MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY- HEROES REBORN: YOUNG SQUADRON #1 REVIEW

When you need something new to do with a character or a team, then changing their superhero identity completely is always a wild, fresh, and innovative way to approach the story. In Young Squadron, we get a very familiar, but also very strange, take on our favorite teenage superheroes. And since this is a Spider-Man page, my spotlight of course goes to Miles Morales… who we now have to call Falcon. At least for this issue. But the best way to approach this book is to really just sit back, relax, and enjoy the tale with a very open and clear mind. And it might just be worth your time.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

HEROES REBORN: YOUNG SQUADRON #1

STORY BY: Jim Zub

ART BY: Steven Cummings

MAIN COVER BY: Karl Kerschl

VARIANT BY: Takashi Okazaki

The Squadron Supreme of America have taken root in the hearts and minds of all, but none more so than a trio of youthful champions who call themselves the Young Squadron!

Kid Spectrum (Sam Alexander), Girl Power (Kamala Khan) and the all-new Falcon (Miles Morales) are here to fight for truth, justice and the American flag…or are they?

Beneath the flashy facade of colorful adventure, something grim is stirring and Deadpool is determined to bring it to light.

CHAMPIONS?

PROS:

• First of all, I would really like to commend the detailed backstories of each of the Young Squadron heroes. For Miles Morales, I believe he had the most intriguing and engaging origin story. And the creative team truly did justice to his character, showing how he is a self-made hero genius, who is willing to put it all on the line, even his life, just to be able to save the world.
• Another pleasant surprise was Deadpool as the main villain of this entire issue. The reveal was well-crafted, and he played the part of menacing threat and danger to the kids perfectly. We got shades of Joker with this one…. When Deadpool kidnapped Miles Morales and tied him up in an amusement park ride. The sense of danger was very real here… and the risks that young heroes put on themselves was very evident in this perilous situation. You would almost expect Miles Morales to instantly regret taking this plunge into the brave unknown. Deadpool’s history with Green Goblin and his desire to kill Miles Morales because according to him, the Falcon is already dead… is disturbing and unsettling, making him a sinister face for this weird, alternative universe.
• You have to love the ending, where the kids realize they can move on from their title of Young Squadron, grow into their own roles as… yes, you guessed it, Champions. The ending got me so excited to see more adventures of this fun twisted take on classic heroes, and it would be nice to have a new Champions book with this alternate storyline evolve and develop.
• A big congratulations, as well, goes to the art team for a colorful, dynamic sequence of pages and panels that encapsulates everything it means to be Young… and to be a Champion. The art was glorious as ever, and the entire crew deserves a standing ovation, a huge round of applause and some marvelous but gentle pats on the back.

CONS:

• I would have to say that the main con in this book would be the choice for Miles Morales to be the victim in distress… since I am a huge Miles fan and this is a Spider-Man website. But on the other end, if anybody had to be put on the chopping block to get an emotional reaction from the readers, Miles would obviously be the best bet to do just that. So, I partly understand the creative decision.

FINAL GRADE: A

This was a solid story, from start to finish, and the best part is that new readers can just pick this up and read it without any prior knowledge or background… on pretty much anything, really. In one issue, the creative team is able to tell the full origin stories of all three main characters, and even show them coming together, growing as a team, and reaching that next evolution into Champions. There is a lot of content here, and you will surely get a bang for your buck with this excellent installment.