Every West Coast Avengers Roster, Explained (original) (raw)

West Coast Avengers

Sign in to your CBR account

Marvel shocked fans with the announcement that a new roster of the West Coast Avengers would debut in a brand new volume of the series. This is because the West Coast Avengers have been absent from publishing for a few years and the team would feature one of the Avengers' greatest villains, Ultron. After years of trying to kill the Avengers or enslave humanity, Ultron is finally ready to seek redemption. Of course, not every member of the team trusts Ultron's new direction.

Given the presence of familiar members like War Machine and Iron Man alongside newcomers like Firestar and Spider-Woman, it's not the strangest roster of the team that fans have seen in the comics. From the beginnings of Hawkeye's original roster to Kate Bishop's modern roster that worked as Hawkeye Investigations, fans have seen all kinds of new takes on the West Coast Avengers, which makes it easy to get excited about the new team.

Hawkeye And Mockingbird Assembled The First Roster

The First Roster Appeared In A Short Limited Series

Related

How To Start Reading Avengers Comics

The popularity of the MCU's Avengers has attracted new readers who might find themselves lost when jumping into the comics without a reading guide.

Clint Barton had been a member of the Avengers since the team first changed its roster. He joined as Hawkeye alongside other former villains like Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch and would remain with the team for years. After his marriage to Bobbi Morse/Mockingbird, Hawkeye was asked to form a new team by Vision, the Avengers' chairman at the time. He chose Mockingbird as his first choice, and the duo relocated to the West Coast to set up shop in a brand new headquarters known as Avengers Compound.

Official Roster:

• Hawkeye
• Mockingbird
• Iron Man (Rhodey)
• Wonder Man
• Tigra

Hawkeye asked Iron Man to join him on the team, though unbeknownst to him, it was actually Jim Rhodes in the armor at that time. Wonder Man and Tigra also joined Hawkeye's new team, creating the first official roster of the West Coast Avengers. They were aided by a Cross Technologies mechanic named Jorge Jatham and Henry Pym, the former Giant-Man who had retired from superheroics to work as a scientist for the team. They were also aided by the hero known as the Shroud, though he never officially joined the team.

Together, they foiled a plot by one of the Avengers' most underrated but powerful villains, Graviton. The news quickly reported on the new Avengers roster and its operations on the West Coast, cementing the team as Marvel's newest heroes, and helped launch an ongoing series that further expanded the team.

Exciting New Faces Quickly Joined Avengers West Coast

Moon Knight and USAgent Joined The Team With Classic Avengers Like Vision And Scarlet Witch

Related

Who Were MCU's New Warriors? (& Why They Should Replace the Young Avengers)

As the MCU’s Young Avengers already faces challenges, it provides the ideal opportunity for Marvel to revisit New Warriors as a TV series.

The limited series' success led to the debut of The West Coast Avengers, an ongoing series featuring almost the same roster as the original team. However, Tony Stark returned as Iron Man after Rhodes revealed his identity to the rest of the WCA and returned the armor to his boss.

The roster remained unchanged, though the West Coast Avengers briefly added heroes like Firebird and the Fantastic Four's Thing to the team. The Armor Wars forced the West Coast Avengers to expel Iron Man from the team, though Pym returned to duty in a more active role as an official team member. Marc Spector/Moon Knight joined up as well, and both would play important roles when the team was "Lost in Space-Time," though their adventures in the past would greatly affect the team's roster moving forward.

In the past, Mockingbird was mentally deceived and assaulted by the Phantom Rider, whom she then let fall to his death. This action divided the team based on their no-killing rule, and Mockingbird left with Tigra and Moon Knight to become their own unit known as the Ex-WACOs. To make up for the reduced numbers, Wasp, Vision and Scarlet Witch moved to the West Coast to help out. However, Vision's return to the team led to his dismantling by the US government, which began watching the team more closely.

Official Roster:

• Hawkeye
• Mockingbird
• Iron Man (Stark)
• Wonder Man
• Tigra
• Henry Pym
• Moon Knight
• Wasp
• Vision
• Scarlet Witch
• Quicksilver
• USAgent
• Machine Man
• Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)
• Living Lightning
• War Machine
• Darkhawk (Reservist)

To this end, the West Coast Avengers were forced to welcome USAgent to the team, which caused tension between the members. Hawkeye and Mockingbird left the team temporarily, though the original Human torch soon joined to bolster the team's ranks further. After dealing with a dark turn from Scarlet Witch that saw Quicksilver briefly sign up, they both left alongside Pym and Wasp. Machine Man, Spider-Woman, and Living Lightning then signed up for what became known as the team's fourth roster.

After participating in Operation: Galactic Storm, Iron Man and Wonder Man left the team while Jim Rhodes returned in his War Machine armor. Darkhawk would become the last new member of the West Coast Avengers to join, though it was only as a reservist. Due to the constant upheaval of the team, Captain America then decided to disband the West Coast Avengers, though that wasn't the end for some of the members.

Iron Man Kept The Team Alive As Force Works in The '90s

Former Avengers Joined New Characters As Iron Man's Personal Strike Force

Related

Iron Man's Most Powerful Armors Of All Time, Ranked

Known for his massive arsenal of powerful suits and his highly creative mind, Iron Man is always searching for ways to improve on his designs.

While Captain America disbanded the West Coast Avengers, Iron Man cast the final vote against them. He knew they couldn't function if the Avengers didn't have their backs. Instead, he invited the members who resigned from the Avengers to join his own private team, which became known as Force Works.

While Iron Man bankrolled, outfitted, and headquartered Force Works, he appointed Scarlet Witch as the team's field leader. Her powers worked uniquely with the team's adaptable headquarters, called the Works. Her hex ability (her powers had yet to expand fully) powered the Chaos Computer, which could predict where the team would be needed, giving them an edge the West Coast Avengers didn't have. USAgent, Spider-Woman and Wonder Man also joined the team, though not all survived the first mission against the Kree.

Official Roster:

• Iron Man
• Scarlet Witch
• Wonder Man
• USAgent
• Spider-Woman
• Century
• Cybermancer
• Moonraker

Wonder Man sacrificed his life, though the Avengers later discovered that his ionic form had just dispersed. However, the team gained a new member when they met the alien named Century, who helped Force Works stop an alien invasion. Force Works struggled to work cohesively as Iron Man often worked against Scarlet Witch's orders. New heroes named Cybermancer and Moonraker joined the team alongside old allies like War Machine. However, "The Crossing" storyline would drive a final nail in Force Works' coffin.

Iron Man was revealed to be working with Kang the Conqueror, who was actually Immortus in disguise. He had planted Moonraker on Force Works to confuse the Avengers further, though Iron Man's betrayal was enough to disrupt both teams. Force Works disbanded and Iron Man died, though he was later replaced with his younger self before it was all erased by the Heroes Reborn event.

The West Coast Ultimates Assembled To Take Down The Ultimates

The Ultimate Universe's Team Was Much Different Than The Mainstream Version

Related

Every Member of Marvel's New Ultimates, Revealed

Marvel's next team of Ultimates have finally arrived, but not all of them are as ready to save the world as their fellow newly recruited superheroes.

Marvel's original Ultimate universe took a wildly different approach to the Avengers. The team was known as the Ultimates, though it featured many familiar faces in updated takes on the characters. The Ultimates even featured similar growth over the years, with offshoots like the New Ultimates and even the West Coast Ultimates appearing.

The Ultimates originally worked for SHIELD, but when the main team split off independently, Fury put together a new branch of heavy hitters to replace them. He kept them in stasis when they failed to meet their purpose. When the Californian governor discovered their existence, he released them to go after the original team. A failed SHIELD cadet named Daisy Johnson led the team as Quake, who shared a powerset similar to her 616 counterpart. Her powers came from a program to recreate the super-soldier serum responsible for several of the Ultimate universe's superpower characters.

Official Roster:

• Quake
• Black Knight
• Wonder Man
• Tigra
• Vision

Unlike his more medieval 616 counterpart, Ultimate Black Knight was a military man who participated in an experiment that turned him into a powerful robot. However, the process removed much of his humanity. Tigra was an imprisoned former police officer who underwent genetic mutation to join Fury's West Coast Ultimates. She was enhanced to potentially take on Captain America, though he ultimately proved to be too much for her. Simon Williams was a bodybuilder who used a second-generation Hulk serum to transform into the incredibly powerful Wonder Man.

The Ultimate universe actually had more than one version of the Vision. The first Vision was a sentient robot created by an alien species to warn other planets about the Gah Lak Tus swarm. The second was a brilliant genius named Robert Mitchell, who almost accidentally destroyed California. He underwent genetic experiments and gained the ability to phase his body and fire powerful beams of energy from his eyes. However, he turned against his team to carry out orders for the governor.

After the West Coast Ultimates failed their mission, they appeared to disband and weren't seen again. The West Coast Ultimates were likely wiped out alongside the rest of the Ultimate Universe before the Secret Wars event.

Kate Bishop Gathered A New West Coast Avengers Roster

A Reality TV Film Crew Documented The Adventures Of New WCA

Related

Hawkeye's Villainous Past, Explained

Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, is one of the most iconic Avengers of all time, but he was a villain long before he ever truly became a hero.

While Kate Bishop didn't use a codename when she first joined the Young Avengers, she eventually earned the name Hawkeye from Clint Barton himself. They started working together and even decided to form a new chapter of the West Coast Avengers. However, it didn't feature any of the former team members. Instead, several young heroes signed up, as well as a few of Kate Bishop's allies from her Hawkeye Investigations firm, which eventually attracted the attention of a reality TV film crew.

Official Roster:

• Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
• Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
• Fuse
• Alloy
• Ms. America
• Kid Omega
• Gwenpool
• Marvel Boy

Kate Bishop's boyfriend Fuse joined the team, as did his sister when she later debuted as Alloy. Kate Bisop's ex-boyfriend Noh-Varr/Marvel Boy also joined the team, making for an interesting dynamic between all three. After Fuse and Kate Bishop broke up, he also dated Marvel Boy for a brief time. Quentin Quire/Kid Omega left the X-Men books and formed a relationship with his teammate, meta hero Gwenpool. Ms. America also joined her former Young Avengers teammates, rounding out the complete roster.

The youthful chapter of the West Coast Avengers was fairly short-lived and didn't receive the best press while they were together. The reality TV angle didn't really work with fans, as it had been done before with the New Warriors. The roster didn't attract many West Coast Avengers fans either, as it failed to capture the team's original spirit. The team received a new Avengers headquarters at the end of the run, but the new WCA was soon abandoned.

War Machine Gathered A New Strike Team In Force Works 2020

A Small Roster Formed During The Robot Revolution To Stop A Deadly New Threat

Related

Every Young Avenger Character Appearing In Marvel Snap

Young Avengers' rise in Marvel Snap sparks renewed interest, offering a chance to explore their rich backstories and complex comic book canon.

When the A.I. Army started a robot revolution in 2020, the government formed a new roster of Force Works under Maria Hill's supervision. Former West Coast Avengers member War Machine served as field leader alongside former teammates Mockingbird and USAgent. Quake also joined the team alongside government agent Gauntlet and mercenary Solo, though both left the team after the mission.

Official Roster:

• War Machine
• Mockingbird
• USAgent
• Quake
• Solo
• Gauntlet

The new Force Works was further embroiled in the robotic war during a mission to the South American country of Lingares. They uncovered an army of Deathloks and a hidden Ultimo robot that another robotic villain would later take over to become UltiM.O.D.O.K. While this Force Works roster worked well together, they were ultimately fired from the team when they refused to hand over the files on the Deathloks to Maria Hill.

While this roster of Force Works was short-lived and tied to a specific event, the addition of Mockingbird furthered the legacy of the original team and the West Coast Avengers. Unfortunately, the members disbanded after they were fired instead of forming their own team, which would have been much more in the spirit of the original Force Works.

Iron Man And War Machine Are Giving Ultron A Second Change

Firestar And Spider-Woman Aren't As Trustworthy Of Their Old Foe

Related

10 Best Avengers Eras

Fans have seen several different eras of the Avengers over the years, ranging from classic adventures to complete reboots like Heroes Reborn.

The latest team to use the title of West Coast Avengers features a few classic members with interesting new additions. Iron Man and War Machine, who were both members of almost every iteration of either the West Coast Avengers or Force Works, have put together a new team to help redeem criminals without having to go all the way to New York City. Their first real test is the long-time Avengers foe Ultron, who has been on a wild ride for the last few years while merged with his deceased creator (and former West Coast Avenger), Henry Pym.

Official Roster:

• Iron Man
• War Machine
• Ultron
• Firestar
• Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Of course, some of the new roster have joined to ensure everyone is staying on the up-and-up in the new roster. While a Spider-Woman previously worked with Force Works, this is the first time that the Jessica Drew version will join the West Coast branch of the Avengers. Another new addition is no stranger to teams, as Firestar has worked alongside the Avengers, the New Warriors, and the X-Men over the years. Gerry Duggan, the new scribe of West Coast Avengers, previously added Firestar to the Krakoan roster of the X-Men, and fans are looking forward to his continuation of her evolution as a member of the West Coast Avengers.

Fans can likely expect a few other members to join the team, as Ultron only appears to be the first villain looking for redemption who will join the new West Coast Avengers. Fans will have to wait until November of 2024 for more on the latest roster, and with Ultron on the team, it won't be an easy wait.

Marvel

Marvel is a multimedia powerhouse encompassing comic books, movies, TV shows, and more, captivating audiences with its iconic characters, thrilling narratives, and diverse worlds. From the legendary Avengers to the street-level heroes like Daredevil, Marvel's universe is vast and ever-expanding.

Created by

Stan Lee

First Film

Captain America

Latest Film

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Upcoming Films

Madame Web

First TV Show

the incredible hulk

Latest TV Show

Secret Invasion

Upcoming TV Shows

ironheart

First Episode Air Date

November 15, 1966

Cast

Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Tom Holland , Brie Larson

Where to watch

Disney Channel

Spin-offs

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Spin-offs (Movies)

Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter

Character(s)

Thor , Iron Man , Spider-Man (Characters)

Video Game(s)

Marvel's Spider-Man , Marvel SNAP , Marvel's Avengers , Marvel's Spider-Man 2