Avengers: The Initiative #35

I'm bummed. I've loved almost every issue of this book. At times over the past few years, this has felt more like the "real" Avengers than any other title on the stand. And Christos Gage does a nice job giving us resolutions to most of the issues impacting the characters. This is a disjointed read because it almost comes across as personal epilogue's for the cast of this title. It's too bad that you have to read Siege and New Avengers: The Finale to understand what it happening, but it is great seeing how each of these folks end up.

I absolutely love the idea that Tigra already had her son and has continued as a hero since he was born. Not only is he a cute little cat-boy, but if he ages in an advanced way (born after only 2 months, he might!) he could end up joining the new Avengers Academy book right away. As I've said repeatedly, I love the idea of a fairly balanced person being a parent AND a hero. Tigra's last moment with the Hood was great too. I will admit I worry that the Hood might come back as a more dangerous foe. He's going to be holding a lot of grudges after this.

Justice is clearly going to be a driving force for the new Academy and he's a great fit. I loved seeing he and the rest of the heroes accepting the surrender of the HAMMER troops they were fighting. Gage sets up a few team reformations too, Night Thrasher and Rage seem interested in a New Warriors revival and Prodigy is looking to get the Slingers back together. I really dug the ending of the Diamondback/Constrictor relationship too. It is not all happy endings. Taskmaster and Constrictor are on the loose and back to pulling jobs, while DB just wonders what happened to the man she loved. Sad, but fitting.

Jorge Molina does a great job. Again, Tigra's son was amazingly cute. The Hood scene was well done too, with the Hood sweating and looking nervous even as he tried to talk tough in response to Tigra's threats.

Let's all pick up Avengers Academy to insure it sticks around for awhile!

Good