Avengers: The Initiative #1 - "Happy Accidents" (Writer: Dan Slott,
Artist: Stefano Caselli, Colorist: Daniele
Rudoni)
In the wake of Civil War, the government has begun organized training of superhumans. For those teens who want to become heroes, that means a special facility... built on the site of the Stamford disaster. We watch a new group of superhumans as they come to the facility.
I should state up front I don't really care for how Civil War wound up, on a number of levels. It's not the concept, or even the turnout, it was the execution, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Still, the aftermath has left me with a few new titles I was interested in checking out. This is one of those.
But I was worried. See, I like teen books. But the very concept of this one potentially rankles me. I could see the government training superhumans, even teen superhumans. But to actively send them out on missions before they're 18 strikes me as dangerously irresponsible and something that would never be okayed short of an event that threatens the whole world. So, the Initiative (as well as any other teen book that has registered characters, like, presumably, the Young Avengers if registration isn't moot by the time it returns), at least when it comes to the teen characters, must be strictly a training book. Even the whole 'sneaking off base to get into adventures', a staple of the teen X-books, is suspect. So far, they haven't really gotten me past that stumbling block.
What we do have is the introduction of a number of characters, many new, some obscure, and a plot that, although reminiscent of Starship Troopers at times, has some genuine surprises and shook me up.
Of the two debuts here, Slott had the harder job. I already love the Runaways. I already know I like Joss Whedon. I've heard good things about Slott, but I've never read anything of his, and I have these reservations about the whole Initiative concept. Although those reservations remain, Dan's managed to endear me to some of the characters in the first issue, and make me interested in seeing what happens next. I bought the series as an experiment, but I've already decided to stick with it for the forseeable future. For that reason, I'm making this my Pick of the Week.
Review: 3.5 stars
The Runaways have fled to New York in part to escape the Avengers,
and take the unusual step of asking the Kingpin for help in remaining
under the radar. However, the Kingpin's help is not without price,
and the Runaways are forced to do one in return.
So, Joss' highly anticipated run on Runaways begins. And, to be honest,
after such high expectations, I'm not surprised that I'm a little let
down. It's good, certainly. Whedon manages to nail the voices of the
characters, and he does include moments and bits of dialog that are
as memorable as those in Brian K. Vaughan's run. Though it hasn't yet
hit the peaks of Vaughan's, it's better than the valleys, too. But, so
far at least, I wanted a little more. Especially since Joss' run is
due to be so short.
I also do have to quibble a little with Joss' continuity... isn't Kingpin
supposed to be out of the country? I suppose status quo tends to
reassert itself and one expects that sooner or later Kingpin would be
back, and you could perhaps say it takes place after that... but it does
take me out of the story a little.
Review: 3.5 stars
Well, that's it for this week folks. Next week, according to the
shipping list, there's four books. There's New X-Men #37, newuniversal
#5, Loners #1, and Teen Titans #45.
See you next week...
Peter Dimitriadis
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Jump to last week (Ultimate X-Men #80)
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Runaways #25 - "Dead-End Kids" (Written by: Joss Whedon, Penciled by:
Michael Ryan, Inker: Rick Ketcham, Colorist: Christina
Strain)
(jump to last issue)
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