Why can't some Marvel heroes become Avengers?

[Alan2099]

I would think that 'in universe', Tony, Steve, Janet, and Thor (just off the top of my head) would control the name and licensing of the Avengers. I'd think that they would also control any type of usage of the name including: West Coast, Great Lakes, Young, etc. As for why can't some heroes become Avengers, I was about to go into a long rant and realized how intricate the process would actually be to make sure the term 'Avenger' means something and isn't taken for granted. Don't think I can answer this.

Traditionally (and keep in mind this may have changed when I wasn't looking) the Avengers are funded by the Maria Stark foundation which also handles most of their legal issues. Sometimes Wasp has been known to pitch in here as well.

Captain America legally owns the role of "Captain America" and was given all rights associated with it by the government. The government has also issued Cap a "Champions License" which means he can legally assemble teams of superhumans for the purpose of crimefighting whenever he wishes. (And this is yet another reason why Civil War never made sense.)

Thor (and sometimes Namor) has also assisted with funding by showing up with arms loads of gold at various points.

[Triniking1234]

Depends of what counts as official Avengers. Should the Savage Avengers, or the Avengers Resistance from Dark Reign era, or Osborn's Dark Avengers be considered as Avengers?

Hell no.

10char

[Digifiend]

I would think that 'in universe', Tony, Steve, Janet, and Thor (just off the top of my head) would control the name and licensing of the Avengers. I'd think that they would also control any type of usage of the name including: West Coast, Great Lakes, Young, etc. As for why can't some heroes become Avengers, I was about to go into a long rant and realized how intricate the process would actually be to make sure the term 'Avenger' means something and isn't taken for granted. Don't think I can answer this.

Steve's the figurehead, but Tony was traditionally the main funder. The foundation was named after his mother, after all.

Traditionally (and keep in mind this may have changed when I wasn't looking) the Avengers are funded by the Maria Stark foundation which also handles most of their legal issues. Sometimes Wasp has been known to pitch in here as well.

That changed in the ANAD era, the Maria Stark Foundation ceased to exist after Secret Wars. That's why Waid's team was unpaid and contained four rookies - Thor and Ms. Marvel's identities weren't even known to the whole team (Tony learned Kamala's and Sam Wilson learned Jane's, but they were never revealed to everyone else). Even Vision had a day job, as a government liaison (he would've needed the pay for a mortgage on that house he bought for his new family). In Jim Zub's brief Uncanny Avengers run, Human Torch, who'd joined the team because the Fantastic Four wasn't active, set up an Avengers Foundation, using money from the then-believed dead Reed's patents (the team needed new funding, as Deadpool, who'd previously funded the Unity Squad through merchandise income, had left the team). That foundation works pretty similarly to the old Maria Stark Foundation (but completely independently of the actual heroes, so wasn't affected when Johnny went back to the FF), and the other Avengers teams would merge with the Unity Squad soon after.

[Nomads1]

I remember an issue where before Namor becomes a hero that he was asked to be an Avenger when the original Avengers took their first break. In the Caps kooky quartet era. He declined them but talked about what an honor it was just to be asked. I miss those days. Some times the Avengers are like a Whos Who of Who is that?

I always wanted to read a What If? story telling that story. What if Namor had accepted the Avengers invitation? Also, What if the Avengers had successfully recruited the Hulk? (around the same time, at Iron Man's suggestion) would have been fun. Both would have completely changed the chemestry and power balance of the team.

I remember Daredevil said he couldnt be an Avenger because all the people so close to him over loaded his senses. I am not sure if that is the case or if he joined later. I know he teamed up with them a few times.

Matt became an Avenger near the end of Bendis's run.

Yeah, Bendis always had little regard for in-story or in-universe logic.

I would love to have an issue that's just the Avengers sitting down, and re-establishing their charter and by-laws and discussing them. They also need to address all these other Avengers spin-off teams that never really got approval.

I'd love to read that issue.

Peace

[ARkadelphia]

Hell no.

10char

Nailed it!

[James Cameron]

Yeaaaah. Just about everybody gets to be an Avenger. Once upon a time there was a big deal about The Avengers being an elite group. I remember especially a panel back in the Avengers Defenders event back in the seventies about how there have only been 14 Avengers. I miss the days when they were an elite Corp.If you’re familiar with my other posts on here, You might find that odd coming from me given how often I post in the Pick your Own Avengers dream roster thread. In fact, I used to post so often over there that several of our other members were driven mad and are now residing at Arkham. What’s Marvel to do? How would they ever keep the book Fresh without frequently adding new recruits? Maybe have a main set roster of up to 9 or 10 and then have a half dozen or so reservists to play substitute?

I always liked what Byrne established at the beginning of his run, where anyone who has ever been an Avenger is on-reserve and can be called in at any time

[K7P5V]

... and Flash as Agent Venom in Secret Avengers. Recruited by Steve Rogers.

Indeed. Here's proof...

I don't think Avengers membership needs to be this nearly unattainable holy grail of superherodom...but they do need to put in their dues and be established heroes before they get membership. Like the situation with Justice and Firestar. They both had long histories in the comics as heroes before they joined.

Agreed. They both logged-in their hours & earned it (IMHO):

[marvelprince]

Avengers started out with the Hulk, and their first expansion was with a geriatric , two mutie terrorists and a carnie thief. I always chuckle when I see things bout how the standards should be higher when you consider how it started.

[MichaelC]

Avengers started out with the Hulk, and their first expansion was with a geriatric , two mutie terrorists and a carnie thief. I always chuckle when I see things bout how the standards should be higher when you consider how it started.

Yup. The Avengers are just whoever Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor can draft to save the world from the latest invasion or whatever. Anything beyond that is just a public relations stunt to keep the planet calm.

[Sutekh]

Avengers started out with the Hulk, and their first expansion was with a geriatric, two mutie terrorists and a carnie thief. I always chuckle when I see things bout how the standards should be higher when you consider how it started.

And then they raised the bar by adding the likes of Moondragon (mind controls people to have sex with her), Swordsman (spy for the Mandarin), Starfox (see Moondragon) and Black Widow (spy, assassin, foreign agent)! As well as Namor, who was like, Dr. Doom, if Doom was *also* an America-hating mutie terrorist.

So, yeah. No wonder the government sent Henry Peter Gyrich to try and impose some quality-control standards.

[The Negative Zone]

I've read 300 of the original Avengers and personally if you're gonna add in new members, best to do by adding them in small numbers. Keep the majority as classic Avengers. The brand would feel more consistent than just a title.

[ARkadelphia]

Yup. The Avengers are just whoever Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor can draft to save the world from the latest invasion or whatever. Anything beyond that is just a public relations stunt to keep the planet calm.

Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor are not even mandated to make a team. The majority of lineups dong have all 3 at the same time. Whether there’s been a lineup with NONE of the three, though. I’d really have to think about.

[JudicatorPrime]

Yup. The Avengers are just whoever Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor can draft to save the world from the latest invasion or whatever. Anything beyond that is just a public relations stunt to keep the planet calm.

Makes me wonder which of the spin-off teams were official Avengers squads and which ones weren't. Marvel had to have known that readers would differentiate between the "main" team and the others, even if the characters were treated like there was no difference in the stories.

[Alan2099]

Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor are not even mandated to make a team. The majority of lineups dong have all 3 at the same time. Whether there’s been a lineup with NONE of the three, though. I’d really have to think about.

If you don't have any of the big three, then you have to have at least two of the following...

Hawkeye
Wasp
Hank Pym
Vision
Scarlet Witch

[Zero Hunter]

Avengers started out with the Hulk, and their first expansion was with a geriatric , two mutie terrorists and a carnie thief. I always chuckle when I see things bout how the standards should be higher when you consider how it started.

Thats dumb reasoning. It is what they have done since that has made them who they are. I hate the well way back in the 60's ... arguement. It is just people trying to be clever when it just makes them come off as Comic Book Guyish.

It did use to be a big deal to be an Avenger. Even when they would bring in some odd choices like Dr Druid or Silverclaw. Bendis ruined all that when he start just adding any big name character he could to his books to make them sell and appeal to the lowest common denomintor.