Avengers Lineups Through the Years: Avengers #1-76

The Avengers began with five super-heroes assembling together to take on a threat from Thor’s evil brother Loki.  When Iron Man, Hulk, Ant-Man, and Wasp joined with Thor, they became the Mighty Avengers.  Over the years, other heroes (and a few villains), joined the team, left the team, and then re-joined the Avengers.  Each change in Avengers team rosters produced a new lineup of Avengers members.

Here for your historical edification, are the first 20 unique lineups of the Avengers.

 

Avengers Lineup #1:

Iron Man (Tony Stark), Thor (Dr. Donald Blake),  Hulk (Bruce Banner), Ant-Man (Henry “Hank” Pym), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)

Avengers #1-2

This is the original team that first met to battle Loki in Avengers #1. The Space Phantom fooled the Avengers into fighting the Hulk in Avengers #2, exposing natural rifts that would lead Hulk to leave the team.

 

Avengers Lineup #2:

Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man/Giant-Man, Wasp

Avengers #3

The remaining Avengers chase after the Hulk, feeling responsible for him after his departure.  Hulk teams up with Sub-Mariner, which leads to one of the best battles in early Marvel history.

In this issue, Ant-Man uses his new power to grow giant-sized.  From this point on, Hank Pym is usually referred to as Giant-Man until Avengers #28, where Pym adapts a new, blue and yellow costume, and uses the name Goliath.

Avengers Lineup #3:

Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, Wasp, Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Avengers #4-15

After the big battle with Hulk and Sub-Mariner, the Avengers are looking for Namor in a submersible craft when they come across a man floating in the ocean.  They rescue him and discover that he is Captain America, a famous hero missing since the last days of World War Two. Cap joins the team and is awarded status as a “Founding Member.” In effect, he replaces Hulk on the team. 

Avengers Lineup #4:

Captain America, Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)

Avengers #16-19, 21-27

Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, and Wasp, all decide to leave the Avengers temporarily.  Captain America recruits three former super-villains to form a new version of the team.  Hawkeye had been a Iron Man opponent, while siblings Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, were former members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and of course, had been opponents of the X-Men.  This version of the Avengers was also referred to as Cap’s Kooky Quartet.

While Swordsman briefly (for one issue-see below) joins the Avengers, with issue #21, we are back to Caps’ Kooky Quartet.

In Avengers #26, the Avengers battle Attuma to rescue the Wasp, though she is not technically part of the team lineup in this issue. Henry Pym also appears in this issue.

 

Avengers Lineup #5:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne),

Avengers #20

The Swordsman, a villain (and old foe of Hawkeye) who fought the Avengers in Avengers #19, talked his way onto the team in issue #20. Unknown to the Avengers at that time, the Swordsman was secretly working for Iron Man’s enemy, The Mandarin.  Swordsman betrayed the Mandarin at the end of Avengers and saved them from a bomb. Despite this, Swordsman escaped and continued his life of crime. He later reformed for real and re-joined the Avengers.

 

Avengers Lineup #6:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Goliath (Henry Pym), and Wasp

Avengers #28-31

Wasp and Giant-Man (now calling himself Goliath) rejoin the team in Avengers #28.

In Avengers #31, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, having lost their powers,  leave the Avengers.

 

 

Avengers Lineup #7:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, and Wasp

Avengers #32-35

The Black Widow aids the Avengers beginning in issue #35

 

 

Avengers Lineup #8:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch

Avengers #36-38

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch rejoin the Avengers in issue #36

Also in Avengers #36, Hawkeye urges the team to accept Black Widow as a member.  Goliath is opposed to this, and her status continues to be, at this point, an ally, not a member. She helps the Avengers in many situations from this point on, but does not become an official member until Avengers #111. 

In Avengers #38, Hercules becomes an Avengers ally (he was already on good terms with Thor) and is invited to stay at Avengers Mansion since he was at that time exiled from Olympus by his father, Zeus. Also in this issue, Captain America leaves in order to check on the possibility that his old sidekick, Bucky, is alive. He returns to the lineup in issue #42.

 

Avengers Lineup #9:

Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch

Avengers #39-41

Hercules and Black Widow, while not official members of the team, join the Avengers in battling various foes.

 

 

Avengers Lineup #10:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch

Avengers #42-44

Captain America rejoins the team in issue #42

Hercules and Black Widow continue as allies of the Avengers.

 

Avengers Lineup #11:

Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch

Avengers Annual #1 & Avengers #45

Iron Man and Thor re-join the Avengers in Avengers Annual #1 (which continues the story begun in Avengers #44).

 

Avengers Lineup #12:

Captain America, Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Hercules

Avengers #46-47

Hercules is asked to join the team, and he accepts in Avengers #46

Iron Man and leave again in issue #46

Captain America leaves again in issue #47. While he re-appears several times to aid the Avengers, he does not return as a full-time Avenger until issue #93.

Dane Whitman (who becomes the Black Knight) first appears in Avengers #47. He remains as an ally of the Avengers, while not becoming an official member until issue #71.

 

Avengers Lineup #13:

Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Hercules

Avengers #48-49

In issue #49, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch leave to re-join Magneto.

 

Avengers Lineup #14:

Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Hercules

Avengers #50

Hercules decides to return to Olympus, leaving the Avengers. He will next be seen with the Avengers in issue #98.

 

Avengers Lineup #15:

Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp

Avengers #51

Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor appear in Avengers #51. In this issue, Captain America makes the case that the Black Panther should replace him as an Avenger.

 

Avengers Lineup #16:

Hawkeye, Goliath, Wasp, Black Panther (T’Challa)

Avengers #52-57, Avengers Annual #2

Black Panther joins in issue #52.

The Black Knight continues as an Avengers ally.

Captain America appears in issue #56 and Avengers Annual #2

Avengers #57 is the first appearance of the Vision, originally as a tool of Ultron.

 

Avengers Lineup #17:

Hawkeye/Goliath II, Goliath/Yellowjacket, Wasp, Black Panther, Vision

Avengers #58-66  (Issues#61-62 only feature Hawkeye, Black Panther, and Vision while Hank and Janet are on honeymoon)

Vision  joins in issue #58

Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor appear in Avengers #58.

Yellowjacket first appears  in Avengers #59. Unknown at this time, Yellowjacket is really Hank Pym, who is suffering from mental issues and assumes a new identity. Goliath is missing, but in issue #60, Yellowjacket and Goliath are revealed to be the same person. 

Henry Pym and Janet Van Dyne are married in issue #60, and leave on their honeymoon.  They return in Avengers #63. Pym will retain the identity of Yellowjacket (as a good guy, though), upon their return in #63.

In Avengers #63, Hawkeye gains Pym’s giant-sized powers and becomes Goliath II.

 

 

 

Avengers Lineup #18:

Goliath II, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Black Panther, Vision, Iron Man, Thor

Avengers #67-68 

Iron Man and Thor re-join in Avengers #67

Captain America makes an appearance in issue #69