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Background
FOUNDING MEMBERS: Iron Man (Tony Stark), Thor, Hulk (Dr. Bruce Banner), Ant Man
(Dr. Henry Pym), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)
CURRENT MEMBERS: Captain America (Steve Rogers, leader), Iron Man (Tony Stark,
co-leader), Sentry (Rober Reynolds), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman
(Jessica Drew), Luke Cage,
Wolverine (Logan)
FORMER MEMBERS: Ant-Man (Scott-Lang, deceased), Beast (Dr. Henry McCoy), Black
Knight (Dane Whitman), Black Panther (T'Challa), Black Widow (Natalia
Romanova), Captain Britain (Kelsey Leigh), Crystal (Crystalia Maximoff),
Darkhawk (Chris Powell), Demolition Man (Dennis Dunphy), Doctor Druid (Anthony
Ludgate), Falcon (Sam Wilson), Firebird (Bonita Juarez), Firestar (Angelica
Jones), Gilgamesh (aka Forgotten One), Hawkeye (Clint Barton, deceased),
Hellcat (Patsy Walker), Hercules (Heracles), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Human Torch
(Jim Hammond), Invisible Woman (Susan Richards), Jack of Hearts (Jonathan Hart,
deceased), Justice (Vance Astrovik), Living Lightning (Miguel Santos), Machine
Man (X-51), Mantis, Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Mockingbird (Bobbie Barton,
deceased), Moon Knight (Marc Spector), Moondragon (Heather Douglas), Captain
Marvel/Photon (Monica Rambeau), Quasar (Wendell Vaughn), Quicksilver (Pietro
Maximoff), Rage (Elvin Haliday), Sandman (William Baker), Scarlet Witch (Wanda
Maximoff), Sersi, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Silverclaw (Lupe Santiago),
Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter), Starfox (Eros of Titan), Stingray (Walt
Newell), Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie), Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne, deceased),
Thing (Ben Grimm), Thor (deceased), Thunderstrike (Eric Masterson), Tigra
(Greer Nelson), Triathlon (Delroy Garrett, Jr.), Two-Gun Kid (Matt Hawk),
USAgent (John Walker), Vision, War Machine (Jim Rhodes), Warbird (Carol
Danvers), Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), Wonder Man (Simon Williams), Yellowjacket (Dr.
Henry Pym)
HONORARY MEMBERS: Aleta (Aleta Ogord), Moira Brandon, Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell,
deceased), Charlie-27, Deathcry, Iron Man (alternate-timeline teenage Tony
Stark), Jocasta, Rick Jones, Magdalene, Marrina (Marrina Smallwood), Martinex
(Martinex T'Naga), Masque (Whitney Frost bio-duplicate), Mikki (Nicholette
Gold), Starhawk (Stakar Ogord), Swordsman (Phillip Jarvert), Van Astro
(alternate future Vance Astrovik), Whizzer (Bob Frank, deceased), Yellowjacket
(Rita DeMara, deceased), Yondu (Yondu Udonta)
HISTORY:
Seeking to destroy his half-brother Thor, Loki, the Norse god of
mischief, had tricked Hulk into going on a rampage in order to lure Thor into
the open. Rick Jones, the Hulk's sidekick, sent out a distress signal to the
Fantastic Four for help, but Loki diverted the signal so that Thor's alter ego,
Dr. Donald Blake, would hear it instead. Inadvertently, the Wasp, Ant-Man and
Iron Man also received the transmission. The heroes joined up to take on the
Hulk until Thor discovered Loki's trick and ended the battle.
Seeing how well they worked together, the heroes banded together and
formed The Avengers. Iron Man, through his alternate identity as rich
industrialist Tony Stark, funded the team, provided them with high-tech
equipment, and donated his Manhattan mansion to serve as their headquarters.
Edwin Jarvis, Stark's butler, stayed on as the mansion's principle servant and
quickly became a valued friend, confidant and advisor to the group's many
incarnations. Stark sough out security clearance from the federal government,
but their original liaison, Agent Murch, as well as the general populace
weren't entirely sure of what to make of the group. It wasn't until they found
and thawed out Captain America that they earned their trust and respect.
Soon after, all the original remembers retired for various personal
reasons, leaving Cap to lead a team of former criminals; Quicksilver, Scarlet
Witch and Hawkeye. Eventually, however, each of the originals would return for
various intervals of service. A fluid membership became a constant theme with
the Avengers, many heroes enjoying both full and honorary membership. Despite
that, through rigorous training, each incarnation of the team came together and
managed to stop some of the most massive threats to the planet.
After Murch, the team had several government liaisons. Amongst them
was Henry Peter Gyrich, who was paranoid and imposed many restrictions on the
team; such as membership reduction and adding members like Falcon and Ms.
Marvel. After he was reassigned, Raymond Sikorsky came in and the team found
him easier to deal with until he ultimately betrayed them by leading a
government conspiracy against the Vision. Lifelong fan Duane Freeman was next,
but ultimately he was killed by the time-traveling conqueror Kang. Gyrich
returned, more humble than when he left, and served admirably as the Avengers
liaison to the United Nations.
The group's swelling membership led to the creation of the West Coast
Avengers led first by veteran Hawkeye. Rosters would include his wife
Mockingbird, War Machine, Thing, Moon Knight, USAgent, Firebird, Human Torch,
Living Lightning, Spider-Woman (Carpenter), Machine Man and Darkhawk.
Subsequent leaders, however, allowed the deterioration of the team and it was
forced to disband after the loss of personnel and resources.
When the threat of Onslaught arose, the heroes seemingly sacrificed
themselves in order to destroy him. In reality, they were transported to an
alternate Earth, dubbed later on as Counter Earth, created by the powerful mind
of Franklin Richards to save their lives. Things progressed there as they did
on the real Earth, and the heroes had no recollection of their true pasts.
Eventually, they returned and continued strong. With a massive reduction in
roster to more manageable levels, the team added New Warriors Justice and
Firestar.
Eventually, the Avengers were destroyed from within when an insane
Scarlet Witch turned against them. Hawkeye, Vision, Jack of Hearts and Ant-Man
(Lang) were apparently slain and Avengers Mansion was destroyed with Stark's
funds insufficient to rebuild all caused the remaining members to disband for
the greater good. Feeling the world needed the Avengers after a massive super
villain breakout as the prison known as the Raft, Captain America and Iron Man
decided to reform the team in secret without all the charters, press and
government connections. These New Avengers are Spider-Man, Luke Cage, the
original Spider-Woman, and eventually the Sentry, all instrumental during the
fight at the Raft. Daredevil, also present, declined membership due to his own
legal and identity problems. Wolverine was recruited during the team's first
mission into the Savage Land and later by Echo after a mission had taken them
to Japan. Once again, Stark had donated the top floors of his Stark Tower in
midtown, staffed as always by Jarvis, with most of the team residing.
Despite Cap's "full champion license" granted to him by the government
allowing him to form any team he deemed necessary for missions, there are those
in government positions that worry about a repeat of the Scarlet Witch
catastrophe and plan to either keep a close, secretive eye on the team or
destroy it. Only time will tell which it will eventually be.
At the present, the events of Civil War and conflicting personal philosphies
about the Superhero Registration act have split the team.
Thanks To:
Some of the above information is extracted from the various
versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent
Marvel Encyclopaedias.
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