10 Totally Underrated Avengers Created by Marvel’s Own Stan Lee

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Stan Lee’s name has been attached to some of Marvel’s most popular and celebrated superheroes, many of whom would become members of The Avengers. In canon, the Avengers aren’t exactly an exclusive club, but not just any hero can join their ranks. For some, it takes decades before they finally join The Avengers, and for others, they might never get the invite to join.

While the Avengers continue to rotate members, there is still a core lineup of familiar faces that consistently appear. This highlights how difficult it is for just any hero to make the team. That is especially true for classic characters originally created by Stan Lee. With that kind of legacy comes high expectations. As the Godfather of Marvel, Stan Lee was responsible for creating some of the most powerful Avengers in the team’s history. Behind those usual all-star faces, however, is a large group of Avengers that many fans tend to overlook. Here’s a list of ten of the most criminally underrated Avengers created by Stan Lee.

10

Jane Foster’s Thor Succeeds In Everything She Attempts

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #84 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek

Dr. Jane Foster is a character who has existed for 62 years, but it is only in recent memory that she’s made the transition to being a superhero. A fateful cancer diagnosis coinciding with Thor’s unworthiness deemed Jane eligible to take Mjölnir for herself, and his mantle with it. She proved worthy of carrying Thor’s legacy side-by-side with him rather than merely replacing him.

As Thor, she’d notably become a part of the All-New Avengers. Eventually, her time as Thor came to an end, but today, she maintains hero status as the new Valkyrie. Few superheroes manage to thrive in whatever role fate hands them, but Jane Foster is one of them. She has been a physician, a love interest, a galaxy-traveling hero, and sometimes all three at once.

9

The Wasp Deserves More Credit as a Founding Avenger

First Appearance: Tales to Astonish #44 by Stan Lee, H.E. Huntley, Jack Kirby, Don Heck, and Art Simek

Despite being one of the founding members of the Avengers, people tend to forget that The Wasp even exists sometimes. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why or how she’s fallen out of favor with readers and Marvel’s top brass, but there was once a time when The Wasp was prioritized among the team’s most pivotal characters in her early days. Her solo books are often short-lived, and these days, fans are lucky if she even makes a cameo. What’s most disappointing about Janet van Dyne being so overlooked is that she’s arguably the most versatile member of the Avengers.

Janet doesn’t just confine herself to superhero business. She has also dedicated her time to being a fashion designer, socialite, secret agent, and, more recently, a private investigator. Janet’s a jack of all trades, and any super-team would be lucky to have her on board.

8

Quicksilver Is an Avengers Journeyman

First Appearance: X-Men #4 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Artie Simek

In sports terminology, Quicksilver would be considered a journeyman in the Marvel Universe. A journeyman is someone who moves from team to team without staying in one place for too long. While he’s most commonly associated with the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants under Magneto, he often finds himself working with the Uncanny Avengers. He’s also spent time with the Inhumans and X-Factor.

As in sports, being a journeyman can make it easy to overlook Quicksilver, especially when he rarely stays with one team long enough to fully define his place. It doesn’t help that he’s almost always a supporting character rather than a lead. Still, the best journeymen play their role to perfection, and this speedster is no exception.

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery Annual #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, Stan Goldberg, and Sam Rosen

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe still struggles to figure out how to integrate him after Thor: Love and Thunder’s cliffhanger, Hercules Panhellenios is already a standout Avenger in the comics. He’s currently part of the Avengers Emergency Response Squad, meaning that when the world faces a worst-case scenario, Hercules is one of the first heroes called in during times of global crisis. He proved long ago that he’s more than just a Thor stand-in, having defeated the God of Thunder in combat and earned his place as a hero in his own right.

When it comes to raw physical power, Hercules ranks among the strongest superheroes ever to join the Avengers. That makes him an invaluable asset to the team. Especially after the beating he once gave Thor, the hero community is lucky that Hercules is fighting on their side.

6

Beast Is More Dedicated to the Avengers Than the X-Men

First Appearance: X-Men #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Sam Rosen

It’s ironic to think that, as one of the original five, Beast is hailed as one of the best X-Men, but one of the most overlooked Avengers. Henry “Hank” McCoy’s time with the X-Men is so substantial that it’s difficult not to associate him with the mutant super-team. As a consequence, people tend to forget that he had his own accomplishments within the Avengers, which deserve equal praise. For all intents and purposes, a case can be made for Beast being a better Avenger than an X-Man.

After all,his X-Men run ultimately ended with an unfortunate turn to villainy.Meanwhile, Henry remained so committed to the Avengers that, during the infamous AvX battle, he opted to side with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. X-fans may not be a fan of Beast’s decision, but choosing the Avengers re-shapes his connection to the franchise.

5

Sandman Earned the Respect of the Avengers’ Leader

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #4 by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and Sam Rosen

The journey of Flint Marko (a.k.a. William Baker) is one of the most fascinating in Marvel history, largely because he’s flipped between hero and villain so often. While switching sides is nothing new in the world of comics, what sets Sandman apart is his remarkable success on both ends of the spectrum. As a villain, he’s not only one of Spider-Man’s first villains but also his most recurring. As a hero, however, his redemption led him to become a reserve member of the Avengers.

What’s most impressive about Sandman’s turn to the light is that Captain America personally vouched for him. Not every hero on Earth-616, even those within the Avengers, has earned Steve Rogers’ unwavering respect, but surprisingly, Sandman has.

4

Crystal: A Key Member of Both the Avengers and the Inhumans

First Appearance: Fantastic Four #45 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, and Artie Simek

Crystalia Amaquelin is most notable for being a member of the Inhuman Royal Family. Her relationship with her sister, Medusa, was what first introduced the Inhumans to the Marvel Universe, initially positioning them as antagonists to the Fantastic Four. Given that she was essentially used as a vehicle to introduce a larger set of characters into Marvel history, it’s easy to view Crystal as more of an afterthought. However, Crystal’s connections to the Avengers and her impressive psionic powers deserve a re-evaluation of her significance.

She allied with the Avengers after the Inhumans were attacked, seeking their assistance. This alliance proved fruitful, leading to a permanent membership. Her time with the Avengers also sparked a steamy romance with Black Knight, which would go on to become an integral part of the franchise.

3

Hawkeye Is the Heart of the Avengers

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #57 by Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Sam Rosen

Hawkeye has remained one of the most prominent members of the Avengers, but is often overlooked. It’s not because there’s anything inherently wrong with Clint Barton; rather, a skilled agent armed with only a bow and arrows, but no superpowers, doesn’t seem as exciting on paper compared to his more powerful peers. That being said, despite some viewers considering him useless, there’s a reason Hawkeye is an Avenger.

He compensates for what he lacks in powers with consistency and willpower, earning the privilege of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gods and all-powerful beings. No mere human could earn that privilege without proving their worth, and Hawkeye has done so time and again. In many ways, Hawkeye is the heart of the Avengers. As the glue that holds the team together, his role is crucial to their success.

2

Swordsman’s Journey from Faux Hero to Loyal Avenger

First Appearance: Avengers #19 by Stan Lee, Don Heck, Dick Ayers, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek

Jacques DuQuesne isn’t a name that immediately springs to mind when it comes to Avengers lore, but he’s one of the franchise’s most significant figures, given that he can claim one of the strongest redemption arcs in Marvel history. Upon his debut, he was a supervillain pretending to be a hero on orders from The Mandarin to infiltrate The Avengers as his mole against Iron Man. The career criminal joined the team hoping for a high-paying job, but in time, he had legitimately fallen in love with being a hero.

Once he’s found out, his sincerity in asking to rejoin the Avengers warmed the collective heart of the team, turning him into an ally. His redemption arc was complete when he sacrificed his life to Kang the Conqueror in an attempt to save Mantis’ life. Swordman’s Marvel appearances have been sporadic since then, but fans hope for a comeback ASAP.

1

Two-Gun Kid Is Marvel’s Most Forgotten Avenger

First Appearance: Two-Gun Kid #60 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek

Two-Gun Kid may be one of the most obscure names in the Avengers’ alumni, as he’s not a character frequently used today compared to when he first debuted. In fact, the original iteration of the character has long been retconned in modern mythos. Two-Gun Kid first appeared on comic book shelves as Clay Harder in 1948, during the era when Marvel Comics was still known as Timely Comics. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby took over the title, Clay Harder was reimagined as a fictional dime-novel character whose in-universe tall tales inspired Matthew Hawk to become the Two-Gun Kid of his time.

When a battle with Kang the Conqueror took the Avengers to the Old West, they became fast friends with Hawk, who returned to the present with them to join the team. Gaining the Avengers’ trust and impressing them enough to earn a membership solidified Hawk as one of Marvel’s fastest-rising and most underrated heroes.

“}]] Stan Lee’s greatest Avenger creations.  Read More