Reviewer: Tim Stevens
Story Title: Family Matters Part 2
Written by: Allan Heinberg
Pencilled by: Jim Cheung
Inked by: Rob Stull with Jim Cheung, Dave Meikis, and Dexter Vines
Colored by: Justin Ponsor
Lettered by: Cory Petit
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
This issue, Young Avengers continues to be one of my favorite books on the rack. Picking up after last issue’s revelation about Hulkling’s parentage (mom=Skrull!) and kidnapping, the rest of the Young Avengers, (including Patriot, back in costume), are trying to track Teddy (the aforementioned Hulkling) down. Realizing that they are way underpowered to take on a Super Skrull, they appeal to Vision 2.0 to help them tip the scales. The extra weight arrives in the form of a kid named Tommy who appears to be a white haired speedster. Sound familiar? Oh yeah, he also happens to be, appearance wise, Billy’s (Wiccan) double. Uh-oh…
A lot is going on in this book, but Heinberg keeps it all afloat. We have a prison break, a quiet moment between Vision 2.0 and Jarvis, an alien battle, a shocking parentage reveal, and long lost (possible) siblings. Action is never sacrificed to make room for explanatory exposition, but the book never becomes confusing either. It is full of little easter eggs that are sure to delight and frustrate longtime readers (the “twins” and their resemblance to two other Marvel siblings, the Skrull/Kree conflicts), but none of that is so necessary that a less well versed fan cannot enjoy the book on its own merits. I also appreciate that Heinberg clearly has an affection for the fans as he takes the time to mock Kate Bishop’s difficulty with codenames and clarify why Wiccan won’t call himself Warlock. The plotting does suffer once in the issue, however, with the revelation of Hulkling’s other parent. It should be a shock and is written as such, but, given solicitations and the species involved, you can see it coming a block away.
Unsurprisingly, Jim Cheung continues to provide a strong sense of design and linework to the book. He handles action well and seems to be becoming increasingly comfortable with portraying the characters (witness how much better he renders Stature’s costume now in comparison to only a few issues prior). He also has a gift for the noticeably subtle as displayed in the evolution of Vision 2.0’s appearance to one that more closely resembles his predecessor while still denoting a difference. My only real complaint on the art end is that the revelation of Tommy and Billy looking like one another is better illustrated in words than pictures. I can see it when I look for it, but it would have made for a better reveal if it was noticeable without the characters in the book having told us.
