Today's theme is "A ragtag group of heroes form a team."
This is, of course, different from the Justice League or the Avengers, who met and decided that they should form a team.
Those were all the major heroes of their universe.
Nothing ragtag about that.
This is just ragtag stuff!
1. Muir Isle is under attack by the Reavers, so Banshee and Forge have to throw together a ragtag team of X-Men.
Their team? Legion, Banshee, Forge, Moira MacTaggert, Amanda Sefton, Lorna Dane and Sunder.
Staying power? Just this one storyline.
2. Magneto is about to lead Genosha into a war against humanity, so Jean Grey has to form a ragtag X-Men team to stop him.
Their team? Jean Grey, Dazzler, Northstar, Sunpyre (Sunfire's sister), Hector Rendoza (some see through mutant guy), Paulie Provenzano (some homophobic invulnerable guy) and Frenzy
Staying power? Northstar eventually rejoined. The rest? Nope (and I believe Sunpyre died, but came back the next time Scott Lobdell had a chance to write her).
3. Alpha Flight is kidnapped by aliens, so Sasquatch has to form a ragtag Alpha Flight team to save them.
Their team? Sasquatch, Centennial, Major Mapleleaf, Nemesis, Puck and Yukon Jack
Staying power? 12 issues.
4. Spectre is slaying a bunch of superpowered folks, so Ragman, Enchantress, Blue Devil, Nightmaster, Detective Chimp and Nightshade form a ragtag team, call themselves the Shadowpact and prepare to attack the Spectre.
Staying power? At least for as long as this mini-series. Beyond that? Who knows.
5. Various undesirables are held captive by an Alien Alliance, and once freed, they decide to form a ragtag peacekeeping group called LEGION.
Their team? Vril Dox, Stealth, Lyrissa Mallor, The Durlan, Strata and Garryn Bek.
Staying power? 70 issues, and most of them stuck together for another 16 in R.E.B.E.L.S.
6. Various people are torn from their universe and planted in another universe called Negation. They are experimented on until a ragtag group of prisoners escape, and then decide to band together to either get home or stop the Negation bad guys.
Their team? Obregon Kaine, Evinlea, Javi, Matua, Corrin, Zaida
Staying power? Right up until Crossgen's bankruptcy forced them to close shop (or 28 issues).
7. During the Evolutionary War, Captain America had to draft a ragtag Avengers team to stop the High Evolutionary.
Their team? Captain America, Falcon, Beast, Hercules, Hulk, Yellowjacket II and Jocasta.
Staying power? Never referenced after this issue.
8. After that issue, with still no Avengers team, Cap drafts ANOTHER ragtag team to stop Nanny and Orphanmaker.
Their team? Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Gilgamesh and Thor.
Staying power? Just over six issues before the Fantastic Four members left.
That's it for me!
I'm sure there are many more, but I figure I will let you, dear readers, fill them in!
Eight, as they say, is enough!!
TTFN (Paul Winchell RULED!)!!