10 Best Avengers (Who Weren’t On The Main Team)

The Avengers are one of the most famous and successful teams in Marvel history. For decades, they’ve repeatedly saved the Earth and the universe, bringing together a roster of incredible heroes – and even a few reformed villains. Many iconic heroes first became well-known as Avengers, building their reputations through the team. What’s also fascinating is how many Marvel characters began their journeys elsewhere or joined smaller Avengers squads before eventually rising to prominence, sometimes even joining the main team and becoming even more popular.

For a long time, being invited to join the Avengers was a sign of a hero’s success. Many great heroes first proved themselves elsewhere before earning a spot on the team. Here are ten of the best Avengers who started their careers outside the main group, demonstrating their status as some of Marvel’s most powerful heroes.

10) Iron Fist

Iron Fist originated in Marvel comics during the 1970s, drawing inspiration from the popularity of kung-fu and blaxploitation films. Danny Rand trained extensively in kung-fu and learned to harness the power of chi, eventually teaming up with Luke Cage to form the duo known as Heroes for Hire. While popular at first, the character’s prominence faded throughout the 1980s, and he mostly appeared as a guest character. However, he experienced a resurgence in the mid-2000s thanks to the creative team of Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja, who revitalized him in The Immortal Iron Fist, introducing him to a new audience. This led to him joining the New Avengers after the Civil War storyline, where he helped fund and operate a secret branch of the team. He remained with the New Avengers until Luke Cage and writer Brian Michael Bendis moved on to other projects. During this period, Iron Fist was a great fit for the team dynamic – a witty, highly skilled, and financially stable hero who complemented the other members perfectly.

9) Storm

Storm is considered one of the greatest X-Men, famously leading the team through many challenging and successful periods. As a mutant with incredible control over the weather, and with ties to a legendary magic user, she truly lives up to her reputation as a powerful figure. Fans adore Storm, and she remained an X-Man until her marriage to Black Panther. This led to her joining both the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, making her one of only three Marvel characters to be a member of all three iconic teams. However, she left the Avengers after the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline. She returned to the team in 2024, and despite the current Avengers series not being a fan favorite, her presence has been central to the renewed focus on her character over the last seven years. Storm is a true icon and consistently deserves a place among Earth’s mightiest heroes.

8) Cannonball

Sam Guthrie, known as Cannonball, first gained recognition with the New Mutants and quickly became a standout member. He played a key role in forming X-Force, eventually leading the team after Cable’s departure, and later joined the main X-Men roster, where he consistently proved to be a valuable, though often overlooked, asset. More recently, he achieved even greater prominence when he and his close friend Sunspot joined the Avengers. Cannonball eventually married his teammate Smasher, and they now live in the Shi’Ar Empire with their daughter, where he has largely stepped back from superhero life. Despite his contributions to iconic teams, Cannonball remains a surprisingly underappreciated hero in Marvel history.

7) Spider-Woman

Spider-Woman emerged from the 1970s, a time when Marvel began prioritizing female characters and solo titles. While not a huge hit initially, she left a strong impression on writer Brian Michael Bendis. After her solo series ended, her powers began to diminish – she even moved to Madripoor and worked as a detective, sometimes alongside Wolverine. Bendis later reintroduced her in New Avengers as a triple agent, betraying Hydra while secretly working with SHIELD and Nick Fury. It was then revealed she was actually a quadruple agent, secretly the Skrull Empress Vernanke. Following the Secret Invasion storyline, the true Spider-Woman finally joined the Avengers, becoming a popular and defining character for the team for a significant period.

6) Sunspot

Sunspot’s story is similar to Cannonball’s – he started with the New Mutants and later joined X-Force, but never officially became an X-Man. He really came into his own as a key member of the Avengers during Jonathan Hickman’s run. Surprisingly, he bought out the villainous organization A.I.M., and when the Avengers discovered the Incursions, he provided the funding for a desperate attempt to stop them. He eventually formed his own Avengers team and led them in a fight against the Maker. Despite being a truly memorable Avenger, he often doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

5) Luke Cage

Like Iron Fist, Luke Cage experienced periods of success and failure. After the comic series Heroes for Hire ended, his own series in the 1990s didn’t gain traction. Marvel attempted to revive Heroes for Hire during that same decade, but it wasn’t successful. Luke Cage’s popularity didn’t return until the early 2000s with the Cage miniseries by Brian Azzarello and Richard Corben. He also became a favorite of writer Brian Bendis, who featured him in Secret War and New Avengers. This led to a surge in his popularity in the mid-2000s, and he eventually became the leader of the New Avengers following the Civil War storyline. He also formed a family with Jessica Jones, and they had a daughter named Danielle. Surprisingly, Luke Cage proved to be a very effective Avenger, and played a key part in the team’s success for several years.

4) Hyperion of Earth-13034

Hyperion first gained attention as part of Marvel’s take on the Justice League, known as the Squadron Supreme. Since then, different versions of the character have appeared throughout the Marvel Multiverse. During the Incursion events, a Hyperion from Earth-13034 attempted to save his world but wasn’t successful. He was then brought to Earth-616 by AIM and became a powerful member of the Avengers during Jonathan Hickman’s run, quickly becoming a key player and a compelling character. Despite his contributions, he’s an often-overlooked Avenger who deserves more recognition.

3) Beast

Beast is one of the original X-Men, but he’s also worked with many teams outside of mutant-kind. He famously joined the Avengers in the late 1970s, where he formed a close friendship with Wonder Man. As the first X-Men member to become an Avenger, his time with the team is particularly beloved by fans. He’s also been part of groups like the Secret Avengers and The Illuminati. Some believe his time with the Avengers was his peak, and the current version of Beast is essentially a continuation of that heroic era (it’s complicated – he went through a dark period in the X-Men comics, becoming a villain due to years of hardship, and essentially transferred his memories to allow a past self to be reborn). Ultimately, Beast is considered one of the greatest Avengers of all time.

2) Spider-Man

Spider-Man is Marvel’s most popular and down-to-earth hero. While he’s often in New York City like the Avengers, he wasn’t truly part of the team for a long time – more of a helpful backup. That changed with the New Avengers, where he became a vital member, remaining with the group until Doctor Octopus took control of his body. Spider-Man was a perfect fit, bringing both humor and impressive fighting skills to the team. He’s also been a member of the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, making him one of only a few heroes to have belonged to all three groups. Though he hasn’t been an Avenger recently, he works so well with them that he could easily rejoin at any time.

1) Wolverine

Let me tell you, Wolverine’s career is defined by his ability to slot into any team, and he really made a name for himself doing just that. He started with the X-Men, obviously, becoming a comic book icon. But he wasn’t just a one-team guy – he popped up with the Fantastic Four, had a brief stint with the Secret Defenders (a team most have forgotten!), and really found his stride with the New Avengers starting in issue #5. He wasn’t just on the team, he was a vital part of their stories, eventually becoming a core member after the Siege event. He stuck with the main Avengers lineup right up until his heartbreaking end in 2014. Honestly, Logan wasn’t the first hero you’d picture as an Avenger, but he genuinely was a fantastic one.

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2026-01-27 19:46