Marvel Comics has dozens of different teams, ranging from Earth-bound teenage heroes to cosmic teams and beyond. That’s one of the best parts about such an expansive world, as there’s likely a team for everyone, covering the subjects and villains we crave the most. One of the best teams of Marvel has consistently been underrated, as it is often overshadowed by the events of its namesake. Today, we’re here to talk about the West Coast Avengers and why they’re one of the best teams around, and you can’t convince us otherwise. This team may historically be considered a ragtag bunch, but perhaps that is why it works so well.
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Like many other teams in Marvel, the team behind the West Coast Avengers changes pretty regularly. The first iteration of the team was formed in 1984 as part of a limited series run. Since then, the team has reassembled a few times, usually with different faces or variations. Most recently, the team came together in 2024, and it brought with it a few surprises, starting with the team’s roster. All things said and done, the West Coast Avengers is a delight to read, as it’s full of surprises.
Original Run
In 1984, the West Coast Avengers got together for the first time, led by Hawkeye. That may be a bit surprising to some readers, but that’s just the beginning. Hawkeye had wanted to expand the Avengers’ reach, allowing the heroes to save more than the same region. In other words, he wanted to protect the West Coast. Thus, the West Coast Avengers were formed. He asked Mockingbird, Wonder Man, Tigra, and Rhodey (Iron Man, at the time) to join his team. Obviously, the roster would flux over time, because that’s what these teams do.
The team may not be full of A-List heroes, but that’s what made their story so compelling. Over their run, they faced off against enemies of all scales, from petty criminals to proper Avengers villains (such as Graviton). They also dealt with the team’s plethora of personal problems, which helped ground the story even further. Fun fact, it’s this team that inspired the Great Lakes Avengers. So if you love that team, you have the West Coast Avengers to thank for it.
[RELATED: Iron Man’s Avengers Are About to Face Captain America’s Evil Twin (Exclusive)]
A New Team – and the Introduction of a Fan-Favorite
In 2018, the West Coast Avengers kicked off again, this time with a different Hawkeye at the helm: Kate Bishop. Clint Barton was likewise part of the team, and that was totally not confusing for anybody. (but that’s part of the fun!). America, Quentin Quire, Fuse, and Gwenpool also joined the team, which is as strange a group as it sounds. Before anyone asks, Gwenpool joined the team because there weren’t many other options, and she needed some friends. This team would battle everybody from B.R.O.D.O.K. (M.O.D.O.K. trying to sound cool) to vampires with deep family roots, and everything in between. They handled these problems in uniquely chaotic ways, creating memorable adventures for readers.
This version of West Coast Avengers, written by Kelly Thompson, fully embraced the absurdist humor of the team. For example, in a desperate move for funding, they allowed a reality show to follow them around. It was hilarious, creating opportunities to let the characters speak their minds in a familiar TV trope-style format.
The 2018 run of the West Coast Avengers has another big achievement, as far as the fandom is concerned. The beloved Jeff the Land Shark hails from this series. He first appeared in West Coast Avengers #7, as one of B.R.O.D.O.K.’s minions, well, sort of. He abandoned that side for the better team, and the rest, as they say, is history.
[RELATED: Jeff the Land Shark Writer Kelly Thompson Teases an Evil “Shadow Jeff” (Interview)]
A New Team-Up
In 2024, the West Coast Avengers would once again reform, this time with both Iron Man and War Machine on the team. Also on the team were Spider-Woman and Firestar, plus Ultron. Yeah, it’s as wild as it sounds, as Tony and Rhodey are trying to create a space for supervillains to prove their worth and find a chance at redemption. It’s an impressive goal, but the foundation has rightly left readers and bystanders concerned. Especially when Ultron joined the team. This kicked off a dangerous series of events because it’s Ultron. The series is still ongoing, so it’s worth checking out if you’re curious to see where this latest team-up leads.
There are so many reasons to love the West Coast Avengers, but our favorite part is that the team is free to experiment. The roster is constantly changing, creating a combination of A, B, and C-list heroes, while their enemies can be everything from unknown villains to the biggest bads in all of Marvel. Their stories are compelling and often heavily character-driven, giving readers the rare chance to learn more about heroes without solo series, and that alone makes the team noteworthy.
How do you feel about the West Coast Avengers? Let us know in the comments!
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