young avengers vol 1 sidekicks allan heinberg

I did find myself rolling my eyes at the boys' club mentality some of the characters, particularly Patriot, displayed when (gasp!) girls wanted to join the team, but I do think that was intentional. (Is this what firmly established Truth: Red, White, and Black as part of Marvel's continuity?) If I'd read Avengers Disassembled, Iron Man's motives might have been even more clear, but what I did know was sufficient for me to buy his position. I absolutely believe, without a moment's doubt, that Captain America would not want a teenage kid to dress up like Bucky and fight crime, especially when that kid turns out to be the grandson of the real first super soldier.

It's easy to rely on the teen fiction standard of adults who just don't understand, but here it makes sense. The dialog may not always be sparkling, but it's real and fits the characters. The characters are engaging, in a very real, not-even-slightly-cheesy way.

The thing is, as hokey as the name and the general concept are, this is not a hokey book. I remember when Young Avengers first hit the stands that I cringed at the name and passed the book by. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of these decisions were made by editorial and handed down to the Heinberg as Things He Must Do, which is kind of a shame. And as a team name, Young Avengers is no better. And it might work for the Legion of Superheroes, but the idea of naming a character created in the 21st century Iron Lad is. Teenage sidekicks have been out of vogue for decades, especially ones that closely echo the theme of the hero they sidekick for. Because on the surface, this is a terrible idea. The short version?įriendships are forged, sacrifices are made, and adults are outwitted. The plot was cool but the characters were cooler. Tommy (Speed) doesn't show up till volume 2, but this is their origin story.Īnd it's good. This is his first appearance since he was sucked into the ether as a toddler, whilst Master Pandemonium was wearing him and his twin brother on his arms like demonic baby gloves. Kate Bishop (Hawkeye), Cassie Lang (Stature), Eli Bradley (Patriot), and Teddy Altman (Hulkling).īut like I said, the main reason I showed up for this comic was to find out about Billy Kaplan ( Asgardian Wiccan). It's a good introduction to some great characters. Makes complete sense in the story, I promise. The short version is that a young Kang the Conqueror sets out to find a group of young people with powers (who also have a secret history with older Avengers) to help him fight off an older version of himself. Ran into this on the hunt for what happened to the Scarlet Witch's kids.

Young avengers vol 1 sidekicks allan heinberg