Comics Culture Clash!

U.S.Avengers #11 (Marvel, December 2017, $3.99)
I don't usually read this comic book, but I was intrigued by the cover, which portrays former New Mutant Cannonball in an Archie Comics-like setting. Talk about comics culture clash!

Apparently taken prisoner by someone somehow, Cannonball finds himself in Glenbrook with a new career in eduction, teaching residents as a "100% real Earth-grown American human." Ritchie Redwood, also known as "your majesty," is Glenbrook's Archie Andrews. Paco Diaz's Redwood is more inspired by the recent Archie TV show than older comics, but the idea is still fun. That said, I kind of wish the interior art had been more inspired by Dan DeCarlo, like the cover.



The U.S.Avengers locate Cannonball and mount a rescue mission but are attacked by... Little Rico and his mob goons driving antique automobiles that can fly through space? Now it all makes sense. If these are the Skrulls of Kral IV, first seen in Fantastic Four #91, then perhaps Glenbrook is a Skrull enclave, too?



What a fun idea. However, as cool as the concept is—kudos, Al Ewing—I have been trying (and not that hard!) to not read comics featuring Squirrel Girl. Chtt chut! As part of the Legacy event, this comic also includes a Marvel Value Stamp, as well as a three-page backup story by Robbie Thompson and Daniel Acunas, whose artwork is awesome.



Availability: You can buy this issue online from Marvel. U.S.Avengers Vol. 1: American Intelligence Mechanics collects U.S.Avengers #1-6. U.S.Avengers Vol. 2: Cannonball Run, expected in February 2018, will collect #7-12—including this issue. Fantastic Four #91 was reprinted in The Fantastic Four Omnibus Volume 3.