The Champions was a short-lived fictional comic book superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. Published in the 1975-1978 series The Champions, the team, formally "The Champions of Los Angeles", was Marvel's first to be set on the U.S. West Coast, rather than in the publisher's usual locale, New York City. This article is about the comic book company. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics characters. ... Hercules is a fictional character, an Olympian demigod and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe, based on the mythological demigod and hero called Herakles by the Greeks and Hercules by the Romans. ... Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in Marvel Comics. ... Iceman (Robert Bobby Louis Drake) is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. ... Johnny Blaze, or John Blaze, is a fictional, supernatural superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Darkstar (Layina Petrovna) is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Tony Isabella (born December 22, 1951) is an American comic book writer and commentator, best known as the creator and writer of Black Lightning, DC Comics first major African American superhero. ... Bill Mantlo (born November 9,[1] 1951) is an American comic-book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics, and an attorney, best-known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: the Eagle Award-winning Micronauts and the long-running Rom. ... Don Heck (January 2, 1929-1995) was a comic book artist best known for co-creating the character Iron Man, and for his long run penciling The Avengers in the 1960s. ... Tony Isabella (born December 22, 1951) is an American comic book writer and commentator, best known as the creator and writer of Black Lightning, DC Comics first major African American superhero. ... Don Heck (January 2, 1929-1995) was a comic book artist best known for co-creating the character Iron Man, and for his long run penciling The Avengers in the 1960s. ... Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... For other uses, see Superhero (disambiguation). ... This article is about the comic book company. ... This article is about the shared universe setting used by many Marvel Comics titles. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Publication/fictional history

Originally, writer Tony Isabella wanted the Champions to be a two-man group consisting of former X-Men, Angel and Iceman, but editor Len Wein insisted the team contain at least five members and Isabella added several previously-established heroes: Russian spy Black Widow (who serves as the team’s leader), the Greek god Hercules and the supernatural avenger Ghost Rider. Another Russian hero, Darkstar, joins in Champions #10 after participating in an attempt to kidnap the Black Widow. Had the series continued, the team reportedly was to expand to include Black Goliath and Jack of Hearts. Tony Isabella (born December 22, 1951) is an American comic book writer and commentator, best known as the creator and writer of Black Lightning, DC Comics first major African American superhero. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in Marvel Comics. ... Iceman (Robert Bobby Louis Drake) is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. ... Len Wein (born June 12, 1948, New York City, New York) is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics Swamp Thing and for reviving Marvel Comics X-Men. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics characters. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Hercules is a fictional character, an Olympian demigod and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe, based on the mythological demigod and hero called Herakles by the Greeks and Hercules by the Romans. ... Johnny Blaze, or John Blaze, is a fictional, supernatural superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Darkstar (Layina Petrovna) is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics characters. ... Dr. Bill Foster, known variously as Black Goliath, the second Giant-Man, and the fourth Goliath, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Jack of Hearts (Jack Hart) is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

The Champions series lasted only seventeen issues, despite art from future superstar John Byrne. The group appears also in Super Villain Team-Up #16, Ghost Rider (vol. 2) #17, Godzilla (vol.1) #3, Iron Man Annual #4, Avengers (vol. 1) #163 and Hulk Annual #7 (1978). The story of its dissolution was told in flashback in two early issues of Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (#17) which pitted Spidey, Angel, and Iceman against Champions villain Rampage. The group briefly reunited in 1998’s X-Force/Champions Annual '98, teaming-up with Marvel's then-current West Coast team. They have not appeared again since in present continuity. For other uses of John Byrne, see John Byrne (disambiguation). ... X-Force was a Marvel Comics superhero team, one of many spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. ...

In Uncanny X-Men #332 (1996), Iceman calls the team an embarrassment and remarks, “Do you know how hard it is to find supervillains in Los Angeles?”, while in Defenders #135 (Sep. 1984) Angel describes the Champions as "a nightmare -- we just didn't know what we were doing". The Champions are also referred to in New Avengers #4 (2005), where they are cited as an embarrassment when Spider-Man stating that he would refuse to join the Champions, although the offer is not actually made (instead, Captain America explains that he holds a Champions-license with S.H.I.E.L.D., meaning that he can assemble any team of heroes to his own parameters). In Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3) #12, Spider-Man refers to the hastily assembled superteam as "the Avengers, or the Champions, or whatever we are", to which Ms. Marvel quickly replies "We are not the Champions." For the second comic book series starring the X-Men, see X-Men (vol. ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ... The Defenders are a Marvel Comics superhero group — usually presented as a non-team of individualistic outsiders each known for following their own agendas — that usually battles mystic and supernatural threats. ... New Avengers is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... This article is about the superhero. ... S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division, changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Universe that often deals with superhuman threats. ... Marvel Team-Up is the name of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics. ... For the other Marvel Comics character called Ms. ...

Giant-Size Hulk #1 (2006) includes a flashback 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, and believes that the Hulk's current war against the Illuminati is the best opportunity they shall have. Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ... Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ... She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) is a Marvel Comics superheroine. ... Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ... Incredible Hulk, The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk redirect here. ... Hercules is a fictional character, an Olympian demigod and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe, based on the mythological demigod and hero called Herakles by the Greeks and Hercules by the Romans. ... World War Hulk is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics beginning in May 2007. ... The Illuminati are a fictional group of superheroes who joined forces and secretly work behind the scenes in the Marvel Universe. ...

After the events of the 2006 Civil War miniseries, a government-sponsored program was started by Tony Stark, Reed Richards, and Hank Pym as part of the Initiative to redistribute America's superhuman protection. A new series was due to feature a new group of Champions as the state team of California before it was revealed that the trademark was owned by Heroic Publishing^[1]. That team is now known as The Order. Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover event built around a seven-issue limited series of the same name written by Mark Millar, and penciled by Steve McNiven. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... “(TM)” redirects here. ... The Order is the name of two fictional comic book superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Collections

The Champions was not reprinted as a collection until 2006.

• Champions Classic vol. 1. (collecting The Champions #1-11, 1975-1977, paperback, ISBN 0-7851-2097-1): "Okay, a god, a demon, a spy and two mutants walk into... resulting in some of the strangest scenarios of the '70s! It's gods vs. heroes in the City of Angels! With mad scientists, Russian super-spies, and guest stars from Marvel's western and horror eras! Plus: the secrets of the Black Widow! Featuring Hawkeye!"

• Champions Classic vol. 2. (collecting The Champions #12-17 along with other comics featuring the team, including the team's two-part coda in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man.)

Other "Champions" teams

• Nova once teamed up with Powerhouse and a few other heroes to form the Champions of Xandar.
• Heroic Publishing has another, different superteam, currently known as The League of Champions.
• Champions (role-playing game) includes a similarly-named team.
• Recently, the Great Lakes Avengers have taken the moniker of Great Lakes Champions (despite protests from Hercules) after Flatman won the first Superheroes Poker Tournament (as seen in The Thing #8), as their original name (as well as Great Lakes X-Men and Great Lakes Defenders) being refused to them by those groups' members.

Nova, (Richard Rider), is a fictional superhero from Marvel Comics. ... This article is about the Champions of Xandar character. ... Based on the four-sectioned world of Xandar in the Andromeda Galaxy, the Champions of Xandar were a group of super-powered beings who banded together to safeguard the planet form all threats to its security. ... Champions is a role-playing game originally by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson, Bruce Harlick, and Ray Greer, published by Hero Games, designed to simulate and function in a four-color superhero comic book world. ... The Great Lakes Avengers are a comedic superhero group, fashioned after Marvel Comics’ Avengers. ... Flatman (Dr. Val Ventura) is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of the Avengers West Coast in 1989. ... thing, see Thing (disambiguation). ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... The Defenders are a Marvel Comics superhero group — usually presented as a non-team of individualistic outsiders each known for following their own agendas — that usually battles mystic and supernatural threats. ...

References

Newsarama. ...

External links

• Series index
• Issue summaries
• Toonopedia entry
• a profile on Marvel.com
• http://www.marveldatabase.com/Champions_of_Los_Angeles