"Bug Hunt"
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Publisher: Marvel Comics
I’ll be the first to admit that I was skeptical about Marvel’s direction following Civil War. I felt there were too many titles for my wallet to handle, too many titles to follow and that the awkward ending to the Civil War itself would lead to well… a mess. Let me proceed to pull my foot out of my mouth and tell you about the Initiative. The Initiative is Marvel’s way of streamlining continuity so that the Marvel Universe follows the same blueprint throughout all of its mainstream or “616” titles. While I will now say that I am a big fan of the idea behind the Initiative, this title that has me hooked. It centers on an idea that many creators have flirted with but none have come out and attempted. Rather than focus on major heroes like the “Underground Avengers” in New Avengers or the “real” team in Mighty Avengers, this title zeroes in on a group of new characters and their superhuman drill instructors as they are drafted into the new superhuman army. Avengers: Initiative is quite possibly the best new book to come out of the Civil War.
I don’t know why I overlooked Avengers: Initiative at first, but I have found a book that has me wanting more with every turn of the page. I love the super-human army concept behind this book, and it only propels my distaste for Tony Stark even further. There’s a great deal of potential in a series such as this. New teen characters have been introduced, and while the first few issues of this series focus more on the actual recruitment and training of these young soldiers, the possibilities are endless for this bright new series.
What I find most intriguing is that the ideas behind the Initiative and basically drafting super-humans into service is something Captain America would never stand for. Sure, Cap was born and raised during the time of the “greatest generation,” but he was a willing soldier and he never tried to impose his views or a certain way of life on to anyone. He defended freedom, stood for what was right and moral, while Tony Stark wants to control and micro-manage every super-powered being in the Marvel Universe. Gone are the days of classic heroics in the Marvel Universe where a person with great abilities takes the burden of responsibility to protect the non-super.
The potential for cameos in this series is endless, and there are two guest appearances by big time Marvel characters in these pages. First, Ben Grimm is brought in as a special training instructor for the new recruits. It’s a fun scene, and it adds to the scope and the magnitude of the Initiative. But the second cameo is much more important and plays in perfectly to the plot of this issue. Spider-Man is the most wanted man in the Marvel Universe. The self-proclaimed poster boy for everything wrong with Tony Stark’s new plan is a bit edgier, but Slott manages to capture his trademark quips very well. When new recruit Komodo and War Machine go after Spider-Man, the situation basically points out the biggest flaws in Tony Stark’s Initiative. Spider-Man is in the midst of a battle with Hydro-Man, Shocker and Boomerang. Not exactly difficult enemies but dangerous nonetheless. I might also add that the dialogue between Spider-Man and the three villains is quite memorable as well. But the three villains escape when War Machine attacks. War Machine and Komodo focus on Spider-Man rather than the three villains, and Spider-Man is obviously a bit distraught over that decision.
Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. is all over the three villains, but the fact that the real threats to innocent lives take less of a priority than Spider-Man is a bit telling in terms of where Stark’s mindset is. But most disturbing is Stark’s plans for the Iron Spider outfit as an army of Spider-Men (think of the army of Batmen in Kingdom Come).
Slott also points out another major flaw in the set-up behind the Initiative. The young super-beings drafted into the army are very inexperienced, and it seems as though drill instructors Gauntlet and War Machine believe they will adapt immediately. The more rational commanders, Hank Pym and Justice, know that the teenagers need to be coddled a bit more and have to learn to develop their powers rather than control them them overnight. This shows when Komodo tries to apprehend Spider-Man. She thinks she has him, but he is obviously much more experienced and is able to incapacitate both her and War Machine to make his escape.
Stefano Caselli’s artwork is great. It fits this title and manages to change mood depending on the character being focusing on. His artwork plays off of the story and the personalities of each character extremely well, and that helps bring this book together even more. His style is both animated and realistic, both vibrant and dark, but it maintains a level of clarity and consistency that it really keeps the pages turning and keeps me wanting more.
Avengers Initiative has a massive amount of potential. Slott should definitely take advantage of the characters that have been introduced and take a few issues to focus on the individuals and how they feel about their predicament rather than focus solely on training and being thrown into high profile missions. I also must say I love the use of my hometown of Stamford, Connecticut as a staging area for these new recruits. As we see in a bar scene with Hardball, heroes are still not welcomed with open arms in Stamford.
What did you think of this book?
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