A Look at the Avengers Legacy: Young Avengers Presents: Patriot

Back when Marvel first started promoting the Young Avengers series, I thought it sounded pretty lame. I pictured some sort of goofy "Jim Henson's Iron Man Babies" kind of thing. Boy, was I wrong! The series turned out to be an intriguing look at the lives of several teens who were, in one way or another, affected by the legacy of the Avengers. Some were angry, some wanted to be heroes, and some were trying to live up to an impossible standard set by Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The book turned out to be pretty awesome, so many readers were disappointed when the creators decided to end the series after a relatively short run.

Thankfully, Marvel is giving these characters another chance in the spotlight with the new limited series Young Avengers Presents. Each issue of this series is set to focus on one of the YA gang, letting creators have some quality time with each member of the group. We're certainly off to a strong start with Ed Brubaker and Paco Medina's look at Eli Bradley, AKA Patriot.

Eli, a young African-American man, has a lot of baggage. His grandfather is Isaiah Bradley, technically the first Captain America. Before the army was ready to try out their Super-Soldier Serum on the likes of young Steve Rogers, they ran early tests on Isaiah and other African-American soldiers. Isaiah was the only one to survive. When Isaiah disobeyed orders to do what he thought was right, he was locked away as part of the Army cover up.

His grandfather's experience, and all the other injustices in American history, have made it pretty difficult for Eli to proudly bear the name of Patriot. With a little help from Bucky Barnes, Eli examines his feelings about what it really means to be an American and a patriot. Plus, they bust up a bunch of A.I.M. drones, so there is plenty of head-bootin' action too!

If you miss the Young Avengers, or if you don't know what you're missing, you should check out Young Avengers Presents: Patriot. Brubaker has been on a roll lately, and Medina's art is excellent. Most important, though, is the fact that this is a comic that might just make you think a little. Seriously, the world needs more thinking. Try this out while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week!

Gravel #0: Hardboiled mayhem

Ah, Gravel. Seriously, who doesn't love Gravel? Without it, where would our driveways and aquariums be? Nothing grits a path like a little Gravel. Gravel is----Okay, I'll stop now. I'm not really trying to convince you to go out and purchase landscaping supplies. I'm talking about Gravel #0 from Avatar Press. I just couldn't resist the bad pun. I swear it won't happen again.

Gravel #0 is the precursor to a new, ongoing, monthly series from Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Raul Caceres. SAS operative Sergeant Major William Gravel has appeared previously in a few limited series, but this is his first chance to headline a regular series of his own. Gravel is a "Combat Magician," but don't go picturing some sort of cute, Harry Potter-esque fantasy-land of magic. We're talking ugly, painful, magic. Gravel is one tough, mean, SOB. He makes Wolverine look like a girly cry-baby, who likes unicorns and ponies. If you've ever been pelted with driveway gravel, you know it's hard stuff. But not as hard as Bill Gravel.

This zero issue introduces you to the main character, stuck out in the Middle East, on a typically violent and unpleasant mission. When he returns home to London, he finds that things have changed in ways that make him unhappy. You definitely wouldn't like Bill Gravel when he's unhappy. He does a little investigation and lands himself a quest that should keep him occupied while he's on holiday, and gives readers a pretty good idea where the first issue of his new series will be going. It won't be pretty, but it will be bloody.

As with most stories from the warped (in a brilliant way!) mind of Warren Ellis, Gravel isn't for everyone. If you are too young, or too tender, for heaping helpings of over-the-top violence and swearing, then you might want to steer clear of Sergeant Major Gravel. But if you like hard-edged storytelling, tough-guy characters, and wonderfully inventive swearing, then you'll love Gravel. However; if you need to resurface the driveway, you'll want to try Home Depot. (Sorry!)

Gravel #0 is only $1.99, it includes a preview of issue #1, AND it is guaranteed this week as Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. What more could you ask for?