The heroes of the Marvel Universe have often toed the line between being a big-name action hero and a street-level hero. There is some debate about what classifies a hero as a street-level, but for the sake of this article, it is going to be someone whose power set doesn’t allow them to be able to annihilate a city block like Thor or the Hulk could.
Space is a big part of Marvel as most heroes have ended up in the farthest reaches for one reason or another. These heroes’ time in space is notable and spread across all canon, not just mainline 616-universe stories.
10 10. Spider-Man
Peter Parker's Spider-Man is one of the biggest faces of Marvel comics. It is easy to forget that, after outings with the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and even the X-Men, he is still the friendly neighborhood hero, making him a street-level hero.
His trip to space happened recently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. These films see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man don the Iron Spider costume and aid his fellow Avengers against the threat of the titan, Thanos. Traveling alongside regular space/dimension travelers Dr. Strange and Iron Man, his attitude towards space is enjoyable, if not a little geeky.
9 9. Frank Castle
Another recent event, Frank Castle, most well-known as The Punisher, has journeyed to space and beyond. While the mainline version of Castle is fighting against the fallout of War of the Realms, and an alternate version of him has been playing in the space race as the Cosmic Ghost Rider.
Cosmic Ghost Rider is revealed to be Frank Castle from an alternate timeline where Thanos killed him and all the other heroes, only to be given the Ghost Rider powers by Mephisto. Time travel plots, many deaths, and a Punisher Thanos later, Castle returns everything to normal. Though he isn’t street level at that time, it was still shocking to see the Punisher in space.
8 8. Squirrel Girl
Everyone has heard about the times Squirrel Girl has defeated the deadliest villains in the Marvel Universe, but it isn’t often talked about how. Also not talked about is the fact that she bonded with Galactus once. During the events of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Tippy Toe alerts her that Galactus is coming to Earth and she is the only one who can save everyone.
She heads to space in stolen Stark tech and faces the World Eater head-on, then calls him out for only picking Earth because it’s close to him. Then she sends him to a planet covered in nuts to satiate his hunger.
7 7. Captain America
Captain America, even before he picked up the shield, has always been a street-level kind of guy, looking out for the little man. His role in the Avengers has always been to be the face of the group because he is relatable.
Cap has been to space dozens of times in multiple canons, but his first outing in space is the most interesting. In 1981’s Captain America: Satellite of the Red Skull, Cap appears out in space wearing just a helmet made of glass and nothing else. That being said, at least he got a helmet in that, unlike in Avengers: Endgame.
6 6. Hellcat
Though we don’t see much of it outside of flashbacks and the occasional mention, Hellcat has been to space and trained on one of Saturn’s moons. Patsy Walker was the teen romance heartthrob turned casual hero until she was given the Hellcat suit. She quickly cozied up to the Avengers, being offered a place on the team.
Unfortunately, Moondragon decided that Hellcat wasn’t ready and demanded to train her further. The two set off to train, with Moondragon giving Hellcat some minor mental superpowers. Though she is more well known for traveling to hell, Hellcat has a full space passport.
5 5. White Tiger
White Tiger, the Ava Ayala version, has been represented as a street-level hero since her debut in Avengers Academy #20. The sister of former White Tiger, Hector Ayala, she has been a part of many of the typical street-level teams including the Heroes for Hire.
During her time on 2015’s New Avengers team, the team traveled to space to save Hulkling and Wiccan who had been kidnapped. On arrival, the team faces off against an evil octopus space wizard. The most important facet of White Tiger being on this mission is that she is the one to call out “Avengers Assemble” against the threat, giving her more of a leader status with the team.
4 4. Black Widow
While she is an important member of the Avengers in the many versions of the team, Black Widow is just a human making her way through life, one kill at a time. As an expert assassin and trained fighter, she can hold her own with most hench-level villains.
During the events of Avengers: Endgame, she heads to space a few times, but the most crucial is her time with Clint Barton on Vormir, the planet that houses the Soul Stone. The two debate about who should sacrifice their lives in favor of the other, but in the end, it is Black Widow who meets an untimely death.
3 3. Flash Thompson
After bonding to the Venom Symbiote to deal with the loss of his legs during the war, Flash Thompson became an interesting new take on the hero being redubbed Agent Venom. He joins multiple incarnations of the Avengers and overall being a solid hero.
When the Avengers needed a liaison for the Guardians of the Galaxy, Agent Venom was chosen to join that team, sending Flash into space. During his time as a Guardian, he faced off against many alien threats, but something happened to make the Symbiote crazed, forcing it to return (with the Guardians) to its home where all Klyntar come from.
2 2. Hawkeye
Both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop have taken up the moniker of Hawkeye and both have been to space. However, Kate Bishop’s few space adventures are a bit more memorable. As a member of the Young Avengers, she participated in the battles of Civil War, the Skrull Invasion, and Siege.
The first time we see her in Young Avengers Vol. 2, she is aboard Noh-varr’s ship looking over Earth. Not only had she forgotten his name after a long night, but she is forced to help fight off a bunch of Skrull foes. She takes command of the ship and outmaneuvers the villains who live and fight in space.
1 1. Kitty Pryde
Known as the heart and soul of the X-Men (after Ice Man of course), Kitty Pryde has been on countless renditions of the various X-teams, partnered with Wolverine, and dated the many Peters of the Marvel Universe. One of those Peters is Peter Quill aka Star-Lord of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rest assured that when you date a spaceman, you typically will end up in space.
During the events of Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men, Kitty heads to space again, this time to save Colossus and, ultimately the world. After phasing into a missile made of a special, unbreakable metal, she becomes stuck inside. When the missile is just about to crash into Earth, she saves everybody by phasing the whole missile through the planet.