Comic book fans can be incredibly critical about any adaptation of our favorite series, and whether or not a film is comic-accurate can sometimes determine whether the film will be applauded or ignored. The The Avengers.
Today we are going to take a look at how the big-screen Avengers were supposed to look based on their comic book appearance.
IRON MAN
Robert Downey Jr. kicked off the MCU with 2008's Iron Man as the larger-than-life billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, and the look of his character was ripped straight from the comics, including the tightly groomed goatee that had become a staple of the character for years.
Iron Man's armor was also fairly comic accurate, with the first bulky grey version soon replaced by a sleeker red-and-gold design, though the movie armor advanced much quicker than the comics version.
NICK FURY
Nick Fury also appeared in 2008's Iron Man to tease the Avengers and a larger shared cinematic universe, with Samuel L. Jackson portraying the role of Marvel's super spy. Jackson's casting as Fury was both incredibly comic accurate and wildly different, as the original comic Fury was an aged white soldier.
However, when the Marvel universe was re-imagined and updated with the Ultimate universe, Fury was given a new look by artist Bryan Hitch that was based on none other than Samuel L. Jackson.
HULK
The MCU took a few attempts to find its footing initially, which has resulted in a couple of different Hulks over the years. Edward Norton's Bruce Banner appeared in 2008's The Avengers and additional films.
Each Hulk was modeled after the respective Banner, and we've seen the green Savage Hulk and the smart Professor Hulk versions in the films.
BLACK WIDOW
Scarlett Johansson is set to reprise her role as Natasha Romanoff/Iron Man 2. The character matched her comic book counterpart's appearance the most in her first outing, as her S.H.I.E.L.D. costume closely replicated her comic outfit.
Johansson's Black Widow would evolve her look throughout the Avengers films, though the costume from the solo film is a close match to her white comic suit.
THOR
Chris Hemsworth first appeared as Marvel's Thunder God in 2011's Thor, though there were a few big differences from the character's first comic appearances. Hemsworth definitely looked the part (though his hair was lightened considerably for the first film) and his costume was based on the comic outfit from superstar artist Olivier Coipel.
The biggest detail missing from the film's take was Dr. Donald Blake, a human form that Thor was bonded to in his earliest comic appearances on Earth.
CAPTAIN AMERICA
When the blond-haired and blue-eyed Steve Rogers was transformed into Captain America in the comics, he became a 6'2" powerhouse who fought in World War II and later alongside the Avengers. Chris Evans was a 6' brunette who bulked up considerably for the role, and his hair was lightened slightly in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers.
Cap's various film costumes were each based on suits from the comics, though the MCU versions were given a real-world touch that better suited the character.
HAWKEYE
While most of the MCU's Avengers appeared in costumes similar to their mainstream comic counterparts, Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton/Hawkeye (who first appeared in Thor) has never adopted any version of his comic costume, which was colored purple and had an angled mask that covered half of his face.
Instead, Renner's Hawkeye was based more on the tactical look Barton used in the Ultimates run that also inspired Fury's MCU design, though the Ronin costume that appeared in Avengers: Endgame was fairly comic-accurate.
SCARLET WITCH
Wanda Maximoff/ Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Wanda's WandaVision series has teased the original comic costume briefly.
SPIDER-MAN
Tom Holland put on the webs as Avengers: Infinity War. While the MCU Spider-Man is definitely inspired by the comics version, there are a number of differences in the costume design that helped bring it more in line with its MCU beginnings.
Another big difference is that Spider-Man never actually ed the Avengers in the comics until 2004's New Avengers when he ed the team as an adult with years of experience.
CAPTAIN MARVEL
Carol Danvers/Ms. Marvel.
Carol's look continues to be based on her more recent comic appearance, including the short hair that first appeared on the big screen in Avengers: Endgame.
