Being an Avenger should mean more....

[Crimz]

While I can understand that point, as long as they have good chemistry with the teams they’re on and the storylines they’re in are written well, then I don’t really get selective over what teams they should or shouldn’t be on. I guess me looking at this as a consumer of entertainment has quite a bit to do with my view.

It's not about being on different teams, it's about joining the Avengers. Like if there is a newly created team not named the Avengers then that's fine, but putting prominent characters from other teams on an Avenger team feels like it dilutes both.
Like if they included someone like Gambit was put on an Avengers team then I'd be fine, but putting a member of the O5 in feels wrong. It would be better to create a new team without the Avengers name.

[babyblob]

I guess I just compare the Avengers to The Justice League. The Justice League has a select few members. It is considered an Honor to join their ranks. Dc makes it mean something. I just dont get that feel with the Avengers.

[Kaijudo]

"Best" or "greatest" heroes is all subjective. For some people, it means the most popular. For others, it means heroes traditionally associated with earlier versions the team, despite some of those characters not being super-popular among the fans.

Ultimately, it falls to whoever's doing the book to determine who's Avengers-worthy. If I'm writing the book and I can get the powers-that-be to sign off on a line-up including Sleepwalker, Frog-Man, and Tagak the Leopard Lord, then those characters are Avengers-worthy. Readers might not agree, but that's not Marvel's problem.

[Kaijudo]

I guess I just compare the Avengers to The Justice League. The Justice League has a select few members. It is considered an Honor to join their ranks. Dc makes it mean something. I just dont get that feel with the Avengers.

But the League has had a lot of "questionable" members over the years as well. Triumph, Vibe, Mys-Tek, General Glory, Bloodwynd, Maxima, Element Woman...none of them are screaming "iconic."

[BruceWayneJr.]

Bendis ripped out the meaning when he made them the Justice League.

The movies ripped out the meaning when they made them an arm of the US military.

I miss the old fraternity.

[Personamanx]

But the League has had a lot of "questionable" members over the years as well. Triumph, Vibe, Mys-Tek, General Glory, Bloodwynd, Maxima, Element Woman...none of them are screaming "iconic."

Yeah, if anything the Justice League has historically been less selective. Less of a set team, and more of a collective of heroes willing to help if/when needed.

[Crimz]

I guess I just compare the Avengers to The Justice League. The Justice League has a select few members. It is considered an Honor to join their ranks. Dc makes it mean something. I just dont get that feel with the Avengers.

That's the biggest difference. The Avengers aren't the Justice League, and Marvel isn't DC.

The Justice League is the pinnacle of superhero teams at DC, while fans may prefer others most would agree that they are the team. That's not the case with Marvel. They have several teams viewed the same way both in-universe and out.

[Snoop Dogg]

Before New Avengers, Busiek added kids and a member who was only accepted because of a PR debacle. Brian's additions were much more consistently more qualified even if they were financially motivated. Anti-hero Hulk was a founder. And yes, the Kooky Quartet was half teenage ex-terrorist. Your history and status can be put to the side for membership if you can get the job done, because the only consistent theme of this franchise is uniting to tackle emergencies no one can alone.

[Digifiend]

Exactly. That's how they're introduced. "There came a day when the Avengers assembled to fights the threats no single hero can" or words to that effect.

[Cap808]

Wasn't there a time when there were individuals known as, 'Avenger-In-Training'? I believe Rage, Firestar, and Justice, all fell into this category.

Never forget that the Legion of Super Heroes actually held tryouts.

[DrNewGod]

The real answer here, of course, is branding. When the movies began to hit, Marvel wanted to attach the name Avengers to as many properties as they could.

Like the OP, I always wanted to view The Avengers as an elite guild of the MU Earth's most esteemed (if not necessarily most powerful) heroic adventurers. As others have said, Marvel File 13ed that with their first major membership shakeup.

[dreyga2000]

Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver were all criminals when they first joined. Hulk was still very much considered a monster when he joined. Vision was created Ultron to destroy the team. Wonderman was used by Baron Zemo to attack the Avengers. Black Widow was a foreign spy.

The Avengers has always been a group accepted anyone willing to fight for good. The message here is that anyone can become a hero.

These people weren't made Avengers because they were the World's Greatest Heroes rather being an Avenger help make them the World's Greatest Heroes


You got the cause and effect backwards

[XPac]

That's the biggest difference. The Avengers aren't the Justice League, and Marvel isn't DC.

The Justice League is the pinnacle of superhero teams at DC, while fans may prefer others most would agree that they are the team. That's not the case with Marvel. They have several teams viewed the same way both in-universe and out.

I'd argue at this point the Avengers is considered THE team in marvel too. The gap between first and second might be a little wider in DC, but for marvel I think the Avengers are essentially considered the top of the food chain.

I think the biggest difference is that in DC are as a whole are probably treated better.

[Electricmastro]

It's not about being on different teams, it's about joining the Avengers. Like if there is a newly created team not named the Avengers then that's fine, but putting prominent characters from other teams on an Avenger team feels like it dilutes both.
Like if they included someone like Gambit was put on an Avengers team then I'd be fine, but putting a member of the O5 in feels wrong. It would be better to create a new team without the Avengers name.

I mean, the way I see it:

People like Wolverine want to do the right thing.

The Avengers want to do the right thing.

And you know what, I suppose that’s enough.

[Kaijudo]

I'd argue at this point the Avengers is considered THE team in marvel too. The gap between first and second might be a little wider in DC, but for marvel I think the Avengers are essentially considered the top of the food chain.

I think the biggest difference is that in DC are as a whole are probably treated better.

If we're talking about the Marvel Universe as a "real" place, then yes, I'd imagine the everyday perception of a Marvel Universe resident is that the Avengers are the top-tier group. But from the perspective of our world, it's really only become that within the last ten or so years. Before, they were runners up to the X-Men and even the Fantastic Four at different points in Marvel's publishing history.