Juvenile Dependency

Young Justice-Young Avengers fan art, July 2006 (pen and ink, click on image to enlarge)

After reading the entire YJ run and the first thirteen issues of YA, I just had to draw the characters. I chose to draw the Young Justice lineup I liked best (Robin! Superboy! Wonder Girl! Secret! Impulse! Slo-Bo! Empress!) with the addition of my favorite ex-member Arrowette. That roster kind of mirrors the current incarnation of Young Avengers, which I felt needed to be drawn with ex-member Kang. It’s a crossover teamup that’ll never happen because of continuity problems (two of YJ’s members are goners), but who knows? The classic ‘70s JLA and Avengers teams joined each other in the 2003 miniseries, so it’s still possible. In the meantime, the ultimate sidekick meeting is just in my head.

The recently finalized Young Avengers lineup is especially promising; I like that Alan Heinberg recharged some pre-existent characters (Cassie Lang, Vision, Kang, Wiccan and Speed), and created entirely new ones (Kate Bishop, Patriot and Hulkling). I wish it'd come out monthly next “season”. If they’re going to do a temporary expansion of the team one day, reserve members with some connection to the Avengers should include Arana, X-23 (make her likeable, Mr. Heinberg!), Jubilee, Thor Girl, Southpaw (from She-Hulk), Arsenic and Victor (from Runaways), and Tara (from Invaders). Maybe Jolt and Speedball can be part of the Failsafe Program too.

I hope they eventually get formally trained by former sidekick Rick Jones, or even the Winter Soldier. I’m looking forward to bigger adventures, and maybe some less-serious and self-contained ones, as well as the development of controversial couple Hulkling and Wiccan. I can imagine some tension that'll test the relationship along the way (Hulkling: “Billy, can you magically turn your hair white just for a while? You know, like… Tommy’s?” Wiccan: “Only if you shape-change into Chase of the Runaways.”).

Blues-y Traveler

Was feeling uber-bleh the past couple of days, but am better now thanks to my friends. They're the asskicking-est.