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Of Embassies and Origins - Justice League International Part 2 (Eaglemoss Collection v77)

  Review: Since we are doing a series of reviews focusing on Booster Gold over his nearly 40-year history, we include this one as a collection of some of his earliest appearances, dating to late 1987. That places the original publish date of these tales while his original solo series was still going strong.  This book is a beautiful, glossy hard-cover with smooth and heavy-stock paper inside, although the sometimes-low print reproduction quality leads to blurred and hard to read word balloons on occasion. It is also a rare book here in North America, as Eaglemoss Collections targeted UK fans with this series. At this point in the history of the 1987-rebooted Justice League, they have gained official United Nations recognition and sanction. To ensure their reach truly is global, they rebrand as Justice League International (as does the title of the series!) and they open new headquarters buildings around the world: New York, Paris and Moscow are included here. As this is a product of 19
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You Do Know We're Just Pretending, Right? Avengers vs X-Men: Avengers Academy

 

Cover of Avengers vs X-Men: Avengers Academy TPB


Review:

The 2012 Marvel war between the Avengers and the X-Men does not only affect and impact those seasoned warriors. In these pages, it spills over to the next generation. But when the power and politics of the combatants collides with the idealism and passions of youth, lines become blurred, allegiances are challenged. Can these powerful kids find a way forward?

There are ties to historical realities (e.g. Japanese internment camps during the second World War) and to deep questions of ethics and morality, free will, or age of adult responsibility. These elements show author Christos Gage's writing chops. He weaves these threads in and out of the main storyline, keeping them from gettig tangled. All while keeping the overall tone light and fun. Delightful!

Pencillers Tom Grummett (#29-31) and Timothy Green (#32-33) keep things tense and confrontational. And they work in lots of skin. The teen heroes show off their young and fit bodies. The mighty Hercules gives a lesson while teaching in the nude. Tigra does battle in her tiny bikini. But it's in portraying the emotional range where these two artists shine. Emma Frost's intense focus, now a further step removed from her humanity. Hazmat's masked anxiety. Juston's tears. X-23's childlike eyes. So many strong artistic moments.

In the end, the teen X-Men, held "for their safety" against their will at Avengers Academy, engage the young Avengers in a performative, fake fight, then leave to choose on their own whether to join the bigger fight or not, and on which side. This is a delightful tie-in to the larger war.

Description:

As Avengers vs. X-Men unfolds, the teenage mutants from Generation Hope and Utopia arrive at Avengers Academy...but as guests or prisoners? And have the Academy students switched sides in the war with the mutants? When Sebastian Shaw strikes, it may not matter! Then: the Phoenix-powered X-Men come for the school's Sentinel! Who will take a stand?

Collects: Avengers Academy #29-33

Authors: Christos Gage, Rick Remender
Artists: Tom Grummet, Timothy Green
Published By: Marvel 
Published When: Jan. 1 2013
Parental Rating: Teen+
ISBN: 978-0785165811
Pages: 184 pages


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