The Champions are headed to October for a rescue mission this October and they’re about to get a full fantasy makeover for the occasion.
The Marvel team of teenagers and young adults ventures into the mythical Weirdworld to rescue two of their own only to find themselves magically transformed by the otherworldly realm. The three-issue storyline comes after fantasy incarnations of the team members by series artist Sean Izaakse surfaced online earlier today. The story arc kicks off with Champions #25 with the cover for the issue below:
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“With two of their teammates having vanished into Weirdworld, the rest of the Champions have no choice but to follow them into that ever-changing landscape,” revealed Marvel SVP and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. “The changes this will put them through are both profound and unexpected—and will lead to something new on the horizon!”
For series writer Jim Zub, the worlds of swords and sorcery are a genre very close to the fan-favorite writer’s heart. Zub currently writes Dungeons & Dragons: Evil at Baldur’s Gate for IDW Publishing and previously wrote Red Sonja for Dynamite Entertainment and his creator-owned series Skullkickers for Image Comics.
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“Everyone who knows me and my work knows that sword & sorcery is near and dear to my heart. It’s a potent vehicle for building stories of survival and heroism in worlds where life can end on the tip of a blade and creatures lurk in every shadow,” explained Zub. “The Champions fight for what’s right, no matter where they are…or who they are, and this upcoming weird and wonderful three-part story is going to show you how true that is.”
Weirdworld is a fantasy realm first created in 1976’s Marvel Super Action by writer Doug Moench and artist Mike Ploog. Following the 2015 Marvel crossover event Secret Wars, the world was incorporated as part of the Marvel Universe proper. With the upcoming Champions story arc, it looks like the young superteam are in for a trip that may change them inside and out.
Champions #25 is written by Jim Zub with art by Sean Izaakse and Max Dunbar. It is scheduled to be released on October 3 by Marvel Entertainment.