The Initiative was a plan set up by the US government and by Tony Stark as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. which sought to protect the country, with a program that created multiple superhero teams. This was all part of a much larger security plan set out by Stark.
The State Initiative resulted in multiple heroes being created and a number of other vigilantes and teams getting their own reinvention. A number of interesting characters were brought to the forefront due to this story. Here are 10 characters from The Initiative story who should return.
10 Hardball
Hardball was actually a more complex member of the Initiative. One of the early graduates, he eventually defected to Hydra, betraying the team and getting arrested. He'd be an interesting villain to make a comeback.
As someone who had drunk the Avengers kool-aid, it was fascinating to see the young hero make this drastic choice to leave Camp Hammond behind. Roger Brokeridge's powers were very unique, as he could harness balls of energy which could achieve a number of things.
9 Cloud 9
Appearing as part of the Initiative and later within the Avengers Academy, Cloud 9 has the power to float in the sky on what appears to be a cloud. Her abilities have been developed over the course of her character arc.
Once dreaming of the fun of being a hero, Cloud 9 has dropped that naivety and become a little more gritty in her attitude. So many years on, it would be appropriate to revisit the character and see how she is coping with the superhero world, as a reserve for the Champions.
8 The Scarlet Spiders
The Scarlet Spider is usually associated with Ben O'Reilly, but there's also a team of three Scarlet Spiders, which sport the Iron-Spider armor that Peter Parker once used, and the brothers are actually all clones.
The group has been nicknamed Red Team and is an absolutely lethal group of warriors. Cloned from another hero, MVP, Michael, Van, and Patrick enjoyed increased strength, endurance, and agility alongside the gifts of those Iron Man created suits.
7 MVP
Michael Van Patrick, or MVP, was one of the most powerful recruits for the 50 State Initiative. As a relative of the original creator of the super-soldier serum, MVP gained many of the abilities associated with Captain America.
Despite being such a good recruit, he was unfortunately killed during training. He was also cloned, which created The Red Team and KIA, a crazy and murderous version of the character. MVP could absolutely make a cloned comeback and remind the Avengers of their past sins.
6 Armory
Armory was bonded with an incredibly powerful alien weapon, which she could barely control. While she would have made an excellent recruit for the strength that she harnessed, she was too volatile.
It was Armory that had accidentally killed MVP and she was taken away and imprisoned for her own safety. This would have likely deeply impacted the character and she should return as an extremely dangerous villain.
5 Komodo
Komodo had a number of issues while in the Avengers Initiative, although she did have a good heart despite the attitude that she put forward to her mentors. She was eventually kicked out of Avengers Academy, in part due to her association with Hardball; who she wished to send back to jail.
The character was based on the Lizard Formula that Doctor Connors had created for himself. With very similar powers she could return as a friend or foe to Spider-Man but perhaps would make a compelling rogue for Miles Morales to face off against.
4 Butterball
Appearing as part of the Initiative and in Avengers Academy, Butterball was often a laughing stock amongst the other recruits and mentors. The character is actually incredibly strong, as he is extremely invulnerable to most attacks.
This made him of great interest to some characters like Taskmaster, but he has rarely appeared since his initial creation. He dreamt of being a hero and would make a fun addition to a team like the Champions.
3 Slapstick
The cartoon based Slapstick is one of Marvel's most bizarre characters. Becoming a key part of the Initiative, the character can sometimes not be trusted, with a dark side emerging from him.
The character is also capable of great humor and is also able to break the fourth wall. He's quite a strange creation but one that completely changes the dynamic of a team when he is added to it.
2 Thor Girl
Thor Girl actually appeared before the Initiative. An alien, she was saved by Thor and inspired by her hero, took on the name and the attitude that came with it.
She probably has the capability of one day being one of the most powerful female Avengers but left Earth due to a misunderstanding with other heroes. It would be interesting to see her return alongside the new lore being created around the Mighty Thor.
1 Texas Twister
Texas Twister is a hero that has been around for some time. Despite being a bit of a veteran he's never really been given the respect he deserves. He even joined the resistance against Hydra Cap alongside other members of this list.
With the ability to create twisters by using the air around him, Texas Twister has a fun design and set of powers and could help to reinstate a number of old western heroes to the Marvel Universe.