As expected, lots of news is flowing out of the city that never sleeps, so let’s jump into it …

It’s no secret that many of us here at Blog@ are Matt Fraction fans, so the announcement that he’s writing a new Champions series for Marvel is welcome indeed. Of course, these aren’t your daddy’s Champions, i.e. Hercules, Angel and co. Our buddy Chris Arrant over on the mothership got the scoop:

“The Champions are a team like the Yankees are a team– just because you play 3rd base doesn’t mean there aren’t 3 other guys warming up to take over for you when your knee blows out. Team members get hurt, they get mad and quit, or they can be asked to leave, and they’ll be replaced by new characters playing similar positions. There’s a rigid code of conduct and performance everyone’s expected to adhere to, and they’re expected to adhere to it in extreme circumstances and under intense pressures. Failure to do so means Stark is done spending money and time on you. Don’t get too attached to anyone. And, on top of all that, in 12 months, the power-giving process is reversed, the Champions experiment is over, and our cast will be returned to “normal human” status.”

Sounds like it’s channeling Strikeforce Morituri more so than the original Champions series … without the “You die at the end” part. It also sounds pretty sweet. New Marvel exclusive Barry Kitson will be doing the art.

Just because Hercules and Angel aren’t on the new Champions team doesn’t mean they won’t be busy:

In fact, it sounds like everyone in the Marvel universe will be busy in the World War Hulk event. But what’s up with Hulk and the Champions? The Newsarama article mentions that Ghost Rider and Hulk “have a past, as both were members of the Champions.” I remember reading a few issues of the Champions as a kid, but I don’t ever remember Hulk being a member. Wikipedia, however, points us to the recent Giant-Size Hulk #1, where the Hulk and the Champions meet up:

Giant-Size Hulk #1 (2006) includes a flashback (slightly retconned to make it seem like the events took place during Clinton’s rather than Carter’s era) to an earlier time in which the Champions fight the Hulk, a battle that almost costs the life of Jennifer Walters (who later becomes the heroine She-Hulk), who the Hulk was trying to transport to a hospital. Learning of their mistake the Champions express remorse, but the Hulk wants nothing of it. Hercules later expresses a need for a time in which they can make amends.

Make amends. So maybe that’s why Herc is hanging with Hulk in the image above.

In other news, both Marvel and Top Cow have announced digital distribution of their comics, and Brian K. Vaughan said at the Vertigo panel that after Y:The Last Man ends, he has more ideas and definitely plans to do another Vertigo series. Hopefully those ideas won’t get Lost.

More day one news:

Newsarama’s Day 1 coverage (with pictures of really, really long lines)
Marvel’s Initiative panel
George Perez spotlight panel
DC Nation panel
World War Hulk: Frontline
Capturing Female Readers panel
Captain Carrot returns, by Bill Morrison and Scott Shaw!
Editor’s Buzz panel
Day 1 report with NYCC’s Greg Topalian
The Beat: What happened Friday
Pop Candy: Live from Comic-Con, Day 1
MangaBlog: Viz panel
MangaBlog: Manga ratings panel
Comic Book Resources: Mike Norton exclusive to DC
CBR: Whiteout returns
CBR: The Umbrella Academy
Wizard: Stan Lee speaks
Wizard: Eric Powell talks Chinatown
Wizard: J. Michael Straczynski on Thor, Babylon 5
Wizard: David Petersen talks future of Mouse Guard
Marvel.com: Namor returns
CNBC: NYCC slide show
PW: Villard, First Second, Abrams Ink Book Deals

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 24th, 2007 at 1:08 pm and is filed under Comic Books, Conventions, DC Comics, Dark Horse, Events, Graphic Novels, Independent, Industry, Interviews, Marvel, News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.