At any given point, if I was pressed to tell you who my favorite superhuman of all time was, you might get one of half a dozen answers, but if you ask me my favorite super-team, there’s only two responses: The Legion and The Defenders. With membership including the most physically powerful creature on Earth, the king of Atlantis, the universe’s top sorcerer, a herald of Galactus, a goddess, a living gargoyle and a host of equally notable types (including Marvel’s first try at Batman, the irascible Nighthawk, who will always be a step up from Moon Knight in my eyes), the non-team has it all over The Fantastic Four, the various X-teams, and even the Mighty Avengers. (Yeah, I said it. Wanna fight about it?) Heck, they even have Howard The Duck! Still, I know that my opinions are subjective and less than universal, which leads to today’s pointed (like Namor’s ears) inquiry…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) wonders if we’ll see any Champions of Los Angeles in the mix, asking: What, to your mind, is the greatest team in the history of the Marvel Universe?
13 Comments
I’m going to give a bit of a copout, for me it is the Defenders. A certain Mr. Peterson made numerous references to it on the podcast, and I decided to seek it out. Luckily my LCS had the 2nd Essential volume (still searching for the first,) and I’ve read through volume six (not sure about volume seven.) I really enjoy the dynamics from Valkyrie’s changes over the years, and Nighthawk becoming a better hero. Plus in terms of balance you have a nice balance of heavy hitters & more street level. ‘Defenders for a Day’ is a real interesting story dealing with team branding, albeit with some laughable 70s comic book dialogue. Scorpio story is also pretty darn awesome.
The team I still look back on as my favorite was the original run of the Thunderbolts. Initially it went from a generic team, to the big reveal that it was the Masters of Evil in disguise. While I think the trope has now been overused, I really enjoyed how those villains began to enjoy being heroic. Even Baron Zemo realized, albeit much later, that leading the Thunderbolts was probably his greatest achievement. Besides I loved Citizen V’s costume. :)
I was always rather fond of the Great Lakes Avengers. No, really, I was!
It will always be the Fantastic Four for me. There’s something about the first family that keeps me coming back every time. It my mind the Fantasticar touching down at a scene shoul dalways fill any other hero with the same feeling that heroes in the DCU get when ever Superman touches down. You know you are detoved to a team when you read the mediocre stuff (or bad) with an overwhelming sense of excitiment because it’s gonna make the next great run even greater. A good Fantastic Four writer does a great job of making the big moments BIG and the small moments small. Love it.
I’m a product of my time… 90’s era X-Men from the cartoon series. I have no research or evidence to back up my assertion, but there it is.
I think the evidence is the cartoon itself. I know that some folks think it hasn’t held up, but I still consider it one of the best superhero cartoons ever (right alongside the DCAU).
The Legion of Superheroes… hands down. First comic book characters I encountered on the printed page instead of on the TV, waaay back in 1970! Timberwolf. Matter Eater Lad. Mon-El. PHANTOM GIRL!!
you mean the Shiar Imperial Guard then, if it is only marvel we are talking about. :)
A boring answer but it has to be the Mighty Avengers. Captain America is my favourite marvel character, but add Captain Marvels (Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers), Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Wasp and Thor, then you have got a hell of a team. Nearly every Defender and Fantastic Four member have been Avengers anyhoo.
It’s the Defenders for me because any team that has silver surfer, iron fist, hulk, and doctor strange makes it the best team ever.
Runaways! For they haveth the greatest battlecry: Try Not To Die!
The Sinister Six. Six of Spider-Man’s oldest and most powerful enemies (Dr Octopus, Electro, Mysterio, Sandman, Vulture, and Kraven/Hobgoblin), all teaming up to take on the Web-Slinger.
The X-Men were my favourite Marvel team.