Hopefully, you’ve already read Troy’s excellent “Who Should Be An Avenger?” piece over on the main site. (If not, go right ahead and read it now. Don’t worry, I’ll still be here when you get back.) One of the great things about the Avengers is that just about anybody you can think of could potentially be a member of the team. After Gilgamesh and Deathcry, it’s not like they could tell anyone “You’re just not good enough”. As good as Troy’s piece is, it only covers characters who have already been a part of the franchise. What about new recruits? Who else in the Marvel Universe is truly worthy of being one of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”? Here are my five picks for future members of the Avengers. Let me know what you think.

Nova: As a member of the Nova Corps and the New Warriors, as well as on his own, Richard Rider has saved the universe countless times, most prominently during conflicts with Annihilus and the Phalanx. He’s incredibly powerful, and would give the Avengers some much needed experience during their inevitable adventures in outer space. It’s time for the Human Rocket to move up to the A-List.

Storm: Ororo Munroe already has ties to the Avengers through her husband, the Black Panther. Besides that, her weather-controlling abilities make her one of the most powerful heroes on Earth. Additionally, she has leadership experience from her time in the X-Men, and is a ruthless hand-to-hand fighter from having to survive several years of combat after temporarily losing her powers. Obviously, she would be a tremendous asset to the Avengers. And really, doesn’t she just feel like an Avenger?

Thing and Human Torch: If Wolverine can be on the Avengers and approximately five different X-Men teams, why can’t Bic-Head and the ever-lovin’, blue-eyed Thing be in the Fantastic Four and Avengers? As of late, the FF have been portrayed as explorers more than superheroes, so joining the Avengers would give Thing and Torch a chance to be straight-up crime-fighters while Reed is fiddling in his lab and Sue is macking on Namor raising her children and running the family business. (Yes, I know Thing has already been an Avenger. But his stint wasn’t very memorable, and since this is my article and not yours, I’m not counting it.)

Jean Grey: Sure, she’s a long-time X-Man. And yeah, I guess she’s technically dead. But come on, she’s the Phoenix; her whole shtick is dying and coming back to life. So when she does eventually return, wouldn’t it be best for her to get away from all the baggage of her past with the X-Men? Look at it like this: Throughout her entire 40+ year history in comics (at least when she’s been alive), she’s basically been joined at the hip to Cyclops, either as his girlfriend or his wife. She deserves better than that, especially since Cyclops is a total a-hole. A fresh start in Earth’s mightiest heroes could be just what she needs.

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