The 2010 Otter Awards: Best Team

Welcome to the Otter Awards, where I recognize the best in comics for 2010.  Our first category is Best Team.  But before we get to the runners up, the Secret Six deserves an honorable mention.  The title consistently delivers quality writing, even if they didn't quite make the top three.  Anyway, let's introduce those who just barely missed the mark.

Green Lantern Corps.
The Corps. has been through a rough couple of years.  Despite facing an army of undead (including their loved ones) and the physical embodiment of death, Hal Jordan and company refused to relent and eventually triumphed over the Blackest Night.  The event's huge financial success speaks for itself, and their victory over the Black Lanterns has already entered comic book legend.  Truly no evil escaped their sight.

The Howling Commandos

This is a hard award to give out, since the Commandos haven't had an ongoing series since WWII if I recall correctly.  Instead, the Howling Commandos PMC has been a driving force in Jonathan Hickman's Secret Warriors title.  "The Last Ride of the Howling Commandos" was one of this year's best stories, and had more badass moments than most comics have in a year.  Though many of the grizzled veterans met their end, they sure as hell went out with a bang.

The Winner
Secret Avengers
In the wake of the Siege of Asgard, the world seemed to suddenly calm down.  With no more fear of Skrull shapeshifters, Norman Osborn or even each other, the heroes of the Marvel Universe are now leading the world to a Heroic Age.  But even though things seem calm on the surface, trouble is still brewing.  And someone has to fight the threats no one can know about.  Enter the Secret Avengers.

Created by the original Captain America, the team has the coolest roster in comics.  Steve Rogers, Black Widow, War Machine, Valkyrie, Moon Knight, Beast, Ant Man (Eric O'Grady, the cool version), and formerly Nova made for the most interesting collection of characters in comics.  Even though there are four Avengers titles on the stands right now, this is the team that I always look forward to reading about.  As the group continues to hunt down the Shadow Council, they've face everything from extradimensional threats on Mars to kung-fu showdowns with Fu-Manchu.  The Secret Avengers have lived up to the title of "World's Greatest Heroes".  A strong purpose, great artist, and solid writer makes for one quality comic book.  More than any other group in comics, the Secret Avengers embody what makes a great team.