A talking van is the Avengers’ last hope in this Occupy Avengers exclusive

Occupy Avengers has been Marvel’s strongest Avengers series this year, so it’s a pity that the book has struggled to gain an audience. Much of the blame can be placed on the title, which ties the book to a social movement that lost steam years ago. But it didn’t help that the book spun out of Civil War II, a messy event that hurt nearly every character that was involved. But there are a lot of storytelling possibilities in the concept of Hawkeye hitting the road and building his own team of superheroes to solve the problems faced by smaller communities, and writer David F. Walker has used this idea to comment on larger American issues with a cast that represents the diversity of this country. Time-displaced Native American warrior Red Wolf, reformed villain Tilda “Nightshade” Johnson, and Wheels Wolinski, a forgotten face from the ’80s Marvel miniseries Wolfpack, have all joined Hawkeye on his mission to help the little guys, and the series has showcased Walker’s appreciation of Marvel history and the characters that have faded away over time.