Mic-Drop At The Edge Of Time And Space (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I said a lot depended on how well Gillen and McKelvie could stick the landing, and I think the largely did. The action in the finale seems largely superfluous, as the key to victory lies in a character learning a lesson and taking responsibility. This is the sort of book that hits the climax early, so it can have a two-issue denouement where everyone can have teen soap character beats. I was a little put off by it on first reading, but on a second look I enjoyed it much more. Not all of it is successful (Miss America might as well turn to the reader and say "Oh, and this is my deal, by the way," which actually would probably fit in with this book), but it gets the job done admirably.Oh, and there's a "Be My Baby" reference, in case there was a chance you might forget Gillen wrote it.This is probably the queerest book Marvel's ever put out, huh? It's always nice when the creators of a monthly comic series have enough warning to wrap up their lead plot and all of their subplots in what feels like an organic manner. This final volume of the trilogy wraps all of Gillen's storylines up nicely, and at least implies that Gillen & McElvie knew all along that 15 issues was all they were getting. Everything comes together in the effort to finally stop Mother from destroying the team and the Earth. The journey to this point, told in the previous volumes, may have felt both rushed and convoluted at points, but the climax of the story is solidly paced with plenty of character growth, including a great pair of end scenes (one with the team, one with Loki) that made me chuckle and say "awwww, how sweet" while at the same time realizing just how far comics have come that a book can have a cast composed mostly of non-straight characters and still be widely praised. Not for that reason alone is this one of my favorite rosters for the YA since the original roster (although I do still miss Cassie Lang, Patriot and Teen Vision).Throughout the issues collected here, McElvie's art continues to push the standard comic book borders in concert with Gillen's script calling for sections of the story to be told in text, tweet or Tumblr post format rather than the comics standard. In retrospect, writer and artist really made for a solid team on this book, and one wishes they could have kept at it for a while longer. (I'm guessing the end-date was mandated by Marvel to fit with their plans for the no-longer-Kid Loki's solo book, as well as in preparation/response to whatever Crossover Event was happening at the time.) McElvie's work here makes you pay attention. Not every current comics artist achieves that, regardless of the level of detail in their art.
What do You think about Mic-Drop At The Edge Of Time And Space (2014)?
What an end! The last issues of Young Avengers are about being 18, still young, but a required participant of the adult world and here it really shows how much the members of YA have grown. Despite feeling like everything was falling apart around them, and being unsure how much they could really trust the one person with the magic plan they held it together. The ending felt like not quite a happy ending, instead a moment's rest between one attempt at saving the world and putting things right before they're swept off their feet again. Hopefully Young Avengers is brought back and explores the question of Patri-not.
—dtactics
I'm so sad that a) I finished reading this so quickly, b) I wasn't reading it when it was going on, and c) it's over. I love these teenagers and their terrible decisions. I love how well they work together. I love that they're all at least a Kinsey 2 (if not, like, full-blown queers ayyyyy.) I love that it's implied that everyone has punched Loki at least once. I love it. I love it all so much. I foresee many, many rereads in my future with this series.
—Ren
THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I absolutely love these characters and their relationships.
—Regina
