Debut Issue: The Order #1

When I pick up a new title, I'll try to slap together a first-impressions piece on it called, of course, Debut Issue. Yeah, I realize I missed it for Thor, but I'll go back and get it before too long. In fact, I might go back to issue 1 of all my monthly titles, as a mix of From the Box. We'll see. Anyway, onto The Order #1.

This is another Initiative book taking place in the fallout of Civil War. With the registration side winning, the government pushed ahead the "Fifty States Initiative" which means a super hero team in every US state. Yes, even Montana.

The Order follows the California-based team introduced briefly in the pages of Civil War. There, they were called the Champions (based on the 80s team featuring Iceman, Angel, Hercules, and others) as would the book have been had not Marvel been alerted that someone else owned rights to the name. So forget the Champions were mentioned and we have The Order. Good times.

This seems like an odd idea - a team of hired heroes using manufactured powers, filling roles of Greek gods. Oh and Pepper Potts is running the show. Yeah, Tony Stark's secretary. I'm not familiar with the character - all I know is that she was a secretary and now she's leading The Order in an Oracle-like role. The team introduced in Civil War and again at the beginning of the issue don't even make it to the end. Four violate behavior agreements by getting publicly sloshed and get booted from the program, which allows the core cast to come in.

This is what sets this team apart from Avengers: The Initiative. There, you have kids being trained in the use of their powers behind closed doors. Here, you have trained volunteers taking center stage and trying to rebuild the trust lost in the New Warriors incident. It's an interesting premise, and Matt Fraction doesn't often disappoint (from what I've read of his work). With Barry Kitson (of Legion of Superheroes) on art, this looks to be a good one. Let's see how long it goes.