The New Crusaders is a fictional superhero team and their eponymous title published by
Archie Comics
Archie Comic Publications, Inc., is an American comic book publisher headquartered in Pelham, New York.Red Circle Comics. A revamp of the previously published '' Mighty Crusaders'' title, ''New Crusaders'' follows the sons and daughters of the original Mighty Crusaders as they acquire their own powers and attempt to become superheroes. The series was written by regular ''
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers m ...
'' writer
Ian Flynn
Ian Flynn (born May 31, 1982), also known by his Internet pen name Ian Potto, is an American comic book writer. He was chief writer for Archie Comics's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' since issue #160, after the departure of the previous chief writer Ken P ...
and ended on a cliffhanger.
Publication history
The first issue of ''New Crusaders'' was released digitally on May 16, 2012, through Archie Comics' Red Circle app, with print publication set to begin monthly on September 5, 2012. The digital release was part of a partnership between Archie and and the subscription also gave readers access to an archive of older Archie superhero comics.
The initial story arc, ''Rise of the Heroes'', ended with the shock death of Fireball, a decision made to ramp up the stakes and to remove the most grounded character, leaving the others at a disadvantage. Editor Paul Kaminski also said this was in response to reader feedback: "They've said, "This is awesome, but give us more action. Give us more realism in there." That's what we're doing."
During the first storyline, Archie announced a spinoff called ''Lost Crusade'' which would run every fifth week and fill in the gaps between the 1980s Red Circle comics & ''New Crusaders''; the first writers announced were
Chuck Dixon
Charles Dixon (born April 14, 1954) is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher and on the DC Comics characters Batman, Nightwing, and Robin in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Early life
Di ...
and Flynn. After six months, Archie went for same-day print and digital releases and Paul Kaminski announced the second arc: "we’re going to be exploring just how deeply that hell has burned this team (pun fully intended), and just what in the world Brain Emperor is after. Or should I say, what in the world(s)?" ''Lost Crusade'' was announced as going monthly. Archie's co-CEO
Jon Goldwater
Jon is a shortened form of the common given name Jonathan, derived from " YHWH has given", and an alternate spelling of John, derived from "YHWH has pardoned".Alex Segura mentioned " have a great fondness for New Crusaders and the stuff that book aimed to do" in a March 2014 interview, but announced that Archie was not going to continue it: "These won’t be all-ages superhero books that we hope will appeal to older readers. As much as I love New Crusaders, it won’t be a direct follow-up to that. If you want an idea of what we’re shooting for, Afterlife with Archie is your best example. We see the Red Circle expansion as a continuation of the success of Afterlife." On July 10, 2014, Archie Comics announced another relaunch of their superhero line as Dark Circle Comics. ''New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow Special'' #1 was released in March 2015 under the Dark Circle Comics imprint but still featuring the Red Circle versions of the characters.
Characters
The Shield
The Shield
''The Shield'' is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12, 2002, on FX in the United States, and concluded on November 25, 2008, after seven seasons. Known for its portrayal of corrupt pol ...
is the only member of the original Mighty Crusaders still active in the New Crusaders. After saving his colleagues' children from the Brain Emperor's attack in the series' first issue, The Shield took it upon himself to train the teenagers to harness their parents' powers and become a new team of superheroes. His powers grant him near invulnerability and heightened physical abilities.Flynn, Ian. ''New Crusaders''. Archie. May 16, 2012
The Comet
Greg Dickering is the adopted son of the original
Comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ...
. His powers grant him the ability to fly, as well as the ability to emit destructive laser beams from his eyes.
Fireball
Alex Tyler spent a portion of his adolescence in juvenile hall due to his regular lashing out. His uncle, Ted Tyler, the original Fireball, had offered to help straighten him out when the Brain Emperor attacked . As his name suggests, Fireball's powers grant him control over fire. He was killed during the supervillain prison riot in #6.
Fly-Girl
Daughter of the original Flygirl, Kelly Brand stepped up to continue her mother's legacy. Using advanced technology, she possesses heightened physical abilities, flight, and a projectile stun gun.
Jaguar
Ivette Velez spent her whole life in an orphanage after her parents died when she was still a baby. While there, Ralph Hardy, the original
Jaguar
The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...
, took her under his wing as her mentor. Jaguar's animalistic powers originate in the mystical jaguar helmet that Ralph discovered for her.
Steel Sterling
Johnny Sterling is the son of the original Steel Sterling and Mayor of Red Circle, Jack Sterling. His powers, including super strength and near invulnerability, come from skin made from a nanobot framework.
The Web
Wyatt Raymond is the son of the original
Web
Web most often refers to:
* Spider web, a silken structure created by the animal
* World Wide Web or the Web, an Internet-based hypertext system
Web, WEB, or the Web may also refer to:
Computing
* WEB, a literate programming system created by ...
and Powgirl. Wyatt possesses a "Strand Sense," which allows him to see shining blue connections between people. Wyatt wears technologically advanced suit to amplify his physical abilities.