Avengers Academy #1

I came into this with pretty high expectations. Two of my favorite creators writing a handful of my favorite characters, how could I go wrong? And I did dig this issue; it just didn't have a whole lot of conflict.

The new crew of Avengers in training is pretty cool, I especially like Veil and Mettle, they seem to be the most interesting and unique characters right off the bat. I do like the "twist" of the issue, these kids aren't just the best prospects gathered up by Norman Osborn. I won't ruin why these six have been picked, but it could lead to some interesting stuff down the line, especially if these students end up as both good and bad guys. Some of them certainly seem to have the potential to go either way.

That makes the choice for the instructors even more interesting. Hank Pym, Speedball, and Quicksilver all have some rough spots in their past. Tigra's probably the closest thing to a straight-up good guy in this book.

I'm interested, but I want to see some action against a real villain or antagonist. I'm not a fan of seeing robots as the only ones getting knocked around in first issues. I understand the need for character building. As I said, Veil is really likeable and I'm pulling for her already. Christos Gage has laid some awesome groundwork, now I just need a costumed villain to show up and make this book perfect.

Mike McKone does a fantastic job with the art. The characters look like kids. The cast has different haircuts and different faces, and the classic characters all look spot on. McKone remains one of my favorite artists.

Good