The Avengers have always had a leader, someone who can devise a game plan for the team and often serves as the liaison with the United States government. This is how the Avengers differed from other superhero teams because, instead of just being a group of heroes banding together or a family of heroes, these heroes worked as a team under the supervision of the government. While they fought the battles that needed to be fought, they still had to answer to government authorities, and that is where the leader truly stood out, as they were the face of the team in such cases. They also had to fill in vacant spots, determine who to keep on as reserves, and maintain peace between some of the biggest egos in Marvel Comics.
From some of the biggest names in Marvel Comics, such as Captain America and Iron Man, to visionaries like the Wasp and renegades like Hawkeye, the Avengers’ leaders have always stood out, but some are better equipped to lead a team than others.
10) Vision
One might think that a synthezoid like The Vision could be a perfect leader, as strategizing could be executed flawlessly with him in charge. However, the problem is that, as a robot, Vision has no empathy and can barely understand human emotions. A leader needs to be someone who does more than make a battle plan. They need to get their team to work together and understand where their weaknesses and strengths lie in terms of teamwork. However, that isn’t why Vision was such a poor leader of the Avengers.
Vision briefly became the Avengers’ leader, and during his tenure, he committed some terrible acts. Vision did some good things, such as creating a system that allows regular members to take time off and enables reserve members to step in when needed. He also formed the West Coast Avengers. Then, it all went wrong. He began to believe that he needed freedom from government oversight and manipulated government agent Henry Peter Gyrich to facilitate this. Vision felt he needed to have a cabinet position and a say in world affairs. Finally, in Ultimate Vision, he crossed the line and connected himself to computers worldwide, beginning a hostile takeover of the world. By the time Vision surrendered, he cost the Avengers their national security clearance and forced them to disband.
9) Hank Pym
Hank Pym was an original Avengers member as Ant-Man. He also served as a member, using the names Giant-Man and Yellowjacket. However, his tenure came to an end as the latter character when he suffered a nervous breakdown and committed several crimes in an attempt to portray himself as a better hero. Eventually, Hank had his redemption and became an ally of the Avengers once again, although it was rarely as a costumed superhero.
In one of his instances of returning as a hero, he assumed the identity of The Wasp to honor his ex-wife, who had died during the Secret Invasion. This led to him forming a Mighty Avengers team with Jocasta, a robot created from Wasp’s brainwaves. During his tenure as Avengers leader, Hank didn’t accomplish much that was notable. Still, he did establish the Avengers Academy, which helped mentor teenagers Norman Osborn had used during his time in control of SHIELD.
8) Black Widow
Black Widow was the leader of the Avengers during a dark time in the team’s existence. This made her the perfect leader, as she was someone who could effectively deal with teammates who had serious issues. Natasha took over in Avengers (Vol. 1) #348 after Captain America quit the team, following their decision to kill the Kree Supreme Intelligence. Captain America was strongly against murder, and since the Avengers crossed that line, he felt he couldn’t work with them anymore.
Black Widow had several moments during her tenure that shattered the team. The team traveled to California and forcibly disbanded the West Coast Avengers, which led to several members rejecting the team outright and forming a new team called Force Works. One of the most devastating moments was when Iron Man betrayed the Avengers in The Crossing, where Tony Stark admitted to always being a double agent. Finally, Widow’s time as leader came to an end when Onslaught killed her entire team, along with the Fantastic Four.
7) Hawkeye
Hawkeye has never played well with others. However, this made the moment when he was offered the leadership position of the West Coast Avengers such a great moment. This gave Clint a chance to prove himself as a leader, and what resulted was an entertaining comic with his team of Avengers working in California. Hawkeye brought together Iron Man (James Rhodes), Mockingbird, Tygra, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and more to become one of the most dysfunctional and entertaining Avengers teams of all time.
However, Hawkeye’s team ultimately fell apart when the regular Avengers arrived and voted to disband his group. This caused most of his teammates to quit on the spot; some formed a spinoff team called Force Works, while others refused to associate with the Avengers at all. However, none of this was Hawkeye’s fault. He did a great job building and running this team, and he proved why he was the perfect person to lead the Thunderbolts years later when they needed someone to help turn their lives around.
6) Iron Man
Iron Man is an original Avengers member, and he has been the leader of the team more than once. Initially, he secretly funded the team, as his teammates at the time were unaware that he was also Tony Stark. He was also there to help facilitate their government deals. He did serve as the permanent chairperson for some significant victories, including overseeing the iconic Korvac Saga. However, the Avengers suffered a substantial beating during that particular battle.
He was at his lowest as the leader, though, when he allowed the National Security Council to take control of the Avengers leadership position and fire half of the heroes on the roster. Iron Man himself finally had to quit the team and surrender his position when he was accused of murder. He also gets points counted off because, after he was no longer the leader, Iron Man betrayed the team and became a full-fledged villain in The Crossing. He also betrayed many of his teammates during both Civil War storylines, losing the trust of many friends.
5) Black Panther
Black Panther took over as the Avengers leader in Avengers (Vol. 8) #8 and served in the position until he left the team in issue #55. T’Challa had previously served as a rotating chairman, but this role gave him the chance to make his mark on the team. It was Black Panther who chose to move the team to its new base of operations inside the frozen body of a Celestial at the North Pole. He also created a new support squad for the team, known as the Agents of Wakanda.
However, Black Panther also brought problems with him. He is a natural leader, as the actual king of a nation, but he is also someone who struggles when anyone voices dissent, which happens a lot in the Avengers. He also caused a long-time enemy to arrive to torment the team, in the form of Namor. He also caused problems with the U.S. government, which was not pleased that a non-American led the Avengers, even though they were no longer based in the United States.
4) Sam Wilson
Sam Wilson not only took over the role of Captain America from Steve Rogers, but he also assumed the leadership of the Avengers. This occurred in All-New, All-Different Avengers #1, published in 2015. The Avengers were not together at this time, and Sam Wilson spoke with Tony Stark about the possibilities. They decided to reform the group, and then Sam took over as leader. What he did next was to bring the team into the future.
Sam Wilson is the man who decided to bring in teenage heroes Kamala Khan, Miles Morales, and Nova as members, and this allowed the new team to have a voice for the youth, since people like Stark, especially, were slightly out of touch with what people expected of their heroes in the modern day. They had big adventures against villains like Kang. However, Sam’s most significant failure as the Avengers team leader was to be the man in charge when Steve Rogers turned into a Hydra agent and took over the United States government.
3) Carol Danvers
Carol Danvers has always struggled to find acceptance in Marvel Comics. Even with Captain America telling her she should become Captain Marvel, many people refused to accept it. When she becomes a stronger hero, there are still people who won’t accept her as one of Marvel’s greatest. That is likely why she doesn’t get as much respect as she deserves as the Avengers leader.
When Captain Marvel became the full-time leader of the Avengers, she set out to change how they operated. She assembled an iconic team featuring Sam Wilson’s Captain America, the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, Thor, Iron Man, and Black Panther. Early in her tenure as leader, she was sent out of time and space and met a Kang who was on the verge of death. He gave her information about her future, and the Avengers became a team that was able to save countless lives by knowing when disasters were going to happen.
2) Wasp
Fans have to go back a long way to see why Janet Van Dyne, The Wasp, is considered one of the best Avengers leaders in history. Before Wasp, it was primarily men who led the team. Early comic book writers created characters like the Wasp to be vapid, preferring to discuss shopping and clothing over fighting battles. That changed when Wasp finally became the team leader and proved that there was a lot more to her than just shopping and style. She was an original Avengers member and deserved the chance to lead the team.
Wasp took over as the leader in Avengers (Vol. 1) #217, and this was a tough time in her life. Her husband, Hank Pym, had a mental breakdown and was about to be court-martialed. Aside from Captain America, no one served as the team leader longer than Wasp, and she led the team to greatness, bringing in more powerful female members and participating in storylines like the original Secret Wars. She was the leader during the team’s most embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Master of Evil, but almost no one was better than Wasp in leading the Avengers.
1) Captain America
Captain America is considered the greatest leader of the Avengers in history. He wasn’t an original member, as he was still frozen on ice when the team formed. However, he was the first new member to join the team, and once all the founders took a break, he became the leader and formed a new team with rehabilitated villains. He then served as the permanent chairperson on seven different occasions, leading a powerful mix of heroes throughout the team’s history.
Probably his best moments came in that first lineup he created, when he took Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Black Widow, and Hawkeye and proved that even misunderstood villains could be heroes. Captain America also led the team during the Avengers’ World era, when the team expanded to its largest size, and he still managed to hold things together. He had his down moments as a leader, but his accomplishments dwarf anything that happened during his tenure. There is no Avengers leader better than Captain America.
The post The 10 Best Avengers Leaders, Based on Experience appeared first on ComicBook.com.
