Avengers Academy #14.1

This Marvel .1 entry point for Avengers Academy puts the young student heroes front and center — literally bursting through a school hallway in a chaotic rush of scattered papers and shattered glass. The cover by Billy Tan assembles the full ensemble: a central figure with reptilian, clawed appendages leads the charge, flanked by a scarred, monstrous-looking student, a glowing energy-wreathed teen, one wreathed in white light, an armored yellow-suited figure, and two more students tumbling through the air above — each one visually distinct and crackling with barely-contained power. IGN's pull quote calling this "the under-appreciated gem of the Avengers franchise" feels well-earned, and with Christos Gage writing alongside artist Sean Chen, this 2011 issue offers an ideal jumping-on point for anyone curious about Marvel's next generation of heroes.