The Bill August 18, 2010

I feel like I've been on a good run with books lately. I haven't read a truly disappointing book, let alone a bad one, in quite a while now. How will this week pan out? Let's find out:




Best of the Week:
Avengers Academy # 3
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Mike McKone

I think I said it before, but I'll say it again: Avengers Academy is everything I wanted Avengers Initiative to be. Finally, I feel like I'm reading about n00bs training to be superheroes, not army grunts, which was the biggest problem with The Initiative. Add to that the compelling characters and the fantastic hook and you have a book I can't wait to read every month.

This issue followed the kids on a crossover with The Thunderbolts. In an effort to keep these kids on the up and up, they go on a field trip to the newly renovated Raft. But of course, some of the kids just want to go so they can exact revenge on certain prisoner. I'll let you guess which one. HINT: his name rhymes with Corman Blosborne.

Of course, the writing is only reinforced by the fantastic work that Mike McKone is doing. He keeps improving with each issue (not like he needs to improve, but you know) and I can't wait until the kids are faced with a big wide screen threat so he can really cut loose.



Disappointing of the Week:
The Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet
Writers: Brian Clevinger and Lee Black
Artist: Brian Churilla


So, this one might not be totally fair, as I am a pretty huge fan of the original Infinity Gauntlet. Regardless, I was pretty excited about this all ages approach, especially because it's written by Atomic Robo's Brian Clevinger. I was expecting something fast, funny, and action packed, but was instead present with... well something that wasn't that.

What makes the original so great is it's sense of scope; it's epicness. From that first issue, Thanos is presented as a Bad mother fucker that you don't even want to get close to messing with. The only way to take him down is via the help of the heaviest of heavy hitters (at least from the ones that were still alive), and even then it was a crap shoot.

With this 'remake' (for lack of a better term), we're not given enough time with Thanos to establish his immense threat level. Instead we see the story through the eyes of Spider-Man as he hams it up with the other heroes, never really giving into the gravitas of the situation.

I get that it's supposed to be for a younger audience, but this just felt... under-ambitious. I didn't want an exact retread, but I was expecting something with just a bit more going on "under the hood" if you will.

That said, there were some nice moments in the book where you could see Clevinger's humor break through, and there are some great cameos (like Sleepwalker! What!?!) spread throughout, especially at the end.

I dunno what to think about this book. I'll have to see what the kids are saying before I pick up the next issue, I think.



There you go. If you want to ask me what I thought of the Thunderbolts side of the crossover (LOVE THAT BOOK!), or how I enjoyed the third part of the Daken/Frankencastle crossover (I don't want it to end!), lemme know in the comments. Other wise, I'll see you kids next time.