Champions #9 written by Danny Lore, art by Luciano Vecchio, colors by Federico Blee, letters by Clayton Cowles.
I was a high school administrator, preparing to counteract a student-led coup, contradicting my bourgeoisie revolutionary bones: didn’t I *want* the kids to advocate for themselves smartly and strongly and steadfastly?
Yes! Of course!
But!
The students were planning and organizing their secret strike on Twitter, where their teachers and admins followed them.
Needless to say, the coup didn’t do much. But I made it a point to tell to some of its leaders that I wasn’t mad that they advocated or organized: I was mad they were sloppy. Details matter after all, and if you’re going to do something, you’ve got to do it right.
Champions #9 does a lot of things: it closes a (too) long chapter around the autonomy of teen heroes; it asks its protagonist to overcome fear and trauma for a greater good; it puts these kids in uncomfortable positions and asks them, repeatedly, to show a maturity that I wish I saw in the kids I tried to mentor.
Does it do these things well?
Well…
The issue begins with Kamala Khan distracting the (comically) evil Miriam Blakemore, the Roxxon (aka Marvel’s evil corporation, since, uh, other options were off the table) liaison just as she’s about to find Viv. Kamala agrees to give a speech on behalf of Roxxon, promoting their social network and their anti-teen-hero worldview. Repeatedly throughout this run, Kamala has either been asked to or volunteered her services in places and spaces that caused her trauma. We’ve never seen her heal; we barely see her apologized to (although to be fair, her trauma is very much acknowledged.)
Overcoming fear and trauma is a hallmark of a hero. So when she invariably goes off script when giving this speech, I’m sure we’re supposed to cheer her on. We’re supposed to laud her subversion and sacrifice and chuckle as the interlopers ROXXON hired to interrupt her speech are undone, one by one, by Champions and affiliates. But I felt uncomfortable watching a young woman offer her spirit up in the service of others, no matter how well-intentioned or narratively necessary.
In any case, the plan is foiled; the Roxxon social network defeated; Kamala’s Law repealed.
Things are back to normal (or whatever passes for normal in a universe where symbiotes and talking plants rule the day.)
The issue breezes by quickly, forgoing big battles for slapstick. It’s a quick, light-hearted read that puts a bow on this era of the Champions. Yes, I’m well aware the last few pages foreshadow a fight with evil robots and a mad scientist, but really, do we expect our heroes to lose?
Which, to be clear, is the problem.
The stakes in these issues feel less pressing; the obstacles low hanging; the stakes not super consequential. Some of the more mature themes (Kamala’s trauma, the previous imprisonment of kids, Viv’s clumsy but honest come-on to Ironheart and IH’s subsequent rejection), are glossed over or completely ignored.
My problem with this run has been one of mismatched expectations. I was hoping for some of the nuance and weight from the previous run. While the heart is certainly there, I’ve been disappointed by the execution. But I’m also a 39 (!) year old man reading stories intended for 13-year-olds. So maybe my expectations are, if not too high, mismatched.
Maybe the target audience doesn’t care about that nuance. Maybe the target audience – or the targeted audience – only wants light quips and breezy dialogue. Maybe this is fine. Maybe my expectations are out of wack.
Or maybe my disappointment is valid.
On disappointment that I feel less conflicted over: I found myself not being able to tell the difference between Miles and the evil antagonist scientist Andre. That’s likely a result of them having the same shirt, same skin tone, same haircut, and same build. This is why I am not a fan of the simplistic, Saturday morning cartoonish art style. It’s not bad, not at all, but details matter.
Details matter.
Those kids who tried to stage a coup are well into their twenties now. A few of them are actually teaching, which fills my heart with joy. I sincerely hope they’re making a difference as they deal with antsy, angst-filled, kind, generous, rebellious students.
I sincerely hope their experiences with me help them help the next generation grow.
I don’t see the growth of our Champions in Champions #9, even if I see them progress. I think that audience deserves to see more detail. More nuance. More intelligence.
The comic is good enough, but good enough isn’t good enough. If you’re going to do something, be it a coup or a comic book, you’ve got to do it right.
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.
