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Shotgun Reviews presents:
The
Team Concept, Part 3:
The Marvel Method
by: Troy Brownfield
Throughout
the early part of the 1960s and into the 1970s, Marvel Comics
redefined many of the notions regarding how comic books and
their characters should work. Using a realistic approach to
characterization, Marvel gave their heroes real problems and
dilemmas to confront. Four major teams grew out of this approach
at Marvel, each one demonstrating a different archetype while
at the same time emphasizing character. Those teams, the Fantastic
Four, the Avengers, the X-Men and the Defenders, all contributed
to the success of Marvel and contributed to the Team Concept
as a whole.
The
Family Team: The Fantastic Four exemplify the idea that
a team of super-heroes could be more than just a collection
of individuals; they can be a family. The Thing's best friend
is Mr. Fantastic, who is married to the Invisible Woman, whose
brother is the Human Torch. Built upon that simple dynamic,
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created a team that didn't necessarily
always have to get along. The Thing vs. Torch bickering quickly
became a highlight of the title, and the ongoing tension of
Mr. Fantastic trying too hard to protect the Invisible Woman
(herself the more powerful of the two) enabled commentary
on marriage and intergender conflict.
Over the
years, various substitute members have been introduced to
the team for various reasons. Luke Cage, Crystal, She-Hulk
and more have served with the FF, with only She-Hulk really
clicking with readers for any period of time. This inability
to shake the classic four reaffirms that a) only the proper
chemistry makes for a good team and b) there's nothing quite
like family.
Superheroes
on Salary: Probably the first super-heroes anywhere to
draw a paycheck, the Avengers were more than Marvel's answer
to the JLA: they were capitalists. While the Justice Leaguers
at DC were simply volunteers, the members of the Avengers
actually got to live in a mansion and draw a monthly paycheck
from the Stark Foundation (run by team member Iron Man).
While
many members of the team maintained secret identities and
separate careers, several notable members simply lived in
the mansion and drew their salary from adventuring. This structure
allowed for a dormitory/neighborhood feel to the series in
many cases. At any given point, you could have the married
Scarlet Witch and Vision bickering in one room while the married
Giant-Man and Wasp flirted in another.
These
plot devices showed the Avengers as adults with realistic
demands on their lives. However, their mansion, their money,
and the public adulation they enjoyed would set them up as
natural counterpoints to Marvel's disenfranchised franchise
players, the X-Men.
Children
of the Atom: By far the most financially successful superteam
in comic book history, the X-Men were founded on the principle
that they were "feared and hated by the world they were sworn
to protect". Born mutants that represented the next step in
human evolution, the X-Men became emblematic of the ongoing
struggle against prejudice. They were also teenagers, and
their outlaw nature and often freakish appearances struck
a chord deep within many teenage readers who identified with
these isolated kindred spirits.
Dissecting
the appeal of the X-Men could occupy an entire Master's paper.
It's sufficient to say that the outcast nature of the team
became their primary selling point, and launched a legion
of spin-offs. While many question how the "outcasts" now comprise
the largest set of teams in the Marvel Universe, the basic
core message of the books remains their strongest selling
point.
The
Non-Team: No longer in publication, The Defenders had
an utterly unique approach to the Team Concept. They were
a "non-team" in that there was no formal structure; the individual
was always emphasized above the team. To be a member, you
need only be present or participate in one adventure. Characters
drifted in and out of the series, sometimes with little or
no explanation. However, this added to the appeal, as you
were never sure exactly who you'd see. Unfortunately, Marvel
tried to impose a more defined structure on the team late
in its run. I believe this attempt to make the team a second-rate
X-Men actually poisoned the title's unique nature and killed
it. A revival attempt was made with the Secret Defenders title
early in the '90s, but poor art and stories assured its quick
death.
Marvel's
contributions to the realm of team books opened many doors.
By placing people first and building teams around characters
and ideas, they made it possible for realistic relationships
to be the guiding force of each title, a trend that continues
to this day.
Next in
Part 4, I'll cover the specific genre
of teen teams, focusing on the Titans and Young Justice.
Troy
Brownfield is Editor-In-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. He doesn't
care what the kids say, he'd take livin' in a mansion and
gettin' paid over being chased by giant robots, Latverian
dictators and elves with guns any day. Email him at psikotyk@aol.com.
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