1) Justice League
It’s basically a coin-flip between the Avengers and the Justice League, but we’ve plumped for DC’s all-star superteam here because of the, let’s face it, more iconic nature of its heroes. After all, the team is led by the terrific trinity of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Not even the combined might of Captain America, Iron Man and Thor can match that.
Over the years, the JLA has gone through many revamps and various rosters but the core seven – the Trinity joined by Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Martin Manhunter (or Cyborg since 2011) – has largely remained in place. With such fearsome enemies as Darkseid, the Crime Syndicate and the Injustice Gang, the team has been through some dark times, with lots of moral conundrums and multiversal crises along the way.
Created in 1960, the League is also the first of the modern superhero team-ups and therefore has inspired basically every single one that has come since (not least the Avengers). It’s a close call between them and Marvel’s crown jewel, but the mythical, grander nature of the JLA ultimately puts them on top.