Avengers #6: Hawkeye

~Excerpt from Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (2011)

Over the course of Avenger History, the team has had a multitude of members with gracious amounts of power. From time to time, this has included members of omega-level potential (The Hulk and Sentry, for example, are considered extreme-powered threats). Surprisingly, though, one member who has showed the highest level of presence and malleability is Hawkeye AKA Clint Barton, and guess what? He's not superhuman at all.

Technically having no powers of his own, Clint is an expert marksman and highly trained with the bow, his trademark weapon in the field which he wields with deadly precision. As Hawkeye, he first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 (1964), but joined the team in Avengers #16, a newly adopted member at the same time as The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver (Together, they comprise the "Second Wave" of Avengers).

Clint Barton, though, is a cut above almost any Avenger; he seems to be a part of that metaphysical glue holding them together. He's also served in different guises for different reasons: For awhile, he became Goliath (Avengers #63, 1969) with the help of Dr. Henry Pym; later, he would adopt the mysterious mantle of Ronin (New Avengers #26 (2007), using all the weapons of previous Avengers in his adventures. At one point in his career, with the help of his (now ex) wife Mockingbird, he led the West Coast Avengers. (Edit Note: It's also worth noting that Clint likes to flirt and date the ladies of the team, too.)

If we know one thing about Clint, he'll forever be representation of those heroes arriving when the cry of "Avengers Assemble!" is uttered. His sharp wit and quick draw has led him to be an iconic foundation that the supergroup cannot do without.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

A Slight Miscalculation

 ~Birds of Prey #7 (2012)

Talk about problems in the group. The Birds of Prey, consisting of Black Canary, Starling, Poison Ivy, Katana, and Batgirl are facing a super-villain capable of turning them against each other. He's gotten in their heads and can control them with rhyming phrases.

Amidst all the dissension and confusion, Katana managed to end the fight by decapitating the head of the bad guy. Well...almost; unfortunately he was their friend and ally, also manipulated by the villain.

This team is going to need some group therapy. Check out Birds of Prey #7 as the fate of team hangs in the balance.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.

Where The Heroes Aren't

~Supercrooks #1 (2012)

One of the latest alternative hero stories, Mark Millar is introducing us to a different kind of supervillain, one who doesn't want anything to do with the superhero world.

Meet Johnny Bolt. Five years ago, he was knocked flat on his face by The Gladiator. He's back now, and this time he's taking business to a whole new level. And place.

Villainous Moments is a column from of The Superheroes List, updated weekly (usually Tuesday). What are the bad guys doing this week? Macabre and unthinkable, grotesque and unbearable; here's your answer! Look for #VillainousMoments on Twitter.

Nick Consolidates His Power

 ~excerpt from Fury's Big Week #7

Fury's Big Week #7 (After a shakeup around the northern hemisphere, Black Widow walks away from the devastated scene left by Hulk and Abomination, warning Fury that SHIELD isn't on this level of play against these gods, monsters, and machines of war. Nick contacts his superiors and begins a serious rundown of his week, telling them he'll need more authority, a bigger budget, and wider mandate; he also tying his operations into the restart of The Tesseract, also known as The Cosmic Cube. By the end of the conversation, he's given full consensus.)

This is a running article which will be updated Mondays on the Superheroes List Blog, The Superheroes List website, and the Spotlight On The Avengers Movie fan page. If you're interested in this movie, keep your eyes open and Check out the List!

Avenger #7: The Scarlet Witch

 ~The Scarlet Witch, Avengers v1 #105 (1972)

Heralded by the trademark red bodysuit with the crimson headress, Wanda Maximoff is one of the few glamorous members having a past and future highly enriched in Avenger's history. Her twin brother is Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver, and her former husband was the synthezoid known as The Vision. Although her background comes from her mutant powers, born from her father Magneto, Wanda rose to prominence as the Avenger called The Scarlet Witch in Avengers #16 (1965).

Much like her blood relatives, The Scarlet Witch debuted in the X-Men comics (Issue #4, 1964), joining the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a quest to take over the world. But from the beginning, readers recognized that she was a kinder personality, having little towards the design of mutant superiority. To resolve that conflict, Marvel sent her and her brother off to the United States to become the newest Avengers under Captain America's leadership.

The Scarlet Witch is currently one of the most transformative figures in the Avenger's history books; her exploits and powers of magically altering probability rival those of The X-Men's Phoenix, which can be witnessed in the Avengers vs. X-Men event. Single-handedly destroying her supergroup in the Avengers Dissembled story event, Wanda also removed most of the mutants from the world. Thereafter, she was thought dead, but surfaced in the Avengers: The Children's Crusade series.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Loki, God of Plagiarism

~Journey Into Mystery #635

A long elaborate tale from the Marvel Shattered Heroes event, this week brings us to Loki, recently reborn into the state of childhood; he's been having bad dreams which, ironically, is affecting other children across the globe and killing them. At the site of Dark Asgard (from the Fear Itself event), the God of Mischief has uncovered subtle plot from Nightmare, Lord of the Dimension of Dreams.

So how does Loki fight when the odds are against him? Without hesitation; he steals Nightmare's material...

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.

It's Banner Time!

~Incredible Hulk #6 (2012)

This is the second time this year the Incredible Hulk has featured some of the most diabolical and twisted forms of malevolence. In this panel, this time, it's the unfortunate persona of Dr. Bruce Banner. Normally, he's the rational-but-tormented side of the big green machine; this time, however, he's gone completely mad.

In the Incredible Hulk series, Banner and Hulk are totally separated; each has his own entire body. The problem is, Bruce wants Hulk back. And he's been working on everything and anything gamma-related to reacquire the disease which once, not too long ago, had him rampaging across the globe.

In this panel, Dr. Banner is firing one of his deadly arsenal of weapons. Who's at the other end? Well, you can guess, but I can guarantee he big, olive-hued, and as mad as heck!

Villainous Moments is a column from of The Superheroes List, updated weekly (usually Tuesday). What are the bad guys doing this week? Macabre and unthinkable, grotesque and unbearable; here's your answer! Look for #VillainousMoments on Twitter.

Banner In Custody

Fury's Big Week #6 (With the Destroyer disabled, Nick has his SHIELD operatives carefully remove it from the scene for further tests. Meanwhile, he learns that Thaddeus Ross has been lurking in his encrypted database, gathering intelligence on the super soldier materials. Approaching the General, Fury and him have terse words, suggesting they'll be butting heads in the near future. Later, Nick gets a call from Natasha who's near Dr. Stern's laboratory where Banner has been captured and subdued. Heading up to the scene, she's surprised as Blonsky, now in the form of the Abomination, rampages away and Dr. Sterns himself is in a bit of a quandary.

This is a running article which will be updated Mondays on the Superheroes List Blog, The Superheroes List website, and the Spotlight On The Avengers Movie fan page. If you're interested in this movie, keep your eyes open and Check out the List!

Avengers #8: The Vision

One hero, a green and gold clad figure with crimson-hued skin, became a common element among The Avengers, fighting with them for numerous years. Ironically, though, he wasn't meant to join the club, instead designed to kill them! Identified as The Vision by his creator Ultron, he was sent to infiltrate Avengers Mansion, take them out, and begin the enslavement of the human race.

Not surprisingly, Vision had no humanity; it wasn't incorporated into his programming. He also wasn't an alien or monster or even a robot. (But robot is a close guess.) Technically, he is known as a synthezoid, a complex android with synthetic organs appearing human. First appearing in Avengers #57 (1968), his abilities lent him the name because he appeared like a ghost or apparition.

Vision's power spreads across a high range of utility, making him a great asset to the team. Besides intangibility, he can also assume diamond-hard density; in addition, he fires solar blasts through his eyes or a gem matrix on his forehead, which is also used like a battery to recharge him. With an origin of sordid and uncanny revelations, he can truly be considered one of the core members of The Avengers; He has been their leader at one time, his brain was overwritten with Wonder Man's personality and he married The Scarlet Witch.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Tigra's First Impression

 ~Avengers Academy #27 (2012)

Over the course of years, costumes and battle suits have had a makeover; originally, wearing spandex and tights were the common theme (think Superman), but lately, that's no longer the way they dress. In other words, the publishers of Marvel and DC have been rethinking the practicality of superheroes and how they might appear in modern society.

It's not surprising; if you consider how we view heroes and villains, the chances of us taking them seriously can be linked to their appearance. Have you noticed the difference in the last year? Hawkeye now sports purple-tinged goggles instead of a mask; Wonder Woman's gear is now based off of armor.

And, of course, this brings us to the panel and caption for this implementation of the SuperFunnies. Tigra, apparently in touch with her inner feline, wears almost nothing while being introduced to members of the young supergroup, The Runaways. To be fair, it makes complete sense that a furry human-cat person dresses scantily, but in terms of realism, she's going to appeal to the best and worst opinions.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.

Red, Green, and Rot!

~Animal Man #7 (2012)

One of the more interesting concepts metastasizing in the DC Universe is The Rot, the antithetical, anti-natural power that seeks to corrupt and overwhelm The Red and The Green. In Animal Man #1-7, Buddy Baker and his daughter have been on an adventure to halt the rise of this infection spreading across the land.

This is also a simultaneous threat in Swamp Thing #1-7, where Dr. Alec Holland, thought to put his green, monstrous counterpart to rest, has returned to the very roots that created his superhuman origin. The Rot is also appearing in the everglades and spreading through plant life, seeking to put an end to The Green and The Parliament of Trees.

Here, Buddy aka Animal Man is getting an up close look at the disgusting energies infiltrating all life; it's nothing less than a twisting blasphemy of the living into a decayed malformed existence.

Also Recommended: Animal Man Vol. 1: The Hunt (The New 52)

As a part of the acclaimed DC Comics - The New 52 event of September 2011, Animal Man Buddy Baker, has gone from "super" man to family man - but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? As these new abilities continue to terrify Buddy and his wife Ellen, things take a turn for the worse as Buddy begins a startling transformation of his own that will lead him on a journey into the heart of The Red.

Collected here are the first 6 issues of this dramatic new series from writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Travel Foreman (The Immortal Iron Fist)!

This volume collect issues 1-6 of Animal Man, part of the DC Comics - The New 52 event.

Swamp Thing Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones (The New 52)

In the 40-years since its debut, Swamp Thing has been graced with some of the best writers in comics from Len Wein to Alan Moore and now, as part of the DC Comics - The New 52, 'American Vampire' scribe Scott Snyder brings his talents to an all new Swamp Thing series set in the DC Universe.

Following the events of 'Brightest Day,' Alec Holland has his life back...but the "Green" has plans for it. A monstrous evil is rising in the desert, and it'll take a monster of another kind to defend life as we know it!

This hardcover collection includes issues 1-7 of the monthly series.

Villainous Moments is a column from of The Superheroes List, updated weekly (usually Tuesday). What are the bad guys doing this week? Macabre and unthinkable, grotesque and unbearable; here's your answer! Look for #VillainousMoments on Twitter.

Fury Spots Hulk and Thor

 Fury's Big Week #5 (In this Avenger Movie prelude, Nick Fury has his hands full with superhuman activity. Back at Culver University, Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow, manages to sight Dr. Bruce Banner just as he transforms into the green gargantuan known as The Hulk. Back in New Mexico, SHIELD agents are reporting the appearance of a huge metallic monster (one that we know of as The Destroyer). Clint Barton, otherwise known as Hawkeye, arrives on scene just as The Mighty Thunder God, Thor, lays the magical golem flat.)

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

Avenger #9: Quicksilver

Never taking a major role among Earth's Mightiest Heroes, one man, a mutant gifted with the ability to move at blinding speeds, has spent a majority of his career with the supergroup and been a constant presence throughout the Avenger's franchise. His name: Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver, an imposing, silver-haired mutant, and he was added to their roster in Avengers #16 (1965).

Pietro's adventure wasn't always one of a hero...and this is well-known to Avenger's fans; with his twin sister, Wanda (aka The Scarlet Witch), the misguided souls were tricked into joining The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, a team organized by Magneto back in X-Men #4 (1964). Coupled with his super-fast running, their mission was to raise mutants to superiority over the human race. This ended very quickly, though, when the two showed less than villainous motives.

Quicksilver has had on and off relationships with The Avengers, but over time he has been recognized as a presence that consistently returns to their ranks of membership. Not only is he one of their earliest members, but he is their trademark speedster. He has also embarked on numerous appearances with other heroes such as Spider-Man and The X-Men, but always winds up back at Avengers Mansion. (Partly because his sister also played a major role in the group.)

Currently, Pietro has slowed down and is now working side by side with Dr. Hank Pym, another member of the supergroup. He can be seen teaching these young students in the Marvel comic book series Avengers Academy.


The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

The Annoying Spider-Man

~Amazing Spider-Man #680 (2012)

Spidey is extremely popular; his notoriety has gained him so many fans that Marvel has decided to infiltrate him into the Avengers franchise and take the place of Johnny Storm in the new FF (read Future Foundation) after the breakup of the Fantastic Four. As you can imagine, this keeps our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler extremely busy.

And lately, it's also making him irritable. In true comedic fashion, Amazing Spider-Man #680 is full of humorous anecdotes and one-line zingers. Parker teams up with Johnny, aka The Human Torch, both going on a space mission to save J.Jonah Jameson's son. Together, the two provide for a hilarious,  yet perfectly dangerous, adventure where each one tries to one-up the other.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.

Pandora Is Her Name

~Justice League #6 (2012)

This issue of Justice League is packed with some interesting info; it would also have to win a grand prize for Villainous Moments.

Why's that? Glad you asked; the beginning puts the League directly in confrontation with Darkseid in a battle for the fate of the world. Once that's over, another chapter called "The Beginning" suggests a super villainous group is about to become revealed (Legion of Doom perhaps?).

Lastly, we come upon this week's most villainous moment. Her name is Pandora and she's in a conversation with The Phantom Stranger; together, they make up two-thirds of the Sinners. What's most interesting is their allusion to her remaking the world. My friends, this could get real interesting if she's the lady figure that appeared at the end of the Flashpoint event.


Villainous Moments is a column from of The Superheroes List, updated weekly (usually Tuesday). What are the bad guys doing this week? Macabre and unthinkable, grotesque and unbearable; here's your answer! Look for #VillainousMoments on Twitter.

Hulk On Scene!

Fury's Big Week #4 (When the hammer is discovered, Fury calls in Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, to act is part of the security in New Mexico. That's when Thor shows up, a scene from the movie, and attempts to grab the weapon. Meanwhile, Fury also has Black Widow on detail to pick up on Banner's trail before General Ross can get to him. We see the scene at Culver University where Banner transforms. The Hulk is the latest "batter up!")

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This is a running article which will be updated Mondays on the Superheroes List Blog, The Superheroes List website, and the Spotlight On The Avengers Movie fan page. If you're interested in this movie, keep your eyes open and Check out the List!

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers

 If you're a fan of superhero teams, you're probably already familiar with The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. We love them all - their brilliant technologies and mystical origins - but when you think about it, who really deserves to be among their best? What if you had to handpick your favorite Avengers for a mission? Who will mostly likely make it on your team? Who will fall by the wayside?

This Top 10 List answers that question.Gathered before us will be the ten greatest Avengers ever assembled in Marvel superhero history. This is not based on power-scales or good lucks; it's not just a popularity contest or a simple list of the original team. This will be an honest collaboration of all those important qualities, including the members who deserve nomination. Consistency, symbolism, contribution; it all counts.

Avenger #10: The Hulk

He's huge, incredibly easy to anger, and quite possibly the strongest creature on the face of the earth. That's right, you guessed it, he's The Incredible Hulk. From years way back, this green gargantuan was born out of a gamma radiation explosion which sent poor Dr. Bruce Banner into a tailspin of adventures. Once he loses his temper, he turns into this monstrous, often misunderstood, hero.

But why is Hulk one of the Greatest Avengers? Well, that's a fair question. Although the Avengers movie is premiering with this emerald behemoth, Hulk rarely works with the supergroup. (In fact, you could probably list the issues on both hands.)

What really puts him on this list is his infamy, level of power, and the Avenger's origin. Hulk is unquestionably popular and has already had his own TV series, a few movies, and cartoons honoring his status; he's also the top contender for "strongest" superhero in Marvel Comics. And finally, coupled with his appearance in Avengers #1 (1963), Hulk became one of their founding members. (Ironically, though, he quit the team around issue #2.). If he had spent more time with them, his position would be much higher.

And if you doubt Hulk's placement, recognize one fact: the Hulk has a consistent appearance in the Avenger's cartoon and a starring role in the 2012 movie.

The Top 10 Greatest Avengers is a countdown list provided by The Superheroes List. This is an event coinciding with the release of the 2012 Avengers Movie premiering May 4th. If you're big with Avengers trivia or superheroes, then Check out this List!

John Constantine: The World's Worst Detective

~Justice League Dark #6 (2012)

The crass Englishman, rude and to the point; that's how we know John Constantine. He's never been one for subtlety, but here in the Justice League Dark series, we're also getting a glimpse of his (less than) endearing character. Once again, trying to show his prowess, he's sputtering nonsense while drunk. This time, to Boston Brand, aka Deadman.

In this issue, John is having nightmares which appear disturbingly real, but he's not alone; he's one of a small cast of unique individuals being brought together under the guise of destiny . Their special abilities suit them for threats of a magical nature. Besides the two previously mentioned, Zatanna, Rac Shade The Changing Man, and Madame Xanadu are all hosts to the adventures of this strangely malformed, but somehow functioning team.

SuperFunnies updates every week (usually Thursday) on The Superheroes List.These are the moments of levity and humor, sometimes utterly ridiculous. You can also look for #SuperFunnies on Twitter.