Young Avengers #10
Young Avengers #10 is the first appearance of Thomas "Tommy" Shepherd — the white-haired speedster who would eventually take the codename Speed — making it a landmark debut within the "Family Matters" arc. The issue simultaneously delivers the pivotal revelation that Teddy Altman (Hulkling) is the son of Kree hero Captain Marvel and Skrull Princess Anelle, establishing him as a figure of dynastic cosmic importance who would one day rule the united Kree-Skrull Alliance under the name Emperor Dorrek VIII. Perhaps equally significant in storytelling terms, this is the issue where Wiccan is referred to on-panel as Hulkling's boyfriend for the first time, a quiet milestone in Marvel's ongoing, incremental acknowledgment of the Billy–Teddy relationship that Heinberg had built into the series from the start. The convergence of three major character revelations in a single chapter — Tommy's debut, Teddy's dual alien heritage, and the first explicit naming of the Wiccan-Hulkling romance — makes the issue one of the densest key-issue moments in the entire Heinberg/Cheung run.
In "Family Matters, Part Two," the Young Avengers face a devastating loss when the Super-Skrull kills Hulkling’s mother—revealed to be a Skrull agent in human form—and kidnaps Hulkling. With their leader broken, the team turns to the newly resurrected Vision, whose consciousness now resides in Iron Lad’s armor, to track down a possible new ally. The only problem? That ally is currently locked up in a juvenile detention facility, and freeing him will mean breaking the law—something the Young Avengers may not have a choice about. Written by Allan Heinberg and illustrated by Jim Cheung, with inks by Rob Stull, Dave Meikis, and Dexter Vines, and colors by Justin Ponsor, the issue’s cover by Jim Cheung and John Dell captures the weight of the moment.
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Writer Allan Heinberg, a television writer and producer best known at the time for The O.C., conceived Young Avengers as a 12-issue limited series structured like a season of television, with Heinberg citing his broadcast schedule as the reason the series was capped rather than ongoing. Issue #10 falls in the second arc, "Family Matters" (issues #9–12), which Heinberg used to accelerate every major origin revelation before the looming Civil War event could disrupt his plans. The MyComicShop solicitation data notes this issue carried a re-solicitation notice — meaning prior orders were cancelled and the book was resolicited — consistent with the well-documented lateness that affected the back half of the series due to Heinberg's dual commitments to comics and television writing. Artist Jim Cheung was inked here by a team including Rob Stull, Dave Meikis, and Dexter Vines, with colors by Justin Ponsor and editing by Tom Brevoort, the same core production team that handled the entire original run.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Thomas "Tommy" Shepherd (later Speed), the reincarnated soul of Wanda Maximoff and Vision's son Tommy Maximoff, introduced here as a white-haired speedster with matter-destabilizing powers being held in a high-security juvenile detention facility in New Jersey.
- Hulkling's dual heritage as son of Kree hero Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) and Skrull Princess Anelle is explicitly revealed by Kl'rt/Super-Skrull in this issue, and his Skrull birth name Dorrek VIII is spoken aloud for the first time.
- The issue establishes that Emperor Dorrek VII ordered Teddy's execution as an infant; Anelle's nursemaid smuggled the child to Earth, directly seeding the mythology that culminated in the 2020 Empyre event.
- Wiccan (Billy Kaplan) is referred to on-panel as Hulkling's boyfriend for the first time, marking the first explicit in-story acknowledgment of their romantic relationship.
- The Vision (Jonas) alters his appearance in this issue to resemble the classic synthezoid Vision rather than Iron Lad, a visual character beat signaling his evolving independent identity.
- The Super-Skrull claims Tommy and Billy are the reincarnated twin sons of the Scarlet Witch and Vision — a theory Billy accepts and Tommy rejects — planting the narrative seed confirmed in Avengers: The Children's Crusade (2010–2012).
- The issue is Part 2 of the 6-part "Family Matters" arc (issues #7–12), written by Allan Heinberg, penciled and covered by Jim Cheung, with inks by Rob Stull, Dave Meikis, and Dexter Vines, colors by Justin Ponsor, letters by Cory Petit, and edited by Tom Brevoort.
- The entire Heinberg/Cheung run, including this issue's contents, was collected in the Young Avengers Vol. 2: Family Matters trade paperback (collects #7–12 and the Young Avengers Special) and later in the Young Avengers: The Complete Collection Vol. 1.
Cast · 26 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
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The Super-Skrull has kidnapped Hulkling and killed his mother, who was revealed to be a Skrull agent in human form. The other members ask for aid from Vision, who was recently resurrected when his data files were downloaded into Iron Lad's now unused armor. Vision uses his powers to identify and locate a possible new member of the Young Avengers who may be able to help. The problem is that they'll have to break him out of a juvenile detention facility.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).