ign.com rates Avengers The Initiative Future

[goldenfist]

Read what ign.com has to say about the future of Avengers The
Initiative.

Avengers: The Initiative
Current Creative Team:
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Start With: Issue #1 (April 2007)
Title Analysis: One of the first thoughts that ran through our head when Marvel announced Dan Slott would be writing this series was "Why?" Since they were created in the '60s, the Avengers have rarely had more than one ongoing series at any given time. In the post-Civil War landscape they now have three. Slott's Avengers: The Initiative may be the latest to arrive to the party, but it also happens to be the best. The series focuses on the young, fresh-faced, and often reluctant new heroes in the Marvel Universe. Stamford, CT has now become a training ground for new Initiative recruits, with the likes of Yellowjacket, War Machine, and government-sponsored hardass Henry Peter Gyrich in charge. Stefano Caselli's art style seems almost to be drawn directly from a detailed cartoon series. Despite the series' whimsical appearance, it's far from a light-hearted affair.
Perhaps this series succeeds so well because its characters are more identifiable than your average Avenger. Many of the recruits are new creations, and all have a lot to learn before they can call themselves full-fledged, card-carrying superheroes. They make mistakes, not least of which involved getting captured by Hulk's Warbound during a botched attempt to help out during the war. One of the most intriguing elements of the book so far is Slott's Shadow Initiative. Think of it essentially as a Black Ops team reserved only for the most desperate of situations. The team made its first appearance during the aforementioned World War Hulk tie-in, and readers are still left wondering the identities of the three Scarlet Spiders and the extremely mysterious Mutant Zero. These questions are a big part of why we're excited for the future of the book. With World War Hulk out of the way, Slott has the chance to really heat things up now.
Currently: Good
Future Prognosis: Excellent

Post your thoughts about the topic.

[thew40]

I'm actually dropping this book. I've lost interest in it, but kudos to those who still like it!

~W~

[balok]

Mark the calendar! thew40 has lost interest in a Marvel book!

[thew40]

I probably would have liked this book a lot more if I was about 15-18 years old. The characters would probably appeal to me more, as most of them are around that age or just a little older.

But . . . it's just not for me. It's not a bad book mind you, but I'm just not interested in it.

~W~

[goldenfist]

I'll still be intrested in reading it.

[balok]

It's an adequately written book about unpleasant people doing unpleasant things and pushing Marvel's new idea that the forced militarization of superheroes is an "edgy" and "kewl" concept.

Slott's a decent writer, but I don't like this one.

[thew40]

balok said:

Slott's a decent writer, but I don't like this one.

Is there one you like?

~W~

[BigDuke]

When this book came out, I really wasn't too fired up. I got the first couple and was considering dropping it. I hate the Initiative, I hated the way this comic started out, the Gauntlet is a wretch, and no amount of Pym was going to save it. Then, I ended up getting into the subplots and now I really look forward to what is coming next. The art in the most recent issue wasn't very good, but it has been pretty decent. Slott is doing a good job of carrying the main story and having other irons in the fire at the same time (reminds me of Shooter a bit).

[balok]

thew40 said:

Is there one you like?

Sure. Captain America is interesting right now, and so is Thor. Amazing Spider-Man is... readable, but I expect to drop it when JMS leaves. Both it and New Avengers suffer in part from the "Why hasn't Tony hunted these folks down once and for all and sent them to Gitmo, er, The Raft?

[The Night Phantom]

goldenfist said:

Since they were created in the '60s, the Avengers have rarely had more than one ongoing series at any given time. In the post-Civil War landscape they now have three.

Not really. A:I, despite its title, is not an Avengers series. Yes, it does feature persons who have been Avengers (among others) as continuing and guest characters. (And it’s primarily set at a base named for an Avenger.) But it doesn’t really carry an Avengers identity, not even to the extent that the current New Avengers or the old Solo Avengers/Avengers Spotlight have. A:I was originally planned as a limited series, and I suppose slapping the Avengers name on it was an acceptable tool in marketing the series as an Avengers-related spinoff. But an ongoing series should have a title that better describes its identity than this misnomer does.

[goldenfist]

It's still a good title I love reading it.