This has been an excellent week for comics! Not that other recent weeks have been bad, but there’s always a book, two or three from my pull-list that just doesn’t live up to the hype.
Not this week.
(DC killed it. Article tomorrow.)
In fact, the stupid-is-as-stupid-does Reverend Moody forgot — okay, completely DIDN’T! — add Kieron Gillen‘s new masterpiece Young Avengers to the list. So, of course it sold out. And, thus, of course, I ordered it digitally.
You can bet I’ll still be picking it up in true floppy form, though.
Young Avengers is another one of those books that joins the new, modernly “hip” foray of comics; books that change the way you read them, change the way you look at them, and change the way you think about them. It’s almost as if a Miiike Snow soundtrack is required for these new titles. And there’s no other guy I’d like to give kudos to this trend more than Matt Fraction. It feels like the man — who, with his very Downeyesque Invincible Iron Man, had the finest run on the Armored Avengers ever — has finally hit his stride with both Hawkeye and FF. His Fantastic Four has been pretty solid as well, but the jury’s still out on that one considering it’s solely been a string of one-shots. Fraction is only doing what he does best on his other Marvel contributions: sarcastically, self-deprecating dialogue (i.e. woe is me, ’cause I’m too cool), a basic blacktop awareness of the comic stars every environment (the Glendale-like sobriety of his Bronx-topping neighborhood and zephyr-whistling “Miss Thing” partyland), and stories that relate to people simply in the weirdest place at the strangest times (uh, replacing the Fantastic Four with four complete weirdos).
FF may stand for Future Foundation — or something else of the sort — but it could very well equate to the Fantastic Four. After witnessing the #3 issue’s new stirring connection of Scotty Lang Ant-Man and the new Miss Thang, complete with some of the finest “reaction shots” in the comics business, FF is another book floating on a different edge. While Doom is the reason for all the sudden, ahem, doom and gloom, the book still stands out aflame. And we have the art team of Mike and Laura Allred to blame for that.
No other book on the stands gleams like this, period.
And trolling “internet thugs” representing Yancy Street? What-what!!
Young Avengers thankfully takes on a bit of that trippy vibe, too. This won’t be the first time Gillen’s followed a pattern from Frac’ (I hope he understands), but it’s also the writer’s first chance to create a Marvel comic from the ground up. Gil’s done a beyond admirable job writing both Thor/Loki (Journey Into Mystery) and Uncanny X-Men (his new Iron Man could be better, although it’s probably not his fault with such outLandish artwork). But, Young Avengers just feels fresher and the script flows off the page like a Starbucks coffee-milk creampuff.
Well, even if that doesn’t exist, it sure sounds great anyway.
There’s been a lot of hype about the Young Avengers comic on Twitter from some name industry peeps as of late, too, so, it’s nice to see a non-Hickman Avengers title (not named Uncanny) fair with superb quality. Perhaps that’s why this journalist was so hesitant to pull the book, despite the respected prowess of Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie (his partner on Image’s Phonogram). Or just hesitation to add any type of book to the list, period.
Matthew Wilson’s coloring is what truly lifts this title, with an alluring, neon color pallette reflecting the freshness and prophylactic-packing springtide of these (chiefly) new start-up heroes. Gillen was also smart enough to throw a baddie into the mix with Loki. Though, he’s not the kind of baddie you’re thinking of; if you read J.I.M., you’ll know what types of tricks/Tricks the current kid is on, after all.
And, with HawkGAL Kate Bishop canoodling around with a different type ‘a spaceshot in the book’s opening scenes, perhaps a HawkGUY/Young Avengers crossover ain’t too far behind…
