A-Next is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. It is the
Marvel Comics 2
Marvel Comics 2 is an imprint (trade name), imprint from Marvel Comics whose comic books depict an alternative future timeline for the Marvel Universe. The imprint was spun off from the events of ''What If (comics), What If?'' #105 (February 1998), ...
universe version of the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. The team made its first appearance in ''
What If?'' #105, the first comic featuring
Spider-Girl, and the team's origin story was told in ''A-Next'' #1 (Oct. 1998).
Publication history
The first issue of ''A-Next'' paid homage to ''The Avengers'' #1, with an
Asgardian menace prompting new superheroes to band together, all of them analogues to the original team. Future stories introduced new heroes and menaces, most of them based on pre-existing Marvel characters. Characters and story elements created by DeFalco in the comic were used in other comics in the
MC2 Universe.
A five issue miniseries entitled ''Avengers Next'' ran from November 2006 to January 2007, written by
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
and with artwork by
Ron Lim
Ronald Lim (born 1965) is an American comic book artist living in Sacramento, California. He is best known for his work for Marvel Comics on their various "cosmic" titles, most particularly the ''Silver Surfer'' (vol. 3) series.
Biography
Lim's ...
, that followed on from the events of ''
Last Hero Standing
''Last Hero Standing'' is a 5-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2005. The series was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe (who also co-plotted the series).
The series stars many characters from the MC2 uni ...
'' and ''
Last Planet Standing
''Last Planet Standing'' is a 5-issue comic book limited series, published by Marvel Comics in 2006. The series was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe (who also co-plotted the series). It stars many characters from the MC2 Universe a ...
''. It reunited the remaining members of ''A-Next'' and added new members
Sabreclaw
Sabra
Sabreclaw
Sabreclaw is a character in the MC2 universe who first appeared in '' J2'' #8 (May 1999). He is the half-brother of Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine.
The character has claws (similar to Sabretooth), a healing factor, enh ...
,
Kate Power (of
Power Pack
Power Pack is a superhero team consisting of four young siblings appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman, they first appeared in their own series in 1984, which las ...
),
Thena
Thena (born Azura) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Martin A. Burnstein and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared as Minerva in ''Red Raven Comics'' #1 (August 1940), but was later reint ...
, the daughter of
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
and a former criminal teleporter called Warp to the team.
Fictional team biography
The new team comes together when Avengers Museum (formerly Avengers Mansion) is attacked by
Asgardian troll
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
s commanded by
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
, prompting the museum's caretaker, former butler
Edwin Jarvis
Edwin Jarvis is a supporting character in the Marvel Comics titles ''Iron Man'' and ''Avengers (comics), The Avengers''. He is the loyal household butler of the Stark family. Since the 1990s, the character has appeared heavily in media adaptations ...
, to send out a distress signal.
The summons is responded to by several heroes including
Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson, son of the original Thunderstrike, who was visiting the mansion at the time of the attack);
Stinger
A stinger (or sting) is a sharp organ found in various animals (typically insects and other arthropods) capable of injecting venom, usually by piercing the epidermis of another animal.
An insect sting is complicated by its introduction of v ...
(
Scott Lang
Ant-Man (Scott Lang) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by David Michelinie, Bob Layton and John Byrne, Scott Lang first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #181 (March 1979) and in ''Mar ...
's daughter Cassie Lang, now an
entomologist
Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...
, who was testing
Ant-Man
Ant-Man is the name of several superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Ant-Man's first appearance was in ''Tales to Astonish'' #27 (January 1962) but first appeared in costum ...
's old uniform);
Mainframe
A mainframe computer, informally called a mainframe or big iron, is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise ...
(a mysterious armored individual);
J2 (Zane Yama, high school student and teenage son of the
Juggernaut
A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath.
...
) and the adult
Speedball,
Jubilee
A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
and
Jolt.
The heroes are transported to Asgard by Loki, who wants to retrieve the Thunderstrike mace's powers for himself, but Kevin disrupts the spell, absorbing the mace into himself and transforming into a new Thunderstrike in the process. Loki and the trolls are then defeated by the heroes, with assistance from Thor, now the King of Asgard. Thunderstrike, Stinger, J2, and Mainframe decide to stay together as the new Avengers. The adult heroes decline to stay with the reformed team.
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco (born June 26, 1950) is an American comic book writer and editor well known for his association with Marvel Comics, with long runs on ''Amazing Spider-Man'', ''Thor'', and ''Fantastic Four''.
Career
While in college, DeFalco "wrote fo ...
(w), Ron Frenz
Ronald Wade Frenz (born February 1, 1960) is an American comics artist known for his work for Marvel Comics. He is well known for his 1980s work on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and later for his work on '' Spider-Girl'' whom he co-created with writ ...
(w,p), Brett Breeding
Brett Breeding (June 13, 1961) is an American comic book artist who was active in the industry in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily as an inker. He is most well known for his work on the DC Comics character Superman.
A freelancer, Breeding worked ...
(i), ''A-Next'' #1 (Oct. 10, 1998), New York, NY
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
: Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
A downed
Kree
The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic list of fictional extraterrestrials, alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the p ...
spaceship leads to the transformation of
Bill Foster's son John into
Earth Sentry
Earth Lord
Earth Sentry
Earth Sentry (John Foster) was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and first appeared in ''A-Next'' #2 (1999) in the MC2 universe.
When John and his father Bill were investigating a UFO crash site, they discovered a ...
, an analog of
Captain Marvel. Doc Magus, the new Sorcerer Supreme, then recruits the Avengers into fighting the reformed
Defenders
Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to:
*Defense (military)
*Defense (sports)
**Defender (association football)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary
* ''The Defender'' (1994 f ...
.
Four new members are then inducted into the Avengers by Mainframe and Jarvis. The new members:
American Dream, (a female analogue of
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
); Freebooter (who modeled himself on
Hawkeye and the
Swordsman
Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to a ...
); Crimson Curse (an analogue to the
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
) and Bluestreak (an analogue to
Quicksilver); known collectively as the ''Dream Team'', save
N'kano, the
Wakanda
Wakanda () is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa, and is home to the superhero Black Panther. Wakanda first app ...
n ambassador, from the racist Soldiers of the Serpent (an amalgam of the
Sons of the Serpent
The Sons of the Serpent are a supervillain group appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Sons of the Serpent first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #32 (Sept 1966) and were created by Stan Lee and Don He ...
and elements from the Egyptian god
Set
Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to:
Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics
*Set (mathematics), a collection of elements
*Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively
Electro ...
), with the assistance of the
Coal Tiger
A-Next is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is the Marvel Comics 2 universe version of the Avengers. The team made its first appearance in '' What If?'' #105, the first comic featur ...
, the son of the
Black Panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
.
Afterwards, the team investigates the apparent return of Doctor Doom, who is revealed to be
Kristoff Vernard
Kristoff Vernard (formerly known as Kristoff von Doom and Dr. Doom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The adoptive son of Victor von Doom and biological son of Nathaniel Richards (and half-brot ...
in disguise. The team is then attacked by
Argo
In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...
, who claims to be
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
' son, followed by an encounter with the villainous Ion Man, prompting Mainframe to reveal he is a sentient computer program based on
Tony Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...
's personality.
The new Avengers discover the Scarlet Witch in suspended animation in the mansion's subterranean levels, powering a gate to an
alternate Earth. After defeating the Soldiers of the Serpent again, with the help of Blacklight (the daughter of
Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the character debuted in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #16 (October 1982). Monica w ...
), the Avengers travel to the alternate dimension, which had been conquered by
Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
after World War II, and was now ruled by the Skull's adopted son, Dr. Doom, who had murdered the Skull. During the battle, they discover Captain America is alive and leading the resistance, and the Avengers help them defeat the Nazi forces, including the Thunder Guard, an alternate version of the Avengers.
[''A-Next'' #10. Marvel Comics.]
Thunderstrike elects to stay on the alternate Earth, and the remaining Avengers return to Earth, receiving a reprimand from Tony Stark and Clint Barton.
[''A-Next'' #11. Marvel Comics.] Immediately afterwards, they're attacked by a team of villains known as the
Revengers
The Revengers is the name of different fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Revengers is a fictional team of supervillains who were formed to fight A-Next in the MC2 series ''A-N ...
, led by Red Queen and Big Man, the children of Hank and Janet Pym, out for revenge. The Avengers, alongside their reserve members Earth Sentry, Coal Tiger, Argo and Blacklight, defeat the Revengers.
The team was occasionally seen aiding ''
Spider-Girl'', and also appeared during ''
Last Hero Standing
''Last Hero Standing'' is a 5-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2005. The series was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe (who also co-plotted the series).
The series stars many characters from the MC2 uni ...
'' and ''
Last Planet Standing
''Last Planet Standing'' is a 5-issue comic book limited series, published by Marvel Comics in 2006. The series was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe (who also co-plotted the series). It stars many characters from the MC2 Universe a ...
''. The team also made a cameo within ''Fantastic Five'' vol. 2 #4, in which they were fighting one of the cosmic-powered
Doombots
The Doombots are fictional robots appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
History
The Doombots are robots that are modeled after their creator Doctor Doom. They are exact replicas of the real Doctor Doom and were created t ...
.
Team members
Founding members
J2
J2 is the only
minor
Minor may refer to:
* Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities.
** A person who has not reached the age of majority
* Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education
Music theory
*Minor chord
** Barb ...
in the team, Zane Yama is a 15-year-old high school student and the son of the original
Juggernaut
A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath.
...
(Cain Marko) and district attorney Sachi Yama. Picked on by bullies at school, he manifested the ability to grow to a huge size, in which he gains super strength and invulnerability. His uniform, which includes his father's favorite
flannel
Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Flannel is commonly used to make tartan clothing, blankets, b ...
shirt tied around his waist over his armor, manifests itself automatically upon metamorphosis. He can only stay this way for about an hour.
Mainframe
Mainframe
A mainframe computer, informally called a mainframe or big iron, is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise ...
is a self-aware computer program, created by
Tony Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...
, which inhabits a series of identical armors. When an armor is damaged or destroyed, he simply transfers his consciousness to another body. His robot body utilizes Stark technology similar to the one found in the Iron Man armor. His personality is based on his creator's, possibly created by the same process as the
Vision
Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to:
Perception Optical perception
* Visual perception, the sense of sight
* Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight
* Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain un ...
's.
Stinger
Dr.
Cassandra Lang
Cassandra "Cassie" Lang is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The daughter of Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Scott Lang, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Premiere'' #47 (April 1979) ...
is the daughter of the second
Ant-Man
Ant-Man is the name of several superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Ant-Man's first appearance was in ''Tales to Astonish'' #27 (January 1962) but first appeared in costum ...
, Scott Lang. Although she is the oldest member, in her mid-20s, and the only one on the team with a professional life and a scientific background, she is still doted on by her father, who constantly worries about her new-found superhero life. She possesses many abilities originally engineered by Henry Pym, including resizing, flying, communication with insects and artificial "stingers", all based on her costume and helmet.
Thunderstrike
18-year-old
Kevin Masterson is the son of the original
Thunderstrike. He absorbed his father's mace into his body, and has gained the ability to produce "thunderclaps"; bursts of concussive force from his hands. He can use them to simulate super strength or to propel him in huge Hulk-like leaps. Although he doesn't possess real super strength, he has limited invulnerability. In his civilian identity, he is a college student.
Dream Team
The Dream Team is a fictional group of heroes in the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
MC2 universe. They first appeared in ''A-Next'' #4, and are based upon the "kooky quartet" of replacement Avengers introduced in ''
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
'' #16. In their first appearance,
Mainframe
A mainframe computer, informally called a mainframe or big iron, is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise ...
accepts them as members of the Avengers without consulting the existing members. There is therefore initially some antagonism between the original A-Next team and the Dream Team.
The team roster comprises:
American Dream
Shannon Carter is the niece of
Sharon Carter
Sharon Carter (also known as Agent 13) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a secret agent, an ex-field agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. under Nick Fury, and a love interest of St ...
. Her uniform is visually based on
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
's and includes a set of stun discs (similar to
Nomad
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
's) that can be thrown against an opponent. She does not possess any powers, but is an
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
-level athlete, a skilled fighter and a strategist. American Dream was later rewarded for her dedication by receiving the shield of an alternate-reality Captain America after saving that world from destruction.
Bluestreak
Blue Kelso is impatient and a person who likes to get to the point. Bluestreak has powers to match her nature, namely superspeed. She was once affiliated with the
X-People
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...
(successor to the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
), though she joined the Avengers once she realized she would not get much publicity.
Crimson Curse
Aerika Harkness is related to the witch
Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a powerful witch, typically portrayed as a friend and teacher of Wanda Maximoff, as well as the mother of Nicholas Scratch. Agatha is ...
, former teacher to the
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
. Like her ancestor, she possesses control over magical energies, although the exact nature of those energies is not known. They appear similar to the way the Scarlet Witch's powers were
originally portrayed, and she appears to control them with relative ease. She died stopping an alternate Doctor Doom from attempting to use the
Cosmic Cube
The Cosmic Cube is a fictional object appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. There are multiple Cubes in the Marvel Universe, all of which are depicted as containment devices that can empower whoever wields them. Although th ...
to invade the Avengers' Earth.
Freebooter
Brandon Cross was trained by
Hawkeye and
Swordsman
Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to a ...
and has shown proficiency with a variety of weapons as well as athletic skills. His costume takes visual cues from both Hawkeye and the Swordsman. Freebooter was romantically linked to Crimson Curse.
Other recruits
Kate Power
Kate Power was originally known as Energizer, the youngest member of
Power Pack
Power Pack is a superhero team consisting of four young siblings appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman, they first appeared in their own series in 1984, which las ...
, a team of pre-teen superheroes made up of herself and her three siblings who gained their powers from a Kymellian named Aelfyre Whitemane. Her abilities involve disintegrating matter, absorbing its energy into herself and unleashing the energy as powerballs. Kate joined the Avengers after Franklin Richards recommended Kate to them in their search for Thunderstrike.
Sabreclaw
Hudson Logan is the son of
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is ...
and half-brother to
Wild Thing. He possesses claws and a healing factor similar to Wolverine's. He was once a member of the
Revengers
The Revengers is the name of different fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Revengers is a fictional team of supervillains who were formed to fight A-Next in the MC2 series ''A-N ...
, but joined the Avengers when he claimed to have reformed.
Thena
Thena
Thena (born Azura) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Martin A. Burnstein and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared as Minerva in ''Red Raven Comics'' #1 (August 1940), but was later reint ...
is the daughter of
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
. She came to Earth searching for Kevin Masterson, sent by her father to restore his powers. Initially, she showed great dislike for J2, especially after she broke her hammer on his helmet, and her strongest blows had no effect on him. After J2 saved her from Sylene's cauldron, though, she warmed up to him considerably, even giving him a kiss.
Warp
Warp is a thief with the power to
teleport. He originally worked for Sylene (the daughter of
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
) and
Ulik
Ulik is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He usually appears as an adversary of Thor. Ulik was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appears in ''Thor'' #137 (February 1967).
Debuting in t ...
. When he learned that they planned to turn Earth into a new version of Asgard, he defected to the Avengers.
Reserve members
Argo the Almighty
Argo is the son of former Avenger
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. Argo is trying to find his missing father and, needing help, turns to A-Next. Using their
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
contacts, the team is able to locate Hercules, who is suffering from mental trauma from witnessing an event which nearly destroyed the Avengers. Argo attacks his father, enraged that his father "abandoned" his mother and his son, but Thunderstrike intervenes. When Argo sees the emotional state his father is in, the two share a tearful reconciliation. Argo states that he was going to help his father recover, and try to bring his family back together. Later, when A-Next is attacked by a rival team of villains called the
Revengers
The Revengers is the name of different fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The Revengers is a fictional team of supervillains who were formed to fight A-Next in the MC2 series ''A-N ...
, Argo fights for his friends (along with other allies of A-Next) and when the battle is won, Argo accepts membership in A-Next.
Blacklight
Blacklight (Kandra Freeman) is the daughter of
Photon
A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless, so they always ...
and Derek Freeman. Blacklight has the ability to manipulate solid light constructs, and use it to fire blasts of destructive energy. She can also focus her energies into solid form and create energy-constructs in virtually any form she can envision (ramps, stop signs, giant shovels, etc.) out of dark force. She can also use her energy powers to fly at high speed.
Coal Tiger
Coal Tiger
A-Next is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is the Marvel Comics 2 universe version of the Avengers. The team made its first appearance in '' What If?'' #105, the first comic featur ...
is the son of
Black Panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
, named after his
grandfather
Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic ...
and the prince of technology advanced land of Wakanda. T'Chaka II is able to transform into a humanoid cat-like being with enhanced senses and agility.
Earth Sentry
Earth Sentry
Earth Lord
Earth Sentry
Earth Sentry (John Foster) was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, and first appeared in ''A-Next'' #2 (1999) in the MC2 universe.
When John and his father Bill were investigating a UFO crash site, they discovered a ...
is the son of
Bill Foster. When John and his father
Bill
Bill(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)
* Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature
* Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer
* Bill, a bird or animal's beak
Plac ...
were investigating a
UFO
An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
crash site, they discovered a
Kree
The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic list of fictional extraterrestrials, alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the p ...
space probe. Upon nearing the ship, the automated defenses activated, and a robotic sentry was released. Bill activated a distress signal which was picked up by
Mainframe
A mainframe computer, informally called a mainframe or big iron, is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise ...
and the rest of
A-Next
A-Next is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is the Marvel Comics 2 universe version of the Avengers. The team made its first appearance in '' What If?'' #105, the first comic featu ...
.
Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl is the daughter of
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
and
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and made her first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man' ...
.
In other media
Mainframe appears in ''
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
''Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.'' is an American animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics. The series premiered on August 11, 2013, on Disney XD as part of the ''Marvel Universe'' block, and ended on June 2 ...
'', voiced by
Jeffrey Combs
Jeffrey Alan Combs (born September 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for starring in horror films, such as ''Re-Animator'', and appearances playing a number of characters in the ''Star Trek'' and the DC animated universe television fra ...
.
Behind the Voice Actors - Voice of Mainframe
/ref> This version is a gaming A.I. created by Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
that gained sentience. In the episode "Wheels of Fury", he threatened to destroy a city if Iron Man lost his real-life game, which Mainframe merely saw as continuing Iron Man's challenge as ordered. In response, the agents of S.M.A.S.H. went up against Mainframe's robots in a roller derby
Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played by two teams of fifteen members. Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, mostly in the United States.
Game play consists of a series of short scrimmages (jam ...
. After the agents of S.M.A.S.H. and Iron Man defeat Mainframe's robots, Mainframe is persuaded not to attack the city. Desiring to learn more about the real world, Mainframe creates a new body and leaves to see the world. In the episode "Planet Monster" Pt. 2, Mainframe is among several heroes who help the agents of S.M.A.S.H. and the Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
fight the Supreme Intelligence
The Supreme Intelligence is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Supreme Intelligence is an artificial intelligence that rules the alien race known as the Kree.
The Supreme Intel ...
's forces.
Collected editions
References
External links
A-Next issue reviews.
{{Avengers publications
Avengers (comics)
Marvel Comics 2