After an initial launch the series underwent a re-design and revamp by writer Eric Stephenson and penciler Chris Sprouse.

The series was put on hiatus with issue 20 for the Extreme Destroyer story and was replaced by a 4-issue mini-series, New Force, which starred the same characters and began their revamp.

The series resumed after this mini-series via Liefeld's Maximum Comics and received a further revamp, both in plot and style, by Stephenson and Chris Sprouse.

Initially the group was five teens: a telepath/telekinetic Reign (Jason Drew), who initially used a focusing gem he wore on his forehead, but later found it had mind-controlling properties and abandoned its use; Byrd (Adam Booth), who was friendly and laid back, began with small wings that protruded from his arms, but later evolved further growing feathers, talons and other bird-like features; a blonde speedster called Dash (Lisa Richards), who was involved in romantic relations with Byrd and Reign; Exit (Derrick Rowland), who could teleport via entering another dimension (he was later replaced by a being from this dimension, Charade); and Kodiak (Thomas Runningbear Jr.), the youngest member (who was apparently Native American), who could turn into a giant man-beast.

Around this time the New Men are called as part of the trial for the murder case against the Youngblood superhero Knightsabre, who had been accused of killing his teammate Riptide.

Exit was replaced by Charade and in the New Blood story arc the team also encountered The New Man (who was also granted his own short-running ongoing series), a time traveler who may have been Dash's child.

After this the team experienced a personal crisis and backlash to the event (against Nu-Genes) as New Force, including the destruction of their home (Proctor's house), and the loss of Dusk and Narcisse.