Agents of Atlas appreciation 2019

[Ravin' Ray]

for the current AoA team, is there a comprehensive web page with their power listings?

No none yet. Marvel has only just either introduced new characters or transplanted them so I don't expect any such list any time soon. Especially not while Wave's origin story has yet be told in Aero's title. The dialog between the two in the preview implies that they know one another already hence the placement of Wave's origin.

[Digifiend]

And I bet Amadeus's power listing is outdated.

[Tien Long]

Preview!
https://www.newsarama.com/45027-all-...s-preview.html

Jimmy Woo has launched a school for Asian superhumans.

That's pretty awesome! It makes loads of sense, too, to the point where you wonder why this is only just now a thing.



That's right. In that case, why are we only just now getting back to such an awesome place full of potential?

Oh god, this preview.....so perfect in so many ways. First off, I'd like to talk about the school. I remember when I first heard about Jimmy Woo's Pan-Asian School for the Gifted a couple of years ago and felt it was somewhat odd. A feeling of unity amongst Asians is prevalent among Asian-Americans, but not so in Asia itself. As we've said before, Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Filipinos, Thai, Indians etc., there's a sense of separate identity. BUT, at the same time, there is interaction amongst these groups. One could see Indians doing business in Shanghai, Koreans studying in the Philippines, Thai working at Japanese business companies, all of these things happen. And all of that is reflected in Jimmy Woo's school. (My only worry is that the school might give the impression that it's only for those who are racially Asian. Asia has people from all around the world, like Europe, America, and Africa, working and living there. Looking closely, I could see some students who could be racially non-Asian. Again, I'm for Asian exposure, but not forgoing others).

Another part of the preview that really interested me was seeing Jimmy Woo. My god, he does seem to fit that leader role well, doesn't he? I'm talking Nick Fury/Professor X level of leadership here. Yes, we've seen him lead the previous Agents of Atlas, but leading this whole school plus a bunch of other heroes? Jimmy just seems to embody that role naturally. I'm already starting to see how Brawn could be the field leader or Shang could be the counselor with Aero, Wave, Yuna Snow and Ms. Marvel being the heavy hitters (more on them later).

Finally, liked that idea of having heroes who look like them. Pak touched on it in his Totally Awesome Hulk series, but I like how he's doing it on a larger scale here.

Good to see than even in a story about Asia, american heroes are here to lead and to save the day.

For me, it makes sense. And I'm not irked by it. Working in China and Hong Kong, I saw a lot of Asian-Americans (and Asians raised in America) come back to their ancestral countries and open businesses or take up roles of leadership in a company. It wasn't so much a sense of "proving that the foreigner-born were superior" as more of seizing opportunity, discovering one's roots, and being welcomed back. Furthermore, there was certainly respect for the culture and people. At the end of the day, the business or organization succeeds or fails by listening and relying on the other. I think that's what Jimmy wants to do.

Also, a Pan-Asian School? All these Asians working together? Native-born Chinese wouldn't think that. Neither would the Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, or any other Asian group. I think that's an Asian-American concept.

Ok, Wave has ties with the Triumph Division, the Filipino superhero team created by Matt Fraction in Invincible Iron Man #2, a team that stirred debate here for the decidedly unusual names of the team members (Great Mongoose? Mongooses are found only in one island in the Philippines.) Also the dialog between Aero and Wave skirts a little bit too close to real world geopolitics, specifically territorial claims in the South China Sea (or West Philippine Sea as we call it). Finally, I'm reading Wave's and Triumph Division's dialog in Tagalog!

That scene was beautiful. I loved how it echoed the territorially issues that one always hears about amongst Asian countries. That's relevant and shows that yeah there's a lot of division in Asia. Hence how a fire demon queen can take it over.

Also, I was skeptical on how the art would look, but wow, that's some dynamic stuff!

Tien Long (and others), if you are pre-ordering the Wave cover variant, better do it fast.

https://www.comic-odyssey.com/wave

Ha, thanks. Will look into it.

[J. D. Guy]

To be fair the fact that Sanjar Javeed, former Horseman of Death, was working there was dumb as hell.

And the few students we saw didn't have much of a personality.

Can't comment on the former, but that latter's no excuse and is also self-justifying. Really, we haven't been allowed to spend the time to flesh out the students, even the few that they showed in the small time they showed them.

I still say it's a wasted opportunity. Same goes for something like Wakanda's famed school(s) (that I think exists?).

[Ravin' Ray]

A feeling of unity amongst Asians is prevalent among Asian-Americans, but not so in Asia itself. As we've said before, Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Filipinos, Thai, Indians etc., there's a sense of separate identity. BUT, at the same time, there is interaction amongst these groups.

For us living here in Asia, the geopolitics in our backyard precludes any single one sense of Asian unity. While Europe has the EU, Asia has ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), while mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are often informally lumped together as Greater China, even though Taiwan is politically separate. Timor Leste, Japan, the Koreas, Mongolia, and the former Soviet Union states in Asia then round up the rest of Asia. We have several language families here as well.

But in Marvel Earth, I suppose it works differently, and we'll get the proverbial united against a common enemy stand. Although to go by the new map as I mentioned earlier ASEAN is claimed by Ulik, not Sindr, so we'll have to see if trolls rather than fire demons are taking over the Philippines. (So far we haven't heard any news of invasion.)

I still say it's a wasted opportunity. Same goes for something like Wakanda's fame school(s) (that I think exists?).

Yep, aside from the Future Foundation (FF), Jean Grey School (X-Men), and Avengers Academy, I think all of those regional schools were created just for Infinity: The Hunt and nobody has since used them, until now.

Edit: If anyone wants to know the names of the schools, Hank Pym mentions them here in Infinity: The Hunt #1.

[Lonewolf36]

We have Aero/Air & Wave/Water now we just need a fire representative Dragonfire? and and Earth representative to have an Elemental Four. Any Earth using Asians in the Marvel U.

[Beetle]

They've got Luna Snow as Ice

The solicit for issue 4 mentions "four female forces of nature come together for the final battle"

Though the last one might be Queen Sindr

[Tien Long]

For us living here in Asia, the geopolitics in our backyard precludes any single one sense of Asian unity. While Europe has the EU, Asia has ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), while mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are often informally lumped together as Greater China, even though Taiwan is politically separate. Timor Leste, Japan, the Koreas, Mongolia, and the former Soviet Union states in Asia then round up the rest of Asia. We have several language families here as well.

But in Marvel Earth, I suppose it works differently, and we'll get the proverbial united against a common enemy stand.

Good points, Ravin' Ray. I had an inkling that the various regions of Asia were arranged in that particular way. You're right, there's certainly a lack of Asian unity in the real world. At the same time, there is a level of interaction. Being so close to one another, people inevitably travel, work, and study in other countries. As a teacher in Hong Kong, I was fortunate enough to teach kids from throughout all of Asia. In addition to local Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese, I taught Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, and Indian students. By extension, their parents were living and working in the various companies in the city. When I visited my family in the Philippines, my uncles pointed out that many Koreans were studying in some of the universities in the provinces. Also, there are going to be those moments when various Asian nations will work together for a cause. When the Malaysian Air flight was lost, several nations contributed to the search.

So, I felt that sense of interaction at Jimmy Woo's school and team. No, there are no formal treaties or alliances, but people will inevitably meet and work together, whether it's educating the new crop of heroes or fighting against fire demons. I'm sure that each of these heroes, while open to working with others, still are very loyal to their home countries. (Perhaps we'll see more of that in the future? Yeah, these heroes can be very chummy chummy, but what happens when the Philippines say this and China says that? What happens when the Triumph Division faces off against the Ascendant? What sides are Wave and Aero going to take then? How would this affect their working relationship?)

Although to go by the new map as I mentioned earlier ASEAN is claimed by Ulik, not Sindr, so we'll have to see if trolls rather than fire demons are taking over the Philippines. (So far we haven't heard any news of invasion.)

Nice! For a second I was afraid I had to call and check in with my relatives! . In all seriousness, I believe the future solicitations for the series say that Korea may be a major focus.

They've got Luna Snow as Ice

The solicit for issue 4 mentions "four female forces of nature come together for the final battle"

Though the last one might be Queen Sindr

Wave, Aero, and Yuna Snow vs. Queen Sindr? Sounds cool! Or hot. Or watery. Or breezy. Y'know what I mean .

[Digifiend]

That's twice you've made that mistake now. It's Luna, not Yuna.

[Tien Long]

That's twice you've made that mistake now. It's Luna, not Yuna.

Ha, apologies! Been a busy morning . Also, I believe that Yuna is a Korean name.

[Hypestyle]

Ha, apologies! Been a busy morning . Also, I believe that Yuna is a Korean name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SGHPQ2FVm8
were you thinking of the singer? never mind. lol.

[Ravin' Ray]

Also, I believe that Yuna is a Korean name.

Yep, the most famous Korean Yuna I know is Kim Yuna who was an Olympic ice skater…

[Digifiend]

New ASM artist Patrick Gleason drew the new seasonal art piece. Sword Master, Aero and Wave are on it.


Though it's worrying for Amadeus, as none of the Champions are there at all.

[Snoop Dogg]

The 2019 seasonal art piece should just be 15 Conans.

[Beetle]

I don't see Aero on that.