“Wait, come back! We’re the GOOD ones!”
The New Warriors #1
Marvel Comics (July, 1990)
“From The Ground Up!”
CONCEPT: Tom DeFalco & Ron Frienz
WRITER: Fabian Nicieza
PENCILER: Mark Bagley
INKER: Al Williamson
COLORIST: Michael Rockwitz
LETTERER: Michael Heisler
EDITOR: Danny Fingeroth
The story opens on Night Thrasher holding Richard Rider over the side of a building, dropping him to force him to instinctively activate his dormant Nova powers that he thought was lost. Nova is the first of a group of teen heroes he hopes to put together. His next recruit is Marvel Boy, fresh off of being turned down by the Avengers because he’s too young. Thrasher’s guardians then uncover Firestar’s secret identity with Thrasher using a rather questionable method of getting her to meet with them. When Terrax shows up at a contaminated field these heroes gain two new members: Namorita was already there trying to learn about the efforts to clean up the contamination while a bored Speedball saw them on TV and decided to join in. The group almost immediately gel as they come up with plans to weaken and finally destroy Terrax’s fake body (as he’s just a being of energy at this point). Thrasher just wanted the four he recruited but immediately accepts the other two and Speedball’s name for the team based on a line by a news reporter: the New Warriors!
What they got right: Night Thrasher was new to the Marvel Universe at the time (this being his first appearance according to the cover) but the others appeared in one form or another previously. Bringing the young heroes together as a team was a good idea and already the team seem to work together quite well for their first battle. You get a good idea of each character’s personalities, abilities, and skills as well as what Night Thrasher’s deal is.
What they got wrong: Points for being a Batman wannabe who actually realizes he needs a team but does he have to be such a jerk about it? I mentioned how he shocked Nova into getting his powers back but he also threatened to expose Angelica as Firestar unless she came to meet him instead of just asking to meet with her, which she indicates he could have done. (I do like Nova and Marvel Boy’s unison “it was his idea” moment.) It doesn’t exactly endear the new character to the reader. Not that Captain America gets to shine given how dismissive he is of the young heroes who just beat one of Galactus’ old heralds and includes a young hero he knows from his adult years that he just sent away. (Granted, Steve at least had a good point about not being able to train him with their current facilities.)
What I think overall: Night Thrasher’s attitude and lack of respect for the young heroes’ privacy aside this was a great introduction to the original incarnation of the New Warriors. It’s a good lineup and makes me interested in seeing more of their adventures.
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