Champions #1

It's hard finding new and exciting ways to explain just how good Champions really is. This is Marvels finest team-up book currently in print. Period. Read Full Review

Zub and Cummings do an excellent job juggling the large cast, giving each a distinct look and voice that makes it easy to follow the ever-shifting action of the book. Read Full Review

Marvel has seen fit to relaunch this new series, and while the writing remains incredibly engrossing & fun, the art doesn't quite measure up. Dark times appear to lie ahead for Marvel's young superheroes, and I'm onboard to see how they face them, despite a shakey start visually. Read Full Review

Champions #1 is a great way to start 2019, it will be interesting to see how Jim Zub ends the year for his team. Read Full Review

The Champions - and Jim Zub - charge forth with an all-new volume that's absolutely worth checking out with its mix of great characterization and plotting. Zub clearly has a journey in mind, and it promises to be a fantastic one. Read Full Review

This new era for Champions began giving us the full package. The action delivered was satisfying, our first taste of adventure from them was bold, and the drama was heartbreaking. This iteration of Champions won't just be about the work they do, it will be testing their fortitude in living up to the name. It's not about how high you climb, or how far you fall. Being a young hero is about what you are willing to do to stand tall when everything goes wrong. Read Full Review

While it's technically a new start for Champions, expect the same quality action and drama from everyone's favorite team of young heroes. With this issue adding a major Marvel villain to the mix, I'm excited to see where Zub takes the story next. Read Full Review

I liked this issue because it's taking chances and pushing the team in a new direction. Zub has a clear handle on the characters and Cummings can handle a heavy dose of team action. Read Full Review

You'll almost certainly be wanting to read more of this team by the issue's end. Read Full Review

Big dreams, a bigger roster and a lot of interpersonal drama make for a fun read, but one that feels almost too short. Read Full Review

The creative team has done what it set out to accomplish and did it well. Now they face their own second act, where revelations in the next issues can secure a place in the hearts of fans or leave them pining for the Champions that were. Read Full Review

Champions #1 starts off strong, introducing the big team and their new status quo. Solid opening issue. Read Full Review

Champions #1 is a good start to get new fans invested in Marvel's next generation superhero team. Jim Zub quickly establishes who each character is, what roles they serve, the team's mission statement and several dynamics between team members. Because of all that good work it was disappointing that Zub decided to conclude Champions #1 with a twist ending that so easily damages the entire issue. The sooner that twist ending is resolved the better it will be for the future of the Champions. Read Full Review

Overall Champions #1 would probably be a great issue if you've been a consistent reader of the title, however I really wouldn't consider this a great jumping on book for those new to the series and that's completely my fault for being behind on Marvel's best team-up at the moment! I absolutely love this roster so I'm really glad that they're expanding the series, but please please please don't let Ms Marvel, Miles Morales and Sam Alexander fall out. That cliffhanger has definitely piqued my interest so I'll definitely be continuing with the series! Read Full Review

Perfectly fine if you were already reading the series, but very little feels like a hook for newcomers. Read Full Review

A book with definite potential in all areas that fails at being a new reader friendly first issue for a new run, and is dragged down by it. If you're already reading Zub's Champions, it's possibly fine. But if you're new and want to jump on, you're better off starting with issue #19 of the 2016-2018 run, where Jim Zub actually started writing. Read Full Review

This is the worst #1 issue I have ever read. It is not new reader friendly at all, has numerous editors notes to read the last run and it felt like we started out missing at least five issues. Of course, if you are a Champions fan, you may like or love this, but if Marvel was hoping for new readers to jump on this series, I know one guy who wont be. Its a shame because I love almost all the characters in the book (at least the ones I know), but Ill get them in books that at least pretend to want me to get involved. Read Full Review

Khan/Murdock

Jan 04, 2019

Zub really has a good feel for these characters and I hope this series stays around for a while because it has potential to be great

Psycamorean

Jan 09, 2019

I thought this was a really good issue. Maybe not the best number one because it really doesn't even attempt to be new reader friendly. Previous issues are constantly referenced to inform the status quo. This issue is a number one in status quo only. This marks a distinctive change in the tone, status quo and direction of this title. And I'm definitely in favor of this direction. I think it's shedding the baggage that came with this series. Champions, as a concept, was almost immediately outdated by the time it came about. It was supposed to be the teen heroes being actual heroes, not immediately resorting to violence, because the adult heroes couldn't stop fighting one another. But that was on the eve of Monsters Unleashed which was plainl y about heroes being heroes, and right before Secret Empire which was all about ending that constant in-fighting that had been present for years and years. And even before that, Mark Waid was already having trouble filling the pages with an interesting story. So when Jim Zub came on board for the Fresh Start initiative, he did a lot to give the series a shot in the arm. But he was still working with an outdated concept and a bunch of characters that were currently being changed and shuffled around as the older heroes all returned, officially. So with all that being said, I think this was an extremely necessary number one and I like the direction this title is going. It's not just being a generic teen team book that is always overshadowed by Avengers or X-Men. It's ambitious in what it's trying to be, and I think it works. more

DrTracy

Jan 22, 2019

Not sure this needed to be a #1. Still enjoyed it.

RaisingBlack

Jan 03, 2019

Champions #1 is a great start that shows you just what this team is about. I also think it captures its age group really well. Jim Zub and Steven Cummings are a really good team for this book. The tone of this book is optimistic. The attitude is one of we want to make a difference and we are making it happen. Champions is the kind of book that you should read if you want some classic we are good guys hero work in the world that we have now. Human trafficking, natural disaster, and other world dangers are real for us now and the Champions are supposed to be the heroes we need right now. This is a nice contrast with the Avengers because they are trying to find there place in a nation that mistrusts them. This is a solid jumping on poi nt but it is worth going back and reading Champion up until this relaunch. more

Ryan

Feb 19, 2019

Reviews aren’t to positive but I think this is definitely a fantastic return for Jim Zub and the Champions. The expansion of the team opens many story opportunities up while Zub still keeps his character writing on par while keeping the original Champions together

mrDovydas

Apr 01, 2019

While this is technically a first issue of the new series, it is a direct continuation of the previous volume, which I am ok with. The roster is expanded, but the book doesn't feel too crowded. The story is quite darker than in the previous volume, and I am loving it. Hopefully it continues this way.

SloboSOY

Jan 04, 2019

I really like that locus as a place in the team but their is maybe to more characters now. But in the same time when they talk about the reservist I want to see Gabby in the team now ^^ This issue is a little weird after Sam/Miles and Sam/Amadeus panels. I wondered if the red fog change the team but Ms.Marvel seem to look ok. The end seem to add some kind of possible explanation for Miles, but not for Amadeus behavior. Cover - I take the Inviders team. So not related but really beautiful. 1/2 Writing - I like who Zub succeed to write three team in their. But in the same time, I wonder about some of the choice he made. Will see. 2.5/3 Arts - I fear a lot with the new artist but Cumming really did great. Is choice for the layout was ver y good. 3/3 Feeling - Mixed for now but I trust in Zub ! 1.5/2 more

Jorge Mendes

Jan 03, 2019

Nice introduction to the new expanded team, but felt kinda bland and with the art felt a little bit rushed. Not bad but I got a little disappointed because the last Champions issues from Zub were much better.

W_himself

Jan 07, 2019

Fine issue. But why the relaunch?

RBL

Jan 04, 2019

Tl;dr: Having just read this issue, I will say it does function properly as an introduction to the expanded team and their new roster is presented well, clearly showing how Ms. Marvel has grown in her role. That said, some inconsistencies are clear in how some characters are portrayed and without additional reading some minor plotlines will seem as being presented without any build-up and certain characters will be completely unknown. So as a jumping off point this fails in its purpose. Further analysis: Of the characters, I feel (former) Nova was basically made into a punching bag to show how much angst others are feeling, seemingly what he’s going through is ignored because other characters are going through “more”. This is a waste because as an everyman he could be used to connect with readers more easily. I don’t quite see how Cloud 9, Power Man or Silk could be part of the Champions unless they expanded their roster to include adults because they have each been members of hero teams previously and received more training than most others in this book. If it’s meant as a “teen hero book” these three do not fit the bill. Miles’ personal story here just seems to be an off-brand OMD waiting to happen so I don’t see this is as a positive story development or the plotline to go into. He’s also far too brooding and sullen that people interested in his character are better off just reading his own title to avoid their perception of the character changing if the Spider-Verse movie is what piqued their interest to this. Viv having issues regarding her sexuality is just off, as a synthezoid there are more nuanced ways of handling it and when presented in the previous volume it was an equally senseless “twist”. The explorations into her humanity particularly after becoming an actual human were far better done and did not seem forced for the sake of having just another avenue for the plotline. There is little else to say for the rest of the cast, they were there and serviceable. Sparky is the best member of the team bar-none. Their way of managing the team is reminiscent of Hickman’s Avengers run, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and seems like a good way to build up their larger operations. While I cannot fully say I’d recommend it, I can also state reading this was not a waste of time and it has potential for future development. more

Spacey Medicine

Jun 03, 2019

I was immediately put off by the narration at the start, and I don’t care about teens or their teen problems. But then there was Mephisto, +1 for Mephisto.

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln

Jan 24, 2019

The characters annoyed me.