What was the best Avengers line-up you've ever read about?

[Nomads1]

Recently, I was browsing through a Warzone Korvac Saga TPB, and, while the story is not that much to my liking, the Avengers line-up in that book is almost everything I could have wished for: Yellowjacket, Jocasta, Black Panther, Black Widow, Hercules, Moondragon, Captain Marvel and Wonderman. It was almost like a roll call of my favorites, minus one or two, since I'm a fan of offbeat teams and not that excited by an All-Star line-up. However, it got me thinking. In all the years and changes in the Avengers roster, what was the line-up that I found most enjoyable? It was a hard pick. From the sort of first return to greatness line-up of Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, Goliath, and Hercules, with the occasional aid of the Black Widow, passing through the short lived, and potentially great, Black Panther, Hawkeye, Wasp, Goliath and Vision, to most people's favorite of Captain America, Iron Man, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Beast, Wasp and Yellowjacket, often aided by Wonder Man and Thor (though I was really excited to see what could have come out of the also short-lived line-up of Thor, Iron Man, Moondragon, Beast, Wasp and Yellowjacket that preceeded it). So many WCA line-ups. Though I HATED Bendis' run, I found his post-Secret Invasion line-up, with Luke Cage, Ronin (Clint Barton), Spider-Man, Ms Marvel, Spider-Woman, Mockingbird, Cap Bucky and Wolverine, occasionally aided by Iron Fist, very intriguing, and probably his most "avengery" New Avengers line-up. Waid second team of Cap Falcon, Thorette, Spider-Man, Vison, Hercules and the Wasp, also had, IMHO, a lot of potential, with Falcon trying out his leadership skills and Spider-Man suddenly thrown in the spot of the team's scientist and financial backer. However, if I had to pick a team that, not only had potential, but that actually was featured in many stories that I loved, it'd have to be the Harras and Epting team of Captain America, Black Widow, Black Knight, Hercules, Sersi, Crystal and Vision (ocassionally joined by Giant-Man and Thunderstrike ). That team was ripe for character development, and powerful enough to truly deserve the title of Avengers.
What about you guys? Which was the best Avengers line-up you've ever read about? Why did you like it so much?

Peace

[FFJamie94]

I know I'm likely to piss off most of the folks here, but the New Avengers era featured my favourite characters in one place.
You had Spider-Man and Wolverine on the team along with the old guard of Iron Man and Cap, and it also brough Luke Cage into the modern era and gave him an interesting character which is still being used to this day.

While I have preferred a few other runs over Bendis', there's no denying that his line-up was strong and did a lot to help popularise the Avengers today.

[Frontier]

Probably the Busiek Avengers.

Or these guys:

[Steroid]

Loved the Stern era lineup the most because Monica Rambeau and Black Knight are two of my favorite Avengers. Really fond of the roster from Busiek's Avengers and Avengers Forever roster as well.

[Captain Britain of Earth 20]

My favorite I have to say was the New Avengers roster hands down

[K7P5V]

If it counts, my personal favorite would be the version that appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" during "Assistant Editor's Month '84" (LOL):

[Alex_Of_X]

Since we're doing best lineup, not best story, it has to be Remender's Uncanny Avengers squad (expanded roster: with Sunfire and Wonder Man)

[K7P5V]

Loved the Stern era lineup the most because Monica Rambeau and Black Knight are two of my favorite Avengers. Really fond of the roster from Busiek's Avengers and Avengers Forever roster as well.

Indeed. For what it's worth, I'm still rather partial towards the team that came together during "Assault on Olympus" (XD)

[charliehustle415]

I know I'm likely to piss off most of the folks here, but the New Avengers era featured my favourite characters in one place.
You had Spider-Man and Wolverine on the team along with the old guard of Iron Man and Cap, and it also brough Luke Cage into the modern era and gave him an interesting character which is still being used to this day.

While I have preferred a few other runs over Bendis', there's no denying that his line-up was strong and did a lot to help popularise the Avengers today.

You ain't pissing me off, cuz Bendis' New Avengers is a powerhouse team which I adore.

[Factor]

I also enjoyed Bendis’ initial New Avengers team. My biggest issue with it was the lack of women beyond Spider-Woman and the way it contributed to Wolverine being everywhere in those days.
His first Mighty Avengers team was also cool as F, sadly it wasn’t very well written. But a team of Carol Danvers, Black Widow, Wasp, Sentry, Ares and Wonder Man should be great fun.

I have to think about what was my all-time favorite, though.
I’m very partial to Englehart’s team with Moondragon, I think she really brought a new dynamic to them.

[kcekada]

Yes, and that was buoyed by Hellcat. I wish they could have expanded that team and kept everyone instead of whittling it down to 7 members in Avengers 150-151. Of course, no sooner had they done that when Simon Williams showed up! Englehart and Shooter added some great characters to the Avengers. As much as I liked Busiek's Avengers, his additions really never took off (Triad, Silverclaw, Justice, Firestar).

[Riv86672]

The line up fluctuated a bit, but from about V1 issues 180-200 was just great for me as a kid.



I wasn’t that excited about the book again until the Busiek Perez era (minus the Kang Dynasty storyline I hated).

[Nomads1]

I know I'm likely to piss off most of the folks here, but the New Avengers era featured my favourite characters in one place.
You had Spider-Man and Wolverine on the team along with the old guard of Iron Man and Cap, and it also brough Luke Cage into the modern era and gave him an interesting character which is still being used to this day.

While I have preferred a few other runs over Bendis', there's no denying that his line-up was strong and did a lot to help popularise the Avengers today.

Hey, I asked what was your favorite line-up and why, and you answered. Why would that piss off anyone? I may not have liked Bendis run, but that's MY opinion, and even then, I still liked his post Secret Invasion line-up.

Probably the Busiek Avengers.

Or these guys:

The cartoon line-up was awsome, though I do think it took a bit too long to add more women.

Loved the Stern era lineup the most because Monica Rambeau and Black Knight are two of my favorite Avengers. Really fond of the roster from Busiek's Avengers and Avengers Forever roster as well.

The Avengers Forver line-up definitely ranks among my favorites. Can't belive I forgot to mention it in my OP.

Indeed. For what it's worth, I'm still rather partial towards the team that came together during "Assault on Olympus" (XD)

Stern's surely is my favorite Avengers run, and Roger certainly was very creative in working so many characters with a rotation of six members line-ups. Assult on Olympus may well be my all-time favorite Avengers saga, and that line-up was awsome.

I also enjoyed Bendis’ initial New Avengers team. My biggest issue with it was the lack of women beyond Spider-Woman and the way it contributed to Wolverine being everywhere in those days.
His first Mighty Avengers team was also cool as F, sadly it wasn’t very well written. But a team of Carol Danvers, Black Widow, Wasp, Sentry, Ares and Wonder Man should be great fun.

I have to think about what was my all-time favorite, though.
I’m very partial to Englehart’s team with Moondragon, I think she really brought a new dynamic to them.

I also liked that team. Sadly, I do think it had much more potential then what little we got to see.

Yes, and that was buoyed by Hellcat. I wish they could have expanded that team and kept everyone instead of whittling it down to 7 members in Avengers 150-151. Of course, no sooner had they done that when Simon Williams showed up! Englehart and Shooter added some great characters to the Avengers. As much as I liked Busiek's Avengers, his additions really never took off (Triad, Silverclaw, Justice, Firestar).

True. Other than Jack of Hearts, non of Busiek's additions really were that much to my liking. The run was great, though.

Peace

[tsaimelemoni]

Since we're doing best lineup, not best story, it has to be Remender's Uncanny Avengers squad (expanded roster: with Sunfire and Wonder Man)

I really liked that lineup too.

I also really like the core team in the new run of Savage Avengers - it's a weird lineup on paper but they actually work pretty well together

[M@Bowers2014]

The line up fluctuated a bit, but from about V1 issues 180-200 was just great for me as a kid.



I wasn’t that excited about the book again until the Busiek Perez era (minus the Kang Dynasty storyline I hated).

I've been reading comics since right before this era and there have lots a great Avengers line-ups. Having said that, this era #181-200 is definitely one of my absolute favorites. It has so many of my favorite Avengers like Beast, Falcon, Wonder Man, Wasp, Jocasta, Carol Danvers aka Ms Marvel. Plus art mostly by George Perez and John Byrne rotating back and forth.