Avengers Academy #16-18, Fear Itself

[starfoxxx]

A review of Av Ac #16-18

I'm not sure why i do these reviews, it doesn't seem like anyone on these boards reads current comics, at least not when they first hit the shelves. I guess I want to recommend what i would think an Assembler would enjoy, and maybe help my favorite series from being cancelled. But then why do i post negative reviews? I guess because i like to complain.

Anyway, Avengers Academy is still the best Marvel has to offer an Avengers fan these days, IMHO.

The (dreadful) Fear Itself Banner has brought a lot of heavy, depressing themes to Av Academy, in issues #16-18, which i just finished reading. The writing and art have been consistently good. It's seemed like they have been battling the Absorbing Man and Titania forever, but how can I complain, they are among my favorite villains. I miss thier usual gruff banter, and weird romance, as they are possessed by some ancient monsters, and their dialogue slips in and out of character (kind of annoying). And some of the sequence in art is strange, IMo. I didn't quite get why Titania threw her tiny hammmer at the giant Abs. Man's gigantic hammer. Would that do anything? And Underspace is kind of confusing, in theory and the art, but whatever, it's a comic book. Issue #18's art by DiVito and the colors were very nice, though.

One more gripe. I would have thought the students had met the Falcon by now. His "We haven't met" greeting seemed kind of weird to me. I could have sworn they met before. Anyone agree/disagree?

Again, I like the inclusion of the letter's page. I was esp. interested in a letter comparing the Academy with the early 80s New Teen Titans. I see some neat common themes, in addition to the "serious" vibe of some of the books subplots.
Changeling > Reptyl , shape-shifter
Cyborg > Mettle , inhuman/different
Speedy > Striker , abusive past
Starfire > Veil , naive but powerful
Raven > Hazmat , teen angst, grumpy
Terra > Finesse , villainous connection

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an upcoming Micronauts appearance!

[spiderwasp]

Aug 21, 2011 15:49:05 GMT -5 starfoxxx said:

it doesn't seem like anyone on these boards reads current comics, at least not when they first hit the shelves.

You may be right for the most part but, for me, Academy is the exception. You are absolutely right. The best thing out there. (Along with Children's Crusade but that's not a regular series)

[owene]

it's about the only current title I am reading, I've enjoyed the last few issues a lot, the Washington issue more than the absorbing man ones but they have been good as well. it's good to see them starting to stand on their own two feet a little and I'm starting to have read enough stories featuring the kids now to actually care about th subplots rather than assume the title will be gone by issue 10 so why bother..

[bobc]

Sorry I never thought to check this area of the forum out. I love Avengers Academy! The very latest issue way pretty lame though--mostly because the art is so bad. But for me, the issue I read today was the only one that wasn't top notch.

You guys really should check out Thunderbolts. The writer has done a tremendous job writing Luke Cage, Swamp Thing and Satana.

[humanbelly]

Feb 4, 2012 22:13:53 GMT -5 bobc said:

You guys really should check out Thunderbolts. The writer has done a tremendous job writing Luke Cage, Swamp Thing and Satana.

Lord knows I hate to be the instigator of someone giving themself a forehead-slap, but. . .

. . . yer probably referring to "Man-Thing", eh? ;D

(WE'VE ALL MUFFED THAT PAIRING AT SOME POINT-! Come on, admit it everybody. . . !)

HB

[Doctor Bong Crosby]

Feb 5, 2012 8:09:26 GMT -5 humanbelly said:

Feb 4, 2012 22:13:53 GMT -5 bobc said:

You guys really should check out Thunderbolts. The writer has done a tremendous job writing Luke Cage, Swamp Thing and Satana.

Lord knows I hate to be the instigator of someone giving themself a forehead-slap, but. . .

. . . yer probably referring to "Man-Thing", eh? ;D

(WE'VE ALL MUFFED THAT PAIRING AT SOME POINT-! Come on, admit it everybody. . . !)

HB

I think I read somewhere that those two even made their first appeareances right about the same time, and that their respective creators have claimed for their creation to have come first and the other to have appeared afterwards... .
Is Man-Thing self-aware/more intelligent these days...? Otherwise I don´t see how he could even be part of a team effort.

[humanbelly]

Feb 5, 2012 11:56:39 GMT -5 Doctor Bong Crosby said:

Feb 5, 2012 8:09:26 GMT -5 humanbelly said:

Lord knows I hate to be the instigator of someone giving themself a forehead-slap, but. . .

. . . yer probably referring to "Man-Thing", eh? ;D

(WE'VE ALL MUFFED THAT PAIRING AT SOME POINT-! Come on, admit it everybody. . . !)

HB

I think I read somewhere that those two even made their first appeareances right about the same time, and that their respective creators have claimed for their creation to have come first and the other to have appeared afterwards... .
Is Man-Thing self-aware/more intelligent these days...? Otherwise I don´t see how he could even be part of a team effort.

I'd checked this out a bit on Wikipedia before I posted yesterday, 'cause I had the same question about the dueling Swamp-Creatures. Man-Thing was first by about a year and a half. But Man-thing co-creator Gerry Conway and Swamp Thing creator Len Wein happened to be roommates around the time of SwThg's first appearance-- and Wiki suggests that there was likely a bit of friendly friction between the two writers over the obvious similarity. Ultimately, though, the higher authorities at Marvel & DC decided not to pursue any litigous solutions because they ALL realized that BOTH characters bore a striking resemblance to a Swamp Creature character from the 40's called THE HEAP. Best to not stir the pot too vigorously, lest one awaken a down-at-the-heels third party who might love to see some financial gain from a long-defunct character. . .

Your question about Man-Thing being a productive group member is the same one I had. Bobc, aren't you the current Thunderbolts reader? Got some enlightenment for us?

HB

[Shiryu]

Feb 6, 2012 19:03:40 GMT -5 humanbelly said:

Your question about Man-Thing being a productive group member is the same one I had. Bobc, aren't you the current Thunderbolts reader? Got some enlightenment for us?

HB

What am I, chopped liver? I also read and enjoy Thunderbolts ^^
Man-Thing is used only as a mean for teleportation because of his link with the Nexus (IIRC). After that, he is more or less left to his own devices and is occasionally attracted to the bad guys' fear.