Netflix’s “The Defenders” finally brings Marvel’s “street level” super hero team to television, but the four leads aren’t the only Marvel characters who’ve staffed the group. In the comics, The Defenders have had dozens of incarnations over the years — fitting since the team is defined by its lack of organization. No bylaws, just a convenient team-up of whoever is available whenever something needs stopping, even if the team doesn’t like each other. Here’s who has signed up as an official team member since the comic’s 1971 debut.
(Note: We’re not counting those who joined the team for a single battle in the 1970s, the so-called “defenders for a day.”)
Jessica Jones
Marvel’s cynical detective/drunk is the most recent addition to the comic-book Defenders, making her team debut in June, 2017 in a version that includes Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, just like the Netflix series.
Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
It’s highly unlikely we’ll ever see him on TV, but the version of the growing/shrinking hero played by Paul Rudd in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a member of the 7th comic book incarnation of The Defenders, starting in 2012.
Black Cat
The former cat burglar-turned on-and-off-again Spider-Man girlfriend was a member of the 2011 version of the team.
Red She-Hulk
Another member of the 2011 team, Betty Ross (Bruce Banner’s love interest), made use of her recently-acquired Hulk-like super powers.
Loa
The teen mutant was a member of the underwater Deep’s Defenders, striving to liberate an occupied Atlantis.
Lyra
Another member of the Deep’s Defenders, she’s inherited her powers from her father, the Hulk. (The Defenders love having Hulks around.)
Warlord Krang
This Jack Kirby/Stan Lee supervillain is also a mercenary. He joined a version of the Defenders that was originally assembled by Tony Stark, called, The Initiative.
Paladin
Another mercenary member of The Initiative.
Junta
Another Initiative mercenary, Junta debuted in the “Black Panther” comics.
Atlas
This supervillain-turned-nominal hero was recruited for the mercenary version of The Initiative
Colossus
The invincible Russian was a member of The Initiative when it was still run by Tony Stark. Sadly, he didn’t team up with Deadpool.
Blazing Skull
A member of The Initiative assembled by Tony Stark, Blazing Skull is a very old Marvel character, debuting back in 1941.
Ardina
A counterpart to Silver Surfer, she was recruited to fight The Order, a version of The Defenders that went rogue and tried to take over the world.
Red Raven
An associate member of The Defenders-gone-bad team, called, The Order.
Drax the Destroyer
Long before he was a Guardian of the Galaxy, Drax hooked up with a lot of Marvel heroes, including Secret Defenders, the 1990s version of the team launched in 1993.
Deathlok
Another Secret Defender.
Dagger
One-half of the superhero team Cloak & Dagger, she has light-based powers and was a Secret Defender.
U.S. Agent
This guy once replaced Captain America before establishing his own off market brand of super patriotism. Also, he’s a Secret Defender.
Cadaver
Another Secret Defender.
Sepulchre
Another Secret Defender.
Deadpool
Even the Merc with the Mouth was a Secret Defender. Too bad Fox owns his movie rights.
Doctor Druid
Doctor Strange recruited this magician to lead the Secret Defenders after he stepped down.
Nova
The spacefaring hero (and friend to The Guardians of the Galaxy) was a Secret Defender.
Northstar
Marvel’s first openly gay superhero was also a Secret Defender.
War Machine
Yup, the character played by Don Cheadle in the MCU was a Secret Defender, too.
Thunderstrike
A one-time Thor replacement, Thunderstrike became a Secret Avenger.
Scarlet Witch
She took a break from Avenging to be a Secret Defender at one point.
Captain America
He was also a Secret Defender.
Sleepwalker
The hero from another dimension was a Secret Defender, too.
Namorita
The Atlantean princess was a Secret Defender years before she helped cause the Civil War.
Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)
The second version of Spider-Woman (who, by the way, had that black-and-white look before Spider-Man) was a Secret Defender.
Nomad (Jack Monroe)
The third incarnation of “Nomad,” Jack Monroe not only had the worst ’90s comic hair ever, he was also a Secret Avenger.
Darkhawk
Another Secret Defender.
Wolverine
He was in the Secret Defenders because you couldn’t make a comic in the ’90s without putting Wolverine in it.
Spider-Man
Just your friendly neighborhood Secret Defender.
Ghost Rider
Another Secret Defender.
Moondragon
She was a member of the 1980s version of the team, the New Defenders.
Overmind
Another Jack Kirby/Stan Lee creation, the occasional Fantastic Four villain was later turned into a hero via weird comic book plot stuff, and joined the original Defenders.
Devil Slayer
An original Defenders member.
Cloud
This sentient nebula that can take humanoid forms was a member of the New Defenders.
Red Guardian (Dr. Tania Belinsky)
This Soviet Neurosurgeon-turned-communist-themed here joined the original Defenders. (She later changed her super name to Starlight.)
Hawkeye
Clearly, Avengers love moonlighting. He was briefly a member of the original Defenders.
Iceman
Bobby Drake has been a member of two teams — New Defenders and Secret Defenders.
Warren Worthington AKA Angel ALA Archangel
Angel the flying mutant was a member of the New Defenders. Later, in his Archangel persona, he joined Secret Defenders.
Beast
Hank McCoy was recruited into the original Defenders and stuck around for the New Defenders.
Gargoyle
He was an original Defenders member, and later part of the New Defenders.
Hellcat AKA Pasty Walker AKA Trish Walker
Jessica Jones’ best friend Trish is a super hero in Marvel comics, and was a Defender twice. Will her TV counterpart follow?
Hank Pym (the Original Ant-Man)
The scientific genius played by Michael Douglas in the MCU has twice been a Defender: In the ’70s he was recruited in his Yellowjacket persona, and as Giant Man he was a Secret Defender.
Son of Satan
The child of a demon and a human woman, this hero was a member of the original Defenders and the Initiative team.
Clea
Doctor Strange’s disciple and later girlfriend was a member of the original Defenders and, later, The Order.
Daredevil
He was a Defender for a Day back in the ’70s, but Matt Murdock has since joined the team for real in its latest incarnation.
She-Hulk
Bruce Banners cousin, Jennifer Walters, got some of his Hulk powers after a blood transfusion. But she got to keep her wits, and, in addition to other superhero teams, she’s been in The Order, the Initiative Team and the 2011 Defenders.
Luke Cage
Power Man has been on a lot of Defenders teams: the ’70s original, the Secret Defenders, and the newest version.
NightHawk
This Original team member was also in The Order and the Initiative team.
Valkrie
She’ll be seen kicking ass in “Thor: Ragnarok” later this year, but in the comics she’s been a member of the original team, the New Defenders, and The Order.
Iron Fist
Like Daredevil, Danny Rand was a Defender for a day back in the ’70s. He later joined the team for real as a Secret Defender, returned for the 2011 version of the team and is a member of its current incarnation.
Namor
The Sub-Mariner was an early Marvel creation (1939!) and later repurposed as a Fantastic Four frenemy. He’s a cofounder of The Defenders and later was part of The Order, the Deep’s Defenders, and the 2011 team.
The Hulk
Did you know The Hulk is a founding member of The Defenders? It’s true. He was also in Secret Defenders, The Order, and the 2011 version of the team.
Silver Surfer
The former herald of the devourer Galactus has been part of five incarnations of The Defenders, including the original 1970s team.
Doctor Strange
The sorcerer supreme (played in the MCU by Benedict Cumberbatch) isn’t just amazing at magic, he also founded the comic book Defenders, and has led five incarnations of the team.
