In a somewhat chaotic sixth episode, Pie and Lulu revisit their superhero comic nerd roots by rereading Young Avengers. A teenage superhero team originally created in 2005 by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung, members of the Young Avengers have gone on to become popular throughout the Marvel universe, starring in team books, solo stories, and epic comic crossovers. Starting back at the first run and reading all the way up to recent months, we discuss one of the most bonkers family trees at Marvel, LGBTQ+ representation in superhero comics, and the difficulties of life as a superpowered teen crimefighter, as well critiquing what has or hasn’t held up in the years since we first discovered these comics.
You can listen on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and more!
Content warnings: discussions of drug addiction, sexual assault, antiblack racism, human experimentation, depression, and suicidal ideation.
Comics discussed in-depth:
- Young Avengers (2005) by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung
- Young Avengers: Children’s Crusade by Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung
- Young Avengers (2013) by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie
- Empyre by Al Ewing & various others
- Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling by Chip Zdarsky and Anthony Oliveira
- King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling by Tini Howard (correction: with art by Luciano Vecchio)
Other comics & media mentioned
- I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan
- All-New Wolverine by by Tom Taylor
- House of M by Brian Michael Bendis
- Runaways by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona
- X-Factor Investigations by Peter David
- Hawkeye by Matt Fraction
- Vengeance by Joe Casey
- Marvel Boy by Grant Morrison
- New X-Men: Academy X by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir
- The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen
- America by Gabby Rivera
- America Chavez: Made in the USA by Kalinda Vázquez
- Guardians of the Galaxy by Al Ewing
- X-Factor by Leah Williams
- Marvel Voices: Pride anthology (upcoming)
- Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson
- West Coast Avengers by Kelly Thompson