The Young Avengers are the names of two superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, the first team appeared in Young Avengers #1 (April 2005). The Young Avengers team features numerous adolescent characters who typically have connections to established members of Marvel's primary superhero team, the Avengers.
Young Avengers follows the events of the 2004–2005 "Avengers Disassembled" storyline. The four founding members of the team are gathered as a result of the Vision's plan for the reformation of the Avengers in the event the team disbanded. In the series, newspapers refer to the young heroes as "super-powered fanboys" and label them the "Young Avengers", a name the team members initially dislike but that sticks nonetheless.
Publication history The first team appeared in Young Avengers #1 (April 2005), created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung. Marvel's 1940s forerunner, Timely Comics, had an unrelated character, Young Avenger, who debuted in USA Comics #1 (August 1941).
The Young Avengers were originally featured in several notable Marvel crossover series, including the Civil War and The Children's Crusade events, before the series was relaunched in January 2013 as part of the Marvel NOW! rebranding by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie.
In 2019, Rio de Janeiro mayor Marcelo Crivella ordered Avengers: Children's Crusade to be censored as various instances of homosexuality such as the relationship between Hulkling and Wiccan were displayed. Crivella said the content was "improper for children". Writer Kieron Gillen was disappointed about the changes. The organizers of the Bienal do Livro book fair, where the comic was being sold, repudiated the mayor's decision and decided not to remove the book from sales. On September 6, Avengers: Children's Crusade sold out at the event.
Fictional team biography
Volume 1 Reporters Jessica Jones and Kat Farrell of the Daily Bugle and heroes Captain America and Iron Man investigate a new group of teenage heroes. Although the team defeats Kang the Conqueror, Captain America and Iron Man take away their gear and refuse to train the team without their parents' consent. Despite the heroes' warnings, the team continues with a new headquarters, new costumes, and new names. At the insistence of Farrell, Jones interviews the Young Avengers about their pasts.Young Avengers Special #1
Kl'rt the Super-Skrull tries to take Teddy Altman to the Skrull homeworld."Family Matters", Young Avengers #9–12 Kl'rt reveals that Mrs. Altman is not Teddy's mother and kills her. In the aftermath, Kl'rt kidnaps Teddy. Vision offers to locate more Young Avengers using his prior incarnation's contingency plan. The Young Avengers break Thomas Shepherd out of a superhuman prison and recruit him. Tommy can move at superhuman speed and accelerate matter, destabilizing it enough to cause an explosion. Super-Skrull tells Teddy of his true origin as the son of the Kree hero Captain Marvel and the Skrull princess Anelle. He then claims that Tommy and Billy are the Scarlet Witch and Vision's lost twin sons. Billy believes him, but Tommy does not. Kree and Skrull combat forces arrive and fight each other and the Young Avengers until Teddy, realizing his importance to both sides, calls for a ceasefire. The Avengers intervene and a Kree warrior fires at Captain America. Patriot intervenes and is gravely wounded. Hulkling and Kl'rt end the fighting by secretly impersonating each other with their shapeshifting abilities. Captain America and Kl'rt, disguised as Hulkling, broker a shared custody between the races.
At a hospital, Eli's grandfather Isaiah Bradley donates his blood to Eli, giving him genuine superpowers. Captain America again tells the Young Avengers to stop what they are doing. Kate Bishop blames their trouble on the Avengers for not training them. The Young Avengers repair the statues of fallen Avengers at Avengers Mansion. Kate receives Hawkeye's bow and quiver from Captain America, and she takes the mantle of Hawkeye. Tommy arrives in costume, calling himself Speed.
"Civil War"
In Civil War #2, the members of Young Avengers are captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. for not complying with the registration act. Captain America and Falcon help them escape, freeing Wiccan, allowing him to teleport the group to a base only known to Nick Fury and a few resistance fighters. Once in Captain America's secret base, the Young Avengers join the Secret Avengers, a resistance against Iron Man and the pro-registration heroes. Stature leaves the resistance after Goliath is killed by Ragnarok and the Secret Avengers are forced to retreat from battle, leaving Wiccan behind. Shortly afterwards, Stature registers and begins superhero training. The remainder of the team remain with Captain America.
With the surrender of Captain America, the rest of the Young Avengers are granted amnesty in exchange for registration. All the members except Hawkeye, Patriot, and Speed register and begin training at Camp Hammond. In She-Hulk #21, it is revealed that the Hulking and Wiccan who joined the Initiative were actually a pair of interdimensional travelers known as Alphas.Young Avengers Presents #1
Young Avengers Presents In the 2008 miniseries Young Avengers Presents, Patriot discovers that Bucky Barnes had visited his grandfather Isaiah Bradley. After tracking him down, Patriot shares his concerns losing faith in the country. Bucky explains to Eli that America is an idea used for good or ill, but one with value to it and something worth defending against all threat, inspiring the younger hero once more. Hulkling meets Mar-Vell, telling him that he is his son, much to Mar-Vell's shock. While Mar-Vell is proud of his son, he confesses that he will not be able to stay forever, as the survival of the time stream depends on him eventually returning to the past and dying from cancer. This Captain Marvel is later revealed to be Khn'nr, a Skrull sleeper agent who was impersonating Mar-Vell.Young Avengers Presents #2 Wiccan and Speed begin searching for the Scarlet Witch, whom they believe to be their mother. Upon searching the former home of the Scarlet Witch and Vision in Leonia, New Jersey; they encounter Master Pandemonium, who advises them to end their search and embrace their present lives. Vision tells Cassie Lang that after "Civil War", he traveled around the world posing as different people, living many different lives, ultimately culminating in a better understanding of who he is. He asserts that he is his own person, not the memories of Iron Lad, confessing his love to Cassie, and states that he wishes to now be called Jonas. Cassie demonstrates that she is unsure but is willing to reciprocate his feelings. During the story, Cassie is also stricken with guilt after accidentally injuring her stepfather while stopping a villain, forcing her to come to terms with the responsibilities that come with her powers and with being part of the Young Avengers and the Initiative, much as her stepfather also understands the risks of life as a policeman. Hawkeye feels uncomfortable about her growing relationship with Patriot, and encounters Clint Barton, the original Hawkeye, who helps her reaffirm her position as Hawkeye and Young Avengers co-leader.
"Secret Invasion" In the 2008 miniseries Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers, the Young Avengers again teamed with the Runaways in a Secret Invasion tie-in. The Young Avengers are the first to respond to the Skrull invasion in Manhattan, New York. They are quickly defeated, though Xavin manages to rescue Hulkling. The leaders of the Skrull invasion intend to assassinate Hulking, for fear that his identity as Dorrek VIII would diminish their authority. During the confrontation between the Young Avengers, Runaways, and the invading Skrulls, Xavin is forced to confront her former mentor, Commander Chrell, reluctantly killing him to save the Young Avengers and Runaways.
"Dark Reign" The 2009 Dark Reign: Young Avengers limited series written by Paul Cornell, and Mark Brooks, introduced a new group consist of Enchantress, Executioner, Coat of Arms, Egghead, Big Zero, and team leader Melter, who are powered teens calling themselves the Young Avengers. After Secret Invasion, all the Young Avengers remained under low profile during Norman Osborn's Dark Reign, who sent this version of Young Avengers and send them to battle only to fall against the original Young Avengers. They join forces with the genuine Young Avengers to battle Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers.
Avengers: The Children's Crusade
The Young Avengers appear in the 2010–2012 miniseries Avengers: The Children's Crusade, written by Allan Heinberg and illustrated by Jim Cheung. In the series, Magneto learned that the Young Avengers were going to search for the still missing Scarlet Witch, and that Wiccan and Speed may be the reincarnations of Wanda's children. Magneto meets them, stating that he wants Wiccan and Speed to finally know him as their grandfather, and helps them find Wanda.Uncanny X-Men #526Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1
The Avengers attempt to stop Magneto and fight him unsuccessfully, before Wiccan teleports Magneto and the Young Avengers to Mount Wundagore. There they encounter Quicksilver, who attempts to kill his father. However, they discover that this Scarlet Witch is actually a Doombot in disguise,Avengers: The Children's Crusade #2 prompting the Young Avengers and Magneto to journey to Latveria. Wiccan eventually finds the real Wanda, apparently devoid of her powers, amnesiac and engaged to be married to Doctor Doom. Wolverine tries to kill Wanda, but is prevented from doing so by the reappearance of Iron Lad. Iron Lad and the Young Avengers escape with Wanda into the timestream and land in the past when the resurrected Jack of Hearts destroys Avengers Mansion. The team escapes the explosion and involuntarily returns to the present due to Wanda, who has remembered everything. As an unexpected side effect, the life of Scott Lang is also saved. Scarlet Witch is convinced to restore the powers of Rictor, who was among the countless mutants who lost his powers to the Scarlet Witch's spell during the events of House of M.Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
A battle ensues between the X-Men and the Avengers over what to do with Wanda, forcing her and the Young Avengers to flee back to Doctor Doom. It is revealed that Wanda's enhanced powers were a result of her and Doom's combined attempt to channel the Life Force in order to resurrect her children, but it proved to be too much for Wanda to contain and overtook her. With Wiccan and Doom's help, they seek to use the entity possessing Wanda to restore mutantkind's powers but they are stopped by Patriot, only to find out that the entity was transferred to Doom's body, giving him Wanda's powers.Avengers: The Children's Crusade #7 In the ensuing battle, Doom kills Stature, causing the Young Avengers to disband.Avengers: The Children's Crusade #8Avengers: The Children's Crusade #9
Volume 2