I've read very few appearances by the Sentry, but for me the character just has "bad idea" stamped all over him. He's so far into "Mary Sue" territory (and honestly, that's a phrase I wasn't familiar with until prior discussions here, but it's unavoidable to see now) that he just grates on my nerves. He's supposed to be as powerful as a "billion exploding stars" or something? Could you set a more ridiculous standard? He may have actually eclipsed my scorn for "Xorn"'s "star for a brain" power explanation in that regard. But heap on the fact that all the major characters of the Marvel Universe know him and consider him their bestest friend and it's insanely groan-inducing.

I wish comic writers would realize that shortcuts rarely work in comics. You can't just introduce a character at the head of the pack... You have to earn that place through stories.





Aside from "Under Siege", I don't know that I've read any of this character. Wait... there were a few more forgettable storylines from around the same time. Either way, I never remember his existence unless someone points him out to me.





That was the explanation for Wolverine? I shouldn't be surprised, what with Hawkeye wanting to murder Osborne recently, and Mockingbird arguing against it, and nobody *ever mentioning* this complete role reversal from the very fight that broke up their marriage.*

*Admittedly, so I'm told. I still can't summon up enough interest to read Bendis Avengers, even when their free on my I-pad.

I had thought at the time it was originally announced that there was the possibility for a good story to come out of Wolverine as an Avenger. But then it turned out that the team was being recreated in such a drastic way as to make the significance meaningless... When the team is random and disconnected from its history, what difference does it make who is on it?





I agree. Honestly, the "once an Avenger..." thing never worked for me, as there are plenty of characters that really weren't fully integrated with the team. Now, as I mentioned with Wolverine, the significance of being an Avenger is pretty much shot. It's like being a Major League ball player... rare, but there have been so many that you'd need an atlas to remember all the guys who came and went.

I personally feel that to really be a part of a team, a character has to have some kind of definable relationship with at least 2 other characters on that team, be it as a love interest, rival, buddy, mentor... whatever. If it's a general thing (most of the team dislikes the guy's attitude or something) then it doesn't count. There are probably some specific characters that have done enough in a title to be an exception, but not too many.

Likewise, I tend to think the best writers of team books tend to forge those connections between their casts, while the forgettable runs throw characters into the mix who easily drop right out again as soon as they leave.




I really like nasty characters on teams, and I enjoy hating them as much as I like them. I think they help to keep both the writer and the characters honest, as by including a sarcastic, antagonizing voice in the inner circle it keeps everyone aware when things begin to get too self-indulgent in the personal drama.

That said, my affection for Mantis is mostly based on her being a catalyst to progress the Vizh/Wanda relationship. Remove that, and she's way too trippy of a concept to take seriously, and Englehart was much too fond of her. (See that comment about shortcuts above.)




I think I read his entire run as an Avenger, and I barely remember the guy. Interesting look, but otherwise completely forgettable to me.





For me, I think the big problem with Thunderstrike is that I'd rather just have Thor or Hercules on the team, depending on what role I needed filled.




I don't really recall anything about her either, and didn't know the character from her villainous days. In her defense, I gather whatever plans there were for her to be added to the team were lost in the creative reshuffling the title underwent. I don't believe she was even supposed to be a clone at the time she joined, was she?




I kind of enjoy the occasional character like Starfox, who doesn't take the job seriously. It can add some fun conflict and lead things off into different directions. They're not built for the long haul, but now and again they can be fun.

I kind of get annoyed at the need for modern writers to indulge themselves in pointing out certain creepy interpretations of characters. I can't really argue against them, but is it really necessary to rob them of the more innocent bend for some cheap self-aware writing?


Fun list, and some fun comics discussion!