The Champions (Marvel)

Like the Defenders, this team was an ad hoc collection of some of Marvel’s lesser-known super-heroes. Although the membership shifted a bit over time, the core team consisted of the Black Widow, former Uncanny X-Men Angel and Iceman, Olympian god Hercules, and Ghost Rider—both as the flaming spirit Zarathos and the mortal Johnny Blaze.

Although modeled after the Avengers and the Defenders, the Champions didn’t have the right mix of characters and writing to make it a true hit. After running for seventeen issues, this title concluded in 1977.

Jump to issue:

#1

Oct 1975

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella · A: Don Heck

1st Appearance of The Champions; Origin of The Champions; Versus Pluto

2 copies from $26.00
#2

Jan 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella · A: Don Heck

Versus Pluto

7 copies from $3.25
#3

Feb 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella, Bill Mantlo · A: George Tuska

Versus Pluto; Marvel Value Stamp Series B #29

9 copies from $2.25
#4

Mar 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Chris Claremont · A: George Tuska

Marvel Value Stamp Series B #57

14 copies from $4.00
#5

Apr 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella · A: Don Heck

1st Appearance of Rampage (Marvel); 1st Appearance of Rampage (Stuart Clarke); Origin of Rampage (Marvel); Origin of Rampage (Stuart Clarke); Marvel Value Stamp Series B #77

9 copies from $2.75
#5 Variation A

30 cent regional price variant

Apr 1976

Cover: $0.30

W: Tony Isabella · A: Don Heck

1st Appearance of Rampage (Marvel); 1st Appearance of Rampage (Stuart Clarke); Origin of Rampage (Marvel); Origin of Rampage (Stuart Clarke)

1 copy for $45.75
#6

Jun 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella · A: George Tuska

2nd Appearance of Rampage (Stuart Clarke); Versus Rampage

15 copies from $5.95
#7

Aug 1976

Cover: $0.25

W: Tony Isabella · A: George Tuska

1st appearance of Commissar (Alexei Bruskin); 1st appearance of Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna); 1st appearance of Darkstar, Griffin and Titanium Man; 1st appearance of Yuri Ivanovitch Petrovich

5 copies from $5.00
#8

Oct 1976

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo, Gerry Conway · A: Bob Hall

Versus Crimson Dynamo; Versus Darkstar; Versus Griffin; Versus Rampage; Versus Titanium Man

9 copies from $2.75
#9

Dec 1976

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: Bob Hall, Gil Kane

Versus Crimson Dynamo; Versus Darkstar; Versus Griffin; Versus Titanium Man

14 copies from $2.50
#10

Jan 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: Bob Hall

Versus Crimson Dynamo; Versus Darkstar; Versus Griffin; Versus Titanium Man

10 copies from $3.75
#11

Feb 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: John Byrne

11 copies from $2.34
#12

Mar 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: John Byrne

Versus Stilt-Man; Kurt Busiek L.O.C.

11 copies from $2.98
#13

May 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: John Byrne

1st appearance of Mechanoids

9 copies from $3.00
#14

Jul 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: John Byrne

1st appearance of Swarm (Fritz Von Meyer)

5 copies from $2.75
#15

Sep 1977

Cover: $0.30

W: Bill Mantlo · A: John Byrne

2nd Appearance Swarm; Origin of Swarm (Fritz Von Meyer)

12 copies from $6.50
#16

Nov 1977

Cover: $0.35

W: Bill Mantlo · A: Bob Hall

11 copies from $5.00
#17

Jan 1978

Cover: $0.35

W: Bill Mantlo · A: George Tuska

Versus Sentinels; Final Issue

3 copies from $11.05
Book #2

Cover: $19.99

W: Bill Mantlo, John Byrne · A: John Byrne, Bob Hall, George Tuska, Sal Buscema

Collects The Champions #12-17, Iron Man Annual #4, Avengers #163, Super-Villain Team-Up $14, and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #17-18

3 copies from $15.00