Not everything Marvel touches turns to gold, it seems. Champions, a team-up book featuring some of Marvel’s most exciting up-and-coming heroes, will end with issue #10 this October.
The news comes via writer Jim Zub on his personal blog. After Marvel announced their October solicitations, he let fans know that October’s issue would be the last of the Champions series.
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.
He went on to express his sorrow and gratitude for his team and the positive fans. He also hopes that others will be able to discover the team in the future.
The book first began in 2016 after Marvel’s Civil War II storyline. After feeling disillusioned with the way their personal heroes handled things, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), Nova (Sam Alexander), and Spider-Man (Miles Morales) left the Avengers behind. They formed the Champions to let citizens know that not all heroes are the same.
It was a fresh look at the traditional super-hero team-up book. The diverse team dealt with personal issues and focused on fixing rather than breaking. At least, when they could. Writer Mark Waid initially began the book with artists Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, and Edgar Delgado. But Jim Zub and a new creative team took over with issue #19 in 2018 before relaunching earlier this year. Other team members have included the Totally Awesome Hulk, Ironheart, the Wasp, and a younger, time-displaced Cyclops.
Zub doesn’t state why exactly Marvel canceled the book, though it was likely due to sales. However, he does state that there are still plans for the team members in 2020. It’s always a shame when a writer can’t finish telling their story. But that doesn’t mean it’s the last we’ve heard from the team.
