MARVEL SUPERTEAMS OF THE 1960s AND 1970s

This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at Marvel’s superteams of the 1960s and 1970s.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Debuted: January 1969

Comment: Yondu, Vance Astro, Charlie-27 and Martinex originally fought the alien race called the Badoon. Those alien invaders conquered 31st Century Earth and killed all but around 54 million humans to use as slave labor. 

Over the years, the Guardians’ adventures came to involve time travel as superheroes from 20th Century Earth visited them in the future, like Captain America, the Thing, Sharon Carter, the Defenders and Thor. Eventually the G of the G moved to the 20th Century to fight their fugitive 31st Century foe Korvac alongside the Avengers.

Throughout it all, new Guardians members came along, like the woman Tarin, who ultimately became the President of Post-Liberation Earth of the future. Others were Starhawk, whose origin was later retconned to fit Starlord instead, and the woman Nikki, sole survivor of Earth’s Mercury colony in the 31st Century. Click HERE.

THE DEFENDERS

Debuted: December 1971

Comment: Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner and the Hulk banded together to save the world from the menace of the Omegatron, which wielded both science AND sorcery. Back in 1971 Marvel’s only other superteams were the Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men and the Inhumans so Dr. Strange and other heroes periodically joined forces to combat threats to the Earth, the universe or the multiverse.

At first Marvel pushed the notion that the Defenders were a “non-team” that had no headquarters, held no meetings and kept the group’s existence a secret from the world at large. Additional heroes came and went, like the Silver Surfer, Clea, Valkyrie, Namorita, Hawkeye, Nighthawk, Power Man, Son of Satan, Daredevil and many, many more.

Marvel has revived the Defenders multiple times over the decades, but eventually had so many superteams that it became tough to take any menace seriously since if one group failed, umpteen others could come to their aid. Click HERE.

ORIGINAL X-MEN

Debuted: September 1963

Comment: Everyone knows the premise by now. The Earth in Marvel’s fictional universe was witnessing the birth of more and more “children of the atom” mutated to possess various superpowers. Charles Xavier aka Professor X. gathered mutant students to him in hopes of proving to humanity that Homo Superior, as mutants were called, were no threat and, indeed, could use their powers to protect the world at large. 

In opposition to the X-Men was Magneto, who felt mutants deserved to conquer normal humans and rule the world and who gathered his own students to push his agenda. Assorted anti-mutant threats emerged, intent on wiping out mutated human beings. Threats like the Sentinels, Project Armageddon and others.

The original X-Men roster was Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl/ Woman, Angel and the Beast. Over the years others joined, like the Mimic, Polaris and Havoc. Click HERE.

NEW X-MEN

Debuted: May 1975

Comment: The original members of the X-Men were all such bland, white bread figures that the series got canceled and was reduced to reprints of earlier stories for a time. The “all new, all different” X-Men of 1975 set the pattern for large-scale recruitment of new mutants to be taught by Professor X.

At first only Cyclops remained from the original team and he was joined by new members Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, Banshee, Colossus, Thunderbird and Sunfire. The roster continued changing over time as this more cosmopolitan and more interesting depiction of the X-Men became the sensation that it remains here in 2025.

The earliest stories of this 1975 lineup laid the groundwork for situations that continue to be explored. Among them Professor X’s psychic mating with Empress Lilandra of the alien Shi’ar Empire; the retconning of Magneto into a Holocaust survivor; the secondary mutation of Jean Grey (Marvel Girl/ Woman) into Phoenix and then Dark Phoenix; the potential dystopian future awaiting mutantkind as shown in the original Days of Future Past storyline and the long-term machinations of Nathan Essex aka Mr. Sinister. Click HERE.   

NEW X-MEN VS THE BROOD

Comment: Before the insectoid alien race called the Brood became Marvel’s version of the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise, one VERY Xenomorph-esque member of the X-Men’s demonic foes the N’Garai attacked in March 1981.

After that, the X-Men creative team introduced the Brood in March 1982 as a more explicit riff on the original Alien movie. As I always point out, Marvel used the Brood “hive” concept the way that the later 1986 film Aliens would use the hive concept for Xenomorphs. I’m not accusing anyone of anything in either direction.

At any rate, this several-issue storyline not only introduced the Brood and Lockheed but depicted Carol Danvers adopting her new superhero identity called Binary Star. The outer space pirates called the Starjammers – introduced in the original Lilandra/ Shi’ar/ M’Krann Crystal storyline in the 1970s – played a large role, especially their leader Corsair – Cyclops’ long-lost father. Click HERE.

AVENGERS

Debuted: September 1963

Comment: On that original “day unlike any other” Thor, the Wasp, Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Hulk banded together to foil a malevolent scheme of Thor’s archenemy Loki. The Wasp named the group the Avengers and the heroes agreed to form an official team, complete with a mansion donated by Tony Stark as their headquarters.

Ironically, the Hulk only shared a few adventures with the team. Though he is thought of today as purely an Avenger, in the 1970s and 1980s he was known as a Defender. At any rate, soon Captain America joined and over time other heroes came and went as part of the Avengers.

The team’s earliest adventures introduced villains like the Space Phantom, the Lava Men, Starhammer, Baron Zemo and his various supervillain teams, Kang the Conqueror, Immortus, Count Nefaria, Wonder Man and more. Click HERE.

AVENGERS: THE KREE SKRULL WAR

Debuted: June 1971

Comment: The storyline so good that Marvel has imitated it over and over again ever since, most notably in the Secret Invasion comic books. Two of Marvel’s most prominent alien races – the Kree and the Skrulls – are fighting over the Earth as their ages-old conflict continues.

Skrulls have infiltrated the government and impersonated various superheroes to claim our planet as their own. The Kree, led by Ronan the Accuser have overthrown the Supreme Intelligence (the A.I. that runs the Kree Empire) and want the Earth to further their own enigmatic scheme – Plan Atavus.

Skrull infiltration results in the Avengers being charged with colluding with the Kree, so they must deal with attempts by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Mandroids to arrest them while simultaneously saving Earth from both alien races. Featuring Nick Fury, Carol Danvers, the Kree pawns called the Inhumans, the original Captain Marvel, plus Avengers getting held as POWs on the Skrull and Kree homeworlds. Click HERE.

AVENGERS 114-135

Debuted: August 1973

Comment: This was for a time the most consequential and lore-building Avengers run of all time. Sadly, you know comic book writing and later creative teams retconned most of it to fit their own plans. 

Before the Dark Phoenix over at the X-Men came this more positive storyline about the new Avenger Mantis from Vietnam. She joined the team along with her romantic partner – the now-pardoned Swordsman.

As Mantis’ saga unfolded it intertwined with secrets regarding the malfunctioning of the Vision’s artificial brain, the Defenders vs Avengers storyline, the original Thanos War, Kang the Conqueror’s defining, turning point saga and more. Also featured villains like Ultron, Dormammu, Loki, Zodiac and others. Click HERE. 

FANTASTIC FOUR

Debuted: November 1961

Comment: There is no overestimating the importance of the Fantastic Four to Marvel’s success. If the series had flopped like so many of their 1950s attempts to get back into superhero storytelling then their subsequent media empire would never have come into being.

The team consisted of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Johnny Storm version of the Human Torch. (The 1939 version of the “Human” Torch was an android.) Marvel also revived their 1939 creation Namor, the Sub-Mariner in the pages of the Fantastic Four.

Iconic villains like Mole Man, the Skrulls, Dr. Doom, Ronan the Accuser, Galactus, the Frightful Four, Annihilus and others were introduced in this series. Reed and Sue Richards were even the ancestors of Kang the Conqueror. Click HERE.

FANTASTIC FOUR VS THE INHUMANS AND GALACTUS

Debuted: November 1965

Comment: Over the course of these issues Marvel introduced the Inhumans, the Silver Surfer and the world-devouring entity Galactus.

Through the Frightful Four’s female member Medusa, our heroes met the rest of her race the Inhumans. Those figures lived in the hidden city called Attilan and were descendants of a long-ago Kree experiment on primitive human beings with Terrigen Mists.

That led directly into the Fantastic Four’s first encounter with the one and only Galactus and his first herald, the Silver Surfer. Click HERE.

THE CHAMPIONS

Debuted: October 1975

Comment: With the Fantastic Four, Avengers and Defenders all going strong and the new X-Men having launched, Marvel decided to revive the Inhumans AND try yet another series about a superteam.

The team got together in California amid destructive forces being unleashed by the Greco-Roman entities Pluto, Ares and Hipollyta. Former Avengers Hercules and the Black Widow joined, as did former X-Men Angel and Iceman. Ghost Rider made the Champions a quintet while Venus guest starred.

This group never carved out its own niche the way the much later West Coast Avengers did. In their brief run they fought the aforementioned trio of mythological villains as well as Rampage, Warlord Kaa, the Rampagers, Kamo Tharn, Swarm, Magneto, Vanisher and rogue Sentinels. Click HERE.

THE FREEMEN

Debuted: May 1973

Comment: More than forty years in the future, a team of rebels formed to wage guerilla war on Earth’s alien conquerors of that time period. Led by Killraven, the Freemen consisted of M’Shulla, Old Skull, Hawk, Dagger and Arrow.

Before long scientist Carmilla Frost and her monstrous creation Grok joined the Freemen, followed by other women like Mint Julep and Volcana Ash. These heroes wandered the post-apocalyptic landscape of America following the war of conquest waged by the aliens.

The leader of the extraterrestrials was the armored Darth-Vader-before-Darth-Vader villain the High Overlord. Some of his subordinate villains were Scarlet Siren, the Warlord, Sabre, Abraxas, Skar, Atalon and the Sacrificer plus Killraven’s own brother Deathraven. Click HERE.

THE MICRONAUTS

Debuted: January 1979 

Comment: Marvel Comics licensed the Micronauts toy line for this science fiction series/ Star Wars imitation. The story was set in the Microverse, later renamed the Quantum Realm.

Baron Karza, the tyrannical ruler of the subatomic universe, was opposed by heroic rebels seeking his downfall. The main force among the rebels were the Micronauts, who traveled in their spaceship the Endeavor.

The Micronauts included Commander Arcturus Rann, Princess Marionette, Bug, Acroyear, Biotron and Microtron. As the saga rolled along, other rebels like Force Commander Argon, Lady Cilicia, Jasmine and the female guerilla leader Slug were introduced. Click HERE.

MICRONAUTS: MARVEL CROSSOVERS

Debuted: March 1980

Comment: With Baron Karza defeated and the Microverse now free, the Micronauts visited Earth, where they fought alongside and against assorted Marvel heroes and villains.

The Fantastic Four teamed up with them against their foe Psychoman and Ant-Man helped the Micronauts against Odd John and his mutated insect army. They also clashed with Molecule Man.

At length, Baron Karza turned up alive and came close to reconquering the Microverse AND taking over the Earth. Nick Fury and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. joined the Micronauts in fighting Karza and his Hydra allies. Click HERE. 

MICRONAUTS: THE SWORD IN THE STAR

Debuted: May 1981

Comment: The second war against Baron Karza ended with Biotron and Queen Esmera dead, Spartak depopulated and Arcturus in a coma. After managing to save Arcturus from Dr. Strange’s old foe Nightmare, the Micronauts returned to the Microverse.

With Commander Rann revived from his coma and once again leading the team, they began a quest to locate three cosmic keys that were necessary to recover the Sword in the Star, an object needed to prevent the Microverse and Earth’s universe from colliding.   

New Micronauts joined, like Pharoid, Nanotron, Fireflyte and Devil. In addition, the team met new characters like Aquon, Lady Coral of the Dolphin Riders, Peacock and Queen Fria. Click HERE. 

POWER MAN AND IRON FIST

Debuted: December 1977

Comment: Sure, two-member teams count and this particular duo were a hit to varying degrees in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Luke Cage (Power Man) was already a Hero for Hire and teaming up with Iron Fist took the business to the next level.

The story leading up to the partnership between these two was monumental as it at last wrapped up the thread dating back to issue #1 regarding Luke having been framed for drug dealing before the events of his origin story.

Everything came full circle as Power Man battled Bushmaster at Seagate Prison, where it all began. Meanwhile, Iron Fist faced Luke’s recurring villains Comanche and Shades. Misty Knight secured the evidence to clear Luke’s name after all those years. Click HERE.

POWER MAN, IRON FIST AND EL AGUILA

Debuted: August 1979

Comment: Our Heroes for Hire periodically crossed paths with the pro bono mutant superhero El Aguila. Their first two encounters pitted them against each other but by the end of that second adventure the three of them were on friendlier terms.

El Aguila first struck a slumlord that Power Man and Iron Fist were paid to provide security for, then after helping them against corporate foes of Jeryn Hogarth the Hispanic superhero stood side by side with them against Wolverine’s old foe Sabretooth and his partner, the Hulk’s foe the Constrictor.

As Power Man and Iron Fist’s 100th issue neared, El Aguila helped them take on their recurring foes Master Khan, Fera, Comanche and Shades. Click HERE.

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON

Debuted: February 1971

Comment: For several years, Cap and Falc were an iconic pairing at Marvel Comics. Appropriately, their very first meeting came in a story pitting them against Captain America’s archenemy the Red Skull. Occasional team-ups against villains like Stone Face and then Diamondhead reinforced their chemistry. 

The duo decided to become official partners amid a clash with Modok, A.I.M. and Bulldozer. As time went by, Cap gained Spider-Man level strength from 1972-1978 and the Falcon gained his wings via the Black Panther and his Wakandan technology.

By the time they went their separate ways they had faced countless foes like Hydra, Nightshade, Yellow Claw, Dr. Faustus, Solarr, the Serpent Squad, Moonstone, the Secret Empire, plus the Red Skull a few more times. Click HERE.

DAREDEVIL AND THE BLACK WIDOW

Debuted: October 1972

Comment: When lawyer Matt Murdock wound up defending the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, in a criminal trial resulting from her seeming slaying of the Scorpion, the two felt a tentative attraction.

In the months that followed he happened to team up with Natasha a few more times as Daredevil and revealed his secret identity to her. The pair moved to San Francisco for a few years and, while not as big a hit as Captain America and the Falcon they had a decent run.

Daredevil and the Black Widow fought assorted villains during the original Thanos War, took on Hydra, the Circus of Crime, the Mandrill & Nekra, Black Spectre, Purple Man and others before splitting up. Click HERE.