Marvel Comics teased the sidekick series yesterday, and today we learned that it’s titled “New Champions.” Issue #1, written by Stephen Fox and illustrated by Ivan Fiorelli, will hit comic shops on January 8th.
“As soon as I saw the variations on New Champions, my mind began dreaming up origins, abilities, and code names for these fictional sidekicks,” Fox explains. “Reverse engineering the cast from the cover was unlike any creative process I’ve ever been involved in. I couldn’t be more excited to be debuting an entirely new class of Marvel heroes (and a few villains!) with Ivan Fiorelli; he’s making each of these new additions feel like they’ve been part of the universe all along.”
So what is “New Champions”?
The group begins with Liberty, Hellrune, Moon Squire and Cadet Marvel but quickly expands as more New Champions answer the call in the series’ first arc. Not all are destined to be heroes, however, and some have dark ties to established Marvel legends that could spell disaster before the budding team can get off the ground. Each New Champion has a story to tell, and together they must change the world. Mystery, action and drama await as Marvel Comics’ next favorite teen superhero team assembles.
Who is the new champion?
What do four kids whose lives have been upended by Hydra, the Scarlet Witch’s mysterious apprentice, a cursed roller derby saboteur and a Wakandan runaway have in common? Not much! But when the mystical power of Helrune brings them together, they must quickly learn to work as a team – or face the wrath of the Cult of Hela!
“I’m really looking forward to diving into New Champions!” said Fiorelli. “What’s really exciting about this project is the opportunity to welcome new faces to the Marvel Universe and explore something entirely new. These young heroes have their own stories to tell, and I can’t wait to see how they grow and visually evolve as the series unfolds. I hope readers enjoy reading our pages as much as I enjoy illustrating them!”
“I’ve always wanted to write a teen hero team throughout my career. It’s a time in life when everyone is trying to discover who they really are, and adding a dash of Norse magic or the punch of a jet engine or an accidental entrance to hell to that search for identity is a recipe for rich storytelling,” Fox added.
Check out covers by Gleb Melnikov, Paco Medina, Luciano Vecchio and Federico Vicentini below.
NEW YORK, NY — September 17, 2024 — This January, writer Steve Fox (Spider-Woman, Timeslide) and artist Ivan Fiorelli (Daredevil: Woman Without Fear, Timeslide) teamed up to redefine what it means to be a teen hero in the Marvel Universe with NEW CHAMPIONS!
Last year, fans were introduced to all-new heroes inspired by Marvel icons in the hit New Champions variant cover series, and readers have been eager to see them debut within the Marvel Universe ever since, and after several appearances in various titles in recent months, they’ll now explode onto the pages in their own continuing series.
The group begins with Liberty, Hellrune, Moon Squire and Cadet Marvel but quickly expands as more New Champions answer the call in the series’ first arc. Not all are destined to be heroes, however, and some have dark ties to established Marvel legends that could spell disaster before the budding team can get off the ground. Each New Champion has a story to tell, and together they must change the world. Mystery, action and drama await as Marvel Comics’ next favorite teen superhero team assembles.
Who is the new champion?
What do four kids whose lives have been upended by Hydra, the Scarlet Witch’s mysterious apprentice, a cursed roller derby saboteur and a Wakandan runaway have in common? Not much! But when the mystical power of Helrune brings them together, they must quickly learn to work as a team – or face the wrath of the Cult of Hela!
“As soon as I saw the variations on New Champions, my mind began dreaming up origins, abilities, and code names for these fictional sidekicks,” Fox explains. “Reverse engineering the cast from the cover was unlike any creative process I’ve ever been involved in. I couldn’t be more excited to be debuting an entirely new class of Marvel heroes (and a few villains!) with Ivan Fiorelli; he’s making each of these new additions feel like they’ve been part of the universe all along.”
“I’m really looking forward to diving into New Champions!” said Fiorelli. “What’s really exciting about this project is the opportunity to welcome new faces to the Marvel Universe and explore something entirely new. These young heroes have their own stories to tell, and I can’t wait to see how they grow and visually evolve as the series unfolds. I hope readers enjoy reading our pages as much as I enjoy illustrating them!”
“I’ve always wanted to write a teen hero team throughout my career. It’s a time in life when everyone is trying to discover who they really are, and adding a dash of Norse magic or the punch of a jet engine or an accidental entrance to hell to that search for identity is a recipe for rich storytelling,” Fox added.
Check out the main cover by Gleb Melnikov, along with alternate covers by Paco Medina, Luciano Vecchio, and Federico Vicentini. Stay tuned for more news about NEW CHAMPIONS in the coming months, and pre-order issue #1 now at your local comic shop. Visit Marvel.com for more information.
New Champion #1
Author: Steve Fox
Art by IVAN FIORELLI & IG GUARA
Cover by GLEB MELNIKOV
Variant cover by PACO MEDINA
Variant cover by LUCIANO VECCHIO
Variant cover by FEDERICO VICENTINI
Release date: 1/8
