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Post by jakefury on Mar 15, 2011 21:05:17 GMT -5
 Avengers Academy #10 "Redemption Song" Writer: Christos Gage Penciler: Sean Chen Inker: Scott Hanna The Good: The art is simply fantastic. Everyone in the issue looks like a major league super hero. The characterization is what makes this series such a good one. Gage does a great job with exploring the inner workings of all the major characters involved. In this issue we really see how Veil and Hazmat are slowly being affected by their inability to find cures for their respective powers. These 2 ladies really are the stars of this issue. Veil lets a comment slip during a speech that Speedball is giving and it really hits close to home with Mr. Baldwin. Her borderline obsession with not making mistakes is explored beautifully. We also get to see Speedball return to Stamford, the site of his greatest failure. His conversation with a local cop is really heartfelt and we also get to see him finally cut loose with his powers. His explosive display also helps him realize he needs to learn to trust his teammates due to how he's been accessing his powers. The Bad: The only real complaint I have about this series is the lack of action. It's not really a bad thing per se but I would like to see an all out battle issue very soon. Judging from the teaser we get at the end of this issue it should be forthcoming. Overall: 6.5/10 It needs a little more action for me to get a higher grade. Overall, it's a good series and now that we've seen each new character's inner workings I want to see them in action. |
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 19, 2011 23:24:59 GMT -5
I think the reason I like Avengers Academy so much is because Gage doesn't have action happen for the heck of it. Like you said, he does well with making the reader feel what the characters feel, and in this character driven book that does wonders. That said, issue 11 was so intense. The action was amazing. Can't wait for 12 to hit the shelves.
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Post by Erik-El on Mar 20, 2011 13:08:04 GMT -5
I read the first issue of this series and I thought it looked pretty interesting. All the characters being broken in some way appealed to me. Nice review. I think I may pick up the rest of the issues now, even though it did not get a stellar rating for the most recent issue.
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Post by jakefury on Mar 20, 2011 14:23:50 GMT -5
The series has been somewhat slow but it's because Gage did such a stellar job giving each character their own persona and personality. I'll do a review for issue #11 shortly.
KORVAC!
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Post by Erik-El on Mar 20, 2011 15:04:50 GMT -5
The series has been somewhat slow but it's because Gage did such a stellar job giving each character their own persona and personality. I'll do a review for issue #11 shortly. KORVAC! Awesome. I like your reviews. Keep them coming. |
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Post by jakefury on Mar 20, 2011 16:13:06 GMT -5
Hell, I might just start from the beginning and do the entire series.
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Post by Erik-El on Mar 20, 2011 18:05:06 GMT -5
Hell, I might just start from the beginning and do the entire series. That would be awesome. Go right ahead and do it man. |
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Post by ckal on Mar 20, 2011 18:26:01 GMT -5
Noh-Varr and Dr. Strange are in Avengers Academy too? Or is it just this issue? Maybe Noh-Var should just drop the main Avengers title altogether since he literally does nothing at all in it. It is perhaps less than nothing.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 20, 2011 18:35:59 GMT -5
No, it was just this issue, and the next one. Granted, he's probably done more in this book than he has in the one he's in already. Wait, no, he did provide the tech for the Avengers to get to Kang, so I guess that's something.
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Post by jakefury on Mar 20, 2011 22:01:58 GMT -5
Noh-Varr and Dr. Strange are in Avengers Academy too? Or is it just this issue? Maybe Noh-Var should just drop the main Avengers title altogether since he literally does nothing at all in it. It is perhaps less than nothing. No just guest appearances. I think they both appear briefly to tutor the students. |
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Post by jakefury on Mar 21, 2011 19:30:28 GMT -5
 Avengers Academy #11 "Growing Up" Writer: Christos Gage Penciler: Tom Rainey Inker: Scott Hanna After last issue Veil is looking for redemption and in this issue she goes for it in the most daring way possible: bringing back the Wasp, Janet van Dyne. She activates a switch in Hank Pym's lab to activate the process. Hank arrives and is shocked at what's going on. He's even more shocked when a woman steps through the portal. It's not Janet but instead a familiar blonde woman. Hank starts to recognize her as Quicksilver fetches the nude lady a robe. (Ever the gentleman) The woman screams for him to activate any cloaking technology he may have before it's too late. He says no one could find her in the Infinite Mansion but of course that's not the case. (Otherwise we wouldn't have a comic, right?) A glowing reddish man arrives and its the classic Avengers villain, Korvac. Quicksilver recognizes the woman as Korvac's wife Carina. He also takes the time to politely call Korvac a megalomaniac. Hank says Carina looked like Janet in her physical form but Carina explains that she was actually fed Janet's memories until Veil forced her into physical form. Korvac says he'll forgive them for touching his wife and be on his merry way but Carina wants none of it. She chooses nonexistence over being with him He says he understand that she's confused but she reiterates that he's completely insane. Veil also sticks up for her and Korvac attacks but it's deflected by Justice. Korvac says that this motley group of Avengers can't stand against him until reinforcements arrive. By reinforcements I mean the entire rosters of the Avengers including the New Avengers, Secret Avengers and other Bendis-Avengers. Thor nails him with his hammer and they swing into action. Hank scurries the kids and Carina off to the safe room as the Avengers throw down with Korvac. Jocasta says, "come with me if you want to live" and Mettle wants to know if she's making jokes. Inside the safe room Jocasta reveals she's transporting them to an alternate dimension every 2.3 seconds. Carina opens a portal to see how the fight is going and its looking rough for the Avengers. Carina reveals Korvac's history as she explains everything to the kids. She reveals how she was converted to energy form and she's been hiding in under space to elude Korvac. She explains more of Michael's history and says the kids are their only hope. Mettle thinks she's got them confused with someone else and says Thor & Iron Man are the living legends and they're not even in the cartoons. Striker makes a joke about Reptil being in them and says Kids love dinosaurs, my butt." Carina explains that she can see all points in the timeline and wants to know if they want to see their future selves. She also says she can borrow their future bodies and power sets to use against Korvac. The kids agree and we go back to the battle. Inside the Infinite Mansion and the Avengers are getting the crap kicked out of them. Korvac overpowers Thor and Ms. Marvel as Speedball looks on. Korvac asks if he's ready to surrender and Speedball refuses. He unleashes an all out attack which succeeds in kncoking down Korvac. However, the feat left him completely drained and he passes out. He says its time for the Avengers to die when he's attacked again. This time it's Karina and she's returned with the future versions of the Academy students. We then see the adults versions of our students as they prepare to attack Korvac. Fury Thoughts: Yet another great issue from Gage. We see the Avengers in a hopeless battle against Korvac and Carina doing whatever it takes to defeat him. Gage again does a great job with a nice mix of action, character development and a preview of what the students will become. (or won't they?) 7/10 Anxiously waiting on issue 12... |
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 21, 2011 21:14:38 GMT -5
Heavy on the plot summary there. Remember, it's a review. People can get the plot from reading the issue themselves.
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Post by jakefury on Mar 21, 2011 21:22:15 GMT -5
I'm more of a recapper. I get carried away. LOL
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Post by jakefury on Mar 21, 2011 22:12:47 GMT -5
Wow, I did get long winded....
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 21, 2011 22:27:31 GMT -5
Yeah, which to me as a reader of the review is sorta off putting. The purpose of the review isn't to read the entire story. It's supposed to make the reader want to see the story for themselves. Tell us what you thought about it. What could have made the story better? What was off putting about it? What did you really like about it? What kind of reader would enjoy the story the most? What kind of reader would hate it? Just little things like that. Sure, you can do a little summary, but don't retell the whole story. You did a great job with your review of issue 10. Your review of 11 should have been more like that.
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Post by Zoom on Mar 22, 2011 0:02:59 GMT -5
You know what the problem with Avengers Academy is?
I don't care about anybody in the class except maybe Finesse. Unlike Avengers: The Initiative, it has not been written by Dan Slott and it doesn't have a huge character base (made up of damn near everybody on the planet) to draw from as necessary.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 22, 2011 0:05:09 GMT -5
Sounds more like a personal problem to me.  |
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Post by Zoom on Mar 22, 2011 0:17:59 GMT -5
Sounds more like a "Dan Slott was what made this book good and Gage was able to ride his coattails to the finish line but the new book just isn't as good" problem.
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Post by NexusOfLight on Mar 22, 2011 0:29:24 GMT -5
No, still more or less a personal problem. You specifically said the problem was you don't care about the characters. Not liking any of the characters in a book about the characters where the primary focus of the book is about the characterization will in effect cause you not to like the book. That's telling me that if you did like the characters, you'd like the book and wouldn't have a problem with it. In fact, taking a look over Fury's review, the main reason he likes the book is because of the characters. I'm gonna say that's the main reason I like the book too. So all and all, your problem with the book seems to be more personal than anything else. Not sayin' that's bad or wrong or anything. You not likin' it's all you.
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Killshot Caine
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Post by Killshot Caine on Mar 22, 2011 13:11:17 GMT -5
You know what the problem with Avengers Academy is? I don't care about anybody in the class except maybe Finesse. Unlike Avengers: The Initiative, it has not been written by Dan Slott and it doesn't have a huge character base (made up of damn near everybody on the planet) to draw from as necessary. I agree with this.Half the roster is worthless. |
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