NYCC 08: THE SKRULLS INVADE NEW WARRIORS

[MattBrady]

by Steve Ekstrom

This weekend at NYCC ‘08, Marvel announced that upcoming issues of the New Warriors would be invaded by—you guessed it—those damn dirty Skrulls. Following the ‘Thrashed’ story arc, readers should start looking for little green men to be popping up all over Marvel’s misbegotten squad of ex-mutant, tech-ed out vigilantes.

This current New Warriors ongoing which Marvel debuted last year, post-Civil War, follows several de-powered mutants (like Jubilee and Beak, for instance) after the events of House of M; they are led by an apparently “not-so-dead”, original New Warriors team leader, Night Thrasher. This unique mix of upstarts form an underground team of vigilantes outfitted with the remaining hardware of villains left strewn about after the destruction of the Avengers Mansion following Avengers: Disassembled.

Newsarama got a hold of New Warriors writer, Kevin Grievoux, and series editor, Daniel Ketchum, to talk about the team’s daring yet dysfunctional team dynamic and the probability that a Skrull or two may have been members all along.

Newsarama: Kevin, let's get right to it. Have the Skrulls infiltrated the New Warriors?

Kevin Grievoux: Maybe. What’s for sure is that something has happened to make other heroes think that the Skrulls have infiltrated the New Warriors.

NRAMA: Where do the Secret Invasion tie-in issues pick-up during the ordeal with the Skrulls?

KG: They occur right at the onset of the actual invasion as seen by the general populace.

NRAMA: Are there still going to be unresolved issues between Jubilee/ Wondra and Night Thrasher? How much longer can Donyell keep his identity a secret?

KG: Oh yeah! There’ll still be those unresolved issues between them. But they don’t hate each other. Each thinks what they’re doing is right, and they each have a solid reason for their actions. As for how long Donyell can keep his identity as secret…you’ll have to wait and see.

Daniel Ketchum: And as we’ve seen, Night Thrasher has more secrets than just his identity. Some of those secrets will come to light, both at the end of the current arc, “Thrashed,” and also over the course of the “Secret Invasion” story. And you can be sure that Jubilee will be the first one to expose them to her all-too-trusting teammates.

NRAMA: At times, these folks seem to be busting apart at the seams--will the New Warriors be able to hold it together during a full-on alien invasion?

KG: I think so. You have to remember, that even though they have issues with one another, they are still teammates. And during times of duress, especially a fight, you can make temporary amends so that you and the team survive whatever ordeals may come your way.

DK: Some tensions will certainly come to a head during this story…and motivate our characters to choose courses of action that might just surprise you.

NRAMA: Are all the teammates "safe" at this point? Or are there still roster shake-ups on the horizon?

KG: Once again, you’ll have to wait and see.

NRAMA: Will there be more information in the upcoming months involving Night Thrasher's deal with Midnight's Fire?

KG: Most definitely. But we can’t give all that away just yet.

DK: Read the current arc, “Thrashed”! We’ll be filling in some blanks there.

NRAMA: Are there any plans for past members of the team to show up with the current roster?

KG: It’s a possibility.

DK: (Wink!)

NRAMA: Are there any former New Warriors that are you wish you could use in your book--but are being utilized elsewhere? And if so, why?

KG: Of course! But the Marvel Universe is a different place now. Nova was always my favorite New Warrior, but his current status quo makes his membership on the team impossible. I also liked Namorita, but she’s…well, you know. My main reason for wanting to use these characters would be the nostalgia that they bring. I love the history of a lot of these characters and it would be cool to explore that in a post Civil War era.

NRAMA: With the announcement of Paco Medina moving to the new Deadpool ongoing--who will be taking over as the regular artist on the book?

KG: We’ll announce that as soon as we’re able.

NRAMA: The New Warriors has a very apparent "one man's trash is another man's treasure" metaphor (and meta-metaphor, really...) going on in the background of the stories every month. Was this an intentional thematic? Or did you just kind of logically come to this conclusion with the characters and materials you had at your disposal?

KG: It was both actually. These were mutants who were essentially told, “GET OUT” by the X-Men. So “thematically” they were on the “scrap heap” when Night Thrasher came calling. Using the tech they are currently employing worked basically the same way, with them gaining access to it by the events of Avengers Disassembled. Bringing these two elements together created kind of symbiosis that gives the team a unique flavor. The tech is representative of who they are, how they were treated and how far they can go.

NRAMA: Would you ever want to get your hands on any other bigger Marvel properties?

KG: Yes. I am a huge Hulk, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Iron Man and Thor fan. So, Lord willing I will some day.

NRAMA: Care to give readers something to ponder with consideration of the impending Skrull Invasion and the number of dangling plot lines you're captivating your audience with?

KG: Only that the events of the Skrull story will lead to a major revelation for the team and lead into the uncovering of Night Thrasher’s real agenda for the next arc.

[Redcape]

I miss the old New Warriors

[protege]

Great. I still don't know who some of these warriors are, and now i find out they may not even be who they're supposed to be? I have a headache.

[artiepants]

this book has gotten quite good in the last 2 issues, but i'm really bummed Paco's leaving:, that might be the straw that gets it dropped post SI ~ i really didn't care for the last fill-in at all.

[iceman06]

I haven't read a single issue, and I know who all the characters are. Have they not been named in the comics? If you don't read it and would still like to know who they are, can't you do a search or ask someone?

[buzzworks]

I was really digging the first couple issues of this book, but I recently dropped it.

I even went so far as to look up all these guys on Wikipedia and I still couldn't follow it.

I loved the reveal in the issue where we find out that Beak is actually handsome, a weird side effect of House of M.

It was really fun to catch up with Jubilee, Wind-Dancer and Chamber, but there are just too many characters to follow and the book hasn't really been going anywhere.

If you miss the New Warriors, pick up Avengers Initiative or Nova, both of those books are fun, and even though Intiative has a ton of characters it's fairly easy to follow.

[Scott Mateo]

from Wiki:

Nearly everyone in this new incarnation of the team is a depowered mutant and includes Sofia Mantega, (the de-powered mutant formerly known as Wind Dancer), Night Thrasher who is the original's brother, Donyell Taylor (formerly known as Bandit), and characters Wondra (Jubilation Lee, formerly known as the X-Man Jubilee), Tempest (Angel Salvadore, a former student of the Xavier Institute), Blackwing (Barnell "Barry" Bohusk, formerly known as Beak), Decibel (Jonothan "Jono" Starsmore, formerly known as Chamber), siblings Longstrike (Christine Cord, formerly known as Tattoo) and Phaser (Christian Cord, formerly known as Radian), Skybolt (Vincent "Vin" Stewart, formerly known as Redneck), and Ripcord (Miranda Leevald, formerly known as Stacy X). The group uses stolen and reverse-engineered technology (with the help of supporting teammates Grace and Kaz), such as a shrinking formula based on Bill Foster's derivative of Pym Particles, Spider-Man's webbing, Stilt-Man's telescopic legs and arms, and Wakandan technology in their war on crime. Their current hideout is a former Murderworld location. It is also revealed that Longstrike and Phaser are sister and brother.

[blehbeh]

I haven't read a single issue, and I know who all the characters are. Have they not been named in the comics? If you don't read it and would still like to know who they are, can't you do a search or ask someone?

I've read every issue, and I still have trouble keeping straight the new codenames and appearance of the former mutants in this book. The characters in this book are shadows of their former selves, even the ones that were barely built up in the past. Worst book Marvel currently publishes, IMO.

[Potatoeguru]

My hope?

All the "reality show" New Warriors that 'got blow'd up real gud' were really Skrulls.

That's pave the way for what the New Warriors should be about

[Ace]

I'd like to like the book and all but everyone on the team feels like an interchangeable cipher.

I'm obviously not the only one who feels that way.

[Angelophile]

Originally Posted by Ace

I'd like to like the book and all but everyone on the team feels like an interchangeable cipher.

I'm obviously not the only one who feels that way.

Not everyone. Jubilee and Chamber have been pretty well written, as has Thrash himself, Sofia's been spot on apart from her accent. It's just unfortunate that Angel, Beak and Stacy X both don't physically resemble the way they used to be, even after they were depowered, and don't really act in any way similar either. It would be easy to fogive one or the other, but both makes it hard to see these characters as the same people. And then there's a number of other character who've barely been developed.


The book has suffered from an unweildy large cast without the frequent detors (the cops, Bandit's past, Sofia's personal life, the Initiative, etc) and not a clear enough grasp on some of the supporting characters.

[motteditor]

Have to admit I'm kind of glad Medina's moving on. I don't dislike his art, but I found I was having a lot of trouble telling characters apart from each other. Hopefully I'll like the new artist. And coming out of SI, we'll get some more of the old Warriors on the team, instead of it being a de facto X-book in New Warriors clothing.

[Mindblower]

I'm really sad to see Paco leaving the book. He was really stepping up his game with every arc, but he also steps up his game with every project so I'm just glad he graced the book for a little while.

I look forward to these guys getting into the thick of something big!

[FeliciaHardy]

Wonder if Firestar will make any kind of return here after quitting during CW. Seems a perfect time for it.

[motteditor]

Yeah, while I appreciate her avoiding the Initiative, I hope she's at least dealt with in this coming scenario. Even if it's just a page with her telling Vance (or Elvin) why she's not joining them in their quest to find out whether the Newest Warriors are skrulls.

[davi0850]

Okay we all know that the new Night Thrasher is actually the old one's mutant brother Bandit. But has it been revealed if he was or was not depowered after M-Day?

[LowKey Loki]

Originally Posted by Redcape

I miss the old New Warriors

same here......

[Dallas Bar]

Originally Posted by Angelophile

Not everyone. Jubilee and Chamber have been pretty well written, as has Thrash himself, Sofia's been spot on apart from her accent. It's just unfortunate that Angel, Beak and Stacy X both don't physically resemble the way they used to be, even after they were depowered, and don't really act in any way similar either. It would be easy to fogive one or the other, but both makes it hard to see these characters as the same people. And then there's a number of other character who've barely been developed.


The book has suffered from an unweildy large cast without the frequent detors (the cops, Bandit's past, Sofia's personal life, the Initiative, etc) and not a clear enough grasp on some of the supporting characters.

I have one trouble with Decibel/ Chamber/ Jono... It was established during an arc of New Excalibur that he still has powers but doesn't know/ understand them. Even so, that he was a possible Omega.

Nothing is done with that.

[Angelophile]

Originally Posted by Dallas Bar

I have one trouble with Decibel/ Chamber/ Jono... It was established during an arc of New Excalibur that he still has powers but doesn't know/ understand them. Even so, that he was a possible Omega.

Nothing is done with that.

That's not a problem, since he himself was unaware he had (apparently latent) powers. So it's stuff for a future storyline. He clearly though he was still depowered and so that's how he's being played. Nothing's been done to contradict that he had possibly omega level latent powers.

[Doombug]

I think I know who the new penciller is going to be, he's doing an arc or an issue already after paco. Its the penciller from the cable and deadpool series towards the end.

[motteditor]

Reilly Brown. I'm cool with that. I thought he did a nice job on C/DP.

[Doombug]

Originally Posted by motteditor

Reilly Brown. I'm cool with that. I thought he did a nice job on C/DP.

He's also a really nice guy and loved his time on deadpool. He's not sure if he's going to be staying on the title or if he's just doing the one issue though.

[Doc_doom79]

Originally Posted by LowKey Loki

same here......

Agreed, and then some.