Champions #20 “Bad Guys, Good Deeds” (Northern Lights Part 2)

Nova is greatly injured and the Champions are stuck in the Arctic with no help in site.

CHAMPIONS #20
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Sean Izaakse
Colorist: Marcio Menyz
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics

What You Need to Know: The Champions have some new teammates in the wake of Cyclops going back to the X-Men. There is unusual activity in the Arctic and the team heads out there to investigate. When they get there, the team is attacked and Nova is severely injured.

What You’ll Find Out: There is some unknown being locked in this facility in the Arctic. A human, Amka, helps free her and is nearly killed doing it. As the Champions continue to fend off the drones that have wounded Nova. Viv rescues the unconscious Nova from the icy waters. The drones stop their attack when it’s revealed that, the Master of the World is in control of them. Not wanting further confrontation and hoping to continue his experiments to save the global warming crisis. The Master saves Nova and attempts to convince the Champions that he means to save the world until Captain Marvel and her Alpha Flight show up.

What Just Happened? Zub is building upon moral dilemmas as he faces the Champions with the choice of letting a villain save the world only for him to take over the world later. Is it ok to accept a bad person’s help? As young adults, the Champions will be forced to answer this question in a unique growing pains way. And will they agree with whatever decision Captain Marvel and her crew have decided?

Rating: 8/10

Final Thoughts: The tone and fun of the Champions from where Mark Waid left off are still there. So is the style of art that Ramos had used to give the book it’s energy. Champions is still consistently good and I have high hopes for this beginning arc. And Nova asking Viv out on a date after almost dying is classic stuff. With Jim Zub at the helm, this book is in good hands.