“Avengers: The Children’s Crusade 1 p 3” (September 2010)
by Jim Cheung (1972-) and Mark Morales (1960-)
11 x 17 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

“Avengers: The Children’s Crusade 1 p 7” (September 2010)
by Jim Cheung (1972-) and Mark Morales (1960-)
11 x 17 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

The Young Avengers take on the terrorist group called the Sons of the Serpent. The latter’s goals are said to be maintaining racial and moral purity, goals which includes complete racism, anti-homosexuality and anti-uppity women, even quoting the Bible to justify murder. Hulkling, offended by such sentiments, gave one of the terrorists a bigger insult: a kiss on the cheek.

Enraged, the terrorist blasts Hulkling in the chest, though Hulkling’s tough skin protected him. The Avengers then arrive to quell the dispute. One of the terrorists threatened to set off the nuke strapped to his back. Seeing that his boyfriend is in danger, Wiccan warned the terrorist to let him go. As the terrorist pushed the detonator, there was a big white flash, not due to the nuke, but it is revealed to be caused by Wiccan, hovering in the air with immense power, as all the Sons collapse.

When they return to Young Avengers HQ, Wiccan is told by the Avengers that he had rendered the Sons comatose. Uncertain of Wiccan’s abilities, he is told to stay with them, for they don’t want another Scarlet Witch on their hands. The Avengers explained that the trauma of the Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff losing her twin boys, caused her to go insane, killing Hawkeye, the original Vision and Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. When she was taken to Genosha to recover, she was persuaded by Quicksilver to create a world where mutants reign supreme. But the events of the House of M instead compelled her to strip nearly all of mutantkind of their powers.

After being shocked by these revelations, Wiccan concludes that if he has the power to do something like that, then it must be that he and Speed are truly the Scarlet Witch’s sons.

“Avengers: The Children’s Crusade 1 p 10” (September 2010)
by Jim Cheung (1972-) and Mark Morales (1960-)
11 x 17 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

“Avengers: The Children’s Crusade 1 p 11” (September 2010)
by Jim Cheung (1972-) and Mark Morales (1960-)
11 x 17 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection