Meet The Rangers: Marvel’s Southwestern Superhero Team
When people think of superhero teams, the Avengers or X-Men usually come to mind. But tucked deep in Marvel Comics’ rich universe is a team made for the desert heat, cowboy boots, and wide-open skies: The Rangers. This eclectic crew of heroes hails from the American Southwest, including a standout member straight from El Paso, Texas.
Formed in the early 1980s, The Rangers first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #265 (1981), answering a distress call that brought them together for the first time. Since then, they’ve occasionally reassembled to defend their region against supernatural threats, rogue robots, and even Skrull invasions.
Who Are The Rangers? A Breakdown of the Team
The Rangers are a regional team with a Wild West flair, blending traditional superheroics with a Texas twist. Here are the core members:
Shooting Star (Victoria Starwin) – A skilled trick-shooter from El Paso who uses twin pistols and acrobatics in battle.
Firebird (Bonita Juarez) – A devout Catholic from New Mexico with the power of flight and pyrokinetic abilities.
Texas Twister (Drew Daniels) – A cowboy from Amarillo who can create tornado-force winds with a spin.
Red Wolf (William Talltrees) – A Native American hero with spiritual connections and heightened abilities.
Living Lightning (Miguel Santos) – A Latino superhero who can transform into pure electricity and travel at lightning speed.
Each member brings their own regional flavor and background, making the Rangers one of Marvel’s most diverse and culturally rich teams, even if they're criminally underused.
Fun Fact: Their first outing as a team wasn’t a minor mission. It was a showdown with The Incredible Hulk. That’s right, the jade giant himself. In The Incredible Hulk #265 (1981), a mysterious distress signal lures each hero to a New Mexico lab, where they accidentally converge and, without any formal alliance, take on one of Marvel’s most powerful characters. Imagine assembling for the first time and going toe-to-toe with the Hulk. That’s not just gutsy, that’s legendary.
Let that sink in: Marvel introduced this team by throwing them straight into the deep end against the Hulk, and then barely used them again. It’s one of the greatest examples of potential left on the shelf.
El Paso’s Own Hero: Shooting Star
Before Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle made national headlines for being from El Paso, there was Victoria Starwin, aka Shooting Star. Born and raised in El Paso, she’s one of the few Marvel characters with canon roots in the Sun City.
Victoria started out as a rodeo performer and trick shooter, often billed alongside her partner Texas Twister. Her father was a wealthy oil tycoon, which gave her access to training, equipment, and the high-flying cowboy lifestyle.
She doesn’t have superpowers in the traditional sense, but she doesn’t need them. Her aim is impeccable, and her gymnastic agility makes her a force to be reckoned with. She’s held her own against Skrulls and otherworldly threats, armed with nothing but twin pistols and sharp instincts.
Weird Twist: For a time, it was revealed that Shooting Star had been possessed by a demon. Yes, a literal demon. Classic Marvel.
The Rangers' Appearances and Legacy
The Rangers aren’t a full-time squad, but they’ve had memorable appearances in Marvel continuity:
Incredible Hulk #265 (1981): Their debut, forming to battle the Hulk.
Scarlet Spider Vol. 2: The team reforms to investigate supernatural disturbances in Houston.
Civil War: The Initiative: They're listed as part of the Texas-based superhero response after the Superhuman Registration Act.
Cool Detail: In the Scarlet Spider run, the team is seen working more formally together, kind of like the Texas version of the Avengers with actual state-based jurisdiction.
While they haven’t had their own standalone comic run (yet), they remain a cult-favorite team, especially among fans who love regional representation.
Why Marvel’s Rangers Were Never Given a Full Series
Despite debuting with a literal bang, fighting the Hulk in their first appearance!! The Rangers have remained a rare presence in the Marvel Universe. So why haven’t they been given the spotlight they deserve?
Limited Appearances: After their Hulk debut, they only showed up a handful of times, including in Scarlet Spider and Civil War: The Initiative. Their lack of a regular presence likely hurt their staying power.
Perceived as Too Niche: With their Western-inspired aesthetics and Texas-to-New Mexico regionalism, the team may have seemed too specific for mass appeal during an era dominated by New York-centric heroes.
No Major Controversies, Just Neglect: There’s no evidence of controversy or backlash surrounding the characters. If anything, they were quietly set aside in favor of flashier teams with more prominent titles.
Fan Interest Still Exists: Online forums like CBR show that there’s still interest in seeing The Rangers revived. Fans suggest modernizing the team and updating their costumes and team dynamics for new audiences.
Marvel has proven time and again that no character is ever truly forgotten. With the rise of regionally diverse and culturally grounded storytelling, The Rangers could still find their place in the spotlight. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll see Shooting Star return to represent El Paso once more, pistols blazing.
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Gallery Credit: Grizz