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Speed
The Avenger: A mysterious teenager with the ability of super-speed (obviously), Tommy Shepherd was locked up for vaporising his high school. Then the Young Avengers sprung him out…
Team History: Speed became a member of the Young Avengers in the comic of the same name. Other members include Hawkeye (the leader), Marvel Boy, Miss America (see previous entry), Prodigy and Wiccan.
Movie Version: Speed hasn’t made it into cinemas yet, but with his past apparently tied up with Quicksilver, we’d place bets that he’ll make an appearance soon…
A-Bomb
The Avenger: The only person who knows Hulk’s true identity, Rick Jones is Bruce Banner’s trusted sidekick, who later transforms into the awesome A-Bomb, a Hulk-like superhero.
Team History: Rick becomes an honorary member of the Avengers when Hulk leaves. After a bit of a complicated sojourn in which Hulk tries to kill him, Rick becomes A-Bomb and joins the Avengers to help take down the evil Red Hulk.
Movie Version: We’ve yet to see a movie version of A-Bomb, but he would make sense for a stand-alone Hulk movie – if we ever get another one…
Black Bolt
The Avenger: An Inhuman with more powers than most Marvel superheroes combined, Black Bolt has his own special exo-suit that keeps his energy-manipulating powers under control.
Team History: Though Black Bolt has never been a regular team member, he did team up with the Avengers to take down Ultron in The Avengers #127.
He’s also set to become a key player in the upcoming third incarnation of the New Avengers.
Movie Version: There’s never been a movie version of Black Bolt, though considering the part he played in overcoming Ultron, we wouldn’t be surprised if he cropped up in Avengers 2.
Spectrum
The Avenger: Harbour Patrol Lieutenant Monica Rambeau transforms into Spectrum when a criminal scientist’s energy disruptor weapon messes with her genetics. Her powers include the ability to transform herself into different types of energy.
Team History: Spider-Man introduced Spectrum (while she went under the moniker Captain Marvel… oh, do keep up) to the Avengers, who trained her. She eventually became the team’s leader.
Movie Version: Spectrum’s powers are probably a little too out there for her to appear in movie form. That didn’t stop Electro from making it to the big screen, though, so maybe we’ll be forced to eat our words one day…
Mr Fantastic
The Avenger: Scientist Reed Richards was transformed into Mr Fantastic by cosmic radiation, which rearranged his DNA so that he could stretch his body. Think Stretch Armstrong, only brainier.
Team History: In the comics, when Reed and Sue Storm retired from the Fantastic Four, Mr Fantastic decided to enlist with the Avengers instead.
It didn’t last long – he butt heads with Captain America and missed being the one calling the shots all the time.
Movie Version: Miles Teller will play Mr Fantastic in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot directed by Josh Trank. Don’t expect an Avengers crossover, though – the FF rights still belong to 20th Century Fox.
Namor
The Avenger: Also known as the Sub-Mariner, Namor is basically the Aquaman of the Marvel-verse. He’s a citizen of the underwater world of Atlantis – and has the honour of being the comic’s first official anti-hero.
Team History: When he lost the Atlantis throne, Namor joined the Avengers (in 1985).
When the Avengers went to war against the X-Men, though, he allied himself with the latter instead – and was defeated by the Avengers.
Movie Version: The movie rights to Namor reverted back to Marvel this year after Universal failed to get its own water-logged project off the ground.
Which means it’s entirely likely we could see Namor in cinemas in the near future.
She-Hulk
The Avenger: Jennifer Walters is the lawyer cousin of a certain Bruce Banner. When Bruce gives her a life-saving blood transfusion, she transforms into the formidable She-Hulk. D’oh!
Team History: When the Avengers go up against the X-Men, She-Hulk sides with the former.
She became an Avenger in 1982 issue Avengers #221 and is now a member of the Mighty Avengers. Well, a superhero’s gotta eat.
Movie Version: Brigitte Nielsen briefly considered playing She-Hulk (so much so that she posed in her green, crazy-haired costume for promo stills), but the film never materialised.
If a movie version was ever created, we’d want Zoe Bell in the role. She certainly wouldn’t be afraid to tackle She-Hulk’s more rage-filled carnage scenes.
Wonder Man
The Avenger: Two decades after DC gave us Wonder Woman, Marvel gave us Wonder Man, a super-being powered by ion. He’s really, really strong. Just look at his arms.
Team History: Though he was introduced early on as an Avengers team member in The Avengers #9 in 1964, it wasn’t until 1977 that Wonder Man actually became a regular player in the comics.
He went on to become a founder member of West Coast Avengers before becoming a member of splinter group Mighty Avengers. Honestly, it’s hard to keep up…
Movie Version: Probably because of the problems with DC accusing Stan Lee of copyright infringement over the Wonder Woman/Wonder Man name similarities, we’ve yet to get a cinematic version of Wonder Man.
If anybody was going to play him, though, surely Iam Somerhalder fits the bill? He’s got the arms, at least.
Beast
The Avenger: A mutant normally associated with the X-Men, Hank McCoy aka Beast is a mutant with ape-like abilities. Also, he’s blue…
Team History: Beast becomes a provisional member of the Avengers in Avengers vol. 1 #137 before being given full membership.
He quickly bonds with Wonder Man and only occasionally leaves the team to help out the X-Men.
Movie Version: Though we’ve yet to see Beast in a Marvel movie, he’s appeared in the X-Men flicks, played by both Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Hoult.
Beast in the Avengers? Now that’s something we’d like to see.
