the core concept of Thanos's snap and the heroes' quest to undo it.
Avengers #10 (1964). However, it is most famously associated with Captain America, who has used it to rally the team in their most desperate moments.Avengers #2.