Graduation

With the release of Avengers Academy #39, I've had something new happen to me. In my entire comic reading life, which is about 7 years long, I've never had a comic cancelled on me.  Sure, some series like Ultimate Spider-Man got "cancelled", only to be relaunched under the same name a month or two later. However, this is the first time that a title that I have followed has ended for good. Sure, some of the kids will be seen in Avengers Arena, but anyone who knows anything about that title knows that the Academy kids will eventually be killed off.  Having such a beloved title be canned for a book about killing off the characters we have grown to love is extremely frustrating. There are different levels of reaction coming from people on Arena; some are at code red, state of emergency level about the book while others are willing to give the book a chance, hoping for the best. Where do I stand? Well, I'm honestly not sure at this moment. While I understand the interest in the book and I want to check it out, at the same time I'm terrified about the fates of some of my favorite characters, mainly X-23 and Reptil.

How did I come across this little book? It was initially the crossover with The Amazing Spider-Man where I was first introduced to the characters.  I fell in love with them automatically as I looked high and low for back issues for the book. My first official issue was #14.1, which brought me up to speed about the characters nicely.  Honestly, I bought the book on a whim; it was a small week and I enjoyed the kids in the crossover, so I decided to try the book out. It was a decision that I am so happy to make, as the book as become one of my favorites on the stand.  After that, I started to pick up the issues and went back and got the trades collecting the issues that I was missing.  I am only missing two issues and I'm trying like crazy to find them (issues #14 and #29, though I might have found #29 at my LCS back home, so I'm hoping they have it when I return this weekend).

So, here it is. My review of the end of Avengers Academy. It's been a hell of a ride that all culminates here.

Avengers Academy #39

This issue begins with a confrontation between the students and the teachers of Avengers Academy.  We then jump to the day before, where the majority of the story takes place. We start off with another confrontation between X-23 and Finesse, who Laura still is upset at for killing Jeremy using her claws. In New York City, Veil is helping Striker get ready for prom, as he was asked by a guy who was inspired by his "It Only Gets Better" speech.  Back at the Academy, Hank and Tigra talk with Mettle and Hazmat about curing them. Pym tells them that though he cannot cure them at the moment, as Jeremy's cure makes them immune to any dose of it now, he is working on a way to cure them.  The couple talk a bit and then consummate their relationship (FINALLY!!).  Walking around campus is Finesse, lonely.  She sees Lightspeed and Karolina from the Runaways kissing, as well as Humberto and Ava, who come this close to kissing on the beach, which seems to affect Finesse.  She runs into Quicksilver, who gives her a little talk while she cries.  Back in NYC, Striker and his date kiss at the prom and, despite distractions like his mom, Striker seems happy, going to go dance with his date.  Jump back to the beginning of the book, where the students seem to be confronting the teachers.  Pym explains to the students that they have moved up in the ranks, and they are now "Avengers Third Grade".  Hank explains that they are two grades away from becoming full blown Avengers.  After a little bit of convincing by the teachers, the students realize how good this is.  Hank tells the kids that they will still be working with the teachers, but on the students terms.  However, the only one who isn't involved with the program (at least right now) is Veil, as she is now just a normal person who must graduate school before being allowed to work in the program.  We bookend the series with a scene just like the opening scene, with Veil in high school, being bullied.  However, instead of taking the bullying and turning into smoke, Veil fights back and seems to be happy to be normal again, knowing that no one is going to mess with her anymore.

Just a fantastic ending for the series.  So many stories are brought full circle in this issue, including the Mettle-Hazmat relationship receiving its happy ending (not an intentional sex pun).  I also loved the graduation of the students to the next level of the Avengers hierarchy and I hope that we get to see some of the students move up the ranks even further.  The kind of surprising twist that occurred in the issue is the possible beginning of a Reptil-White Tiger relationship, which I was not expecting to see, though I enjoy the prospects of it.  However, it does not look like it will be expanded on, as Reptil is going to be in Arena, which doesn't bode well for him.  I do question what this means for his future with Finesse, as she seemed affected by what she saw, showing that she still has some feelings for him, despite rejecting him for the past number of issues.  I have one or two immensely small gripes with the issue, but they are so small that they aren't even note worthy.

Grade: A+

I want to thank everyone who has ever worked on the book for making it such a fun one.  Whether they be the editors, colorists, artist, editors, or the main man himself, Christos Gage, they all deserve credit for making the book one of the best that Marvel put out.  Mr. Gage, I commend you for doing something so rare in comics these days; you took a book filled with either new characters or lesser known characters and made it into a hit that made it to an unbelievable 40 issues. You wrote the book perfectly, nailing the angst that teenagers have, despite them being superpowered. Mr. Gage, you have cemented yourself as one of my favorite writers of all time because of this series and I will read whatever book you put out next.  Again, thank you and the entire team for putting together such a fun book.

I'll be back in a day or two with my reviews for the other books I got this week, including (hopefully) Deadpool #1. Hopefully, you'll join me then too. Have a good day.

Thanks for reading!