5 Things That Marvel Fans Don’t Want to Admit About Avengers Comics

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I remember when the Avengers weren’t the team at Marvel. Back in the early days, everyone loved the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers were a strong second. They almost became number one during the Bronze Age, but then the X-Men, especially with Chris Claremont writing, really took off and became the most popular. Honestly, it wasn’t until the 2000s, with the New Avengers comics and the huge success of the Marvel movies, that the Avengers really became seen as the greatest team. Since then, they’ve become the center of everything Marvel, and they’ve gained so many fans over the last twenty years or so – and I’m definitely one of them!

The Avengers are incredibly popular – people love seeing so many beloved characters team up! But despite their success, there are some valid criticisms fans often avoid acknowledging. Here are five true things Marvel fans don’t like to admit about the Avengers.

5) The Avengers Are Marvel’s Least Interesting Team

Marvel features three core superhero teams, each with a distinct focus. The Fantastic Four are essentially a family of explorers and scientists who battle villains while navigating their personal relationships. The X-Men use their struggles as a powerful analogy for the fight for civil rights, battling both external threats and the prejudice within society. The Avengers, however, are primarily a team of powerful heroes who assemble to defeat major villains – and that’s largely it. Unlike the Fantastic Four and X-Men, they don’t have the same depth of character development or compelling themes. While the Avengers deliver exciting action, their stories often lack the emotional and thematic impact found in other Marvel comics. If you’re looking for a straightforward superhero brawl, the Avengers are a good choice, but if you want something more meaningful, you might want to explore other teams.

4) Black Panther Is a Bad Avenger

Black Panther has become one of Marvel’s most prominent characters, and his success story is unique – it went from the comics to the big screen. While he was once a relatively obscure character, the announcement of his movie quickly elevated his status. However, the quality of his comic book appearances has been inconsistent. Some writers, like Ta-Nehisi Coates, have done excellent work, while others, such as John Ridley, have not been as successful. One area where the character hasn’t quite worked is as an Avenger. Although he has a history with the team, his loyalty always seemed to lie first with Wakanda, and he often acted as an observer, even a spy. His involvement with the Illuminati felt natural, but Black Panther as a straightforward Avenger never quite feels right. He often comes across as a blend of Captain America and Iron Man, which doesn’t quite fit, and his presence on the team often feels driven by the movies rather than compelling storytelling.

The Team Hasn’t Made a Star in Decades

The original Avengers team was incredibly effective at launching characters to stardom. Captain America, for example, became a central figure in the Marvel Universe thanks to his time with the group, and heroes like Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and the Vision all became major icons. Even Scott Lang (Ant-Man) got his start with the Avengers. For a long time, being part of the team was a surefire way to boost a character’s popularity. But has that still been true recently? While Luke Cage and Spider-Woman saw a rise in popularity during New Avengers, that success didn’t last. The Avengers used to have a knack for creating stars, but Marvel’s attempts to do so with the team haven’t been successful lately.

2) The Bendis Years Weren’t Great

Brian Michael Bendis was a very popular writer for Marvel in the 2000s, and his work on the various Avengers titles – including Avengers, New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, and Dark Avengers – is often considered his most significant. He took over the books in 2005 and remained the primary writer for seven years, during which time the Avengers consistently topped sales charts and became incredibly popular with fans. However, a closer look reveals that his run isn’t as strong as many remember. While Bendis introduced some interesting concepts and storylines, the execution often fell short. He excelled at character-driven drama, but struggled with large-scale threats and action sequences, often keeping the stories surprisingly focused on smaller, street-level conflicts. Despite the nostalgia, revisiting his lengthy and unevenly paced stories reveals a run that is ultimately just okay.

1) We Don’t Need the Avengers Anymore

The Avengers have run their course and aren’t needed anymore, arguably for the last ten years. Jonathan Hickman’s run on Avengers/New Avengers starting in 2013 delivered the definitive Avengers story, featuring an incredible team facing a truly massive, multiverse-threatening danger. It was a high point of brilliant action and stakes, and subsequent Avengers comics haven’t come close to that level. While there have been some decent stories since then, nothing has been truly special. Hickman essentially perfected the Avengers formula, and the concept has nowhere compelling to go. Sales reflect this, and the team either needs a long break or should be retired altogether.

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2025-12-04 22:14