The Avengers first assembled back in 1963 and it's fair to say that they've become the world's most iconic superhero team in the years that have followed. Sure, they may not be as "Godlike" as the Distinguished Competition, but the team is made up of an amazing, diverse selection of characters.
The question is, out of the many, many heroes (and villains) who have answered the call of "Avengers Assemble!", which of them stand out as being the greatest?
We've rounded up a lengthy list of our favourites and then ranked them from worst to best.
We have a feeling you'll have something to say about who makes the cut here, not to mention the character who earns the top spot! There are definitely some surprising names along with a fair few familiar ones, but if you're a fan of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, then you definitely need to check this out.
To do so, all you guys need to do is hit the "View List" button below!
Sentry
If it wasn't for the fact The Sentry is an unhinged lunatic, he'd probably rank a little higher here. As it stands, Marvel's Superman has done a lot of good, but a lot of bad as well (you know, like, tearing Ares in half at the behest of Norman Osborn).
Sandman
He didn't stay reformed for long but Flint Marko's time as an Avenger (even though he never gained full membership) certainly had a lasting impact on the Spider-Man villain.
Sabretooth
The events of
AXIS left Sabretooth with a new, heroic personality and, as a member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Wolverine's greatest foe definitely had a positive impact on the world. It's just a shame his old nature soon resurfaced.
Agent Venom
Flash Thompson did his best to turn the Venom symbiote into a force for good and as part of the Secret Avengers, he succeeded. It's just a shame he died before getting to assemble with the actual, non-covert team.
The Thing
Sure, he's a member of the Fantastic Four but after a brief spell in the West Coast Avengers, Ben Grimm didn't shy away from accepting a place in the New Avengers.
Tigra
A founding member of the West Coast Avengers, Tigra has flown under the radar in recent years but briefly resurfaced to try and train the next generation of heroes in the Avengers Academy.
Sersi
Sersi is most frequently associated with the Eternals but she's also served as an Avenger over the years and even had a flirtatious relationship with Captain America during that period.
Namor
Namor has clashed with the Avengers on countless occasions (along with pretty much everyone else in the Marvel Universe) but he also joined the team during the 1980s and was a loyal ally...for a time!
Shang-Chi
This Master of the Martial Arts may not be getting his own movie had Jonathan Hickman not put him back on the map during his
Avengers run and in both that team and the Secret Avengers, Shang-Chi bravely kicked a lot of ass!
Hulkling
This member of the Young Avengers looks set to become a villain later this year as he looks to unite the Kree and Skrull Empires but there was a time he could definitely be relied on by his fellow heroes.
Havok
Another member of the X-Men who found themselves serving as an Avenger when Captain America decided to create the "Unity" squad, Havok gave the team his all and fell in love with Wasp in the process.
Wiccan
Hulkling's boyfriend and a powerful sorcerer in his own right, Wiccan just so happens to be the son of Vision and the Scarlet Witch and, as his powers grow, he looks set to become a true force to be reckoned with.
Ms. Marvel
A relatively new addition to the ranks of the Avengers, Kamala Khan may be an incredibly powerful Inhuman but she's also just a kid and has never let that stop her from standing up for her team and the world.
Captain Britain
Brian Braddock was recruited personally by Steve Rogers to join the Secret Avengers and while he was out of his comfort zone, he was a crucial part of the team who could very easily lead his own squad given the chance.
Spider-Woman
While the Spider-Woman who was part of the New Avengers was the Skrull Queen in disguise, the real deal who later joined the team has since proved herself on countless occasions and more than made up for past transgressions.
Luke Cage
Luke Cage knew he had to do the right thing when the Marvel Universe erupted in Civil War and while that meant his wife and baby were put in the firing line, he always managed to protect them and the world despite the odds being stacked against him.
Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
With the Scarlet Witch pulling the strings during her breakdown, poor Scott Lang was blown to kingdom come by Jack of Hearts. He would later return to the land of the living, of course, and has since proven himself a better Ant-Man than Hank Pym.
Sunspot
No one could have ever imagined Roberto da Costa joining the ranks of the Avengers but alongside his pal Cannonball, he made quite the impact (and would later even join the U.S.Avengers).
Iron Patriot
Yes, Norman Osborn is a despicable human being but as the leader of the Dark Avengers, he was surprisingly effective and certainly put an end to a long list of threats...with admittedly questionable methods.
Patriot
The leader of the Young Avengers when they first came together, Patriot followed in his grandfather's footsteps by taking on this moniker and while he ultimately left the group, fans remain anxious to see him return.
Black Knight
Black Knight became a staple of the Avengers early on and proved his worth to the team by infiltrating the Masters of Evil. A true hero, he once even managed to turn the tide in a battle against Kang the Conqueror.
Wonder Man
His villainous turn (which was admittedly brief and a Brian Michael Bendis decision) aside, Wonder Man is synonymous with Earth's Mightiest Heroes and he's been through an awful lot while fighting alongside them.
Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
Arguably the breakout "star" of the Young Avengers, Kate Bishop would go on to be trained by Clint Barton and later made her mark as a hero in her own right.
Spider-Man (Miles Morales)
Since arriving in the regular Marvel Universe, Miles Morales has faced a long list of challenges but some of his biggest tests have come as an Avenger, particularly during the events of
Civil War II and
Secret Empire.
Iron Lad
Sure, he grows up to be Kang the Conqueror but as Iron Lad, the time-travelling hero really was just trying to do the right thing and sacrificed everything in order to save his fellow Young Avengers.
Wolverine
An argument could be made that Wolverine was only put in the Avengers to drive up sales at a time he was seriously overexposed but that doesn't mean he wasn't still an entertaining and essential addition to their ranks.
Valkyrie
An unexpected member of the Secret Avengers, Valkyrie is perhaps better known for being a Defender but she literally put her life on the line to help Earth's Mightiest Heroes with their mission to recover the weapons created by Cul.
She-Hulk
Unlike her cousin, Jennifer Walters is able to control her monstrous side (well, for the most part) and her strength and smarts have helped get the Avengers out of many dangerous situations.
Scarlet Witch
Yes, she once destroyed the team but that wasn't entirely her fault and, beyond that, Scarlet Witch successfully left her villainous roots as a member of Magneto's Brotherhood behind her to embrace her heroic nature.
Stature
Another hero who died for her fellow Avengers, this former Young Avenger did her father (Scott Lang) proud as Stature and now works as Stinger alongside him.
Spectrum
If Captain America is willing to follow you into battle, then you know you're doing something right. Regardless of whether it's in the Mighty Avengers or The Ultimates, Spectrum definitely isn't one to back down.
Mockingbird
Alongside her one-time husband Hawkeye, Mockingbird helped found the West Coast Avengers and after later signing up with the New Avengers, she now works primarily with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Beast
Yes, he's a member of the X-Men but Beast was happy to lend his sharp wit and intellect to the Avengers for a time and became best friends with Wonder Man in the process (one of the Marvel Universe's most endearing friendships).
Hercules
From Kang the Conqueror to Nebula and even an out of control Vision, Hercules has been there for some of the Avengers' greatest battles and even got justice for Thor by destroying his clone during
Civil War!
Quicksilver
Quicksilver has flirted with villainy a few times (his father is Magneto, remember) but despite a bad attitude, Pietro has served the team on both sides of America and even gave teaching a try as part of the Avengers Academy.
Thor (Jane Foster)
She only assembled with the Avengers for a brief time but Jane Foster was every bit as valuable to them as the Odinson and her budding romance with Sam Wilson proved to be one of the most enjoyable parts of those comic books.
Doctor Strange
Without the Sorcerer Supreme, the New Avengers would have been well and truly screwed after
Civil War as he hid them in his Sanctum and later went on to join a more public version of the team once they were no longer on the run.
Hulk
The Hulk was a founding Avenger who fought the team more often than he worked alongside them. In recent years, though, he's smashed his way through many enemies at their behest.
Falcon
After initially joining the team at the behest of Captain America, the Falcon later took over that mantle himself and proved that he was every bit as capable a leader as Steve Rogers, someone he obviously followed into battle on countless occasions.
Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
He never really wanted to be an Avenger and was frequently overlooked by the team but following
Civil War, Peter Parker really stepped up and has since helped saved the world and universe with his smarts and bravery.
Ant-Man (Hank Pym)
Some might argue that Hank doesn't deserve to be here seeing as he created Ultron and attacked the Wasp but he's a man with a lot of issues and both before and after those events, he truly did his best to do the right thing.
Black Widow
Black Widow was offered membership of the team back in the early 1970s and has been someone they can rely on ever since whether it's as a public face of the Avengers or in the shadows as a Secret Avenger.
Captain Marvel
Carol Danvers has made some big mistakes in recent years (will she ever recover from
Civil War II?) but those still don't overshadow her many accomplishments both as Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel.
Vision
In those early days of the Avengers, The Vision was arguably the most fascinating member of the team (who knew an android could cry?) and he's remained that way in both their, and his, many incarnations.
Black Panther
Before the focus was put on his solo adventures in Wakanda, Black Panther was a staple of the Avengers and worked his way up to be a chairperson of the team (something he undeniably deserved).
Wasp
Janet Van Dyne was a founding member of the Avengers and she's remained loyal to the team ever since; that's despite the odds being stacked against her on too many occasions to count and it's hard to imagine them without her.
Iron Man
We still haven't entirely forgiven him for what happened during
Civil War and his selfishness and arrogance have hurt the Avengers too many times for him to place any higher than this despite what a great hero he is at heart.
Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
He's just a regular guy with a bow and arrow but Clint Barton has not once backed down from a fight and even sacrificed himself during
Avengers Disassembled by blowing himself up to destroy a Kree ship (which was created by Scarlet Witch).
Captain America
Steve Rogers has fought valiantly alongside the Avengers ever since they pulled him out of the ice but, like Tony Stark, his personal feelings have too often gotten in the way to earn him the top spot. Cap is definitely someone worth having on your side, though.
Thor
Yes, the God of Thunder does indeed earn the #1 position as he's been there through thick and thin ever since deciding to help found the team all those years ago and, even unworthy, he'll never fail to answer the call of "Avengers Assemble!"