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Excelsior (comics)
Encyclopedia
Loners is a spin-off
mini-series of comic books from Marvel Comics
, first appearing in the pages of Runaways
. It consists of a Los Angeles
-based support group
for former teenage
superhero
es from New York
, founded by Turbo
of the New Warriors
, and Phil Urich
, the heroic former Green Goblin
. Their goals are initially stated to be to help fellow teenage superheroes to adjust to normal lives while coping with their powers, and to dissuade other superpowered teenagers from becoming heroes, but these goals are discarded in their own miniseries in favor of the group apparently wanting to avoid using their powers for any reason, even if that means abandoning helpless victims of crime to their fate. As with other continuity errors and discrepancies thrown up during the course of the Loners miniseries, no explanation is given as to the drastic change in the group's purpose between series — though miniseries writer C. B. Cebulski
(the third writer to tackle the team - after Brian K. Vaughan/Robert Kirkman
- and the only one to use this direction for the team) has attempted to suggest some answers directly to fans who frequent the Newsarama
forums rather than within the pages of the book itself, though many suggestions (notably those centering on Darkhawk) were later debunked by events in canon titles such as Nova and War of Kings: Ascension. Although all the characters were created by different authors and artists, the team itself was created by Brian K. Vaughan
and Adrian Alphona
, with other characters (Spider-Woman, Hollow, Red Ronin) added to the cast during the events of the 2007 miniseries.
The group had originally appeared in the multiple award-winning series, Runaways
. They had been introduced in "True Believers", the first story arc of the series' second volume. At the end of the story arc, it was revealed that the group had secretly been sponsored by Rick Jones
, on behalf of Captain America
, who hoped to ensure the Runaways do not get into trouble. Following their battle with Ultron
, Rick Jones offered to sponsor the team full-time. Its creative team is C. B. Cebulski
(writer) and Karl Moline (artist).
under the name "Excelsior", the team later received their own limited series with an option to continue as an ongoing should sales be high enough, though this was not the case. The title of the series and the team was changed from Excelsior to Loners, due to copyright issues as Stan Lee
holds a trademark on the term "Excelsior!"., though the team did appear in an issue of the third volume of Marvel Team Up under the name Excelsior before Loners was published. The title premiered on April 11, 2007
and ran for 6 issues. In a stylistic departure from their debut appearance in Runaways as comic relief
, Loners is not a comedy, though the covers of the individual issues still suggest a light-hearted tone by being direct homages to the iconic imagery of the teen comedy feature films of John Hughes, and the exaggerated personalities from their Runaways debut are also retained entirely for the cast, though this does create some continuity discrepancies, particularly Darkhawk
's infrequent lapses into potentially murderous violence and sudden reversion to switching bodies in a manner that ignores later events from the Darkhawk series (this continuity gaffe even being referenced in Marvel Team-Up Vol.3 #15), and Julie Power
no longer having the ability to teleport, her powers now including the ability to hover in the air without being in motion, and her character purporting to be from New York
instead of the family home of Bainbridge Island. In a further departure from both their debut appearance and their appearances elsewhere in Marvel titles as a fully functioning superhero group who gather in costume, the group itself now has a completely different and unprecedented function, changing from a peer support/counseling group of active superheroes to an addiction/recovery group. It can be observed that the methods utilised by the group in many instances contradict common practices of individual empowerment found in addiction/recovery groups in favor of (ironically) codependency upon the group and its rituals. In the series, the "addiction" specified is addictive behavior: using superpowers, fighting crime, and helping those in need. The addictions are not to narcotic substance at any time during the series, although Mattie Franklin
is seen getting drunk in a bar during the closing montage of issue 3 despite still being in high school, suggesting the possibility of alcohol dependence.
Julie Power and Johnny Gallo are also the subject of character retcon
s during the course of the series: whereas in his Runaways appearance Johnny's reasons for joining the group were given as being so he could be around other ex-teen heroes who had experienced early fame
as a superhero and later couldn't cope without it, this was revised in Loners to being that he used superheroics for thrill seeking and to meet women, then revised a third time to being a response to his friend being killed during a superhero battle (though this battle - occurring during the events of the 'Wolverine: Enemy of the State' story arc - did not actually occur until after Johnny first appeared as a member of the Los Angeles-based Excelsior group, though he is portrayed during Loners in flashbacks as still living in New York at the time, working as a superhero alongside the friend in question: Eddie McDonough, who is also portrayed as being back in the Hornet armor he lost, somehow cured of the cerebral palsy which afflicted him). Julie's low intelligence displayed in Runaways: True Believers and the first three issues of Loners is also revealed as an affectation she adopts to fit in with the natives of Los Angeles and her fellow team-mates, though she retains this personality for the rest of the series regardless of her revelation. Julie's age is also revised by several years, from the indeterminate "ex-teenage" of Runaways to the specific age of 17, and she no longer displays her teleportation powers, or the ability to create shields.
Three new team members were also introduced in the series: Penance (known as Hollow), Spider-Woman
and Namie, the second version of the Red Ronin
. After the miniseries, The Loners appear in a special ten page Christmas story within the 2007 Marvel Holiday Special.
After Mattie was killed and Darkhawk was severely injured (in Grim Hunt and The Thanos Imperative
respectively), the remaining members of the team were inducted into the Avengers Academy
by Hawkeye.
Within War of Kings: Darkhawk #1 are three former heroes that are seen among the Loners' support group, although they have not been identified.
The first issue opens with Julie Power apologizing to Phil Urich on her cell phone; Phil tries to convince her not to do anything rash but fails: Julie steps off a tall building, free falls, and then flies into the air. Shortly afterwards, both Phil and Mickey Musashi discuss Julie's actions and plan their next move.
The support group meets in the basement of a church, and after waiting for Julie to arrive, decide to begin without her. Mattie Franklin is asked to speak first, recalling her experiences as Spider-Woman. Julie finally arrives at the tail-end of a cell phone conversation apparently with her brother Alex
. She apologizes to the group for both her tardiness and her recent relapse.
Chris Powell insults Julie, who suggests that she has the hardest struggle of them all because she has had her powers the longest (seven years). Mattie, however, points out that although she has not been in the hero business as long as the rest of the group members, concealing her psionic spider-legs subjects her to constant physical pressure. After dramatically revealing her appendages, she storms out of the meeting.
Outside the church, Mattie explains to Chris that she has some unfinished business with MGH dealers, who exploited her in the past; she has tracked them to Los Angeles. She asks that he assist her as Darkhawk for just one mission.
Darkhawk and Spider-Woman storm the MGH dealers' hideout and defeat the dealers easily, but they are attacked by the person "supplying the materials" for MGH, Nekra
. Luckily, support group member Johnny Gallo (Ricochet) has followed Darkhawk and Spider-Woman to the dealers' base of operations and aids them in escaping Nekra's clutches. After defeating her, the trio discovers a list containing the names of supervillains being supplied MGH by the dealers and decide to investigate further, while agreeing not to tell the rest of the group.
A week later, Johnny contemplates what to do next. Later at a restaurant, Johnny tries to convince both Chris and Mattie to tell the rest of the support group about what they have done. Mattie insists that she needs more time to follow-up on the information they have gathered. When Johnny sarcastically reminds Mattie of her "act" during the recent group meeting, she nearly attacks him and accuses him of attending the group for selfish reasons.
At the next support group meeting, Phil mentions the MGH bust and suggests that it could be used as an additional reason to further encourage teen superheroes to establish normal lives. Johnny gets up to speak, Mattie and Chris thinking he is about to reveal their recent actions. However, he tells the group about why he moved to Los Angeles. After the Slingers disbanded, his best friend Eddie McDonough (Hornet), convinced Johnny to continue as a superhero. Ricochet admits that he did so for the glory rather than to help people, but when Hornet was killed by Wolverine
, Johnny blames himself for his friend's death, since he refused to help him prior to the situation.
Johnny unsuccessfully tries to contact both Mattie (who ignores his call while reading over some research about Ricochet's former teammates) and Chris (who arrives at Mickey's place to take her on a date). Ricochet heads to the deserted warehouse that is their main lead; he sneaks in and is shocked to see women held under sedation in fluid-filled containers. He is attacked by the Rose's
former assassin Delilah
, who assumes he is the same Ricochet who betrayed her in the past.
Although Ricochet defeats her, during the course of the battle one of the containers is smashed and the former Generation X mutant known as Penance emerges.
Phil Urich narrates events as the group meet in a local emergency room. He relates (through external analepsis) the tale of Johnny's fight with Penance and how it led to Julie being stabbed after flying into frame in the middle of Johnny and Penance's fight. (No explanation is given why Julie is suddenly present, though her immediate maiming at Penance's hands is most likely simply an instance of Women in Refrigerators
syndrome, in order to give parallels to the violent death of Johnny Gallo's friend Hornet at the hands of Wolverine and thus give Johnny a reason to act. This graphic scene was also released in previews by Marvel to publicise the book.) Suddenly remembering that he left Penance and several defenseless women back in the warehouse, Johnny runs out of the ER attempting to return to the scene, but he is stopped by accusations from the group about his behaviour. Penance appears before the group having somehow tracked Johnny, and invisible gun-toting soldiers suddenly attack, having somehow tracked Penance. There follows a brief battle which ends when Mickey appeals to the head of the opposing group as a fellow Japanese national and they negotiate a settlement in their "own language", the mysterious terms of which remain unknown to the group. The various members go their separate ways for the evening, and Penance returns home with Phil to sleep on his floor. Julie flies from the hospital before her parents can be contacted about her condition, and it becomes apparent Phil is somehow hallucinating the Green Goblin when he looks in the mirror.
Julie and Johnny have lunch; he is astounded by her healing abilities caused by the Kymellian
changes to her DNA
, noting that she was stabbed in "the gut", despite her scar clearly being visible on her shoulder. Julie is intrigued by Hollow (formerly Penance) staying at Phil Urich's place, and fans the rumors about Mickey and Chris' romance. The two arrive at Marvel Studios to keep Julie's appointment for an audition.
At Phil's apartment, he does dishes and looks over at the sleeping Hollow. An image of her kissing him as the Green Goblin appears within a dinner plate, leading him to smash the plate and awaken Hollow; she does her best to comfort him.
At the audition, the director suggests Julie needs acting lessons; she leaves in a huff. She and Johnny criticize the director, who (they think) over-uses CGI
effects. Another director named Mark Lowell overhears them and mentions the troubles he has in finding good stuntmen
. Julie offers both her and Johnny's services, which pleases the director but creates doubts for Johnny — the two must use their powers to perform their new jobs.
At the James Dean Observatory; Chris apologizes to Mickey. She admits that she dislikes having "other girls in the group". Chris asks why Mickey does not view Julie as a girl, and Mickey begins to respond that Julie "isn't--", but catches herself, mentioning that Julie is focused on her acting career and not "into the dating scene".
Julie, dressed as the Black Cat
and Johnny, dressed as Iron Fist, perform stunts. The director expresses his satisfaction. His compliments lead Julie to fly off the set; Johnny contacts Mattie and tells her that they will have to reschedule their meeting. Julie apparently phones her sister Katie
with her news. Back at Julie's dressing room, the director barges in and acts in an inappropriate manner, eventually physically accosting Julie. He threatens to report her unauthorized use of her powers when she throws him from the trailer. Julie counters that there are laws to protect minors against sexual predator
s. The director is shocked; he was unaware that Julie is only seventeen. Julie leaves the film set.
At the meeting, Julie speaks first. As Johnny did previously, she admits to lying about her reasons for quitting superheroics. She hands out a photograph of Power Pack
, suggesting that from early childhood she needed to learn to keep her powers and other information about her siblings secret (though in the original Power Pack series, it was Julie who most resisted hiding her powers, and in all other appearances as a member of Excelsior/Loners, she mentions her siblings frequently, and does not wear a mask to hide her identity, even though all the other members of the team do). She admits that a Hollywood career may not happen for her and resolves to be more honest.
Julie's final admission is interrupted by Nekra, who informs the group that she found them by using the information regarding their support group that they regularly release on the internet and to attack them.
The group is overwhelmed by Nekra. Phil and Mickey are powerless to stop the villain, and only the timely arrival of Namie ends the battle. Afterwards Phil learns of Chris and Mickey being a couple. At the same time, Mattie and Johnny go back to Johnny's apartment. While Johnny is taking a shower, Mattie investigates his place. Johnny catches her and Mattie seduces him in order to keep her cover. It is later revealed she was hired by the former Slinger Dusk's parents to locate their daughter. Meanwhile, Mickey confronts Chris about feeling helpless in the battle with Nekra, as well as for Chris not giving up the Darkhawk amulet. Mickey reveals she felt powerless without her armor and feels inadequate next to the rest of the group because they have 'real' powers — except for Chris, whose armor mirrors Mickey's own superhero abilities and identity. Their argument is put on hold when Phil arrives with Hollow, who has changed colour from the previous issue without explanation. Phil begins berating Mickey, then attacking Chris and stealing the amulet, in which he transforms into a Goblin-like version of Darkhawk.
Chris is recovering from the attack, only to witness Phil in Darkhawk armor attacking Hollow and advancing on Mickey. Chris manages to tap into the amulet's power and becomes Darkhawk in his second armored form, though it is not explained how he can utilise the armor without a whole amulet, as it has been previously established that without such an artifact, the Darkhawk armor remains inert. While the two battle, the other Loners, including an armored Mickey, arrive. Phil is defeated and Chris takes back the amulet. Phil then leaves the Loners, but not before revealing that Namie is a cyborg
(the new Red Ronin
), that Mickey made a secret bargain with Fuyumi Fujikawa, and that Julie is hiding a terrible secret from the group. Penance picks up Phil and they fly away unhindered, though the means of levitation and propulsion by which this is achieved are never explained. Disgusted, Mattie berates the group about their past decisions about not using their powers, as well as her choice of sleeping with Johnny, and leaves.
A week later, the Loners are back together minus Hollow, Phil, and Mattie. None of the subplots from the series bar the identity of Namie have been resolved, and the issue ends with noone willing to talk about their problems or what has so far happened.
After the series has ended, the group are next seen in the apartment of Mickey Musashi celebrating Christmas and attempting to solve some of their personal issues with each other through Secret Santa
.
said there are plans for some of the characters in "different places" (see War of Kings
note below), suggesting that it was "a tough market for a book like Loners", though Marvel's overall sales figures were actually increasing at the time of Loners' publication, with even the company's traditionally low-selling (via the direct market) 'All Ages' range slowly making gains at the same time Loners dropped several thousand readers.
Author Cebulski had Loners planned for eighteen issues but does not know if he would be allowed to go onto ongoing. He hopes to continue Loners and waits for Marvel's permission. This seems deeply unlikely, however, as sales figures reveal Loners as selling 5000 copies less than Marvel's break-even point for ongoing titles towards the end of its run, despite initially good sales for early issues.
With a follow-up series unlikely, Cebulski posted an apology to readers on Newsarama forums that he did not "meet and match all your expectations for the characters", and that he would clarify continuity errors and unexplained events in a series post-mortem on that very site. Though he declined to answer questions that would have been answered in future issues of the book had they ever been commissioned or published.
Darkhawk later appeared in the pages of Nova as the head of security for Project Pegasus
. He revealed that he had registered with the Initiative
and that Justice had recommended him for the position. Darkhawk is also a cast member within the War of Kings Event, with his own two issue miniseries in February and March 2009 tidying up continuity problems created by the unlikelihood of a sequel to Loners and freeing the character for use as the lead in Dan Abnett
and Andy Lanning
's four-part miniseries, War of Kings: Ascension. Though no longer associated with the Loners, Darkhawk's former teammates appear within both issues of his miniseries (though it remains unexplained how they - and the church in which they held their meetings - relocated from Los Angeles to New York), and it becomes apparent that Darkhawk left the team because he could no longer turn his back on his responsibilities as a superhero and wished to "focus (his) anger into something productive", creating friction with some members of the Loners. Though the group is hostile towards him, he makes amends with his former girlfriend Mickey Musashi/Turbo
. During the events of War of Kings: Ascension, it is revealed that Darkhawk is now 'the most wanted man in the galaxy' and will play a role in future issues of Nova - it seems unlikely he will rejoin the Loners in comic book limbo for the foreseeable future.
The remaining Loners (without Namie/Red Ronin, but with Penance/Hollow) are seen within the Avengers Academy
series among the other various superpowered youths and young adults being offered additional training as part-time students, with Julie attending there as a full time student and an teacher assistant.
, Diamond Lil, Random
, and Ricochet
.
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
mini-series of comic books from Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, first appearing in the pages of Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
. It consists of a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based support group
Support group
In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic...
for former teenage
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, founded by Turbo
Turbo (comics)
Turbo is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One a comic book superheroine, the other a superhero. Michiko "Mickey" Musashi debuted in New Warriors #28 and her ally Michael "Mike" Jeffries in New Warriors #33.-Torpedo Armor:The Torpedo armor was a creation of the...
of the New Warriors
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
, and Phil Urich
Phil Urich
Philip Benjamin "Phil" Urich is a Marvel Comics character whose first appearance was in Web of Spider-Man #125. He once was the second person to use the Green Goblin identity as a superhero instead of a supervillain...
, the heroic former Green Goblin
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
. Their goals are initially stated to be to help fellow teenage superheroes to adjust to normal lives while coping with their powers, and to dissuade other superpowered teenagers from becoming heroes, but these goals are discarded in their own miniseries in favor of the group apparently wanting to avoid using their powers for any reason, even if that means abandoning helpless victims of crime to their fate. As with other continuity errors and discrepancies thrown up during the course of the Loners miniseries, no explanation is given as to the drastic change in the group's purpose between series — though miniseries writer C. B. Cebulski
C. B. Cebulski
C.B. Cebulski is an American writer and editor for Marvel Comics, known for his work on titles such as Marvel Fairy Tales. As of 2011, he holds the position of Senior Vice President of Creative & Creator Development.-Career:...
(the third writer to tackle the team - after Brian K. Vaughan/Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
- and the only one to use this direction for the team) has attempted to suggest some answers directly to fans who frequent the Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
forums rather than within the pages of the book itself, though many suggestions (notably those centering on Darkhawk) were later debunked by events in canon titles such as Nova and War of Kings: Ascension. Although all the characters were created by different authors and artists, the team itself was created by Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
and Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
, with other characters (Spider-Woman, Hollow, Red Ronin) added to the cast during the events of the 2007 miniseries.
The group had originally appeared in the multiple award-winning series, Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
. They had been introduced in "True Believers", the first story arc of the series' second volume. At the end of the story arc, it was revealed that the group had secretly been sponsored by Rick Jones
Rick Jones (comics)
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
, on behalf of Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, who hoped to ensure the Runaways do not get into trouble. Following their battle with Ultron
Ultron
Ultron is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers #54 , and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema...
, Rick Jones offered to sponsor the team full-time. Its creative team is C. B. Cebulski
C. B. Cebulski
C.B. Cebulski is an American writer and editor for Marvel Comics, known for his work on titles such as Marvel Fairy Tales. As of 2011, he holds the position of Senior Vice President of Creative & Creator Development.-Career:...
(writer) and Karl Moline (artist).
Overview
Originally debuting in the book RunawaysRunaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
under the name "Excelsior", the team later received their own limited series with an option to continue as an ongoing should sales be high enough, though this was not the case. The title of the series and the team was changed from Excelsior to Loners, due to copyright issues as Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
holds a trademark on the term "Excelsior!"., though the team did appear in an issue of the third volume of Marvel Team Up under the name Excelsior before Loners was published. The title premiered on April 11, 2007
2007 in comics
-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....
and ran for 6 issues. In a stylistic departure from their debut appearance in Runaways as comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
, Loners is not a comedy, though the covers of the individual issues still suggest a light-hearted tone by being direct homages to the iconic imagery of the teen comedy feature films of John Hughes, and the exaggerated personalities from their Runaways debut are also retained entirely for the cast, though this does create some continuity discrepancies, particularly Darkhawk
Darkhawk
Darkhawk is a fictional comic book superhero who first appeared in his own self-titled series, Darkhawk #1...
's infrequent lapses into potentially murderous violence and sudden reversion to switching bodies in a manner that ignores later events from the Darkhawk series (this continuity gaffe even being referenced in Marvel Team-Up Vol.3 #15), and Julie Power
Julie Power
Julie Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
no longer having the ability to teleport, her powers now including the ability to hover in the air without being in motion, and her character purporting to be from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
instead of the family home of Bainbridge Island. In a further departure from both their debut appearance and their appearances elsewhere in Marvel titles as a fully functioning superhero group who gather in costume, the group itself now has a completely different and unprecedented function, changing from a peer support/counseling group of active superheroes to an addiction/recovery group. It can be observed that the methods utilised by the group in many instances contradict common practices of individual empowerment found in addiction/recovery groups in favor of (ironically) codependency upon the group and its rituals. In the series, the "addiction" specified is addictive behavior: using superpowers, fighting crime, and helping those in need. The addictions are not to narcotic substance at any time during the series, although Mattie Franklin
Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the third character to be called Spider-Woman and the second to receive her own ongoing series.-Publication history:...
is seen getting drunk in a bar during the closing montage of issue 3 despite still being in high school, suggesting the possibility of alcohol dependence.
Julie Power and Johnny Gallo are also the subject of character retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
s during the course of the series: whereas in his Runaways appearance Johnny's reasons for joining the group were given as being so he could be around other ex-teen heroes who had experienced early fame
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
as a superhero and later couldn't cope without it, this was revised in Loners to being that he used superheroics for thrill seeking and to meet women, then revised a third time to being a response to his friend being killed during a superhero battle (though this battle - occurring during the events of the 'Wolverine: Enemy of the State' story arc - did not actually occur until after Johnny first appeared as a member of the Los Angeles-based Excelsior group, though he is portrayed during Loners in flashbacks as still living in New York at the time, working as a superhero alongside the friend in question: Eddie McDonough, who is also portrayed as being back in the Hornet armor he lost, somehow cured of the cerebral palsy which afflicted him). Julie's low intelligence displayed in Runaways: True Believers and the first three issues of Loners is also revealed as an affectation she adopts to fit in with the natives of Los Angeles and her fellow team-mates, though she retains this personality for the rest of the series regardless of her revelation. Julie's age is also revised by several years, from the indeterminate "ex-teenage" of Runaways to the specific age of 17, and she no longer displays her teleportation powers, or the ability to create shields.
Three new team members were also introduced in the series: Penance (known as Hollow), Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the third character to be called Spider-Woman and the second to receive her own ongoing series.-Publication history:...
and Namie, the second version of the Red Ronin
Red Ronin
Red Ronin is a gigantic humanoid robotic construct in the Marvel Comics universe. Originally created by writer Doug Moench and artist Herb Trimpe as a foil for Godzilla, the robot went on to be a menace to other Marvel characters such as the Avengers and Wolverine.-Publication history:Red Ronin's...
. After the miniseries, The Loners appear in a special ten page Christmas story within the 2007 Marvel Holiday Special.
After Mattie was killed and Darkhawk was severely injured (in Grim Hunt and The Thanos Imperative
The Thanos Imperative
The Thanos Imperative is a 6-issue comic book limited series published in 2010 by Marvel Comics. It was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and was bookended by two one-shot comics, Ignition and Devastation...
respectively), the remaining members of the team were inducted into the Avengers Academy
Avengers Academy
Avengers Academy is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the "Heroic Age". The series is written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and tells the story of a group of young super-powered persons who were selected to join a training academy for the...
by Hawkeye.
Original members
- TurboTurbo (comics)Turbo is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One a comic book superheroine, the other a superhero. Michiko "Mickey" Musashi debuted in New Warriors #28 and her ally Michael "Mike" Jeffries in New Warriors #33.-Torpedo Armor:The Torpedo armor was a creation of the...
(Michiko "Mickey" Musashi), formerly of the New WarriorsNew WarriorsThe New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
. Deciding she would do more good with her education than she would adventuring, she retired the TorpedoTorpedo (Marvel Comics)Torpedo is the name of five fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first version of the Torpedo was not related to subsequent versions and debuted in a one-shot story in Daredevil #59 Torpedo is the name of five fictional characters that...
armor and returned to investigative journalism. - The Heroic Green GoblinPhil UrichPhilip Benjamin "Phil" Urich is a Marvel Comics character whose first appearance was in Web of Spider-Man #125. He once was the second person to use the Green Goblin identity as a superhero instead of a supervillain...
(Phil Urich), the fourth, heroic, incarnation of the Green GoblinGreen GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
. After losing his costume and equipment during a battle, he finished college, earned a degree in journalism, and helped start Excelsior. Was recently seen back in New York working for the Daily Bugle(formerly Front Line) and is the new Hobgoblin. - Ricochet (Johnny Gallo), formerly of the SlingersSlingersThe Slingers are a group of fictional superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. They starred in their own eponymous short-lived comic book.-History:...
. He is a mutant who has an early warning sense much like Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's, as well as exclusive agility, amazing targeting skills with thrown objects, and coordination. - DarkhawkDarkhawkDarkhawk is a fictional comic book superhero who first appeared in his own self-titled series, Darkhawk #1...
(Chris Powell). He decided to give up his powers after his nightmareNightmareA nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
s became too intense for him to handle. Chris is short-tempered and prone to violence, especially in his Darkhawk form, attacking not only his targets, but his own teammates. - LightspeedJulie PowerJulie Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
(Julie Power), formerly of Power PackPower PackPower Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
. Convinced that the superhero lifestyle robbed her of her childhood innocence, she left her family at 15 years old and moved to CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, hoping to become an actress. - Geoffrey WilderGeoffrey WilderGeoffrey Wilder was a fictional super villain in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Geoffrey led the Pride, the super villain crime ring of Los Angeles. He was the father of former Runaway Alex Wilder.-Fictional character biography:...
, a time-displaced member of Runaways enemy The PridePride (comics)The Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
, disguised as Jonothan "Jono" Starsmore, better known as Chamber, a former member of Generation XGeneration X (comics)Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
and the X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. Geoffrey only used the group as an opportunity to gain intelligence on the Runaways and never returned to them after the end of the "True Believers" arc. His false identity was hinted at by Molly HayesMolly HayesMolly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
when she asked who he thought he was fooling with his "fakey accent".
Later members
- Spider-WomanSpider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)Spider-Woman is a fictional character who is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the third character to be called Spider-Woman and the second to receive her own ongoing series.-Publication history:...
(Mattie Franklin). After being exploited to create Mutant Growth Hormone, Mattie moved to Los Angeles to start over and has been going to meetings regularly, but left the team afterwards. Later, she was seen in New York City but was captured by Ana Kraven and was later killed by Sasha Kraven. - Hollow, formerly known as Penance of Generation XGeneration X (comics)Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
. It is unknown who is now residing in this hollow body. - Namie, a mystery female character that is not one of the previously introduced teen female characters. Cebulski previously hinted that she does have ties to the Marvel Universe, eventually outed as a cyborg and the new model for the Red RoninRed RoninRed Ronin is a gigantic humanoid robotic construct in the Marvel Comics universe. Originally created by writer Doug Moench and artist Herb Trimpe as a foil for Godzilla, the robot went on to be a menace to other Marvel characters such as the Avengers and Wolverine.-Publication history:Red Ronin's...
; UJ1-XD
Within War of Kings: Darkhawk #1 are three former heroes that are seen among the Loners' support group, although they have not been identified.
Plot summary
The covers for each issue of the series are based on posters from 1980s teen films directed or written by John Hughes.Fear of Flying
- Issue One: The Breakfast ClubThe Breakfast ClubThe Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
The first issue opens with Julie Power apologizing to Phil Urich on her cell phone; Phil tries to convince her not to do anything rash but fails: Julie steps off a tall building, free falls, and then flies into the air. Shortly afterwards, both Phil and Mickey Musashi discuss Julie's actions and plan their next move.
The support group meets in the basement of a church, and after waiting for Julie to arrive, decide to begin without her. Mattie Franklin is asked to speak first, recalling her experiences as Spider-Woman. Julie finally arrives at the tail-end of a cell phone conversation apparently with her brother Alex
Alex Power
Alexander "Alex" Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
. She apologizes to the group for both her tardiness and her recent relapse.
Chris Powell insults Julie, who suggests that she has the hardest struggle of them all because she has had her powers the longest (seven years). Mattie, however, points out that although she has not been in the hero business as long as the rest of the group members, concealing her psionic spider-legs subjects her to constant physical pressure. After dramatically revealing her appendages, she storms out of the meeting.
Outside the church, Mattie explains to Chris that she has some unfinished business with MGH dealers, who exploited her in the past; she has tracked them to Los Angeles. She asks that he assist her as Darkhawk for just one mission.
Darkhawk and Spider-Woman storm the MGH dealers' hideout and defeat the dealers easily, but they are attacked by the person "supplying the materials" for MGH, Nekra
Nekra
Nekra is a fictional mutant supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Nekra first appeared in Shanna the She-Devil #5 , and was created by Steve Gerber and Ross Andru....
. Luckily, support group member Johnny Gallo (Ricochet) has followed Darkhawk and Spider-Woman to the dealers' base of operations and aids them in escaping Nekra's clutches. After defeating her, the trio discovers a list containing the names of supervillains being supplied MGH by the dealers and decide to investigate further, while agreeing not to tell the rest of the group.
Reflex Actions
- Issue Two: Ferris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day OffFerris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
A week later, Johnny contemplates what to do next. Later at a restaurant, Johnny tries to convince both Chris and Mattie to tell the rest of the support group about what they have done. Mattie insists that she needs more time to follow-up on the information they have gathered. When Johnny sarcastically reminds Mattie of her "act" during the recent group meeting, she nearly attacks him and accuses him of attending the group for selfish reasons.
At the next support group meeting, Phil mentions the MGH bust and suggests that it could be used as an additional reason to further encourage teen superheroes to establish normal lives. Johnny gets up to speak, Mattie and Chris thinking he is about to reveal their recent actions. However, he tells the group about why he moved to Los Angeles. After the Slingers disbanded, his best friend Eddie McDonough (Hornet), convinced Johnny to continue as a superhero. Ricochet admits that he did so for the glory rather than to help people, but when Hornet was killed by Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Johnny blames himself for his friend's death, since he refused to help him prior to the situation.
Johnny unsuccessfully tries to contact both Mattie (who ignores his call while reading over some research about Ricochet's former teammates) and Chris (who arrives at Mickey's place to take her on a date). Ricochet heads to the deserted warehouse that is their main lead; he sneaks in and is shocked to see women held under sedation in fluid-filled containers. He is attacked by the Rose's
Richard Fisk
Richard Fisk is a fictional character, a criminal in the , featured in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the son of the Kingpin and his wife Vanessa Fisk...
former assassin Delilah
Delilah (comics)
Delilah is a fictional Marvel Comics character, a Spider-Man villain from the 1990s and an enforcer of the Rose. She first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #414 , created by Tom DeFalco and Mark Bagley.-Fictional character biography:...
, who assumes he is the same Ricochet who betrayed her in the past.
Although Ricochet defeats her, during the course of the battle one of the containers is smashed and the former Generation X mutant known as Penance emerges.
What Lies Beneath
- Issue Three: Weird ScienceWeird Science (film)Weird Science is a 1985 American teen comedy film written and directed by John Hughes and starring Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Kelly LeBrock...
Phil Urich narrates events as the group meet in a local emergency room. He relates (through external analepsis) the tale of Johnny's fight with Penance and how it led to Julie being stabbed after flying into frame in the middle of Johnny and Penance's fight. (No explanation is given why Julie is suddenly present, though her immediate maiming at Penance's hands is most likely simply an instance of Women in Refrigerators
Women in Refrigerators
Women in Refrigerators is a website that was created in 1999 by a group of comic book fans. The website features a list of female comic book characters that had been injured, killed, or depowered as a plot device within various superhero comic books...
syndrome, in order to give parallels to the violent death of Johnny Gallo's friend Hornet at the hands of Wolverine and thus give Johnny a reason to act. This graphic scene was also released in previews by Marvel to publicise the book.) Suddenly remembering that he left Penance and several defenseless women back in the warehouse, Johnny runs out of the ER attempting to return to the scene, but he is stopped by accusations from the group about his behaviour. Penance appears before the group having somehow tracked Johnny, and invisible gun-toting soldiers suddenly attack, having somehow tracked Penance. There follows a brief battle which ends when Mickey appeals to the head of the opposing group as a fellow Japanese national and they negotiate a settlement in their "own language", the mysterious terms of which remain unknown to the group. The various members go their separate ways for the evening, and Penance returns home with Phil to sleep on his floor. Julie flies from the hospital before her parents can be contacted about her condition, and it becomes apparent Phil is somehow hallucinating the Green Goblin when he looks in the mirror.
What You Don't Know
- Issue Four: Pretty in PinkPretty in PinkPretty in Pink is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about teenage love and social cliques in 1980s American high schools. It is one of a group of John Hughes films starring Molly Ringwald, and is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film...
Julie and Johnny have lunch; he is astounded by her healing abilities caused by the Kymellian
Kymellian
The Kymellians are a fictional extraterrestrial race that have appeared in many Marvel Comics. They were introduced in Power Pack #1 .-Fictional biography:...
changes to her DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
, noting that she was stabbed in "the gut", despite her scar clearly being visible on her shoulder. Julie is intrigued by Hollow (formerly Penance) staying at Phil Urich's place, and fans the rumors about Mickey and Chris' romance. The two arrive at Marvel Studios to keep Julie's appointment for an audition.
At Phil's apartment, he does dishes and looks over at the sleeping Hollow. An image of her kissing him as the Green Goblin appears within a dinner plate, leading him to smash the plate and awaken Hollow; she does her best to comfort him.
At the audition, the director suggests Julie needs acting lessons; she leaves in a huff. She and Johnny criticize the director, who (they think) over-uses CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
effects. Another director named Mark Lowell overhears them and mentions the troubles he has in finding good stuntmen
Stuntman
A stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
. Julie offers both her and Johnny's services, which pleases the director but creates doubts for Johnny — the two must use their powers to perform their new jobs.
At the James Dean Observatory; Chris apologizes to Mickey. She admits that she dislikes having "other girls in the group". Chris asks why Mickey does not view Julie as a girl, and Mickey begins to respond that Julie "isn't--", but catches herself, mentioning that Julie is focused on her acting career and not "into the dating scene".
Julie, dressed as the Black Cat
Black Cat (comics)
The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
and Johnny, dressed as Iron Fist, perform stunts. The director expresses his satisfaction. His compliments lead Julie to fly off the set; Johnny contacts Mattie and tells her that they will have to reschedule their meeting. Julie apparently phones her sister Katie
Katie Power
Energizer , is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
with her news. Back at Julie's dressing room, the director barges in and acts in an inappropriate manner, eventually physically accosting Julie. He threatens to report her unauthorized use of her powers when she throws him from the trailer. Julie counters that there are laws to protect minors against sexual predator
Sexual predator
The term sexual predator is used pejoratively to describe a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" manner. Analogous to how a predator hunts down its prey, so the sexual predator is thought to "hunt" for his or her sex partners...
s. The director is shocked; he was unaware that Julie is only seventeen. Julie leaves the film set.
At the meeting, Julie speaks first. As Johnny did previously, she admits to lying about her reasons for quitting superheroics. She hands out a photograph of Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
, suggesting that from early childhood she needed to learn to keep her powers and other information about her siblings secret (though in the original Power Pack series, it was Julie who most resisted hiding her powers, and in all other appearances as a member of Excelsior/Loners, she mentions her siblings frequently, and does not wear a mask to hide her identity, even though all the other members of the team do). She admits that a Hollywood career may not happen for her and resolves to be more honest.
Julie's final admission is interrupted by Nekra, who informs the group that she found them by using the information regarding their support group that they regularly release on the internet and to attack them.
Chinks in the Armor
- Issue Five: Some Kind of Wonderful
The group is overwhelmed by Nekra. Phil and Mickey are powerless to stop the villain, and only the timely arrival of Namie ends the battle. Afterwards Phil learns of Chris and Mickey being a couple. At the same time, Mattie and Johnny go back to Johnny's apartment. While Johnny is taking a shower, Mattie investigates his place. Johnny catches her and Mattie seduces him in order to keep her cover. It is later revealed she was hired by the former Slinger Dusk's parents to locate their daughter. Meanwhile, Mickey confronts Chris about feeling helpless in the battle with Nekra, as well as for Chris not giving up the Darkhawk amulet. Mickey reveals she felt powerless without her armor and feels inadequate next to the rest of the group because they have 'real' powers — except for Chris, whose armor mirrors Mickey's own superhero abilities and identity. Their argument is put on hold when Phil arrives with Hollow, who has changed colour from the previous issue without explanation. Phil begins berating Mickey, then attacking Chris and stealing the amulet, in which he transforms into a Goblin-like version of Darkhawk.
Double Identities
- Issue Six: Sixteen CandlesSixteen CandlesSixteen Candles is a 1984 American film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling and Anthony Michael Hall. It was written and directed by John Hughes.- Plot :...
Chris is recovering from the attack, only to witness Phil in Darkhawk armor attacking Hollow and advancing on Mickey. Chris manages to tap into the amulet's power and becomes Darkhawk in his second armored form, though it is not explained how he can utilise the armor without a whole amulet, as it has been previously established that without such an artifact, the Darkhawk armor remains inert. While the two battle, the other Loners, including an armored Mickey, arrive. Phil is defeated and Chris takes back the amulet. Phil then leaves the Loners, but not before revealing that Namie is a cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
(the new Red Ronin
Red Ronin
Red Ronin is a gigantic humanoid robotic construct in the Marvel Comics universe. Originally created by writer Doug Moench and artist Herb Trimpe as a foil for Godzilla, the robot went on to be a menace to other Marvel characters such as the Avengers and Wolverine.-Publication history:Red Ronin's...
), that Mickey made a secret bargain with Fuyumi Fujikawa, and that Julie is hiding a terrible secret from the group. Penance picks up Phil and they fly away unhindered, though the means of levitation and propulsion by which this is achieved are never explained. Disgusted, Mattie berates the group about their past decisions about not using their powers, as well as her choice of sleeping with Johnny, and leaves.
A week later, the Loners are back together minus Hollow, Phil, and Mattie. None of the subplots from the series bar the identity of Namie have been resolved, and the issue ends with noone willing to talk about their problems or what has so far happened.
After the series has ended, the group are next seen in the apartment of Mickey Musashi celebrating Christmas and attempting to solve some of their personal issues with each other through Secret Santa
Secret Santa
Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition, in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they anonymously give a gift. Often practiced in workplaces, or amongst large families, participation in it is usually voluntary...
.
The future
At the 2008 Wizard World: Philadelphia a question about a possible new Loners series was raised. C. B. CebulskiC. B. Cebulski
C.B. Cebulski is an American writer and editor for Marvel Comics, known for his work on titles such as Marvel Fairy Tales. As of 2011, he holds the position of Senior Vice President of Creative & Creator Development.-Career:...
said there are plans for some of the characters in "different places" (see War of Kings
War of Kings
"War of Kings" is a comic book crossover storyline written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, published by Marvel Comics, and set in Marvel's main shared universe. The six issue limited series was published between March and August, 2009....
note below), suggesting that it was "a tough market for a book like Loners", though Marvel's overall sales figures were actually increasing at the time of Loners' publication, with even the company's traditionally low-selling (via the direct market) 'All Ages' range slowly making gains at the same time Loners dropped several thousand readers.
Author Cebulski had Loners planned for eighteen issues but does not know if he would be allowed to go onto ongoing. He hopes to continue Loners and waits for Marvel's permission. This seems deeply unlikely, however, as sales figures reveal Loners as selling 5000 copies less than Marvel's break-even point for ongoing titles towards the end of its run, despite initially good sales for early issues.
With a follow-up series unlikely, Cebulski posted an apology to readers on Newsarama forums that he did not "meet and match all your expectations for the characters", and that he would clarify continuity errors and unexplained events in a series post-mortem on that very site. Though he declined to answer questions that would have been answered in future issues of the book had they ever been commissioned or published.
Darkhawk later appeared in the pages of Nova as the head of security for Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus is a fictional scientific base in the Marvel Comics universe which has been the location of a variety of stories for superheroes and supervillains, most notably in the title Marvel Two-in-One...
. He revealed that he had registered with the Initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and that Justice had recommended him for the position. Darkhawk is also a cast member within the War of Kings Event, with his own two issue miniseries in February and March 2009 tidying up continuity problems created by the unlikelihood of a sequel to Loners and freeing the character for use as the lead in Dan Abnett
Dan Abnett
Dan Abnett is a British comic book writer and novelist. He is a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning, and is known for his work on books for both Marvel Comics, and their UK imprint, Marvel UK, since the 1990s, including 2000 AD...
and Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning
Andy Lanning is a British comic book writer and inker, known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, and for his collaboration with Dan Abnett.-Career:Lanning works primarily at Marvel Comics and DC Comics as an inker...
's four-part miniseries, War of Kings: Ascension. Though no longer associated with the Loners, Darkhawk's former teammates appear within both issues of his miniseries (though it remains unexplained how they - and the church in which they held their meetings - relocated from Los Angeles to New York), and it becomes apparent that Darkhawk left the team because he could no longer turn his back on his responsibilities as a superhero and wished to "focus (his) anger into something productive", creating friction with some members of the Loners. Though the group is hostile towards him, he makes amends with his former girlfriend Mickey Musashi/Turbo
Turbo (comics)
Turbo is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One a comic book superheroine, the other a superhero. Michiko "Mickey" Musashi debuted in New Warriors #28 and her ally Michael "Mike" Jeffries in New Warriors #33.-Torpedo Armor:The Torpedo armor was a creation of the...
. During the events of War of Kings: Ascension, it is revealed that Darkhawk is now 'the most wanted man in the galaxy' and will play a role in future issues of Nova - it seems unlikely he will rejoin the Loners in comic book limbo for the foreseeable future.
The remaining Loners (without Namie/Red Ronin, but with Penance/Hollow) are seen within the Avengers Academy
Avengers Academy
Avengers Academy is a Marvel Comics comic book series that debuted in June 2010 as part of the "Heroic Age". The series is written by Christos Gage, with artwork by Mike McKone and tells the story of a group of young super-powered persons who were selected to join a training academy for the...
series among the other various superpowered youths and young adults being offered additional training as part-time students, with Julie attending there as a full time student and an teacher assistant.
Days of Future Now
In this reality, the Excelsior team consists of Cecilia ReyesCecilia Reyes
Cecilia Reyes is a Marvel Comics character who was briefly a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Carlos Pacheco, she first appeared in X-Men vol. 2 #65 ....
, Diamond Lil, Random
Random (comics)
Random is a fictional character and antihero created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics series X-Factor. He started out as a thorn in the side of X-Factor, but he later became a reluctant ally of theirs. The mystery of his life has yet to be completely revealed.-Fictional character...
, and Ricochet
Ricochet (comics)
Ricochet was an alternate identity used by the fictional superhero Spider-Man, and later adopted by college student Johnny Gallo, who appeared in the Marvel Comics series, Slingers.-Ricochet :...
.