Uncanny Avengers

Uncanny Avengers

Cover of Uncanny Avengers #1 (October 2012). Art by John Cassaday.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
Schedule Monthly
Format Ongoing series
Publication date October 2012 – present
Number of issues (Volume 1) 27
(Volume 2) 5
(Volume 3) 1–present
Main character(s) Current members:
Cable
Wasp
Doctor Voodoo
Deadpool
Human Torch
Quicksilver
Rogue (field leader)
Synapse
Former members:
Captain America (Sam Wilson)
Captain American (Steve Rogers)
Havok
Sabretooth
Scarlet Witch
Spider-Man
Sunfire
Thor
Wolverine
Wonder Man
Vision
Creative team as of July 2016
Writer(s) Gerry Duggan
Artist(s) Pepe Larraz
Penciller(s) Unknown
Colorist(s) Unknown
Creator(s) Rick Remender
John Cassaday

Uncanny Avengers is an ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics that debuted in October 2012 with the launch of Marvel NOW!. The series centers on a superhero team composed of members of both the Avengers and X-Men that comes together following the conclusion of the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline. Within the Marvel Universe itself, the team is known as the Avengers Unity Squad.[1]

Publication history

Marvel Comics announced Uncanny Avengers by the creative team of Rick Remender and John Cassaday in August 2012. Uncanny Avengers is a new team of Avengers that features a line-up of both classic Avengers and X-Men including Captain America (Steve Rogers), Havok, Rogue, the Scarlet Witch, Thor and Wolverine. The team is formed in response to the events of Avengers vs. X-Men.

Remender said, "There’s something that Cyclops said to (Captain America) on Utopia that’s ringing in his head. He didn’t do enough to help. And Steve (Captain America) is taking that to heart. Coming out of AvX with the landscape shifted and changed as much as it is, there are events that lead Steve to recognizing that he needs to do more".[2]

In October 2014, a second volume of Uncanny Avengers was announced to start in January 2015, drawn by Daniel Acuña and written by Rick Remender. The second series was cancelled with Issue #5 in May 2015. The roster for the second volume included Captain America (Sam Wilson), Scarlet Witch, Rogue, Quicksilver, Vision, Sabretooth and Doctor Voodoo.

The third volume began in October 2015, and is written by Gerry Duggan with art by Ryan Stegman.

Fictional team history

Volume 1

The Red Shadow

Wolverine gives a eulogy at the funeral of Professor X, which is held at the Jean Grey School, while Havok visits Cyclops in prison to discuss Cyclops' actions as the Phoenix. Afterwards, Captain America and Thor meet with Havok, where Captain America offers him the chance to lead a new Avengers team. They are attacked by a lobotomized Avalanche and unite to defeat him while saving as many civilians as possible. While paying her respects to Professor X at his grave, Scarlet Witch is confronted by Rogue about her role in everything that has happened to the X-Men and the mutant race. While arguing, they are attacked by Red Skull's S-Men, who defeat them both and steal Professor X's body. In his lair, the Red Skull is seen removing Professor X's brain as part of his plan to gain the power to "eradicate the mutant menace".[3]

While looking for survivors after Avalanche's attack, Wolverine questions Captain America's choice of having Havok lead the team and Thor vows to resolve the mutant conflict. Meanwhile, through a televised appearance of "Honest John, the Living Propaganda", Red Skull is able to make certain people kill their mutated friends. In addition to this, Rogue escapes after being captured by the S-Men and Scarlet Witch is tempted by Red Skull to repeat the events of House of M. Rogue attacks the Scarlet Witch and they fight until they both discover the lobotomized body of Professor X. Red Skull arrives and reveals that he has fused his brain with Professor X's brain. Red Skull also reveals that he is a clone of the original Red Skull that was created in 1942 and held in cryogenic stasis in the event that Germany lost World War II.[4]

Using Professor X's telepathy, Red Skull provokes ordinary citizens of New York into joining the S-Men in a mass assault against potential mutants and force Scarlet Witch and Rogue to allow themselves to be attacked, even managing to take control of Thor after Red Skull has Honest John take the form of Odin to manipulate him. When fighting Wolverine, Red Skull has Goat-Faced Girl negate Wolverine's healing factor so that Thor can land a cataclysmic blow on Wolverine. However, Red Skull is unable to completely control Captain America, and an attack against him disrupts his powers long enough for Rogue and Scarlet Witch to break free.[5]

As the Scarlet Witch fights the mind-controlled Thor, Red Skull once again tries to tempt Captain America into joining his anti-mutant crusade. With some help from Havok, Scarlet Witch removes Thor from the battle allowing Havok and Rogue to aid Captain America against the Red Skull overpowering him until Dancing Water saves him. With the people around them free, Havok tells them that the attacks on the mutants wasn't their fault. Back at the Avengers Mansion (the base for the newly coined "Avengers Unity Squad"), Captain America and Havok look at leads to find the S-Men and Havok expresses doubts over his own leadership. The Scarlet Witch attempts to befriend Rogue, who refuses, stating that she is joining the team to honour Xavier and keep an eye on Wanda. Thor tells Wolverine that he hasn't failed Professor X's dream.[1]

The team makes their debut as the Avengers Unity Squad (which also contains Sunfire, Wasp, and Wonder Man as the team's latest recruits) during a press conference which is then crashed by a resurrected Grim Reaper, who attacks the Avengers Unity Squad while claiming that he is now unable to die. During the fight, Rogue absorbs some of Wonder Man's powers and seemingly punches Grim Reaper harder than normal which apparently kills him.[6]

Apocalypse Twins

In 1013 AD at a Scandinavian inn, Thor is in a bar fight when he is attacked by Apocalypse, who acts to safeguard the future due to information given him by Rama-Tut. Thor finds that Apocalypse is wearing Celestial-built armor that can withstand the powers of a god. Thor returns to Asgard and demands an audience with his father Odin, but when Odin asks him to take the high road, Thor turns to Loki for help. Loki leads him to a hidden scroll in Odin's library which could bless a weapon to pierce Celestial armor, only for "Loki" to later be revealed as Kang the Conqueror. Thor returns to London and slays the 11th Century Apocalypse's version of the Horsemen of Apocalypse. He then breaks into Apocalypse's craft and manages to cut his armor open with his axe Jarnbjorn, but Apocalypse escapes. In the present day, Kang appears at the final resting place of Baron Mordo in Brazil, and takes Jarnbjorn.[7]

Havok clears Rogue's name with S.H.I.E.L.D for killing Grim Reaper and has her start an investigation into Magneto. While Wasp shows Havok her clothing line to promote mutants, a Celestial ship controlled by the Apocalypse Twins crashes into S.W.O.R.D.'s Peak base with Captain America and Sunfire aboard. Sunfire lets Captain America escape while Thor flies towards the wreckage. Thor breaks pieces of the falling wreckage, and with the help of Sunfire, prevents casualties. Thor and Sunfire travel throughout space to the Apocalypse Twins ship, and are teleported away upon entering. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the team, travel in the Quinbird, on a search for the twins. In South Sudan, Captain America exits his pod and is attacked by local soldiers. He travels to an demolished church for shelter and finds a message with his name on it there. In Akkaba metropolis, Thor and Sunfire learn how their manipulation long ago was in the Twins favor. The twins then cause an explosion seemingly killing all de-powered mutants, who lost their powers long ago at the hands of the Scarlet Witch, and the Avengers Unity Squad.[8]

Age of Ultron

Issue #8AU featured a one issue tie in with the series Age of Ultron. In an alternate reality, the Earth is near the end due to Ultron nearly destroying the world. Wolverine tries to fix the world by using time travel to kill Hank Pym before he invented Ultron. By doing so, the world is altered. This issue features the Apocalypse Twins trying to kill Colonel America (an alternate version of Captain America) while under the orders of Kang the Conqueror. While Colonel America goes into the sewers to meet Havok, he is attacked by the twins. Colonel America manages to escape injured but is unable to prevent the deaths of the alternate versions of Havok and Rogue. After the twins fail their task, Kang plans to send the Twins back to the mutant camps for the next few years.

Ragnarok Now

A storyline in which the remaining members of the Avengers Unity Squad must work together to stop the Apocalypse Twins after the team splits up.

Avenge the Earth

A storyline in which all the world's mutants are living on Planet X following the destruction of Earth by the Celestials. While most of the mutant population has accepted the new status quo — believing that the Scarlet Witch died willingly to save them, while the Avengers tried to stop the inevitable — the remaining free Avengers (Havok, Thor and Wasp, aided by Beast) must work with Kang and his Chrono-Corp to defeat Eimen. Having rescued Wolverine and Sunfire from being tortured on the Apocalypse Ark, the Avengers use Kang's technology to project their minds back into their past selves and stop the Celestials before they can strike.[9] The timeline is successfully altered by the Avengers, when Rogue, empowered by numerous heroes, and Sentry slow Exitar's descent long enough for Thor to slay Exitar using Jarnbjorn, preventing the Earth's destruction. Despite Kang's attempt to steal the power of the Celestial for himself, the tables are turned when Havok and Sunfire steal the Celestial's cosmic power and use it against Kang. Kang retreats as Immortus appears with his Chrono-Corps, but Sunfire is converted to an energy-based form when his body is destroyed, Simon's essence is trapped within Rogue, Havok is left badly burned, and Havok and Wasp are left devastated by the apparent loss of their daughter (conceived in the future and taken by Kang to protect her from the change in the timeline).[10]

Uncanny Avengers Annual

A one-issue story following the introduction of the Avengers of the Supernatural, including Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Blade, Satana and Manphibian. The Avengers of the Supernatural are chosen by Mojo for his newest reality show. Under mind-control, they abduct the Avengers Unity Squad from the Avengers Mansion, and once in Mojoworld, both teams are made to take part in a reality show called "Martian Transylvania Super Hero Mutant Monster Hunter High School". In the show, the mutants of the Unity Squad are goth outcasts, the rest are football stars and cheerleaders, and the Avengers of the Supernatural are the geeks of the High School. As part of the show, the Scarlet Witch tells Johnny Blaze she is pregnant, but the Spirit of Vengeance believes it really has an offspring. As Blaze is possessed by the spirit, he goes "too far out of character", and Mojo's influence over the other heroes is broken. Ghost Rider then starts rampaging through Mojoworld looking for sinner souls to punish, until Mojo convinces The Avengers to save Mojoworld, as there were numerous innocent lives. Both Avengers teams fight Ghost Rider in order to distract him, and let Satana pry the Spirit of Vengeance from Blaze and temper it. Satana fails, but Rogue manages to sneak up on Ghost Rider and absorb his powers. She becomes the new Ghost Rider and tempers the Spirit of Vengeance, but as it begins taking control of her, Blaze reabsorbs the spirit into him, becoming the Ghost Rider once more. Having controlled the Spirit of Vengeance and saved Mojoworld, the Avengers of the Supernatural and the Unity Squad return to their universes.[11]

AXIS

During the AXIS storyline, Red Skull's S-Men abduct Havok, Rogue, and Scarlet Witch. They manage to break free thanks to Rogue's new powers from Wonder Man where they manage to rescue Magneto.[12] When the group is confronted by the S-Men, Magneto uses his abilities to kill the S-Men and then kill Red Skull which causes him to unleash the Red Onslaught.[13] Magneto, Havok, Rogue, and Scarlet Witch confront Red Onslaught and are joined by the Avengers, the X-Men, and the allies of both teams. Red Onslaught then unleashes the Stark Sentinels on them.[14] After Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom cast an inversion spell, Red Onslaught is inverted alongside the personalities of those present. When it came to deciding on what should be done about Red Skull, Havok quits the Avengers Unity Squad and rejoins the X-Men.[15] Following the reinversion spell being cast, the Avengers Unity Squad is rebuilt with a revived Doctor Voodoo as its latest member.[16]

Volume 2

Trip to Counter-Earth

The Avengers Unity Squad are joined by a reformed Sabretooth when they head to the High Evolutionary's Counter Earth to look for Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. The members of the Unity Squad were scattered across Counter-Earth. Captain America is trapped and assimilated by tree-like creatures, Vision found himself in a technological city where he met an android named Eve, Rogue is found and experimented on by the Master Scientist, who expunged Wonder Man from her, Doctor Voodoo appeared in a destroyed city inhabited by the souls of those killed in the High Evolutionary's search for genetic perfection, and Sabretooth appeared in one of the Counter-Earth's main cities where he is quickly taken down by the New Men, and later forced to obey the High Evolutionary.[17] Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were abducted by the Low Evolutionary and brought to Lowtown, where the rejected experiments of the High Evolutionary resided.[18] Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch agree to help the Low Evolutionary take down the High Evolutionary, when they are attacked by the High Evolutionary's creation Luminous, who sports the abilities of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.[19] After escaping the High Evolutionary's experiments and learning their true origins, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch found Rogue and joined the fight to defend Lowtown from the High Evolutionary. During the battle, Sabretooth broke free from the High Evolutionary's control. Captain America also appeared on the scene, where he had overcame his transformation after the tree-like creatures had been summoned to battle, and fought for Lowtown.[20] Vision saved Scarlet Witch from Luminous, while Doctor Voodoo heavily damaged the High Evolutionary. Quicksilver delivered the final blow to the High Evolutionary, who fled Counter-Earth with Luminous.[21]

Volume 3

Lost Future

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel, the Avengers Unity Squad are now helping humankind, mutants, and Inhumans. Rogue remains on the team to represent the mutants while Human Torch and a new telepathic named Synapse represent the Inhumans. While Quicksilver and Doctor Voodoo remained on the team, Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Sabretooth did not rejoin the group. While Spider-Man joins the team, Commander Steve Rogers convinces Deadpool to remain on the team as he did help to save Rogue's life.[22]

When Super-Adaptoid returns to Earth, it fought the Avengers Unity Squad. While it is able to copy Human Torch's powers on a whim like before, Deadpool touched it barehanded. Not only did Super-Adaptoid copy Deadpool's powers, it also copied Deadpool's cancer as it became overrun with the disease that killed the organic properties of Super-Adaptoid. Deadpool is scolded for his reckless abandonment which led to Spider-Man quitting the Avengers Unity Squad.[23]

The Avengers also travel to Weirdworld to arrest Black Knight after almost killing Savage Steel and murdering Carnivore. Steve Rogers almost succumbs to the insanity of the Ebony Blade, before leaving it with Dane Whitman in Weirdworld.[24]

During the Avengers: Standoff! storyline, the Avengers Unity Squad arrive in Connecticut upon answering Commander Steve Rogers' call. They discover Wrecker trying to escape in an SUV with Maria Hill. The Avengers Unity Squad help Wrecker and Maria Hill avoid the S.H.I.E.L.D. forces. While on their way to Pleasant Hill, the Avengers Unity Squad is attacked by another Maria Hill who is on a Quinjet with the Avengers.[25]

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Hank Pym returns to Earth and joins the Unity Squad after talking to Steve. However, Steve doesn't trust him and calls in the Wasp for help. Hank Pym is revealed to be dead, killed by Ultron and taken on Hank's appearance and memories. The Unity Squad attempt to stop Ultron with the help of the Vision. Ultron/Hank is defeated when Vision teleports him into space.

Roster

Character Real name Joined in Notes
Captain America Steve Rogers Uncanny Avengers #1
(October 2012)		 Former leader of the main Avengers team. Disbanded the Unity Squad in Uncanny Avengers vol. 3. #14.
Havok Alexander Summers Former leader. Left the team in Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #3.
Rogue Anna Marie Field leader.
Scarlet Witch Wanda Maximoff Left the team after Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #5.
Thor Thor Odinson Left the team after Uncanny Avengers #27.
Wolverine James Howlett Deceased.
Sunfire Shiro Yoshida Uncanny Avengers #5
(March 2013)		 Left the team after Uncanny Avengers #27.
Wasp Janet van Dyne Left the team after Uncanny Avengers #27.
Wonder Man Simon Williams Left the team after Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #1.
Captain America Sam Wilson Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #2 (October 2014) Left the team after Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #5.
Doctor Voodoo Jericho Drumm Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #9 (December 2014)
Quicksilver Pietro Maximoff
Sabretooth Victor Creed Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #1 (January 2015) Left the team after Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #5.
Vision Victor Shade (alias) Left the team after Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #5.
Deadpool Wade Wilson Avengers #0 (October 2015)
Human Torch Johnny Storm
Spider-Man Peter Parker Left the team in Uncanny Avengers vol. 3 #1.
Synapse Emily Guerrero
Cable Nathan Summers Uncanny Avengers vol. 3 #4 (January 2016)

Reception

Collected editions

The series has been collected in the following trade paperbacks:

Title Material collected Publication Date ISBN
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 1: The Red Shadow Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #1–5 March 2013 SC: 1-8465-3528-X / 978-1846535284
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 2: The Apocalypse Twins Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #6–11, 8AU October 2013 SC: 1-8465-3564-6 / 978-1846535642
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 3: Ragnarok Now Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #12–17 February 2014 SC: 1-8465-3571-9 / 978-1846535710
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 4: Avenge the Earth Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #18–22 September 2014 HC: 0-7851-5423-X / 978-0785154235
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 5: AXIS Prelude Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #23–25, Annual #1, & Magneto vol. 3 #9–10 January 2015 HC: 0-7851-5425-6 / 978-0785154259
Uncanny Avengers Omnibus Uncanny Avengers (Volume 1) #1–25, 8AU, Annual #1 February 2015 HC: 0-7851-9394-4 / 978-0785193944
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 1: Counter-Evolutionary Uncanny Avengers (Volume 2) #1–5 September 2015 SC: 0-7851-9237-9 / 978-0785192374
Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 1: Lost Future Uncanny Avengers (Volume 3) #1–6 May 2016 SC: 0-7851-9615-3 / 978-0785196150

References

  1. 1 2 Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 4 ({{{date}}})
  2. ↑ Morse, Ben (27 July 2012). "Marvel NOW! Q&A: Uncanny Avengers". Marvel.com. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 1 (2012-10-10)
  4. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 2 (2012-11-28)
  5. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 3 (2012)
  6. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 5 (2012)
  7. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 6 (2012)
  8. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 7 (2012)
  9. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 20 ({{{date}}})
  10. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 22 ({{{date}}})
  11. ↑ Uncanny Avengers Annual 1 ({{{date}}})
  12. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 24 ({{{date}}})
  13. ↑ Rick Remender (w), John Cassaday (a). Uncanny Avengers 25 ({{{date}}})
  14. ↑ Rick Remender (w)Avengers & X-Men: AXIS 1 ({{{date}}})
  15. ↑ Rick Remender (w)Avengers & X-Men: AXIS 3 ({{{date}}})
  16. ↑ Rick Remender (w)Avengers & X-Men: AXIS 9 ({{{date}}})
  17. ↑ Rick Remender (w), Daniel Acuña (a). Uncanny Avengers 1 ({{{date}}})
  18. ↑ Rick Remender (w), Daniel Acuña (a). Uncanny Avengers 2 ({{{date}}})
  19. ↑ Rick Remender (w), Daniel Acuña (a). Uncanny Avengers 3 ({{{date}}})
  20. ↑ Rick Remender (w), Daniel Acuña (a). Uncanny Avengers 4 ({{{date}}})
  21. ↑ Rick Remender (w), Daniel Acuña (a). Uncanny Avengers 5 ({{{date}}})
  22. ↑ Avengers 0 ({{{date}}})
  23. ↑ Gerry Duggan (w), Ryan Stegman (a). Uncanny Avengers 1 ({{{date}}})
  24. ↑ Black Knight vol. 4 #5
  25. ↑ Gerry Duggan (w), Ryan Stegman (a). Uncanny Avengers 7 ({{{date}}})
  26. ↑ Zawisza, Doug. "Uncanny Avengers #1 Review". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  27. ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (9 October 2012). "A new team of Avengers for a new age.". IGN. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
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