Comics: The Avengers vs The Justice League

[BreakABone]

I figured this is a comic discussion that at least most of the forum could weigh in on, even though its really gonna come down to if you prefer DC or Marvel.

But let's have the facts.

Justice League is DC's premiere team. Generally speaking. They don't always have the best line-up but when they do.

Now the Avengers are a bit more iffy, I could see them being Marvel's premiere team, but I think it would probably go to the Fantastic Four or X-Men.

One thing both groups have in common is that they never really had a steady line-up, so I shall try and narrow it down to the ones usually most associated with the team.

The Avengers is a team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963), and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist / co-plotter Jack Kirby.

Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", the Avengers originally consisted of Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, and The Hulk. Captain America joined in issue #4. The rotating roster has become a hallmark of the team, although one theme remains consistent: the Avengers fight the foes no single superhero can withstand — hence their battle cry, "Avengers Assemble!" The team has featured humans, mutants, robots, gods, aliens, supernatural beings, and even former villains.
http://dailypop.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/avengers_iii_1a.jpg

So the mainstay characters are generally those listed.
And pretty close to the line-up they are putting together for the movie.

Some other notable members include Spiderman and Wolverine. And I guess Norman Osborne.

The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in The Brave and the Bold #28 (1960), the League originally appeared with a line-up that included Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. However, the team roster has been rotated throughout the years with characters such as Green Arrow, Atom, Hawkman, Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Zatanna, Plastic Man, and dozens of others. The team got its own comic book title in October 1960, when the first issue was published, and would continue to number 261 in April 1987, which was the final issue. Throughout the years, various incarnations or subsections of the team have also operated as Justice League America, Justice League Europe, Justice League International, Justice League Task Force, Justice League Elite, and Extreme Justice.

http://www.stat.osu.edu/~sprangers/quiz/justice_league.jpg

Again, the roster above is usually the one most people know. Or the teams from Superfriends/Justice League.

Other notable members include different Flashes, more Green Lanterns, Zatanna, Green Arrow, and others.

So just curious which do you prefer?

[Thespis721]

I'm going to be a total thread killer here.

Superhero teams are ridiculous. I almost never buy team comics because it always borders on the ridiculous where you see people wearing tights sitting around drinking coffee.

Actually that was one of the things that Alan Moore was making fun of in Watchmen. Especially how they were sitting around like men in dress up, drinking and talking shop.

You don't get that as much in solo comics.


EDIT
All of those characters are better as parts then they are as a whole.

[Professor S]

I like the Avengers because they delve into the politics of having a government sponsored superhero team, when superheroes are basically vigilantes.

And by the way, Ultimate Avengers beats them both.

[Teuthida]

I'm going to be a total thread killer here.

Superhero teams are ridiculous. I almost never buy team comics because it always borders on the ridiculous where you see people wearing tights sitting around drinking coffee.

Actually that was one of the things that Alan Moore was making fun of in Watchmen. Especially how they were sitting around like men in dress up, drinking and talking shop.

You don't get that as much in solo comics.


EDIT
All of those characters are better as parts then they are as a whole.

Wholeheartedly agree.

Though I did love the JLU toon.

The Justice League comic has sucked for the longest time. I can't remember ever enjoying it. Tried a number of times to get into the Avengers but it never took. And I always got confused with how many Avengers titles there are. Marvel is starting it over with their Heroic Age so will give it a try then.

Justice Society of America was awesome. My favorite team book. Had a family dynamic. And then the writer left and it went downhill fast splitting the team into two comics with neither title being any good.

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/106/1064016/marvel-sheds-light-on-heroic-age-20100127072451904.jpg

Are they finally reverting Beast back to his former glory? Looking a lot less cat-like than the last time I read anything X related.

[Thespis721]

I like the Avengers because they delve into the politics of having a government sponsored superhero team, when superheroes are basically vigilantes.

And by the way, Ultimate Avengers beats them both.

While I agree that Marvel tried to tie in the political nature, Marvel has always been more real life then DC. But even still, that is a VERY new concept that was ushered in by the Ultimates. Still not enough to get me interested when seeing Cap kick ass or Iron Man kick ass is much more fun then watching a bunch of guys sitting on love seats talking about how they are going to take down someone.


Wholeheartedly agree.

Though I did love the JLU toon.

The Justice League comic has sucked for the longest time. I can't remember ever enjoying it. Tried a number of times to get into the Avengers but it never took. And I always got confused with how many Avengers titles there are. Marvel is starting it over with their Heroic Age so will give it a try then.

Justice Society of America was awesome. My favorite team book. Had a family dynamic. And then the writer left and it went downhill fast splitting the team into two comics with neither title being any good.


Heroic Age? Didn't Marvel already determine that the age of Heroes is over? I hate to be a geek out here, but I remember at the end of Onslaught, after all the super heroes sacrificed themselves (which was cool, bringing them back was not), it was determined that the Age of Heroes was over.

Sounds like lazy writing to me.

[Teuthida]

Mainstream comics are cyclical. Nobody stays dead; status quos always revert eventually. It's hard to really care about any change since it never lasts. Best to just try and enjoy the stories. As someone who never read much Marvel outside of Spider-man since the early 90s I'm looking forward to this as a jumping on point.

[Thespis721]

Yeah. I see your point. I'm less complaining about bringing them back and more complaining about the lack of creativity towards coming up with names.

[BreakABone]

I don't know, I enjoy them sitting around in costumes at times, though it reminds me of a scene early on in Trinity that gave me hope when Bruce, Diana and Clark were just hanging around like real friends would. Makes you see that they aren't just best friends in costume.

Anyhow, I mean my DC leanings would have me go with the Justice League. But honestly, it is all because of the cartoon. If the Avengers had a cartoon that was quite as good as Justice League/Unlimited, this may be a different conversation.

DC does better in animation, animation is what exposes me to comics and characters so I've been able to read JLA better (Though I recommend vol 2 which began with Morrison's awesome run and not the stuff they've been peddling for the last few years)

[incredibledave]

Havnt read much with either of these teams.

But one of the teams has Batman on it, so Imma go with that one.

Also, totally agree about the individual members being more interesting than the team as a whole. Im reasonably sure that every single member of that Justice League lineup would be better served by being the only hero in their own universe (not too sure about Hawkgirl though)