| Avengers: The Initiative | |
|---|---|
 Avengers: The Initiative #1 solicited cover | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | April 2007 – July 2010 |
| No. of issues | 35 |
| Main character(s) | Trainees: Melee Graduates: 3-D Man Annex Ant-Man Cloud 9 Geiger Gorilla Girl Hardball Komodo Prodigy Red Nine Stature Sunstreak Thor Girl Ultra Girl Staff: Diamondback Gauntlet Penance Taskmaster Trauma Baron Von Blitzschlag |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Dan Slott Christos Gage |
| Penciller(s) | Stefano Caselli Steve Uy Harvey Tolibao |
Avengers: The Initiative is acomic book series fromMarvel Comics. Written byDan Slott andChristos Gage with artwork initially by Stefano Caselli,Steve Uy and Harvey Tolibao,[1][2] the series handles the aftermath of Marvel's "Civil War" storyline (however, it should not be confused with "The Initiative" a banner running across Marvel books from Feb. 2007 to May 2007, similar to Marvel's earlier "Decimation" banner after the "House of M" storyline, or theCivil War: The Initiative special byBrian Michael Bendis). A preview of the title was shown inCivil War: The Initiative.
The first issue ofAvengers: The Initiative was released on 4 April 2007. Thetagline initially used in solicitations was "Marvel's Army ofSuper Heroes just became a Super Hero Army".
The series was originally solicited as a six issuelimited series, but prior to the publication of the first issue, Marvel announced that this had changed and thatAvengers: The Initiative would become an ongoing series, the third regularly published 'Avengers' title from 2007 onwards, afterNew Avengers andThe Mighty Avengers.[2]
Issues #20-22 handled "Dark Reign", the aftermath to Secret Invasion, andChristos Gage moved to full writing duties.[3]
The series was cancelled afterAvengers: The Initiative #35 (April 2010), at the conclusion of the "Siege" storyline[4] and replaced byAvengers Academy.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, the pro-registration side stood victorious and launched the Fifty State Initiative, which called for oneS.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored superhero team for each state. The series focused on the training facility at Camp Hammond inStamford, Connecticut.
The first group of young heroes has been sent to heroboot camp in Stamford, the site of the explosion that launched the whole Civil War. During the first day's training,Trauma, a shapeshifter, loses control of his power and causes Armory to have a panic attack. She accidentally shootsMVP, who was trying to save Cloud 9. Pym and Gyrich agree to conceal the death and expel Armory, but first, amputate her alien weaponry, since she will be an unregistered super. As the young heroes finish the obstacle course, Trauma loses control of his transformation again, first feeding off of Cloud 9's guilt at being responsible for MVP's death and then transforming into an image ofJanet Van Dyne beaten and bloody whenHank Pym (Yellowjacket) attempts to intervene. As Justice and Gauntlet clean up the situation, Pym is called to the lab whereBaron Von Blitzschlag informs him andHenry Peter Gyrich of MVP's anatomy; instead of being enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum as everyone believed, he is actually an "Übermensch", the ultimate human specimen. As Blitzschlag and Gyrich laud the benefits of such a test subject, Pym again has a crisis of conscience, only enhanced when the German scientist recounts his past "villainous" acts (such as the creation ofUltron) and remarks "I am your greatest fan."[5]
A crisis overTexas occurs involving thePresident andHydra. Cloud 9,Komodo, Hardball, Gauntlet,War Machine, Justice, and Yellowjacket all arrive on the scene. Cloud 9 is revealed as the best marksman of the bunch when she receives a pulse rifle, but she feels guilty when she blows up a fighter jet and the pilot doesn't eject.
Hardball speaks to Komodo about Justice apparently having learned of MVP's fate. While he talks, he turns to see not Komodo but a strange girl sleeping next to him. Komodo is upset that her identity was revealed. Spider-Man battles the duo. He quickly incapacitates War Machine with a blast of webbing that shuts down his armor, but not before War Machine mysteriously states that even though Spider-Man will be stripped of his powers, another Spider-Man will exist. While Komodo fares much better, Spider-Man's wit, and a threat that her failure will cause her losing her powers, help him to defeat her and slip away easily. A mysterious third party, which War Machine calls "Red Team" and which has been cloaked during the fight, is revealed to be a group of people in duplicate versions ofTony Stark's Spider-Man armor. The story ends with Komodo's desperate plea not to be stripped of her powers, as she dislikes being normal and considers her other self to be a nobody.[6]
The recruits are ordered to stay away from the fighting, but to still help with evacuation efforts. Rage and several other recruits disobey the direct order and go to help the Avengers. They are quickly dispatched by Hulk's Warbound and imprisoned inMadison Square Garden. Gyrich fears the political fallout, so he orders hisShadow Initiative to rescue only the six missing recruits. This team comprisesBengal, Trauma,Constrictor,Mutant Zero, and theScarlet Spiders. Hulk eventually discovers the team and Trauma attempts to access Hulk's greatest fear, but Hulk tells him he fears nothing and nearly beats him to death.[7]
During these events, Hardball is secretly recruited by Hydra to steal nanotechnology. While in disguise, he sees MVP's body cryogenically frozen, but Justice and Cloud 9 claim to have seen him at his parents’ home. Sgt. Green is mysteriously attacked and can no longer train the recruits.[8]
Several new Initiative recruits arrive at Camp Hammond, includingAnt-Man (Eric O'Grady),Crusader (Z'Reg),Melee,Geldoff,Dragon Lord (Tako Shamara), Geiger, Red Nine, andDiamondback. These recruits will mainly be trained by the instructor Taskmaster.[9]
The results of the previous cloning's of MVP impressed Initiative administrators enough to fill places within the Fifty State Initiative with further clones of MVP.[10]
A new clone ofMichael Van Patrick is fitted with the Tactigon, Armory's former alien weapon, but goes on a rampage throughout the base under the new name "KIA", seeking revenge for MVP's death.[11] The KIA clone causes destruction, killingDragon Lord (Tako Shamara), Trauma (who is later revealed to have survived) and Van (one of the Scarlet Spiders). KIA also caused injury to many initiative trainees and staff likeThor Girl, Gauntlet, Constrictor and Crusader. He also killed eight S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on his rampage. He is eventually subdued when Cloud 9 uses the knowledge of Michael Van Patrick's crush on her to kiss him and fill him with gas. The reformedNew Warriors and New Avengers can subdue him and mind wipe him with a device from Baron Von Blitzschlag.[12]
Some of the first instalment trainees made it to graduation. The graduating class and their assignments were:
Justice, Debrii, Slapstick, Rage, MVP and the two remaining Scarlet Spiders left the Initiative to formCounter Force, described as a counter-initiative that will dedicate themselves to keeping the government program honest.
Starting with issue #13, the series features new recruits that will join the squad assembled before the coming of KIA. They are: Annex,Prodigy,Gorilla Girl, Sunstreak,Batwing, and Boulder.[13] Less enthusiastic than the first recruits, most of them with criminal records (except Butterball/Boulder who wanted to be there, and Batwing, who was just seeking a cure for his condition) they are there because their alternative to Camp Hammond is theNegative Zone prison (however, the criminal charges against all but Sunstreak appear to be limited to non-registration). Taskmaster quickly renames Boulder "Butterball" regarding his size. He has been challenged to make Butterball into a good soldier; but because of his invulnerability powers, his physical appearance could not be altered. The recruits break out of the camp because of boredom and decide to go to the beach where they drink andskinny dip, since they would be recognized anywhere else. Sunstreak attempts to have relations with Butterball, who refuses and takes their ride and heads back to the camp but encounters Constrictor, Taskmaster, War Machine and Yellowjacket. He lies, claiming to have gone AWOL alone. Although the recruits plan to use this distraction to sneak back on base, they instead help defeatFirebrand,King Cobra,Mister Hyde andMauler, all of whom wanted revenge on the Taskmaster. Butterball washes out of the program when it is deemed he does not have the attitude to be a superhero. To ease his disappointment, Taskmaster and Constrictor allow him to take a picture that makes it look like he has defeated them.[14]
The Revolutionary, a member of Pennsylvania's Liberteens, is actually a Skrull in disguise. He is part of a plot to put "aSkrull in every state" by infiltrating each superhero team of the Initiative.[15] During the "Secret Invasion" storyline, Crusader discovers that camp director Yellowjacket is a Skrull impostor; he almost tells Trauma, but changes his mind. When 3-D Man arrives in Camp Hammond to announce to everyone assembled that the Initiative has been infiltrated by Skrulls, Crusader fears he will be exposed as a Skrull despite his good intentions. Crusader uses the Freedom Ring to reverse the goggles' power so that they cause 3-D Man to see Crusader as human and all humans as Skrulls.[16]
'Yellowjacket-Skrull' later gives orders to Gauntlet to dispatch the cadets to help theYoung Avengers fight the Skrulls, andProton is killed during the battle. The Skrulls defeat the cadets and Young Avengers, but thenNick Fury arrives with his "commandos."[17][18] Meanwhile, Ant-Man, the only cadet still on Camp Hammond, witnessed how "Yellowjacket" welcomed a Skrull commander to the base and attempts to learn of their secret plans. During the big fight against the Skrull army, Crusader (a Skrull who lives on Earth and an Initiative cadet) fought for Earth. After defeating a Skrull imposter looking likeShe-Thing, 3-D Man joined up with theSkrull Kill Krew and discovered that in every Initiative state team is one Skrull-imposter and killed them all. Komodo joined the team as well,[19] and they then added her lover, Hardball. The Skrull Kill Crew thought they could not track through all the states on time, but then former AvengerJocasta appeared withDevil-Slayer, who is a member of the Hawaiian Initiative team, the Point Men. Devil-Slayer's teleportation ability will aid them in killing all Skrull imposters within the Fifty State Initiative.[20]
The group move on to other Initiative bases, killing the Skrull imposters.Delroy Garrett's goggles also identifyEquinox as a Skrull who is then killed by Cloud 9 who then joins their insurgency withGravity. The Skrull then sends a broadcast throughout the world, telling their sleeper agents to activate themselves, which sows even more distrust among the remaining heroes. While in Philadelphia, the Revolutionary is revealed as a Skrull and defeated by Gravity and Hope. When they discover a fight betweenThor Girl andUltra Girl, Delroy's goggles identify Thor Girl as a Skrull. With help from Gravity, Delroy uses Thor Girl's own hammer to kill the Skrull imposter. Ant-Man escapes the Skrulls on the back of a Shock Trooper and reveals to the Kill Crew the Skrulls' last resort plan; to use all the Initiative bases to create a massive Negative Zone portal that will destroy the entire country. With six bases left, the Krew splits up, and uses the still-living heads of Moonstomp, Catwalk and Dice to help point out Skrulls. Devil-Slayer teleports them to the bases, but collapses under the strain.[21]
The Initiative members combat their Skrull opponents who have received their mission to activate themselves to start distrust among the teams. At the Battalion's HQ,Tigra, Ryder and Cloud 9 fight a Skrull posing asRazorback. Hardball and Moonstomp help Action Pack fight a Skrull posing as Frog-Man. Gravity and Catwalk help the Great Lakes Avengers fight a Skrull posing asGrasshopper. Komodo and Riot help the Command fight a Skrull posing as Conquistador (who assumed a Skrull/Devil Dinosaur-like form). Dice and Jocasta fight their way through activists to get to the Skrull posing asSkyhawk who succeeds in his part of the mission. Garrett and Ant-Man join the Rangers in fighting a Skrull that posed asRed Wolf's wolf companion Lobo. After it is shot by Shooting Star, a crowd uprising occurred when Delroy's goggles identify some of the crowd members as Skrulls. Delroy's goggles are hit by a thrown rock, giving Delroy's allies a complicated time understanding who's a Skrull and who is not. During the struggle, Delroy discovers he can see who is a Skrull without his goggles since the Tri-Force energy is inside him. This turns the tides against those Skrulls disguised as crowd members. During the fights across the USA,Spinner andWhiz-Kid both apparently die in various fights. At the final fight at Camp Hammond, Crusader killsCriti Noll, the Yellowjacket imposter, and then 3-D Man shoots Crusader (who hid his Skrull heritage from the others but was fighting for Earth). Before he disappeared, Crusader stated he wished "it could've ended differently".[22]
Following the aftermath of the Secret Invasion, the Fifty-State Initiative is shut down and the Thunderbolts Initiative is established whenNorman Osborn takes over.[23]
Those that had been replaced by Skrulls alongside Alicia Masters meet withDoc Samson at Camp Hammond as part of a support group. While noting the hostilities of Red Nine, Annex, Geiger,Batwing, andProdigy over the shooting of Crusader, Delroy states he is leaving the Initiative and joining up withRyder to hunt down any Skrulls still hiding out on Earth. Taskmaster confronts Mutant Zero and discovers that she is reallyTyphoid Mary. Gauntlet takes control as head of Camp Hammond because of his position as the highest-ranking officer left. Despite an offer by Gauntlet, Hank Pym leaves the camp because he "was never here".[24]
Next some of the latest recruits graduated and were assigned to different teams. Batwing became a member of the Shadow Initiative, Melee was assigned to additional training to become a Camp Hammond instructor for martial arts, Annex became a member of the Mavericks (New Mexico) and Red Nine of The Cavalry, Georgia. Geiger also graduated, but it was not mentioned where she was to be stationed. Camp Hammond instructor Stingray became the new leader of the Point Men (Hawaii). Because of their villainous past, Sunstreak and Prodigy were not assigned to an Initiative State Team yet, but have to remain under training at Camp Hammond. Since Gorilla Girl felt she was typical cannon fodder, she went home and was listed as a reserve member. Meanwhile, Baron von Blitzschlag encountered the Thor-clone (now dubbed Ragnarok), which was reactivated by a failsafe programmed by the Hank Pym Skrull, which required his access code to keep him contained. The clone apparently killed the Baron within a couple of minutes. Thereafter, Ragnarok was attacked by Thor-Girl who he beat after a long and heavy fight above Camp Hammond. Even a trick of Trauma (posing as the real Thor) was ineffective. Outside Gorilla Girl, on her way back home, escaped from her car and opposed Ragnarok. As she was about to lose the fight, a light appeared. The former New Warriors (now calledCounter Force) appeared, ready to fight.[25]
The fight with the Thor clone rages on as Justice tells Ragnarok that he had worked with the REAL Thor and that Ragnarok is unworthy of that name. After Ragnarok knocks outRage andSlapstick,Debrii has the Scarlet Spiders hack into Ragnarok. However, Ragnarok kills Michael the Scarlet Spider. Ragnarok is about to vanquish Von Blitzschlag with pure physical force when the crafty Baron dismisses the notion as futile. He states that while he could easily kill everyone here and everyone in the world, he would not change the fact he is, in fact, an android-clone based on the real Thor. Unconvinced, Ragnarok is shown proof that such methods are possible when one of the Scarlet Spiders reveals he and his "brothers" are all clones as well. Blitzschlag tells Ragnarok that the real Thor is living in Asgard, which is now physically in the realm of Earth (or Midgard) where it is floating above Oklahoma. Ragnarok resolves it matters not whether he is or isn't a clone, but that his warrior's resolve is true. He flies off to presumably confront Thor and his fellowAsgardians.[26]
Following Ragnarok's attack, Counter Force buries Michael Van Patrick's body and confesses to the world about Michael's death and the clones. This gives Norman Osborn the opportunity to shut down Camp Hammond.[27]
Following the Taskmaster's fight with Hardball's Hydra faction, Norman Osborn hires him to help run the camp.[28]
Norman Osborn announces to the media that he has reopened the Initiative training camp under the nameCamp H.A.M.M.E.R. in New Mexico away from any populated areas. Osborn then moulds the Initiative to match his own vision. He transfersGravity to theGreat Lakes Avengers withProdigy taking his place as leader of the Heavy Hitters. He assigns theForce of Nature to Oregon, theU-Foes to North Carolina, thePsionex to Maryland and the Women Warriors to Delaware.Penance, brainwashed at Osborn's command, is sent to Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. to assist Taskmaster. Gauntlet and Tigra leave their posts at the Initiative and join with the New Warriors to form the Avengers Resistance against Osborn's new regime.[29] Trauma is kept on as the Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. counselor, against his will with the promise that if he leaves, his mother will be killed, but if he stays, they will cure her insanity. It is later revealed that he is actually the son ofNightmare who corrupts his son's body and attacks the base. Most of the heroes are stunned by their fears, but Taskmaster revives the fallen Penance who has regained all his memories and no longer has any fears and regrets. Immune to Nightmare, he frees Trauma and Nightmare is banished.[30]
Osborn is pleased with Taskmaster and invites him to join the Cabal, while Constrictor is shocked to learn Diamondback is a double agent to the Avengers Resistance. He admits he does not care since he is in love with her. Osborn reveals to Taskmaster that the next mission will be to laySiege on Asgard.[31] After Osborn's treachery is exposed, the Superhuman Registration Act has been abolished.[32]
During the "Fear Itself" storyline, the Initiative teams have gotten back together. Their representatives meet with Prodigy in Washington, DC to discuss the hammers that theSerpent has brought to Earth. The Initiative teams featured are Action Pack, Batwing and Butterball's unnamed team, the Cavalry, the Desert Stars, the Freedom Force, the Heavy Hitters, the Liberteens, the Order, and the Point Men.[33]
| Name | First Shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Peter Gyrich | Avengers: The Initiative #1 (June 2007) | Administrator; Secretary of Superhuman Armed Forces.[34] Forced to depart his position byIron Man inAvengers: The Initiative #12.[35] |
| Baron Von Blitzschlag | Head Scientist.[36] | |
| War Machine | Camp Director;[34] Field Commander.[37] Resigned his position inAvengers: The Initiative #16.[19] | |
| Yellowjacket | Chief Administrator.[34] Revealed to be aSkrull impostor namedCriti Noll[38] who was later killed inAvengers: The Initiative #19.[22] | |
| Gauntlet | Drill Instructor.[34] Became Camp Director inAvengers: The Initiative #20.[24] Left to join the Avengers Resistance.[29] | |
| She-Hulk | Instructor.[34] Removed from her instructor position and as aS.H.I.E.L.D. agent after a falling out with Tony Stark.[39] | |
| Justice | Youth Counselor.[5] Left to lead Counter Force.[40] | |
| Triathlon | Instructor-In-Training.[41] Assigned to theHawaii Initiative teamPoint Men, as the new3-D Man.[35] Left to work with theSkrull Kill Krew.[19] | |
| Tigra | Instructor.[34] Assigned to theArkansas Initiative team.[42] Left to join the Avengers Resistance.[29] | |
| Nighthawk | Instructor.[34] Assigned to theNew Jersey Initiative team, the Defenders.[43] | |
| Hellcat | Avengers: The Initiative #3 (Aug. 2007) | Instructor:First aid.[44] Assigned to theAlaska Initiative team.[42] |
| Black Widow | Instructor: Marksmanship.[44] | |
| Stingray | Instructor: Swimming.[44] Assigned to theHawaii Initiative teamPoint Men.[42] | |
| Thing | Instructor: Tactics.[44] | |
| Beast | Consultant.[44] | |
| Danielle Moonstar | Consultant.[44] | |
| Taskmaster | Avengers: The Initiative #8 (Feb. 2008) | Drill Instructor,[45] and Shadow Initiative field leader.[24] Originally replaced Gauntlet when he was in a coma. |
| Trauma | Avengers: The Initiative #12 (June 2008) | Counselor.[35] |
| Physique | Infirmary department head.[35] |
Other guest instructors and staff included:Ares,Ms. Marvel, andWonder Man as part of theMighty Avengers.[36]Batroc the Leaper previously worked out of the Virginia training facility, and was set to be moved to Camp Hammond as aMartial arts instructor.[36] He later returned to his life of crime as a mercenary.[46]Gargoyle served as an Initiative instructor before retiring.[42]
There were an undetermined number of recruits at Camp Hammond before it closed; according to Henry Peter Gyrich and War Machine, there are over sixty super humans at Camp Hammond including staff.[19] Recruits shown to be located at the camp include:
| Name | First Shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud 9 | Avengers: The Initiative #1 (June 2007) | Assigned to theMontana Initiative team,Freedom Force.[35] |
| Hardball | Assigned to theNevada Initiative team, theHeavy Hitters.[35] Left to joinHydra.[47] Subsequently rejoined | |
| Komodo | Assigned to theArizona Initiative team, theDesert Stars.[35] Joined the Shadow Initiative inAvengers: The Initiative #20.[24] | |
| Trauma | Became a counselor following graduation.[35] | |
| Armory | Her Tactigon was confiscated and she was sent out of the Initiative after accidentally killing Michael Van Patrick.[34] | |
| MVP (Michael Van Patrick) | Accidentally killed by Armory.[34] | |
| Thor Girl | Assigned to theGeorgia Initiative team.[35] Revealed to be aSkrull impostor.[21] | |
| Bengal | Assigned to the Shadow Initiative.[7] | |
| Ultra Girl | Director of the Junior Guardsmen. Left to join Counter Force.[40] Returned and assigned to theGeorgia Initiative team.[35] Rejoined the New Warriors inAvengers: The Initiative #23.[27] | |
| Rage | Left to join Counter Force.[40] | |
| Slapstick | Left to join Counter Force.[40] | |
| Debrii | Avengers: The Initiative #6 (Nov. 2007) | Left to join Counter Force.[40] |
| Ant-Man | Avengers: The Initiative #8 (Feb. 2008) | Assigned to theThunderbolts.[24] |
| Crusader | Revealed to be aSkrull, and shot through the head by 3-D Man.[22] | |
| Dragon Lord | Killed byKIA.[48] | |
| Proton (Geldoff) | Killed by Skrulls after being taken prisoner.[49] | |
| Geiger | Assigned to theNew Mexico Initiative team.[42] | |
| Red Nine | Assigned to theGeorgia Initiative team.[42] | |
| Melee | Trained to be an instructor following graduation.[42] | |
| Diamondback | Recruited by Norman Osborn after the closing of Camp Hammond.[29] | |
| Prodigy | Avengers: The Initiative #13 (July 2008)[50] | Assigned to theNevada Initiative team, theHeavy Hitters by Norman Osborn.[29] |
| Sunstreak | Assigned to theOregon Initiative team,The Force of Nature by Norman Osborn.[51] | |
| Annex | Assigned to theNew Mexico Initiative team.[42] | |
| Batwing | Assigned to the Shadow Initiative.[42] | |
| Gorilla Girl | Left inAvengers: The Initiative #21.[42] | |
| Butterball | Not being cut out for the military applications of The Initiative, was sent home with a registration ID card.[14] |
| Name | First Shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Norman Osborn | Avengers: The Initiative #23 | Chief Administrator;[27] Instructor:Public Relations.[51] |
| Taskmaster | Avengers: The Initiative #24 | Camp Director;[28] Senior Instructor.[51] |
| The Hood | Avengers: The Initiative #25 | Chief Operating Officer.[29] |
| Trauma | Counselor.[29] |
Other staff includedAres andMs. Marvel (Moonstone) as part of theDark Avengers.[29]Baron Von Blitzschlag and Physique also retained the positions they had at Camp Hammond under Osborn's administration.[54]
Recruits shown to be part of Norman Osborn's Initiative include:
| Name | First Shown | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Griffin | Avengers: The Initiative #25 (Aug. 2009) | |
| Living Laser | ||
| Razor Fist | ||
| Scorcher | ||
| Penance | Former member of Norman Osborn'sThunderbolts. | |
| Diamondback | Assigned to theDelaware initiative team.[51] Double agent with the Avengers Resistance.[30] | |
| Aqueduct | Avengers: The Initiative #26 (Sept. 2009) | Assigned to theOregon Initiative team.[51] |
| Skybreaker | ||
| Terraformer | ||
| Ironclad | Assigned to theNorth Carolina Initiative team.[51] | |
| Vapor | ||
| Vector | ||
| X-Ray | ||
| Asylum | Assigned to theMaryland Initiative team.[51] | |
| Coronary | ||
| Impulse | ||
| Mathemanic | ||
| Pretty Persuasions | ||
| Asp | Assigned to theDelaware initiative team.[51] | |
| Black Mamba | ||
| Quicksand | ||
| Skein | ||
| Outback | Avengers: The Initiative #28 (Nov. 2009) | Assigned to theNevada Initiative team, theHeavy Hitters.[55] |
After Camp Hammond was shut down,[27]Tigra andGauntlet joined the New Warriors who had left the Initiative, and formed the Avengers Resistance, with the specific purpose of exposing the criminal deeds ofNorman Osborn.[29] Following Norman Osborn's arrest in the aftermath of the Siege of Asgard, the team disbanded.
| Character | Joined in | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Justice | Avengers: The Initiative #10 (Apr. 2008) | |
| Night Thrasher | ||
| Rage | ||
| Scarlet Spider (Michael) | Killed byRagnarok.[26] | |
| Scarlet Spider (Patrick) | ||
| Slapstick | ||
| Ultra Girl | ||
| Debrii | Quit the team inAvengers: The Initiative #28.[55] | |
| Tigra | Avengers: The Initiative #25 (Aug. 2009) | |
| Gauntlet | ||
| Komodo | Avengers: The Initiative #29 (Dec. 2009) | Joined after having her powers removed by Taskmaster.[54] |
| Diamondback | Avengers: The Initiative #30 (Jan. 2010) | Double agent with Norman Osborn's Initiative.[30] |
| State | Team Name | 1st Appearance | Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Unnamed | Patsy Walker: Hellcat #1 | Hellcat |
| Arizona | Desert Stars | Avengers: The Initiative #16 | Two-Gun Kid (leader),Komodo, Johnny Cool, Supermax,[57] Blacksmith (secretly a Skrull infiltrator)[19] |
| Arkansas | Battalion | Avengers: The Initiative #19 | Tigra,Razorback (was briefly replaced by a Skrull infiltrator)[58] |
| California | The Order[59] | Civil War #6 | Member List |
| Colorado | Thunderbolts[60] | Thunderbolts #110 (as Initiative team) | Member List |
| Connecticut | Camp Hammond Staff & Trainees | Avengers: The Initiative #1 | Various |
| Delaware | TheWomen Warriors | Avengers: The Initiative #26 | Asp,Black Mamba,Diamondback,Quicksand,Skein |
| Florida | TheCommand | Marvel Zombies vol. 3 #1 | Jennifer Kale,Wundarr the Aquarian,Siege, Conquistador (was briefly replaced by a Skrull) |
| Georgia | Cavalry | Avengers: The Initiative #18 | Stunt-Master, Crime-Buster, Red Nine,Thor Girl, Ultra Girl |
| Hawaii | Point Men | Avengers: The Initiative #14 | Stingray,Devil-Slayer, Star Sign, Paydirt, Magnitude (revealed to be a Skrull infiltrator),Delroy Garrett (former) |
| Illinois | Spaceknights | Named inCivil War #6[59] | Unknown |
| Iowa | Force Works[61] | Named inCivil War #6 | Cybermancer |
| Kansas | Harvesters | Marvel Zombies Supreme #2 | Pioneer, Grain Belt, Topeka, Meadowlark, Sunflower |
| Kentucky | Action Pack | Avengers: The Initiative #7 | Vox (leader), Prima Donna, Frog-Man (briefly replaced by a Skrull) |
| Maryland | Psionex | Avengers: The Initiative #26 | Member List |
| Montana | Freedom Force | Avengers: The Initiative #12 | Member List |
| Nebraska | Unnamed group | The Invincible Iron Man vol. 4 #24 | Captain Ultra (Leader), Gadget (Deceased),Paragon (Cooper Roth) (Deceased)[62] |
| Nevada | Heavy Hitters | Avengers: The Initiative #17 | Hardball,Prodigy,Gravity, Nonstop, Telemetry,Outback |
| New Jersey | Defenders[63] | The Last Defenders #1 | Member List |
| New Mexico | TheMavericks | Avengers: The Initiative #16 | Annex, Geiger,Jocasta,She-Thing (was revealed to be a Skrull infiltrator) |
| New York | Avengers (Initiative)[59] | The Mighty Avengers #1 | Member List |
| North Carolina | Unnamed group (formerly theU-Foes) | Avengers: The Initiative #35 | Batwing,Butterball |
| Ohio | Agents from A.R.M.O.R. | Marvel Zombies 5 #2 | Howard the Duck,Machine Man, Swift Cloud,Hurricane |
| Oregon | Force of Nature | Avengers: The Initiative #26 | Member List |
| Pennsylvania | The Liberteens[64][65] | Avengers: The Initiative Annual #1 | Member List |
| Texas | Rangers | Civil War #7 (as Initiative team) | Member List |
| Utah | TheCalled | Civil War #6 | UnnamedMormon superheroes. |
| Vermont | TheGarrison | Penance Relentless #3 | Fin,Man-Eater |
| Washington | Earth Force | Civil War: Frontline #12 (as Initiative team) | Earth Lord, Skyhawk, Wind Warrior |
| Wisconsin | Great Lakes Initiative | Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular (as Initiative team) | Member List |
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avengers: The Initiative Vol. 1: Basic Training | Avengers: The Initiative #1-6 | March 26, 2008 | 978-0785125167 |
| Avengers: The Initiative Vol. 2: Killed In Action | Avengers: The Initiative #7-13 and Annual #1 | November 19, 2009 | 978-0785128618 |
| Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 3: Secret Invasion | Avengers: The Initiative #14-19 | May 27, 2009 | 978-0785131670 |
| Avengers: The Initiative, Vol. 4: Disassembled | Avengers: The Initiative #20-25, andAvengers: The Initiative Featuring Reptil | December 9, 2009 | 978-0785131687 |
| Avengers: The Initiative - Dreams & Nightmares | Avengers: The Initiative #26-30 | October 6, 2010 | 978-0785139058 |
| Siege: Avengers - The Initiative | Avengers: The Initiative #31-35 andAvengers: The Initiative Special | December 15, 2010 | 978-0785148180 |
| Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection Vol. 1 | Avengers: The Initiative #1-19 and Annual #1 | March 28, 2017 | 978-1302904111 |
| Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection Vol. 2 | Avengers: The Initiative #20-35;Avengers: The Initiative Special;Avengers: The Initiative Featuring Reptil | August 29, 2017 | 978-1302906870 |