Fanboys Anonymous

Admittedly, I have about zero experience with the characters involved in this new Young Avengers series, so I’m essentially writing this review based off of a first-time read and a blank slate. Still, Marvel NOW is all about new starts and accessibility after all, so I decided to give this week’s Young Avengers #1 a chance. 

My absolute favorite style of narrative in a comic book is first person, and this is what writer Kieron Gillen does. Despite having no background on any of the characters, I very quickly get a feeling of each individual’s personality, which, in my opinion, is a key component to drawing new readers in. Furthermore, being the “young” Avengers that they are, the prose is written stylistically in a youthful manner. It’s not easy writing the voice of a teenage girl when you’re a middle-aged man. Each character has a very distinct air about them, and it will certainly be exciting to see how these kids mesh when they inevitably come together to battle the forces of evil. Kudos.

The same sentiments apply to the artwork in this issue. The character designs are simple but are accented by vibrant colors and bold page designs. The title tagline “Style > Substance” applies perfectly here.

Gillen does a great job of laying the groundwork for the action to come. He gives each set of characters their own mini-exposition. This works somewhat against the overall book, however, as very little progress is made in terms of plot movement. That being said, this is the first book, and I wasn’t expecting an all-out brawl right off the bat. Still, there was a lot more that I wanted to see by the time I reached the end. The book seems shorter than it actually is which is unfortunate.


Jumping into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the end. The fun and youthful writing combined with the simple and vivid artwork coalesce to give Young Avengers a truly stand-out feel. The groundwork has been set, and I am prepared for the action to come in the next couple of weeks.

Score: 8/10