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I have always been a huge Young Avengers fan, having bought the original trade as my very first comic. Children's Crusade was simply excellent. And I was naturally excited when they announced that they would release a second series as part of Marvel NOW! Eight issues in, my feelings are very mixed.
WHAT I LIKE
I love how the team is mostly the same as the post-Children's Crusade roster. A couple issues ago, we even got to see what happened to Speed, since he was missing from the book. The new additions to the team are very enjoyable I find. Loki, Marvel Boy, and Miss America are all funny and interesting characters. I especially enjoy Loki, and how after Siege they reintroduced him as a child. I think it was an excellent decision and I am glad that they haven't reversed it yet. It works. Marvel Boy made a rather abrupt reappearance after Avengers vs. X-Men, and I expected him to remain in limbo a while longer, but his characters interest in all things seemingly mundane is quite funny. Miss America is one of the more interesting characters to have been introduced recently by Marvel. I haven't read Vengeance, but I feel like I don't need to, because she is written so well in here. Introducing Prodigy into this book was another smart decision, as he's a great character with quite a unique skill set.
I think that the art is very solid. As much as I really miss Cheung's art from the original series, the art here holds up and works, especially for the extra-dimensional storyline. The panel's can get really interesting too, and the writer is clever.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE
From issue one I have had a few complaints about some of the key changes made to the series. Mainly, the plot line. Dimension hopping is always okay, but I can't really appreciate it in Young Avengers. When these kids were introduced, they were so lovable because they had doubts, they had joys, they had fear. Now they seem TOO super-hero-ish. They can't be more than 18 years old and yet they act like they've been doing this for decades. I miss the uncertain kids, the ones who were afraid there parents would find out.
The bad guy is a little confusing. Maybe reading the series from issue one all over again may help, but often times I wonder what the point of it is. It's been eight issues, I think the villain deserves a little flushing out by this point.
Wiccan's new haircut needs to go.
The last page seemed a little much. This series has tried to throw a wrench between the relationship of Wiccan/Hulkling, and I think that it would be a better idea if they didn't. It always seemed like out of all comic book relationships, there's would be the one that would work out no matter what. I think that writers shouldn't touch it too much.
IN THE END...
It's a solid read, but more than a little disorienting for fans of the original series. I'd recommend at least giving it a shot.
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