Would Lockjaw really give up the Infinity Gems to the Thanos? Will Thanos kill Ms. Lion?
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #4
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Chris Eliopoulos
Cover: Karl Kerschl and Romain Gaschet
Artist: Ig Guara
Colorist: Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Additional Artists: Colleen Coover
Summary: They’ve been up/down/around/about/forward/backward. They’ve gone to the jungle/ocean/Central Park/outer space. They’ve scratched/pawed/clawed/gnawed their way throughout all existence, ALL for this moment! Now they’ve FINALLY found all of the Infinity Gems…so what’s a moon-puppy to do when he’s given all the power in the universe? FIND OUT HERE!!!! Featuring a VERY special presidential puppy appearance!
Review: Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers comes to a dramatic conclusion in issue #4. The First Dog, Bo was in peril just like the rest of the Pet Avengers. Thanos was set on acquiring the full set of Infinity Gems. In the process he blasted Ms. Lion to the ground! In an action completely out of character, Hairball went into a berserker rage. Luckily for the kids, Ms. Lion was only knocked out and not obliterated in a Garth Ennis style bloody pulp. It was an endearing moment of the series for the young readers showing that someone who consistently gives you a hard time might actually like you and possibly even respect you as a member of the ranks.
The battle with Thanos appeared to overwhelm the pets. Lockjaw surrendered and Throg pontificated one last time before affixing all the gems to Lockjaw’s collar. This gave Lockjaw the harnessed power of all the gems. Lockjaw followed through with a secret plan and not only blasted Thanos but also teleported the super villain deep into another dimension.
Overall, Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers is not a comic book masterpiece even for young readers. It’s fun for sure, but it covers such a huge premise of the Marvel Universe that children might not be drawn in by that first issue. It does get better with the pace throughout the following issues but children might not have the kind of attention span needed. A good point about the series is how there is plenty of focus on teamwork and building friendships between such a diverse group of individuals. The very bright colorful images are likely to provide a decent amount of visual stimulation for the kids. However, when it comes to a great kids’ comic book by Marvel, I’d have to say that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a better choice. What the Pet Avengers provides is the superhero connection and cute animal elements that Oz doesn’t have.
