Young Avengers #2
Well something is certainly up with Teddy’s mom. Something… definitely… not right. (no duh)
Writer: Kieron Gillen | Artists: Jamie McKelvie & Mike Norton
Cover: McKelvie & Matthew Wilson | Publisher: Marvel
Just by the recap page, you can see exactly who the target audience is for Young Avengers. The recap is shown through posts made by various users on [popular blogging site] Yamblr. It’s a cute idea, but for those of us who aren’t avid Tumblr users, it kind of loses its appeal. (Though admittedly it did leave me wanting the url HAIGUYZD00M, pretty desperately—don’t be surprised if I change my username/twitter/email anytime soon). Overall it’s cute, just not for everyone, which is kind of like how YA is looking to go. I’m not totally convinced on this run yet, but this second issue is certainly picking up some ground and definitely better than the first issue.
McKelvie’s art is clean, and really great to look at. Really gorgeous lines actually and I’m actually in love with the panel work. What completely blew me away were the pages in which Loki makes his appearance for the issue. It’s incredibly simple but so interesting to look at. There’s a lot of white space and white boxes and it could either pass for some nearly fourth wall break, or it’s some freaky alternate space that just looks comic paneling on a page. Either way, it was easily my favourite bit of the issue. I’m not sure what this says, when the best bit is the minimalistic bit.
So after the appearance of Teddy’s mom, it’s kind of like Teddy and Billy are in this bizarre universe where everything is almost the same, but there’s something slightly off as well, and currently it seems like this interdimensional parasite has it in for our two boys. I haven’t quite decided how seriously to take this series, so I actually found the whole issue rather comical, though there were a couple moments I caught myself laughing, and then stopping to question if it was a moment to be laughing at or not. Naturally every time Loki shows up, you’ll be laughing. But prior to that, I laughed, and then felt bad and old for not quite empathizing.
Again, I have a feeling Gillen’s target audience, whether intentional or not, is rather specific so far, definitely appealing to Tumblr users and those just a few years younger than I. I didn’t start appreciating relating until the end when Loki showed up, but maybe that’s because (and to use a popular phrasing) Loki’s a little shit. And I can relate to little shits.
While the plot is certainly intriguing and I’m curious to see how this story plays out, what makes me hesitant about the series so far is that I lack a certain connection to the characters. Gillen is definitely capable of great stories and I’m rather invested in some of the characters, but in YA they haven’t really evoked much out of me yet.
I can’t help but think that Gillen is heavily influenced by the Tumblr fanbase, not directly, but he does spend enough time on it that I’m sure it worms its way into hia writing, which is great for them, and I can almost see the great appeal but maybe I’m just old and don’t understand the funny ways that youth today speak.
I’m not giving up hope yet. There was a flicker of light for me at the end, in which I was finally starting to feel something for what was happening. (It’s that Loki, he’s a charming bastard).
Writer: Kieron Gillen | Artists: Jamie McKelvie & Mike Norton
Cover: McKelvie & Matthew Wilson | Publisher: Marvel
Just by the recap page, you can see exactly who the target audience is for Young Avengers. The recap is shown through posts made by various users on [popular blogging site] Yamblr. It’s a cute idea, but for those of us who aren’t avid Tumblr users, it kind of loses its appeal. (Though admittedly it did leave me wanting the url HAIGUYZD00M, pretty desperately—don’t be surprised if I change my username/twitter/email anytime soon). Overall it’s cute, just not for everyone, which is kind of like how YA is looking to go. I’m not totally convinced on this run yet, but this second issue is certainly picking up some ground and definitely better than the first issue.
McKelvie’s art is clean, and really great to look at. Really gorgeous lines actually and I’m actually in love with the panel work. What completely blew me away were the pages in which Loki makes his appearance for the issue. It’s incredibly simple but so interesting to look at. There’s a lot of white space and white boxes and it could either pass for some nearly fourth wall break, or it’s some freaky alternate space that just looks comic paneling on a page. Either way, it was easily my favourite bit of the issue. I’m not sure what this says, when the best bit is the minimalistic bit.
So after the appearance of Teddy’s mom, it’s kind of like Teddy and Billy are in this bizarre universe where everything is almost the same, but there’s something slightly off as well, and currently it seems like this interdimensional parasite has it in for our two boys. I haven’t quite decided how seriously to take this series, so I actually found the whole issue rather comical, though there were a couple moments I caught myself laughing, and then stopping to question if it was a moment to be laughing at or not. Naturally every time Loki shows up, you’ll be laughing. But prior to that, I laughed, and then felt bad and old for not quite empathizing.
Again, I have a feeling Gillen’s target audience, whether intentional or not, is rather specific so far, definitely appealing to Tumblr users and those just a few years younger than I. I didn’t start appreciating relating until the end when Loki showed up, but maybe that’s because (and to use a popular phrasing) Loki’s a little shit. And I can relate to little shits.
While the plot is certainly intriguing and I’m curious to see how this story plays out, what makes me hesitant about the series so far is that I lack a certain connection to the characters. Gillen is definitely capable of great stories and I’m rather invested in some of the characters, but in YA they haven’t really evoked much out of me yet.
I can’t help but think that Gillen is heavily influenced by the Tumblr fanbase, not directly, but he does spend enough time on it that I’m sure it worms its way into hia writing, which is great for them, and I can almost see the great appeal but maybe I’m just old and don’t understand the funny ways that youth today speak.
I’m not giving up hope yet. There was a flicker of light for me at the end, in which I was finally starting to feel something for what was happening. (It’s that Loki, he’s a charming bastard).
A Look Inside
