#ken mack

From Avengers Academy #20. Written by Anthony Oliveira, art by Carola Borelli and Frank William.

I wasn't expecting to cry while reading Avengers Academy today, but this hit a little too close to home given... *gestures vaguely at the world*

With the senior Avengers out in the field, a distress call comes through from Paris and the Avengers Academy students head out there with Tigra to intervene. At first, Tigra doubts that they would be able to take down the Sinister Six but the students insist that they would be able do that as they pointed out that Spider-Man defeated the Sinister Six by himself when he was their age, and they (the students) defeated Korvac before. They think they’re going to take down Electro, but they soon discover it’s a ruse when they come face to face with the entire Sinister Six. Despite their confidence, they soon discover that they are no match for the experienced villains (especially when Tigra the only experienced Avenger was knocked out earlier). To make matters worse, Doctor Octopus makes off with a fissile power generator using Hank Pym’s dimensional door technology. By the time the senior Avengers (Hank Pym and Quicksilver) arrive, the Sinister Six had already left the scene. Since Tigra and Reptil are hurt, the Avengers Academy students had no choice but to retreat with Hank Pym, Quicksilver and Jocasta when the building is set to explode. Having learned a valuable lesson in defeat, the young students are promised by Hank that he will try harder to prepare them for the future.

Ken Mack is a Biracial (Black dad, White mom) Jewish Black hero, the unmistakable Mettle; a surfing accident in his native Hawaii triggered the manifestation of his mutate (mutant?) ability to transform into a powerful red iridium-like metal form; though, for the longest time, the change was permanent, due to Norman Osborn's cruel experiments; still, he joined Avengers Academy to help fight evil & save the day; he got killed by a villain, but in time, was resurrected & after being saved by a new class of his alma mater, even regained control of his power!