Your Teams of 7.

With the start of the New Year, I posted the following on Twitter to see what folks would pick – and picked my own.

Lucky number 7. Below are some teams – rolling into the New Year, imagine if for one year, the book could only have SEVEN members (no extra side roles to boost the numbers!) Who are your 7 for each book? Feel free to add whatever details you want as well!

For my Guardians of the Galaxy I went with:

1. Nova (Rich)
2. Darkhawk (Chris)
3. Starlord
4. Major Victory (older Vance)
5. Rocket Raccoon
6. Groot
7. Beta Ray Bill

I knew I wanted Nova and Darkhawk here. Both have really been powered up in comics and putting them in a more cosmic book felt right. Naturally, Starlord would remain because he’s become a household name because of the comics. I inserted Major Victory (of the original Guardians of the Galaxy comic) – because I thought the dynamic of Rich (former New Warrior) engaging in conversation with Major Victory (which is an alternate future version of Vance, from the New Warriors) would be amazing. Rocket and Groot you keep for the dynamic duo’s comedy. And Beta Ray Bill would help round up the power house side of things.

For my Young Avengers I picked:

1. Iron Heart (Riri)
2. Starling (Tiana Toomes)
3. Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)
4. Power Man (Victor Alvarez)
5. Ultra Girl
6. Portal (Charles Little Sky)
7. Deathcry (back from the dead)

Iron Heart seemed like the perfect leader (as a tie to Iron Man and his time in the Avengers). The Avengers have often had “former villains” on their team – and so Starling (who isn’t a villain but the granddaughter of Vulture) seemed like a fun fit. I also happen to like her look. Thunderstrike needs more attention – so Kevin having the power that formerly belonged to his father (Eric) makes a nice fit. Power Man seemed like another good fit – more for the street level brawn and knowledge. Ultra Girl, for that Kree aspect – that would bounce off of Deathcry – the Shi’ar side (also a character I loved), with Portal (another character I enjoyed) – learning to teleport more than himself and being their transport.

My Squadron Supreme wouldn’t be too different than the twelve issue limited series that I love of them.

1. Hyperion
2. Power Princess
3. Doctor Spectrum
4. Amphibian
5. Nuke (back from the dead)
6. Whizzer
7. Skylark

Essentially Squadron Supreme would operate to prevent things from getting close to Earth. They’d have a base that orbits Earth and keep an eye for threats on Earth as well as threats headed towards Earth.

My Defenders would pretty much be the New Defenders of the original series.

1. Angel (Warren)
2. Gargoyle
3. Valkyrie (Brunhilde)
4. Manslaughter
5. Andromeda
6. Cloud
7. Aegis (Trey Rollins back from the Dead on a mission from Athena)

Aegis would be restored to life by Athena and told to gather heroes. Valkyrie sees him – and sees an odd aurora about him – talks to him and learns that the Greek Goddess Athena senses great danger. Valkyrie contacts Angel, Gargoyle and Andromeda. Cloud returns as well, sensing some form of great danger. And because he detected their thoughts, Manslaughter joins them as well. They deal with whatever thing is coming – and continue to operate as the odd ball team.

My Avengers would be similar to the version of the team when Monica Rambeau joined them.

1. Captain America
2. Iron Man
3. Thor
4. Spectrum (or whatever Monica Rambeau goes by these days!)
5. She-Hulk
6. Wasp
7. Black Knight

I’ve always loved that line up – and throw Black Knight in there, and I am quite happy with that version of the Avengers!

My Uncanny X-Men would be…

1. Cyclops
2. Jean Grey
3. Gambit
4. Rogue
5. Jubilee
6. Psylocke
7. Magik

I loved the Chris Clairemont/Jim Lee era of the X-Men and would put them as the main X-Men team. Magik would be there as their source of transport. I would have put Nightcrawler in Magik’s place – but since I also had Excalibur, that’s where I placed Nightcrawler.

1. Storm
2. Pixie
3. Wolverine
4. Mimic
5. Colossus
6. Bishop
7. Northstar

Pixie would be their teleporter – while I think the idea of Mimic would be fun. He’s essentially like Rogue – but just needs to be in proximity of the people with powers!

1. Havok
2. Polaris
3. Mutliple Man
4. Wolfsbane
5. Guido
6. Aurora
7. Dazzler

Other than Aurora and Dazzler it’s the same team we saw Peter David put together. I added Aurora here because in the pages of X-Factor there was a connection between her and Wildchild (apparently). So the first story would be her coming to X-Factor to help track him down as he seems to have disappeared. During their search they come across Dazzler who joins in the hunt (having heard other mutants have gone missing as well).

I would have put Random on the team, as I really liked him, but…

1. Cannonball
2. Shatterstar
3. Adam-X
4. Random
5. Warpath
6. Siryn
7. Ariel

This is pretty much you’re “go get’em” team. Cannonball has grown to be a leader – and he’s got a bunch of fighters out there. They’re out there doing what X-Force does best – taking down villains – hard. Ariel (from Fallen Angels) would be their teleporter.

1. Moonstar
2. Blindfold
3. Cypher
4. Rockslide
5. Mamga
6. X-23
7. Caliban

My New Mutants wouldn’t be because they’re New Mutants – but they’re out there finding New Mutants and helping them. Moonstar takes leadership in helping this team stay on target – and Caliban is used to help track down mutants, with X-23 using her heightened senses once they get close.

1. Sync
2. Skin
3. Husk
4. Penance
5. Chamber
6. Karma
7. Sunspot

When Generation X came out, I had high hopes this was going to be a huge success and these characters would go on to live long lives – but many of them were killed (Sync, Skin) – and they were characters I enjoyed. In my Generation X, Penance is separated from Monet and the two are individual people. Sunspot helps finance this team through a school he’s opened up to help new mutants that the New Mutants team often brings to them – with Husk, Skin, Sync, etc., all being teachers at the DaCosta Academy for Gifted Children.

1. Nightcrawler
2. Captain Britain (Brian)
3. Meggan
4. Shadowcat
5. Prestige (Rachel Summers)
6. Cerise
7. Khaos

Nightcrawler would lead this team, along side Captain Britain and Shadowcat. Khaos would return to the fold as would Cerise. One of the stories I’d do is finally laying to rest this damn “Phoenix Force” that keeps coming back. I’d shove it in Rachel and keep it away from Jean Grey so that Jean doesn’t keep dying and coming back needlessly.

1. Vindicator (Mac)
2. Snowbird
3. Shaman
4. Sasquatch
5. Witchfire
6. Marinna
7. Puck

Having taken away Northstar and Aurora to other teams, I’d add Witchfire who would be under the care of Shaman. Talisman (Elizabeth) is off in college, trying to put that whole super hero life behind her. Shaman would feel a little guilty because they’ve lost touch, but she’s proud of what she’s become – so he would turn that fatherly attention towards Witchfire who has deep connections with one of my favorite X-Men villains – Belasco. In this series, I’d also confirm through Shaman, that Marinna is free of mutating to her native species’ default form, to prevent that story from ever unleashing again.

1. Hawkeye
2. Atlas
3. Songbird
4. Mach-X
5. Meteorite
6. Jolt
7. Techno

It would essentially be the Thunderbolts that Busiek and Fabian created. Because that team was ridiculously perfect and every rendition of the Thunderbolts after Fabian’s run (including that odd wrestling run) – don’t even hold a flame to the this version of the Thunderbolts.

1. Night Thrasher
2. Justice
3. Firestar
4. Namorita
5. Speedball
6. Rage
7. Silhouette

Similar to the Thunderbolts, sometimes you don’t need to mess with the perfect team roster that’s already been established. They’d return to their street level ways, from time to time, teaming up with other teams.

1. Mockingbird
2. Stingray
3. Tigra
4. Wonder Man
5. Hank Pym (switching between Giant Man and Yellowjacket)
6. Firebird
7. Living Lightning

With Hawkeye over at the Thunderbolts, it’s Mockingbird who answers the call for a West Coast Avengers team to be resurfaced. She essentially pulls together some of the old roster (Tigra, Wonder Man, Hank Pym) – as well as others they got to know (Firebird and Living Lightning) – and being next to an ocean, bring in Stingray.

1. Gladiator
2. Ikon (Space Knight)
3. Quasar
4. Silver Surfer
5. Cosmo
6. Genis-Vell
7. Morrow (Mephitisoid Nova Corp)

I freaking loved this series so much. It’s such a power house book. I loved the introduction of Ikon, who was a female Space Knight (similar to ROM). I would add Genis-Vell to this team (since I put Beta Ray Bill in Guardians of the Galaxy) because he’s a powerhouse and cosmic – and would fit perfect here. And because I loved him in the Nova Corps, I’d bring Morrow (the Mephitisoid – same race as Hepzibah from the Starjammers) and put him on this team representing the Nova force here. There could be a lot of headbutting between Gladiator, Genis-Vell, and Morrow to add some fun tension.

1. Ms. Marvel (Kamala)
2. Nova (Sam)
3. Spider-Man (Miles)
4. Vivian Vision
5. Wasp (Nadia)
6. Red Falcon (formerly Falcon Joaquin)
7. Dust (Sooraya)

Although it’s the classic Champions logo, the team would be that same team currently calling themselves the Champions. I liked the idea that they were all “secondary” versions of an original name – which is why, Falcon would quickly change her name to Red Falcon out of protest. I originally had Dust in New Mutants and realized I put her in Champions too – so I’d swap out Dust on New Mutants for Cypher, which seems a better fit over there, considering the theme I had in mind.