Avengers & Champions: Worlds Collide

Avengers (2016) (Collected Editions)

by Mark Waid, Alex Ross (Cover Art), Jesus Saiz (Artist)

Collects Avengers #672-674 & Champions (2016) #13-15. WORLDS COLLIDE! It starts here--the long-promised clash between the Avengers and the Champions! The countdown has started as the High Evolutionary sets the Earth on a collision course with destruction! The Avengers and the Champions are ready to meet this threat--but not everyone agrees how best to combat it! Since they were old enough to say the word ""Avengers,"" the Champions have idolized Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Now the two teams are on equal footing--and the Champs are having to walk the walk alongside their former mentors! Will their experiences in GENERATIONS help them-or tear the two teams apart?

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

137 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2018

About the author

Mark Waid is an American comic book writer widely known for shaping modern superhero storytelling through influential runs on major characters at both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Raised in Alabama, he developed an early fascination with comic books, particularly classic stories featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, whose imaginative scope and sense of legacy would later inform his own writing. He first entered the comics industry during the mid 1980s as an editor and writer for the fan magazine Amazing Heroes, before publishing his first professional comic story in Action Comics. Soon afterward he joined DC Comics as an editor, contributing to numerous titles and helping shape projects across the company. After leaving editorial work to focus on writing, Waid gained widespread recognition with his long run on The Flash, where he expanded the mythology of the character and co-created the youthful speedster Impulse. His reputation grew further with the celebrated graphic novel Kingdom Come, created with artist Alex Ross, which imagined a future DC Universe shaped by generational conflict among superheroes. Over the years he has written many prominent series, including Captain America, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and Superman: Birthright, bringing a balance of optimism, character depth, and respect for comic book history to each project. Waid has also collaborated with notable artists and writers on major ensemble titles such as Justice League and Avengers, while contributing ideas that helped clarify complex continuity within shared superhero universes. Beyond mainstream superhero work, he has supported creator owned projects and experimental publishing models, including the acclaimed series Irredeemable and Incorruptible, which explored moral ambiguity within the superhero genre. He later took on editorial leadership roles at Boom Studios, guiding creative direction while continuing to write extensively. In subsequent years he expanded his involvement in publishing and digital storytelling, helping launch online comics initiatives and advocating for new distribution methods for creators. His work has earned numerous industry awards, including Eisner and Harvey honors, reflecting both critical acclaim and enduring popularity among readers. Throughout his career Waid has remained a passionate student of comic book history, drawing on decades of storytelling tradition while continually encouraging innovation within the medium. His influence extends across generations of readers and creators, and his stories continue to shape the evolving language of superhero comics around the world today through enduring characters imaginative narratives and thoughtful reinventions of familiar myths within popular culture and modern graphic storytelling traditions.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is it, back to volume one issue number one for the Avengers this is Legacy! And, well, it's not much of a deal, just same O, same O; an extinction level event has the Avengers working with the Champions ... and then BOOM out of nowhere a great Vision story emerges, you should read this, just for that! A nice nice 7 out of 12, Three Star read.

2019 read

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why isn't a Mark Waid Avengers comic better than this? When I first heard he would be writing Avengers I was jazzed. But the characters are flat and uninteresting. Champions isn't much better. If I had to hear the kids complain about the Avengers talking down to them or talking over them one more time, I would have ripped up the trade right then. It's such an uninteresting approach to the books. Half of the Champions used to be on this Avengers team. The unending resentment really bogs the book down from a crossover that should be as much fun as Humerto Ramos's art in the book.

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Mark Waid but his Avengers series might be the worst thing he's done that I've read. It just comes off as really boring. This mashup between Champions and Avengers does neither series much good. Great art at times but the rest? A skippable boring storyline. A 2 out of 5.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hey! An Avengers and Champions team-up. So we can get all kinds of great interactions, like: Vis and Viv; long-lost comrades Herc and Amadeus; Spider-Man and Spider-Man. We can see if Ms. Marvel looks up to Thor, and we can see how Wasp feels when she sees that all of her peers are having a lot more fun.

Oh, except this comic really doesn't have anything of that. Except the Vis and Viv stuff, but that's actually been an ongoing plot in the Champions.

What happens instead? They fight a bull-man. They fight some ani-men. They fight the High Evolutionary. They fight some buildings. Some copies of Earth almost collide, as if Waid hadn't run the multi-year Time Runs Out arc that led to Secret Wars.

There are some good bits, almost entirely surrounding Viv, one of the best characters to come to comics in years. I'm really eager to see where her plot goes. But otherwise, this is a fight-heavy, character-light book of the sort that Waid has been turning out throughout his uninspiring Avengers run.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
Both Avengers and Champions have been floundering as solo series at the moment, both under the pen of Mark Waid. Maybe bringing the two teams together would be the shot in the arm that they need?

Maybe not.

Worlds Collide is a good concept - the High Evolutionary and Counter-Earth pose a planet-destroying threat, and only the Avengers and Champions can save it. But bringing the teams back together just makes the bickering intensify; instead of highlighting why the two teams should be separate for logistical or ethical reasons, it just makes you want them to leave each other alone so they stop yelling at each other.

There are outstanding moments - Mark Waid's Viv Vision is very well written, and he can do an action sequence like nobody's business. But then the story builds to a crescendo that is instantly undone in the final issue, which is immensely disappointing.

The artwork can't be faulted however. Humberto Ramos continues his unbroken Champions run, while Jesus Saiz and Javier Pina tagteam the Avengers issues; there's something about Saiz's pencils especially that just elevate anything that happens under his pencil. Even if the dialogue can get a bit grating, the artwork is always there to save the day.

Still not great. Better, but not great. Probably the most 'Avenger-y' that Avengers has felt in a hot minute.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here the Champions and the Avengers have to team up to take on The High Evolutionary and his nefarious plans. What are those plans? Have his counter earth and 616 earth collide and then creating a new planet with the remains. Lofty goals right? Some of the team fighting Evolutionary’s Ani-men and some of them on counter earth trying to stop the man himself. One thing I’ve noticed throughout Waid’s Avengers and Champions thus far is that he writes Sam Wilson as a dick. Not feeling that. There is an interesting plot with Viv that ended in a nice cliff hanger that I’m interested in seeing play out. Humberto continues art on Champions and Jesus Saiz does most of the Avengers issues. I’ve always liked his art.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was lots of fun. I enjoyed the old-world Marvel Avengers Defenders team-up (see Avengers/Defenders War) and this one, while shorter, had a similar entertaining quality to it. Very enjoyable.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here I was thinking I might have missed something after reading Volume 3 of Champions and discovering that I'd somehow skipped 3 issues. But, I guess not. This is just more of the same. I think there was potential in Waid's Champions series that he just could not bring out, and his work on the Avengers is pretty blah, too.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A publicação deste quadrinho já estava virando lenda. Prometido há uns cinco meses em uma nota de rodapé da Panini Comics, o quadrinho não aparecia nem em checklists e nem em bancas e, para variar a Panini Comics se fazia de surda, muda e cega e não dava satisfações ao leitor. Eis que um belo dia, a revista surge num checklist - PUF!. Ok, a história nem é assim tão legal, mas tem seus momentos. Como por exemplo o sacrifício de um filho que foi enganado por um pai manipulador com a promessa de redimir um mundo de suas dores. Você já ouviu essa histórias muitas vezes. Está no livro mais importante da civilização ocidental. Pequenas críticas anuviadas como essa é que fazem valer alguns quadrinhos. Neste aqui, os Campeões e os Vingadores se unem para debelar a ameaça do Alto Evolucionário, que quer fazer colidir a Terra e a Contraterra, o planeta em que ele e seus Homens-Animais vivem. O resultado muda drasticamente a vida do Visão e da sua filha Viv Visão, que é "evoluída" de sintozoide para humana pelo Alto Evolucionário. É um quadrinho que com certeza é divertido e um pouco acima da média das HQs de heróis que temos por aí.

[Christian Zamora-Dahmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's the thing: Crossovers can be tricky. Thinking that the story needs to be one battle after the other is just a huge misunderstanding, mostly if you consider that not all books involved are about that. And then, making it angsty and lingering on it just makes the whole thing sad.
I expected so much better because we got Mark Waid actually writing both books, so, yeah, the characters were dead on. But anything else was either Earth-shattering and "meh". I know, I know, "Earth-shattering" shouldn't be meh, but not every end-of-the-world scenario is compelling or interesting.
And as a rule, a mayor change needs to happen so you don't skip the crossover event... I even sighed at that.
The Champions didn't need a crossover, if anything, it missed all the steam it had built.

[Sarospice · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is awesome all around, if you want to see these two teams together, which I did... But Waid's writing in underwhelming. There's a slight heartstring tug over Viv Vision but it just makes you want the next chapter...

[carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

só pelos meus campeões

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for the Viv Vision father daughter parts and her continuing saga. -1 star for the pointless two teams yelling at each other bits that kept interrupting the more interesting story.

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Avengers & Champions: Worlds Collide as single issues through Marvel Unlimited.

Avengers & Champions: Worlds Collide is at least somewhat self-explanatory. Here we find the Avengers and the Champions once again coming together – though at least this time it isn’t due to a Civil War, so there’s that.
A threat has arrived that is big enough to demand that both teams work together. And that admittedly does lead to some tensions. But it also creates plenty of opportunities to see some of our favorite characters interact, which is always something I’m looking forward to.
Marvel fans are probably at least somewhat familiar with the second earth – the one that many believe is on the opposite side of the sun. Now its presence can no longer be denied, as it itself has become the threat. All thanks to the High Evolutionary.

Avengers & Champions: Worlds Collide wasn’t quite what I expected it would be. It had all of the character interaction I was hoping for, but I feel like the main threat and villains sort of…fell flat. I had other concerns as well, but I’ll get to them in a moment.
I’ll confess that I actually had fairly high hopes for this volume, being a major team up and all. But I found myself rather disappointed, on the whole. The character interactions were okay, though they seemed…snippy? I understand that tensions were high, but some of the commentary seemed just a wee bit petty and beneath our heroes.
On the bright side, this volume did answer several questions that had popped up for me. I’ve been reading the later runs of the Champions, and you can probably imagine why I was confused with a sudden change (Viv being human and all). But now I’ve finally found the source of that change. It was more or less what I expected.

The artwork for Avengers & Champions was decent at least. I loved the way they more or less were able to keep each character’s given styles. That’s not something I take for granted, considering how many characters had to cameo in this issue.
And I will say that Viv’s human design is an interesting one. It makes me almost wish that she had stayed human, in the long run. Though I understand why all she wanted was to get her old body back. Who wouldn’t, after having to face such a dramatic change?

While Avengers & Champions: Worlds Collide wasn’t everything that I hoped it would be, it was still an interesting read at least. It was fun seeing some of my favorite characters again. And a bit of a throwback as well, to other characters who have since changed rather significantly (looking at you, Jane).

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Volume (taking place after both Volume 2's of their own respective titles), while epic-ish in nature, really boils down to 2 interpersonal disputes: 1) The Champions and Avengers are not getting along, but can put aside (mostly) their arguements when it comes time to teaming up to save the world, and 2) the tension between Vision and his daughter Viv.
The dispute between the teams began out of Secret Empire and that quite a bit of the Avengers went along with Captain America (at least in the beginning). The Champions, a younger group overall, found a way to save others as a team, like the Avengers, and still hold to the ideals they have, not feeling beholden to a specific leader. They work together when it comes to saving the Earth, first here in stopping a huge meteor (some of the best teamwork I have seen in a comic for a while), then stopping the High Evolutionary as he attempts to collide Earth with Counter-Earth. The plot is foiled by Viv Vision, who sacrifices herself to save the world.... more on that in a moment.

Since the time of her creation, Viv and her father Vision have similar ideologies, yet butt heads in the execution, much like a human father and daughter would. He does love her and trust her, but is (much like many are) an overprotective parent. Viv takes it upon herself to try to stop the High Evolutionary on her own. His response? Evolving her so that she is completely human. When both teams have reunited and are fighting to prevent planetary collision, (human) Viv alters a machine that seems to eliminate her body, killing her. The Avengers mourn her loss, but she is alive on a world with the spirit of the High Evolutionary. Vision, in his panic and mourning, begins to build a new version of her. Then, at the same time, (new robot) Viv wakes up and (human) Viv completes her journey back to Earth. Up next: Double Vision!

Together, the teams make a great book. But I know change is on the horizon for all teams...

Recommend.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting character interactions among the Avengers and the Champions (many of whom were former Avengers, not to mention Herc being a former Champion himself) and that carried my interest more than the Counter-Earth villains and their plot.

Wanted to like this more than I could, but very disappointed when the collection ended en media res....

If you're going to collect an incomplete story, at least have the decency to label it thusly so we know not to expect a full resolution of what we're reading....

[Oneirosophos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was amazing! Although it could be any team. And they were...

[Nicholas (was Allison) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.15 Stars
Notes: This was alright as more of a faster read for me to page through, as the story progressed immediately, which led to my reading this in around half an hour. I really appreciated seeing another comic where Nova is nearby Ms. Marvel as well as Miles Morales, who is also included among other avengers. The beginning is unfortunately a rather graphic violent scene so an emotional tolerance is required, since this is unfortunately on the dark and grim side of marvel storylines from what occurs. The characters and other super heroes that appeared made it worthwhile for me to remember what was going on in the story, so, I was not really that distracted.

I’m not going to include too much spoiler-wise, however, this will read like more of a distraction-break that I could remember, from how many characters had to fight off villains. There were loads of different plot lines, so that was also one of the reasons why I went through this faster than I normally would, especially as the art style looks more recent. I most likely will not be able to find the other installments in this series for a long time. If I do, I’ll try to read them, though it most likely will be several years at the very least.

There is not much else I can include here without running the risk of any potential spoilers that I would not want to accidentally add in, given how rapidly the plot starts along with all that happens, so just maybe try to read this with a clear mind like I could. It was definitely enjoyable for me, so I’ll be remembering this for a long time. If you can find a copy of this story, it most likely will be enjoyable to read, unless if you’re unaccustomed to a lot of various action scenes, though, it still might be worth it to look at.

[Scott Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot is an epic doable in a single, standard-sized collected volume, so that doable but not to easy for the two teams together.

Waid uses his cast of characters quite effectively, pairing off various elements of both teams to take on a series of challenges that occur as the High Evolutionary--now having evolved a bit more himself and claiming to be a god--engineers an apocalyptic crisis by attempting to smash his own Counter Earth with our planet in order to have the chance to play God with whatever's left over. The pairings are creative, and the characters are using both their brains and their powers, meaning that the most basic, obvious applications of a given powerset are generally not those in play. In addition, with the exception of Hercules who comes off as the worst stereotypical version of himself (all muscles and ego and NO brains whatsoever), Waid seems to have a solid grasp on each character and in my opinion plays them all well both individually, in small groups, and collectively. He does all of this while telling a fun, creative story that fits the length of the volume neither to big to fit--and thus ending up feeling squashed or too easily resolved in order to fit in the single collected volume--nor too small to justify the massive powerset brought to bear.


My one complaint is that the "conflict" between the two teams feels too stereotypically teenager/adult generation gap to work. There's nothing specific to root it in the situation. Instead it's the "adults" getting annoyed at the teenagers' impetuosity, and the teenagers finding condescension in each statement addressed to them by someone older. ugh.

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was alright. Based on the cover and the blurb, I was expecting the two title groups to fight. And they do bump heads a little, but this is no Civil War. Mostly, it is the two teams fighting against the High Evolutionary. There is some interesting stuff in here, but mostly I read it because I'm going through the Champions series. I haven't read the Avengers books that read up to this, but I'm not sure I needed to. I would definitely recommend reading The Vision before this because both Vision and his daughter Viv play a big part in this. Plot summary: The Avengers and Champions, after some friction work together to stop a comet from crashing to Earth. The comet is an egg that hatches a Minotaur, sent from the High Evolutionary on his "Counter-Earth". He's trying to sync the two worlds so they merge, and some of the heroes get sent to his world while some Ani-Men get sent to Earth. The High Evolutionary turns Viv into a human. The gang fights the High Evolutionary and then Viv sacrifices herself to stop the worlds from merging. Vision rebuilds her, but in doing so also brings back the human version of Viv. And maybe the High Evolutionary...?

[Juan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually afraid I was going to be let down by this team up for some reason. No, that wasn't the case. At 6 issues, the story prime could have ended at 5. Regardless it is surprising, sweet, sad, and it jerks your emotions even if you havent read the 12 issue run of Vision from the last year. I lean more towards this having been a damning volume if it did end with the final panel of issue 5. Anyways, issue six acts as an epilogue but definitely was not a let down by any means. I guess I am confusing even myself with the end of the story. The overall take away is that it was somewhat predictable yet still managed to throw us a curve ball. There is so much potential now in terms of father and daughter

Funny points are awarded to:
-team members "sciencing" with one another
-Nova having several moments to shine
-Spider-men in all capacity

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avengers: Hercules, Wasp, Falcon, Vision, Thor and Spider-Man (Peter) fight along side the Champions: Nova, Viv, Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man (Miles), Hulk (Amadeus) and Cyclops to sage the world from the High Evolutionary.

It battling, Viv is "evolved" into a human. They beat the High Evolutionary and stop Earth and Counter-earth from colliding just in in the nick of time 9of course).

The attitudes of the Avengers to their young companions is typical teens against adults. It is realistic in many ways--even though the Champions are as strong as the Avengers. What they lack in experience, they make up for in heart (something that the Avengers lack on occasion).

Good story and the ending is worth all the fuss.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Mark Waid's writing, but he never does well with team books. Part of the problem here is that half the cast has Wally West's voice (Waid wrote Flash for years) instead of their own (I've had this problem with Waid's Avengers before). A bigger problem is that this version of the High Evolutionary and Counter-Earth has almost no connection to any previous version. A minor issue is that Waid makes a big thing out of Counter-Earth violating the laws of physics — yeah, because a team that includes the Hulk and Spider-Man knows that breaking scientific laws is impossible, right?

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two teams collide and Mark Waid pulls it off really well. I haven't enjoyed his Avengers run to date so this was a relief. The book was definitely more slanted towards the Champions, which is fine. Waid has a great handle on the young heroes. The antagonist here isn't always done well but here he was menacing, powerful, and intriguing. The plot was super solid. The were tons of family emotions involved and the ending made me want to read the next Champions book immediately. The art was very good throughout. Overall, a super fun Avengers book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been really lax about keeping up to date - I have not read any of the titles featuring this group of Avengers yet, and haven't read any of the Champions (I have read most of their individual titles - Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, Totally Awesome Hulk, etc).

This was great! I love Viv Vision. She is an amazing character that changed in ways that transcended emotions or physical limits. And there was a touch of the really amazing run by Tom King (Vision).

[Viridian5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mostly fun but not always logical storyline. The Viv and Vision stuff was interesting. I enjoy team-ups and teamwork, though this one is marred by the teams snapping at each other, mostly due to the Avengers being condescending to the younger Champions, which didn't seem very in-character of them, especially since some of the Champions have even been Avengers at times.

Would've been nice if this collection didn't end in the middle of the story; I appreciate some sense of closure.

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat premise: the Avengers and the Champions have to team up to stop a collision between Earth and Counter-Earth. But the execution is very basic, with only a few interesting elements (most of which don't really go anywhere). The only subplot that seemed to get a proper amount of attention was that of the Visions, to the point where it seems like that was the only thing Waid actually wanted to write about. (B)

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ciekawe połączenie dwóch ekip w obliczu zagłady Ziemi z rąk High Evolutionary, które działa o dziwo zaskakująco dobrze, zwłaszcza w sferze relacji pomiędzy bohaterami. Na pewnym etapie zaczyna być też należycie pokręcone, bo pada tu wiele, o dziwo, sporo ważnych decyzji względem pewnego "świeżego charakteru".

A poza tym jest to normalna, choć miła młócka, gdzie w kilku miejscach serce rośnie. No i wygląda bardzo ładnie. Z pewnością sięgnę po więcej.

[Paul W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avengers vs Champions?

Normally, I love Mark Waid's writing. This one is not as good. I love how inspired he is writing the Vision and Viv, but the story getting there is weaker. The High Evolutionary makes an appearance, but the motivations of his actions in this book as well as the appearance of his son... eh. So there is a lot to like and dislike about this book.