Escapade is Marvel’s new trans mutant to debut this June. (Images courtesy Marvel)
As part of Marvel’s ongoing Marvel’s Voices series, the publisher announced that readers will soon meet the hero Escapade. She will join other LGBTQ+ heroes this June for Pride month and she will debut in the book’s central story by Charlie Jane Anders and drawn by artist duo and Eisner-nominated cartoonists Ro Stein and Ted Brandt, with colors by Tamra Bonvillain.
So who is this new hero?
From Marvel:
Escapade, whose real name is Shela Sexton, is a trans mutant who can instantaneously switch physical locations with another person or trade any specific physical or abstract attribute such as possessions, organizational status, skills, superhuman powers, and even situations! Escapade is only able to maintain the power for a few hours at a time and must be within seven feet of her target, and the more complex the switch, the higher the chance of a mishap. Luckily for Escapade, she has an invaluable partner at her side, her tech-savvy best friend Morgan Red, along with a tool belt containing an arsenal of stolen tools and devices. Together, Escapade and Morgan tear through the Marvel Universe as professional thieves, stealing from criminal and corrupt organizations…until a meeting with Emma Frost and Destiny changes the course of Escapade’s life forever.
“Now more than ever, we need a hero like Shela Sexton for people to look up to,” Brandt added. “It was a real honor and a privilege to be a part of her creation process!”
The 20-page adventure in Marvel’s Voices: Pride No. 1 will introduce Escapade and reveal her career as a superhero/thief, as well as explore her life as a trans mutant in the Marvel Universe. The issue will only mark the beginning of Escapade’s saga as she becomes entangled with the X-Men and a deadly prophecy is unveiled in her future.
“It’s very exciting to be part of bringing a new character into Marvel comics,” Stein added. “Working with Charlie Jane’s script was a lot of fun, and I hope people enjoy reading about Escapade as much as we did putting together her first outing on the page.”
Fans can look forward to Escapade’s return in the fall in a special story arc of New Mutants guest-written by Anders.
“I have loved the Marvel Universe for as long as I can remember, and may or may not sing the Spider-Man cartoon theme in the shower on a regular basis. So I was so thrilled to be able to introduce a brand-new hero to stand alongside all of my favorites,” Anders said in the press release. “I hope that Escapade and Morgan Red will inspire trans and non-binary people everywhere to believe that they, too, can fight for justice with the power of creativity and chosen family.”
Marvel’s Voices: Pride No. 1 arrives on June 22. Read the Marvel interview and sneak peek with Charlie Jane Anders here.
— From staff reports
