Marvel HAD a chance to bring the New Warriors back after CIVIL WAR had made them more (in)famous, but that chance was wasted with the volume we got (technically the 4th) - which focused little on the NW's people cared about and instead brought in a new team of ex-mutants (with Jubilee and Chamber, better known from Generation X). Sure, the "Old Warriors", as Counter-Force, showed up a few times, and Dwayne Taylor's brother Bandit took over the mantle there (which Christos Gage picked up in a subplot towards the end of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE), but by and large it wasn't what the fanbase wanted.
(And even THAT volume of New Warriors lasted 20 issues. I can think of a damn lot of other relaunches that didn't last 20 issues.)
And I imagine it did have a fanbase. Its first volume lasted 75 issues. I mean, DARKHAWK keeps coming back, and his first volume didn't last as long. Hell, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT didn't last that long in the 70's (about 43 issues and a few GIANT SIZE annuals), and yet he's back in X-FACTOR at the moment.
The problem with NEW WARRIORS is a similar problem that effects a lot of other C-List franchises that Marvel tries to revive every few years. It is that while Marvel is interested in keeping the name in circulation for trademark purposes, they don't bring back those elements that fans enjoyed. The end of the first volume was clearly past it's prime; Scarlet Spider had been desperately added to the roster so that NEW WARRIORS could be claimed as one of the Spider-Imprint of books to boost sales; it didn't work. Marvel tried to relaunch the book about a year and change after canning it, but that was an ill attempt. The book didn't have a regular artist for a while, and the costumes designed for the cast were so terrible, that the editor eventually had to announce the refusal to print any more letters complaining about them - utterly failing to realize that it was why sales were tanking. Hey, it was the bankruptcy era. And the mini series that came later was about a team of reality TV superheroes - a premise that had NOTHING to do with the New Warriors, but was attached to them out of cowardice towards launching new franchises. The "new premise on an old franchise that doesn't fit it" routine has been done with NAMOR and DOCTOR STRANGE a damn lot in relaunches, too.
Yet the recent ALPHA FLIGHT mini shows how to do it right. You get the main cast back, and bring back those interrelationships people liked, along with writer(s) who care, and a top notch artist.
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE by the end was basically New Warriors in everything but name. It featured Justice and Ultra-Girl as major characters, as well as having a lot of focus on Night-Thrasher II, Rage, Slapstick, and Debrii. Even the last MVP clone version of Scarlet Spider joining their squad (or "Counter-Force") was an homage to the 90's era.
So, what is the problem with a relaunch? Several. Yes, sales are one, but that isn't the biggest one. I mean, this is an era of Marvel that is so desperate to publish extra comics that WINTER GUARD once got a mini series recently. FOOLKILLER got TWO Marvel Max mini's, for heaven's sakes. But there are other issues. The first being the central premise is showing age. A name like "NEW WARRIORS" worked in 1990. But after over 30 years, they're not so "new" anymore. At the time, the book was probably an answer to DC's TEEN TITANS, which by 1990 was past it's prime (although IN it's prime, it competed with UNCANNY X-MEN), but the characters can no longer claim that; they've all grown up and mostly moved on. At DC, the unspoken rule is that the Teen Titans are the junior team for the Justice League, the trainee team. Yet that never really happened for the New Warriors; Justice and Firestar were the only two who became Avengers (Rage started as one, via lying, but was booted). While Justice has remained on fringe Avengers stuff like The Initiative or Academy, Firestar's tenure there has been all but forgotten. Not even Speedball is sure if being an instructor at Academy counts (it doesn't; unless Captain America vouches, you're not an Avenger). So, besides sales, the biggest problem may be a lack of a place or purpose for the team now. AVENGERS ACADEMY and NEW MUTANTS are filling the void for junior teams lately. YOUNG ALLIES just tanked last year, with SPIDER-GIRL right behind it. YOUTH IN REVOLT is not selling very well (and that also has some of those NW characters like Rage, Thrasher, and Debrii showing up).
It isn't that the NW's are "new" characters; when the series launched in 1990, many of the characters hailed from the 80's - only Night-Thrasher was new.
Now, I understand the idea of why certain franchises are relaunched with bizarre premises that don't match. Editorial demands a reason for the book to exist in the pitch, and that encourages a lot of zany ideas. I don't think that is a wise strategy, and it obviously has not usually panned out in lasting power - sure, Bendis' wild new idea for MOON KNIGHT had a solid debut, but it's only 3 issues in and sliding down the Top 50. But by that same token, I do understand a book needing to fill a particular niche or void. Is there a void for a team of former teenage heroes who are now in their early to mid 20's, most of whom have moved onto other things? Or aren't very well known anymore to the casual reader? I imagine the franchise does have it's fans with some writers who keep using the characters - Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Sean McKeever, even C.B. Cebulski (who seems to flip flop between editing and writing). But is that enough?
Status Of The NW's:
Justice - Still involved with the Avengers, mostly in training youngsters. Is actively dating Ultra-Girl after Firestar backed out of their engagement practically on their wedding day.
Speedball - Former lunatic, Thunderbolt, now an Academy mentor.
Firestar - Cancer survivor, wants to only be a part-time heroine to focus on college and occasional "gal-pal" outings; is sort of dating Gravity.
Night-Thrasher II - Former criminal brother of the original, Donyell "Bandit" Taylor is technically one of few mutants to retain his powers after M-Day, even if he NEVER seems to use them. Tried to revive his brother via underhanded means, but has learned to accept his death. Still usually leads NW's reunions.
Namorita - Was killed in CIVIL WAR #1. A version of her plucked from an earlier time was taken from the Fault, a place outside of time and space that thus broke the rules, by Nova. This version was not told of her "actual" death on earth to Nitro. She was last seen at Project PEGASUS mourning the loss of Nova with his brother, Robbie.
Nova - Went into space in ANNIHILATION, where he became a big damn space hero without the NW's. He's currently MIA and presumed dead.
Darkhawk - Quit to become one of Excelsior/The Loners, but fell back into heroism and went to space with Nova. Things didn't turn out so well for him. The last we saw of him, he was injured defending Project PEGASUS (where he worked) just before the start of THANOS IMPERATIVE and he hasn't been seen since.
Turbo - Quit to become one of Excelsior/The Loners, and while Michiko "Mickey" Musashi was willing to don her Turbo costume in RUNAWAYS to fight Ultron, she was the one who seemed to be most stern about leaving costumes behind. She had been dating Darkhawk, and agreed to watch over his family when he went to space. Hasn't been seen since, either.
Silhouette - Technically quit the NW's during their first volume, but remained involved with the team. She appeared during CIVIL WAR in various places and confirmed that Donyell was the new Night-Thrasher in the last NW series in a cameo. She's a hat-trick in terms of diverse characters - female, non-white, and crippled.
Rage - He's still affiliated with NW reunions. Recently had his ass kicked by Juggernaut in YOUTH IN REVOLT.
Ultra-Girl - Same as Rage; dating Justice.
Slapstick - Same as Rage. Had an unresolved subplot from A:TI; he is stuck in the form of Slapstick after not being allowed to transform back to Steve Harmon during boot camp, and has found himself growing insane. A vengeful, violent streak has popped up at times. But, this subplot has been almost entirely abandoned, and he usually just shows up to offer a one-liner or a visual gag.
Powerpax/Alex Power - Member of the Future Foundation alongside former Power Pack member Tattletale/Franklin Richards.
Cloak & Dagger - Reserve members, they appear in semi-annual mini's or one-shots. Were briefly X-Men.
Hindsight Lad - Booted from the team after he used his website to incite mobs to go after surviving NW's after Stamford. Was always at best a hanger-on.
Timeslip - A mutant with time travel/speed type abilities, she was depowered at the end of their first volume (her powers burned out stopping a Dire Wraith bomb). She's shown up in some cameos in costume since, but it is unknown if she has any power left.
Helix - Walking pile of mystery introduced from MAXIMUM CLONAGE during the era when NW was linked to Spidey - which happened to be smack in the midst of the Clone Sage endgame. Spidercide is LITERALLY part of his origin. One of those guys whose power is to adapt to any situation, and was fairly powerful. He's been wandering around, looking for his identity since about '97.
Sprocket - A minor character, she served as the NW's pilot. She is the mother of Redeemers member Meteorite. She quit the team after they booted Dwayne from their ranks at one point.
Debrii - Is literally the only new member from volumes 2 and 3 who survived. She initially wanted on for the reality TV gig and joined the Initiative, but later quit the team when they were trying to usurp Osborn's Dark Reign. She's rejoined them in YOUTH IN REVOLT, and seems to have evened her temper a bit.
Scarlet Spider (Patrick) - Is the only one of the three Scarlet Spiders who has survived. He still adventures with the NW's but doesn't say or do much. He's a blank slate.
Dead Members: Microbe, Bolt, Aegis, Scarlet Spider/Ben Reilly, Nova.
I didn't count the ex-mutants of volume four, but out of them, Wondra/Jubilee was really the biggest character, and she's a vampire now. Three of this squad were killed, too.
The biggest problem is why to relaunch the team and what purpose they would serve besides being yet another team of heroes in a universe that seems to be packed to gills with them. There are four teams of Avengers, several teams of X-Men, Alpha Flight, Heroes/Villains For Hire, soon to be two Fantastic Four books, and that's not counting aborted teams like Young Allies and Agents Of Atlas. They're not new anymore nor are any of them ever going to be Avengers again who weren't made Avengers during the Kurt Busiek run. Yet they can't be called THE WARRIORS without being sued, either. Their original premise was to go after the threats that the "bigger" teams neglected, but aside for a few "urban street gang" stories, they typically battled the same off the wall threats as any other team. Their enemies have no recognition and the greatest villains they did battle were from other galleries, such as Terrax, or leftovers from whatever team members once had ongoings, such as Sphinx from Nova's old book. Imagine the Teen Titans without Deathstroke the Terminator, and you're very close. Psionex and Force Of Nature aren't exactly memorable.
At this point, you could consider Night-Thrasher II, Rage, Ultra-Girl, Slapstick, and Debrii as "active" New Warriors, in that they usually adventure together or within close proximity.
