It's a timeless question typically heard any time you put any two comics fans together in a room: "Who would win..." It's fun to theorize whether or not one character would win a fight against another, but we're evolving the question: who would win, the Avengers of Marvel's comics, or their movie universe?
We're aiming to find out, so for simplicity's sake in answering this question, only the core six Avengers from the first Avengers film will be included and pitted against their comics counterparts. Each hero will be compared to themselves, with the determined winner counting in their teams' favor.
Hawkeye: Comic Version Wins
Starting with Hawkeye, it might seem at first glance that the comics and film Clint Bartons are evenly matched. When your main abilities involve being highly skilled with a bow and arrow, it doesn't seem like there would be much else that would tip the scales one way or the other. However, comics Hawkeye does utilize an impressive hover bike that we've yet to see MCU Hawkeye use, if he ever will.
Furthermore, MCU Hawkeye unfortunately has a more limited time on screen than most heroes, meaning he hasn't had nearly as much time to develop and display his abilities nearly as much as Barton from the comics (hopefully the upcoming Hawkeye series on Disney+ will show more). For now, the point goes to comics Hawkeye.
Black Widow: It's a Draw
Moving on, there's Black Widow. Both characters are evenly matched when it comes to their abilities and strengths. Both are well-accomplished spies, very effective at espionage and covert operations. They're both used to making hard and morally complex decisions that might cause pause for other heroes. The tools and tactics they use are pretty similar as well. With that in mind, it's a tie for Black Widow, which should actually be satisfying for fans of the character. It means that her film adaption honors the source material quite well.
Hulk: Comic Version Wins
Next we have the Hulk, and spoiler alert, comics Hulk definitely wins. A lot of it has to do with Bruce Banner's evolution in Avengers: Endgame. In Endgame, Bruce Banner figures out how to retain his intelligence while still having the body of the Hulk. However, it does seem as though his size and strength are somewhat limited.
While a merging like this is something that comics Bruce Banner has accomplished multiple times, he typically reverts back into the more raging monster Hulk that's most commonly thought of. It's also important to note that the angrier Hulk gets, the stronger he becomes. For MCU Hulk, that's seems like it's harder to do, given Bruce Banner's more gentle and calmer personality. It does seem like Professor Hulk is the new status quo going forward.
Thor: Movie Version Wins
Thor the God of Thunder takes on Thor the God of Thunder next. Both are crucial assets to their respective Avengers teams, both wielding the hammer Mjolnir and the Power of Thor. While both have been unworthy of the Power of Thor at some point in their careers, both have regained it. However, the recent Thor: Ragnarok film should be considered when thinking about who would win in a fight. In Ragnarok, Thor loses his hammer, and it seems as though his powers are diminished. However, he discovers that he doesn't need the hammer to be the God of Thunder.
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Wielding an impressive amount of intense lightning sans hammer seems like a pretty big win for MCU Thor. Not to mention in Endgame when he wields the lightning alongside Mjolnir and new axe Stormbreaker. Furthermore, the title and power of Thor has changed hands over the years to different characters in the comics, with varying levels of strength and power. In comparison, the Thor title has remained with the original God of Thunder in the films thus far (though that could change with the upcoming Love and Thunder film). For the time being, that consistency could be considered an additional strength in MCU Thor's favor. While it's close, MCU Thor gets the point.
Captain America: Movie Version Wins
While a fight between MCU Captain America and MCU Captain America was shown in Endgame, would comics Captain America win the day against the film version? Both use that iconic shield and benefit similarly from the Super Soldier Serum. However, it seems as though there's a lot more strength given to MCU Cap from the Serum.
While comics Steve Rogers transforms into a human in peak physical condition, MCU Cap's strength definitely goes beyond that, being able to hang onto moving helicopters and holding back the strength of Thanos, the Mad Titan himself. With that in mind, MCU Cap takes down comics Cap.
Iron Man: Comic Version Wins
Last, but certainly not least, is Tony Stark, the Invincible Iron Man. Both Starks use their vast wealth to fashion arsenals of highly advanced suits to protect the world. Both take advantage of similar technologies such as nano-tech, and ARC Reactor defensive capabilities. They both have a desire to think forward and prepare for any and all worst-case scenarios.
That being said, it's hard to determine a winner. However, when you think about how many years and arcs Tony Stark has had in the comics, and how much time he's had to invent and create when compared to MCU Tony, you have to imagine that comics Tony would most likely pull through and find a way to be victorious. The point goes to comics Tony.
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After counting up the score, the Comics Avengers take down the MCU Avengers! While the MCU Avengers do have strengths with film Cap and Thor winning and a Black Widow tie, it does make a certain amount of sense that the Avengers in the comics would still dominate overall. After all, the film Avengers are based off the comics versions and they've been around for decades longer, giving them more time to explore new abilities and develop more strengths that the film versions have had. Have different thoughts? There's so many angles to look at when determining any "who would win" argument. Let us know in the comments below!