DEAR CAPTAIN
written by Andrew Smith
transcribed by Vu (slightly edited)
published in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1533 (4 Apr 03)
website: www.comicsbuyersguide.com

Avengers Assemble!
(and, if they all did, they'd fill a gymnasium.)

AVENGERS #183 (May 1979)
Marvel Comics

Paul Leighty of Manns Choice, Penn., stunned the Captain with this seemingly innocent question:
Re: The upcoming JLA/Avengers, I would like to see a list of all members (Probationary, Reserve, Honorary, and those who were members for one issue or a one-shot and then something happened to that character by the end of the book). And I read your column every week in Comics Buyer's Guide. I am sure all these guys will be in JLA/Avengers at some point, simply because I don't think George Pérez would have it any other way!

The Captain replies:
You don't ask the easy ones, do you, Paul? But I've never turned down a legitimate question before and I won't now. So, after the requisite hair-pulling, clothes-rending, and teeth-gnashing, I sat down and researched the answer. And, Lord, do I need a vacation.

The answer is too huge for a single column, so I'll tackle Avengers this week and Justice League next week. As ever, I never assume my own knowledge to be omniscient, and I invite the Legion of Superfluous Heroes to chime in with omissions, inaccuracies, or simple differences of opinion… because I can't imagine that there won't be some.

That being said, here's the closet I can get to a comprehensive list of Avengers membership, in order of admission:

Ant-Man (Hank Pym, now Yellowjacket, formerly Giant-Man and Goliath), Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and Wasp formed the team in Avengers #1 (Sep 63). Rick Jones joined as an Honorary Member in the same issue.

Captain America was thawed out and signed up in Avengers #4 (Mar 64).

Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch replaced all the old guard except Cap in Avengers #16 (May 65).

Swordsman I jointed The Assemblers to betray them in Avengers #19 (Aug 65) and was ousted in the next issue. He returned later as a hero, albeit a largely ineffective one. He joined the Choir Invisible in Giant-Size Avengers #2 (Nov 74).

Hercules finally joined in Avengers #45 (Oct 67), although he'd been hanging around since #38.

Black Panther was recommended by Captain America in Avengers #52 (May 68).

The Vision II first appeared in Avengers #57, on a mission from Ultron to kill the team. Instead, he joined in Avengers #58 (Nov 68). He's the second Vision, because there was another one in World War II.

Black Knight III first showed up in Avengers #68 but didn't get around to joining until Avengers #71 (Dec 69).

Black Widow was inducted in Avengers #111 (May 73)

Mantis joined at the end of Steve Englehart's epic Celestial Madonna saga in Giant-Size Avengers #4 (Summer 75).

Moondragon and Beast joined in Avengers #137 (Jul 75), the latter the only X-Man to do so. Both started on probation, but Beast made the grade, while Moondragon's Avengers career have been spotty.

[ Read more March 22, 2003 | JLA/A: Avengers Members ]