Doctor Strange’s Avengers Team Would Eat the Original Roster for Breakfast (In Some Cases Literally)

Summary

• The “Avengers of the Supernatural”, led by Doctor Strange, were a powerful and intense team, ready to take on the most horrifying threats in the Marvel Universe – but they only existed for a span of pages.
• Villainous alien TV executive Mojo’s pitch for the Avengers of the Supernatural in
  Uncanny Avengers Annual
  #1 offered a potentially exciting new team for Marvel Comics, one the publisher should revisit now that it is placing more emphasis on horror and supernatural stories.
• Marvel should return to the idea of the Supernatural Avengers, a team that combined the forces of Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Blade and more to make an incredibly formidable squad.

The supernatural Avengers squad briefly led by Doctor Strange was one of the most intense teams ever assembled in the Marvel Universe, with members that wouldn’t hesitate to take a bite out of their counterparts in the main roster – often, literally. Though the team was short-lived, assembling for just a single issue, they proved to be Earth’s Scariest Heroes when given the opportunity.

Uncanny Avengers Annual #1 – written by Rick Remender, with art by Paul Renaud – featured a notably contemporary appearance by the meddling villain Mojo, who manipulated events to put together the twisted version of The Avengers including Doctor Strange, Man-Thing, Manphibian, Blade, Satana, and Ghost Rider.

Although this Avengers sub-group ultimately did not last long, it was nonetheless impressive enough to warrant a potential comeback, which would make sense as part of Marvel Comics’ continuing investment in the horror side of its Universe.

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The Supernatural Avengers Assembled Marvel’s Greatest Horror Heroes

Uncanny Avengers Annual #1 – Written By Rick Remender; Art by Paul Renaud; Lettering By Clayton Cowles

As with any Mojoworld story,
Uncanny Avengers Annual
#1 is a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek narrative, one that self-consciously reflects on its use of a very traditional superhero story form.

Uncanny Avengers Annual #1 is framed as a pitch by Mojo – one of the most unbeatable X-Men villains, who hails from a world reliant on television – a room full of Mojoworld executives, for “Avengers of the Supernatural.” As Mojo narrates: a normal day at Avengers Mansion becomes volatile when Ghost Rider comes crashing in from the roof, followed by the rest of his dark rebooted Avengers squad, who proceed to attack the Avengers. Eventually, however, Mojo takes his story too far, accidentally unleashing the true Spirit of Vengeance, leading the teams to work together to save the Marvel Universe.

As with any Mojoworld story, Uncanny Avengers Annual #1 is a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek narrative, one that self-consciously reflects on its use of a very traditional superhero story form. It is a fun, ambitious single-issue Avengers story – but what might be overlooked is how viable of an idea Mojo actually offers with the “Supernatural Avengers.” Though of course, as a villain, he makes them attack other heroes, this team-up could legitimately star as the heroes of their own series, if given an appropriately horrorific threat to face.

The “Supernatural Avengers” Would Fit Perfectly In The Modern Marvel Landscape

The Publisher Should Revisit The Idea

Uncanny Avengers Annual
#1 offered just a glimpse of what was possible for the “Supernatural Avengers.”

In Uncanny Avengers Annual #1, the “Avengers of the Supernatural” serve a small but critical role in the larger story, which ultimately teams them up with the regular roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Considering Marvel’s recent committment to telling horror stories with renewed vigor, now would be the perfect time for the publisher to put together a version of the Supernatural Avengers for real. Though the events of the Blood Hunt crossover have complicated the relationships of some of the members from Uncanny Avengers Annual #1, some iteration of this line-up would still be a must-read for Marvel horror fans.

Uncanny Avengers Annual #1 offered just a glimpse of what was possible for the “Supernatural Avengers.” The combined forces of The Sorcerer Supreme, the Spirit of Vengeance, and Vorgornus Koth alone makes for a powerful team. The whole team was a god-tier squad for the brief time it assembled, one stronger than the original Avengers, as evident by how they make swift work of the original roster. An Avengers team starring Doctor Strange could prove to be their best answer for the things that go bump in the night at Marvel.

Uncanny Avengers Annual
#1
is available now from Marvel Comics.