“Avengers Academy” continues to break the comic book mold, and as far as I am concerned, that is a very good thing.  If you have read any of the “X-Men” comics with the first five heroes, is it conceivable that those characters would ever have gone behind Professor Xavier’s back to attack a villain?  I cannot remember an instance in which they did, yet many teenagers are impulsive.  Imagine what some super powered teens might do if they got it into their heads that a bad guy deserved a smack down.  They just might fly off the handle and do what half the Academy students undertake in this issue.

            I am also enjoying the continuing development of Tigra.  I have always found her to be an intriguing character who is often given short shrift.  When someone in an alternate future timeline needs to be ripped in half by the Hulk, it happens to Tigra.   When someone needs to be humiliated by the Hood, it’s Tigra.  This is all in spite of the fact that when you consider her strength, agility and claws, she is probably roughly as powerful as Spider-Man, but Spidey is never defeated so ignominiously.  Some more fervent feminists than I might say this is because Tigra is a woman.  Perhaps, but I think it is also because she is an underdeveloped character who is like wallpaper and considered to be relatively expendable.  Contrast Tigra to Tony Stark, who is now so important to Marvel that I doubt they would consider making him an alcoholic today if that story had not already been written years ago.  Christos Gage is making Tigra stand out from the crowd, and it is only logical that he explore her humiliation by the Hood as a way of developing her character.

            The art for this issue is just beautiful.  There are many emotional scenes in this comic, and the facial expressions are dead on.  McKone draws beautiful bodies and faces, particularly for Tigra.  I was not real impressed with the current iteration of Giant-Man’s costume when it first appeared.  Previous versions seemed more interesting to me.  But the more I see the current costume, the more I like it.