CREDIT: Marvel Comics
Rating: 4.5/5 – Viv Vision hits the West Coast.
by ComicSpectrum reviewer Adam Brunell
Issue 9 of the Champions hones in on one character specifically, Viv Vision. Though all the young heroes on the team have a rather interesting backstory, Viv has only been alive for a year now, and within that 1 year she has dealt with some of the most intense life experiences that most people hope they never have to deal with in a lifetime. Though Viv is far from human, she is alive and can unlock the potential of almost being a fully emotional being. This week we see Viv take a trip to the West Coast, and there is no hiding from being a Champion.
Things have gotten out of hand for the Champions team. A private group called “The Freelancers” has been hired on a routine basis to cause trouble for the Champions. Recently, The Freelancers took the copyright for the logo of the Champions and turned it into a money maker, which caused the Champions to look like a bunch of sellouts. This was quickly resolved last month by Nova and when the dust settled from that, this month there is yet another problem. Viv Vision has taken it upon herself to find The Freelancers. The possible problem with this is that the last time we saw Viv she was grounded for disobeying her father, the Vision. Writer Mark Waid keeps delivering a dynamic with the Champions that stands for something new; they represent the new age of heroes doing things their way, and their way is helping everyone and helping rebuild things. Waid has made this series a well needed breath of fresh air in the Marvel Universe, and he writes a teenage android girl pretty well too. Artist Humberto Ramos provides captivating panels with a playful character design. A new hero is brought into this issue who also has a very cool costume design. Could this new hero be a new Runaway? It’s almost as if Ramos and Waid gave a teaser for the upcoming return of the Runaways team.
The Champions is a great series for Marvel fans to get into if they want something fresh. At times I find some of the other titles from Marvel a little repetitive, so they fall to the back of my list of comics to read. Champions is one of the few titles I look forward to every month. The characters aren’t new, but they are written from a different perspective here than in their other series. This series has been written from the beginning to give the heroes of tomorrow a more rational approach to life and being a hero than most senior heroes seem to have. Waid and Ramos keep delivering what makes this title great and I continue to love it.
Reviewed by: Adam Brunell
(adamb@comicspectrum.com)
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