Avengers Assemble!
Superhero teams are a staple of the genre, and there are so many to choose from. There are family units, sidekick squads, and, of course, OGs that basically run their world. This list aims to break down the 20 best teams around.
1. Justice League
The Justice League is a classic superhero team that has been around since the '60s when it made its first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28. Typically, the founding members include Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, with the rest varying between members like Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, Flash, and more. The sheer wealth and resources held by this group also make them incredibly powerful, as they have a billion-dollar watchtower in space and access to teleportation tech.
2. X-Men
The X-Men first appeared in 1963 and introduced a world where Professor X rescued and aided mutants in distress. The members of the group quickly began fighting for their equality, with key members including Cyclops, Beast, Jean Grey, and more.
3. Avengers
The Avengers also first appeared in 1963 and essentially rival the Justice League as the Marvel equivalent. The idea here is that Earth’s mightiest heroes assemble to counter powerful threats, and their success in cinema has taken them to new heights. While the roster varies, you can expect to see Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk consistently.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy were once a lesser-known group that most of the mainstream ignored – that is, until their movie fame. Their first appearance was in Marvel Super-Heroes #18, and key members include Star-Lord, Gamora, and, of course, everyone’s favorite, Groot.
5. Teen Titans
Plenty of people remember growing up watching the original Teen Titans cartoon, and the team is still going strong to this day. Most team comps are made up of Robin, Speedy, Starfire, and more, and the team serves as a way for young sidekicks to work together to have a bigger impact.
Mooshuu from San Diego on Wikimedia
6. Young Justice
Young Justice is similar to Teen Titans, as it involves heroes seeking to establish their independence from the Justice League. With that in mind, members consist of Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl, and more.
7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
If you grew up watching and reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, then you know this team blends crime-fighting with family values. By training in the ways of Ninjutsu, these rebellious turtles work together to combat supernatural threats and crime alike.
8. The Incredibles
The Incredibles really walks a fine line between family and crime-fighting. Trying to keep their powers under wraps, it's hard not to get lost in the personal lives of these heroes as they work together to keep the world—and each other—safe.
9. Watchmen
Watchmen is essentially the antithesis of heroism, as the writer deconstructs typical superhero teams to explore the dark and unhinged side of vigilante “justice.” Either way, you can expect to see Nite Owl, Dr. Manhattan, and the Comedian in the mix – but whether they’re heroes is up for debate.
10. The Defenders
Your definition of The Defenders depends on how you were exposed to them. If you’re a Netflix fan, you’d expect the team to consist of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. But originally, The Defenders were part of Marvel Feature #1 in 1971 and had a different team.
11. The Autobots
Transformers actually have a very long and successful comic book history, with their first appearance being in 1984 with issue #1. The team consists of the fearless leader Optimus Prime, savvy medic Ratchet, fun-loving Bumblebee, and various other bots.
12. The Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is another team that blends family with superheroics. After an accident gone wrong, these friends work together to tackle cosmic threats ranging from Galactus to the Skrulls. And, of course, we can’t forget Dr. Doom.
13. Task Force X
One of the darker teams on the list, but one that Hollywood can’t seem to leave alone, is Task Force X. Consisting of Rick Flag as the lead, the other heroes are an ever-changing cast of villains forced to do government black ops missions.
14. The Green Lantern Corps
For those that don’t know, The Green Lantern Corps are essentially intergalactic space cops. While Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner are typical choices for Earth Lanterns, there are plenty of other alien species that make appearances.
15. Justice League Dark
Justice League Dark is an extension of the Justice League that focuses on magic and the supernatural. Turns out Superman is pretty vulnerable to magic, so it’s for the best that he lets pros like Constantine, Zatanna, and Madame Xanadu handle these things.
16. The New Avengers
The New Avengers is essentially Avengers 2.0. New Avengers #1 launched in 2005 and saw the team reforming after the dissolution of the original roster. Despite this, staple characters like Captain America and Iron Man remained, with new introductions like Spider-Man and Wolverine.
17. Birds of Prey
Birds of Prey is a spin-off Gotham-centric crime-fighting team that focuses on an all-female cast. Like many of these teams, the cast members vary, including Batgirl/Oracle, Black Canary, Huntress, and sometimes Big Barda or Harley Quinn.
18. Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol gained recent popularity through their television show, popularizing outcast superheroes into the mainstream. Rather than have glamorous god-like powers, the members of this team are almost cursed by their abilities. Robotman is a brain in a metal body, Elasti-Girl turns into goo if she doesn’t concentrate, and Negative Man has some alien force living inside him.
19. The Thundercats
Taking you all the way back to old-school cool, The Thundercats are a nostalgic team that blends sci-fi with primal nature. The roster is pretty consistent, including Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro.
20. The Justice Society of America
Speaking of old-school cool, DC isn’t afraid to take fans back to their heyday with The Justice Society, which is still a popular series to date. This includes founding members like Hawkman, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and Doctor Fate!
