After Tom DeFalco, then Marvel's editor-in-chief, created the superhero team the New Warriors, using existing characters, in "Thor" No. 412 (Dec. 1989), he selected Nicieza to write the spin-off series. Nicieza recalled "I took the assignment for two reasons. First, I saw a lot of potential in these characters that had already been deemed useless. And secondly, I really wanted to write a monthly book." Collaborating with pencilers Mark Bagley and later Darick Robertson, primarily, Nicieza went on to write the title for most of its first 53 issues (July 1990 – November 1994). Years later, Nicieza said that he considers the first 25 issues of "New Warriors" to be the best work of his career.