So, just curious on everyone's opinion about the 12 agents chosen as "active" members in Issue #37. Lifeline, Flint, Lady Jaye, Firewall, Stalker, Gung-Ho, Shipwreck and Spirit all make sense for me. All are classic characters and/or serve a particular function. Lifeline is the medic, Firewall the Computer Geek, etc etc.....Now some of the others are a lil odd for me. Ya got Barrel Roll who seems to be the poster boy of all the new characters since he's had some action in several issues. Shockwave, Mercer, and Grand-Slam are the most interesting choices. I guess Shockwave is as good a choice as any from a pool of "security" type Joes, but could easily be replaced by Mutt, Law, or Wide Scope. Mercer is just cannon fodder in my opinion. Grand-Slam however is my weirdest choice. Here is an original Joe who has barely been in 10 issues throughout the entire Joe universe and he's a choice for the 12 man team. Where's BeachHead? Heavy-Duty? Clutch? Falcon? I mean did he get picked just because Flash died (which really sucked by the way, Mainframe too) and they needed a guy in a Jump suit??

Anyways, thats enough ranting. Let the discussion commence. Who would be your 12 man team? (Dead Joes excluded, so u cant put Tracker in there)

When did Mainframe die?

I don't like Firewall. She's eye candy and no substance. I think Sgt. Hacker is a better choice.

Mercer is an ex-Cobra. If I were going to narrow my team down, I wouldn't want him on it. But...he does know a lot about the enemy, so he might be useful.

Shockwave looks cool, but I never knew why the Army needs a SWAT cop.

As for Grand Slam...let him have his day in the sun.

The team should have Roadblock, though. And maybe Wild Bill.

When did Mainframe die?

I don't like Firewall. She's eye candy and no substance. I think Sgt. Hacker is a better choice.

Mercer is an ex-Cobra. If I were going to narrow my team down, I wouldn't want him on it. But...he does know a lot about the enemy, so he might be useful.

Shockwave looks cool, but I never knew why the Army needs a SWAT cop.

As for Grand Slam...let him have his day in the sun.

The team should have Roadblock, though. And maybe Wild Bill.
Well I havn't read issue #37 yet but i got issue #36 in the mail yesterday and I can say that the reason that many of the joes arent in the 12 man team is because they are in jail.

I am very happy to hear that shockwave made the list, he's needed to pull some Abu-garib type torture on the cobras ;)

I am fine with the team as of now, but I agree with you in saying that at least beach-head should have showed up in there.

In my personal Joeverse:

Mercer does not exist. Come to think of it, none of the Renagades exist. Sergeant Slaughter doesn't exist either, just because I think he's dumb.

Shockwave is definitely the dude to call if you have to storm a building full of hostages, but he wouldn't make my 12 man team.

Here you go (assuming that Snake Eyes, Roadblock, Clutch, Mirage, Mayday, Hawk, etc... are out and Duke is in command):
1. Wild Bill - you need reliable transportation/air support. He's your man.
2. Steeler - I would take Clutch if he was available, but if you can drive a tank you can drive a truck, car, or jeep.
3. Lady Jaye - intelligence
4. Stalker - no brainer
5. Rock n Roll - need a machine gunner, so it's him or Repeater. I'll take Rock n Roll
6. Flint - you need him for his versitility and leadership
7. Spirit - with Snake Eyes gone, who's gonna sneak around?
8. Dialtone - commo guy is a must.
9. Firewall - I actually think this is a good choice, but she needs to stop being a teenie bopper and start bringing the (cyber) pain.
10. Zap - the man does explosives, shoots rockets, and can fly a helicopter in a pinch
11. Torpedo - SEALs are the real deal.
12. Gung Ho - veteran leadership and sheer brute strength.

Grand Slam I like due to his obscurity, but what do you need a Heavy Artillery Laser/JUMP Jet Pack operator for over other things? Mercer and Shockwave I've already talked about. Is a Seal not better than a sailor in this situation? Barrel Roll can fly a jet, but are you going to send Wild Bill out to pasture for a rookie? And isn't including Lifeline just a little bit pessimistic? There are twelve of you, and at least one is going to eat hot lead. Good luck out there.

Any more opinions out there guys/gals?

ok
the team needs a resident bad *****
hence mercer hes tough ex cobra and dosen't lose his head in major battle situations and from the cobra island books is brave

spirit has always been a fearless and reliable soldier and has a ton of other specialties

lifeline medic nuff said

barrel roll good rep for the newer joes reminds me of a younger duke

stalker obvious good choice

flint good leader good soldier

lady jaye tough and smart

shipwreck has always been reliable for nething

and gung ho is just gung ho
can't go wrong with gung ho

now on the other hand
i HATE grand slam
what is he good for neways
die

firewall ok if she stays on the comp i can deal otherwise bad choice

shockwave
meh what can i say about shockwave
they may need an urban combat specialist but i just dunno


as for my what the hells

where is beachhead?????
how can you not have beachhead
hes basically the ultimate in career soldiers in the joe universe

and rock n roll
where is rock n roll
now hes gonna have shave his beard again
jeez!!!

I would assume that Barrell Roll made the team to set up a story arc about Blackout and Bombshell. So that should be interesting since we havnt really had a compelling grand epic since the origin of snake eyes about 20 years ago.

First of all, I hate the idea of limiting the team to twelve. But I suppose that is irrelevent to this post so here would be my list.

Duke
Snake Eyes
Scarlett
Stalker
Flint
Lady Jaye
Gung Ho
Shipwreck
Spirit
Grunt
Dial Tone
Barrel Roll