The Champions #1 - “The World Still Needs… The Champions”

Original Release Date:
October 1975
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Mike Esposito
Letterer: Dave Hunt
Colored: Petra G.
Edited: Marv Wolfman

It’s morning on the campus of UCLA, so there’s an ordinary hustle and bustle of students hurrying to their classes. On this morning, two rather extraordinary students make their way; one is Bobby Drake, the former X-Man known as Iceman, and the other is Warren Worthington III, known to most as the X-Men’s high-flyin’ Angel. Neither of the students is very eager to actually be students; they miss their old lifestyle: hanging with the rest of the merry mutants at Xavier’s school. As much as they’d like to return, they realize the X-Men aren’t like they used to be. Heck, even Hank “The Beast” McCoy has moved on to the Avengers.

Just as Bobby is suggesting they too might be able to join up with the world’s premiere super-team, a bright light blinds them. A hole has opened up right in the thin air in front of them! That’s not all, either, ‘cause some monstrous beings start pouring out of it! They’re ugly, they’re green, they have wings, and they’re of the female variety. One of the critters shouts something about handing over Venus or suffering the wrath of the Harpies! Our two young heroes have no idea what these creatures are jabbering about, but the simple fact that they’re attacking fellow students is enough to spur the former X-students into action!

Bobby ices up and takes the baddies on as Iceman while Warren exits the scene to suit up so as to not reveal his identity to the crowd. Iceman successfully holds off the Harpies until Angel returns. The two heroes then get to work!

On another side of the campus, a beautiful young lady is applying for a job at the institution. This woman, in years past, has held steady work as an international spy and super hero. If the name Natasha Romanoff doesn’t ring a bell, then maybe Black Widow will! Natasha is applying for a job to teach Russian and, along with her on this day, is old friend Ivan Petrovich.

While Ivan is trying to reassure Natasha that she is qualified for the job, a portal much like the one we saw earlier opens up! From it, multiple warrior women come forth, demanding Venus be handed over to them. The warriors quickly dispatch Ivan, but Black Widow proves to be more trouble.

The door to the room swings open, revealing a quite attractive young, blonde woman. This young woman is in shock as she wonders aloud, “What are Hippolyta’s Amazons doing here?” One of the warriors points to her and proclaims, “The Goddess is here!”

Black Widow wastes no time in taking down a couple of the Amazons. Realizing the blonde woman is in danger, Widow grabs her and heads for the window for an escape!

Outside, riding along the roads of the UCLA campus, a spectacularly famous motorcycle stunt rider makes his way. His name is Johnny Blaze and he was out for nothing more than a peaceful morning ride. Sorry Johnny, that’s not going to happen today! A student shouts for Johnny to turn his motorcycle around because there is nothing but danger the way he is headed.

Johnny ducks just in time to dodge a soaring war hammer. Sensing the immediate danger, Mr. Blaze’s face begins to change into something different… something horrifying! The Ghost Rider!

A massive humanoid creature, proclaiming himself Cerberus, stops ol’ flame-head, demanding he turn around; no one will pass! Ghost Rider proves he has other ideas when he unleashes a blast of fire from the depths of Hell itself! Cerberus instantly morphs down into a massive hound. Ghost Rider begins to understand that perhaps he’s bitten of a bit more than he can chew, so he turns his cycle around and speeds away. Cerberus pursues!

On yet another side of the UCLA campus, we join Hercules, who has come to the institution to act as a guest speaker later on in the evening. UCLA Lecture Agent, Richard Fenster, is hoping to get along well with the “campus brass” with the acquisition of Hercules to their lecture series. Hercules explains that there is no doubt that his stories will captivate the audience, so Richard has nothing to worry about.

Before Richard can finish a follow-up statement, he becomes frozen by fear. Hercules, facing Richard, has no clue what the Lecture Agent fears, but soon finds out when a horde of creatures calling themselves Mutates, attacks him from behind.

The battle spills through the walls of the lecture building and into the streets, just as Ghost Rider is speeding by. GR lends Hercules a hand, literally, and pulls him quickly onto the back of the motorcycle. Speeding quickly across the campus, the two run into Iceman and Angel, who are still battling Harpies and the Amazons!

GR and Herc stop to lend a hand, which means Cerberus catches up. The four duke it out with the baddies until Black Widow shows up with the blonde woman, Dr. Victoria Starr. Victoria’s clothes quickly change as she reveals herself to be Venus! The Goddess unleashes a flurry of her power, instantly downing the villains!

All of the heroes are confused and struggling to gather any pieces of information that each might know, but before an answer makes it truly clear, an unseen being pops them with a blast of his power.

Before their very eyes, yet another portal opens and three beings exit. The one in the center proclaims himself to be Pluto, ruler of the Underworld. With him is Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Ares, the God of War! They have come to take Herc and Venus back to their realm, so that Herc can marry Hippolyta and Venus can marry Ares!

Pluto warns that if either resists, the entire universe will die!

*****

Pretty heavy stuff, huh? Super heroes and mythology meet in an all-out, chaotic battle across the campus of UCLA. How cool is that?

Ah yes, The Champions, the very first super team to protect the city of Los Angeles. But that goes a bit further than what we’re seeing in this issue.

So let’s name-drop here: Tony Isabella, writer extraordinaire, takes the reigns on this one. You might recognize his name, especially if you happened to pick up that cool copy of of The Essential Ghost Rider v.1. Or maybe you recognize him from Power Man? Either way, the guy’s work is pretty typical of Marvel’s mid-70’s stuff: it’s fun. Yeah, recognize that phrase much from this column? Check out Tony’s cool
column here!



On art is the legendary Don Heck, co-creator of Iron Man and one of the awesome Silver Age artists of The Avengers. Wanna learn a bit more about Mr. Heck? Check this out!

The Champions was a really interesting book that had a very, very short run (just 17 issues). This was a doomed, dysfunctional team, which gave the book an interesting dynamic.

The issues aren’t too hard to find, but there’s a pretty heavy love for this book, so you might spend a little more than you’d expect. But if you’re a fan of this era from Marvel, then this is nothing short of a classic and well worth the money you’ll drop.

One a side note… if Marvel Two-In-One can get an Essential book, then why can’t this one?