Doug: Today's edition of the Open Forum is a fantasy draft of sorts. Today we're going to let you choose a super-team of your own making. It can be a team built for power, stealth, fun, silliness, really whatever you are in the mood for. It can be classically outfitted, or a mix of retro. and contemporary. Let's use that old stand-by of the Henry Peter Gyrich-led Avengers by-laws: you have to have seven (7) members. No more, no less. And just for kicks, name your leader/chairperson/team captain.
I know that I would like to have Captain America and Mon-el on my team. Cap is the best leader of any team from any comics company. Mon-el? 
I've just always liked him, mostly because he was Superboy without the Superman Silver Age baggage (man, I loved Superboy but just could not stand Superman when I was a kid!). And I think Mon-el has one of the coolest super-suits around. Yeah, I know it's plain, but it's a clean, classic look.I keep wanting to put Tarzan on my team, but I'm afraid he'd be even more limited than Aquaman, and I don't want to have to imagine juicing-up his character with Batman-like gizmos.
So instead I'll have to go with T'Challa, the Black Panther. Stealth, intelligence, nobility -- he fills an important character-driven role. To fill out my roster, I'd like to have Hawkman, the Hawkworld version -- a flawed, intergalactic policeman.
He is also tech-driven, has some great characterization potential, and would provide a bit of an edge. I'd like a two-fer in the draft by taking Havok and Lorna Dane. I've always thought that they would have made great Avengers. Havok's raw power is a plus, and the couple dynamic within the team could be good. 
Lastly, we'll need someone who can carry their weight yet provide a little comic relief. No one does that better than Benjamin J. Grimm, the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing!
I know I'm Marvel-heavy, but that doesn't surprise me. Sure, I could have gone with other fave DC characters like Batman, Superboy, or Colossal Boy. But this is my first impression so I'll stick with it.
So OK -- who do you have?
Doc Strange – the Doc just opens up the way for every kind of wild storyline. You’d think that would be rubbish, but it worked superbly in the Defenders which were never the same after he left. He’s my leader too. I want to the team to form around him in that non-team Defenders way. I liked that. It kept everything fresh.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the couple thing, but I think I’d go for Vision & Scarlet Witch – her powers & back story were always underexplored and he’s just a superb character.
Beast - I’ve always wanted to see him characterised somewhere between the wordy boffin and the class clown. His scientific background opens up some interesting opportunities.
Invisible Girl - always liked her character & powers (esp. Byrne time), never really saw enough of her. Be cool to see her outside the FF.
Banshee – when I left in the mid 80’s he was still de-powered and a very under-utilised character. I imagine since then he’s been re-powered, changed names five times, changed identities six times, been killed a few times and turned out out be a Skrull all along. So please forget all that crap and rewind to Claremont/Byrne.
Darkstar – loved her in the Champions. Very mysterious, very powerful.
Between these guys, you’ve got a lot of different backstories (explored and unexplored) a weird mix of powers, but moreover some interesting abilities and knowledge (Beast & Vision for science, Wanda & the Doc for magic).
As we’re playing by Gyrich rules, I get to have a rota of associate members who are on call when necessary, so I’ll have the Black Knight, Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, Crystal from the Inhumans & Hellcat. This gives me the opportunity to have periods when the team has more girls than boys, which would be interesting.
Richard
Richard --
ReplyDeleteI actually thought about adding Crystal and Lockjaw to my team, but I was afraid the slutty Crystal would show up and want to get it on with Cap, Mon-el, and who knows who else!?! She'd have to be the pureheart Lee/Kirby version.
Of course, I guess there would be more story possibilities the first way...
Doug
Hmmm, raising the geek credentials of this blog, are we?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, 7 members? I was going to just say that X-men line-up from roughly the middle of the Claremont/Byrne run (about when I first started): Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus and Wolverine - perfect tight little unit with powers, abilities and personalities that complement each other. Since I'm missing two, I'll stick with mutants to keep it consistent and add Polaris and Psylocke (the original, pre-ninja version) - to jack up the power and include a telepath, and add some women to the line-up.
Whoa, Edo --
ReplyDeleteDid you think this was some repository of scholarly pursuits?
Me, too!
Doug
CAPTAIN ATOM - The original silver age Ditko version (but in his second blue and red costume with the silver arms). For some reason that version of that character has always been one of my favorite super heros. He's pretty powerful (but not too powerful like Superman), and he'd make a great team leader.
ReplyDeletePLASTIC MAN - Some people don't like stretchy guys, but I love them. It's just such an off the wall, but cool super power. Also, someone with that ability would be nearly indestructible and quite formidable. And since Plas is the original pliable super hero, he's always been my main man in that department. Plus he's great comedy relief.
QUICKSILVER - Every super team needs a speedster, and Quicksilver is edgier and more interesting to me than the Flash. Plus he's not all powerful in the speed department either.
ROBOTMAN - Every good super team could use a tragic character with a nice big chip on his shoulder. Plus he's cool because he can really be put through the ringer and then sent to the shop to be repaired by the next issue.
BLUE DEVIL - (classic) - One of the most original super heroes ever. A guy gets trapped in a super powered Blue Devil suit and it permanently grafted to his skin. So he becomes a "weirdness magnet" and reluctant super hero. He has some cool powers and his interactions with Plastic Man would make for some great comedy. Plus he and Robotman could talk about what a bummer it is being trapped in an artificial body.
DEVIL DINOSAUR - Just because it would just be cool to have a super team with a dinosaur on it. Especially a big red T-Rex.
and finally...
MOON BOY - Because where Devil D. goes - he goes... nuff said.
Hi Doug – you mean Crystal turned slutty while I was away? Actually, when you think about it, even in our day, she did dump Johnny for Pietro pretty easily. Obviously, he’s not the fastest man on earth in every dept !
ReplyDeleteHi Edo - RAISING the geek level? Dude, I think we’re all one bad haircut away from thinking our Yoda impression will impress girls. Ah, those were the days.
Sad, lonely days.
Hi William – That is one seriously strange team you’ve built there. I’ve got to ask ...who the Hell is on the reserve bench? Bouncing Boy, Matter Eater Lad & Scrappy Doo would be good. With any luck, Devil Dino would make hot dogs out of Scrappy.
Richard
Richard, lol! Sad, lonely days indeed...
ReplyDeleteAll I meant was up until now, the blog seemed at a sort of standard geek level: like a bunch of geeks meeting in someone's dorm room and talking about which Star Trek movie or spin-off series is the best. The whole "create your ideal super-hero team" discussion seems to ramp it up to the level of those geeks sitting around in a basement or garage on a Friday night (or prom night) talking about how cool it would have been if Return of the Jedi had ended with a saber-duel between Boba Fett and slave-girl Leia.
Anyway, back on topic: I got the idea of putting together an all-green hair (but not green skin) team, but am having trouble rounding up enough members. So far I have Polaris, Doc Samson, Green Flame (Fire) and Emerald Empress. Anyone have any more suggestions?
OK, I'm out of the closet -- that fight would have been boss! Can I say boss?
ReplyDeleteHaha -- I know what you mean, Edo... but tell me as kids or even now we haven't undertaken this little exercise in our own minds.
Green hair will have to be worked on. Do Hulk and She-Hulk have green hair, or should we consider it to be black?
Doug
DC characters with green hair:
ReplyDeletehttp://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Green_Hair
Marvel characters with green hair:
http://marvel.wikia.com/Category:Green_Hair
Doug
I'm thinking of a line-up that leans a little toward silliness...
ReplyDeleteThe Martian Manhunter as team leader and voice of reason amidst the insanity, just as he was in JLI
Dr. Fate, the Eric and Linda Strauss version of J.M. DeMatteis' run in the 90's. My favorite magic based character.
Ambush Bug. He's proved his teleporting power can be an asset to a team in Doom Patrol
Forge. He has the "mutant power to invent anything." That is SO cool, and would give the writer a way out of almost any ridiculous situation he can come up with.
Strong Guy. Because every team needs a strong guy.
Blue Devil. I, too, just love the original version of the character. He'd be a reluctant member--since he was always protesting he wasn't a super-hero--only there because he hopes Forge can invent something to free him from the Devil suit
G'Nort. My favorite Green Lantern. Sure to give J'Onn plenty of headaches.
Yeah, this is an extremely geeky exercise, but a lot of fun.
Oh, man, Doug, when I was a kid I was constantly assembling and re-assembling teams in my head, and creating a bunch with my own characters...
ReplyDeleteActually, Hulk and She-hulk (and Changeling/Beast Boy) are out because I'm trying to assemble green-hair characters without green skin.
Your links are helpful - I had completely forgotten about Creeper, so now he's in. I'm on the fence about Joker - I've already got a villain, E. Empress, and he's just a tad too psycho. Maybe Duealla Dent/Harlequin? That's six...
Women of the Night
ReplyDeleteInvisible Woman - Leader
Dr. Midnight (Dr. Beth Chapel) Brains
Phantom Lady - Distraction
Shadowcat - Sneaking
Shadow Lass - Camouflage
Miss Martian - Multi Role
Night Girl - Powerhouse at night.
Teresa, that's a well thought-out team. I always wondered why Night Girl couldn't be a member of the regular Legion, since they have a member, Shadow Lass, that creates darkness anytime, anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm scrapping the green-hair team - just can't find a satisfactory group. I came up with a better all white hair team while walking the dog today:
Storm
Quicksilver
Captain Atom
Ice (Maiden)
Black Cat
Sasquatch (white fur version)
Warlord (leader)
Even came up with a basic story-line: Magneto (sticking to the white hair theme) takes over Skartaris so Warlord assembles the team as a sort of super commando unit to take him down. Meanwhile, Magneto enlists or coerces the aid of guys like Deathstroke, Lightning Lord and Wendigo to deal with them.
Also, Doug, I was thinking Tarzan would work in some kind of team of jungle heroes, like Ka-zar, Shanna, Rima, Black Panther, etc.
And yes, it would appear I have a little too much free time on my hands this weekend...
All my team members would be as they appeared during the BRONZE AGE (of course)........
ReplyDeleteCaptain America -my favorite
Beast -Perez or Byrne
,please
Hawkeye
Stingray -best costume
Hercules -not the new
version,+ w/classic look
Changeling -Perez/Wolfman
Tigra or Starfire - I love bikinis
Bring on the Bad Guys!
starfoxxx
Okay, it's 1986 and these are the West Coast Avengers: Daredevil, Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Cloak and Dagger. The Big Bad is Lilith, Dracula's Daughter and the New Legion of Monsters and the artist is Gene Colan.
ReplyDeleteIt's also 1972 and this is the Justice League of America: Superman, Batman, Batgirl, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and Deadman. The Big Bad is the 100 and the artist is Jim Aparo.
Derr, I forgot the 7-member limit!
ReplyDeleteSo, Moon Knight for my Wackos and a new female Wildcat (La Garro?) for my JLA.
STILL can't count!! So, Steranko's Nick Fury leading the West Coast Avengers in the cool flying car! Can't wait to read that first issue!
ReplyDeleteI like all the teams and the accompanying descriptions. I find it too interesting for my own good.
ReplyDeleteThe all green hair team gave me a silly idea. Characters name's that start with Blue. I have to stop doing this, I think I'm passing through a Geek threshold of no return. This is my last one.
Blue Marvel Leader - Powerhouse
Blue Beetle (Ted Cordl) - Scientist and financial backer.
Blue Diamond - Invulnerability and strength.
Blue Jay Flight and reconnaissance.
Blue Devil - Blaster - I prefer his original incarnation. He and Blue Beetle are the comedy relief.
Blue Shield Government Liaison. Force field powers.
Blue Knight Astro City Vigilante
Favorite team/line-up..? Just give me the old, vintage '69 Avengers. I'd love a Yellowjacket-led team of Vision, Wasp, Hawkeye (maybe Clint as Goliath..), and Panther.
ReplyDeleteNoteable No-nos..? She-Hulk or Doc Druid, or any FF members in the Avengers.. Just doesn't work for me. Totally agreed with Anonymous about Doc Strange and Invisible Girl. Sue Richards should have had more solo stories, and Doc Strange..? The jury's out. A lot of readers lamented about him leading the Defenders, becoming more a straight super-hero, leaving behind a lot of mysticism. If that was still intact, it would really make for some exciting adventures, as seen in the first dozen Defenders stories.
What's that you say? A 7-member Avengers East Coast? Why, certainly!
ReplyDeleteCaptain America, Wasp, Black Knight, Hercules, Captain Marvel/Photon/Pulsar, Vision and Scarlet Witch. All killer, no filler.
Seven members for an ultimate team? Hmm alright...
ReplyDeleteNIGHTCRAWLER: Love everything about the dude, and would have him back as leader.
VISION: Probably my favourite all time hero. Great perspective, powers and backstory
ELASTI-GIRL: Because every time should have a 50 foot woman.
VIXEN: Awesome power set and heavily under-used
BATGIRL (Barbara Gordon) Was going to go with Nightwing until sanity prevailed.
MULTIPLE MAN: I'm writing this at work and deadlines are looming.. nuff said.
MARTIAN MANHUNTER: Kurt's 2-I-C, and the strongest force in the DCU, I'd really like the book to play up his detective and shape changing skills.
Well that's my team sorted. Loved reading all your picks folks!