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I actually never heard of the Great Lakes Avengers!
Besides their mini a couple of years they had some appearences mostly in the West Coast Avengers title when John Byrne was on it. I think you would probably like the mini. (it was collected in tpb) It was one of those fun series that had alot of heart. For example, Big Bertha is actually a pretty model who's career is stalled because the midwest is a bad location. She stays anyways because of her friends.
Thanks for the suggestion, M E M, and Allan1 as well.
This sounds like exactly the kind of stuff I like.
Another character I like is Wonder Man, who has also gotten a one-shot here and there, but mostly appeared in AVENGERS, from about 150-220 in the 1975-1983 era.
I especially liked an opening segment of him in AVENGERS 181 (by Dave Michelinie, John Byrne and Gene Day) where Wonder Man and the Beast went to an Erroll Flynn movie together, and Beast got a bit philosphical explaining things to the more naive Wonder Man.
I also remember a scene in AVENGERS ANNUAL 10 (by Claremont and Golden) where someone comes to Avengers mansion and asks Wonder Man how things are going.
WONDER MAN: "well, I'm between engagements."
OTHER GUY: "Oh, unemployed, huh?"
WONDER MAN: "Exactly."
I like how Wonder Man is basically brought back from the dead, a living dead guy who can't be injured, and stories take him back and forth from being immensely powerful and superhuman, and at other times naive and vulnerable, despite his powers. He works very well as a supporting character. Maybe a one-shot here and there, but not quite rising to the level of having his own series.
