In Marvel Comics, the Avengers team is constantly changing. Members will join and leave, take charge and give up command. It's always sad to see fan favorites leave the squad, but this has always opened up opportunities for new heroes to join, and given audiences the ability to explore them in a new light.
Some of the most powerful female Marvel heroes have been a part of the Avengers, often while also acting as a part of other teams—like the X-Men or The Fantastic Four—too. This shows the heroines' versatility and willingness to team up with a wide range of other great individuals.
Updated on November 23, 2022 by Stacie Rook: The MCU has gradually been bringing more female members of the Avengers to the screen, as shown in Disney+ shows like Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but in the comics there still remains a far larger variety of outstanding women who've spent time on the team, bringing to it their unique skills and strength.
Doreen Green (AKA Squirrel Girl)
Although she's a hero that's been used for comic relief over the years, Doreen Green has a powerful gift that goes beyond her ability to communicate with squirrels. As Squirrel Girl, she appears to be completely unbeatable.
Doreen has taken down Thanos, the best villain in the MCU, and faced insurmountable odds in many of her fights, yet she always comes out the other side victorious. It's an ability that no one can quite comprehend, but the hero has served on teams like the Great Lakes and U.S. Avengers as a pivotal player.
Janet van Dyne (AKA Wasp)
In Marvel Comics, Janet van Dyne was one of the Avengers' five founding members, and the only woman on the original team. Many know of her either in the context of the Avengers, or through her relationship with Ant-Man, but Janet has always been a character with strong morals and opinions, and she's never afraid to share them.
The Wasp has recognizable abilities; she's able to shrink to a tiny size and fly, as well as grow to giant proportions (though the latter she does with difficulty). Additionally, though, she's also very clever and determined. All of these skills resulted in her being a strong leader for the Avengers when the time called for it.
Laura Kinney (AKA X-23/Wolverine)
A mutant clone of the Wolverine, Laura Kinney had a difficult early life but became a true hero in spite of what she was created to be. She's served on a number of teams and has taken part in the Avengers Academy, and fought alongside the team in the Avengers Arena.
Although she has yet to serve on the main roster of the Avengers, it seems more likely that she will in the future now that she has taken on the mantle of Wolverine, and like her namesake, her claws and healing abilities make her an extremely lethal foe.
Brunnhilde (AKA Valkyrie)
Brunnhilde first became an Avenger as a part of the Secret Avengers team. Like all Valkyries, Brunnhilde possesses the attributes which benefit other Asgardians including extended life, greater strength, and increased durability. Additionally, she has an enhanced healing factor, but what makes her stand out further is the Valkyrie ability to perceive those who are in danger of dying.
Brunnhilde can transport herself and the dying (or the dead) without aid, and is one of the best fighters to come from Asgard. She's an excellent sword fighter, wielding the mystical blade Dragonfang, and an accomplished horseback rider, often flying into battle on a white-winged horse.
Julia Carpenter (AKA Spider-Woman/Arachne, Madame Web)
One of the best alternate versions of Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter also has a few other known aliases, such as Arachne and Madame Web. Her incarnation of Spider-Woman first appeared during Secret Wars, where she proved to be a vital member of the team.
Julia possesses a host of abilities that make her extremely dangerous to her enemies. Like others that have carried the Spider-Woman moniker, Julia has super strength, speed, agility, and stamina. She's also very durable, and has the accelerated healing so many heroes wish for. If that wasn't enough, Julia also has psionic abilities, which have served her well as a member of the West Coast Avengers.
Ororo Munroe (AKA Storm)
Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm, is a mutant with the ability to control the weather in many forms, and to a great extent. She is one of the most powerful X-Men, but is also a valued member of the Avengers.
While these teams keep her busy, heroes like Storm make time to join as many teams as possible, or so it would seem. Ororo is also an incredibly grounded person who has created strong ties with countless other Marvel characters, and has saved many more.
Angelica Jones (AKA Firestar)
Despite being a mutant, Firestar is actually well known for her partnership with Spider-Man and for her role as part of the Avengers. Starting as a supporting member, Jones was eventually granted full membership to the heroic team.
Her fiery powers are all based on energy manipulation and the character has grown in strength throughout her time in Marvel Comics. Her incredibly destructive power makes her very dangerous, though she puts it to good use on her team.
Jessica Jones (AKA Power Woman/Jewel/Knightress)
Jessica Jones is a hero who has carried many names. While most recently she's been a hero and private investigator under her own name, she's also used Power Woman, Jewel, and Knightress.
Jessica's most obvious superpower is super strength. While this sounds like a simple ability, Jessica has mastered her strength to combat any situation that comes her way. As a member of the Avengers, her skills always come in handy, particularly when the team is up against otherworldly threats.
Jocasta
One of Ultron's many creations, Jocasta is significant in that she rebelled against her former master and sided with the Avengers. She has worked alongside the team for some time and is a pivotal part of the Avengers Academy training program.
Aside from her protective armor, which is incredibly useful in battle, Jocasta is supremely intelligent and can use technology unlike any human. It is also impossible to replicate her abilities, making her one of the most unique heroes Marvel has to offer.
Monica Rambeau (AKA Photon/Spectrum/Captain Marvel)
Monica Rambeau is a superhero worth talking about. She's gone by many names, including Spectrum, Photon, and Pulsar, and she was also the first woman to use the Captain Marvel title. Monica gained her superpowers thanks to energy exposure, as opposed to birth, but that hasn't slowed her down.
Monica can transform into any form of energy, for which she has found countless uses. She's gained the ability to fly, turn invisible, and has even become immortal thanks to her powers. When in energy form, Monica has a unique trick, as those that can absorb energy can absorb Monica. The most well-known application of this was a Carol Danvers team-up, but Monica has also helped keep Vision alive by lending him her energies.
Wanda Maximoff (AKA Scarlet Witch)
Wanda Maximoff has one of the most complicated histories in the Marvel Universe, and while her family and love life are stories in and of themselves, her powers are also immense. Wanda has taken on many other names, but her best-known title is the Scarlet Witch.
As a member of the Avengers, Wanda has faced many unique threats, as the best Scarlet Witch comic books detail, but has also endured a lot of suffering. A greatly powerful sorceress, Wanda can warp reality with little more than her mind and her will, and although this can be a strong resource, it's also been a significant threat.
Jennifer Walters (AKA She-Hulk)
Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, is one of the strongest Avengers around, and this strength is not just limited to her physicality. Like many heroes, She-Hulk isn't the only alias that Jennifer has taken up, but it is her most famous.
Jennifer has many of the same abilities as the Hulk. However, until recently there was one major difference between the pair — Jennifer never lost her sense of self while in her Hulk form. Or at least, she rarely ever did. Having superior control as She-Hulk has allowed her to do more delicate hero work as an Avenger while greatly reducing the risk she posed to civilians nearby.
Jane Foster (AKA Mighty Thor)
Jane Foster wasn't an Avenger for very long, but while she was a superhero using the Thor identity (though many called her the Mighty Thor, for the sake of distinguishing her from Thor Odinson) she had a central role on the team.
Jane wielded all the powers fans have come to expect from Thor himself, but she seemed to have a greater connection to Mjolnir than Odinson ever did. Jane continued to fight as Thor, even when wielding Mjolnir was quite literally killing her, showing her determination and strength. In a more recent storyline, Jane has become a member of the Valkyries.
Greer Grant Nelson (AKA Tigra)
Although Tigra may not be able to match the powers of a hero like Jessica Jones or Squirrel Girl, she brings something unique to the team. Her cat-like abilities, expert hand-to-hand combat, acrobatic skills, police training, enhanced senses, and psychic protection makes her one of the most well-rounded Avengers.
What's more, due to the mystical origins of her abilities, the character may be capable of far more magic than anyone realizes, and was once even a contender to become the Sorcerer Supreme. Though often a supporting character, Tigra has been a very important part of the Avengers roster.
Carol Danvers (AKA Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel)
Carol Danvers has had a long and complicated history in Marvel Comics. She's currently known as Captain Marvel, but she's also carried names that include Binary, Ms. Marvel, and Warbird. Carol acquired her powers through an accident, gaining superhuman strength, durability, and so much more.
Through her powers she can fly, and is even protected in the vacuum of space. One of Captain Marvel's strongest features is her ability to absorb and manipulate power and energy. Carol has been a part of a few different incarnations of the Avengers, and at one point, she was even the leader of the team. More recently she's happily followed T'Challa's lead in the Avengers, and helped protect the world from all new threats.