Marvel’s New Champions: A Fresh Era of Young Heroes
After months of eager anticipation, the newest squad of young Marvel superheroes is finally taking center stage in their own series, New Champions. This team, comprised of original “sidekick” characters, first emerged in the New Champions Variant Cover series. Although the four main characters—Liberty, Hellrune, Cadet Marvel, and Moon Squire—have already made appearances as part of Hydra’s Assembly, this series marks their true introduction into the Marvel Universe as an independent team free from Hydra’s influence.
Some of the New Champions have already made appearances in other titles. For instance, Fantasma appeared in Ghost Rider: Robbie Reyes Special #1, and Maystorm was introduced in Ultimate X-Men #1. Fans are now thrilled to see these young heroes join forces to, as they put it, “Change The World.”
Exciting New Series Announcement
Marvel’s announcement regarding the upcoming New Champions series unveils a dynamic team led by writer Steve Foxe—who penned their debut as The Assembly in Spider-Woman—with artwork by Ivan Fiorelli, known for Daredevil: Woman Without Fear. Initially focusing on Hellrune, Liberty, Cadet Marvel, and Moon Squire, the series will gradually introduce additional New Champions. Marvel also teases four stunning covers for New Champions #1 by artists Gleb Melnikov, Paco Medina, Luciano Vecchio, and Federico Vicentini.
Who Are the New Champions?
What connects four young individuals—whose lives were disrupted by Hydra, a mysterious protégé of Scarlet Witch, a roller derby jammer cursed with supernatural powers, and a runaway from Wakanda? Not much, at first glance. However, when Hellrune’s enigmatic powers unite them, they must quickly learn to function as a team or face the deadly Cult of Hela.
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Yet, who exactly is the Cult of Hela?
Meet Marvel’s Fresh Young Heroes
Marvel continues to introduce vibrant young heroes, such as the Outliers from Uncanny X-Men and Kitty Pryde’s new protégés in Exceptional X-Men. The New Champions are set to become some of the most formidable among them. The team starts with the members of the Assembly—Hellrune, Liberty, Cadet Marvel, and Moon Squire—all of whom were captured, trained, and brainwashed by Hydra, until Spider-Woman intervened to break their mind control and restore their independence. Joining these four are Fantasma, a Brazilian roller-skating Ghost Rider, Amarantha, a new protégé of Scarlet Witch, and an unnamed runaway from Wakanda.
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Drama, Intrigue, and Dark Connections
Marvel promises plenty of drama and intrigue, hinting that not all the New Champions are destined for heroism. Some have deep, dark ties to established Marvel lore that could lead to disaster. Notably, the dangerous Agatha Harkness appears frightened of young Amarantha, suggesting significant power and potential peril. Hellrune, an Asgardian-like hero with teleportation abilities, inadvertently gathers the New Champions, compelling them to unite against the Cult of Hela. While Hela, the Asgardian Goddess of Death, is a classic Marvel figure, her cult makes its thrilling debut as a formidable new foe.
Will the New Champions Meet Their Predecessors?
Many are excited about the New Champions’ debut, but fans of Kamala Khan’s Champions long for that team’s return. Consisting mainly of Ms. Marvel, Kid Nova, and Miles Morales, along with other heroes like Brawn, Viv Vision, and Nadia van Dyne, the Champions were a beloved teen team until Kamala’s Law outlawed underage heroics. Fans hope that the New Champions will eventually cross paths with members of the old Champions, as experienced heroes like Kamala or Miles would eagerly mentor these new young heroes.
For a deeper understanding of the starting members of the New Champions, check out Spider-Woman, Scarlet Witch, and the Robbie Reyes Special before the series launches next year!
New Champions #1 from Marvel Comics is set to debut on January 8th, 2025.
Source: Marvel Entertainment