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Marvel’s New Trans Superhero Is Swooping in Just in Time for Pride

Escapade
Courtesy of Marvel

Escapade will be introduced in Marvel's Voices: Pride #1 issue. 

Just in time for Pride season, Marvel is introducing audiences to their new favorite superhero, Escapade, who'll make her debut when Marvel's Voices: Pride #1, written by Charlie Jane Anders, arrives June 22.

Escapade, a.k.a. Shela Sexton, is a trans mutant who is "a total goofball," Anders told Marvel. "She is a cool weirdo who has a super strong sense of justice and a profound loyalty to her friends." She also boasts a very unique power. While she's only able to maintain it for a few hours at a time, Escapade "can instantaneously switch physical locations with another person or trade any specific physical or abstract attributes such as possessions, organizational status, skills, superhuman powers, and even situations!" according to Marvel. There's one wrinkle, though: To pull off the switch, she has to be within seven feet of her target, and the chances for mishaps increase depending on the complexity of the situation.

Fortunately, Escapade isn't, well, escapading alone. She has a trusty sidekick, her "tech-savvy" best friend, Morgan Red, who of course has an arsenal of helpful (and stolen) tools tucked away for any occasion. "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 [of the X-Men] changes the course of Escapade's life forever," says a Marvel press release.

Escapade For author Anders, writing Escapade's story was a lifelong dream come true. "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 release. "I hope that Escapade and Morgan Red will inspire trans and nonbinary people everywhere to believe that they, too, can fight for justice with the power of creativity and chosen family."

Along with Anders, artist duo and Eisner-nominated cartoonists Ro Stein and Ted Brandt helped bring Escapade to life with colors by Tamra Bonvillain.

Brandt shared how much it meant to them to take part in the project. "Now more than ever, we need a hero like Shela Sexton for people to look up to," he explained in the release. "It was a real honor and a privilege to be a part of her creation process!"

Stein shared Brandt's enthusiasm. "It's very exciting to be part of bringing a new character into Marvel comics," they said. "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."

In Marvel's Voices: Pride #1, readers will be introduced to Escapade and her life as a trans mutant, superhero, and thief. It will also see her becoming involved with the X-Men as "a deadly prophecy is unveiled in her future," Marvel promises. Beyond that, there's already word on when we'll see Escapade next, as she's planned to appear in a special story arc of New Mutants scheduled for this fall.

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