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Off My Mind: Too Many Leaders on a Superhero Team

Is there a benefit to having many members that are considered leaders on the same team or will it lead to conflict?

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Superhero teams need to have a strong dynamic. There are many factors that are crucial in making a team a success and able to defeat the bad guys. You want to have a well-rounded roster in terms of strengths, powers and abilities. Of course a crucial factor is to have strong leadership.

There are many characters that are automatically seen as leader material. It wouldn't matter how long they've been on the team. If they have the ability, experience and respect of others, chances are they are right for the team. You don't really expect a premiere leader-type character to sit back and take orders from others.

Having a clearly defined leader isn't always the case, especially in some comic books from today. As team rosters shift and characters move around to other teams, we're starting to see several definitive leader-type characters all on the same team.

Does this make the team stronger or will it lead to problems down the road?

== TEASER ==
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In UNCANNY AVENGERS, we are going to have a squad of six members. It's been announced that in issue #5, the roster will increase to nine members. The number of members isn't quite the issue to be concerned with but more so the fact that several characters are seen as being a leader. Now that they are one the saw team, is it possible or reasonable for there to be only one leader? What happens when one member doesn't feel the leader's decision is the best?

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In the first issue, Captain America approached Havok with the offer of leading a squad. Cap wants to bridge the gap between the Avengers and the X-Men, humans and mutants. He feels that someone needs to stand up to represent the mutants. Havok has been a leader before. He's been a successful one. Not only has he lead X-Factor but more recently, he was the leader of the Starjammers after his father was killed. He can lead a squad but is he the best leader on this squad? Is he good enough to issue orders to Captain America? Isn't Cap considered the leader in any situation?

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Another leader is Wolverine. During Schism, the X-Men split and he and Cyclops took half the team. As the headmaster of the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning, he is still considered a leader. He's an old guy and has fought many battles. Is Havok better suited to lead than Wolverine? Cap mentions that Wolverine may not be the best because of his "checkered past," he can't be "the face of this."

Rogue is also slated to be on the team. She's had leadership of her own squad in the previous X-MEN: LEGACY title. Thor and Scarlet Witch have never really been interested in being leaders so it's going to be fascinating to see Havok accepting the role of leading all them. Will it just be for the press or will he and the others actually accept it? Let's say the squad is assembled and they have to face Red Skull. Will he be best suited to make the decisions in stopping him? If he gives an order but Cap knows it's not the right call, would he challenge or countermand his order?

Who's the boss?
Who's the boss?

As for Wolverine, if he's considered the leader of the X-Men at the school in WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN, what happens now that Storm has decided to be part of the school (and adventures that will obviously follow)? Storm is the one X-Man that claimed leadership in battle over Cyclops when she didn't even possess her mutant powers. Will she simply go along with whatever decisions Wolverine makes?

There is an advantage to having several members that are capable of being a leader. The problem is there's bound to be rivalry and an almost sense of competition among them. Those with less confidence may feel the need to try to prove themselves as a better leader. Someone like Cap is able to sit back and follow orders. Way back in the original AVENGERS series (issue #217), he stepped down to allow Wasp to be the leader.

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Many leaders could be good but they also say too many cooks spoil the broth. Having a team with multiple leaders could be a great asset in being prepared to take on any threat that may arise. The real question is will it result in conflict when one tries to take control over the others? We'll have to keep an eye on UNCANNY AVENGERS to see who exactly the leader will be.