MEGAN MCLAREN

Real Name: Megan McLaren

Identity/Class: Human, citizen of the United States

Occupation: Television reporter

Group Membership: WJBP-tv newscrew (Kenny, Marty, unidentified others),

Affiliations: Betty Brant, Captain America (Steve Rogers), Derek Chiang, Citizen V (Baron Helmut Zemo), Ken Ellis, Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Terrence Gerard, Marcia Hardesty, J. Jonah Jameson, Peter Parker, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Trish Tilby, Chili Storm, Stunt-Master (George Smith), Ben Urich

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, New York.

First Appearance: Thunderbolts I#1 (April, 1997)

Powers/Abilities: Megan McLaren possesses no known superhuman abilities. A trained, determined television journalist with an eye for metahuman related news, she is not afraid to ask tough questions.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'7")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 130 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

History:
(Marvels: Eye of the Camera I#6) - Anchoring NTN's live coverage of ongoing superhero activities, Megan McLaren broke news that the mutant X-Men had reportedly died in Dallas. She then turned to NTN news producer Marcia Hardesty who gave an impromptu account of events before they had to switch to reporter Derek Chiang with a breaking news story in New York: Cyclops and Marvel Girl were seen preventing a giant space ship from crashing into Manhattan. 

(Thunderbolts I#1 (fb) - In the weeks following the Onslaught incident that left large parts of New York City in ruins, Megan McLaren was preparing an in depth report on the aftermath for WJBP-TV. She did street interviews with survivors, reported on the loss of the Fantastic Four and Avengers and was present when rescue workers began clearing out the debris, rubble and destroyed Sentinels. 

(Thunderbolts I#1) - In the WJPB editing room, Megan watched a rough draft of her news report, discussing the tone and message with her editor Kenny who felt she might be scaring the viewership with the message that all of the FF and Avengers villains like the Lava Men, Blastaar and the Masters of Evil were still out there with no one but "mutant terrorists, outlaws vigilantes and monsters like the Hulk" to fight them. McLaren didn't feel she was scaring the public any more than they already are. 

(Thunderbolts I#1 - BTS) - McLaren and most other local and national news outlets were present for the debut of the Thunderbolts, their first press conference and confrontation with the Wrecking Crew that ended with them rebuilding the damaged Statue of Liberty.  

(Thunderbolts I#8) - When the Elements of Doom attacked New York City and erected a massive citadel in Central Park, Megan McLaren was on hand to report the story. With the Thunderbolts captured by the Elements, McLaren watched a dozen other vigilantes and teams like the New Warriors, Heroes for Hire, Magdalene, Swordsman, Spider-Man and Daredevil deal with the menace. After the Thunderbolts managed to regroup and beat the Elements, Megan got to briefly interview Citizen V, asking about Techno's mysterious new look (after his physical body had been killed off, his tech-pac created a mechanical form for his disembodied, digitized intelligence). V refused to comment and left with his exhausted teammates.

(Heroes for Hire I#7) - After the Thunderbolts had helped the Heroes for Hire contain the Super-Adaptoid that had been running amok at Oracle Inc, Citizen V talked to Megan McLaren. He smugly claimed his team was called when the Heroes for Hire were "unable to deal with the situation". Watching McLaren's report, the Heroes for Hire wondered if V was just a glory hound or something more.

(X-Men II#71) - Megan McLaren went live on the air to report the return of the Avengers and Fantastic Four. The news was so emotional it briefly caused her to choke up.

(Avengers III#1) - Acting on tips from sources, Megan took a camera crew and waited around Avengers Mansion hoping to catch a glimpse of founding members Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man and Wasp who had come together to talk about the recent attacks on most of their membership. Speculating that the team might be reorganizing, she wished them well.

(Avengers III#4) - McLaren was one of many reporters waiting outside Avengers Mansion for the expected announcement of the team's definitive line up. She also showed footage of a contingent of Avengers and associates stumbling over themselves in their failed attempt to stop Whirlwind from robbing a bank. In response to the "embarrassing moment for a proud team", spokespeople for the Avengers promised the team would swiftly cut the membership down to a manageable number. Some time later, McLaren briefly interviewed She-Hulk, Black Knight, Crystal and Quicksilver as they left the mansion. She got all of them to confirm they wouldn't be on the new team. Later still, Megan instructed her cameraman Marty to zoom in on Moondragon, Starfox and Tigra as they flew away from the mansion. Near the end of the day, the Avengers' new security liaison Duane Freeman came out to introduce the new lineup. Megan told Marty to zoom in on Captain America as he got ready to let out the team's famous rallying cry: "Avengers assemble!"

(Thunderbolts I#17) - In the aftermath of the Thunderbolts' fight against Graviton in the town of Cottonwood, Megan McLaren and her crew came to Wyoming to report on the devastation. She ended her piece with the observation that "five wanted criminals came to this tiny town today... And they got away clean" (see comments).

(Spider-Man Unlimited I#22) - Roxxon executive Terence Gerard invited Megan McLaren and other reporters like Ken Ellis, J. Jonah Jameson, Peter Parker, Betty Brant, Ben Urich and Trish Tilby to attend a press conference at One Roxxon Plaza in New York. Before the event started, Ellis unsuccessfully tried to flirt with McLaren. Gerard then took the stage to reveal that the Scorpion had agreed to become their new ultimate super weapon against terrorism and subversion in America. The conference was cut short when one of the reporters turned out to be a suicide bomber who was swiftly dealt with by Spider-Man.

(Avengers III#10) - Megan covered Avengers Day on behalf of Channel 3, talking to fans of the superhero team who were waiting for the heroes to pass by on a parade float. After a few quick interviews, she introduced the hosts of the parade Chili Storm and Stunt-Master. Once the Avengers and their float reached Central Park, McLaren returned to the air to report on the dedication of a plaque commemorating all their fallen members. The ceremony was cut short by the sudden arrival of the ghostly Grim Reaper who summoned zombified versions of dead Avengers to fight the team. McLaren kept reporting on the events until a mysterious energy barrier moved her and all the other bystanders out of the way.

(Avengers III#11) - McLaren continued to keep her viewers updated on the situation in Central Park. She witnessed several heroes unsuccessfully trying to breach the Grim Reaper's energy barrier: from Spider-Man and Daredevil to the Fantastic Four and even the Stunt-Master who decided to ram the barrier with his stunt-cycle at full speed.

(Avengers III#12) - Megan McLaren broke the news that Hawkeye had been spotted in Colorado helping renegade Thunderbolts members Songbird and Mach-1 escape local authorities.

(Thunderbolts I#26) - McLaren reported on the favorable press Hawkeye and the Thunderbolts received after bringing down the Crimson Cowl's Masters of Evil. Authorities were scrambling to find prison space for 23 new inmates while legal action was being prepared against them.

(Avengers III#19) - Megan McLaren joined several other reporters for a press conference at Avengers Mansion to address the team's ongoing bad publicity. Captain America hoped that some one on one time with journalists might improve relations with the press, but instead the Avengers got peppered with harsh questions. McLaren wanted to know about the team's alleged intolerant conduct against the Triune Understanding. The conference was cut short when a desperate, exhausted Wasp burst through a window looking for help because Hank Pym had been abducted. McLaren and her fellow newsmen were swiftly escorted out, which only fueled their outrage.

(Avengers III#27) - McLaren and her cameraman Marty reported on the Avengers' latest line up change that occurred in the midst of ongoing public protests over the team's perceived lack of inclusivity (actually a scheme concocted by the Triune Understanding). Megan spotted Hank and Jan arrive in their tiny beeper plane, but before she could ask them for a comment they witnessed Thor furiously storming out of the mansion and taking off. Later that day, McLaren and her fellow reporters watched as newly appointed chairwoman Janet van Dyne announced the new line up that now included prominent Triune member Triathlon.

Comments: Created by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley, Vince Russell.

Ah, Megan... Every half decent writer introduces an exposition device disguised as a reporter and you were Kurt Busiek's go to gal for Thunderbolts and Avengers. Ironically, while Marvels: Eye of the camera is her most recent appearance to date, it's also her earliest chronologically speaking. This also establishes that McLaren has been active as early as the events of Uncanny X-Men I#227. Because of this, it stands to reason Megan has encountered and interviewed many metahumans over the years. Yet, for clarity's sake only people she interacted with on panel are included under affiliations. 

It's never explained why a local New York reporter suddenly popped up in Wyoming to report on the Thunderbolts - Graviton encounter. Yet, the art clearly indicates it's Megan McLaren. Maybe she continued to do some freelance reporting on the side?

Several sources claim Megan McLaren also makes an appearance in JLA/Avengers I#4. There is one unidentified female reporter wearing a hard hat reporting from New York that might be Megan. Given Kurt Busiek's obvious fondness for the character and the fact everyone else pops up in that comic, it's certainly possible. However, when asked, even Busiek couldn't recall if he intended it to be Megan in the story.   

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Megan McLaren should not be confused with:

• Meggan @ Mighty World of Marvel I#7
• Trish Tilby @ X-Factor I#7
  
• or any other "Megan" or "McLaren" characters 

Kenny

Kenny worked as an editor at WJPB. When he helped Megan put together her latest report on New York coping with the loss of the Fantastic Four and Avengers, he commented that the piece might scare the viewership. McLaren didn't mind: they had every reason to be scared.

- Thunderbolts I#1

Marty

- Avengers III#4 & 27

images: (without ads)
Heroes for Hire I#7, p21, pan1 (main image)
Marvels Eye of the Camera I#6, p24, pan5 (reports on X-Men in Dallas)
Thunderbolts I#8, p2, pan4 (interviews Citizen V)
Avengers III#10, p18, pan4 (on Avengers Day)
Avengers III#27, p17, pan4 (watches Hank and Jan arrive)
Thunderbolts I#1, p10, pan4 (Kenny Megan McLaren editor)
Avengers III#4, p14, pans8&9 (Marty)

Appearances:
Thunderbolts I#1 (April, 1997) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Vince Russell (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#8 (November, 1997) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writers), Mark Bagley (pencils), Vince Russell (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Heroes for Hire I#7 (January, 1998) - John Ostrander (writer), Pascual Ferry (pencils), Jaime Mendoza (inks), Mark Bernardo (editor)
X-Men II#71 (January, 1998) - Steve Seagle (writer), Carlos Pacheco (pencils), Art Thibert (inks), Mark Powers (editor)
Avengers III#1 (February, 1998) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#4 (May, 1998) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey & Bob Wiacek (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#17 (August, 1998) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Spider-Man Unlimited I#22 (November, 1998) - Mark Bernardo (writer), Mike Deodato Jr. (pencils), Joe Pimentel (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers III#10 (November, 1998) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#11 (December, 1998) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#12 (January, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#26 (May, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers III#19 (August, 1999) - Kurt Busiek (writer), George Pérez (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Marvels: Eye Of The Camera I#6 (April, 2010) - Kurt Busiek & Roger Stern (writers), Jay Anacleto (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First Posted: 01/22/2022
Last updated: 01/22/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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