Being An Avenger Doesn’t Pay In The MCU, But Does It In The Comics?

Fans have seen that being an Avenger doesn’t pay in the MCU, with heroes needing to find other ways to support themselves financially, but is it the same in the comics? In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark quipped that he’s not the boss – “I just pay for everything,” he observed, “design everything, and make everyone look cooler.” Stark may have paid for equipment, but apparently he couldn’t stretch to a generous salary for saving the world.

Falcon & Winter Soldier revealed that the Avengers didn’t have a formal wage for being on the team. When a bank employee asks, “Is there some kind of fund for heroes? Or did Stark pay you when he was around?” Sam replies that it didn’t work that way, and the Avengers depended on, “a tremendous amount of goodwill.” Despite saving the world multiple times, it’s MCU canon that heroes struggle to make money in the movies, but in the decades-long lore of the comics, things are even more complicated.

The first hurdle to answering this question in the comics is that there have been numerous iterations of the Avengers, funded in different ways. At times the Avengers have worked for the US Government, likely meaning team members drew government paychecks, and the Avengers are currently run by Black Panther – meaning they may well be paid by Wakanda. At other times, though, they’ve been a private organization who were funded by Tony Stark. During Kurt Busiek and George Perez’s celebrated Avengers run, Marvel revealed the Maria Stark Foundation supported the Avengers financially, settling lawsuits and paying for property damage. This led to a hilarious story in Avengers #56 (titled ‘Lo, There Shall Come… An Accounting!’) in which the Foundation attempted to investigate the Avengers’ latest mission in order to justify expenditure. Captain America was the only one who followed due process, unsurprisingly, and they had real issues with the US Agent, but even this story doesn’t quite confirm that members are paid for their service.

Spider-Man famously decided not to press to join the Fantastic Four when he learned they don’t pay, but he was at one point overjoyed to join the Avengers when Stark told him “We have money.” Unfortunately, the poorest Avenger likely never got paid, as 2011’s New Avengers #7 showed he’s unwilling to reveal the name to put on his paychecks. This example serves to illustrate just how difficult it must be to pay superheroes in the first place, given some of them would really struggle to open bank accounts. Imagine the cross-dimensional, Titanian hero Moondragon faced with the simple question of “nationality” on the application form, or Vision trying to argue he doesn’t want a child’s account given the date of birth he’s jotted down.

What’s more, given the fluid relationship most Avengers have with death, how many times would their accounts go into probate only to suddenly be reactivated? Banks would literally need separate departments in order to deal with superhero accounts, with enhanced security measures to check for shapeshifters, alternate-dimension doppelgangers, and time travelers. While it’s suggested that the occasional rich benefactor has temporarily forked out for those team members who need it, the Avengers as a team don’t seem to have any kind of consistent salary, though strangely this is paired with extensive mechanisms to ensure that the damages they cause during their missions, and any costs incurred by anyone else, are covered. Whether in the comics or the MCU, the Avengers are heroes first and foremost, putting even the financial well-being of civilians before their own.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4896 Articles Published)

See also  Animal Crossing's Best Villagers For Superhero & Comic Book Fans

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

More From Thomas Bacon