Sunday, January 29, 2017

Avengers: The Children's Crusade

Allan Heinberg has come back to the characters that he helped create.  The Young Avengers first series came up 2005 as a group of kids who came together to replace the Avengers in the wake of Avengers Disassembled.  Avengers: The Children's Crusade follows up several events penned by Avengers architect Brian Michael Bendis.  It connects Avengers Disassembled, House of M & Secret War; this book acts as the bookend to all of those events tying up some loose ends.  The story hinges on the belief that Wiccan & Speed are the Scarlet Witch's long lost children, they set off on a journey to find Wanda who has been missing since House of M.  During Bendis's run on the Avengers books she sort of appears when Hawkeye is trying to find her but we find out that encounter was really with a doombot. It turns out that Wanda fled to Latveria & was given sanctuary by Doctor Doom.  The Scarlet Witch has amnesia & doesn't remember what she did.  Once she gets her memories back she wishes to make amends for her crimes.  The Avengers & the X-Men are looking for her.  The only people who are protecting her are the Young Avengers.  Iron Lad returns for the first time since the original Young Avengers run.  Iron Lad is the child who turns into Kang the Conquer.  Several things happen throughout this book with the help of time travel the Young Avengers return to Avengers Mansion shortly before Jack of Hearts this in turn leads to the saving of Scott Lang from the ensuing explosion.  Wanda was able to give Rictor back his mutant powers but then she was caught between the growing tensions of the Avengers & the X-Men.  Wanda escapes back to Doctor Doom in hopes to get the Lifeforce energy back at its peak potential.  Doctor Doom double crosses everybody do to a botched attempt from Patriot.  Doctor Doom becomes omnipotent with a power that is similar to that of the Phoenix Force & thin Infinity Stones.  He can remake the world in his image foreshadowing the Secret Wars event of 2015.  In the end Doom's thirst for power is his undoing but during the final battle between Doctor Doom & the combined heroes of the Avengers, X-Men & Young Avengers Cassie Lang is killed by Doom.  After the battle due to an argument between Young Avengers & Iron Lad the 2nd Vision is killed by Iron Lad.  This is the event that leads Iron Lad to becoming Kang the Conquer.  The Young Avengers have decided to disband because of this Patriot decided to quit which lead to others leaving as well not only does this bring back the Scarlet Witch & Ant-Man but it closes the door on the Young Avengers for now written by their creator.  Spider-Island is mentioned at the end of this book before Wiccan & Hulkling are asked to come to the Avengers Mansion in which the Young Avengers are honored as full fledged Avengers.


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