The call goes out... Avengers Assemble...

[Cor Azer]

They chose it just because it sounded cool. She was throwing out names and when she said that one, they all went 'Whoa, stop. That's what we're using'.

That's cool, particularly if they had a scene debating the name. They're usually ripe for good/bad puns, homages, and the like for informed readers.

 

[ddvmor]

As iconic as their gathering cry is, and as much as I like the team and its members, that name has always seemed... off... to me.

I wonder if that was at the back of the minds of the guys who put together the Ultimates...?

 

[Klaus]

"Ultimates Unite"?

 

[Rackhir]

Our super group back in the day was called the Vindicators. Our GM thought our heroes were confused by the name. Instead of bring justice to the wronged our team seemed to think 'to vindicate' meant 'cause copious amounts of collateral damage'.

We were based in Philadelphia and destroyed Camden... twice.... well, once was we angered the evil aliens in their space ship and one of our guys punched the ship just as they fired their death ray and it got nudged so it missed Philly but hit Camden. The other time was we were trying to disposed of a nuke and made a tactical error about where to teleport it to.

You forgot about vaporizing Utah, but that wasn't our fault. I think Camden got vaporized a third time when a Sentinels base blew up, but that was after you left.

 

[Jeremy]

I doubt they'll change the name because it sells so well, but with the recent conquering of the US and the subsequent retaliation on the part of the Ultimates, the word "avenge" is starting be tossed around by the characters.

 

[Endur]

I always thought the name was chosen in response to The Avengers television series.

The TV show started in 1961, the comic started in 1963, so possible but unlikely.

At the time, DC had the Justice League, Justice Society. I think the Seven Soliders of Victory had been used. Marvel had the Fantastic Four.

There weren't many other super-groups in existance.

 

[Filby]

Marvel also had its own Golden Age super-team in the Invaders, but I guess that name would've been rather inappropriate after WWII.