Secret Avengers, Part 2

So, the first two members I've talked about seemed pretty straightforward, at least in comparison to the other characters that are showing up (interestingly enough, Marvel just announced a mini-series starring Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Black Panther). And another recently alluded-to team-up brings me to my next pick...


"I strive for redemption."
My pick: Moon Knight
Runners-up: Dr Strange, Dr. Voodoo, the Hood, Cloak
Pretty much everyone with a flowy, creepy cloak is a possibility here, since the majority of the silhouette is obscured. Moon Knight seems like a safe bet; he has a history with the Avengers (well, West Coast, anyway) and he's been pretty popular in his own books lately. The quote is pretty relevant to a character battling his inner demons and struggling to become a true "hero." On the other hand, the chaotic nature of his multiple personalities and his penchant for violence seem like they would make him a poor team player, and he and Steve Rogers definitely did not get along the last time they met during Civil War.

I'd love to see Dr. Strange here, and the quote is pretty fitting for him as well, having misused his powers and lost the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme as a result. However, the cloak just doesn't look quite right to me, and Marvel seems like it's been working hard to pass the sorcerer torch to Dr. Voodoo. This could be him, but if it is, he's missing his trademark staff; plus, if the next character I'm going to talk about is correct, the magic angle will be pretty well covered already...


"I am in control of my life."
My pick: Scarlet Witch
Runners-up: Valkyrie, Meggan
I know this might be a controversial pick, but I just can't for the life of me imagine who else this could be. Female superheroines tend to be relatively rarer than their male counterparts; throw on a cape and there's very few options to choose from. Scarlet Witch is one of the few who fit the bill, and this seems like a perfect time to bring her back, for so many reasons. She was one of the core members of the Avengers for many years, and was the cause of their original disbanding. Now that we've come full circle to the Heroic Age and the return of the Avengers, it seems like the perfect time to deal with an issue that Marvel has left simmering on the back burner for years. The quote associated with this pick sounds like an affirmation of someone who's recently put her life in order after struggling to do so in the past. There would certainly be some hard feelings towards her from the official Avengers team, but an off-the-record Avengers group could provide a comfortable home; plus, Steve Rogers seems like the kind of guy who'd give her a second chance.

Valkyrie and Meggan are the only characters that come immediately to mind as alternate possibilities. If it's Valkyrie, she's missing her trademark sword or spear; but Meggan could be the "defecting" member of MI-13 that Paul Cornell mentions in his interview about the upcoming Age of Heroes anthology.


"I excel through adversity."
My pick: ???
Possibilities: Captain Britain, Captain Marvel
This is the only Secret Avenger I don't have a solid guess for; the silhouette is so nondescript it's hard nail down any defining features. Captain Britain is a possibility; as I mentioned above, there may be a member of MI-13 moving to the U.S., so if it's not Meggan, it could be Captain Britain here. It doesn't look quite like his current costume, but it is rather reminiscent of his old costume with mask and gauntlets. The new Captain Marvel (Noh-Varr) could be in the running, here, too. Bucky Cap and Steve Rogers are seen observing him at the end of Dark Avengers Annual #1, so that would provide an explanation for why he gets a seat on the team. And his connections with the Dark Avengers would certainly provide an explanation for why he can't be seen on an official Avengers roster.


"I act upon my convictions regardless of personal consequences."
My pick: War Machine
This one seems so certain I don't even have a runner-up. It's a man wearing a suit of armor, the quote is absolutely in fitting with Rhodey, and he's got a movie coming out right around the time this comic is supposed to start. The only thing that gives me pause is that he doesn't seem to be packing any of his trademark ordnance (though maybe that would've made it too obvious). There are a handful of other armored heroes out there that look similar, but to my mind none make nearly as much sense.