The iconic Avengers. But who are the most powerful Stan Lee characters ever to be recruited as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Some of the answers are obvious, while others are likely to blow your mind, especially because we're counting every Stan Lee creation who ever ed the team, whether he ever intended them to be or not.

We're ranking the 17 most powerful Avengers hero created by Stan Lee according to the power levels of their superpowers, counting only those who ed the Avengers in Marvel's mainstream reality - no matter when they ed.

Some of Stan Lee's co-creators - like the iconic Jack Kirby - have accused Lee of exaggerating his input in some of the characters and franchises he worked on. However, every character on this list is one that was at least officially co-created by Lee.

17 Beast, aka Hank McCoy

First Appeared in X-Men #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Created as one of the five founding of the X-Men, Beast ed the Avengers in 1975's Avengers #137, from Steve Englehart and George Tuska. This was after Hank had tampered with his own genetic structure, resulting in him growing blue fur and mutating into a more animalistic form. Beast's powers give him superhuman agility, strength and an impressive healing factor (though not on the same level as Wolverine), as well as sharp claws and teeth. Recent developments in X-Men comics have suggested his powers also enhance his predatory instincts, making him a more vicious fighter.

16 Sandman, aka Flint Marko, aka William Baker

First Appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #4 by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko

Sandman was created as a villain for Spider-Man, but many fans forget that he ed the Avengers during a bid for redemption, in Avengers #329 by Larry Hama and Paul Ryan. While he's since gone back to villainy, Sandman has helped out Earth's Mightiest Heroes in emergency situations - for example in the epic JLA/Avengers crossover.

Sandman's consciousness is contained within a single grain of sand that gathers and controls others around it. This allows Sandman to turn into a near-liquid form and to harden his skin to rock-like levels, while also shapeshifting into different forms depending on the amount of sand he has to work with, frequently utilizing a giant humanoid form.

15 Giant-Man, aka Ant-Man, aka Hank Pym

First Appeared in Tales to Astonish #27 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby

A founding Avenger, Hank Pym was at one time considered the strongest of the group (yes, more than Thor or Iron Man), but his powers haven't kept pace with his fellow heroes' various evolutions over the years. Hank can shrink down to minuscule size and grow into a giant, while his technological inventions allow him to control insect life and create interdimensional doors. Pym can also use the size-changing 'Pym Particles' he discovered to grow and shrink inanimate objects, though he uses this power far more rarely.

14 Quicksilver, aka Pietro Maximoff

First Appeared in X-Men #4 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Originally introduced as an enemy of the X-Men - one of Magneto's original Brotherhood of Evil Mutants - Quicksilver and his sister Scarlet Witch ed the second generation of the Avengers, working with Steve Rogers and Hawkeye as 'Cap's Kooky Quartet.' Quicksilver is one of the fastest superhumans in existence, with enhanced reflexes and a unique physiology that's immune to the physical punishment of superfast movement.

13 Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker

First Appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko

One of Stan Lee's most iconic creations, Spider-Man long flirted with Avengers hip, but managed to fall out with the team every time he seemed ready to . Peter Parker has enhanced agility, strength and durability, as well as a supernatural sense for incoming danger and the ability to adhere to sheer surfaces like walls. The science genius created unique web-shooters which allow him to fire near-unbreakable 'webbing,' which he uses both to restrain his enemies and to swing between New York's skyscrapers.

12 Iron Man, aka Tony Stark

First Appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Don Heck, co-designed by Jack Kibry

Another one of Stan Lee's most famous creations, Tony Stark is a genius inventor who uses his sophisticated armor to keep up with Marvel's superhumans. A founding Avenger, Tony is constantly updating his armor, giving him strength and invulnerability to match some of Marvel's heaviest hitters. His suits tend to use lasers, missiles and EMP blasts, but Tony is also famous for his 'Buster' suits, which are custom-made to take down specific targets like the Hulk, Thor and the alien villain Fin Fang Foom.

11 The Thing, aka Ben Grimm

First Appeared in Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Being invited to the Avengers is an honor, and one that's been extended to most of the Fantastic Four at one time or another (the Thing is one of the rare heroes to serve on the FF, Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy.) After being mutated by cosmic rays, Ben Grimm's body transformed, now covered in highly durable rocky plates. He also possesses immense strength only slightly less than the Hulk himself. He was a key member of the New Avengers starting in 2010.

10 Invisible Woman, aka Sue Storm

First Appeared in Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Sue Storm may not have the reputation she deserves, but she's one of the most powerful superhumans in Marvel lore, proving her status by injuring a Celestial with her forcefields. Sue's forcefields are immensely strong and shockingly complex - she was even able to create a fully functioning jet in One World Under Doom #1. She can also turn herself and others invisible, with a staggering amount of control over her powers - her control over the visible spectrum is so fine, she can alter the color of her hair just by controlling how it reflects light.

9 Captain Marvel, aka Mar-Vell

First Appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 by Stan Lee & Gene Colan

Declared an honorary Avenger following his iconic death in 1982's Death of Captain Marvel, from Jim Starlin, the original Captain Marvel was a close friend of Carol Danvers, who later took his codename to honor his heroic legacy. Mar-Vell is a Kree alien, with increased strength and durability compared to humans. Thanks to various upgrades to his body by cosmic patrons and the powerful Nega-Bands, he gained a variety of powers including flight, invulnerability, telekinesis and Cosmic Awareness, which allowed him to know where he could most benefit the universe at any given moment. Mar-Vell was a major foe of Thanos, who itted to respecting the hero on his deathbed.

8 Hercules Panhellenios

First Appeared in Journey Into Mystery Annual #1 by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

A demi-god from Greek Mythology, Hercules isn't as respected by his fellow heroes as he might like, thanks to his lack of care in using his unbelievable strength to save innocents and combat evil gods including Hera and Hades. Hercules has served on the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, and is a founding member of the Champions. He is an immortal being with thousands of years of tactical and combat experience, specializing in grappling - a type of combat in which he humbled even Thor. Hercules is known as the 'God of Heroes' in Marvel lore.

Hercules technically entered Marvel lore in 1945's Young Allies #16, with an original design by Charles Nicholas. However, this version of the character was totally rebooted by Lee and Kirby,