You asked for it – you got it! Another all-star fantasy draft special – this time starring The Avengers! Join the Irredeemable Shag, Brett Young, Sean Ross, Ryan Daly, Tim Price, and Paul Kien as they select superheroes from the Marvel Universe to form their own Avengers team.
Reminder of the rules:
- 7 member teams
- Snake draft format
- First round pick must be a version of Captain America, Thor, or Iron Man
- Person is unique, not hero identity – both for legacy heroes and multiverse
- Vote for the team you would most want to read about every month and be eligible for the T-Shirt drawing from our Merch store!
Have a question or comment?
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Avengers Theme composed by Alan Silvestri
Thanks for listening! Avengers Assemble!
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The good thing about insomnia is I got to listen to this in the wee small hours of the morning and be first to comment.
First – my team. Jane Foster Thor, Wasp, She-Hulk, Thundra, Spider-Woman, Black Widow, and Tigra. But only if I get to be Jarvis in that Avengers Mansion. Throw in Frank Cho variants and that book sells itself.
As for books and voting, I have to go Paul’s Cosmic Avengers. Beta Ray Bill, Monica Rambeau, Hank Pym, Sersi – all good. Very cosmic! That seems the most interesting. Plus, you had me at ‘Walt Simonson’s Sif’.
For the draft itself, how the hell did Thor slip to #4???
For GMs on the hot seat, Hercules at #12 and Black Knight at #13 feels waaaay to early. Frankly I needed to look up Talisman on google to know who she was. Therefore, that is a round 7 pick, in the 4th round. She is laughing her way to the ‘guaranteed rookie contract’ bank. And even contemplating Crystar makes me wonder what drinks they were serving in the drart room. Sean, don’t get too comfortable.
And Shag going Black Widow/Wonder Man 2 rounds too early for both is insane. Plus drafting Wong who is ‘undrafted free agent’ defined also makes me think his team is going to lose a lot of battles to the Serpent Society. The whole team is an Mr/Ms Irrelevant. Good luck!
Dr. Anj – Okay, I can live with the Talisman pushback (though Talisman is awesome), but Herc and Black Knight are both early round picks. They are among the few characters that are part of the Roy Thomas, Roger Stern, and leather jacket Avengers. Unassailable!
Dr. Anj – Okay, I can live with the Talisman pushback (though Talisman is awesome), but Herc and Black Knight are both early round picks. They are among the few characters that are part of the Roy Thomas, Roger Stern, and leather jacket Avengers. Unassailable!
(Also, I love your team.)
Dr. Anj – Nice team you picked of all hot women, with Frank Cho art, and you wanting to wait on them… dude, just buy an issue of FemForce already.
You are way off base on Black Widow! She’s one of the premiere Avengers. Absolutely worth getting picked early.
I’ll admit Wonder Man was a tad early, but there was a run on “tank” characters. With Thor, Luke Cage, Hercules, and She-Hulk already off the table, I had to grab the next best “tank” before I got stuck with Rage!! Drafts are not always kind to selection order when you need a well balanced team.
You obviously have the best taste of all the listeners so far, Anj.
Before I listen to this, a few predictions.
I think the first real round will see Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Monica Rambeau and probably the Wasp taken. Hakweye is the heart of the Avengers. The Scarlet Witch is happily married to the Vision, never had kids and would never go over to the dark side. I adore Monica. I’ve always felt she was created specially to be an Avenger. I know Wasp isn’t a power house, but Roger Stern made her one of the Avengers best leaders.
Likewise, I don’t think anyone will pick Gilgamesh, Rage (?) or Triad (?). I read the Gilgamesh issues as they were published and remember nothing about him. I can’t remember if the other character was named Rage or Rampage. Never read any of his issues and I doubt he was any more memorable than Gilgamesh. Triad (the character Busiek and Perez created for the Avengers) was too tied into some secret society – the Truine something another. Snooze fest.
This one hopes no one will vote for that one! IYKYK.
Last prediction, anyone listening to this episode will have a great time.
GREAT episode! I know they’re a lot of work, but I love episodes like this with a large cast. I think DC TKO includes both Aquaman and Firestorm, so I hope we will get another team episode this covering that event.
All of my above predictions came true. Not that they where much of a stretch. 🙂
I always love when the network covers Marvel Comics. I love DC, but I’m actually more of a Marvel guy.
Tim’s new podcast sounds like a MUST listen to! I purchased every issue of the Outsiders and really liked it, but Stern’s Avengers is in my top three superhero comic book runs of all time.
I was surprised when Brett picked a Marvel character I’d never even heard of. But then I googled the character and realized they premiered after I lost the ability to read.
My favorite team? Just barely coming in 2nd place is Tim’s team. Edging it out is Shag’s team. I love the idea of a female Captain America being team leader and I LOVE the Beast / Wonderman friendship. I think the first Avengers issue I bought off the spinner rack was the issue where Wonderman returns at the very end. Because of that, I have to give Shag’s team my vote.
James – Love the positivity, enthusiasm and kindness! Too bad we didn’t display these traits to each other!
You are clearly a man of taste for picking my team!!
Hope you enjoyed our comments about those you said no one should pick! We mentioned each of them!
And don’t worry, none of us had heard of Brett’s oddball pick either!
James, I’m going to let it slide that you didn’t pick my team because you said some nice things on the Fantastic Pour comment section. But how can you go wrong with an old West ghost rider who rides a flaming horse and shoots hellfire arrows?
Thank you for the kind words, James! You are practically perfect taste. But to be fair, I also love the Beast / Wondy bromance. There was no way to fit everyone I would like with 7 members. Glad you enjoyed the show!
Sean is super-wrong about Canada’s embassy co-signing his choice of Talisman. I, personally, cannot support non-Avengers recruited in a draft, and the girls won’t know who she is until we record October’s OHOTMU or NOT?
I feel so betrayed.
My team if I get all my first picks:
Jane Foster Thor
Hawkeye (leader)
She-Hulk
New Avengers era Hank Pym (as the Wasp) and his TARDIS HQ
Black Knight (played like he was in MI-13, not Avengers)
Tigra
Spider-Woman (human as per Secret Avengers)
Coming in at the back, that leaves only Tigra and Jane, I think. So I’d have to think about it. But I’m gonna be on the road all day, so I’ll have to come back for that.
CAP
thor
iron man
vision
sCARLET WITCH
quicksilver
Black panther
That’s it for TEAM members but Hulk sub-mariner and Sandman will show up
I’m not clear how we are supposed to vote is it just drop our vote in the comments…?
Anyway I was surprised at some of the choices ironically I think my team had I selected would have managed to not get picked at all!
1. Jane Foster Thor
2. Smart Hulk – Bruce Banner
3. Quicksilver
4. Sue Storm
5. Night Thrasher
6. Jack of Hearts
7. Captain Britain – Brian Braddock
I know some of them are left field but I think this line up covers the main elements
Tech and Science – Hulk and Night Thrasher
Infiltration and Urban – Night Thrasher
Mystical Connections – Captain Britain
Out of Atmosphere / Space – Jack of Hearts / Thor
Tank – Thor
Protective powers – Sue Storm
Speedster – Quicksilver
And as it’s the Avengers
Team Jackass – Quicksilver
Team Mom – Jane and Sue as co parents
My pitch would be these are the Avengers no-one wanted but absolutely needed. Often overlooked as “heroes” this team gels well – with the exception of Quicksilver. Based out of the Baxter Building rather than the Avengers Mansion this team are one who pick up the pieces and tidy up after all the big events happen. Are their other Avengers teams? Sure there are and they are out running around but this team is working in the background more than the other “flashy” teams. How on earth does Quicksilver end up on this group – that would be revealed as we go along, it’s actually his idea despite his reservations he realises that he wants to be with a group who think first before throwing a punch but he needs fast thinkers and planners to work out all the angles.
As for my vote… I think it’s Tim’s Team over Sean with Pauls in third place.
You are now my favorite person, Doug!
I was leaning toward Shag’s team but Brett’s pitch won me over.
My team, where I’m limiting to unpicked characters only:
Iron Man 2020, Arno Stark
Amadeus Cho Hulk for both brawn and brain
Loki for magic and drama
Boom Boom for the boom booms, can’t believe nobody took a NextWaver (Machine Man would have also been on my long list.)
Patriot, Eli Bradley for the patriotic one
Black Widow, Claire Voyant, for transportation and stealth
And the wildcard, Rom the Spaceknight ,since we need not worry over copyright issues.
The idea is all characters who had never been Avengers, at least not for more than a minute, but nonetheless feel like an Avengers team.
Justice for the Avengers in the Old West! Thank you, Jeff. You’re my favorite commenter.
Jeff – Should have gone with your gut. Never feed Brett’s ego. It’s like a Mogwai after
Midnight.
I like your Arno Stark and Patriot picks! Considered them myself!
no Hulk? nobody?
So, full disclosure. I don’t think I’ve actually purchased a Marvel comic in 30 years… and THOSE were Transformers comics! So voting on the basis of what team I’m most likely to buy… we’ll, it’s obviously a lie, isn’t it?
Also, my knowledge of these characters is limited to what I’ve picked up just by existing in the world. That puts teams with a preponderance of characters I’ve not heard of at a disadvantage, since the only basis I have for finding them interesting may well be what was said about them in this very podcast.
With no further ado, I chose Shag’s team. The idea of a team led by Captain Carter intrigues me, and the inclusion of The Beast tips the scales even further.
Been reading Avengers since 1963, off the top of my head not using any of the picks
leader energy Storm
Bruiser/Science Smart Hulk
Magic Strange
Cosmic Surfer or Mar-Vell
Add any other 3 you want even Patsy walker or D man
Hmmmm, a draft for my favorite team. This is going to be tough.
Ryan Daly-Fun team, Wasp is the lynchpin of this group. I think I would actually like reading this.
Brett Young-The old west setting is fun. However, other than Hawkeye and Thor none of the other characters say Avengers to me.
Sean Ross-Best team overall, except for Talisman wth man? 😉
Tim Price-The most hot and cold team for me. Wanda, Jennifer, Bobbi and Sam yes please. Carol not so much. Kurt is confusing, interesting but confusing. X-23? No thanks
Shag-Cassie but not her dad? Wong?? Captain Carter??? The rest are great but this team has a lot of question marks for me.
Paul Kien-Monica! Vision! Sersi! Pocket costume Hank! Moondragon! (don’t listen to the haters she’s a great pick) Beta Ray Bill and Sif! Simonson greatness!
You all gave me a lot of fun moments of clapping, laughing, and screaming while listening to you. In the end my top three books are from Ryan, Sean, and Paul.
3rd-Sean Ross
2nd-Ryan
1st-Paul. You can happily have my $1.25 each month.
I couldn’t help playing along and limited myself to characters you hadn’t picked yet.
1. Eric Masterson version of Thor, not Thunderstrike mind you. as my big three pick and powerhouse for the team
2. Team leader Quasar, one of the first Avengers to shake off Morgan Le Fay’s curse in the Busiek/Perez run.
3. Jocasta, my tech character with ties to the Avenger’s best villain, Ultron.
4. Firebird, a uniquely religious character that could lend herself to lots of unexplored ideas.
5. Tigra, flirtatious and feral at times. I’d lean into the mystic origins of the character.
6. Starfox time to shake off the ick surrounding this hero and give him a few good tales.
7. Spider Woman, Julia Carpenter, my favorite version of this hero.
Jason – you are obviously a man of good taste! Thanks for the vote.
I will happily take 3rd place!
And will no one defend Talisman? She’s awesome!
Seconding the Firebird attention here. One of the longest-running little-used yet-interesting Marvel characters. By putting her on the bench, Marvel squanders a lot of potential, IMO
FYI my godson TJ and I are currently recording new episodes of Keen Comics discussing the storyline Operation Galactic Storm (notable for being the beginning of the leather jacket era) look for new episodes dropping in the new year.
For my team I tried to incorporate the Avengers’ history of both training young heroes (e.g. Avengers Academy), and inviting criminals seeking redemption into the ranks (e.g. Hawkeye, the Maximoffs, Swordsman, etc.). Furthermore, I wanted some characters who don’t have much publication history for the creative teams to play around with. Finally, I chose four former Avengers, just so my Avengers can be called Avengers.
I limited myself to undrafted characters.
1. Ironheart
I assume she counts as an Iron Man. A tech character whose suit can adapt as the series continues. I see a friendship with Valeria developing.
2. Quicksilver
I love his arrogance and abrasive personality within a team dynamic. I also like speedsters.
3. Firestar
She’s the leader of this team. A powerhouse with history, but who still offers opportunities for development.
4. Tigra
I went back and forth between Tigra and Jessica Jones, but ultimately I prefer Jessica as a private eye, so Tigra got the nod.
5. American Eagle
I loved this character when I was introduced to him through the MSRPG books. He needs a better costume, and probably a better name, but that’s what the stories are for.
6. Valeria Richards
I see her as a high school freshman, and this is her after school activity. Forms a friendship with Riri. I see her as this team’s version on Brainiac 5: she loves being in the lab, but she’s also capable in the field.
7. Absorbing Man
My reforming criminal. After being a member of Gamma Flight with Puck, Crusher Creel decides to pursue a full-blown redemption. He’s the most powerful member of the team.
I like team books that balance action with character development, so I need a creative team that can make that happen. I’m thinking Gail Simone or Kelly Thompson as the writer and Nicola Scott or Gavin Guidry on art.
As for whose team I like the best, it came down to three. First, my runner-ups:
Sean: A much better team than I thought while listening to the draft while driving. I don’t know much about Silk, but I like the rest of the picks. I would have gone Shaman over Talisman, but I don’t hate the pick as much as other people seem to.
Paul: I know I’m in the minority, but I’m a big fan of Moondragon. This is the most powerful of the teams. I’d be interested to see how the Cosmoc Anvengers are differentiated from the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the important thing is I’d be interested. The reason this team is not my favorite is the inclusion of Hank Pym (the human utility belt). Replace him with some other super-genius and you’ve got a winner.
And the winner is…
Tim: A team that could function in many different types of stories. Every character is interesting and there are many connections between the characters prior to joining the team. Yep, I’d definitely buy this book.
Valeria Richards is such a smart choice. I am jealous that I didn’t think of her.
That is a fascinating team, Rafe! Well done! And thank you for the vote!
Anyone who picks Nova automatically gets my vote!
That is who would have been my team leader for a whole new Avengers team. But, since I don’t want to steal good ideas. My team that would guarantee sales.
Namorita ( non blue variety, please) -Power, attitude, and my surprise leader.
Spitfire- Speed, wisdom, possible killer bite . My legacy character.
Titania- power house, my redemption character.
Sunfire- mutant heat/energy. Temper character with original costume please
Dr Spectrum-brand new person(maybe previous young character, maybe he had some pesky sisters and a brother) with the stone. Isn’t the mystery ID just killin you?? That’s worth a story arc or 2
Abe Brown-Yep Sons of the Tiger . Yep Also know as the Black Tiger. Martial arts score
King Arthur aka Excalibur. Whole story arc involving Dane Whitman and team being thrown into the past. And they basically have to “hide” King Arthur. Because of comics, they accidentally pull him back to the future and they give him a superhero ID to hide his true identity and also have to protect him from evil time travelers from the future. It’s a thing.
Another great FW Presents special!
First of all, all of my picks were drafted except one. My Avengers team would be:
1. Captain America (Steve Rogers)–The leader and strategist who is also great in a combat situation
2. She-Hulk–Provides super-strength plus legal acumen in case the team is taken to court
3. Black Panther (T’Challa)–another excellent strategist who also has some technological expertise and international political connections
4. The Vision–extra firepower and technological skill plus the android angle is always interesting
5. Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau)–energy-based powers and adds speed
6. Ms. Marvel (kamala Khan)–the younger hero on the team; she would have her original Inhuman “embiggening” powers rather than her newer mutant abilities
7. Jack of Hearts–This is the only one no one on the podcast named, although I see Doug Adamson mentioned him in the comments. Fits well when they need to go cosmic plus I just love his recent relationship w/ She-Hulk
As far as my vote for favorite team on the podcast, let’s see:
Brett’s pitch was extremely persuasive, but ultimately didn’t get my vote.
Shag’s team does have The Beast and Wonder Man double act, but I couldn’t vote for it either.
Tim’s team has She-Hulk and Nightcrawler may be my 2nd favorite Marvel character, but I think of him as an X-Man rather than an Avenger. So I couldn’t vote for it either.
Paul’s team has The Vision and Monica Rambeau, but I’m just kind of meh on the other characters so I couldn’t vote for it either.
Ryan’s team has T-Challa and Kamala and I love both characters, but again the others are not particular favorites. So I couldn’t vote for it either.
That leaves Sean’s team. It is led by my favorite Marvel character in Steve Rogers. I love the Silk pick. She is my favorite Spider character. I also appreciate the callbck to Avengers Forever by putting Songbird on the team. Hercules is fun, Black Knight works well as an Avenger, and Nova would be interesting.
So Sean’s team gets my vote. But the real winners are all of us who got to listen to this and geek out for an hour or so. Thanks again!
And I almost forgot. I could really see Talisman working in the Avengers. A few of the Alpha Flight characters could. My picks would be Aurora and/or Northstar and Madison Jeffries.
Super Captain – Thank you for recognizing Talisman’s untapped potential and for seeing how awesome my team is. As always, you are a wise man.
Totally agree, several unused Alphans could be good Avengers material. Another one is Windshear, he’s fallen off the map, has useful powers, and IIRC has secret agent experience.
Long time listener. First(?) time commenter. I have been looking forward to this draft pick since the Justice League episode dropped. I hope the third episode doesn’t take as long. Any hints if that has been planned yet or not? Are we going to have another hero team for the next installment (Titans? X-Men?) or will we switch sides to the villains? The Legion of Doom or the Sinister Six are my top suggestions.
As much as I love Marvel, I’m more of a DC guy (In case you can’t tell by my nickname!) and because I was introduced to the concept of the multiverse through DC stories, they have a special place in my heart. Also, I’m always a sucker for time travel stories in general, so my favorite pitches in this episode involve the concept in one way or another:
TOP 3 BEST PITCHES:
1. Brett
2. Ryan
3. Sean
My favorite rosters are slightly different.
TOP 3 BEST ROSTERS:
1. Ryan
2. Brett
3. Sean
(As much as I love Shanna the She-Devil, Brett, I hoped you would have replaced Moon Girl with another science/tech character. My suggestions would have been either Shuri or Forge. This is why my pitch and roster picks are slightly different.)
With jokes referencing several of Marvel’s licensed characters in this episode, this gave me the idea that my team of Avengers would be heavily influenced by the multiversal and time travel tropes I love cranked up to 11!
MY ROSTER:
THE EXILED AVENGERS
1. Captain America/Bucky Barnes (Earth-616) (Main Universe)
Main Focus Character/Living In Shadow of Mentor/Shame of History as Winter Soldier
2. Spider-Man/Miles Morales
(Earth-1610) (Ultimate Universe)
Young, POV Character/Energy & Stealth Powers
3. Optimus Prime
(Earth-91274) (Marvel US Transformers Universe)
Powerhouse & Tank/Mentor Figure/Experienced Tactician
4. The Doctor
(Earth-5556) (Marvel UK Doctor Who Universe)
Scientific & Technical Genius/Multiverse & Time Travel Expert/Team Transportation via the TARDIS/Team Recruiter
5. Wild Thing/Rina Logan
(Earth-982) (MC2 Universe)
Young, POV Character/Skilled Fighter/Mutant Psionic & Mental Powers
6. Sorceress Supreme Strange/Jeannie (Earth-928) (2099 Universe)
Magic User/Timeline Sensitivity Powers
7. Blink/Clarice Ferguson
(Earth-295) (Age of Apocalypse Universe)
The Doctor’s Current Companion/Secondary Multiverse & Time Travel Expert/Mutant Space & Time Warping Powers
MY PITCH:
Entire universes and timelines are collapsing and being erased from existence and knowledge. Only the Gallifreyan Time Lord known as the Doctor is able to discern the deaths of these realities. The only lead he has to the cause of this chaos is that it somehow involves an alternate version of Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, and the Cybertronian artifact known as the Underbase. With the help of the Doctor’s current travel companion, the mutant Blink, they must assemble a team who has the abilities to both Avenge the countless lives that have already been lost and hopefully can prevent the complete destruction of the Marvel Multiverse.
Welcome to the comments, Mitewing, great imagination! I hope it’s the Tom Baker Doctor.
Thanks, Mitewing. You’ve got good taste.
After studying the rosters, I’m afraid my vote goes to Shag’s team even if many of my favorite Avengers are on other teams.
Clearly Siskoid is a man of taste.
OK, I’m being brave and diving in, I’m such a massive fan of the Avengers – well, pre-Bendis – that the chance of a good chat about them was too much to resist.
Ryan, thank you for explaining who Ron Barclay was, I thought he was half of Sparks.
I do admit, I get lost when you were laying out the rules as to who could be picked in what order and from which category and how you could then change your mind, or nix someone else’s choice, or something. For example, Shag picks Black Widow, and is told it’s too early for her… what’s that about? Surely you need to be picking the best ones quickly to lock them in.
But I carried on, and was entertained, and especially thrilled that you didn’t do that infernal BING-BONG after every selection.
I wouldn’t choose anyone who had been on other teams, so no X-Men, although I would make an exception for Songbird of Thunderbolts fame, because as was said, she was meant to be an Avenger and never got her shot (I’m assuming Shag never saw her drawn by Patrick Zircher in #63 or she’d definitely be on his team). And Valkyrie, because she’s criminally underused and did debut in Avengers – well, a version of her.
I was partially listening to this in the shower, did someone say Circe had ‘tramp mutation’ powers?
‘Avengers of the Free Clinic…’?
Tim’s new podcast about Avenger Under Siege sounds fantastic, it can’t start soon enough.
So whose team would I pick – it would have to be the lineup Sean gave us, except that I would pull out Silk because she’s a bit nothingy and put in Pete Wisdom as he’s cool and a wild card. Also, we need a real Brit, to show up that wannabe Dane Witless.
I forgot my Avengers team!
//////
Captain Marvel Monica for Cosmic and strategic intelligence
Tigra as Emotional Support Heroine
Quicksilver for spice
The Wasp – Jan, not Hank, because she is the heart of the Avengers, she has the emotional intelligence
Quasar because he’s a pop of colour in a sometimes drab world; also, someone has to have the Steve/Clint/Hank face
Doc Samson for strength and science
The Warriors Three (rotating membership) for strength and mysticism and humour
I wanted a space-fairing Avenger and almost went with Quasar, but my love of Nova won the day.
Martin – As always, you are a man of taste. 🙂
This was a really, really fun episode. I love this super hero team draft stuff. Its silly but also awesome. Everyone’s team was interesting and weird and had at least one “huh?”
I think the book I’d be most interested in reading would be Tim’s team. Im a sucker for the Woke Avengers.
Shag’s team is a close second. For 7th pick he rocked it. Of course when people are taking Moondragons and Talismans it becomes a lot easier.
If I put a team together I’d go with
Joe Fixit Hulk
Quicksilver
Namor
Dr. Druid
Sandman
Sunfire
Steve Roger’s Captain America
Basically the Hothead Jerk Avengers. Always fighting and arguing. Bunch of people who think they should be the leader. No one trusts each other. Cap has to keep them in line. His toughest leadership assignment ever. They face off with The Master’s of Evil and at some point, we think each one of them is going to turn on the team as Zemo and The Enchantress try to recruit these misanthropes one by one. Make it a limited series. By the final issue the reader think each member has betrayed Cap, only to find out they all were faking it or something and they “come together as a team”. Awww.
As for a creative team….I’ll try to be different and go with David Michelinie and Bob Hall.
And just to keep in theme, my Avengers will be a contemporary of Tim’s book and it’ll be a subversive take on toxic masculinity or something so we can be co-woke.
The other thing I loved about this draft was how it revealed how many of you play RPG games. These picks screamed “I need a magic user!” “Where’s my knight!”
Quite the choice you made in your model selection for Shanna the She-Devil there, Shag.
The Avengers of the Old West is all Brett, and that’s Brett’s own drawn artwork too!
Hey, Dave, thanks for picking a real Avengers team! Also, Shanna was my pick. And while I based the poses on existing art because of the time-crunch, those are hand-drawn by yours truly! Digital pen in Procreate.
I admit I was a bit shocked at who was left off the table (Reed, Sue, Ben, for example).
As for best team – I’m going to give a slight edge to Brett, the pitch was fantastic! Paul, you came in second – because I *love* Monica, and I love Dr. Pym from WCA.
Always a fun time listening to these.
How did nobody pick Sue Storm??
I have to go with Ryan’s line-up because’s got Stark and T’Challa (the best characters in the MCU) – and because Roy Thomas is always right and co-created Ryan Daly!
My picks:
Iron Man (Stark)
Invisible Woman
Luke Cage
Wolverine
The Mighty Thor (Jane Foster)
Black Widow
Vision
A fun episode to listen to and to complain/yell at. On the whole, I think there was some fun choices, and inspired pics. Of course I would have made some different choices. I think one interesting magic user that you all forgot about was Magik. She would have given you a teleporter, magic user, and a serious battle captain. Plus, it would be interesting to see her outside of a mutant book for a while.
Thinking about my choices, I decided to play into my own podcast and see what I could do with a younger Avengers team with a new direction.
(Trio Avenger Pick) Jane Foster – Thor
Julie Power – Lightspeed
Franklin Richards
Laura Kiney – Wolverine
Hank Pym – West Coast Avengers era
Miles Morales – Spider Man
Nico Minoru
A small take off from Avengers Academy. The majority of Earth’s defenders have been taken off world, and there are some events occurring that are connected to the intergalactic fight. This team is cobbled together to try and hold up the Avengers title and deal with the global problems. Franklin Richards, as always, is the wild card in the situation. He is distracted by the bigger cosmic issues, and is less effective dealing with the street level problems. Hank Pym is in an advisor, weapons capacity. There is a lot of drama on the team, especially with Julie and Nico. Jane Foster is trying to figure out how and why she is Thor again, but is the strength and core of the team.
As for my vote, there are some interesting choices, but I think….amazingly…I would read Shag’s team. There is an interesting mix of characters and personalities that I think would be fun and interesting. It is not an action book, more of a character study.
Next would be Brett Young. The wild west setting is intriguing. And I think that the team you have put together could make that an interesting read.
Third is Sean Ross’s team. Although, I feel that I have already read those stories, and it would be a serious throwback to the 80s/90s, I would have a hard time saying no.
Tim Price would be fourth. That is a weird team that just seems very piece meal instead of naturally forming. But there are some cool characters that have rarely interacted before.
Ryan Daly is fifth. That is just too many ego’s. The amount of posturing and fights over who’s way it the right way would be draining after a while.
Finally, it is Paul. Moondragon…….really…..did you not read the New Defenders?
Great episode and thoroughly enjoyable listen while I toiled on my comic book spreadsheets.
The art for Brett’s team really makes me want to vote for him. But Iron Man, Namor, and Black Panther on one team together??? My vote goes to Ryan Daly. Even though that picture of Vance Astro is cringe.
My vote is going to have to be for Brett Young’s team.
What an awesome mini-series with avengers fighting nazi vampires in the old west. The chef’s kiss is M.O.D.O.K. in a cowboy hat!
Shag’s was a close 2nd and would be my choice if it was for ongoing because the beauty and the best bromance.
I’ll drop my draft picks later for my team
Thanks, Leslie, you’re the best commenter!
There’s already 10 billion comments, so I will just say I enjoyed listening to this show a lot. Much like Martin, I don’t really understand why any popular character (and therefore GOOD Avenger/hero) could be picked “too early”. There were some interesting choices, and as a toy guy, I wish Crystar had stayed on Sean’s team just for that. I think it’s funny that Brett throws shade at others picking obscure characters, but selects the one Ghost Rider no one else ever heard of. Having said that though, I do think I like his premise the best.
Tim did a fantastic job taking my place after “the incident”. Which we will never discuss, and will now be known as a lost Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Who adventure that’s only vaguely referenced.
Here is my draft picks for my Avengers. I eliminated those we were drafted in the official rounds.
Avengers: Redemption
After some great crisis has occurred, many of earth’s mightiest heroes avengers and other wise have lost their lives and even sacrificed themselves to bring the crisis to an end. In the aftermath, a rag tag group of anti-heroes, villains, and troubled heroes take up the mantle of Avengers to seek their own Redemption and honor those who sacrificed so much
1. Captain American (Bucky Barnes) – Bucky takes up the shield once again to honor Steve’s sacrifice and lead these new Avengers seeking redemption
2. Wizard – With Reed gone, the world needs the scientific genius of the Wizard to face the ever growing threats.
3. Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) comes out retirement and dawns the quantum bands.
4. Doyle Dormammu seeks to prove he is more than his father.
5. Taskmaster (2020-2021 series) seeks to prove his wroth to the world and himself.
6. Titania (Mary MacPherran) inspired by She-Hulk to become more than she ever imagined she could become.
7. Speedball (Robert Baldwin) is suffering from PTSD from his time in Civil War 1 and his time as Penance. The events of this past crisis has brought Robert back to the breaking point.
I’m surprised no picked my favorite Version of Thor thunder strike since two people have taken on the alter ego
I know with Shag involved there is ZERO chance I’m winning the contest, but I will vote anyway: While all the teams have something to recommend them, ultimately I’m voting for SEAN ROSS’s line up. Getting Cap in there is so bedrock, and his mix of old members and new recruits I thought was something I would have enjoyed reading back in the day.
This was, undoubtedly, the BITCHIEST single episode the network has ever produced. A for Avengers, A for effort.
Considering we have the BVS episode in our history, that’s saying something!
I noticed mild, good-natured ribbing, but not what I call serious bitching – you need a few Brits on! And I don’t mean me, I’m lovely.
I can confirm Martin is lovely!
I have Rob’s vote, so no matter what else happens , I won!
&@$!@$!!
This One is extremely disappointed in these choices. This One is pleased that This One is not forced to associate with such unworthy Avengers!
Finally someone who approves of Moondragon! This one appreciates your comments Terry!
Moondragon is great, but I think of her more as a Defender. I love that her head matches her boobs.
And this one has been reminded that it was Mantis who talked like that, not Moondragon. This one got his green Englehart ladies mixed up, lol.
The characters only Englehart himself liked!
Moony was a Starlin character and chose NOT to join! (Much to Iron Man’s relief!)
As much as it pains me not to pick the Cosmic Avengers purely on being a Monica Rambeau mega fan, I will go with Sean Ross’s team. It is the one I’d want to read about.
Black Knight and Hercules were great in my favorite Avengers era: the Stern/Buscema/Palmer era, and underused in the Avengers ever since (other than the leather jacket era). Hercules is always fun and Black Knight is just plain cool. They really need to play up the fact he’s a scientist with a magic sword dichotomy more, and not forget the guy went back in time and was in the Crusades. He should be as battle-hardened as Captain America! I’m a fan of Nova since his New Warriors days, Somgbird is long overdue for Avengers membership, Talisman and Silk are offbeat and underexplored characters who would be great to see developed, and of course Steve Rogers/Cap is a great addition to any Avengers team, though it’d be interesting to see him as 2nd in command and let the Knight lead the team again. I’m of the opinion that Cap doesn’t always have to be the leader.
As for my picks:
I’m of the belief that an Avengers team that has OG Cap, Iron Man, and Thor all on it is kind of boring. All 3 have their own comics and there are tons of Marvel characters who are underdeveloped and underused.
Black Knight provides science acumen and experience with magic. And as noted above, he is a hardened warrior and should have battlefield experience galore.
Firebird for her energy projection, flight, and would provide a different personality and perspective than most characters. A good writer woukd take this character and have fun because she’s largely a blank slate. Kind of like what Jo Duffy and Peter David did with the Multiple Man.
Blue Shield: another blank slate character a writer could have a blast developing. Force fields are always useful and he has underworld connections. He’d be a cool street-level sensibility kind of guy to have on the team.
Wonder Man as the powerhouse, play up the Hollywood stuntman side like his solo series did in the 1990s. Make him FUN, no angst for Simon for a long time, pleeeeez.
M from Generation X. The X-books can’t find a place for her and she would provide the team with another powerhouse plus that snooty attitude would create fun team dynamics.
Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau as leader. I’ve been waiting since the late 1980s for her to return to prominence. She has the coolest powers.
Okay, so I’m going to choose a Cap-adjacent character to fulfill the requirement of “must have a variant of the big 3 on the team”. I’m choosing Rikki Barnes, aka Bucky, aka Nomad, the Girl Without a World! The one who first appeared in the Heroes Reborn world then crossed over into the 616! Brings the acrobatics, hand to hand fighting ability, and learned tactics from Cap himself. But no shield, with Jack Monroe dead somebody’s got to sling stun-discs around!
Rikki Barnes and Blue Shield are two characters that didn’t even occur to me. Great choices.
Thank you! I love identifying obscure and forgotten characters who had a lot of potential. And as a writer myself, I look for the interesting power sets, personalities, and histories that’d create fun team dynamics and generate stories
Great choice!
For whatever reason, the show cut off right as Shag finished his Round 8 picks.
My picks: John Walker ,U.S. Agent, the Professor Hulk, Quasar, Quicksilver (to dominate the Q market),
Her/Kismet, Maximus of the Inhumans, and since she’s been turned into the TV version, Agatha Harkness.. Plenty of pot-stirrers, people with their own agendas, and at least one traitor,
My 8th choice would be Johnny Storm, the only original FF member who hasn’t been an Avenger.
All the books look great, but the one I’d like to read is Paul’s.
And yet another listener with discriminating taste! Well said Joe!
Fun episode. I’m voting for Tim’s roster.
Let me start out by saying that I’m EXTREMELY disappointed in all of you. Quasar ticks so many boxes (Powerhouse, Energy Projector, Cosmic) and NONE of you picked my man Wendell. “Oh, I’ll get made fun of.” is NOT an excuse, Shag! For shame!
On to voting. Looking at every line-up, they all have their pros and cons, but I have to go with Paul’s since it’s got several of my favorite characters (basically everyone but Moondragon, but she’s Quasar adjacent, so I’ll allow it).
As for my Avengers, I will NOT pick anyone that was already taken on the show.
Big 3 -> Thor (Eric Masterson)
Energy Projector -> Quasar (Wendell Vaugh)
Bruiser/Infiltration -> Wolverine
Tank/Science -> Hulk (Mantlo/Buscema version with Banner’s mind in control)
Infiltration/Science -> Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
Tactician -> Fandral the Dashing
Magic -> Jennifer Kale
Creative Team:
Writer -> Mark Gruenwald
Pencils -> Walt Simonson
Inks -> Sal Buscema
Colors -> Christie Scheele
Letters -> John Costanza
Editor -> Louise Simonson
Pitch: It’s a new team of Avengers, what more do you needed? (I unashamedly stole that from Shag for the “embarrassed” comment.)
Gene – you are clearly a man of great intelligence. And I love your creative team!
Well, I picked Quasar back there. And Fandral.
Because you’re a man of quality, Sir Martin.
I’m late to the party, but I want to play too.
First, my vote for my favorites of the teams. This was a hard choice and I went back and forth quite a bit before making my choices. You all made very good arguments for why your team could be the best.
3rd choice – Paul Kien’s Cosmic Avengers – The idea of a team handling problems are a more cosmic level and these members doing it is terrific! Yes, even Moondragon. The New Defenders were a favorite of mine as a teenager.
2nd choice – The Irredeemable Avengers – Wonder Man and Beast back together on a team? Yes, please! And I would follow Captain Carter anywhere.
1st choice – Tim Price’s Team – Nightcrawler alone makes me love this team, but then adding Captain Marvel, She-Hulk, and Sam as Captain America? Shut-up and take my money!
As for my team, I am picking from characters not selected in the episode.
Captain America (Bucky Barnes edition) – Team Leader. Everyone looks to him because he is Captain America, but he leads reluctantly because it is what Steve would have wanted him to do.
Doctor Strange – magic wielder (I liked Shag’s selection of Wong, but if Stephen is still on the table, I can’t not pick him.)
Hyperion – power house with an ego
Machine Man – science/tech and comic relief based on his Nextwave iteration
Ronin (Maya Lopez) – street level fighter
Cannonball – the heart of the team
Firestar – firepower of course, but also an ‘entry level’ hero wondering how she made it to the big leagues
I know that I listened to the JLA draft because of the Zatanna of it all, but now I’m not sure that I ever finished it. I don’t remember any stuff like voting for the best team, or offering stories to contextualize the picks. I’ve also done this sort of thing so much on social media that I don’t have any gumption left to participate here. My general disinterest in modern corporate comics also plays into that. It’s funny though that we used the same Cap image for an MCU Phase Whatever Avengers draft for a Rolled Spine episode.
Paul’s Beta Ray Bill pick was inspired, but too many of the rest were off-brand for me. Shag lost me immediately with his multiversal Captain Carter crap, which got it all Wong. I’m so glad my relationship with Shag allows for such entirely deserved nerd bullying. Tim’s had a nice flavor, especially the Nightcrawler placement. Sean got a bit Busiek with his, and I feel like we’re past Black Knight serving in a non-leadership role. My anti-Spiderverse bias also comes in, with a Spider-Woman exemption (Drew or Carpenter.) I don’t know why Brett put Thor on a Defenders team. While I find Major Victory highly objectionable, I think Ryan otherwise had the best (if safest) Avengers line-up.
I decided to look back at the JLA drafts, and yeah, I guess I do remember that art presentation. Ryan also had a good (and more daring) line up there, but I think Sean nailed the mix of legacy and novelty best.
Wow, lots of good teams making for a tough choice. As always, an absolutely fun episode!
I like the idea that Ryan’s team would have the ingredients for internal strike with those big egos, but good choice in picking Janet as leader. All in all, though, I just can’t see how two monarchs can coexist on the team without one taking a back seat to the other eventually. The tension would be cool for a bit, but not long term. Love the inclusion of the rest of them except for Major Victory, who I am barely familiar with.
Sean’s team has the makings of being a classic lineup. I’ll always back a team with Black Knight in it. Great power, leadership and balance on this team.
Tim’s team gets a nod from me for the inclusion of She-Hulk and Nightcrawler alone, and putting Sam Wilson or Captain Marvel at the helm gives this team an extra bit of umph.
Brett’s team won me over with the mental image of MODOK in a 10 gallon cowboy hat! I’m sorry that it didn’t make the cover! And extra points for such a thought-out plot by Brett! However, this is not my choice for team composition (although I am a big fan of the Jessica Drew Spider-Woman).
Paul’s Cosmic Avengers are the least familiar to me, other than Vision, Monica Rambeau and Beta Ray Bill. I mean I know of the rest of them, but not read enough to have the investment in them. I like the cosmic angle, but not as a permanent setting. I definitely like the idea of Hickman as the writer.
Shag’s team also has some favorites of mine in Beast and Black Widow, but otherwise the appeal isn’t there for me. Wong as a true blue member is a plus, but the inclusion of Wonder Man negates that…
So my vote is…Sean’s team of Avengers!
Thanks for the fun and engaging episode!