★ TEAM AMERICA ★
Membership: Cowboy (Luke Merriweather), Honcho (James McDonald), R.U. Reddy (Winthrop Roan, Jr.), Wolf, Wrench (Leonard Hebb), Marauder
Purpose: To prove American superiority at racing and showcase the American spirit
Affiliations: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Georgiana Hebb, Pops Kuramoto, Tony Stark, Charles Xavier, New Mutants (Mirage (Dani Moonstar), Sunspot (Roberto DeCosta), Karma (Xi’an Coy Manh), Cannonball (Sam Guthrie), Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair)), Unlimited Class Racing
Enemies:
Monique
Adreadite, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), Mr. Ashe, Hydra, unidentified hired killer, Mayhem Organization, Mr.
Mudge, Viper,
Silver Samurai;
Base of Operations: Mobile worldwide; headquarters in Hoboken, NJ, USA
First Appearance: Captain America I#269 (May, 1982)
History:
(Team America#1) – The team met for the first time in Daytona, Florida. When Honcho, R.U. Reddy and Wolf met for the first time, all three men had just survived attempts on their lives earlier in the day and each had received a note from someone called the Marauder. Forming a group, the trio decided on the name Team America, as they were all American and their combined racing efforts would showcase the American spirit.
Their first race was a relay, with a three-man team expected to perform 25 laps around the course. Wolf crossed the finish line first, seconds before the raceway was attacked by Hydra. R.U. Reddy was captured, but freed by a mysterious racer in black. When the dust settled, Team America stood in the winner’s circle.
(Team America#2) – The team almost dissolved when Wolf and Reddy learned Honcho had invested their winnings in another race. The group met Luke Merriweather (Cowboy), Leonard Hebb (Wrench), and Georgiana Castleberry in Florida and allowed them to join. The group made their way to Colorado a little while later where they encountered a hired killer. During the race, the team fought off the killer’s attacks, but the fight caused them to come in second place.
(Captain America I#269) – Team America (represented by Honcho, R.U. Reddy and Wolf) was hired to do a show in Madison Square Garden. When the show was attacked by large yellow humanoid, and a Nobel Prize winning scientist was kidnapped, the team followed Captain America on a rescue mission. All three members of the team acted bravely, but it would be the mysterious Marauder who helped save the day. When the case was solved and the proper authorities had arrived, the team drove off into the sunset.
(Team America#3) – The team won another race somewhere in the Midwest when they were kidnapped by the Mayhem Organization. They were freed by the Marauder, but despite their best efforts, the lackeys of Mr. Mayhem escaped.
(Team America#4) – The team was just preparing for another race somewhere on the East Coast when Wolf was summoned away to help an old friend.
(Team America#5) – The team performed another show in a large arena. Only Honcho, Reddy and Wolf were present, with Honcho leaving early (having been contacted by an old associate from his C.I.A. days). Honcho left after one show, after ordering the team to go ahead to Texas without him. Reddy and Wolf reunited with Honcho after the latter managed to escape from a deathtrap and defuse a large bomb.
(Team America#6) – The team was at a race with the plan of crossing the finish line all at once. Reddy blew the plan, however, and crossed the finish line first.
(Team America#7) – The team performed near Austin, Texas, and became embroiled in the plot of the self-proclaimed Emperor of Texas.
(Team America#8) – Team America arrived in Egypt for a road rally. Despite the drama that threatened the team, they managed to get their racer built in time. Wolf wrecked the car and the team lost their first race. They swore to stick together, no matter what.
(Team America#9) – Managing to make it back to America, the team got as far as Brooklyn. Living in a camper, they were fairly destitute and ate take-out food. After the Marauder gave them a new motorcycle, they got back on their feet financially. They poured their winnings into a new type of racing car, as well as a permanent headquarters.
When the racer later blew up, the team was promptly hired by Stark Industries. Mr. Mudge, who did the hiring, only wanted the Marauder’s bike and quickly found reasons to fire the team. At the end of the day, the group managed to regain the bike and earn a hefty paycheck from Tony Stark.
(Team America#10) – In Las Vegas the team prepared for another race when Honcho was kidnapped by Mr. Ashe’s cult. Reddy, Wolf and Cowboy rescued him and saw the cult’s end when Ashe died.
(Team America#11) – Oklahoma was the site of their next race. The day of the race was interrupted by the arrival of both Hydra and the Ghost Rider. When the chaos was over, the team was fully assembled and shocked to see who was underneath the Marauder’s helmet.
(Team America#12) – The team could not believe it when they saw Georgiana in the Marauder’s uniform. Over the course of the day, the team learned the secret behind the Marauder, Hydra’s involvement, saved the Carson family from a Hydra hit squad, and formally disbanded. The group stayed together long enough to witness Georgiana and Wrench’s marriage before going their separate ways.
(New Mutants I#5) – The team reformed, with the membership consisting of Reddy, Wolf and Cowboy. The rest of the team joined them when blackmailed by the Viper. After a confrontation with Professor X, the team reunited in full and joined forces with Xavier.
(New Mutants I#6) – Training in New Mexico, the group practiced for their raid on an A.I.M. building. The group pulled off the job, despite being discovered, and made their way back to the pick up point.
(New Mutants I#7) – The team was brought up in passing by Sunspot, who accused Professor X of caring more about Team America than the New Mutants.
(New Mutants I#8) – The team practiced in Xavier’s Danger Room (although only Cowboy, Reddy, and Wolf were seen).
Comments: Developed by J.M. DeMatteis (script), Mike Zeck (pencils), John Beatty, Mike Zeck, and Joe Rubenstein (inks).Team America later became the Thunderiders.
According to my research, the entire concept of Team America was created by Ideal Toys to sell a toy line and was later licensed by Marvel. The line actually began as Evel Knievel. According to the Evel Knievel Toy Museum, the line came about when Knievel was arrested for assault in the late 1970s.
And, of course, Marvel's Team America definitely has no connections to Team America: World Police, the 2004 movie.
Profile by David Lawrence.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Team America has no known connections to:
images:
(without ads)
Team America#10 cover (main image)
Team America#9, p10, pan3 (HQ).
Appearances:
Captain America I#269 (May, 1982) –J.M. DeMatteis (script),
Mike Zeck (pencils), John Beatty, Mike Zeck, Joe Rubenstein (inks), Jim
Salcrup (editor)
Team America#1 (June, 1982) – Jim Shooter (script), Mike
Vosburg (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#2 (July, 1982) – Jim Shooter, Denny
O’Neil, Bill Mantlo (script), Mike Vosburg (pencils), Vince
Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#3 (August, 1982) – Bill Mantlo (script), Luke
McDonall (pencils), Mike Vosburg (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#4 (September, 1982) –Bill Mantlo (script), Luke
McDonall (pencils), Mike Vosburg (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#5 (October, 1982) –Bill Mantlo (script), Alan
Kupperburg (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#6 (November, 1982) –Bill Mantlo (script), Alan
Kupperburg (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#7 (December, 1982) –Bill Mantlo (script), Luke
McDonall (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#8 (January, 1983) – Jim Shooter, Bill Mantlo
(plot/script), Don Perlin (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks),
Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#9 (February, 1983) – Jim Shooter, Bill Mantlo
(plot/script), Mark Bright (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks),
Jim Shooter (editor)
Team America#10 (March, 1983) – Steven Grant (script), Alan
Kupperburg (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim
Shooter (editor)
Team America#11 (April, 1983) – Jim Shooter, Tom DeFalco
(plot/script), David Simmons, Sharon Weiss (pencils), Jim Shooter
(editor)
Team America#12 (May, 1983) – Jim Shooter (script), Don
Perlin (pencils), Vince Colleta (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
New Mutants I#5 (July, 1983) – Chris Claremont (script), Sal
Buscema (pencils), Bob McCloud (inks), Louise Jones (editor)
New Mutants I#6 (August, 1983) – Chris Claremont (script),
Sal Buscema (pencils), Armando Gill, J. Tartag (inks), Louise Jones
(editor)
New Mutants I#7 (September, 1983) – Chris Claremont (script),
Sal Buscema (pencils), Bob McCloud (inks), Louise Jones (editor)
New Mutants I#8 (October, 1982) – Chris Claremont (script),
Sal Buscema (pencils), Bob McCloud (inks), Louise Jones (editor)
First Posted: 04/26/2010
Last updated: 01/01/2011
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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and
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