The Great Lakes Avengers (also known as The Lightning Rods, The Great Lakes X-Men, The Great Lakes Champions, and The Great Lakes Initiative) are a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters were introduced in West Coast Avengers #46 (July 1989), and were created by John Byrne. Publication history The team first appeared in West Coast Avengers vol. 2 #46 and then made appearances in issues #48–49 and #64, and a cameo appearance in Avengers West Coast Annual #6. The GLA also make an appearance in issue #309 of Avengers and in the 1990 Avengers Annual. This was followed by appearances in issues #15–17 and #25 of Thunderbolts and issues #10–11 and #61 of Deadpool. In 2005, the GLA were featured in a self-titled, four-issue mini-series (written by Dan Slott) and the one-shot, GLX-Mas Special. This was followed in 2006 by a minor appearance in I ♥ Marvel: Masked Intentions, The Thing vol. 2, #8, and Cable and Deadpool #30. In 2007, the team was featured in the one-shot Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular. The team also made cameo appearances in issues #19 and #25 of Avengers: The Initiative and a minor appearance in issue #3 of Age of Heroes. In 2011, the team made an appearance in issue #6 of Fear Itself: The Home Front. A new volume and ongoing series of the team debuted in 2016 from writer Zac Gorman (Rick & Morty) and artist Will Robson (Star-Lord). Seven issues were published for this series before ending. Since then, the team and its associated cast have had only minor appearances and cameos in other Marvel comics. Team name The team has changed its name on several occasions. The Avenger Hawkeye first protests their use of the name "Avengers", and eventually the GLA are sent a cease-and-desist order by the Maria Stark Foundation. The team rename themselves the Lightning Rods after fellow super-team, the Thunderbolts. While working for S.H.I.E.L.D., Mr. Immortal suggests a name-change to S.W.O.R.D., although ultimately the team's name is changed to the Great Lakes X-Men when its members collectively realize that they are all mutants. After another cease and desist — this time from Marvel Girl of the X-Men — the GLA rename themselves the Great Lakes Champions. Following the events of Avengers: Civil War, the team operated as the Great Lakes Initiative in the state of Wisconsin. Some time