Reviewer: Tim Sheridan
Story Title: Sidekicks: Part 2
Written by: Allan Heinberg
Penciled by: Jim Cheung
Inked by: John Dell with Mark Morales
Colored by: Justin Posnor
Lettered by: Cory Petit
Production by: James Taveras
Assistant Editors: Stephanie Moore and Molly Lazer
Associate Editor: Andy Schmidt
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Wow was this series hyped. It got a lot of press, because it had a TV writer on it, as well as a Marvel “young gun”, and it had the word “Avengers” in the title. And the first issue paid off. It was a very fun, very slick, very enjoyable debut issue for the team. And the revelation at the end that one of the characters was in fact a young Kang? Well that was great. A legitimate surprise in comics, unseen since the days of Thunderbolts #1.
So I was pleased. And I anticipated the second issue. And while it’s not as strong as the first, it’s still a good comic book.
Part of the magic of the first issue was that we didn’t see these Young Avengers until about halfway into it. We heard people talk about them. So people in the Marvel Universe were just as hyped as we were. But this issue was the real test. This is when we would get to know these people. Or at least start to.
So we get a Kang story. Now, before this, I didn’t know much about Kang. I knew he was a villain who did some time traveling when he could, and was a general pain to the Avengers. But the only story I really remember him in was The Infinity War, where he and Dr. Doom hung out. So it was nice to get to know him. We find out he was picked on by bullies in school and then his older self (time travel is confusing) comes and talks to him. But Young Kang doesn’t like what he hears, so he decides to go back in time to prevent Old Kang from happening by communicating with The Vision and becoming a super hero. Let me just say now that the Vision scene was one of the most disconcerting comic book pages I’ve seen in a while. Now, I don’t know what I expected, but it seems like they just shoved Vision’s remains in box and put him in a warehouse. That’s not very nice now, is it? I know he’s been destroyed, but it looks like Tony Stark didn’t even care.
Yeah, I know the story is a bit odd. It’s out there, but relax. This is first and foremost, a fun story, so while parts of it are a bit heady, it’s never too much. The tone we are given prevents that from happening. The banter back and forth between the characters is fun and light, and it’s expected from a writer who worked on shows like The OC and Gilmore Girls.
But I want a little bit more. I’m waiting for it, and I’m getting the issues because I anticipate more. Right now, this series shares a lot with Runaways. Especially Runaways early on. We didn’t know much about the characters, but we knew there had to be a hook. And there was. But Young Avengers, despite it’s revelation at the end of the first issue, has yet to show us its hook. I’m sticking around until then, because I’m hoping for the best, and also because I love fun comics. This is one of them.
Oh, and it’s nice to see Ant-Man’s kid getting work.
