The Mighty Avengers

This article is about the comic book series. For the 1960s British pop group, see The Mighty Avengers (band).
The Mighty Avengers

The Mighty Avengers #1 (May 2007)
Cover art by Frank Cho
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
Schedule Monthly
Publication date May 2007 – April 2010
Main character(s) Current Members
Blue Marvel
Luke Cage
Captain America (Wilson)
Kaluu
Power Man
She-Hulk
Spectrum
Spider-Man
White Tiger
Creative team
Writer(s) Brian Michael Bendis
Dan Slott
Penciller(s) Frank Cho
Mark Bagley
Khoi Pham
Inker(s) Danny Miki
Colorist(s) Jason Keith
Creator(s) Brian Michael Bendis
Frank Cho

The Mighty Avengers is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of New Avengers, the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered superheroes, residing in New York City as part of the Fifty State Initiative, as opposed to the unlicensed team featured in The New Avengers. This first incarnation of the team is led by Iron Man and Ms. Marvel, with the second lineup featuring Hank Pym as the leader, and the third led by Luke Cage and Monica Rambeau.

Publication history

The team first appears in The Mighty Avengers #1 (May 2007), written by Brian Michael Bendis and pencilled and inked by Frank Cho. The roster, led by Ms. Marvel, also consisted of Ares, Black Widow, Iron Man, Sentry, Wasp and Wonder Man. In the wake of the superhero "Civil War", Iron Man recruits Ms. Marvel as leader of the revamped team. Together they select the first roster.

The Mighty Avengers was originally intended to run parallel with New Avengers, with characters and events crossing over and being viewed from both perspectives. However, artist Cho fell behind schedule, and left the book after six issues and an additional cover.[1] Successor Mark Bagley drew the series from issues #7–11 (early March – late May 2008).

The series was canceled with The Mighty Avengers #36 (April 2010), at the conclusion of the Siege storyline.[2]

The team was relaunched in September 2013 under the creative team of Al Ewing and Greg Land. The new team is more street-level, and is led by Luke Cage.[3] The team contains new versions of Ronin, White Tiger and Power Man, plus Blue Marvel, the Superior Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Spectrum, the Falcon and the new hero Spider Hero.[4]

Fictional team biography

Following the federally sanctioned creation of this iteration of the Avengers, Iron Man (Tony Stark) is discredited and publicly vilified after his inability to anticipate or prevent a secret infiltration and invasion of Earth by the shape-shifting alien Skrull race, and by the Skrull disabling of his StarkTech technology, which had a virtual monopoly on worldwide defense.

Following the Skrulls' eventual defeat and the subsequent dissolution of S.H.I.E.L.D., the officially sanctioned team of Avengers, now led by Norman Osborn under the H.A.M.M.E.R. banner, is spun off into the pages of Dark Avengers.[5]

In response, Henry Pym, in his latest superhero persona as the new Wasp, leads an Avengers team outside the U.S. and H.A.M.M.E.R.'s jurisdiction. With the apparent help of the Scarlet Witch—actually, a disguised Loki, the Norse trickster god—he summons the Vision and Stature of the Young Avengers, U.S. Agent, Jocasta, Hercules, Amadeus Cho, and Iron Man.

Claiming to be the only authentic team of Avengers due to being the only team operating under that name to have a founding member on the roster, the team operates from an interdimensional headquarters. It is granted official recognition outside the U.S. by the international organization G.R.A.M.P.A., and combats supervillains and other entities including Chthon,[6] and the Unspoken.[7]

During the events of Infinity, a new team of Mighty Avengers are formed during Thanos' invasion of Earth. With the main Avengers branch off in space, the defense of New York falls to a group of former Avengers and the remnants of Luke Cage's recently disbanded Heroes for Hire squad. They are given the name "Mighty Avengers" after a Twitter hashtag used to describe the group.[8]

During the Inhumanity storyline, Luke Cage keeps the Mighty Avengers together and made the remodeled Gem Theater as their base. The Mighty Avengers now have the purpose of helping those in need. During this time, the Spider Hero becomes the new Ronin.[9]

During the "Last Days" part of the Secret Wars storyline, Steve Rogers tells the Mighty Avengers team that the world is ending and asks them to side with him or the Illuminati. Two weeks before the end of the world, the Mighty Avengers join Steve Rogers in a fight against the Illuminati.[10] The Mighty Avengers help out in the incursion against Earth-1610.[11]

Team Roster

Initiative Team (2007–2008)

The Mighty Avengers were founded by Ms. Marvel and Iron Man, as New York's team under the Fifty State Initiative.

Character Real Name Joined in Notes
Iron Man Anthony Edward Stark Mighty Avengers #1 (May 2007) Removed from being director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Secret Invasion #8.
Ms. Marvel Carol Susan Jane Danvers Became member of the New Avengers.
Wonder Man Simon Williams Resigned in Secret Invasion #8.
The Wasp Janet van Dyne
(a.k.a. Janet Pym)		 Died in Secret Invasion #8. Later revealed that she was actually shunted to the Microverse[12]
Black Widow Natalia Alianovna Romanova
(a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff)		 Resigned in Secret Invasion #8.
Sentry Robert Reynolds Became member of the Dark Avengers. Presumed deceased as of Siege #4.
Ares Ares
(a.k.a. John Aaron)		 Became member of the Dark Avengers. Presumed killed in Siege #2.
Infiltrator (2007)
Spider-Woman Veranke
(posing as Jessica Drew)		 Mighty Avengers #7 (November 2007) A double agent with the New Avengers. Revealed to be a Skrull in Secret Invasion #3 (May 2008). Died in Secret Invasion #8.

International Team (2009–2010)

After the events of "Dark Reign", the Mighty Avengers were followed by a reorganized Initiative team published in Dark Avengers, and a new international team was featured in Mighty Avengers.

Character Real Name Joined in Notes
The Wasp Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym Mighty Avengers #21 (March 2009) Chosen by the "Scarlet Witch", who was actually Loki. Challenged for leadership by Iron Man, but assumed full leadership after defeating Chthon.
Hercules Heracles Presumed killed in the Assault on New Olympus. Returned in Chaos War #1 (Oct. 2010).
Amadeus Cho Amadeus Cho
Jocasta Jocasta
U.S. Agent John Frank Walker,
Jack Daniels (alias)		 Mighty Avengers #22 Former member of Omega Flight, chosen in the place of an incapacitated Captain America. Removed by Norman Osborn in Mighty Avengers #33.
Stature Cassandra Lang Concurrent members of the Young Avengers.
Vision II Jonas (alias)
Quicksilver Pietro Django Maximoff Mighty Avengers #24 Joined the team after helping them defeat Titan.
Infiltrator (2009)
Scarlet Witch Loki
(posing as Scarlet Witch)		 Mighty Avengers #21
(March 2009)		 Joined and assembled the Mighty Avengers in Mighty Avengers #21 (March 2009). Revealed in Mighty Avengers #29 (November 2009).

Infinity recruits (2013–2014)

During the Infinity event a new team was assembled. "The Mighty Avengers" volunteer organization is based out of the old Gem Theatre in Times Square, offering their services as non-profit heroes for free or a charitable contribution.

Character Real name Joined in Notes
Luke Cage Lucas Cage (born Carl Lucas) Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #1 Founder and business director.
Spectrum Monica Rambeau Field leader, former member of Nextwave
Ronin Eric Brooks (aka Blade)[13] First appeared as "Spider Hero." His identity was leaked in an earlier draft of a script. His identity was officially revealed in Mighty Avengers #9.
Blue Marvel Adam Brashear Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #2
Power Man Victor Alvarez Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #3 Former students at Avengers Academy, former members of the Heroes for Hire.
White Tiger Ava Ayala
Falcon
aka Captain America		 Samuel "Sam" Wilson Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #4 Also a member of the main Avengers team as Captain America.
She-Hulk Jennifer Walters Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #6 Legal counsel for the Mighty Avengers and current member of the Future Foundation.
Infiltrator (2013)
Superior Spider-Man Otto Octavius's mind in Peter Parker's body Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #1 Self-declared member, also member-on-probation of the main Avengers team. He leaves the team in Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #5.[14]

Avengers NOW! (2014–2015)

In November 2014, the book was relaunched under the new title of Captain America and the Mighty Avengers as part of "Avengers NOW!"[15] This volume was cancelled in June, 2015, after 9 issues.

Character Real name Joined in Notes
Kaluu Kaluu Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #1 (November 2014) Current members of the Mighty Avengers.
Spider-Man Peter Parker Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #3 (January 2015)

Reception

The first issue of Mighty Avengers was the second highest selling comic for that month based on Diamond Publisher's indexes.[16]

IGN reviewer Richard George said Brian Michael Bendis' writing for The Mighty Avengers #1 "manages to move through the roster selection, convey their basic information and personality, marshal them against a huge threat and leave us with a solid cliffhanger". George also praised Frank Cho's artwork, saying, "The artist not only delivers with some excellent action sequences, he does a great job with the increasingly standard widescreen format that many are adopting."[17]

Circulation

Issue Qty icv2 Top 300 Ranking
1 141,288 [16] 2
2 121,365 [18] 8
3 115,440 [19] 8
4 107,768 [20] 8

Collected editions

Title Material collected Year ISBN
Mighty Avengers Vol. 1: The Ultron Initiative Mighty Avengers #1–6 2008 978-0785123682
Mighty Avengers Vol. 2: Venom Bomb Mighty Avengers #7–11 2008 978-0785123699
Mighty Avengers Vol. 3: Secret Invasion (Book 1) Mighty Avengers #12–15 2009 978-0785130109
Mighty Avengers Vol. 4: Secret Invasion (Book 2) Mighty Avengers #16–20 2009 978-0785136507
Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Mighty Avengers #21–26 2009 978-0785137467
Mighty Avengers: The Unspoken Mighty Avengers #27–31 2010 978-0785137474
Mighty Avengers: Siege Mighty Avengers #32–36 2010 978-0785148005
Mighty Avengers Vol. 1: No Single Hero Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #1–5 March 2014 978-0785188742
Mighty Avengers Vol. 2: Family Bonding Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #6–10 August 2014 978-0785188759
Mighty Avengers Vol. 3: Original Sin – Not Your Father's Avengers Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 #11–14 December 2014 978-0785190721
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers Vol. 1: Open for Business Captain America & the Mighty Avengers #1–7 June 2015 978-0785193821
Captain America & the Mighty Avengers Vol. 2: Last Days Captain America & the Mighty Avengers #8–9, Captain Britain & the Mighty Defenders' #1–2, Avengers Assemble #15AU November 2015 978-0785198031
Title Material collected Year ISBN
Mighty Avengers Assemble The Mighty Avengers #1–11 March 11, 2009 978-0785137580
Mighty Avengers: Secret Invasion The Mighty Avengers #12–20 March 24, 2010 978-0785142614
Mighty Avengers: Dark Reign The Mighty Avengers #21–36 August 17, 2011 978-0785156697

References

  1. ↑ Kean, Benjamin Ong Pang: "Frank Cho: On Leaving The Mighty Avengers", Newsarama.com, September 27, 2007
  2. ↑ George, Richard (January 15, 2010). "Siege Ends the Avengers". IGN. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  3. ↑ "MIGHTY AVENGERS Creative Team, Details Revealed". Newsarama.com. 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  4. ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-06-07). "The Mighty Avengers Return to Marvel". IGN. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  5. ↑ Dark Avengers #1 (March 2009)
  6. ↑ The Mighty Avengers #21 (March 2009)
  7. ↑ The Mighty Avengers #27 (Sept. 2009)
  8. ↑ Mighty Avengers (vol. 2) #1–3
  9. ↑ Mighty Avengers #4.INH
  10. ↑ Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #8
  11. ↑ Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #9
  12. ↑ Avengers vol. 4, #32
  13. ↑ Sunu, Steve (28 October 2013). "Marvel Inadvertently Leaks Mighty Avengers Mystery Member ID". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  14. ↑ Mighty Avengers Vol. 2 5
  15. ↑ http://www.newsarama.com/21696-sdcc-2014-marvel-comics-avengers-now-panel-live.html
  16. 1 2 "Top 300 Comics Actual—March 2007". icv2.com. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  17. ↑ George, Richard. "Advance Review: Mighty Avengers #1". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
  18. ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual—April 2007". icv2.com. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  19. ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual—May 2007". icv2.com. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
  20. ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual—June 2007". icv2.com. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
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