Entertainment
15 Avengers From the Comics That Are Still Not in the MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into one of the biggest film franchises in history, but that doesn’t mean that it’s covered every single major Marvel hero there is to cover. In fact, a lot of heroes, Avengers specifically, have yet to make their way to the MCU and join the iconic team.
Whether they’ve been part of the main Avengers, the Secret Avengers, the West Coast Avengers, the Mighty Avengers, or any of the many other Avengers teams, dozens upon dozens of heroes have been part of Marvel’s flagship team. With the MCU seemingly moving forward with a soft reboot soon, and the inevitability that there will be more heroes introduced as the cinematic universe continues, these Marvel heroes will hopefully make their way to the live-action team soon.
15
Darkhawk (Christopher “Chris” Powell): The West Coast Avengers
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Never heard of Darkhawk? That’s not unlikely. Being a much smaller Marvel Comics superhero, Darkhawk has flown under the radar for quite some time. However, people who grew up in the 90s and knew of him then have become quite the cult following for the hero. He has a very unique and distinct design that makes him unmistakable in a room. Darkhawk found himself joining the West Coast iteration of the team in Avengers West Coast #94 (1993), which also happens to be the issue in which James “Rhodey” Rhodes rejoins the team and officially takes up the mantle of War Machine.
So, he’s getting a little overshadowed in his own big “joined the team” issue, but Darkhawk has suffered from conditions like this throughout his whole career. Nothing’s new there. The small group of fans who still remember him fondly think he’d be a super fun addition to the MCU. He has major roles in crucial Marvel stories like the big “Annihilation” crossover, and his transformation mechanic is very interesting and makes for fun combat and action.
14
Brawn (Amadeus Cho): The Mighty Avengers
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Amadeus Cho is one of the closest heroes here to be making his way to the MCU. Not only was his mother, Helen Cho (Claudia Kim), in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but he was featured in the alternate timeline series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Also known as Brawn, Cho can turn into a figure that looks very much like Hulk in visuals, with a similar power set.
He’s more arrogant than Bruce Banner, though, and, unlike most adaptations of Hulk, he maintains his mind when he transforms. This has given the Avengers team he’s been on, The Mighty Avengers, an edge in the sense that he has brains and strength in unison, kind of like how the MCU currently portrays Hulk. However, with Hulk returning to his “savage” form in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Cho could be perfect for not only joining the Young Avengers in the future, but filling that space that “Smart Hulk” is leaving.
13
The “Irredeemable” Ant-Man (Eric O’Grady): The Secret Avengers
Oh boy… Eric O’Grady. Also known as Black Ant, this Avenger has had a very infamous history in Marvel Comics. He’s a brash, unapologetically rude, chaotic, and all-around mess of a superhero in all of his appearances. This doesn’t mean that people don’t like him, though. In fact, a lot of people enjoy the chaos he brings, because it often adds a very fresh dynamic, like it did when he was on The Secret Avengers, joining in the first issue of the 2010 run, Secret Avengers #1 (2010).
Paul Rudd won’t play Scott Lang forever, meaning eventually, the world of the MCU will need a new Ant-Man-like figure. Lang is already a flawed hero, so who better to replace him than someone who is exponentially more flawed and could have a genuinely groundbreaking redemption arc on his path to earning a spot on The Avengers?
12
Storm (Ororo Munroe): The Avengers
Storm—real name Ororo Munroe—may commonly be known for being a pillar of the X-Men team, but she also has spent some time on The Avengers in her tenure as a hero. After the fall of the island of Krakoa, Storm decided to join the popular Marvel team as the “mutant representative” to provide a voice for the species in The Avengers.
In addition to that, it was Thor that personally requested she join the team, as a fellow thunder-based hero. Storm’s time on the team was refreshing, given she was a voice for mutants and helped The Avengers better accommodate to mutant-based threats and needs, something they weren’t as equipped to handle before her.
11
Firestar (Angelica Jones): The Avengers and The West Coast Avengers
Spider-Man fans will remember Angelica Jones, Firestar, for her famous protagonist role in the classic superhero television series, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. Firestar may seem just like a girl version of Johnny Storm, but that couldn’t be more incorrect. She’s seen as a very underrated and not utilized enough character that deserves more time in the spotlight.
Not only could she be a great addition to The Avengers in the MCU—who could use a fire-based hero of their own—but giving Spider-Man (Tom Holland) some pals to hang out with now that he’s, well, no one, would be super fun to see. Firestar is a great hero who, when written by the right writer, has a great story and characterization.
10
Agent Venom (Flash Thompson): The Secret Avengers
With the MCU Spider-Man films being some of the most financially successful superhero efforts of all time, it’s no secret that Marvel Studios is going to continue to invest in the character and his corner of the universe. Should they bring the Symbiote into the franchise via Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, or Avengers: Secret Wars, there’s a potential future where audiences get to see Agent Venom, aka Flash Thompson, come to life.
Despite this universe’s Flash Thompson mostly being a joke in the Holland films, there’s actually a ton of opportunity to make him into a more serious character who becomes a hero. Sending him to war and having him lose mobility in his legs, like in the comics, is the perfect way to do so. Then, give him the Symbiote, and Marvel has their next Spider-hero to use. Also, the MCU’s Flash, Tony Revolori, is actually a phenomenal actor and could most certainly pull this off.
9
Blade (Eric Cross Brooks): The Mighty Avengers and The Avengers
Blade, aka Eric Cross Brooks, is an incredibly popular Marvel hero, especially thanks to his classic films starring Wesley Snipes. With there being so much drama and delays behind the Blade movie set to take place in the MCU, fans have most likely lost the chance to see the vampire hunter on the big screen and team up with the Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
Wesley Snipes’ cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t necessarily count, and neither does the character’s involvement in Marvel Zombies, as he’s from a completely different universe in both. Fans have been waiting for a Blade movie for such a long time, with the last one coming out all the way back in 2004 with the less-than-beloved Blade: Trinity. Eric Brooks deserves his redemption, and if Marvel Studios would just lock in, he could get it.
8
Nova (Richard Rider): The Secret Avengers
Of all the Marvel characters that fans have been asking for to be in the MCU, Nova is one of the most requested. This cosmic hero may not seem like he’d be a member of the Avengers due to being, well, a cosmic hero, but he actually was part of the mysterious Secret Avengers in the Secret Avengers comic run.
Having Nova join up with the Avengers for a world-ending threat after being in space for a bit—maybe even teaming up with the Guardians of the Galaxy—would be such a fun idea. It would also help fill the void currently left in the cosmic side of the MCU now that the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy has ended. Nova genuinely feels like a no-brainer at this point.
7
Hercules Panhellenios: The Avengers and the Avengers Emergency Response Squad
While most well-known for his role in Greek mythology and the Disney animated movie Hercules, the character of Hercules Panhellenios is actually an Avenger in the comic books. The folks over at Marvel Comics changed his backstory so that, rather than dying, he was given godhood and, therefore, immortality.
Because he’s one of the greatest heroes of all time, he, of course, joined the Avengers. The hero of heroes has helped the Avengers on countless occasions and served as a tank/muscle for the team. Hercules has taken on and defeated the Hulk, Spider-Man, Quicksilver, The Destroyer, Thor, and even Sentry. If the Avengers are going to take on massive foes like Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) in the MCU, they’re going to need more firepower.
6
Captain Britain (Kelsey Leigh and Brian Braddock): The Avengers and the Secret Avengers
One of the most underrated Marvel characters is Captain Britain, a hero from the UK who is actually super awesome. His most known iteration is the Earth-833 variant, where he became Spider-Man as his superhero identity, but his canonical Earth-616 variant is even cooler. He also wields a sword and has a badass costume that would look amazing on screen.
If Marvel Studios is looking for a new super soldier-type to introduce to the new MCU, Captain Britain is a great choice for the cinematic universe. He would add a fun dynamic to the modern Avengers, which the MCU could really use. Adding a new international feeling to the team would also help them feel more of a worldwide force than they did before. Captain Britain’s origin is also somewhat magical, which would mean more of the mystical side of the MCU.
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