26 Years Ago, The Avengers’ Failed Adaptation Still Succeeded in Bringing This Beloved Roster Out of the Comics

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Disney+ is adding a new series called Wonder Man, scheduled to premiere in January 2026. Wonder Man isn’t a hugely popular character, so he’s probably not well-known outside of comic book fans. He did, however, have a notable appearance in the 1999-2000 animated series Avengers: United They Stand on Fox Kids, which followed the popularity of other animated Marvel shows like X-Men: The Animated Series and Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Although it shared creators and actors with popular cartoons, United They Stand only lasted one season with 13 episodes before being canceled. Today, it’s mostly remembered – if it’s remembered at all – for its costumes, which were poorly designed and seemed intended to promote action figures that never really took off. Despite its flaws, United They Stand is still significant for bringing attention to a group of Marvel heroes who often get overlooked.

Avengers: United They Stand Excluded Some of Marvel’s Biggest Superheroes

The original Avengers team, formed in 1963, included Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, and Wasp. Hulk was soon replaced by Captain America in the comics. The 2012 movie The Avengers featured a similar group, but with both Hulk and Captain America, and swapped Ant-Man and Wasp for Hawkeye and Black Widow. When fans think of the Avengers, they usually picture a mix of these heroes, and often include more recent additions like Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange.

The comic series United They Stand featured an unusual team of heroes: Ant-Man, Wasp, Hawkeye, Tigra, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Wonder Man, and Vision. This mix of characters seemed strange even when it was first released in 1999, as many weren’t well-known. Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made them popular, most of these heroes were considered minor characters. At the time, only Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch might have been recognizable to general audiences, as earlier versions of them had appeared in media.

The animated series United They Stand took place in the near future and presented a new version of the Avengers. This team followed a previous, more traditional lineup that included heroes like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, and Wasp. As a result, these new Avengers were seen as underdogs trying to live up to their predecessors. The show’s creators stated they deliberately excluded certain popular characters so as not to steal the spotlight. While this was partly the reason, difficulties securing the rights to use those characters also contributed. Ultimately, this unique team composition resulted in an adaptation of a less-familiar Avengers storyline.

Avengers: United They Stand Drew Inspiration From Hawkeye’s Avengers Team

The West Coast Avengers debuted in a four-part series in 1984, written by Roger Stern. Vision, having recently become an Avenger himself, thought a team based outside of New York would be better equipped to handle nationwide threats. He appointed Hawkeye to lead a smaller group operating from California. This new team included Mockingbird, Iron Man (with James Rhodes in the suit instead of Tony Stark), Wonder Man, and Tigra.

After the first series of West Coast Avengers proved popular, a new ongoing series began in 1985. The team grew beyond its original members, adding heroes like Ant-Man, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, and Vision. All of the original members from United They Stand joined the West Coast Avengers except for one. The early issues were generally fun and light, but the series later explored more serious and emotionally complex stories, which are still considered some of the team’s best and most important.

Issues #42 to #57 featured Scarlet Witch experiencing a mental health crisis and turning to villainy after losing Vision and discovering her children weren’t real – this storyline heavily inspired the Disney+ series WandaVision. The West Coast Avengers, despite changing members and a brief disbandment in 1994, continues to appear in comic books. A new series, starting in February 2025, will center on Iron Man and War Machine as they try to reform former villains, including Ultron, the main enemy from United They Stand.

Avengers: United They Stand Differed Substantially From the West Coast Avengers Comics

The main Avengers team, and other Marvel groups from the comics, have become really popular because of movies, TV shows, and video games. However, the West Coast Avengers haven’t gotten the same attention, which makes the series United They Stand stand out. Sadly, the show didn’t do a great job of representing the West Coast Avengers. For starters, the heroes weren’t actually based on the West Coast; they traveled all over the world, and this was made clear right away in the first episode.

The show made Ant-Man the team leader instead of Hawkeye, because Ant-Man and Wasp had been Avengers longer. Hawkeye was written as a grumpy, isolated character who often threatened to quit, a portrayal that actually felt more like the modern version of the character. This is surprising, considering how Hawkeye was depicted in the West Coast Avengers comics.

Despite the creators’ intention to keep the focus on the team’s lesser-known members, Captain America and Iron Man quickly became the highlights during their brief appearances. The series didn’t really succeed in making those lesser-known heroes more popular, as most of them didn’t gain significant recognition until they appeared in later Marvel Cinematic Universe films. In 2010, United They Stand was followed by a new series that featured a more well-known team: Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, and Wasp.

The West Coast Avengers Might Make Their Way to the MCU

We might see a version of the West Coast Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a team similar to the one in the ‘United They Stand’ comic series. Several potential members are already active heroes: Ant-Man, Wasp, Hawkeye, and Falcon (though a different person is currently playing that role). Wonder Man is about to appear in his own show, which will lead into a storyline called ‘Vision Quest’ that explains what happened to Vision after the events of ‘WandaVision’. While Scarlet Witch seemingly died in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, it’s likely she’ll return at some point, leaving Tigra as the only team member who hasn’t yet appeared in the MCU.

The MCU’s version of the West Coast Avengers doesn’t have to stick only to the heroes featured in the United They Stand comic series. Several other characters have been part of the team in the comics, like Moon Knight, U.S. Agent, Black Knight, and America Chavez. However, some of those heroes are already established with different teams within the MCU. Additionally, despite never being a member in the comics, it would make sense to include , given that both characters are based in Los Angeles, California.

The Avengers Are No Longer a Monolith in the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe could benefit from having multiple Avengers teams. Since the first Avengers movie, the number of superheroes has grown dramatically, and that trend will continue. It’s become unclear who exactly is an Avenger, and dividing them into smaller groups would make storylines easier to follow for both the writers and the audience. This would also allow for more frequent Avengers films without needing huge, expensive casts – and pave the way for events like Avengers: Secret Wars.

The Avengers are starting to divide into different teams. We’ve already seen this with the Thunderbolts, who are separate from the main Avengers led by Captain America (Sam Wilson). A new team, consisting of former Thunderbolts with more questionable morals, is also forming. A scene after the credits of The Marvels hinted at Kate Bishop and Cassie Lang joining a team, and there’s talk of a movie bringing together the MCU’s supernatural heroes in a Midnight Sons film. Plus, Marvel might finally create a proper West Coast Avengers team, learning from the mistakes of their previous attempt, United They Stand.

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2025-11-09 07:41