About Heroes

This Review Was Submitted by Muuurgh

Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Stefano Caselli

This review is not spoiler-free.

I don’t pull Young Avengers, nor do I pull Runaways. The only real exposure I have to either group is through Civil War for YA and the Free Comic Book Day book for Runaways. Amused by the free X-Men/Runaways book, I was interested in reading this title, but not interested enough to put it on my pull list. At the end of this story, though, I feel compelled to pull both titles.

While I’m not sure if both groups of characters are normally written this way, Wells has pulled me in with being able to get a feeling for how both groups work as a unit, especially with the Runaways. Each character of that particular group has a distinguishable personality, and Wells has done well (no pun intended) in making even me, the first time reader, understand how they think and act. The Runaways act like what they are: a bunch of teenage kids with powers; and the way they are presented gave me the feeling of watching a television show through the combined efforts of both Wells and Caselli. I even feel the connection that the group had with Gert, the Runaway who died through a few short panels. This is the way I originally saw X-Men, nowadays only truly shown through Whedon’s work: distinct characters interacting with each other in real ways with real conflicts other than with super villains. In the X excluding Astonishing, we get Havok and Iceman bitching to each other about Polaris every other page, and that’s it. This book provides characterization that I want to see in any team book.

As for the story, I liked it a lot. The beginning brought the angle of how the S.H.I.E.L.D. troops act even when they themselves are saved by unregistered super-powered beings, which is good to show. While reading most all of the Civil War books, with the exception of a certain few, I get bored when they start talking about the rights and wrongs of each side because it’s very redundant and doesn’t get past skin-deep in debate about why which is right and which is wrong. I would rather have people debate more in depth if that is to be part of the story, or stories like this, where small, but inevitable, events like this happen. The Runaways save the soldiers, and then they are shot at with having no understanding as to why, which shows how much the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers are oppressive dicks. I can’t help but think of the last podcast in which the issue of Marvel clearly showing which group they want the readers to side with was brought up, and how much that is true, but regardless, I’m still glad that, while it is obvious that they are dicks, this was shown. Tie-ins need to bring out the details, and that’s why books like X-Factor, Thunderbolts, and Cable and Deadpool are good reads. Oh, and what they do to Victor is fucked up. I felt that.

Wiccan’s line of “Everyone is so dour… No one’s acting like themselves,” is very important. In fact, I think it’s crucial for Civil War to make sense because it’s something that we all have to keep in mind while reading these stories. While I agree that people are acting out of character, we as readers must keep in mind how much this is weighing on everybody. The registration has been law for over a week in Marvel time, I believe, and I’m sure each day makes it harder and harder for everyone, especially the Secret Avengers and Spider-Man (though I would agree that Civil War #3 Spider-Man was written terribly). Everyone that reads Straczynski’s great book, Amazing Spider-Man (which, if you’re reading Civil War, you need to be reading that title), knows what he is going through, and that he is really forcing himself to be someone that he doesn’t truly want to be, but no other book really pushes that for other characters. Keep in mind Wiccan’s words while reading the other stories.

Caselli’s art is awesome. Expressions, actions, non-actions… and he does everything from the pencils to inking I’m presuming, because credits aren’t given to anyone for these jobs, and Caselli’s title is officially “artist.” The most memorable work was done through Victor and his nonchalant-but-serious-in-action attitude (and demise), Molly’s innocence, Chase’s stress, and Flag Smasher’s goofiness (he reminds me of an Ultimate Spider-Man villain).

Finally, I am excited about reading the next issues of this title and the two that are encompassed within it. Make sure to pick this one up. A+.