This is an ugly book colored over something that, otherwise might be beautiful.  One one layer, you have the art.  Drawn very nicely, but, once again, oversaturated with color and glossed as though every character was made of metal and sitting under a disco ball.  And the outlines make them look like they were South Parked; you know, each charatcer cut out in an action pose and taped up on a background.

But it’s not just the art.  The story here is muddled and looks dijointed.  I’ve always been a fan of the Young Avengers team.  And I like when they’re at the forefront of this book.  Unfortunately, the new characters which are the focus of this book are just…flat.    At one point The Melter (an incredibly stupid name) asks The Patriot (ok, maybe I have double standards) “What are you. the knockoff of the knockoff or the knockoff?”  And that pretty much sums up all the new characters.  While Young Avengers is a successful knockoff of The Avengers characters, the Dark Young Avengers feel like a cheap knockoff of a superior knockoff.  One that Marvel created when they realized they only have limited use of the actual Young Avengers.  And that’s not something I have much interest in reading.  I suspect, in fact, that, unlike the real Yong Avengers, the Dark Young Avengers will be shelved for a long time when this mini is over.  Perhaps, permanently.  And I’d be ok with that.