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Champions #16

Nov 1977
Bill Mantlo, Bob Hall

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Story Name:

A World Lost!


Synopsis

Champions #16 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

Story continued from SUPER-VILLAIN TEAM-UP #14.

Doctor Doom has released his Neuro-Gas into the air making everyone in the world his unwitting servant in his plan for global domination. Magneto and the Beast try to enlist the Champions (Hercules, Black Widow, Iceman, Angel, Ghost Rider, Darkstar) as allies in stopping Doom's plot, but the hero team isn't buying it and they battle the Beast and Magneto. When Magneto realizes he's wasting too much time trying to recruit help, he and Beast depart for Washington with the Champions in pursuit via an energy sphere created by Darkstar….

In the capital, Doom has taken control of President Jimmy Carter and the White House but is quickly disgusted by their continual fawning over him. When Magneto and the Beast arrive, Doom brings in the Hulk to fight for him. When the Champions arrive, Doom orders them to fight against Magneto. Ghost Rider, immune to the Neuro-Gas, joins Magneto and the Beast against Doom and the assembled heroes. The battle ends when Ghost Rider sets fire to Doom's mask, forcing the villain to remove it. Breathing his own gas causes everyone else to come out from under his influence. Hulk, bored with all the talk, leaps away, and Magneto, having defeated Doom, departs as well, leaving several confused heroes surrounding a raving mad Doctor Doom.




 

Review / Commentaries


Champions #16 Review by (June 6, 2023)

Review: This likely marks the high point of the Champions’ careers: defeating Doctor Doom and rescuing the entire world from his domination—despite only Ghost Rider having any clue as to what is going on. Such seems to be the way of the Champions, undercutting their own heroism in a way not seen since, well, issues #7-8. And they defeat the Hulk, no mean feat but also not really of their own doing. The issue is cool, consisting of two huge group battles that take advantage of the chaos with some nicely rendered art. Oh and the big question? Since his scheme worked perfectly up until he was defeated solely by accident, why doesn’t Doctor Doom just fill the world with Neuro-Gas again? (And refrain from giving himself any more challenges.)

Comments: Part two of two parts; part one was in SUPER-VILLAIN TEAM-UP #14. Magneto is next seen in X-MEN #111-113; Doctor Doom returns in MASTER OF KUNG FU #59-60, of all places, and he seems okay. Inker Mike Esposito credited as Mickey Demeo.



> Champions comic book info and issue index

Elektra
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Excelsioring your collection:
Diamond Select Toys Marvel Gallery: Beast PVC Figure, Multicolor
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Bob Hall
Mike Esposito
Phil Rachelson
Gil Kane (Cover Penciler)
Mike Esposito (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Denise Wohl.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Angel
Angel

(Warren Worthington III)
Beast
Beast

(Henry Phillip McCoy)
Black Widow
Black Widow

(Natasha Romanoff)
Darkstar
Darkstar

(Laynia Petrovna)
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom

(Victor Von Doom)
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider

(Johnny Blaze)
Hercules
Hercules

(Heracles)
Hulk
Hulk

(Robert Bruce Banner)

Plus: President Jimmy Carter (Jimmy Carter).