Avengers #6: Hawkeye

~Excerpt from Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (2011)

Over the course of Avenger History, the team has had a multitude of members with gracious amounts of power. From time to time, this has included members of omega-level potential (The Hulk and Sentry, for example, are considered extreme-powered threats). Surprisingly, though, one member who has showed the highest level of presence and malleability is Hawkeye AKA Clint Barton, and guess what? He's not superhuman at all.

Technically having no powers of his own, Clint is an expert marksman and highly trained with the bow, his trademark weapon in the field which he wields with deadly precision. As Hawkeye, he first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 (1964), but joined the team in Avengers #16, a newly adopted member at the same time as The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver (Together, they comprise the "Second Wave" of Avengers).

Clint Barton, though, is a cut above almost any Avenger; he seems to be a part of that metaphysical glue holding them together. He's also served in different guises for different reasons: For awhile, he became Goliath (Avengers #63, 1969) with the help of Dr. Henry Pym; later, he would adopt the mysterious mantle of Ronin (New Avengers #26 (2007), using all the weapons of previous Avengers in his adventures. At one point in his career, with the help of his (now ex) wife Mockingbird, he led the West Coast Avengers. (Edit Note: It's also worth noting that Clint likes to flirt and date the ladies of the team, too.)

If we know one thing about Clint, he'll forever be representation of those heroes arriving when the cry of "Avengers Assemble!" is uttered. His sharp wit and quick draw has led him to be an iconic foundation that the supergroup cannot do without.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avenger #7: The Scarlet Witch

 ~The Scarlet Witch, Avengers v1 #105 (1972)

Heralded by the trademark red bodysuit with the crimson headress, Wanda Maximoff is one of the few glamorous members having a past and future highly enriched in Avenger's history. Her twin brother is Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver, and her former husband was the synthezoid known as The Vision. Although her background comes from her mutant powers, born from her father Magneto, Wanda rose to prominence as the Avenger called The Scarlet Witch in Avengers #16 (1965).

Much like her blood relatives, The Scarlet Witch debuted in the X-Men comics (Issue #4, 1964), joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a quest to take over the world. But from the beginning, readers recognized that she was a kinder personality, having little towards the design of mutant superiority. To resolve that conflict, Marvel sent her and her brother off to the United States to become the newest Avengers under Captain America's leadership.

The Scarlet Witch is currently one of the most transformative figures in the Avenger's history books; her exploits and powers of magically altering probability rival those of The X-Men's Phoenix, which can be witnessed in the Avengers vs. X-Men event. Single-handedly destroying her supergroup in the Avengers Dissembled story event, Wanda also removed most of the mutants from the world. Thereafter, she was thought dead, but surfaced in the Avengers: The Children's Crusade series.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avenger #9: Quicksilver

Never taking a major role among Earth's Mightiest Heroes, one man, a mutant gifted with the ability to move at blinding speeds, has spent a majority of his career with the supergroup and been a constant presence throughout the Avenger's franchise. His name: Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver, an imposing, silver-haired mutant, and he was added to their roster in Avengers #16 (1965).

Pietro's adventure wasn't always one of a hero...and this is well-known to Avenger's fans; with his twin sister, Wanda (aka The Scarlet Witch), the misguided souls were tricked into joining The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, a team organized by Magneto back in X-Men #4 (1964). Coupled with his super-fast running, their mission was to raise mutants to superiority over the human race. This ended very quickly, though, when the two showed less than villainous motives.

Quicksilver has had on and off relationships with The Avengers, but over time he has been recognized as a presence that consistently returns to their ranks of membership. Not only is he one of their earliest members, but he is their trademark speedster. He has also embarked on numerous appearances with other heroes such as Spider-Man and The X-Men, but always winds up back at Avengers Mansion. (Partly because his sister also played a major role in the group.)

Currently, Pietro has slowed down and is now working side by side with Dr. Hank Pym, another member of the supergroup. He can be seen teaching these young students in the Marvel comic book series Avengers Academy.


The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!