Troublemakers (comics)

"Troublemakers" is the title of a comic book published by Valiant Comics. Troublemakers was created by famed writer Fabian Nicieza and penciller Kenny Martinez. Nicieza describes Troublemakers as a "slice of life coming of age story of a group of adolescents who happen to have fantastic abilities and live in a fantastic environment."

History

The Troublemakers are made up of four preteens who have been genetically engineered from conception by their parents to display superpowers.

Their parents are part of pharmaceutical giant Galloway and Galloway's top secret 'Zeus: Control Project'. They are brought up in an underground bunker, away from the eyes of the media, but can't help being kids and troublemakers.

The main administrators for the project are Doctor Barton Fein and Doctor Natalie Westback. Fein is the one who wishes to create and control the kids and Westback is a psychiatrist, administring test after test.

The four children are Christine and Zach Helvin, Parker Matthews and Jane Ngo. Christine (XL) has the power to be better they anyone near her. Always smarter, faster, quicker. Zach (Rebound) can manipulate his own gravimetric field for a variety of effects, even using it to renter Earth from orbit at one time. Jane (Calamity) is constantly training to control her personal chaos field, which usually causes a domino effect of problems. Parker (Blur) controls electromagnetic fields, making him the perfect spy.

The team encounters a multitude of problems. Jane's insane mother has her own super-team of children and attempts to get Jane back. The aforementioned trip into space results in even more problems back on earth. Christine fears her own powers have unwittingly lead her into her first sexual experience, after all, are her hormones always more powerful then the other persons?

Parker Matthews seemingly dies in a random shootout. The children wonder why he can't have a proper funeral and it is revealed that Parker's body is being kept in something called the Chrysalis Chamber. During the discussions it is seen that Parker's mother is eavesdropping on his father, Joshua. One of the employees of Galloway turns out to be feeding information to an outside newspaper.

Christine makes a trip to a secretive Texas facillity, where a powerful mysterious entity named Peter is stored. Her powers amp her up far, far beyond what the entity is capable of and she demonstrates vast, energy based abillities. While in telepathic contact with Peter, Christine reveals the results of a visit to a doctor friend she had gone to after her sexual experience. Her friend had told her she wasn't pregnant, that she couldn't possibly be pregnant because she was not even human anymore. Christine goes a bit wild during the experience, due to absorbing a bit of Peter's uncertianity and confusion. Peter and Christine's father both manage to calm her down and Christine conveys that Peter wants to teach the world how to love, by teaching them how to be human.

Back at the Galloway facillity, Jane and Zach have come to the conclusion that the scientists plan to bring Parker back to life. Parker soon does return in some form and it is revealed his father, Joshua, always knew the 'Troublemakers' would evolve into strange, new forms.

Controversy

Troublemakers dealt with a number of modern day issues affecting preteens and teens including teenage sex, drugs, alcohol, rape and teenage violence.