New Warriors (2014) #1 & 2

This is a book where I really needed two issues to see where Chris Yost was going. After all, any book that features cow-person Bova (the adopted parent of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) getting blasted and possibly killed, that’s a pretty shocking book. Two issues in, and it sure looks like Yost has killed off the Knights of Wundagore, although maybe they are just lying around knocked out in pools of their own blood. There is also a scene where a horde of Lemurian bodies wash up on the beach, so this is a book with a lot of casual death and destruction amongst the non-human races of the Marvel U.

The team takes its time getting together, with the focus spreading to the dispersed line up as they encounter the (SPOILER) High Evolutionary’s underlings.

Justice and Speedball are hanging around with the Salem Seven; it’s amusing seeing them interact with these evil-seeming characters, but in a new series that already introduces new characters, that seems like an awful lot of faces to try to keep straight. I know I already forgot everyone on that team. The two original Warriors are here for old timers like me who miss the earlier incarnations of the team. It doesn’t hurt that Speedball is back to goofing off and acting like the character I loved back in the ‘90s. It’s odd; in the early days, I loved the super-serious Justice. Now I find him a bit of a wet blanket.

Scarlet Spider and Hummingbird are Yost’s characters from his last title, so he seems very familiar with both. I read this comic with my daughters, and they really like Scarlet Spider’s bad attitude (but willingness to do the right thing). These anti-hero types keep coming up because they work so well, we all want the tough guy hero who seems like he’s too cool to help, but does it anyway. I’m less familiar with Hummingbird; she’s got a good look but I’m a little fuzzy on her exact power set. It is nice having Scarlet Spider’s external conscience actually be likable.

Then there are a few new characters, to fill out different groups in the Marvel U. The new Nova hasn’t done much besides get some villain monologues from the Evolutionary. The Inhuman Haechi and the Lemurian Water Snake have barely had any panel time, so I’ve got no opinion on them. I do like the cheerful Sun Girl. She’s got a classic name, a great retro-style costume complete with ridiculous jet pack. I appreciate the diversity of these new characters too. My daughters are already big fans of Sun Girl.

Yost’s villain henchmen are the weird cavemen purifiers from the X-Men series a few years ago. I read and enjoyed that story, but I can’t remember too much about them. They seem pretty powerful for sub-baddies, though. And I must confess I hope that the Evolutionary returns to his “neutral” alignment soon; I don’t’ like him as a straight up bad guy.

Marcus To’s art is bright, clear, and cartoony. The characters all skew young, but for this title, that is absolutely fine. His action is clear and exciting, and when an artist can get a cow-woman’s face to induce pity in the reader, you know the acting on the page is well done too. I can’t help but imagine what To could do with Richard Rider’s Nova costume though… or Namorita. I do love my classic New Warriors.

This is a GOOD comic. While it is a tad violent for my 6 and 9 year old daughters, with a few “they’re just sleeping” comments, it is a fun read for them too.