Why Marvel Failed with Team America

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Marvel Comics launched Ghost Rider in 1972 and it became a pretty big hit for them. In the late 70s, they launched a bunch of comics based off of licensed toys like Micronauts, Rom: Spaceknight, and eventually G.I. Joe. So why did they fail with Team America? It was based on a popular toyline by Ideal. It was a bunch of motorcycle heroes. It just did not work. This episode takes a look at all of their absurd comic book appearances and figures it out.

[@ComicTropes]

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[@eddiejoewalt7746]

how about a episode on something related to Image Comics 25 years annual or the unfinished work of Neil Gaiman's Miricleman run!

[@kevinrhea7332]

How about a ‘US1’ episode?!

[@eddiejoewalt7746]

@@kevinrhea7332 ANOTHER one is the Marvel's New Universe imprint!

[@wayned.ashford9235]

..."How to Break your Neck" magazine?!! 😮 i think i use to have that issue..!! (lol/😅)

[@wayned.ashford9235]

Hey there Chris, how about doing an episode on the old Horror comics from the 1970s & '80s? "Tomb of Dracula/TOD II", "Werewolf by Night", "Dark Shadows",etc.

[@jackdubz4247]

Oh, Hi... You caught me watching another great episode of Comic Tropes.

[@Hulkzilla0]

Speaking of Comic Tropes, why don't you hit that subscribe button for more content!

[@jackdubz4247]

@@Hulkzilla0 I've been a subscriber for quite a while. Are you?

[@Hulkzilla0]

@@jackdubz4247 I was just mimicking his line. Following up on your comment. Maybe I didn't do a good job of doing that...

[@jackdubz4247]

@@Hulkzilla0 "face palm" Apologies, my friend. :D

[@MoeMoon]

Nevermind that. How'd you get in my house and what are doing to my sister-in-law?

[@tonybaggett1984]

Love that the “Oh Hi” gimmick is back consistently. Gotta be hard to come up with but they’re so cheesy they’re great!

[@kristanner404]

100% in agreement.

[@pay7232]

One of my favorite bits in comic KZbin.

[@TheMelMan]

Top 10 KZbin gimmick 😅

[@RealMuperSan]

Me too!

[@carlosmarquez17]

Thank god

[@larrykroger3100]

"Pops" Kuramoto is their take on "Pops" Yoshimura, a legend in the high performance motorcycle industry...

[@ComicTropes]

I had no idea. Thanks!

[@milestonowheres]

I received the almost complete run of Team America when I acquired a collection of comics from a guy .. the only issue that was missing was the last issue was the last one … I have been wondering whom Marauder was for almost 10 years … I didn’t wonder enough to purchase it off line but I have been wondering . It’s so satisfying to finally find out

[@LordSathar]

He was actually Rex Racer, speed's older brother who dissapeared mysteriously.

[@christianhighii9882]

@@LordSathar Thanks for ruining Speed Racer for me. ;)

[@andrewtaylor940]

It's explained much better in the New Mutants issues than in the Team America books.

[@kenlieck7756]

@@christianhighii9882 It was actually Pops Kuramoto-Plum, in the Team America clubhouse library, with the steering stem bearing tool...

[@BenFrayle]

@@andrewtaylor940 Well, bare in mind that Professor X has told pretty much every hero in the Marvel Universe that they are really a mutant and that's where their power comes from at some point.

[@AAAnonimAAA1st]

The Thing becoming a stuntman driver is actually pretty great. In real life a gimmick of indestructible man lauching himself with vehicles into crashable objects would sell pretty well... Though in comics it would get boring real fast.

[@MrKD1970]

I actually loved that particular Thing series.

[@funkycarlover]

If they rebooted them as a tongue in cheek self aware series, with every character a little over-the-top and the car/bike stuff taking center stage, it could be pretty funny and at times entertaining.

[@Mate397]

If only that would be the case, but sadly Disney Marvel would find a way to screw that up.

[@TheZooropaBaby]

I feel like Ed from Cartoonist Kayfabe said the same about Youngblood, Rob Liefled' comic, he said if you just recreate the comic meticulously and titled it "1992" or something that indicates that it's a parody, people would believe it and enjoy it because it's so over the top and kind of parody of itself

[@A_YouTube_Commenter]

@@TheZooropaBaby That could work.

[@totz_the_plaid9625]

You're thinking of "US-1" which has the trucker stuff pretty front-and-center, and also has a dominatrix-looking female villain with a mind-control whip, aliens, and a Nazi blimp. Chris can throw shade at Ulysses Solomon Archer all he wants, but at least THAT book was entertaining!

[@kenlieck7756]

Gotta make sure to put special focus on... "Marauder, the hero who could be... *you!"*

[@darrellgrant4493]

No matter who the artist is, it all looks like Vince Colletta in the end.

[@dxvdvss3252]

I'm a year late but this really made me laugh 😂

[@sbennettpia]

I like how the fact they're mutants and their power being this big complicated psychic link they can use to summon the Marauder is treated as a big reveal, and yet when Wolf bends a wrench with his bare hands no one even bats an eye.

[@jdc4483]

I have to say, if I were a 10-year-old reading issue #3 as you described - with the black marauder chasing the villains on his motorcycle, avoiding various “Raiders of the lost Ark-like” traps, and then mentally having his motorcycle attack the bad guys - I would absolutely loved it!! 👍🤣🤪

[@marcmcfinn7470]

I can testify as someone who read it as a 10 year old, that it was pretty awesome.

[@d.aardent9382]

It sounds like the comic was written by ten year olds from all the wild and at times illogical and unconnected bits of plot story sound like they are just made up as they went like me and my cousins and friends as kids would do when we were playing some kind of action figure story with all sorts of mish mash figures from all my various toylines i collected.

[@marcmcfinn7470]

@@d.aardent9382 That's probably why it appealed to me. Man, I was all about trying to figure out how my various unrelated figures ended up in the same universe. I even had a Team America back story for my stunt bikers before the comic came out. I remember being 10 and thinking my personal cannon was better. But I still collected it.

[@MightyAvengingLeo]

Jumping a Ferris Wheel on a motorcycle is cool at any age.

[@renegade-zeraus]

Given as the team members were all mutants, Marauder having telekenesis is actually feasible.

[@euansmith3699]

It might have helped if Jim Shooter'd got an artist who understood bikes and enjoyed drawing them.

[@allenrubinstein3696]

You skipped my favorite part - the editorial blurb by Jim Shooter in the letters column of issue 12, where he revealed that this would be the last issue and basically admitted that the book sucked. It was something like, "The creative elements just never came together," or some other euphamism for, "We're cancelling this book because of poor sales owing to the book sucking." Yes, I bought all 12 right off the racks. I don't know why the Captain America issue hooked me like that. I wasn't a fan of Ghost Rider or motorcycles, but for some reason, Team America latched on to some feeble synapse in my teenage brain. I read each of those issues more than once each, not loving them per se, but somehow just fascinated.

[@MrHantz101]

I remember owning the final issue, reading it dozens of times, and having no idea who any of these people were, or the significance of the Black Marauder. But I think the main reason for its failure was the lack of a plot. GI Joe had to prevent Cobra from taking over the world, same with the Autobots & Decepticons, and even Rom had the Dire Wraiths, but who was Team America supposed to fight? Team Russia? Their arch enemies were the bland, generic Hydra (interchangeable, faceless cannon fodder), but TA weren't trained operatives like the Joes, they just rode motorcycles really well. Where are you supposed to go with that??

[@MariaVosa]

Indeed - heroes are mostly defined by their chosen enemies. A biker team should have been travelling around the States fighting criminal gangs and helping "normal" people - occasionally taking on a bigger super villain. But they seemed to want to make this into mini G.I Joe, pitting them against Hydra. Or Avengers, with that weird group of never-seen-again super villains. It's clear they lacked a basic premise apart from the name and concept.

[@danguillou713]

Professor X was often a bit of a jerk to be honest. And although it was sometimes inadvertently, due to lazy writing - you know, the kind of thing where a character acts like bully because the writer don’t know any other way to show ”strength” - just as often Claremont used Xaviers arrogance and inability to pause and listen as a source of dramatic conflict. Anyway, this whole thing is nuts. Brought a happy smile to my face. Thanks.

[@MariaVosa]

Kitty Pryde was right - Professor X is a jerk. (One of my favourite Jubilee moments is when she verbally destroys Prof X when he is criticising Wolverine for working out his trauma in the Danger Room. She shut him up like no one else has before or since)

[@a_sconefield]

16:04: the craziest Marvel comic you've ever read?? Yeah, right Chris. 16:32: wait wtf 16:49: Ok Chris I believe you

[@johnm.withersiv4352]

I'm a huge (and probably rare) Team America fan. I'm curious what you'll have to say about this group. I love the way Hydra was depicted as part-timers that needed insurance in that era.

[@johnm.withersiv4352]

They toy tie-in books lasted 12 issues. The team actually rode into Thing comics as the Thunder Riders for a few more issues when Marvel tried to recycle the characters outside of the toy tie-in deal.

[@fad23]

I remember this from when I was a kid. I loved it for at least a few issues.

[@johnm.withersiv4352]

Nobody that ever did art on Team America was particularly good at drawing motorcycles. Such twisted pieces of metal and rubber.

[@KTF0]

My favorite part was the sex scene. Oh wait...... that's a different Team America.

[@krantzbucks]

I bought this as I saw the #1 cover and was excited to get to start a marvel title at the beginning.

[@Wild4Hockey]

The Evel Knievel toy was the greatest thing to come out of the 70’s. Excellent show, Chris.

[@EnerKaizer]

so.... Biker-Mice from Mars + Captain Planet then. That could actually be a fun team book if written today, and changing up who becomes the Marauder could easily become an amazing gimmick for the series.

[@blackboxedsilverandbronze8894]

Chris, I laughed so hard watching this video. The videos where you pan bad stories and use sarcasm are where you really shine! Great sense of humor.

[@MightyAvengingLeo]

Same here. I can't wait for the Slade Power comic.

[@ComicPower]

When you said Team America all i could think of is the song AMERICA F YEAH blasting. Lol.

[@turtleanton6539]

Ofc

[@conradojavier7547]

While Fighting Puppet Kim Jung-Il.

[@linseyfalls6961]

I was 9 when TA came out, my friends and I Loved them. We used to role ply with our bikes. That some of the figures had removable helmets was big for us for some reason. I had the dune buggy toy and a motorcycle and almost every comic. Thank you for doing this.

[@MrKD1970]

It was honestly easier to enjoy comics back then as they didn't take themselves as seriously. Hero fights and hopefully beats bad guy. Today, the villian is not usually something a hero can punch but a social Idea. I miss those days.

[@linseyfalls6961]

@@MrKD1970 Agreed.

[@Dougeb7]

"How to Break Your Neck Magazine"......I think I subscribed to that as a kid, lol! Loved the video and the humor, Chris! I never got to enjoy the Team America comics experience, but I might pick up a couple of issues if I find them cheap. What you've shown us looks to me like an update of the zany golden age style, which I love (in small doses, mind you).

[@bryanabbott6169]

Speed Racer with Racer X as another influence for the Black Marauder. It would've been funny if Team America/Thunder Riders made an appearance in the current X-Men comics, after all they are 'mutants'. Xavier once again abandons the rest of the mutantkind to train TA/TR.... Only to abandon the team like Professor X did to Franklin Richards, claiming they were never mutants, even though he claimed they were in the first place.

[@davidmcmahon4633]

So the Thunder Riders might not exist anymore since the Scarlet Witch eliminated almost all the mutants in the world. Or have they reconned that bit again? Not reading Marvel anymore so I don't know.

[@bryanabbott6169]

(Sorry in advance for the long answer 😳) The whole 'No More Mutants' and attempt to replace them with the Inhumans was an attempt to stick it to Fox Studios who had the movie (and the TV rights, I believe) to X-Men/Mutant properties. Try as they might, it was a scheme that flopped as hard as the time Marvel created Sentinel and claimed he was a 'lost creation of Stan Lee' and the 'One More Day' Spider-Man do-over gimics. After Disney was sold the rights to not only the X-Men/Mutants, but also the rest of Fox's TV and Movie properties (such as 'The Simpsons' and the Aliens franchise), Marvel published the House of X/Power of X revival of Mutants in the mainstream Marvel line of comics. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver was 'saved' from the Marvel Mutant purge by retconning the twins to be the creation/offsprings of the High Evolutionary. Marvel skated around whether Wanda was redeemed or not/a mutant or not in a recent X-Men title. After all, if Mutants were ok again, why not Scarlet Witch. I hope that Marvel quit messing around with Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, and just make them full Mutants (and Magneto's kids) again.

[@HankChinaski27]

Max Power, he's the man whose name you'd love to touch But you mustn't touch, his name sounds good in your ear But when you say it, you mustn't fear 'Cause his name can be said by anyone.

[@jeremyjones5455]

As a kid, I had a Team America figure and cycle that came with issue #4. The comic really creeped me out, with the kids being used to power the video games (especially the panel you showed where the bad guys are pulling the dead kid out of the cabinet.)

[@CordellPotts]

They need to bring Black Marauder back lol. They could reveal that it was Rick Jones all along.

[@Gatorade69]

It was Agatha all along.

[@renegade-zeraus]

The Marauder also displayed having skills similar to each Team America member, e.g. the strength of Wolf, the recklessness of R. U. Reddy, the stuntwork of Cowboy, the mechanical skills of Wrench, and the ... suaveness (?) or CIA knowhow of James "Honcho" McDonald -- the red herrings Chris was probably referring to as the whole schtick of the series was to have the readers guess who the Marauder really was. And the answer was...both none AND all of them! Cool!

[@architeuthis3476]

Maybe the reason _Team America_ had to spun out of the _Captain America_ series had something to do with Peter Fonda's character in _Easy Rider_ being called "Captain America"?

[@dlee827]

The heroes being able to combine to summon another one when they're in trouble sounds like the Forever People and Infinity Man. The Forever People were, of course, from, er, New Genesis.

[@davidmcmahon4633]

Plus you throw in Racer X from Speed Racer and that's the Marauder.

[@renegade-zeraus]

Or Captain Planet!

[@michaelmcfarland1716]

Or the Eternals with their omnimind

[@csako2668]

Don't forget Skywald tried a year earlier than Ghost Rider in 1971 with Hell-Rider by Gary Friedrich, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito, two issues "Warren" magazine-sized books

[@TheArchersTungsten]

I haven’t had you pop up in my feed in a long time for some reason, I’m real happy your still making great content . Keep it coming man!

[@crooker23]

Running the bloopers with your patrons/theme is so good, it makes it feel like watching TV

[@Gojitron1]

MCU phase 17.....Team America, US1, The Human Fly and NFL Superpro. Coming to Disney+ in 2037.

[@michaelmcfarland1716]

With the buildup to the villain being an evil turned version of Forbush Man (spelling might be off, but if you remember him, you know him)

[@ericburke9490]

I have the full series and loved it as a kid, and re-read it early in the pandemic. Definitely didn’t hold up to my fond memories, but it’s still a series I’ll never sell due to nostalgia.

[@theunironicboomerang]

Thanks for doing this one. There is surprisingly little on the internet about Team America. I recall when the toys came out and my youngest brother got one. I instantly recognized that it was the same toy that I had as a kid, except mine was the Evel Knievel stunt cycle.. Then the comic came out shortly after. I was both a comic fan, especially ghost rider, Capt America And X-Men. I was also a motorcycle fan and even had a small dirt bike of my own.. in concept, this comic should have been everything I wanted. Patriotic, squabbling, motorcycling super mutants. It even had riding tips. I remember buying it faithfully and every month Hoping it would be good. Last summer I found one of the old figures at a comic store on the junk bin for just a couple bucks. I then re read my comics. I forgot how bad they were.

[@juniorjames7076]

I inherited a partially damaged first issue of this comic from one of my cousins during a family roadtrip. That item did not last long in my possession, my little sister might have colored in some pages, and I have no recollection of every "reading" it per se, but I remember that great cover.

[@theunironicboomerang]

What's also funny is that years later I came to realize that some of those "riding tips" were totally wrong.

[@Fen02879]

So if they're mutants they probably all got depowered in house of M. I wonder if they even noticed since their powers never affected their bike skills.

[@samuelcarrasquillo4590]

I wonder if they were revealed as inhumans

[@T.R.R.Jolkien]

This is sooo bonkers! I have every Team America comic but lost this issue and you’re reading it to me. I remember the story. The only letter I ever wrote to Stan Lee was about Team America. Thanks again… 😎🇺🇸

[@american_comics_engineering]

Their secret origin should have been the Weapon BMX program.

[@saimaidar9417]

So what we really need from this is a crossover with Team Americs, USA-1 and SuperPro

[@williamspellmeyer8300]

I spent the whole episode wondering where I new team America from in the comics, then new mutants was mentioned and it hit me. I remember while doing a read through of all the new mutants thinking about how random that story was and almost immediately forgot about it

[@citizensguard3433]

Great video as always! I love the videos about good comics. A LOT. But these videos about bad or goofy comics (especially weird golden or silver age comics) are my absolute favorite.

[@indumatipngtuber2790]

Arcade Cabinets...powered by children??? I love it, lul.

[@arctrooper999]

Without looking it up, Wrench reminds me of the guy that piloted Danguard Ace in Shogun Warriors.

[@erikfldt390]

I remember when they showed up in a few issues of New Mutants and was just thinking, "who TF are these clowns", and that would've been back in the late 80s or early 90s. I had no idea it was tied to licensing. The comic tie-in itself reeked of times back in the 70s or 80s when TV shows like Charlie's Angels would have a crossover with the Love Boat and was just a pointless ratings boost. Granted, Marvel also did that with Wolverine as any time sales for any book would slump, they'd foist Wolverine in there.

[@lancergt1000]

a bike-riding super hero who knows karate, wears all black, and has a bike that can drive by itself... is The Marauder Marvel's Kamen Rider Black?

[@robsyers8647]

The last gasp attempt to make Team America "catch on with the kids," is hilarious! Oh... and they're mutants too! Like the X-Men!

[@adamdenardis5438]

Wolverine rides a motorcycle but that's got nothing to do with him being a mutant or even having a skeleton made of adamantium. It would make sure his bones never break however and with his healing factor, he'll never need stitches. 😂 The only way i can imagine a mutant power for motorcycles would be maybe anti gravity to make it fly? That'd be neat.

[@adamdenardis5438]

Wait! Magneto could have a motorcycle! He can ride it like that stupid car from the Fantastic Four cartoon in the 70s! 😂

[@brasswirebrush]

Ow wow, I didn't remember anything about Team America, but as soon as you said RU Ready, I immediately remembered it from my childhood. That name was so dumb that it stuck with me all these years later.

[@calebfromtherealworld]

It’s time for The Thunder Riders to pop up on Krakoa

[@ivane5110]

I loved all things motorcycle back in the 70's and early 80's (from Evel Knievel to Chips and Wheely and the Chopper Bunch). And a major fan of Captain America. So I can still remember reading the issue these guys debuted in. I had never seen their toys, but would've loved them. And I was so thrilled to get the series. But it either didn't show up regular for some reason or was not competition enough for my quarters, because I had 1,2 and then 8 onward. Even their New Mutants cameos which I had hoped were leading to another series (done right). The disappointing part was that there were many great covers and awesome ideas (Iron Man? Ghost Rider? Hydra? Such potential). As for US1, I really do have a fondness for him, but think he couldve been a bigger hit in the 70s. And wanted to see him team-up with Team America ironically. Maybe with the Human Fly and Mr. T?

[@michaellangwaller]

The time is ripe for a Team America reboot using electric motorcycles and the team members fully embracing their mutant (and different, though that one creating The Marauder is pretty cool) powers.

[@samuelcarrasquillo4590]

Can't they use the name thunder riders That could be cool

[@thegoht2212]

Oh man, I totally had a Marauder toy and couldn't remember where it came from. Learning about my own history in this one!!

[@horizonbrave1533]

YES!! The intro was much appreciated!! Oh hi, you caught me appreciating your classic intros...

[@Dale_The_Space_Wizard]

You have to give total respect to a man who leaves his hospital bed with two broken arms to beat someone with a baseball bat who lied about you in a book. LOL

[@steve_bal4]

I'd have bought a comic book about that!

[@Gatorade69]

"Lied" "Knievel said the book depicted him as a drug addict, adulterer, anti-Semite and “an immoral person.” However, he acknowledged that 85 to 90 per cent of the book is truthful." Knieval was just angry it was made public. Most people who knew or dealt with the guy say he was a huge jerk.

[@Dale_The_Space_Wizard]

@@Gatorade69 You sound jealous of him. LOL.

[@ianfinrir8724]

The amount of spite required to do that, I don't think I've ever been that angry.

[@Thorrson7]

Well, Knievel did perform insanely dangerous stunts for a living….so……the man had issues..and not the comic book kind. Tadum TSSHHH!!

[@MutethatBozo]

Living next door to a clubhouse full of annoyingly loud Harley riders, I'd have to say that South Park captured their cultural ethos the best....

[@incubustimelord5947]

The Thunderiders is a way better super hero team name than Team: America. Team: America sounds like a good name for a professional motorcycle stunt performance team with an American patriotic motif, but it doesn't sound like a good super hero team unless it's a team of American patriotism-based super heroes who are connected to Captain America. The Thunderiders sounds like a much better name for a team of motorcycle riding super heroes who are all a bunch of major badass bikers. Later on, after the Thing from the Fantastic Four had joined the Thunderiders temporarily, Sharon Ventura (formerly Ms. Marvel II and later the monstrous She-Thing, and also even that female creature that she was temporarily mutated into by Doctor Doom) had also joined the Thunderiders, too but for only a short period of time just as well. The Thunderiders could've worked but they were all just a product of their late 1970s through the early 1980s period of time when bikers, motorcycles and professional stunt performers were all very popular. They could've competed against not only Ghost Rider and Captain America, but also the super-villain who was patterned after Evil Knievel, the Stunt-Master, a pro motorcyclist stunt man who was middle-aged and forced into retirement because other younger stunt men were much better motorcyclists than him. So in a fit of jealousy, he creates an advanced custom-built, specially-designed motorcycle that enables him to perform stunts easily and quickly, and which make the motorcycle specially-customized to have the rider move faster with better maneuverability using rocket jets for extra speed, and superior hovering technology. Using the "super-motorcycle" that he had made, the Stunt-Master started harassing the other stunt men motorcyclists, and robbing them of their money in revenge for them robbing him of his glory. He was originally an arch-enemy of Daredevil but later became somewhat reformed after he had lost an arm in an accident and had it replaced with a bionic arm. He then joined the Fifty State Initiative after the Super Human Registration Act was passed and became a resident automotive mechanical engineer at the Initiative's Headquarters. The Thunderiders, if given the opportunity, could've been granted the chance to shine if more details were made regarding Project: New Genesis and why the experiment seemed to be more than just a coincidence that it only excelled with professional motorcycle riding stunt performers. I'm thinking that it wasn't just advanced science and powerful technology that was at work when it came to the experiment. There had to have also been some kind of supernatural element involved in addition to the genetic engineering used to mutate normal humans into having superhuman mutant children. The Marauder doesn't seem to be a form of advanced weaponry. He seems to be something else beyond that, like a power that is magically-bestowed upon the members of the Thunderiders. Especially through Georgina as the main host body. It also seems to be activated by James MacDonald who has the power to initiate the gestalt psychic power, similar to how the Uni-Mind is started by the Prime Eternal. Wolf, R.U. Reddy, Wrench, and Cowboy, while they are all excellent motorcycle riders and stunt performers, they don't seem to be as skilled as James is, nor do they seem to be able to summon the Marauder like Macdonald can. I guess even with everything that they could do, they just proved to be only good for their time. By the time it was the early 1990s, the Thunderiders (formerly Team: America) were just seen as way too dated and out of style for the '90s.

[@jamesdobson1157]

Oh hi! You caught me loving the fact that the classic opening gimmick came back😄Missed that so much!

[@darrylwiggins1156]

Could you do a tribute episode on artist Murphy Anderson?In my opinion,he truly deserves it.

[@gerryvanblokland922]

Needs a gritty reboot by Rick Remender and Sean Murphy.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

I'm surprised they actually mentioned Evel Knievel in one of those panels when the toyline was designed to distance itself from him.

[@watchforever1724]

Your video just came out this morning so happy for something new

[@victorcabanelas]

As always, great video! To me, this is what happens when you only have money in mind and forget about the story. I get why they did it, but I think it's just wrong. Cheers from Argentina!

[@kevinconnor3187]

Thanks!

[@modern-day_warrior]

I only know about Team America because of their crossover with The New Mutants. I can see why they were forgotten.

[@juniorjames7076]

I inherited a partially damaged first issue of this comic from one of my cousins during a family roadtrip. That item did not last long in my possession, but I remember that great cover.

[@RingsideRebel785]

I remember the issue of The THING with the Black Rider on the cover and the blurb saying "They're Back-For the 1st Time! The Fabulous Thunderiders!", and I had no clue who any of these characters were lol

[@balthazarasquith]

A marvel comic following the exploits of Team America team (the parker/stone film) would be amazing. Fuck yeah

[@dcamaag709]

It's really cool to see Chris get all these sponsors now.

[@MrKD1970]

The point you rose about changing creative teams makes sense as I feel that way about most marvel books today. Even down to the bait and switch great cover artists vs the so-so interior artists. Just my take.

[@cassandralyris4918]

Y'know, that twist ending in book 6 could've worked, but instead of the bullshit mind control nonsense it could've been Georgina controlling an android using her bike skills in some sort of Sci Fi set up remotely with her psychic powers. Think Cerebro, but it controls an android on a motorcycle. Frankly, that would've been way cooler AND extremely toyetic. Honestly sad that's not the story us 70's and 80's kids got. Also, anyone else notice that nearly all Jim Shooter written stories have people fighting all the time like it's normal? Like, Jim, no man. That ISN'T how everyone tends to work together. I think it gives us some unintentional insight into what it was probably like dealing with Jim Shooter...

[@edudiego]

Hey Chris, great work as always! Something is different with the lights this time though?

[@thomaskurilenko8053]

Another great Video! I always look forward to these

[@kitescuriosities7717]

I can see The Black Marauder getting his own issue and being a “rediscovered” character that gets his own movie/TV deal like The Peacemaker.

[@dylanmahaffey8920]

I had a marauder figure as a kid and thought he was super badass.

[@P0rk_Sinigang]

That arcade scenario is wild. Team America walked so that Snowpiercer could run.

[@andersonic]

Another excellent episode. It's remarkable how Chris makes these 12 issues far more entertaining than it ever could have been to read them. I really appreciate how you steer clear of being mean even on a misfire like this.

[@WillHinds]

I like the outtakes Chris, nice way to repurpose that footage.

[@UnlimitedProduction1]

Georgina being the Maurauder could have been a cool ass plot twist if done right in a Metroid/Samus kinda way

[@allimone5400]

When I was a kid I bought all the issues on the newstands, and I really liked them. I remember being disappointed with the Ghost Rider issue. I tried to get my friends, fellow Marvellites, but none of them wanted to try it. I believe they said it was because of the art.

[@american_comics_engineering]

The idea of five bike riders summoning a sixth one has strong sentai feel, and Marauder rhymes with Driver X. A more manga angle could have worked. Oh, and there are similarities to Kamen Rider, too.

[@JONNYSORENSEN_AU]

You've caught me watching a late night video.

[@edkwon]

I grew up as a kid in the late 70s and 80s, I had a friend who had the Black Marauder toy and I remember the somewhat iconic cover of the 1st issue of Team America, thanks for the nostalgia trip

[@guitarwithryan8283]

Damn, Chris - this is a seriously deep cut and I LOVE it. Might we get an Nth MAN retrospective next? lol

[@zacharykendall9653]

Love the blooper reel at the end Chris!

[@kayag8]

I think the biggest problem is that its just not cool. Who wants to read about 5 genric motorcycle riders over Spiderman? They all look the same and there's only so many stories you can tell about them

[@turtleanton6539]

Right

[@marcmcfinn7470]

Of course they all look the same, they're on the same team. You could say the same thing about Hydra or the Detroit Pistons.

[@CharlesK-n6q]

The only memory I had of Team America was a toy commercial for the Super Stunt Bike, which I think was a recycled Evel Knievel toy from the 1970s.

[@saintsataniko2116]

I don't the problem so much is the ever-changing creative team but rather that the changes are always from one C-list artist to the next. Not to say that they never did any decent work but few fans in that era were dying to see the latest art by Mike Vosburg, Don Perlin, or Luke McDonnell. In truth the best and best-known artist on the book was inker Vinnie Coletta, who was probably the only true consistency. OF course Shooter's desperate meddling in an effort to sell toys couldn't bode well either.

[@dinosaurdino]

Another great show! It’s nice to find like-minded KZbin channels like this one!

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

21:15. Iron Man shows up to stop Black Marauder. Then they, and their lawyers, engage in twenty pages of contract renegotiations.

[@fobwatchful]

There are probably several more examples of how wrong it is to create serial stories without a well-thought-out plan. The Star Wars sequel trilogy is the best example.

[@MrFtpforlife]

I love the “Oh hi” intros are back

[@maxhydekyle2425]

"Who are you?" "R. U. Ready" "What? Yeah I am, but first tell me who you are." "R. U. Ready" "Dude I just told you I am, but what i-"

[@andrefantin832]

Congratulations on the DeMatteis shoutout, Chris. I would just mention that Professor X was acting weird on those New Mutants issues because he was turning into a Brood drone by that time.

[@renegade-zeraus]

Great catch!

[@PosthumanHeresy]

The Thunderriders should be brought back, working alongside Captain America. Reintroduce Cap being a motorcyclist, have him do a storyline where he doesn't want to do the SHIELD spy bs anymore because he's lost touch with America (think Superman's walkabout), and he's inspired by the Spider-Men to be a street-level hero to reconnect, but decides that he should be the street-level hero of America because there's tens of thousands of small towns out there that are just normal. Basically, him doing the Sam and Dean Winchester thing, driving all over America going to wherever he hears about some funky stuff going down. First time around, he ends up in the same area as them and they team up. They're like "well, this actually makes _a lot_ of sense for us" and decide to become basically a heroic motorcycle gang going across America led by Captain America. Sucks they wouldn't be able to use the original name since Trey Parker and Matt Stone probably have the trademark now thanks to it being out of use for so long, but hey, it's the spirit of the idea. If they wanna get really inspired, with the right writer it could even have a strong political bent and that would fit _so_ well.

[@cbuchner6862]

I'd also say the Marauder was patterned after Racer X from Speed Racer.

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

It's funny imagining Chris actually sitting down and reading these!😂🤣🤘

[@jdeez1492]

"How to break your neck magazine" sounded like a norm macdonald punchline.

[@Cesly-mo3uf]

This could get a cool gritty reboot. Of course don't call it Team America, but American Riders or something. Really lean into the former veterans finding purpose again in a biker gang. The three main characters all know eachother because they served together on a top secret mission in the military. They had their memories erased afterwards. Only Black Marauder remembers what happened and is trying to bring his old team back together to stop a bunch of badguys. Thats my idea anyways.

[@marcmcfinn7470]

I'm here for it.

[@karabearcomics]

I've thought that you could possibly do a whole video about various advertising superheroes, ones made only to hock a product, especially in case some might not be able to carry an episode on their own. I can think of Captain Tootsie and Rollo (Tootsie Rolls), Kooba Kid (Kooba Cola), Combo Man (Combos), Sprocket Man (bicycle safety), and I know there's more. But maybe some of those could fill an episode by themselves (though not the Kooba Kid, as he was in maybe 2 stories, which together would only be about 1 page long).

[@ComicTropes]

I’ve done several like that. A Combo Man episode and one about promo books like Captain Citrus.

[@karabearcomics]

@@ComicTropes How did I forget those? Well, maybe you'll get to Captain Tootsie eventually. He seems like the most interesting of those old advertising superheroes. Though one could find it interesting to look into Major Inapak, the sci-fi hero hocking a Quik-like drink.

[@ROMANTIKILLER2]

Well, Ghost Rider is a flaming skull biker feuding with the devil... pretty difficult to match his cool factor with a superhero team based on repurposed toy.

[@logruszed]

I can't believe I never read these, this was my peak comics buying era when I had a fat allowance and the books were cheap. Great video, more entertaining than I suspect the actual books were. p.s. not a critcism, but "Dani" is pronounced like the more masculine name "Danny", like Danny DeVito. Just an fyi. Love the content.