My Picks For New Avengers Team

I am excited by all the different Avengers teams coming out from Marvel Comics nowadays. Wow! There have not been as many Avengers books as we have now since the early 1990s. In the early 1990s we had Avengers, West Coast Avengers and Solo Avengers (plus various annuals). Now, we have a ton of Avengers titles with different teams in each one.

Speaking about Avengers teams, I am one of those Avengers fans who actually liked the team from Avengers No. 300. It was different. There was Steve Rogers as The Captain, Thor, Gilgamesh, Mr. Fantastic, and Invisible Woman. (There are some really interesting stories I've learned about how that team came to be and why it changed again five issues later. But, that is all info for another blog post.)

Thinking back to how interesting Avengers No. 300 was...what would be my choice for a new and unique team? I have listed my picks below. Unfortunately, Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda can't be on the team, since they are not Marvel characters. LOL

My All-New, All-Different Avengers

1. Captain America / Steve Rogers – I'll always see Steve Rogers as Captain America. I don't care if he is calling himself The Captain or just going without a codename, he is Captain America and the heart of the Avengers. I think he showed this by rebuilding the east coast team from scratch after the team dissolved in the Fall of the Avengers storyline.
2. Thor - Next to Captain America, I see Thor as key to the Avengers. He's a founding member and a powerhouse to the team. Plus, he's a god. To be earth's mightiest team, the Avengers need Thor.
3. Gilgamesh – I am one of the handful who liked Gilgamesh and his addition to the team. In Marvel mythology, he is the world's oldest hero. He has been many heroes throughout history, too. It was a nice move adding him to the Avengers. I think what hurt him was he never really was fleshed out. He never had a writer who really cared about him. Walt Simonson quit right after setting up the new team and never got the chance to show what he had planned for Gilgamesh. (Again, I understand why Simonson quit but that is a story for another blog.)
4. Mr. Fantastic – Again, I liked the team from Avengers 300. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) is the Marvel Universe's smartest man. He will always be known as leader of the Fantastic Four but I liked him joining the Avengers (even if it lasted just a handful of issues). I'd like to see him join back up. He would if I could write the team.
5. Invisible Woman – I also liked Sue Richards being on the Avengers. She is the first female hero in the Marvel Universe and her powers are unique. Plus, her blond hair on top of her blue uniform makes for a rockin' look!
6. Vagabond – Vagabond is a little known characters who appeared in Captain America comics in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I don't believe she has been seen for years. She is a normal woman who has no powers. But, she learned some fighting skills from Nomad (a former partner of Captain America) and I always liked her costume. Actually, she's had two costumes. One is pretty simple with a Robin-like face mask. The other costume is a very cool America flag-type costume that I always thought was under-appreciated. She could fill a spot on the team as the normal person swept up in the world of super humans. Check her out here: http://www.angelfire.com/comics2/crimsoncowl/vagabond.html or http://comicbookrealm.com/report/character/4082/vagabond
7. Blue Eagle – I'm a big Hawkman fan and always thought the Avengers needed a high-flying hero. Sure, there is the Falcon but his wings just don't impress me like Hawkman's wings. Marvel Comics has Angel, but I think Angel is best with the X-Men. However, Marvel has its own version of Hawkman in the Blue Eagle. He was a member of the Squadron Supreme. The Squadron is a group of characters from a different universe than the normal Marvel Universe. I would like to see Blue Eagle cross dimensions and join the Avengers. See him at http://marvel.wikia.com/James_Dore_Jr. Now, there was a second Blue Eagle who appeared right after Civil War but I still prefer the original from the Squadron Supreme. The newer Blue Eagle has only made a few appearances and doesn't use an old-school superhero costume, which this old-school fan likes to see most of the time in comic books and cartoons.
8. Captain Marvel / Photon / Pulsar – Captain Marvel II (now called Pulsar) was on the team for years in the 1980s. She had interesting powers, as she could transform into different kinds of energy. Also, I liked her outfit. It was black, white and more original than many costumes. She was very dedicated to being an Avenger, and Monica even became leader for a short time. She was created by Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. Once Stern left the Avengers, she was depowered for a time and taken out of the Avengers for years. I understand she was recently used in a comic called Nextwave and another called Heralds that I have not had the pleasure to read.
9. Spider-Man – Everyone knows Spider-Man. He is likely the most popular character from Marvel. To make the team earth's mightiest heroes, I agree keeping Spidey on the team. Plus, Peter Parker is a fun character to whom readers can relate. He is the everyman who accidentally became a hero and deals with daily life struggles.
10. Sunspot (from New Mutants comics) – I have a soft spot for the New Mutants. I've collected comics since the late 1980s and have always liked the team. Sunspot has been one of my favorite New Mutants. I like his look when he is charged up. His form gets dark and he crackles with energy. He is strong and can project energy. Plus, he is just a fun character. He's a younger character and I feel the Avengers could use more youthful energy.

So, there is my Avengers team. Other Avengers I love are Dr. Strange, Hulk, Namor, and Hellcat. But, I'd prefer to see them on a Defenders team. (A new Defenders comic is long overdue.) Let me know what you think! Agree or disagree? I love to hear from readers.

Comic Book Couples Going Strong

Love exists in comic books and there are many characters who prove it. Here are my choices for the top five comic book couples. Feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree.

5. Green Arrow and Black Canary: Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, is the world's greatest archer in the DC Comics universe. Dinah Lance, Black Canary, is an expert martial artist and is blessed with a sonic scream. As members of the Justice League of America, Black Canary met Green Arrow. They fell in love and have been a couple for decades. They married in the comics in 2007 and for a while had a series together, Green Arrow and Black Canary. According to the announcements of upcoming titles on the site DCComics.com, the title will revert to Green Arrow beginning with issue No. 31.

Reed and Sue joined the Avengers during Inferno.

4. Reed and Sue Richards: They have been married longer than any other superhero couple. They are members of Marvel Comics team the Fantastic Four, going by the names Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman. Many fans forget, but the Fantastic Four is Marvel Comics' first superhero team in the Silver Age and was very popular in the 1960s. Adding to Reed and Sue's importance is the fact Sue was Marvel's first female hero in the Silver Age. Reed and Sue married in Fantastic Four Annual #3 from 1965.

In the late 1980s, Reed and Sue tried retiring from the Fantastic Four to lead a more normal life and raise their son, Franklin. However, they were drawn into the event called Inferno and ended up joining the Avengers for a very short time (about six issues) after being invited to join by Steve Rogers, Captain America. They ended up returning to the Fantastic Four after Crystal left the team and the Thing became human again, leaving the group with two members, the Human Torch and the second Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura).

3. Hawkman and Hawkgirl: Whether we are talking about the Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl (Carter and Shiera Hall) or the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl (Katar and Shayera Hol), Hawkman and Hawkgirl are among the most famous of comic book couples. I like all the hawks, but am slightly more interested in the originals from the 1940s.

The Golden Age Hawkgirl was Shiera Hall, the reincarnation of the Egyptian princess Chay-Ara, and partner of Carter Hall, the Hawkman. Centuries ago, Chay-Ara and Hawkman (Prince Khufu) were killed by Hath Set with a knife forged from an alien substance called Nth metal. The properties of the metal affected them strangely, causing them to be reborn over and over again, life after life. They are the current hawk couple in DC Comics stories.

2. Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson: Spider-Man, Peter Parker, actually dated other girls throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but eventually he settled down with Mary Jane. They were married in the 1980s and have also been immortalized on film in the Spider-Man movies. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst played Peter Parker and Mary Jane perfectly. It will be interesting to see how new actors take over the characters in the upcoming Spider-Man film. Although, it appears Dunst will not return as Mary Jane in Spider-Man 4; but, it is a fact Andrew Garfield plays Spider-Man. Garfield has appeared in theater, film, and television.

Clark and Lois continue to grow closer on Smallville.

1. Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. There is no doubt in this comic book reader's mind that Clark Kent and Lois Lane make up the most famous comic book couple. Throughout the comic books, movies, and television shows, this is the hottest comic book couple. It was a treat to see the couple finally married in the 1990s and they remain married to this day. The wedding of Clark and Lois in the 90s was planned to coincide with the wedding on the TV series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Personally, I enjoy Tom Welling and Erica Durance (from the television series Smallville) as Clark and Lois more than other incarnations.

Agree with my choices? Disagree with my choices? Let me know your thoughts.