Monday, May 15, 2023

Avengers Are on Another Membership Drive

$3.6 million is less than what Stark spends on satellites to erase his secret identity from people's minds, but sure, stiff the kid.

Avengers Power Pack: Assemble, takes a similar approach to Iron Man Power Pack. Or maybe it's the other away around since this was published first. Point being, the first two issues are largely their own, done-in-one adventures that hint at being tied to something larger.

The first involves the Power kids helping Captain America against Taskmaster, the latter written as a mouthy jerk who ridicules the kids for their costumes. This while he's rocking the Udon Studios "casual Friday" look. After getting beaten up by children, he gets beaten up by World War II veterans, for dressing so sloppy. Pull your dang drawers, Taskmaster!

OK, only part of that is true, and Taskmaster got away, but Captain America is reminded not to dismiss people as being capable just because they're young or old. Then Jack suckers his siblings into looking for an Iron Man armor swiped using the passcodes Taskmaster got, in the hopes of getting a reward from Tony Stark. Instead, they run up against AIM. The malevolent beekeepers are ready for the kids, but they're able to get by (with a little help from Iron Man).

The second half is where Sumerak's story comes together, as the entire family visits New York and the kids' attempt to help Spider-Man against some familiar looking metal suits turns in to watching the Avengers get defeated by Kang, who has used what AIM stole for him to build improved weapons. You'd think he could be more stealthy, but oh well. Sumerak takes a similar approach to Kang as Busiek, in having the guy insist he's honorable by not using time travel as a crutch to win, and by not attacking children.

Of course, once the kids attack him, all bets are off and he chucks them into a dystopic future ruled by him. You'd think Kang would keep things a littler cleaner. The child Power Pack team-up with their older versions. Gurihiru don't change the looks much. The costumes are the same, except everybody gets a belt with their logo. Except Jack, who has other issues. Although Kid Jack is more horrified by the fact his older self gets along with the future version of Katie. Likewise, Katie finds out she grows up to like boys.

Either way, the two Power Packs team-up to rescue the Avengers in the future, to have their help sending the kids back to their time to stop Kang there. As one does. The whole mini-series might be worth it just for Kang being hurled back to his time by a little girl in pigtails. That's a hit to the pride he'll need time to shrug off.

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