When the Roxxon corporation weaponizes the mighty power of social media, the teenage heroes of the Champions must fight the power of The Man without sacrificing their souls. Just like in the ‘60’s, but with TikTok! Champions #8 is written by Danny Lore, with art by Luciano Vecchio, colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Clayton Cowles.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I worked for a non-profit. And in those days, toiling away at my desk, trying to save the world through budget reconciliation and board meetings, I’d ask myself if this, all of this, was worth it. If the time and energy I put into the organization, let alone the work, was purposeful.
I was very (very!) skeptical of the organization I worked for. I suspected, despite my best efforts, that I wasn’t really creating positive change; sometimes, I wondered if I wasn’t causing more harm than good. The question, then: could I change the system, or would the system change me?
That’s all I could think about while reading Champions #8. Our teenage heroes have (predictably!) gotten themselves into a bind, and (predictably!) are in over their heads. Their rage against the Roxxon corporation has not only endangered the kids’ safety, but has also strained the group’s working dynamic.
Will our heroes change the system, or will the system, both of Roxxon and of their corporatized heroics, change them?
I’ve been pretty critical of this run; I’ve complained that it feels simplistic and one-note as compared to the more nuanced and detailed writing that came before. And while I don’t feel significantly differently after reading it, I will say I enjoyed this issue for what it was: a light romp through adolescent heroism. Sure, the “hey fellow youths” language was at times offputting, and, yeah, Roxxon just blatantly explaining their evil plan feels very ‘80’s Saturday morning cartoonish but…maybe that’s okay? My favorite cartoons growing up were probably all significantly less thoughtful and inclusive than what I’m reading here. Kamala feeling overwhelmed from past trauma and asking for grace; her teammates anticipating her frustration and planning around it; those same teammates holding Sam to task for putting his pride above the team’s needs. Could these things be done more artfully? Sure! But maybe I’m missing the forest for the trees; maybe the fact this was done at all is a sign of progress I need to better acknowledge.
Speaking of art, while my adoration for the story has grown, my appreciation for the art hasn’t. At all. It’s still a bit too cherubic for my tastes; the color is a bit too bright in ways that feel in opposition to some of the more mature(ish) themes being hinted at. Art is subjective, so feel free to disagree! Just know you’re wrong.
I wish our characters were a little more than one-note or, in the case of Ironheart and Miles, no note – I can’t discern a personality from either of them, and haven’t for a while. I wish Roxxon’s plan didn’t use a word-vomit of social media terms; I wish their plan didn’t literally involve creating AI “chaperones”; I wish we had world peace.
Still, we live in the world as it is, not as we want it to be. Thus, I read the comic as it is, not necessarily as I want it to be. And honestly? It’s still pretty good.
Eventually I quit the job that was choking my spirit; I haven’t looked back since. I couldn’t change the system, nor did I want the system to change me, so I had to change my circumstances to keep true to myself. I’m curious what, if any, changes our heroes will make to keep true to themselves. I’m curious to see if heroics will change them for the better or the worse.
A proud New Orleanian living in the District of Columbia, Jude Jones is a professional thinker, amateur photographer, burgeoning runner and lover of Black culture, love and life. Magneto and Cyclops (and Killmonger) were right.
Find more of Jude’s writing here.
