View source for Force Works

{{short description|Marvel comics superhero team}}
{{Infobox comic book title
|image = Force Works no 1.jpg
|caption = Cover to ''Force Works'' #1 (July 1994). Art by Tom Tenney.
|schedule = Monthly
|ongoing = y
|publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
|startmo = July
|startyr = 1994
|endmo = April
|endyr = 1996
|issues = 22 plus 1 ashcan mini-comic
|main_char_team = [[Century (comics)|Century]]<br />Cybermancer<br />[[Iron Man]]<br />Moonraker<br />[[Scarlet Witch]]<br />[[Julia Carpenter|Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)]]<br />[[U.S. Agent (comics)|U.S. Agent]]<br />[[War Machine]]<br />[[Wonder Man]]
|writers = [[Dan Abnett]] (plots)<br />[[Andy Lanning]] (scripts)
|artists =
|pencillers = Tom Tenney (Ashcan; #1–4)<br />Tod Smith (#5)<br />[[Dave Taylor (comics)|Dave Taylor]] (#6–7)<br />[[Staz Johnson]] (#8)<br />[[Jim Calafiore]] (#9–12)<br />Dave Ross (#13–14)<br />[[Jim Cheung]] (#15–17)<br />Yancey Labat (#18, 21)<br />Hector Oliveira (#19–20)<br />[[Andrew Wildman]] (#21–22)
|inkers = [[Michael Avon Oeming]] (Ashcan)<br />Rey Garcia (#1–4, 6–7, 9–13, 15–22)<br />Kevin Yates (#5)<br />Don Hudson (#8)<br />Mark McKenna (#14)<br />[[Sandu Florea]] (#21)<br />[[Sergio Cariello]] (#21)
|colorists = Joe Rosas
|letterers = Susan Crespi (Ashcan)<br />[[Jack Morelli]] (#1–22)
|editors = [[Tom DeFalco]]<br />Nelson Yomtov<br />Mike Marts
|creative_team_month =
|creative_team_year =
|creators = [[Dan Abnett]]<br>[[Andy Lanning]]<br>Tom Tenney
|subcat = Marvel Comics
|sort = Force Works
}}
'''Force Works''' is the name of two [[superhero]] teams appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]].

==Publication history==
The first version of Force Works appeared in the [[comic book]] ''Force Works'' #1 (July 1994), created by writers [[Dan Abnett]] and [[Andy Lanning]] and initially drawn by Tom Tenney.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Josie |date=June 23, 2011 |title=Abnett & Lanning Revive "Resurrection Man" |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32837 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623170044/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32837 |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> The team was formed from the remains of the [[West Coast Avengers]], after leader [[Iron Man]] left the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] due to an internal dispute. Force Works maintained a different outlook than that of the Avengers, trying to preempt natural and man-made disasters.<ref>{{cite book |last1=DeFalco |first1=Tom |last2=Sanderson |first2=Peter |last3=Brevoort |first3=Tom |last4=Teitelbaum |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |last6=Darling |first6=Andrew |last7=Forbeck |first7=Matt |last8=Cowsill |first8=Alan |last9=Bray |first9=Adam |title=The Marvel Encyclopedia |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-7890-0 |page=138}}</ref>

The second version of Force Works was mentioned in ''[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]'' #6.

==Fictional team biography==

===From the ashes of West Coast Avengers===
Force Works began shortly after the [[West Coast Avengers]] disbanded.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=q0zLRBmMZk0C&pg=PA252 The Superhero Book], p.252</ref> [[Tony Stark]], otherwise known as the superhero [[Iron Man]], sought to form a superhero group with a different philosophy than its predecessors (most notably the East Coast branch of the Avengers): they would not just stop disasters, but prevent them. The team was initially composed of Iron Man, [[U.S. Agent]], [[Julia Carpenter|Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)]], [[Scarlet Witch]], and [[Wonder Man]]. By the end of their first mission, Wonder Man was thought dead at the hands of the invading [[Kree]], and shortly thereafter the alien [[Century (comics)|Century]] replaced him.<ref>''Force Works'' #1</ref> The group used a combination of the Chaos Computer (a [[supercomputer]] that used incoming information to predict future events) and the Scarlet Witch's powers to attempt to prevent major world problems.

Force Works used a [[Stark Enterprises]] facility known as The Works as their base. The building was fully equipped for the team's use; it featured powerful security and stealth systems and incorporated [[nanotechnology]] that would repair the building if it were damaged. It was maintained by a Stark Industries staff, leaving Force Works to focus on its duties. The facility was also administered by an [[artificial intelligence]] system called P.L.A.T.O. (Piezo-electrical Logistic Analytical Tactical Operator). The Works also included living and training accommodations and could also produce hard-light [[holography|holographs]].

Although Force Works was officially led by the Scarlet Witch, Iron Man would often act insubordinately and make his own decisions during their missions. Later it was revealed that Iron Man was under the influence of the time-traveling villain [[Kang the Conqueror]] (even later revealed to be his future self [[Immortus]] in disguise). The team fought several battles, existed for just less than two years, and disbanded. Most of its members rejoined the Avengers or sank into obscurity.

Shortly after the disintegration of the group, Tony Stark died in his attempts to regain control of himself from "Kang" and was replaced by a younger, alternate-reality version of himself. The original Stark did not remain dead for long, due to the events that culminated in the "[[Heroes Reborn (1996 comic)|Heroes Reborn]]" storyline.

===Force Works in the Fifty State Initiative===
A new version of Force Works was mentioned as being active and sent to [[Iowa]] as a part of the [[Fifty State Initiative]]. Although no members were shown or even named. According to editor [[Tom Brevoort]] on a [[Newsarama]] interview it could be that the team consists of new super-heroes, some could be existing "Pro-reg" heroes and some could be established heroes "with an upgrade".<ref>''Civil War'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Force Works was again mentioned as a team when [[War Machine]] was sent into space to deal with attacking [[Skrulls]]. Investigating a Stark satellite, he discovered Cybermancer there, and it was implied by War Machine she was a member of Force Works.<ref>''Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' #33. Marvel Comics.</ref>

==Members==
* [[Iron Man]]
* [[Century (comics)|Century]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiland |first=Jonah |date=February 20, 2006 |title=Keith Giffen & Andy Schmidt Answer Your "Annihilation" Questions, Part 1 |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=6468 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007102136/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=6468 |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref>
* Cybermancer
* Moonraker
* [[Scarlet Witch]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=q0zLRBmMZk0C&pg=PA417 The Superhero Book], p.417</ref>
* [[Julia Carpenter|Spider-Woman]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=q0zLRBmMZk0C&pg=PA465 The Superhero Book], p.465</ref><ref>Mike Conroy, 500 Great Comicbook Action Heroes, Barrons Educational Series, p.214</ref>
* [[U.S. Agent]]
* [[War Machine]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eason |first=Brian K. |date=May 6, 2010 |title=THE IRON MANUAL: War Machine |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26122 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510002236/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26122 |archive-date=May 10, 2010 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref>
* [[Wonder Man]]
* [[Solo (Marvel Comics)|Solo]]
* [[Gauntlet (Joseph Green)|Gauntlet]]
* [[Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)|Mockingbird]]
* [[Daisy Johnson|Quake]]
* [[Maria Hill]]

==Collections==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Material collected !! Date Released !! ISBN
|-
| ''Avengers/Iron Man: Force Works''
| ''Force Works'' #1–15, ''Force Works: Ashcan Edition''; ''Century: Distant Sons'' #1; material from ''Iron Man/Force Works Collectors' Preview''
|May 2016
|{{ISBNT|978-1302900564}}
|-
|''Iron Man/War Machine: Hands of the Mandarin''
|''War Machine'' #8–10, ''Iron Man'' #310–312, ''Force Works'' #6–7 and material from ''Marvel Comics Presents'' #169–172
|May 2013
|{{ISBNT|978-0785184287}}
|-
|''Avengers: The Crossing''
|''Avengers'' #390–395, ''The Crossing'' #1, ''Timeslide'' #1; ''Iron Man'' #319–325; ''Force Works'' #16–22; ''War Machine'' #20–25; ''Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man'' #1
|May 2012
|{{ISBNT| 978-0785162032}}
|}

==In other media==
[[Image:Force Works 30.jpg|thumb|right|Force Works as depicted in ''[[Iron Man (TV series)|Iron Man]]''. From left to right: Spider-Woman, War Machine, Iron Man, Century, Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch.]]
Force Works appears in the first season of ''[[Iron Man (TV series)|Iron Man]]'' (1994), consisting of [[Iron Man]], [[War Machine]], [[Julia Carpenter|Spider-Woman]], the [[Scarlet Witch]], [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]], and [[Century (comics)|Century]]. Additionally, [[U.S. Agent]] appears in the eight-issue comic adaptation of the series.
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Force_Works_(Earth-616) Force Works I] at Marvel Wiki
* [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Force_Works_(Initiative)_(Earth-616) Force Works II] at Marvel Wiki
* {{comicbookdb|type=team|id=308}}
* {{gcdb series|id=5009}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=4017}}

{{Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning}}
{{Iron Man}}
{{Avengers}}
{{Avengers publications}}

[[Category:Avengers (comics) titles]]
[[Category:Characters created by Andy Lanning]]
[[Category:Characters created by Dan Abnett]]
[[Category:Comics by Andy Lanning]]
[[Category:Comics by Dan Abnett]]
[[Category:Iron Man titles]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics superhero teams]]