Review: Avengers Children’s Crusade

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Written By: Allan HeinbergThe Children's Crusade

Art By: James Chung

 

When the initial solicits for Young Avengers came out in 2006 I was angered. There are many things that I hate in life and one of those things are kid versions of established characters. From the Muppet Babies to the Muppet Babies, I hate hate em’! The problem I had going into this teen gimmick comic soon disappeared when I actually read it. Heinberg and Chung changed my mind with great twists in story and beautiful artwork on every page. So from that point on I was a Young Avengers fan…Until volume 2 came out and I was slapped in the face with a mediocre story that at least had brilliant comic book art.

Now to this third installment of Avengers: Children’s Crusade. Chung once again proves that he’s one of the best in the comic book industry with page after page of unforgettable images of flowing story telling. Even when the characters just talk to each other it’s worth taking note of. Heinberg also returned as he originally had with quick dialogue and well placed character emotion. Next to not liking the children characters gimmick I have a great hatred for the resurrection gimmick, yet the way they bring the Scarlet Witch back to the Marvel Universe proper is done in what I feel is a great way. On par with Whedon bringing back Colossus even. The ending is also worth noting that I feel it’s touching and yet on point with how teenage heroes would act after going through the traumatic events of the Children’s Crusade. While Allan doesn’t write often I still look forward to his next installment.

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Review: The Walking Dead Vol. 7

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Written by: Robert KirkmanThe Walking Dead Vol.7

Art by: Charlie Adlard

 

Collects Issue #73-84

I’ve been a huge fan of the Walking Dead comic since the beginning, I stress again the comic and not the TV show with 3 minutes of good and the rest an exercise in boredom. In the last book we started to see moments of our heroes turning out to be more aggressive than they used to be while still staying true to their characters. A lot of the new people are introduced here and then dismissed as the cannon fodder that they were created to be. Kirkman used to set up characters well in the beginning to where you formed a connection with them, so that when they died, you felt the gravity of it. In vol.7 newly introduced people are offed just so Rick can go on a lame speech about humanity being the real threat. I fear that Kirkman may be phoning it in now with his TV show being the major hit that it is. I kind of wished the Walking Dead would just end before I start to hate it.

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The Americans (review)

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The Americans ( Wednesday nights on FX) is a cold war cloak-and-dagger drama (minus Dabney Coleman) created by former CIA officer Joe Weisberg. The show centers on an ordinary, run-of-the-mill family living in the suburbs of WashingtonD.C. in 1981. There’s just one small twist: the husband and wife (played by Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell) are Soviet KGB sleeper agents. Hilarity of course ensues as they try to carry out their mission, which doesn’t go quite to silky smooth plan. Things are further complicated when a new neighbor moves in, who just happens to be (wait for it…) FBI counter-intelligence agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich). Coincidence???

As the episode unfolds, you see just how difficult it is for the sleeper agents to juggle not only family and career, but their main, clandestine reason for being in D.C. By the pilot’s conclusion you may even feel compelled to sympathize with them for the hardships they’ve had to endure, both before and after their arrival in the U.S. (despite the fact that they are the enemy of the state). There are some nice 80s touches throughout. The cars, clothes, and music make it crystal clear when you are, but without being overly heavy-handed.

Overall, The Americans delivers a solid story with decent acting. And though it maybe doesn’t offer the viewer the completely immersive experience (yet) of such shows as The Walking Dead, Doctor Who, or Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, it is definitely entertaining enough to warrant tuning in to the next episode.

I give The Americans three and a half Gorbachevs out of five.

 

Das Vadanya comrades,

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