History ComicBook / TheNewUniverse

* KilledOffForReal: As noted, the main character in the last issue of ''Marc Hazzard: Merc''.

* ''[[ComicBook/JusticeNewUniverse Justice]]'': John Tensen is a VigilanteMan who fights evil ruthlessly. He comes from a MagicalLand and was brought to Earth when the White Event opened a dimensional rift... or so he thinks. In later issues, a {{Retcon}} reveals that he's actually a DEA agent who's been under the influence of a delusion induced by one of his enemies. He then takes it upon himself to judge his fellow paranormals: "If they are [using their powers properly], he leaves them in peace. If they are not, he leaves them in pieces." With his right hand ("sword hand") able to generate energy blasts of high intensity and heat and his left hand ("shield hand") generating [[DeflectorShields Deflector Shields]], Tensen is typically able to best his opponents. His series lasted 32 issues, from November, 1986 to June, 1989. Through a dimension-traveling adventure, Justice was later added to the world of ''ComicBook/Marvel2099''.

* AxCrazy: John Tensen, whether you're talking about the one in ''Justice'' or in ''newuniversal''.

** Blurr of ''D.P. 7'' got brought into the Marvel universe proper in ''Squadron Supreme'', after the events of Jonathan Hickman's ''Avengers''.

* FakingTheDead: Justice does it in his ''Untold Tales'' issue.

* KnightTemplar: John Tensen, aka "Justice".

* PsychicPowers: Justice could tell whether other paranormals were good or evil by reading their auras.

* VigilanteMan: Justice.

* VetinariJobSecurity: In ''Spitfire and the Troubleshooters'' #5, Jenny's engineer buddies try to operate the robot without her. Not only do they fail miserably, but they overheat the robot's power pack, and only the intervention of Ken "Star Brand" Connell prevents the resulting explosion from taking out downtown UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}.

* AdultsAreUseless: In ''Psi-Force,'' the protagonists' adult mentor is killed in the first issue. Other adult characters in the book are inept or evil.
* AllYourPowersCombined: How Psi-Force summons the Psi-Hawk.

* ComesGreatInsanity:
** In ''Psi-Force,'' both Rodstvow and Shivowtnoeh are driven insane by their powers.
** The ''newuniversal'' one-shots ''Conqueror'' and ''1959'' strongly suggest that whoever has the power of Justice will end up AxCrazy.

* HealingHands: Anastasia Inyushin in ''Psi-Force''.
* HeelFaceTurn: Thomas Boyd in ''Psi-Force''.
* HollywoodAutism: Johnny Do from ''Psi-Force'' is severely autistic. He also has PlayingWithFire powers. This is not [[ManOnFire a good combination]].

* IntrepidReporter: Andrew Chaser, who befriends Tyrone Jessup of Psi-Force and eventually writes a book about the team, ''Power for the Preying''. He also has a memorable run-in with PresidentEvil Philip Nolan Voigt, who threatens his elderly mother.

* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Wayne Tucker, Psi-Force's telepath, uses this a ''lot''. Usually to make people forget they saw him and his friends, but occasionally for more drastic purposes.
* MagicalNativeAmerican: Emmett Proudhawk, the CIA agent who brings the members of Psi-Force together.

* ModelScam: Kathy gets this in one issue of ''Psi-Force''; fortunately the others get there before anything worse than being tied to a chair happens to her.

* PsychicPowers: All the major characters in ''Psi-Force'' had them. Also, Justice could tell whether other paranormals were good or evil by reading their auras.

* SelfMadeOrphan: [[spoiler:Sedara Bakut of ''Psi-Force'']] kills her father when he betrays her people.

* SuddenlySignificantCity: UsefulNotes/{{Denver}} becomes the American capital after two powerful paranormals trash UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC during a fight in ''Psi-Force''. Possibly a ShoutOut to a similar plot point in Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/TheDoorIntoSummer''.

* ThinkingUpPortals:
** Sedara Bakut, a character from later issues of ''Psi-Force'', can create door-like portals in space.

* {{Acrofatic}}: Blur from ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' starts this way.

* AuthorAppeal: Writer Creator/MarkGruenwald apparently loved his home state Wisconsin -- which was the setting for much of ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}''.

** Blurr of ''[=DP7=]'' got brought into the Marvel universe proper in ''Squadron Supreme'', after the events of Jonathan Hickman's ''Avengers''.

* CoolOldLady: Lenore "Twilight" Fenzl in ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}''.

* {{Freakout}}: Dennis in ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' had at least one of these, most notably after realizing that his acidic skin secretions meant he could not safely touch another person, much less [[CantHaveSexEver have sex with them]].

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Ken "Star Brand" Connell, Kathy Ling of ''Psi-Force'' and Stephanie Harrington of ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' , among others.

* {{Jerkass}}: Kenneth Connell in ''Star Brand'', Dennis "Scuzz" Cuzinski in ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'', Wayne Tucker in ''Psi-Force''.

* MythologyGag: A number of characters large and small from the main Marvel universe are shown to have counterparts in ''newuniversal''. To name a couple, a General Thaddeus Ross goes after the first confirmed superhuman sighting with GeneralRipper tendencies that equal the main universe version going after [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]]. One of the NYPD officers looking into another superhuman incident is named Manolis. NYPD Lieutenant Nick Manolis was a significant character in ''ComicBook/DaredevilBornAgain''.

* PowerIncontinence: About half the cast in ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' had problems controlling their abilities.

* SheFu: In ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' , housewife Stephanie Harrington only knew cheerleader moves from her high school days, but her power gave her a degree of protection, so she was able to use these in combat.

* SuperMode: Scuzz from ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' found that he had this when he learned that he could make his body erupt in acidic flames by getting mad. He called himself "Scorcher".

* SuperSpeed: The power of Jeff "Blur" Walters from ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}''.
* SuperStrength: Several paranormals had some form of it, most notably David "Mastodon" Landers from ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}''.

** Even after the title's finale it continued in a comic book of ''another company'': In the Creator/DCComics mini [[ComicBook/LegendsDC Legends]], drawn by Byrne, Guy Gardner beats a villain named Sunspot, who is a transparent {{Expy}} of Star Brand. Guy doesn't even break a sweat, and Sunspot ends the fight by shooting himself in the foot while ranting about why the New Universes he tries to create keep exploding.

** Averted ridiculously in ''ComicBook/{{DP7}}'' since it takes place at a clinic for paranormal research. While there are a few bad apples (mostly in the upper echelons), a large chunk of the staff seem to be on the level.

In 1986, which was hailed as the 25th anniversary of Creator/MarvelComics, Marvel decided to mark the occasion by launching new, very different, line of superhero comics.

Although ''The New Universe'' no longer existed as an imprint, the setting and characters were eventually connected to the Marvel Universe and revisited in the pages of ''ComicBook/{{Quasar}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''. In early 2006, Marvel also published several ''Untold Tales of The New Universe'', one-offs and back-up stories, telling new tales set before the Black Event.

1986 was the 25th anniversary of Creator/MarvelComics.[[labelnote:More or less...]]That is, the company itself had existed since 1939, but it started ''calling'' itself Marvel in 1961; similarly, the comic that launched the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', had started publishing in November of that year.[[/labelnote]] [[ThePowersThatBe The Powers That Were]] decided that it was time for something new.

The New Universe was launched as a new imprint, with new heroes operating in a new shared world. It aimed to be more realistic than the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, with harder science and lower power levels. The premise, summarised by the line's [[{{Slogans}} slogan]], was "The World Outside Your Window" - the New Universe was just like the real world until a single PointOfDivergence, a MassEmpoweringEvent called "The White Event", gave extraordinary powers to ordinary people scattered across the planet.

After the first year, four titles were cancelled and the New Universe started to pivot from "The World Outside Your Window" to a new approach, showing how the presence of superhuman 'paranormals' had changed the world. This led to big shake-ups in the setting, such as "The Black Event", in which a paranormal destroys UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, plunging America into war.

* ''ComicBook/DP7'': A group of patients at a clinic for newly-mutated superhumans. They discover that the staff are conducting MindControl experiments and escape, and the clinic sends other paranormals to track them down. The series lasted for 32 issues from November, 1986 to June, 1989. There was also an Annual published.

Sales continued to drop, the remaining titles switched to a new 'direct market only' format that was only sold in specialist comic shops and, eventually, in 1989, all New Universe titles were cancelled. The line (and the New Universe imprint itself) ended with ''The War'', a miniseries in which tensions over the destruction of Pittsburgh lead to World War III.

* ''ComicBook/StarBrand'': Kenneth Connell, a mechanic from Pittsburgh, is given vast cosmic powers by the titular ArtifactOfDoom. He initially attempts to use them as a genuine superhero, but that doesn't work in this kind of world. He eventually decides to [[IJustWantToBeNormal get rid of his powers]] and lead a normal life. However, his attempt to do so results in the aforementioned destruction of Pittsburgh. It's later revealed that due to a StableTimeLoop, the White Event was caused by Connell's older self making an earlier attempt to get rid of the Star Brand. Storylines eventually explored other wielders of the Star Brand. The series lasted for 19 issues, from October, 1986 to May, 1989.

* ''Star Brand'': Kenneth Connell, a mechanic from Pittsburgh, is given vast cosmic powers by the titular ArtifactOfDoom. He initially attempts to use them as a genuine superhero, but that doesn't work in this kind of world. He eventually decides to [[IJustWantToBeNormal get rid of his powers]] and lead a normal life. However, his attempt to do so results in the aforementioned destruction of Pittsburgh. It's later revealed that due to a StableTimeLoop, the White Event was caused by Connell's older self making an earlier attempt to get rid of the Star Brand. Storylines eventually explored other wielders of the Star Brand. The series lasted for 19 issues, from October, 1986 to May, 1989.

* ''Justice'': John Tensen is a KnightTemplar[=/=]VigilanteMan who fights evil ruthlessly. He comes from a MagicalLand and was brought to Earth when the White Event opened a dimensional rift... or so he thinks. In later issues, a {{Retcon}} reveals that he's actually a DEA agent who's been under the influence of a delusion induced by one of his enemies. He then takes it upon himself to judge his fellow paranormals: "If they are [using their powers properly], he leaves them in peace. If they are not, he leaves them in pieces." With his right hand ("sword hand") able to generate energy blasts of high intensity and heat and his left hand ("shield hand") generating [[DeflectorShields Deflector Shields]], Tensen is typically able to best his opponents. His series lasted 32 issues, from November, 1986 to June, 1989. Through a dimension-traveling adventure, Justice was later added to the world of ''ComicBook/Marvel2099''.

* ''Psi-Force'': Teens with PsychicPowers are brought together by a [[MagicalNativeAmerican Native American]] UsefulNotes/{{CIA}} agent who also has PsychicPowers. The teens can [[AllYourPowersCombined combine their mental energy]] to create a powerful "gestalt entity" called Psi-Hawk. There were several changes in line-up and complex storylines. The series included an Annual and 32 regular issues, lasting from November, 1986 to June, 1989.

* ''ComicBook/SpitfireAndTheTroubleshooters'': When her father is murdered by his employers, Jenny "Spitfire" Swensen steals the experimental PoweredArmor he'd developed and tries to avenge his death. She's assisted by five of her engineering students, the titular Troubleshooters. The series later changed direction and became ''Codename: Spitfire'', with Jenny joining the [=CIA=] and the Troubleshooters no longer involved.

* ''Nightmask'': Keith Remsen is a therapist [[DreamWeaver who can enter dreams]]. Further applications and disturbing implications concerning his powers were explored through his appearances. His series lasted 12 issues, from November, 1986 to October, 1987. But his storyline continued in other books, with Nightmask as part of an ensemble cast.

However, some creative teams didn't initially follow this approach, so some of the early New Universe comics also contained things such as pre-existing magic realms, aliens, and suits of powered armor. This then led to a range of [[{{retcon}} retcons]] to bring those storylines back into line with the setting's rules.

After the first year, four titles were cancelled and the New Universe pivoted from "The World Outside Your Window" to a new approach, showing how the presence of superhuman 'paranormals' had changed the world. This led to big shake-ups in the setting, such as "The Black Event", in which a paranormal accidentally destroys UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, plunging America into war.

Although ''The New Universe'' no longer existed as in imprint, the setting and characters were eventually connected to the Marvel Universe and revisited in the pages of ''ComicBook/{{Quasar}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''. In early 2006, Marvel also published several ''Untold Tales of The New Universe'', one-offs and back-up stories, telling new tales set before the Black Event.

Although ''The New Universe'' no longer existed as in imprint, the setting and characters were eventually connected to the Marvel Universe and revisited in the pages of ''ComicBook/{{Quasar}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''. In early 2006, Marvel also published several ''Untold Tales of The New Universe'', featuring new stories set before the Black Event.

* ''ComicBook/MarkHazzardMerc'': Hazzard was a normal human mercenary with a conscience, not a paranormal. The series didn't actually contain ''any'' paranormal characters or hi-tech gadgets, so told straightforward war & action stories. It was cancelled with issue #12, before any crossovers with the other New Universe titles could change that status quo and integrate it into the post-White Event world.

However, some creative teams didn't initially follow this approach, so some of the first New Universe comics also contained things such as pre-existing magic realms, aliens, and suits of powered armor. This then led to a range of [[{{retcon}} retcons]] to bring those storylines back into line with the setting's rules.

* ''Mark Hazzard: Merc'': A normal mercenary with a conscience in a world of superhumans. Hazzard is a veteran of UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar, and had trouble finding work in areas not related to combat. Part of his series reflects how his mercenary career negatively reflected his marriage and had storylines involving his divorce. His self-contained story ended with his death, though the final issue was an epilogue focusing on the supporting cast. The series consisted of an Annual and 12 regular issues, running from November, 1985 to October, 1987.

* ''Star Brand'' -- Kenneth Connell, a mechanic from Pittsburgh, is given vast cosmic powers by the titular ArtifactOfDoom. He initially attempts to use them as a genuine superhero, but that doesn't work in this kind of world. He eventually decides to [[IJustWantToBeNormal get rid of his powers]] and lead a normal life. However, his attempt to do so results in the aforementioned destruction of Pittsburgh. It's later revealed that due to a StableTimeLoop, the White Event was caused by Connell's older self making an earlier attempt to get rid of the Star Brand. Storylines eventually explored other wielders of the Star Brand. The series lasted for 19 issues, from October, 1986 to May, 1989.

* '''''Star Brand''''' -- Kenneth Connell, a mechanic from Pittsburgh, is given vast cosmic powers by the titular ArtifactOfDoom. He initially attempts to use them as a genuine superhero, but that doesn't work in this kind of world. He eventually decides to [[IJustWantToBeNormal get rid of his powers]] and lead a normal life. However, his attempt to do so results in the aforementioned destruction of Pittsburgh. It's later revealed that due to a StableTimeLoop, the White Event was caused by Connell's older self making an earlier attempt to get rid of the Star Brand. Storylines eventually explored other wielders of the Star Brand. The series lasted for 19 issues, from October, 1986 to May, 1989.
* '''''Spitfire and the Troubleshooters'''''[=/=]'''''Codename: Spitfire''''' -- Jennifer "Jenny" Swensen, a HollywoodNerd girl inventor and professor at the [[IvyLeagueForEveryone Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], develops a PoweredArmor. She goes on to have adventures with a team consisting of her five prodigy engineering students. Less awesome in execution then the premise makes it sound. The title change marks when the Troubleshooters dissolved. One was killed in battle, one permanently crippled, and the other three went into retirement. Under both formats the title lasted for 13 issues, from October, 1986 to October, 1987. Spitfire continued appearing in other books as a member of an ensemble cast, but was eventually mutated to a ChromeChampion.
* '''''ComicBook/DP7''''' -- A group of patients at a clinic for newly-mutated superhumans. They discover that the staff are conducting MindControl experiments and escape, and the clinic sends other paranormals to track them down. The series lasted for 32 issues from November, 1986 to June, 1989. There was also an Annual published.
* '''''Justice''''' -- John Tensen is a KnightTemplar[=/=]VigilanteMan who fights evil ruthlessly. He comes from a MagicalLand and was brought to Earth when the White Event opened a dimensional rift... or so he thinks. In later issues, a {{Retcon}} reveals that he's actually a DEA agent who's been under the influence of a delusion induced by one of his enemies. He then takes it upon himself to judge his fellow paranormals: "If they are [using their powers properly], he leaves them in peace. If they are not, he leaves them in pieces." With his right hand ("sword hand") able to generate energy blasts of high intensity and heat and his left hand ("shield hand") generating [[DeflectorShields Deflector Shields]], Tensen is typically able to best his opponents. His series lasted 32 issues, from November, 1986 to June, 1989. Through a dimension-traveling adventure, Justice was later added to the world of ''ComicBook/Marvel2099''.
* '''''Kickers, Inc.''''' -- Pro football players form a superhero team. Seriously. (To be fair, only the quarterback has actual superpowers. Even then, he doesn't realize he's a paranormal at first; he thinks his SuperStrength is the result of a machine his brother invented.) The title was not overly successful, and its tone (light-hearted adventure a la ''Series/TheATeam'') did not particularly fit with the premise of the New Universe. It lasted for 12 issues, from November, 1986 to October, 1987.
* '''''Mark Hazzard: Merc''''' -- A normal mercenary with a conscience in a world of superhumans. Hazzard is a veteran of UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar, and had trouble finding work in areas not related to combat. Part of his series reflects how his mercenary career negatively reflected his marriage and had storylines involving his divorce. His self-contained story ended with his death, though the final issue was an epilogue focusing on the supporting cast. The series consisted of an Annual and 12 regular issues, running from November, 1985 to October, 1987.
* '''''Nightmask''''' -- Keith Remsen is a therapist [[DreamWeaver who can enter dreams]]. Further applications and disturbing implications concerning his powers were explored through his appearances. His series lasted 12 issues, from November, 1986 to October, 1987. But his storyline continued in other books, with Nightmask as part of an ensemble cast.
* '''''Psi-Force''''' -- Teens with PsychicPowers, brought together by a [[MagicalNativeAmerican Native American]] UsefulNotes/{{CIA}} agent who also has PsychicPowers. The teens can [[AllYourPowersCombined combine their mental energy]] to create a powerful "gestalt entity" called Psi-Hawk. There were several changes in line-up and complex storylines. The series included an Annual and 32 regular issues, lasting from November, 1986 to June, 1989.

As noted, disappointing sales resulted in the cancellation of four titles (''Kickers, Inc.'', ''Marc Hazzard: Merc'', ''Nightmask'' and ''Code Name: Spitfire''). The other titles continued, and Marvel also published some one-shots and mini-series set in the New U, post-Black Event:

* '''''ComicBook/ThePitt''''' (March, 1988) -- A one shot detailing the destruction of Pittsburgh and its immediate aftermath.
* '''''The Draft''''' (November, 1988) -- Another one shot, in which the American military responds to the Black Event by creating an all-paranormal fighting force. There are efforts to have all available paranormals registered, accounted for, and used for military purposes. The one-shot mostly reveals the fate of some familiar faces and introduces new protagonists. Repercussions were explored in the still ongoing series.
* '''''The War''''' (October, 1989-March, 1990) -- A mini-series in which the New Universe [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin goes to war]]. Will this lead to TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt? Blaming the destruction of Pittsburgh on a known group of Soviet paranormals, the United States prepare for war against the [[UsefulNotes/SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]]. The first battle of WorldWarIII takes place in Africa. American paranormals are sent to assist South Africa against Cuba, in a conflict based on the historical South African Border War (1966-1989).

* CanonWelding: The New Universe was originally intended to be entirely separate from the continuity of the main Marvel Universe and its alternates. Eventually, after the New Universe ceased publication with ''The War'', it was connected to the Marvel Universe after all (initially via ''ComicBook/{{Quasar}}'' and ''ComicBook/SpiderMan2099'', then definitively absorbed via ''ComicBook/{{Newuniversal}}'' and a story arc in ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''),

Sales continued to drop, the remaining titles switched to a new 'direct market only' format that was only sold in of specialist comic shops and, eventually, in 1989, all New Universe titles were cancelled. The line (and the New Universe imprint itself) ended with ''The War'', a miniseries in which tensions over the destruction of Pittsburgh lead to World War III.

* '''''ComicBook/{{DP7}}''''' -- A group of patients at a clinic for newly-mutated superhumans. They discover that the staff are conducting MindControl experiments and escape, and the clinic sends other paranormals to track them down. The series lasted for 32 issues from November, 1986 to June, 1989. There was also an Annual published.

Thus, the New Universe was launched. It was a new imprint with new heroes operating in a new world. It aimed to be more realistic, with harder science and lower power levels than the regular Franchise/MarvelUniverse. The premise was that The New Universe was just like the real world until the PointOfDivergence, a MassEmpoweringEvent called "The White Event", gave extraordinary powers to ordinary people all over the planet, which is why the line's [[{{Slogans}} slogan]] was "The World Outside Your Window".

Problems set in almost immediately. Some writers apparently didn't get the memo that The New Universe was supposed to be just like the real world up until The White Event introduced superpowers; they created comics with pre-existing magic realms, aliens, and powered armor suits as their premises. The line's budget was cut unexpectedly by Marvel Comics higher-ups. After the first year, four titles were canceled. Those in charge tried to salvage the line by having big shake-ups, such as "The Black Event", in which one of the paranormals accidentally destroys UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, plunging America into war. Unfortunately, it was no longer "The World Outside Your Window", and readers continued to hemorrhage. In 1989, all The New Universe titles were cancelled.

Although ''The New Universe'' no longer existed as in imprint, the setting and characters were eventually revisited in the pages of ''ComicBook/{{Quasar}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Exiles}}''. In early 2006, Marvel also published several ''Untold Tales of The New Universe'', featuring new stories set before the Black Event.

Something similar to ''newuniversal'' was started in the pages of ''ComicBook/JonathanHickmansAvengers'' with Nightmask and Star Brand appearing in the title. They are a part in the 2013 storyline ''ComicBook/{{Infinity}}'', where a new White Event happens on Earth-616. They eventually got their own title, ''ComicBook/StarbrandAndNightmask''. Although these characters are re-imaginings who are not directly related to the originals, there are plenty of {{Mythology Gag}}s referring to the New U. Later on, several reimagined versions of New Universe characters would be supporting characters in Al Ewing's ''ComicBook/TheUltimates2015''.

In December of 2006 Creator/WarrenEllis and Creator/SalvadorLarocca launched a single-title reboot of the New Universe concepts, ''ComicBook/{{Newuniversal}}''. It kept the concept of the White Event empowering people in a seemingly mundane world but was also set in an AlternateHistory rather than "The world outside your window".