Strange Academy

Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos go back to school with Strange Academy

FOR DECADES, MARVEL has had Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, where young Merry Mutants can hone their abilities. Now writer Skottie Young and artist Humberto Ramos are teaming up on Strange Academy, somewhere the House of Ideas’ aspiring mystical characters can learn their craft – although editor Nick Lowe insists this isn’t just Marvel’s answer to Hogwarts.

“Skottie loves stories about magic schools and we do too, so when he dreamt up Strange Academy, we were on board,” Lowe tells Red Alert. “What he pitched us was a combination of those classic magical school tropes and teen comics like Generation X and Young Avengers.”

Introducing several new characters who are related to some well-known Marvel heroes and villains, the series centres around Kansas City teenager Emily Bright. “She’s a normal kid if normal is being able to levitate your dog when you’re a toddler,” explains Lowe. “She’s been dabbling in magic for years and at a very particular moment in her life, she gets an offer to attend a school.”

Emily’s fellow scholars include Doyle Dormammu, the illegitimate son of Dormammu. “His head is on fire, so will nature or nurture define him?” wonders Lowe. “We wanted to grab folks from all areas of the Marvel Universe, so there’s also German, an awesome kid from Mexico who can summon mystic animals; Iric and Alvi, who are twins from Asgard; Shaylee from Otherworld; Toth from Weirdworld, and Dessy, who’s from Limbo.” SJ

Strange Academy #1 is out 4 March.