She is not only the first black person to lead the Avengers, but also the first black female woman to lead them. Introduced in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (1982) by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr., Monica Rambeau was a member of the Coast Guard when she helped a professor infiltrate a Roxxon Oil rig. They were found but Monica destroyed their equipment with her bare hands which bombarded her with strange energy given her powers. She used these powers to defeat Roxxon and would be dubbed Captain Marvel by a local newspaper. (She is the second person to take the mantle after Mar-Vell’s death.)

She traveled to New York to get help from Reed Richard but since he wasn’t there The Thing sent to the Avengers where Iron Man siphoned off the excess energy. She was invited to become an in-training member of the Avengers but soon proved her worth and became a full member of the team. When Captain America stepped down as team leaders, he nominated Monica to the role. She would lead the team for quite a while but eventually lost her powers following Namor’s bride, Marina’s rampage. She would leave the team soon after.

She returned home and began working for a cargo ship when it was attacked by Powderkeg. Her powers would return, and she returned to being Captain Marvel. She would help the Avengers when they needed but would eventually give up the Captain Marvel role to Mar-Vell’s son, Genis-Vell. She took the name Photon, later Pulsar, and continued to be a part time Avengers. She would later be kidnapped by the Beyonders and made led Nextwave but her memories of the events were erased. After a time with Marvel’s Diva, she would take up the name Spectrum and would join Luke Cage’s Mighty Avengers. She would also begin a relationship with Blue Marvel.

Her memories of Nextwave returned and she would confront the Beyond Corporation with her teammates. After Secret Wars, She would join Black Panther’s Ultimates team and would later be one of the Avengers to help battle Nyx after she tried to plunged the universe into darkness. She would join Strikeforce soon after before being recruited by Hawkeye to co-lead the new Thunderbolts team.

Monica Rambeau is quite a popular character that has unfortunately very little figures over the years. Her only ML was part of the A-Force box set that was exclusive to Toys-R-Us.