My favorite movie podcast, Filmspotting, does a lot of Top 5s, and they have something called The Pantheon. This is is a list of movies that they and everyone else love and would very likely be on almost every Top 5 they come up with, so Pantheon movies are accepted as given classics and ineligible for Top 5 consideration in order to keep things fresh.
Which is my way of saying that, like Jamie and Mario did on their lists, I excluded Cap, Iron Man, and Thor from my list because if the Avengers have a Pantheon, there is no question that is it.
1. Hawkeye - He makes a nice counterpoint to Cap: he's the other guy with no powers and a weapon (though his is offensive to Cap's defensive one) he's laidback, has an easy sense of humor, is quick to anger, and willing to cheat to win (like Matt, I think Hawkeye's carny trick to cheat the Grandmaster is a real highlight... one of my favorite moments in all of Marvel history, in fact). And lots of good character building through the years, going to the hothead with something to prove to a capable leader in his own right (though still a hothead).
2. Wasp - Besides being the heart and soul of the team, she had the most character growth by far, going from man-crazy teen hostage to being one of the most effective leaders they ever had. The Avengers: ETM reminded me how much I missed her as a character, and I really hope one of the early happenings in Marvel Now is her return/revival.
3. She-Hulk - Considering Shulkie was created to just characterize on a copyright, she has really come into her own as a character that is wholly different than the idea that spawned her, and a lot of that came about from her various stints as an Avenger. It's a nice inversion of the idea of a team's "tank" when it's a woman, and a smart and funny one to boot. Plus, she acts as a bridge between the Avengers, the FF, and the Hulk family of characters, and it's that kind of interconnectedness that really makes the Marvel Universe into the Marvel Universe rather than just a bunch of books put out by the same publisher.
4. Beast - I really like it when the smartest guy in the room is also the funniest. The X-books always seem to make Hank so dour. In the Avengers, he gets to cut loose. Plus, he's another of those inter-team bridges that I just got done saying I like so much.
5. Hercules - I've long appreciated the contrasts of Hercules. He's heroic, but also pretty selfish. He's loyal, but he's likely to run off after the first woman to catch his eye. He will pummel you into the ground, but he'll appreciate the fight and if you show any honor at all, he'd probably buy you a beer afterward.
Honorable mentions: Ms. / Captain Marvel - Carol Danvers was really misused and abused for a long, long time. Glad to see her really come into her own since House of M.
Hank Pym - Particularly in his jumpsuited days w/ the West Coast Avengers and as the new Wasp in Dan Slott's too-brief Mighty Avengers run.
Scarlet Witch - Sometimes I think they make her way too powerful, but I love that her power is really the ability to alter probability. It's not just magic, but really nerdy magic.
Jocasta - More for the look of her than anything... just an awesome android design.
Black Knight - A childhood favorite, mostly because he was the Guy with a Sword (and that bad ass "atomic steed" he rode around on for a while) and just looked really cool. It was fun to see him used again in Captain Britain and MI13 a few years back.
First of all shame on the other geeks for letting Brian get away with putting Spider-man on a list of Avengers. Brian I love ya and I love Spider-man too but he's about as much an Avenger as Wolverine, Daredevil, or Sentry. Legitimate to some but a shame and obvious money grab to me and others. Luke Cage gets a pass for me because he's the only "new avenger" that doesn't bring in new characters just from being on the cover. Shane I'm surprised you didn't speak up on this one. Oh and Jamie, you cheater, ;-) Give us a real list with 5 characters won't ya.
OK enough picking on you guys here's my list. Like Jamie I've been a lifelong Avengers fan (until Bendis anyway) and chose the characters I get the most excited about seeing in the book over the years.
5. Thor. I love both the classic and Eric version (not Thunderstrike) of the character. Big Norse god with awesome powers and fun to read speech pattern. Oh yeah I should mention he needs to be in his classic costume to make my list although I do like the full armored look from the late 80's.
4. Beast. Monkeyboy bouncing blue beast, not lionking beast. Nothing better than my favorite mutant earning his spot on a team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
3. Captain Marvel [Monica Rambeau]. I know she's changed names a few times but she'll always be "cap" to me. When I was a kid one of my first back issues I got at a yard sale featured Monica (an unknown character to me at the time) leading the Avengers then years later she was given leadership position during Operation: Galactic Storm. Loved the character ever since.
2. Hawkeye. Good ole' brer Hawkeye. He works as a mouthy malcontent as well as a team leader. Plus he shoots arrows!
1. Captain America [see Jamie this is how you do a list ;-) ] My favorite character and "best" Avenger.
Honorable mentions:
Herculese-A combo of Thor, Hawkeye, and your favorite slightly inappropriate uncle.
Justice-If I were a character in the Marvel Universe I'd be Vance. Hero worship of Captain America and the Avengers to my detriment until I finally calm down enough to make the team.
Hank Pym-purple/red jumpsuit he wore in WCA. Don't know why but I always loved that simplified version of the character.
Tigra-One of my first Avenger books also featured Tigra and for some reason a cat lady in a bikini spoke to me.
Scarlet Witch-non crazy leader version. I really like her attitude/costume/power level from Force Works.
Vision-classic version or emotionless white, still a cool character.
I'll stop there before I list every character ever on the roster.
First of all shame on the other geeks for letting Brian get away with putting Spider-man on a list of Avengers. Brian I love ya and I love Spider-man too but he's about as much an Avenger as Wolverine, Daredevil, or Sentry. Legitimate to some but a shame and obvious money grab to me and others. Luke Cage gets a pass for me because he's the only "new avenger" that doesn't bring in new characters just from being on the cover. Shane I'm surprised you didn't speak up on this one.
Point of clarification - I am Brian, but it was actually Shane who picked Spider-Man as his number three.
5- Hawkeye: I like how an underpowered guy holds his own, even under ridiculous suspension of disbelief. Favorite panel is when he shoots arrows at Absorbing Man who simply absorbs a tire and they bounce off him. But in that same era he took down Warbird on his part-time job.
4- Wonderman: Love his tortured past, his issues with the Vision and Scarlet Witch, his friendship with the Beast. favorite panel is when he and Beast are drunk on the streets of Manhattan in the early am and they run into Red Ronin.
3- Scarlet Witch: Love the non-sensical Hex powers. Love her costume, her family tree so ripe for back stories with Magneto, High Evolutionary and anybody else she is affliated with. favorite panel is when she wrecks the Blob in Avengers Annual 10 with beautiful Michael Golden art. I do not know how the Hex power manifests itself but that panel captures it prfectly.
2- Captain America. He is the First Avenger after all. I love how he was not on the original team but so clearly defines the Avengers. I associate the Avengers with America indistinguishable in my eyes. I do not know if that was the intention but it the effect after 40 years. Favorite panel is when he wont break in Under Seige easily the best Avengers story.
1- The Vision- What an incredible costume, great power set with an equally messed up family tree. My favorite panel is in the first Vision Scarlet Witch mini-series when he burns his own arm off after disabling Nuklo. That's some tough sh*t to do and sticks with me 30 years later. That first 4 part mini is one of my favorite stories ever. It defines Marvel's inter-connectedness for me and I guess that is one of the reasons I love Marvel
Some editorial comments. As a 43 year comic fan I am far too steeped in my own past to ever consider the Thing, Black Widow, Daredevil and Spiderman as Avengers. I hate the Avengers Assemble mentality to match the books to the movie world and shoehorn in Natasha. I can live with a Secret Avengers team where characters like her would fit in nicely but it just does not feel right with certain characters so readily identifiable as Avengers. Yes, yes I realize they always had a revolving door and I love that about them but I really do not care for Bendis stuff of the past few years in terms of membership. Personal preference yes, but I like what I like and Avengers issue 150-200 is my run.
I just decided that my five favorite Avengers are...
Luke Cage Spider-Man Dr Strange Daredevil Black Widow
...with Dr Pym, the Protector, Gilgamesh, Firebird and Justice as my runners-up. Because these five get the most reaction out of fans, more than any other combination of Avengers.
Wow, man! As soon as I saw the title for this episode, I knew it would be tough for me to come up with a list. Soo....I will just name the ones I "grew up" with (Volume 1 issues 41 to 65) as a teen! The MEMBERS prominent in those issues were Goliath, Wasp, Hawkeye, and then Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Cap was a member at that time but he, Thor and Iron Man were "away" most of the time. Soon, because of Magneto, Quicksilver and Wanda would leave (issue 49) and new blood, Black Panther and Vision, would soon come in. So, my top five are: 1. Hawkeye (in Cap's absence he was basically leading the team) And that "H" on his purple cowl is just AWESOME!! (mimicking Cap's "A"?) Street-level, as Matt and Bryan mentioned: I think in one issue (maybe 43?) he went into a bar looking for information on Black Widow and just turned the place out (after getting kicked out initially, but then he went for his arrows!). 2. Goliath (I just loved that blue and yellow or purple and yellow costume the way Buscema drew it! And how he could still shrink down to ant-size sometimes). 3. Wasp: Even though she kind played the damsel-in-distress role at that time I could see that she was "growing" heh-heh...Hank increased the power of her stingers and she would come up with cool ways to outwit opponents. I was really glad when she became chairman/leader in later issues. 4. Black Panther: Well, I'm not sure that I'm buying that Christopher Priest re-telling of why BP joined the Avengers, but it's okay. It was still bad-ass how he took out the Grim Reaper to save the other Avengers in issue 52! (Hmm, did Jamie spoil the Christopher Priest story for Pants? I think so a little bit) 5. Vision: I didn't know what to make of this character when I first saw him (issue 57, which was outside Janet Van Dyne's window? Peeping Tom, stalker? )...but after getting to know his powers and how artists seem to love to draw him (both Buscema and Colan seemed to love drawing his cape!), I think he's fantastic! I'm glad to see him back!
Loved the episode. It was interesting to hear everyone's top Avengers, even if Jamie D cheated. lol
Here's mine:
1. Hawkeye 2. Iron Man 3. Captain America 4. Spider-Man 5. Ms. Marvel (Danvers)
Honorable mentions go to:
Spider Woman Thor Beast Luke Cage Vision Scarlet Witch Wasp
Yeah, I know, my list isn't classic, but I really enjoyed Spidey on the team, and Hawkeye just belongs on the Avengers for me. Was never a huge Cap or Iron Man fan, but I can't really imagine the Avengers without either of them.
Comments
And Jocasta!
Which is my way of saying that, like Jamie and Mario did on their lists, I excluded Cap, Iron Man, and Thor from my list because if the Avengers have a Pantheon, there is no question that is it.
1. Hawkeye - He makes a nice counterpoint to Cap: he's the other guy with no powers and a weapon (though his is offensive to Cap's defensive one) he's laidback, has an easy sense of humor, is quick to anger, and willing to cheat to win (like Matt, I think Hawkeye's carny trick to cheat the Grandmaster is a real highlight... one of my favorite moments in all of Marvel history, in fact). And lots of good character building through the years, going to the hothead with something to prove to a capable leader in his own right (though still a hothead).
2. Wasp - Besides being the heart and soul of the team, she had the most character growth by far, going from man-crazy teen hostage to being one of the most effective leaders they ever had. The Avengers: ETM reminded me how much I missed her as a character, and I really hope one of the early happenings in Marvel Now is her return/revival.
3. She-Hulk - Considering Shulkie was created to just characterize on a copyright, she has really come into her own as a character that is wholly different than the idea that spawned her, and a lot of that came about from her various stints as an Avenger. It's a nice inversion of the idea of a team's "tank" when it's a woman, and a smart and funny one to boot. Plus, she acts as a bridge between the Avengers, the FF, and the Hulk family of characters, and it's that kind of interconnectedness that really makes the Marvel Universe into the Marvel Universe rather than just a bunch of books put out by the same publisher.
4. Beast - I really like it when the smartest guy in the room is also the funniest. The X-books always seem to make Hank so dour. In the Avengers, he gets to cut loose. Plus, he's another of those inter-team bridges that I just got done saying I like so much.
5. Hercules - I've long appreciated the contrasts of Hercules. He's heroic, but also pretty selfish. He's loyal, but he's likely to run off after the first woman to catch his eye. He will pummel you into the ground, but he'll appreciate the fight and if you show any honor at all, he'd probably buy you a beer afterward.
Honorable mentions:
Ms. / Captain Marvel - Carol Danvers was really misused and abused for a long, long time. Glad to see her really come into her own since House of M.
Hank Pym - Particularly in his jumpsuited days w/ the West Coast Avengers and as the new Wasp in Dan Slott's too-brief Mighty Avengers run.
Scarlet Witch - Sometimes I think they make her way too powerful, but I love that her power is really the ability to alter probability. It's not just magic, but really nerdy magic.
Jocasta - More for the look of her than anything... just an awesome android design.
Black Knight - A childhood favorite, mostly because he was the Guy with a Sword (and that bad ass "atomic steed" he rode around on for a while) and just looked really cool. It was fun to see him used again in Captain Britain and MI13 a few years back.
1 Gilgamesh
2 Ant-Man II
3 Lionheart
4 Jack Of Hearts
5 Invisible Girl
You could probably squeeze Mister Fantastic in there as well...
Runner Ups might be...
Magdalene
Swordsman
Swordsman II
Deathcry (technically not an Avenger, but I liked her)
Rage
Oh and Jamie, you cheater, ;-) Give us a real list with 5 characters won't ya.
OK enough picking on you guys here's my list. Like Jamie I've been a lifelong Avengers fan (until Bendis anyway) and chose the characters I get the most excited about seeing in the book over the years.
5. Thor. I love both the classic and Eric version (not Thunderstrike) of the character. Big Norse god with awesome powers and fun to read speech pattern. Oh yeah I should mention he needs to be in his classic costume to make my list although I do like the full armored look from the late 80's.
4. Beast. Monkeyboy bouncing blue beast, not lionking beast. Nothing better than my favorite mutant earning his spot on a team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
3. Captain Marvel [Monica Rambeau]. I know she's changed names a few times but she'll always be "cap" to me. When I was a kid one of my first back issues I got at a yard sale featured Monica (an unknown character to me at the time) leading the Avengers then years later she was given leadership position during Operation: Galactic Storm. Loved the character ever since.
2. Hawkeye. Good ole' brer Hawkeye. He works as a mouthy malcontent as well as a team leader. Plus he shoots arrows!
1. Captain America [see Jamie this is how you do a list ;-) ] My favorite character and "best" Avenger.
Honorable mentions:
Herculese-A combo of Thor, Hawkeye, and your favorite slightly inappropriate uncle.
Justice-If I were a character in the Marvel Universe I'd be Vance. Hero worship of Captain America and the Avengers to my detriment until I finally calm down enough to make the team.
Hank Pym-purple/red jumpsuit he wore in WCA. Don't know why but I always loved that simplified version of the character.
Tigra-One of my first Avenger books also featured Tigra and for some reason a cat lady in a bikini spoke to me.
Scarlet Witch-non crazy leader version. I really like her attitude/costume/power level from Force Works.
Vision-classic version or emotionless white, still a cool character.
I'll stop there before I list every character ever on the roster.
Oh yeah and Silverclaw!
5- Hawkeye: I like how an underpowered guy holds his own, even under ridiculous suspension of disbelief. Favorite panel is when he shoots arrows at Absorbing Man who simply absorbs a tire and they bounce off him. But in that same era he took down Warbird on his part-time job.
4- Wonderman: Love his tortured past, his issues with the Vision and Scarlet Witch, his friendship with the Beast. favorite panel is when he and Beast are drunk on the streets of Manhattan in the early am and they run into Red Ronin.
3- Scarlet Witch: Love the non-sensical Hex powers. Love her costume, her family tree so ripe for back stories with Magneto, High Evolutionary and anybody else she is affliated with. favorite panel is when she wrecks the Blob in Avengers Annual 10 with beautiful Michael Golden art. I do not know how the Hex power manifests itself but that panel captures it prfectly.
2- Captain America. He is the First Avenger after all. I love how he was not on the original team but so clearly defines the Avengers. I associate the Avengers with America indistinguishable in my eyes. I do not know if that was the intention but it the effect after 40 years. Favorite panel is when he wont break in Under Seige easily the best Avengers story.
1- The Vision- What an incredible costume, great power set with an equally messed up family tree. My favorite panel is in the first Vision Scarlet Witch mini-series when he burns his own arm off after disabling Nuklo. That's some tough sh*t to do and sticks with me 30 years later. That first 4 part mini is one of my favorite stories ever. It defines Marvel's inter-connectedness for me and I guess that is one of the reasons I love Marvel
Some editorial comments. As a 43 year comic fan I am far too steeped in my own past to ever consider the Thing, Black Widow, Daredevil and Spiderman as Avengers. I hate the Avengers Assemble mentality to match the books to the movie world and shoehorn in Natasha. I can live with a Secret Avengers team where characters like her would fit in nicely but it just does not feel right with certain characters so readily identifiable as Avengers. Yes, yes I realize they always had a revolving door and I love that about them but I really do not care for Bendis stuff of the past few years in terms of membership. Personal preference yes, but I like what I like and Avengers issue 150-200 is my run.
Luke Cage
Spider-Man
Dr Strange
Daredevil
Black Widow
...with Dr Pym, the Protector, Gilgamesh, Firebird and Justice as my runners-up. Because these five get the most reaction out of fans, more than any other combination of Avengers.
Ms Marvel
Hawkeye
Spider-Woman
Cap
Hank Pym
You guys should do a Top 5 Duos next (like Batman & Robin, Hawkeye & Mockingbird, etc)
From The Avengers #57 The Visions first appearance
1. Captain America (Steve Rogers)
2. Hawkeye (Clint Barton
3. Vision
4. Thor
5. Iron Man
True
But only on the CGS forum we can discuss it and it will stay a discussion and not a bunch of name calling.
Anyways, my top 5 Avengers would be:
1) Captain America
2) Hawkeye
3) Vision
4) Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell)
5) Hank Pym (in all his versions)
Honorable mentions: Ms. Marvel, Iron Man, and Black Knight
So, my top five are:
1. Hawkeye (in Cap's absence he was basically leading the team) And that "H" on his purple cowl is just AWESOME!! (mimicking Cap's "A"?) Street-level, as Matt and Bryan mentioned: I think in one issue (maybe 43?) he went into a bar looking for information on Black Widow and just turned the place out (after getting kicked out initially, but then he went for his arrows!).
2. Goliath (I just loved that blue and yellow or purple and yellow costume the way Buscema drew it! And how he could still shrink down to ant-size sometimes).
3. Wasp: Even though she kind played the damsel-in-distress role at that time I could see that she was "growing" heh-heh...Hank increased the power of her stingers and she would come up with cool ways to outwit opponents. I was really glad when she became chairman/leader in later issues.
4. Black Panther: Well, I'm not sure that I'm buying that Christopher Priest re-telling of why BP joined the Avengers, but it's okay. It was still bad-ass how he took out the Grim Reaper to save the other Avengers in issue 52! (Hmm, did Jamie spoil the Christopher Priest story for Pants? I think so a little bit)
5. Vision: I didn't know what to make of this character when I first saw him (issue 57, which was outside Janet Van Dyne's window? Peeping Tom, stalker? )...but after getting to know his powers and how artists seem to love to draw him (both Buscema and Colan seemed to love drawing his cape!), I think he's fantastic! I'm glad to see him back!
Here's mine:
1. Hawkeye
2. Iron Man
3. Captain America
4. Spider-Man
5. Ms. Marvel (Danvers)
Honorable mentions go to:
Spider Woman
Thor
Beast
Luke Cage
Vision
Scarlet Witch
Wasp
Yeah, I know, my list isn't classic, but I really enjoyed Spidey on the team, and Hawkeye just belongs on the Avengers for me. Was never a huge Cap or Iron Man fan, but I can't really imagine the Avengers without either of them.
Black Knight
She-Hulk
Hercules
Captain America
Vision
My list (without cheating):
Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Beast (Hank McCoy)
Black Widow (Natasha Romanov)
Hercules (Heracles)
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
My list of most ridiculous 5 ever:
Silverclaw
Stingray
Rage
D-Man
Triathlon