Way way back, I can’t even remember exactly when or where since it was so long ago, “Young Avengers” was basically pitched to many fans as “Phonogram” in the Marvel Universe due to the fact that Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie were the creative team. That turned out to not really be the case, as readers found out; it’s not that it’s not “Phonogram,” but the connection there is very light — it’s not as big as you might’ve expected.
Until now.
At the tail end of the year and starting with issue #14, we will get ‘Afterparty,’ a two-issue storyline in “Young Avengers” in which other creators are invited to party it up with the cast and their associated teen friends. The book will feature special guest appearances by Emma Vieceli, Becky Cloonan, Joe Quinones, Christian Ward and Ming Doyle among others, and reminds me of all the “Phonogram” b-sides — that is to say, the short stories written by Kieron and illustrated by a bevy of talented artists found in the single issues of “Phonogram” back when that was initially released.
This looks to be putting the end on the Year One of “Young Avengers,” and where the series goes from here is up in the air. The ever insightful Steve Morris theorizes that this may just be the end of “Young Avengers” as we know it, although I’d certainly hope not. Then again, we’re all waiting for “Phonogram 3”, aren’t we? Hmm.
Either way, this is definitely something exciting to be looking forward to.
