RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sources"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" recreates the cover of the very first "Spider-Man" comic book. Marvel Unlimited/Sony Pictures Releasing
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong since " Iron Man " in 2008.
But Marvel heroes have been around since as early as 1941.
We compared every Avenger (or honorary Avenger) in the MCU to their comic-book counterpart.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, for better or worse, sticking around through at least December 2028, with the release of " Black Panther 3 ," the long-awaited sequel to "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."
That'll mark 20 years of the MCU and at least 42 feature films.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. The latest film in the MCU is " Spider-Man: Brand New Day ," which hit theaters on Friday.
Since 2008, there have been at least 100 or so characters we think have a credible case for membership in the Avengers.
We've compiled a list of 111 characters we've been introduced to on screen and compared them to their original comic-book forms. Some are near-identical copies; others have been slightly altered for their live-action appearances.
Here's what every Avenger looks like on the page and on the screen.
Warning: This post contains spoilers from every Marvel Cinematic Universe property from 2008 to 2026, including "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."
Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, was played by Robert Downey Jr. for just over a decade, from 2008 to 2019.
Marvel Unlimited/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
First comics appearance: "Tales of Suspense No. 39" in March 1963
Main MCU appearances: "Iron Man," "Iron Man 2," "The Avengers," "Iron Man 3," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Captain America: Civil War," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame" as Downey Jr, and voiced by Mick Wingert in "What If...?"
Post-credit cameo: "The Incredible Hulk"
Gwyneth Paltrow played Pepper Potts, Tony's longtime assistant and eventual wife — and a superhero in her own right, Rescue.
Marvel Unlimited/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
First comics appearance: "Tales of Suspense No. 45" in September 1963
Main MCU appearances: "Iron Man," "Iron Man 2," "The Avengers," "Iron Man 3," "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame," and voiced by Beth Hoyt in "What If...?"
Here's what Rescue looks like in the comics and in "Avengers: Endgame."
Rescue. Marvel Unlimited/Disney
Pepper's still around in the MCU, with a name-drop in "Spider-Man: Far from Home," so she could make another appearance as either herself or Rescue in the future, if Paltrow wants.
Rescue made her comics debut in "The Invincible Iron Man No. 10" in May 2009.
Tony's other best friend, James "Rhodey" Rhodes (or War Machine or Iron Patriot), was played by Terrence Howard for the first "Iron Man" and then recast with Don Cheadle.
Marvel Unlimited/Paramount/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
First comics appearance: "Iron Man No. 118" in January 1979
Main MCU appearances: "Iron Man" (as Howard), "Iron Man 2," "Iron Man 3," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Avengers: Endgame," "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," "What If...?" and "Secret Invasion"
Post-credit cameo: "Captain Marvel"
Here's what War Machine looks like on the page and on-screen.
Marvel Unlimited/Paramount
Howard never got to play War Machine. During the first "Iron Man," he longingly looks at a suit and says, "Next time," which was more a nod to his comics canon at the time than a promise of a sequel. By the time "Iron Man 2" rolled around, he had been recast.
War Machine first appeared in "Iron Man No. 281" in June 1992.
Bruce Banner was originally played by Edward Norton, but was recast with Mark Ruffalo for all subsequent appearances.
Marvel Unlimited/Universal/Disney
First comics appearance: "The Incredible Hulk No. 1" in May 1962
Main MCU appearances: "The Incredible Hulk" (played by Norton), "The Avengers," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Thor: Ragnarok," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Avengers: Endgame," "What If...?," 'Marvel Zombies," "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law," and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" (played by Ruffalo)
Post-credit cameos: "Iron Man 3," "Captain Marvel," and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"
Here's his extremely famous, extremely green counterpart, the Hulk.
Marvel Unlimited/Universal/Disney
The Hulk hasn't actually been in every movie that Bruce has been in.
He doesn't show up in "Iron Man 3" or "Captain Marvel," is barely in "Avengers: Infinity War," and has completely reformed as "Smart Hulk" in "Endgame" — though he was back in his human form in "Shang-Chi" and "She-Hulk," temporarily, to help heal an injury he sustained in "Endgame."
The Hulk was a not-so-lean, green fighting machine once again in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" due to some psychic interference.
Scarlett Johansson was one of the longest-running Avengers. She made her debut as super-spy Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, back in 2010's "Iron Man 2."
Marvel Unlimited/Paramount
First comics appearance: "Tales of Suspense No. 52" in April 1964
Main MCU appearances: "Iron Man 2," "The Avengers," "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Avengers: Endgame," and "Black Widow" as Johansson, and voiced by Lake Bell in "What If...?"
Post-credit cameo: "Captain Marvel"
Florence Pugh made her debut as the new Black Widow, Yelena Belova, in "Black Widow."
Yelena Belova. Marvel Unlimited/Disney
First comics appearance: "Inhumans No. 5" in March 1999
Main MCU appearances: "Black Widow," "Hawkeye," "Marvel Zombies," "Thunderbolts*," "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," and the coming film "Avengers: Doomsday"
Red Guardian, the Soviet version of Captain America, also debuted in "Black...
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