Avengers Academy #1

Christos Gage & Mike McKone

A new young team of heroes assemble in Marvel Comics, trained under the tutelage of veteran Avengers Hank Pym, Justice, Tigra, Speedball and Quicksilver.  This new generation of Avengers were teenagers experimented on by Norman Osborn, and were handpicked by Pym to join this group, but not because they are exemplary students that could usher in the next generation of superheroes, but because they have the potential to be dangerous to society, and need to be tempered and perhaps defused.  It's nice and refreshing to have a whole new bunch of characters to get to know in this all-new series, superpowered individuals with a little edge, a little darkness to them.  And the characters have some really great designs, particularly Veil and Hazmat, with Mettle having a great overall look.  The art in general is very well done: clear action, and crisp clean lines showcasing the interactions between the beautifully-rendered characters.  There's a lot of potential in this new book and I intend to see how the creators develop it.