Avengers Academy

Avengers Academy #39 Review

Posted by Nick Walden Issue Review, Marvel Reviews No Responses »

Nov 172012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Issue #39

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: January 2013

This last month or so of reading Marvel comics has been pretty slow-paced and uneventful. As all of these series wrap up to re-launch in the new NOW universe that means no big shocks or changes. Everyone lives and nobody becomes horrible scarred.

After the big crossover it is an acceptable approach but after reading so many series wrap ups it gets redundant. I will give Christos Gage credit here; the Avengers Academy turned out to be a very solid run. He took the kids that weren’t future stars, but potential problem children, and delved right into what made them tick. He created plenty of relationships, explored growth, and did well to deliver a great tone about how it must be to grow up with powers and not understand where their place is in the world. By that same token he does a very nice graduation wrap-up issue. It actually makes me wish that Gage had control over this ‘team’ in the future.

But alas it seems that the group will head off into the universe into other comic opportunities. The future stories that Gage could bring out will hopefully be brought out by another.

The art has been tremendously solid by Tom Grummett and I was very glad he finished out the run. His style is a bit old school and I will keep saying how well it meshes with younger characters who are not overblown with their powers yet. He does a nice job displaying emotion and solid work all across the board for so many issues.

This issue rated a very solid 8.5 out of 10. Regardless of my overall feeling of being sick of wrap-ups, Gage did a very nice job wrapping this series up and deserves credit for that. If you have been following this series then this issue is a proper send off.

Avengers Academy #38 Review

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Oct 132012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #38

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: December 2012

After the giant throw down in the Avengers versus X-Men crossover this issue has to be labeled as, “…and on the lighter side of things…” In many ways it seems like Avengers Academy has tapped into the old West Coast Avengers roots by not only using their old HQ but also some of the lighter style moments we used to get in that book. For those who never read the WCA books they would occasionally play a baseball game, which was funny considering the super-power additions brought to the game. It was a way to humanize guys wearing half a set of super-hero tights and eating hot dogs. Christos Gage has done a great job issue after issue in this series doing exactly that and he has done it again magnificently with this issue.

The mood is lighter, fun even. Gage takes a very relaxed tone with this book going for more relaxed hi-jinks than anything serious which is a great break after the heaviness of the last issue. At the same time he still delves into post-traumatic issues people had from the fallout of A vs. X in a very honest way. To start with the flag football game between the Academy Kids and Wolverine’s students was a nice way to introduce characters to each other and then allow moments to develop. Plus we get lighter moments of humor.

Tom Grummett’s art is solid but not spectacular. He has a whole new cast of characters to deal with and a few things are off here and there but nothing is bad in a major way. Yes I am giving him a slight pass due to the huge roster he has to pen and because for the most part he does it well. Also I still really dig the classic style he employs that fits these ‘kids’ so well.

Overall we have a robust 9 out of 10. This issue is funny, interesting, and a well written change of pace from the entire crossover. It is an excellent palate cleanser and possibly the best way to handle things before heading off into any new arcs. For that, I applaud Christos Gage.

Avengers Academy #37 Review

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Sep 302012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #37

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: November 2012

Wow what a great ending to this arc. It was dark and gritty with just enough of everything to keep me interested and happy. Props to Christos Gage for sticking to his guns and ending the arc in a powerful way that covered the spectrum of emotions and possibilities.

When this series started (not the arc) it was a bit different because of how it focused on the growth of each character and what they struggled with coming to grips with their powers and place within the world. Each one handled things differently and it was nice to see Gage let that develop as things went on. In the end of this issue we can look back and see what the characters have become which gives you an idea of where they might go in the future. I was especially impressed with how Veil and Finesse were almost forced into making life-changing decisions for themselves during the heat of battle and intensity. The scenes were fast and furious with lots of action which was fantastic but the plot was very strong and didn’t wrap everything up in a pretty bow. Of course in my opinion that is good because now there are plenty of possibilities of where you can go from here. Well, expect for the Briggs character…too bad because I liked how he was depicted. As usual I try not to get too in-depth in what happens in a issue to make sure this doesn’t cross into spoiler territory.

The art was solid by Tom Grummett as he came back to the fold for the end of the arc. I have enjoyed how he depicts the characters in a way that captures their youth. The battle scenes were mostly strong with good details.

This issue continues the strong run for Avengers Academy over the last 10+ book and gets another solid 9 out of 10. This year it has definitely been one of my Top 10 books to read and I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone. I am interested to see how the next issue will go and if they can maintain the dark moodiness in the plot that I have enjoyed so much.

Avengers Academy #36 Review

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Sep 132012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #36

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Andrea Divito

Published: November 2012

Really good stuff here by Christos Gage as he takes the ‘Final Exam’ arc to the hilt on providing a plot that is extremely interesting to a reader because it challenges these young heroes well. There haven’t been any moments where someone has suddenly leaped out of character to become an instant world beater. Instead this is what you would expect kid-heroes to go through as a sort of growing-pains of learning how to deal with a serious crisis and what kind of stuff they are really made of.

Gage has really expanded what we know this roster of kids over the last few issues to make this one of the best character driven groups in comics currently. Plus, even though they are younger style characters, the decisions they have to make and emotions they feel resonate with a wide range of readers from those just experiencing it to those re-living it. As an added bonus these are not household names so it is very enjoyable to watch all of these new characters develop while still having the ‘Avengers’ framework and more known characters around for guidance. Back to this issue, the kids just have to save the world…no big deal right? The action was tense and we had some great moments in this book that will make me miss it if this is truly the finale for Gage.

Andrea Di Vito on art has been evenly matched to the darker tone of these series where he really catches just the right vibe with facial expressions and the style used for these junior heroes. Not having seen much of his work before I have to say that it has been impressive and goes very well with the story Gage is telling.

This issue continues the strong run for Avengers Academy over the last 10+ book and gets another solid 9 out of 10. This year it has definitely been one of my Top 10 books to read and enthusiastically recommend it to anyone.

Avengers Academy #35 Review

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Aug 232012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #35

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Andrea Divito

Published: October 2012

The plot thickens as the end draws near. It is a little disappointing that Christos Gage has waited until now to start getting a bit darker with the plot line. While generally I like the lighter tone he has imployed with the Avenger kids, there is definitely something to be said for directing things to the dark side, especially in the way he has done it in this issue (which I totally love).

In this book we have Jeremy Briggs taking it to the kids after depowering them. Can they survive the ordeal? I like how Gage makes them question themselves as they slowly grow and mature into heroes. It shows the personality of each character as he takes them on these types of journeys. Also it is not like everyone is going to become a hero because not all of them have it in them. Plus in this situation they can either work as an actual team or get their asses handed to them. That is a lot of good stuff to throw at the characters and I enjoyed how Gage had them deal with it.

The Young Masters are fun but it would be nice to learn more about them. Unfortunately you only have so much time and space in a comic book for a story and this one feels a bit full as is. Overall we have a lot of good stuff going on and plenty to keep a reader interested in how things will develop. For art, Andrea Di Vito joins for this issue and does a good job. I liked the action scenes the most and couldn’t find fault with the overall level of work.

Top to bottom we have another good issue that rates 9 out of 10. There was some really good stuff happening here and if this is Gage’s swan song on this title he is doing a great job of wrapping things up and not just going through the motions.

Avengers Academy #34 Review

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Aug 122012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #34

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: October 2012

Yes! Tom Grummett is back on the pencils! Not that the previous art was bad, but I really have enjoyed how Tom portrays the Academy Kids and have gotten used to seeing them that way. Consistency is a big thing for me as a reader because when I get used to a look I like to keep seeing it. Constant artist change is usually a bad thing because it distracts from the story; but back to the issue at hand.

There was some anticipation about what is going to happen with this series. Will it be over? The buildup has actually been very clear and straightforward so it is nice when the issue delivers what is expected and then a little bit more. Jeremy Briggs pops back into action and the way Cage wrote the story to include and use him was excellent. He really did a fantastic job in this issue tying everything together. The pace was great and entire story was very interesting from cover to cover.

Tom Grummett did his normal solid job on pencils. His art is never over the top or splashy, but instead is very consistent. I really like the way he draws this cast of characters because they have a ‘younger’ look to them which fits so well to the actual characters. Plus there is a certain level of polish you can expect on every panel that he brings to the table.

This is another great offering in this series and again gets a 9 out of 10 rating. It is a nice addition to the A vs. X series as well as being part of a great storyline in its own right. Most readers should be happy with this book as well as the recent issues in the series.

Avengers Academy #33 Review

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Aug 022012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #33

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Timothy Green

Published: September 2012

This is a great comic. The story is action packed but also very emotional with a lot happening from cover to cover. But will this be the end? Hopefully not as Christos Gage and Timothy Green have formed a really good team and this book keeps exciting me with the way the stories are being told and drawn.

The big point in this issue is Emma Frost versus the Sentinel. Juston tries to stop evil Emma from hurting his only friend and nobody wants to help that would really be able to turn the tide but the students end up teaming up to help one of their own. There was a lot of drama in this issue and Gage did a great job matching the story with action as to not bloat down either side. The story is just good without being too much or even having any noticeable A vs. X interaction.

Timothy Green has impressed me with his pencil work in this issue and the last. I like his style and the way he draws certain details such as the Sentinel. While some might few his work differently, I really feel it matches the tone of the Academy well because this series itself is a different style than the Mighty Avengers. It is hard to put in words, but it just works well for me.

This book hit another high note for me with a great 9 out of 10. The only possible issue I have is what is going to happen to the Academy. The end of the book was a bit abrupt with Hank Pym and Tigra giving the kids some very shocking news. That would be a shame as I think there is something special here that deserves more life and issues based on how it is currently going with the cast and plots.

Avengers Academy #32 Review

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Jun 292012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #32

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Timothy Green II

Published: August 2012

In the words of a young boy at a Miami Heat game after a loss, “Good effort, good effort.” This book is a solid effort by Gage. I really have enjoyed the junior Avengers themed stories for the most part because Christos can use them like a bit of a sounding board versus other main plots to gain a fresh perspective from our young heroes. Also I like that the old West Coast Avengers Mansion finally got dusted off for some use because the compound is so big you have lots of room to roam with a story and characters.

Other than having a now super powered Emma Frost popping by to relate a bit of the AvX crossover, this book featured some nice plot about Juston Seyfert, his toy Sentinel, and X-23. With such a large cast I do enjoy when we get to focus more on the development of a few characters at a time and Juston is very unique (because he has a giant mutant killing robot as a sidekick). Part of the downside of the crossover is that I feel Gage is doing too much in including AvX elements plus pushing his own plot line which makes for a crowded read. But if you are used to this series then it really isn’t anything new because Gage does this all the time.

For art we switch from Tom Grummett to Timothy Green. It is not a major change of pace even though Green has his own unique style. He does present a slightly different look and tone to the whole book compared to Grummett but I have no complaints about his overall work. Again when dealing with such a large cast including the crossover that is a lot of faces and bodies to re-create so the artist always gets a slight pass. But overall he does well with good expressions and character comparisons.

This book rates a solid 8 out of 10. I liked the read and it fit well with the AvX crossover. You should read this as part of the crossover but this series is strong in its own right and has been a solid pick for months as Gage has developed and shaped these young players in an interesting manner.

Avengers Academy #31

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Jun 202012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #31

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: August 2012

In a masterful (in my opinion) turn of events, Christos Gage has utilized the kids in the Academy to prove a great point about war; it’s an old man’s game. The Avengers versus X-Men is just a face-off between guys like Captain America and Cyclops. The kiddy Avengers and junior mutants really want no part of this fight they don’t understand. Oh, and I guess Sebastian Shaw isn’t that bad of a guy after all.

Overall this is a nice book. I like the way Gage has utilized this issue as a platform to show the difference between youth and the ‘grown-ups’ in the opinions about the difference of having opposite views but not necessarily being enemies that need to fight. He does a great job showing the difference between the academy kids and instructors and how they perceive what is going on around them.

Then we have Shaw who is being painted as more misguided than some evil force which I like. Shaw is an old character who has been around for quite some time and it is nice to see him on his own and in a slightly different light. Hopefully he will become more of a character in future books with this current type of personality.

The art is solid again by Tom Grummett. He just does a good job with all of the characters giving them individuality but also in a manner that seems ‘age appropriate’. By that I mean it is obvious they aren’t fully grown into who they might become and have a more slight appearance which fits the tone perfectly. Sometimes younger characters get over-developed early which hurts the ability of a writer/artist to show growth as they mature and change.

Overall this book pushes it up to a solid 9 out of 10. Much like last months’ work, this one is a strong issue for the A vs. X series that shows a nice level of consistency within what Gage is trying to accomplish. It doesn’t seem to play a huge part in the crossover yet, but who knows how Shaw might factor into the end result. I recommend picking it up either way as it is a good read.

Avengers Academy #30 Review

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May 242012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #30

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: July 2012

Oops Gage did it again! I swear some days I feel like Christos does this on purpose. By this I mean he seems to always follow an ‘okay’ issue with a really strong issue. It is like he teases a reader with brilliance periodically. This issue was another high point as there was a lot of focus on the individual characters and what they are dealing with. By far this is Gage’s biggest accomplishment in the series; making us care about what each character faces and how they evolve and grow. It is a fairly good match considering the book centers around young heroes and their development.

On to the meat of the book! Sebastian Shaw is roaming about with a returning memory and a hankering for some vengeance. This creates the main plot for the book as the adults try and fail to stop him. The AvX aspect is more of a consistent sub plot as X-23 ponders how she will deal with the Phoenix Force. We have some side action with the kids interacting with each other and growing/learning.

Tom Grummett’s art was solid again but still overall unspectacular. It fits within the style of story being told and most of the characters have a ‘softer’ look because they are kids. But sometimes in the bigger battles with more established characters I feel he doesn’t always do they best job making them stand out. Also Shaw looks like a clawless Wolverine to me.

The overall rating for this book end up in the 8 to 8.5 range. I was a bit torn as I feel the art is a larger detractor to the score. But it is a good read and part of the AvX crossover. I think X-23 might play a pivotal role in the whole story (much like Wolverine) so it is probably a good idea to pick this up as part of the crossover for plot purposes.

Avengers Academy #29 Review

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May 102012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #29

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: July 2012

Amazing, simply amazing! This is one of those must buy books because the story and ending are just that damn good. The overall story line from Dan Slott has been great where Doctor Octopus has flipped things around to been seen as the hero and savior for the planet while our webslinger is stuck in a villain role while trying to save the world.

I really can’t say much more about this issue than this because I don’t want to give away too much of the story. The only thing I can really say is that we see some transformations in Peter Parker’s general character where he finally has to cross some moral ground in pursuit of the greater good of saving the entire world, instead of his usual issue of just saving New York. Also I really loved the cast of characters that Spiderman recruited for his fight. You just don’t see enough Union Jack these days!

The only slight complaint I had on the entire book was a little of the art was sloppy for a few pages. Ramos usually does passable work but there were a few early pages where the proportions were a little off. To me this gets labeled as sloppy. Had he redone those few pages then I would classify this as a Best of the Year candidate.

Overall this book rates a 9.5 out of 10 which is just a great rating. The story for this arc was fabulous and for Spiderman, things have not been better as a fan/reader of his books than what has transpired recently. I would highly recommend picking up this arc because it is a very enjoyable read! Heck you should even go back a few books before because things have been fun for awhile.

Avengers Academy #28 Review

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Apr 212012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #28

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Karl Moline

Published: June 2012

Anarchy! At first everything seems to be all sweet and mellow between the Junior Avengers and the Runaways. Then Hank Pym sticks his foot in his mouth and it’s time for, “Let’s get readdddyyyy to ruuuuummmmmmbleee!” Of course this is cool and expected because when you get that many young superheroes in the same room you want to see them throw down!

Too bad the fight is short lived. But at least in the issue Christos Gage did much better in meshing action, characters, and plot. Reading his books is really like being on a yo-yo. I didn’t like the last issue at all but this one is a lot better. Really what is going on in this issue is stabilizing the story and characters tolead up to the Avengers versus X-Men showdown. Plus Gage adds a little teaser in the middle for future books. Overall I liked how he handled things as now I feel like the Junior Avengers and Runaways are more poised to have some impact in the upcoming conflict.

The art was solid again from Karl Moline. He is only here for this 2 book interlude but the job was nice. He was light and easy which was a good tone for this type of middle-adjustment story. Next book Tom Grummett will be back and that is great because Tom’s work is good too. No complaints either way!

Overall this book rated a solid 8 out of 10. There are some important pieces involved here to set up future issues so if you follow this line it is a must read. For the casual reader there are a few spots that can be hard to follow because they tie to older moments. But it is still a good read and nice starting point if you are going to add this book to your rotation.

Avengers Academy #27 Review

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Mar 302012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #27

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Karl Moline

Published: May 2012

Just like that Gage jumps from respectability to confusion! I have a love hate relationship with Christos Gage as a story teller. In some books he flows a few nice stories together, but then every once and awhile he tosses in an issue with too much going on and the dialogue gets confusing and doesn’t follow the plot action on the pages.

First we have a big showdown with the Runaways and the Junior A-team. That is a lot of people to be fighting. I wish either the issue would have centered on a battle or been skipped. A few pages of smash and clash seemed weak comparatively. But at the same time I do have to give Gage some props for dealing with such a large cast. But that cast caused some confusing moments that I had to re-read and still went, why?

I am a bit bummed Tom is gone on art replaced by Karl Moline. I was just really enjoying his style. The sheer number of characters got very confusing and consistency was a serious issue for Moline. It is a very hard task for a new artist to jump into a team book that features a mash-up of two groups of characters. Hello, planning department? Let’s think about this a bit more next time.

So this book rates at 6 out of 10. If you follow this book then buy it to keep the story going but otherwise it is a pass even at $2.99 for the issue. If anything the best reason to buy this book is in hopes that popularity might spur a run on a new Runaways book line because those characters are still pretty cool, even in a limited storyline.

Avengers Academy #26 Review

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Mar 032012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #26

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: April 2012

I felt last issue was so-so and this was a slight step up. Christos Gage continues his exploration into the idea of the Avengers as flawed much like he is doing in the Avengers and New Avenges. I am not sure if that is part of the prelude idea to clash with the X-Men or just a thoughtful change of pace by Gage to question the role of Super Heroes in the world and how they affect things. In any event, I really enjoy the way it works in this issue. I think mainly because you have a mix of younger characters and a few very old ones, like Hank Pym, it allows for more contrast on opinions and experience.

This is a big dialogue book but it doesn’t feel as jam packed as some of the other Gage offerings. Instead he seems to do a better job focusing the story on fewer members of the cast instead of everyone. As for the cast, I still like the variety and the development. It looks like we will have another slight overhaul to the roster, which is rather annoying, but also very necessary.

Tom Grummett is on his 3rd issue in this series and I think now is a perfect fit. I was annoyed a bit in his first appearance but warmed to his style last issue and now I really feel he is probably the best man for the job. The older style of drawing characters works well with the younger cast and he does great facial work which is rather key in many of these dialogue heavy issues the Gage produces.

So this book nets a solid 7.5 out of 10. A little more action and less talking would have been preferred but nobody ever asks me.

Avengers Academy #24 Review (Shattered Heroes)

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Jan 162012

by Nick Walden, CMRO Contributing Writer

Avengers Academy

Issue #24

Written by Christos Gage, Art by Tom Grummett

Published: March 2012

It looks like Gage has started to settle down a bit and that is a very good thing. That last issue was stuffed to the gills and I was apprehensive opening this book; wondering if he would give me a chance to read and enjoy it or if it would be overload city again. Luckily Christos did a nice change of pace and I was pleasantly surprised with how things managed to work out.

The future Reptil has brought Hybrid into the house. But poor little Hybrid is weak and needs to fill up on the unsuspecting baby Avengers. The pace was nice in the issue. Also there was a bit more suspense to it, much like a horror type film; with the way they tried to lure the kids away to become psychic energy food. With the prolonged scenes we lose some of the overblown character information Gage has been packing into each issue which is very good. Obviously with so many new faces on the team there are a ton of back stories to learn. But it is nice that we can just focus on a few characters at a time this issue.

With the new book came a new artist with Tom Grummett picking up the pencils. Overall the work is decent but rather plain. It is not that he does a bad job in area. In fact his style is more reminiscent of a classic 80′s comic book. In some ways it works because the smaller, younger heroes seem less overblown. But I miss some of the raw action scenes that had more pop with Raney. Overall this issue rates higher than the last two at a solid 8 out of 10. Hopefully Gage keeps this pace going in the next few issues!

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