Monday, April 1, 2013

Young Avengers #3

Three issues in and Young Avengers finally seems to be coming together - both the team and the concept.

The story by Kieron Gillen has the members of the team (at least the ones who have stepped into the spotlight so far) facing off against their ultimate opponent: their parents.

Ah, but it's not the usual "teens against the grownups" scenario - those parents have been replaced by mystical dopplegangers, and they're both powerful and devious.

Assistance arrives in the form of "Kid" Loki - but can they trust the god of mischief for a solution?

The team so far includes Hulkling (a shape-changing alien), Wiccan (a magician) and Miss America (a powerhouse from another dimension), with Hawkeye (the female version) and Marvel Boy (Kree genius) waiting in the wings.

It sounds a bit silly on the face of it, but considering how powerful some of the parents are (Loki's real father is a frost giant, after all), not to mention the emotional aspect of being threatened by a parent, and you have a story that's really getting interesting - especially considering the cliffhanger ending.

The artwork is by Jamie McKelvie and Mike Norton, and it's quite good, with nice, clean lifework and sharp storytelling. The characters are clearly drawn and their expressions speak volumes. I'd like to see a little more variety in the width of the lifework, but that's a minor complaint - I like the art a lot.

With some nice humorous touches and a smart script, I'm enjoying this series so far. It was a little slow getting into gear, but (especially with the addition of Loki) this is shaping up to be a lot of fun.

Grade: A-

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