Avengers: The Initiative # 13 (Marvel – Gage / Uy)
There’s a contract out on The Taskmaster, and no shortage of villains willing to fulfill it. But what’ll kill him first — the bad guys, or his latest class of recruits? Welcome Annex, Prodigy, Gorilla Girl, Sunstreak and Batwing to the Initiative. But are they — is anyone — ready for the coming of…Butterball??
This issue was more or less a transition issue into the next arc. The readers gets introduced to the new recruits in the context of the first few weeks of boot camp… and one of theme ends up being a washout. As far as the Initiative personnel goes, this ish was very Taskmaster-centric. Christos Gage gives a good story, but it was lacking a little charm. When the higher-ups are telling Taskmaster about the contract on his life was the only time when I thought the dialog stood out as memorable. I think the characters are less like-able this time around, less innocent. The only recruit we are really rooting for is Butterball (who maybe is one of the most powerful characters in the MU and is the only one that acts like a hero) and he is on everyone’s crap list. Steve Uy’s soft art is still very enjoyable to look at even if I think this book is taking a dip down.
Issue Grade: B-
