With the current series trotting along, I thought I would take a look at the dark mirror version of the Avengers that grew in popularity in 2009 and had kind of waiver since.

The original Dark Avengers were brought together by Norman Osborn following the end of the Skrull Secret Invasion and the beginning of the Dark Reign story line that lasted into 2010. Avengers writer, Brian Michael Bendis decided to continue Warren Ellis's Thunderbolts story where Norman Osborn had been put in charge of the team following the end of the super hero Civil War and

became a hero by killing the Skrull Queen on national television. He was put in charge of the Superhuman Defense Initiative. After dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D., Norman makes himself Director of H.A.M.M.E.R., essentially the new S.H.I.E.L.D. Norman Osborn, already in charge of the Thunderbolts, decided that there was a need to make some new Avengers. Norman started recruiting internally from the T-Bolts to form the new Dark Avengers. Bullseye became the teams version of Hawkeye, Ares and Sentry went along with Osborn and when Ms. Marvel was asked to join, she refused. Moonstone then became the new Ms. Marvel, Wolverine's son Daken took his fathers role, Venom, Mac Gargan was given some kind of medicine to have him appear normal instead of a hulk-like monster to become Spider-Man and Noh-Varr took on the role of Captain Marvel instead of Marvel Boy. Finally, Osborn needed some kind of symbol to replace Captain America and Iron Man altogether, making himself the alter ego of the Iron Patriot. Osborn, with the help of The Ghost, hacked into Iron Man's vault to gain access to all of the Iron Man armors to create himself the Iron Patriot armor. A Press Conference was later held at Avengers Tower where Norman unveiled this newest incarnation of The Avengers.

The team was defeated following the return of Steve Rogers as Captain America and Norman Osborn's true self was revealed on camera. However, apparently the world forgot how much Norman had lost his mind... twiceNorman Osborn is being held in a high security prison where he makes friends with some villains and is able to escape. After his escape, his master plan to destroy the Avengers again with the power of H.AM.M.E.R, A.I.M. and his new team of Dark Avengers. His new team is made up of the following characters: Ragnarok, Gorgon, Skaar, The Decapitator, June Covington, Superia and Barney Barton. After gathering his team Norman goes to Avengers Mansion saying that he is still in charge. The Avengers and the New Avengers get in a fight with him but he is able to capture the Avengers and to have the President doing what he wants. His plans don't go as he thought and the Avengers escape and are ready for the last battle with him, but that is when they learn that Norman Osborn is a Super-Adaptoid and he overcharges himself and loses control. The Avengers would have lost if not for Skaar who was a mole in Norman's team and defeated the New Dark Avengers.

The Dark Avengers were then pushed on Luke Cage to reform since his team of Thunderbolts had escaped and were lost in time. However, following the team's return both the Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers clashed and the Thunderbolts defeated the Dark Avengers. In a turn, the Thunderbolts were released by Luke Cage to either reform or not while the Dark Avengers were to be put under new orders to be rebuilt until June Covington used her powers to cause Skaar to go crazy and destroy their quin jet. However, when Moonstone tried to stop the jet from crashing, Man-Thing used his powers and sent them to an alternate Earth where good was evil and evil was good and US Agent was put in charge of having the Dark Avengers fix this dark world.