First Look at Champions #2
In Champions #2 we see the continued development of a new superhero group. Since the team just kinda came together in the last issue, they take some time to get to know each other better. To that end, Ms. Marvel sets up a camping trip so each of the young heroes can demonstrate their powers and abilities and they can play at some team building games.
Issue: Champions #2
Name: Change The World: Part 2
Published: November 2016 by Marvel Comics
Blurb:
Creators:
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Characters:
The Good: Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Cyclops, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Viv Vision, Nova (Sam Alexander)
My Reading:
This issue contains no bad guys and no fighting, it’s more of a character building story that allows the young heroes to learn about each other. While camping, each of the heroes shows off their abilities and they bond over the concept that they want to stand for justice but don’t want to use unjust force. There’s a real sense that these teens want to help people but they are tired of the adult heroes who always seem to cause more problems for everyday people when they dole out justice. Kamala expresses this idea so well that Viv suggests she could be a “Captain America” since she’s so good at expressing noble ideas.
But also while bonding through trust falls and “Ask Me Anythings” we see that the team is being watched by someone. Someone who’s got some interesting glasses. While Viv, Nova, Spidey, and Ms. Marvel work through their team building exercises and Viv nearly kisses Nova, Hulk shows back up from his jumping demonstration and is immediately slammed by a beam of light. It turns out the group was being watched by a young Cyclops who took the returning Hulk as an attacker.
After a brief scuffle, Cyclops asks to join up with the team since he likes the concept of being a Champion. With Viv’s support since he was willing to take on the Hulk when he thought he was an attacker, the mutant is invited to the team.
So I think we have our final setup – Cyclops, Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Spider-Man and Viv Vision. Quite a formidable team of young heroes. But of course with any group of teens there’s bound to be some interpersonal issues as we see Nova has an attraction to Viv while Viv ends the issue in the embrace of Hulk.
What did I learn:
- Ms. Marvel is an Inhuman and has the power to shrink and grow, morph, stretch and heal quickly.
- Miles Morales can do whatever a spider can of course, but he basically has the proportional strength and speed of a spider, can cling to walls, can shoot webs, and he has an electro-sting touch.
- Nova’s powers reside in his helmet and include telekinesis, super strength, he’s able to breath in space and underwater, he can understand any language, and he’s got energy blasts.
- Hulk is the 8th most intelligent being on Earth, has lots of strength and can jump really far.
- Viv has a computer mind, she can fly and alter her density, and she’s got internal wifi.
- The adult Cyclops became a villain at some point and is dead.
- A younger Cyclops, who is stranded in this time from the past, is looking to join the Champions team.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this issue. Champions #2 added on to the fun of the first issue by digging into the team showing who these teens are and how they are gonna fit together. The art is what I’d expect from a current day comic and I liked the blur of movement when Hulk landed from his jumping demonstration. The issue is so well drawn, I could easily see this comic being used as a storyboard for an animated or even live-action movie or TV show.
With a bunch of more issues already on the shelves I definitely see this title as one I’m gonna keep reading to see what happens to these kids and hopefully, they’ll take down some bad guys in the upcoming issues.
My Rating: A-
This comic can be found on Marvel Unlimited, Comixology or at your local comic book shop.
Daily Ramble 243.2 | Comics – Champions #2