Because the World Still Needs Heroes - Champions Appreciation 2019

[skyvolt2000]

I would like to think Marvel has learned it's lesson about splitting a fanbase and won't be stupid enough to try that. Now if a Nova movie is being made and they decide to use Sam instead of Rich I can see them going full synergy and doing that, for ask the good it will do them.

Quasar on the other hand...

What lesson???

A lot of these complaints come down to this-"I don't want to walk into a comic book store and see THAT person on the cover of a book." You could have given them a Rich book written by whoever you think is the best writer and artist in comics.

You would have seen goalpost moving galore to NOT buy it and in some stores not sell it.

Same with this book look at the roster-5 of the leads have had hate campaigns against them since DAY ONE. Yet go beyond the comic book store-no one has an issue with any of them and some of those trades beat the guys from Distinguishing Competition.

[Digifiend]

I'm betting it'll get relaunched...unless Young Avengers comes back to replace it as a teen Superhero book.

I hope one or both of those happen (relaunch and YA launch). Zub does have a new book due to be announced by the end of summer (i.e. November solicits) so I'm certain this is Zub's last issue - I've tweeted him to ask if he's off the book (but not if it's cancelled - issue 18 of the previous volume looked like a finale too, and Waid said it wasn't cancelled - but what he didn't say was that he was off the book).

I notice Wasp isn't on that cover... does that mean she's left the team permanently and won't be back before #10?

[Grimm911]

Checking with the physical sales numbers for comic shops, the series seems to be doing its average high to mid 19,000’s and we also have to think of digital sales as well. Truthfully I wouldn’t be surprised by a switch up from a creative team since Zub is crazy busy lately. But I don’t think the series has hit the low sales numbers that warrant a full cancellation yet.

[Stature]

Bad news guys. Stick a fork in it, it's done.

CHAMPIONS #10
JIM ZUB (W) • STEVEN CUMMINGS (A)
Cover by KIM JACINTO
• The next generation made a vow to do better.
• Now, they have to live up to it, as the future of the Champions hangs in the balance.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Kamala's lost her Team-Up book as well.

I'm kinda lost. Is it done because of speculation from the description or am I missing something?

[Grimm911]

I'm kinda lost. Is it done because of speculation from the description or am I missing something?

Most of it is just us speculating due to the description.

[CrimsonEchidna]

I got two frames of mind with this. It could just be the end of Zub's run, with the book getting relaunched under a new writer.

The more cynical part of me thinks it could be Marvel finally coming around to clean house since, for the sake of their brand, "Marvel Rising/Secret Warriors" seems to be their go to multi-media teen group going forward.

[Frontier]

I got two frames of mind with this. It could just be the end of Zub's run, with the book getting relaunched under a new writer.

The more cynical part of me thinks it could be Marvel finally coming around to clean house since, for the sake of their brand, "Marvel Rising/Secret Warriors" seems to be their go to multi-media teen group going forward.

I could kind of see a "Marvel Rising" book that's a wholesale Marvel teen hero, so it can include everybody from the New Warriors, Young Avengers, Young Allies, Champions, etc.

But I feel like Marvel's been trying to keep that stuff isolated from the mainline Marvel books so I'm not sure if they'd go for something like that.

[Anthony W]

I got two frames of mind with this. It could just be the end of Zub's run, with the book getting relaunched under a new writer.

The more cynical part of me thinks it could be Marvel finally coming around to clean house since, for the sake of their brand, "Marvel Rising/Secret Warriors" seems to be their go to multi-media teen group going forward.

Right idea, wrong team. I think Marvel is finally getting around to launching another Young Avengers title. Kate Bishop is going to appear in Hawkeye. Cassie Lang/Stature showed up again in Avengers:Endgame. Scarlett Witch is set to get a series and a movie appearance with Dr. Strange so you know her twins will show up somehow. Hulking can be introduced via Captain Marvel. The MCU is moving the pieces into place for that. Marvel comics wants some of that synergy. They will probably fold Miles, Kamala, Sam and Vivian into a new Young Avengers team.

[Digifiend]

I could kind of see a "Marvel Rising" book that's a wholesale Marvel teen hero, so it can include everybody from the New Warriors, Young Avengers, Young Allies, Champions, etc.

But I feel like Marvel's been trying to keep that stuff isolated from the mainline Marvel books so I'm not sure if they'd go for something like that.

Did you read yesterday's issue of Marvel Rising? It was the final issue of it's second mini, and at the end of it, the group decided to be a team. After pitching several names, they chose Secret Warriors. A caption said "The End... for now". There may be plans for it to be back. Kamala and Miles are both on that team, despite Miles not being in the cartoon (he seems to have replaced Gwen due to her not being in 616, but Gwen is about to become available thanks to events in her solo). It's full roster currently is Kamala, Miles, Squirrel Girl, Inferno, Quake, Emulator (a character created for the first mini), and America Chavez. If they were to match the cartoon, the next one needs to add Ghost-Spider, Patriot and Ironheart.

However, I don't think a Rising ongoing would replace Champions. Sure, they could use four of the team members in it - but it also has a Young Avenger in the lineup. And Amadeus is in Agents of Atlas anyway, and it wouldn't be the first time Kamala was on two teams, considering she was also on the PREVIOUS Secret Warriors team with Inferno and Quake. It's possible for Rising and Champions to co-exist, and for Young Avengers to co-exist with one or both of those.

Let's think positively. If the book is relaunching, who would you want as the creative team and what roster changes do you want or expect to see?

[FantasticVision]

I’d want Eve Ewing given we know she can write at least Kamala and Riri.

Regardless of writer, I’d only expect Kamala, Miles and Riri to be definitely confirmed. Maybe we’d also see Viv as she’s probably the most iconic for being an actual Champion. Sam and Amadeus might not get in because Marvel doesn’t care about Sam beyond using his design in splash pages and they might see Amadeus as redundant with Riri around, and the rest of the roster would probably be down to the writer.

[Digifiend]

Agents of Atlas would also be an excuse for Ammy to go. Nadia and Miles have also appeared in Ironheart's book so that's four Champions Eve has written.

[mugiwara]

I'm gonna be sad when this is over. There are several characters here (Power Man, Snowguard, Falcon) who will end up in limbo.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, unless the book immediately relaunches, you're right.

Ms. Marvel - still has her solo.
Spider-Man - still has his solo.
Nova - probably limbo.
Brawn - Agents of Atlas.
Viv - likely to be in limbo, unless she gets involved in Iron Man, which Vision is about to show up in.
Nadia - ditto, as Janet's also in Iron Man.
Snowguard - the only way she's sticking around is an immediate Champions relaunch or if Zub gets Alpha Flight.
Ironheart - still has her solo.
Falcon - As long as the OTHER Falcon is in limbo, so will he.
Patriot - Ditto, unless he appears in a Marvel Rising comic.
Locust - probably limbo.
Dust - depends on the second wave X books. If there's a book with the teens she could be used there.
Pinpoint - definitely limbo.
Power Man - probably limbo.
Bombshell - will still appear in Miles's book.

[Dragonick]

It's over

Talking About Champions
Once the October solicits arrived online, I knew discussion would start around our current run. It’s with a heavy heart that I let all of you know CHAMPIONS will be wrapping up with issue #10.

I built this new take on the team as a way to try and bridge classic teen superheroic drama with an eclectic cast of characters – old school Marvel brought to the present with a new generation of heroes.

I took a risk with the book and it didn’t click the way we hoped, so my long-term plans for the series have been cut short. That’s the way it goes sometimes.

It hurts. Dressing that up any other way would be disingenuous. I wish it had worked out. I’m sorry I let you down.

The readers and reviewers who keyed into what we were going for were incredible. Their excitement kept us going month after month. If you didn’t get a chance to read the current run, I hope you’ll consider giving us a shot in single issues, collections, or digital.

Big thanks to our whole creative team – Steven Cummings, Marcio Menyz, Clayton Cowles, Juanan Ramirez, Kim Jacinto, and Rain Beredo. An even deeper thank you to editors CB Cebulski, Tom Brevoort, Alanna Smith, and Shannon Andrews for letting me run with this idea in the first place. The risk didn’t pay off this time, but the only way we can build new classic stories is to push out into the unknown and see what’s possible.

If you’re reading this and lamenting the future of your favorite young heroes, I can tell you that there are big plans for Marvel’s teens in 2020. I’ve heard about the next stage of the Champions story – It’s exciting, vibrant, and absolutely worthy of the House of Ideas. I’m a bit wistful that it’s not mine to tell, but also hopeful for the future of these inspiring young heroes.

Thanks for the support,
Jim

https://jimzub.tumblr.com/post/18654...solicits#notes
I'm very curious about what this 2020 plan is though, considering this looks like they'll still be called Champions.

[Frontier]

It's over


https://jimzub.tumblr.com/post/18654...solicits#notes

I kinda feel bad for Zub. I think the problems for the book went beyond him and the idea of the book not clicking.