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Even though detractors continue to say audiences have superhero fatigue, the number of upcoming projects starring costume-clad crime-fighters suggests otherwise. A James Gunn directed Superman movie is generating excitement, and the brilliant Max series Creature Commandos shows there are still original interpretations of comic book properties to be made.
To help keep things fresh, maybe studios should take a break from reinventing popular characters and look back into the vault for comic book heroes that could wow modern audiences looking for a change. With a collection including super-powered rabbits and fame-seeking vigilantes, these are some forgotten superhero teams that are ready for their moment to shine.
10
‘Gen 13’
First Appearance: Deathmate: Black (1993)
In the popular comic book series Gen 13, a government mission turns out to be the testing site for power-sensitive teens. The team of young heroes includes the super-strong and intelligent Caitlin Fairchild, the gravity-controlling Roxy, and the matter-mimicking Grunge. Gen 13 works together to fight back against the secret agency that wishes to control them while learning to adapt to their new abilities.
With the success of X-Men ‘97, the similarly structured Gen 13 could have its own retro-leaning animated series. There’s an ample amount of drama to explore with a young group that must take on the pressure of being hunted while learning to rely on one another as strangers. Gen 13 enjoyed a brief but strong wave of popularity when it debuted, and in the right creative hands, it could be a property DC Comics uses to counter-program against the X-Men.
9
‘Shadowpact’
First Appearance: Days of Vengeance #1 (2005)
Shadowpact is a group of unlikely characters who come together to fight the strongest of supernatural forces. The group consists of superpowered heroes like Ragman, a man who wears a suit of souls that grants him the physical abilities of the souls trapped in his garments, and Detective Chimp, who is exactly as he sounds– a chimp who is a detective. Shadowpact’s first mission was to defeat the Spectre, no easy task as he possesses near God-like powers.
When taking into account the enduring popularity of shows like Supernatural and Evil, there’s a consistent appetite for mystery shows with an occult slant. Adding a superhero flavor to a creepy encounter of the week format could potentially work as a Max series. Alternatively, throwing a big budget behind the Shadowpact team would make for an interesting R-rated film that leans into horror.
8
‘The Inferior Five’
First Appearance: Showcase #62 (1966)
The children of famous superheroes don’t quite live up to their heritage in the comedy superhero team, The Inferior Five. The city of Megalopolis could always count on the bravery of the Freedom Brigade to save the day, but when the heroes age out and tag in their kids, it becomes a team of woefully underpowered heroes the public nickname The Inferior Five. With a roster that includes The Blimp, a large man who can fly, but only if there’s a tailwind, and the White Feather, who is a skilled archer as long as no one is around to see him and give him performance anxiety, The Inferior Five is a team like no other.
For the DCU to work, they don’t need to copy Marvel’s playbook, but they could stand to add some humor here and there into their world. It’s obvious Batman is never going to do a tight five at the local Gotham comedy club, but adding in a group like The Inferior Five– even in small doses– could be a nice touch. There might not be enough meat on the bones to make a full-fledged movie, but some animated shorts here and there in the spirit of Teen Titans Go! that starred The Inferior Five would be a fun addition to the DCU.
7
‘Excalibur’
First Appearance: Excalibur Special Edition #1 (1987)
Excalibur, an X-Men spinoff created by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis, would be a fun international addition to the MCU. Based out of the United Kingdom, the team features leader Captain Britain along with X-Men mainstays Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and a version of the Phoenix. Due to Claremont’s writing and the unique setting and lineup of the team, Excalibur was a fan-favorite series for a time.
Depending on the success of the X-Men in the MCU, Excalibur could be a group with new heroes to follow in a future phase.
Depending on the success of the X-Men in the MCU, Excalibur could be a group with new heroes to follow in a future phase. Since so many of the MCU stories have taken place in the U.S., a UK-based story might be a breath of fresh air for viewers looking for a change in scenery. With Excalibur usually featuring fan-favorite character Nightcrawler, it would be an easy sell for many if the blue hero was guaranteed to be involved.
6
‘Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew’
First Appearance: The New Teen Titans #16 (1982)
Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew are a team of superpowered animals that work as a team to fight crime in the DC Universe. First working alongside Superman, the team of anthropomorphic animals would continue working as a superhero team after the Man of Steel returned to Metropolis. Fans of animal puns will lose their minds over this superhero team, with characters like Peter Porkchops hailing from Piggsburgh.
When looking at Creature Commandos and how odd of a choice it was to adapt at face value, it’s interesting to consider what could be done with an offbeat team such as Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew. Gunn has managed to inject personality and heart into some obscure characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy, so maybe this can be the next band of misfits he turns into a billion-dollar franchise. (Although that’s probably shooting a little high in this case.)
5
‘Force of July’
First Appearance: Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)
A team of patriotic-themed superheroes with top government clearance but misinformed directives, The Force of July is an interesting and obscure team to take a second look at. While not making many appearances, the Force of July featured characters like The Silent Majority, a soft-spoken hero who could duplicate himself in multiple copies. The team would find themselves fighting other heroic teams under the misunderstanding that they were fighting for the sake of domestic security.
As a group, the Force of July would work well as heroes, villains, or a team that embodies both.
Much like The Boys satirizes the current political climate, the Force of July could explore the dangers of indoctrination via blind patriotic zealotry. As a group, the Force of July would work well as heroes, villains, or a team that embodies both. With the DCU expanding into a shared world where characters can hop between movies and shows, there’s a versatile and offbeat quality to the Force of July that might make them useful in both.
4
‘The Superior Foes of Spider-Man’
First Appearance: Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1 (2013)
While this isn’t a team of superheroes, it’s too good of a story not to mention. The Superior Foes of Spider-Man followed a new version of The Sinister Six led by villain Boomerang. The story centered around the duplicitous characters, such as the new Beetle and Speed Demon, as they tried to work together as a team long enough to stab one another in the back. The Superior Foes of Spider-Man was an instant hit with fans who loved the original take on lesser-used villains.
Sony Pictures was so adament on making their villain movies like Morbius so serious, but the smart approach might be in the opposite direction. For every fantastic villain that embodies evil, there’s a small village of colorfully dressed purse snatchers that would be both fun and funny to watch. If DC has The Suicide Squad and Marvel has their Thunderbolts*, the least Sony could do as an apology is to adapt one of the best Spider-Man-related teams to exist.
3
‘The Great Lakes Avengers’
First Appearance: West Coast Avengers #46 (1989)
Featuring characters such as the undying Mr. Immortal and the fan-favorite Squirrel Girl, The Great Lakes Avengers has an interesting roster of heroes that offer a more ground-level take on super-powered crime fighting teams. While the offshoot of The Avengers was not an officially endorsed group by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, they would eventually gain mentorship in the form of Hawkeye. Which, if there’s anyone that can guide someone to do a lot with very little, it would be him.
There hasn’t been a successful superhero sitcom by Marvel yet, and if there’s a team-up for the challenge, it would be the Great Lakes Avengers.
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Great Lakes Avengersare often considered a joke team with underwhelming abilities, but that could also be the aspect that makes them attractive to viewers looking for something different. With Gunn moving on to the DCU and actors like Dave Bautista looking to find new projects, The Great Lakes Avengerscould be a suitable team to replace the quirky Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU. There hasn’t been a successful superhero sitcom by Marvel yet, and if there’s a team-up for the challenge, it would be the Great Lakes Avengers.
2
‘The League of Losers’
First Appearance: Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 3) #16 (2006)
When the supervillain Chronok travels back in time to overthrow the Earth, his study of the past allows him to conquer every famous hero. What Chronok didn’t plan for was a team of heroes considered so insignificant they weren’t worth prepping for– The League of Losers. With the future of Earth at stake, a team of heroes that includes X-23, Speedball, and Dagger must unite to save the planet and prove they have what it takes to exist alongside the legends they aspire to be.
The League of Losers underdog narrative would be an ideal way to introduce some lesser-known characters that audiences could root for.
The League of Losers underdog narrative would be an ideal way to introduce some lesser-known characters that audiences could root for. The story of a group of heroes being ignored as threats could be parceled out into a series, but the concept seems perfectly suited for Marvel’s cinematic strike zone of plucky characters going on a doomed mission to save the world.
First Appearance: X-Force #116 (2001)
The X-Statix were talking about corporate-sponsored superheroes years before The Boys presented a world where heroes were more worried about endorsements than lives saved. Originally appearing in the pages of X-Force as a new team for readers to follow, the storyline would soon be given its own title called X-Statix.The series featured interesting new characters, such as the reluctant and troubled leader Mister Sensitive or the vivacious Dead Girl.
The X-Statix is a team that possesses as many individual anxieties as they do superpowers, with the drama of their interpersonal relationships taking as high of a priority as domestic threats.
The X-Statix is a team that possesses as many individual anxieties as they do superpowers, with the drama of their interpersonal relationships taking as high of a priority as domestic threats. The comic was known for a high turnover of members with characters dying frequently, and that could be an interesting new dynamic for creating an unpredictable film franchise or series. With a more colorful aesthetic than the gritty The Boys, X-Statix could easily be a fan favorite if more people were aware of this hidden gem in the Marvel lineup.
NEXT: 10 DC Superheroes Who Are Perfect for the MCU
“}]] From the League of Losers to the Great Lakes Avengers, these forgotten superhero teams from the comics are deserving of a comeback. Read More