Because the World Still Needs Heroes - Champions Appreciation 2019

[Modamy]

Hope we get some closure on Viv's arc at least.

Viv, Sam, and Nadia are the three I'm most worried about in all this. Hopefully Viv and Nadia will be in Iron Man like Digifiend said, but Sam seems like he'll end up in limbo.

[Grimm911]

I know Zub will be a-okay, he's still crazy busy with D&D stuff, his new independent comic series, Iron Man, and now Black Panther And The Agents of Wakanda. From what I heard he may still have something coming down the pipeline, maybe even something at DC. In any case, we'll probably get a Champions relaunch in 2020, and I can only hope they get another creative team that can elevate the series like Zub and his collaborators did. My vote would be Kelly Thompson and Moy R.

[CrimsonEchidna]

Kelly Thompson, Eve Ewing, or Jeremy Whitley would be my picks if the book is going to get relaunched next year.

This most recent issue also convinced me that if Sam were to ever get a solo again, I'd love it if Jim Zub were to be the one to write it.

He said, and you could see it in the book, that he was tackling it like a successor to an old-school teen book like New Mutants or New Warriors and whatnot, but this leads to one small problem and one major problem

The small one is that he scripted it like one, which is up to preference but you can just see it. How the kids talk and the way omniscient narration shows up and how their voices just kinda bleed together. It makes the book feel dated to me.

The bigger problem is that he plotted it like an old book where you can let subplots just boil over for months because you're Chris Claremont, but he wasn't in the position where he has that kind of creator clout to do that and have his seeds sprout later down the line. Waid kept the book small and intimate, so going big is the correct play once he's done. But you really don't have time to spend months on old Alpha Flight villains and Man-Thing because you're position at the table isn't secure. His issues aren't decompressed, but we're at an exceptional 21 issue total and the book will still have that feeling of being cut really short. More conservative planning, is what I'm saying.

I can definitely concede to your last point. For good or bad, Zub was doing a slowburn with all of his plotlines which, in addition to his later decision to expand the team to like 15 members, really wasn't the best idea pacing wise. As cool as it was that he was bringing characters out of limbo, he probably should have stuck to the core team that he has established before the relaunch.

[Digifiend]

I agree about those being good writers - and Whitley's written Champions once before (the Monsters Unleashed tie-in one-shot during Waid's run - which was the debut issue of the Freelancers). I can't see KT doing it though, as she's just done a teen team, the West Coast Avengers.

If Whitley wrote the next series, you'd probably have GIRL as regular support staff, and he's actually set up a potential new Champion too, since GIRL member Priya made friends with Ms. Marvel in Wasp #7 (they're both Muslim) and she's now getting combat training from Avengers Academy graduate Finesse.

If Eve Ewing was the new writer, Ironheart's place on the team would be assured. There could be some New Warriors crossover, considering her solo's big bad Midnight's Fire is one of their rogues. And Riri's AI would actually be seen. For some reason neither Tony Stark AI or NATALIE have been shown in Champions (whenever they've appeared, it's been a disembodied voice, as though the AI had no personality). Ewing has used Kamala, Miles and Nadia in the Ironheart book as well, and written Kamala in Marvel Team-Up.

[Digifiend]

Speaking of pinpoint, where did he go?

Nowhere? He last appeared in issue 5, right? And issue 7 only featured Viv, Kamala, and Sam.

[Grimm911]

My best guess is we're probably going to get some news on the series re-launch and new creative team sometime in October after the last issue. A safe bet would be during New York Comic Con.

I'm going to throw a bit of a curve ball for the next writer but what about Al Ewing? I've liked his writing since his run on Loki: Agent of Asgard. It might be interesting to see him tackle a team book.

Or even more interesting is if the pull a new writer and/or artist from outside the regular Marvel Bullpen. Maybe someone who put their stamp on the comic community thanks to their independent work. Any thoughts as to who? in that case how about Skyward's writer Joe Henderson?

[Stature]

Or even more interesting is if the pull a new writer and/or artist from outside the regular Marvel Bullpen. Maybe someone who put their stamp on the comic community thanks to their independent work. Any thoughts as to who? in that case how about Skyward's writer Joe Henderson?

Bring back Allen Heinberg.

[Digifiend]

My best guess is we're probably going to get some news on the series re-launch and new creative team sometime in October after the last issue. A safe bet would be during New York Comic Con.

I'm going to throw a bit of a curve ball for the next writer but what about Al Ewing? I've liked his writing since his run on Loki: Agent of Asgard. It might be interesting to see him tackle a team book.

Al Ewing was the writer of Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, and U.S.Avengers, and the third writer of Avengers No Surrender and No Road Home with both of the Champions writers. He also wrote Ultimates. He's done plenty of team books!

NYCC is before the last issue, by the way.

[Grimm911]

Al Ewing was the writer of Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, and U.S.Avengers, and the third writer of Avengers No Surrender and No Road Home with both of the Champions writers. He also wrote Ultimates. He's done plenty of team books!

NYCC is before the last issue, by the way.

I remembered about Al Ewing's work on team books about an hour after I posted. I even have the hard covers for No Surrender and No Road Home, how embarrassing .

Lets hope we get some news at NYCC.

[skyvolt2000]

I wonder how much pirating hurts comics.

I mean, I know it's an issue, but it makes you wonder if it impacts certain titles more then others.

It depends on the books in question.

A book like Champions it really shouldn't. Because it unlike say books at Scout Comics like The Source or Ahoy Comics Planet of Nerds or Lion Forge's Cellies-no one should have an issue finding a copy. Someone wanting The Source #1 was looking at a price of $75 on Ebay. Guess where they are going to go.

I would say it hurts indy floppy sales more than anything else.


What hurts a Champions (along with other books) is the used book store market.

As I have seen being patient and waiting on certain books has it benefits.

While in my city Champions didn't fill back issue bins at the used book store (aside from regular cover #1). It might have in other places.

[mreddie]

NYCC is where they are likely gonna reveal the 2020 stuff as Champs will likely relaunch with the said big one shot coming in December.

[ARkadelphia]

Nowhere? He last appeared in issue 5, right? And issue 7 only featured Viv, Kamala, and Sam.

Pinpoint will be single-handedly trying to destroy Krakoa from within. I can feel it!

[Digifiend]

NYCC is where they are likely gonna reveal the 2020 stuff as Champs will likely relaunch with the said big one shot coming in December.

We'll already have the December solicits before NYCC - it'd be January at the earliest.

[mugiwara]

What about Saladin Ahmed? He is already writing Ms Marvel and Spider-Man.
(Although the only comics he wrote that I didn't like was his team book, Exiles)

Al Ewing would be awesome. But he is already writing Hulk, Best Valkyrie Evah and has another big project.
Plus, he often gets to write a mini or a one shot here and there.
So, no I don't thing he'd find time for Champions.

Eve Ewing is good on Ironheart. I would give a try if she was the new Champions writer.

Kelly Thompson and Jeremy Whitley: I'd pass. Really don't enjoy their writing.

Rainbow Rowell would be interesting. She is great on Runaways, but it's motsly a teen drama book, with very little action. How would she fare on a book with more super hero stuff?

Christos Gage would be great on Champions. There is a lot of heart in his comics, he is good at making character evolve and improve. Plus, he would maybe add some Avengers Academy characters.

[Snoop Dogg]

gage or whitley pls