From: ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil (G. Host)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: TEAM: SUPPLEMENTAL
Date: 6 Apr 92 13:25:07 GMT
Reply-To: ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil (G. Host)
Distribution: rec.arts.comics
Organization: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC


> Article <1992Apr3.103142.2578@vax1.umkc.edu> From: bjuland@vax1.umkc.edu

> In article <batemanc.701538567@p4.cs.man.ac.uk>, batemanc@p4.cs.man.ac.uk (Gambit) writes:
> > The biggest problem with 'super-teams' is that they seldom possess a
> > plausable reason to be together: let's face it, 'Let's gang up and
> > Fight Evil' is a great plot device but little else. The X Men almost
> > reach plausability if you accept the mutant hysteria ( which I do,
> > I must confess ) but most of the other teams lack a cause d'etre.

> > Can I request everyone to include the reason for the teams existence
> > as well - I'd really like to know if anyone has any really good reasons
> > for a super-team to exist and function.

> Well, I think X-Factor has a pretty good reason to be together.  They are being
> paid by the US government to fight and capture super criminals that the local
> police can't handle. (And in comic books the local police don't handle much!).
> They need the diversity of the team. One person can't adapt to all environs
> and take care of all situations.  With a diverse group of powers at their
> disposal, they can use them to the best advantage and capture they bad guy.
> (In theory, at least).  Also, with a team, you can split the forces and take
> care of two situations at once, using those members best suited to the job.


Similiarly the Justice Machine was sponsored by the government as
an enforcement unit, to battle criminals and a crisis handling unit.
They also served as public relations.

However since the team was organized by the government as opposed to
a single individual you have more continuity when you lose members
and you can retire members when they are no longer effective.

I think there are three good reasons for a team to exists:

1. Socialization - this only occurs when there are a fair number
   of hero types or the hero types are so far from the norm they
   don't fit in.

2. Self-Protection - due to outside pressure or actual attacks
   the team members are banded together to protect each other.

3. Government or Corporate Sponsorship - Someone is funding the group
   and the funding is directed towards a purpose.

When the reason for the original banding no longer exists the logical
conclusion is for the team to break up and the team members to go
their separate ways.

On this scale of 1 to 5 I rank some teams (rating changes as team changes):
I have purposely avoided spinoff teams (West Coast Avengers, etc) since
these are mostly marketing ploys - they are basicly the same team.

Social | Protect | Sponsor | Team
-------|---------|---------|-----------
  4    |    1    |    1    | Justice Society
  5    |    1    |    1    | Justice League (pre-satellite)
  4    |    1    |    2    | Justice League
  3    |    1    |    4    | Justice League (new)
  4    |    1    |    1    | Avengers (original)
  4    |    3    |    3    | Avengers (govt sponsored)
  5    |    1    |    3    | Legion of Super Heroes
  4    |    1    |    4    | Legion of Super Heroes
  3    |    3    |    2    | Legion of Super Heroes (Giffin bastardized version)
  4    |    1    |    1    | Teen Titans
  5    |    1    |    2    | New Teen Titans
  3    |    4    |    1    | New Titans (recent changes)
  1    |    5    |    1    | X-Men
  1    |    5    |    1    | X-Men (new team)
  2    |    1    |    5    | Green Lantern Corps
  2    |    1    |    5    | Justice Machine (On Georgewell)
  5    |    4    |    3    | Justice Machine (On earth)
  4    |    3    |    1    | Defenders
  4    |    4    |    1    | Elementals
  2    |    1    |    5    | Suicide Squad (Govt sponsored)
  3    |    2    |    3    | Suicide Squad
  .    |    .    |    .    | 

Marvel comics tend to have a high level of self-protectionism
also known as "persecution"

DC comics     tend to have a high level of socialization
also known as "hero club"

Teams which originally were non-social tend to become more
social as times goes on.

Teams which have do not have strong reasons for staying together break
up when the reasons disapate so teams which are mostly social
organizations break up when team members are longer friends; teams
which were sponsored break up when they lose their sponsorship, etc.

The strongest teams are those whose members are bonded socially,
for self-protection and sponsored but that is difficult to acheive.
-- 
Glenn Host - Senior Systems Analyst (ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil)
NRL Code 5800, 4555 Overlook Ave.; Washington, DC 20375   (202) 767-2046
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