The Avengers are various teams of superheroes that have headlined in The Avengers and related comic books series published by Marvel Comics. Over the decades, the Avengers are featured as a rotating line up of a large number of characters.
According to various handbooks, members of main team of Avengers, first iteration of West Coast Avengers, the New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Captain America / Hawkeye led black ops Secret Avengers, Avengers Unity Squad and Avengers A.I. are considered official Avengers.
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The founding members formed the main team of Avengers in response to a threat of Loki in 1963.
In 1984, the first division of Avengers led to the creation of the West Coast Avengers.
In 2005, the New Avengers were formed due to a mass break-out at a supervillain prison, the Raft. The New Avengers chose not to comply with superhuman registration as opposed to the government formed/sanctioned team the Mighty Avengers in 2007.
In 2010, the black ops team of Secret Avengers was created. After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men in 2012, Captain America created Avengers Unity Division by recruiting members from both Avengers and X-Men. In 2013, Hank Pym led the team of Avengers A.I.
After the events of Blood Hunt in 2024, Captain America created the Avengers Emergency Response Squad.
Characters granted honorary status for acts of great courage, sacrifice and affiliation with Avengers.
Members of various iterations of Avengers in Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Many characters were removed from the list that were previously included because their respective teams (A-Force, Avengers Idea Mechanics, Occupy Avengers, Savage Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. led Secret Avengers, Ultimates, U.S. Avengers and the second iteration of West Coast Avengers) were declared as not officially sanctioned Avengers by handbooks even if they had affiliation or used their name.