AVENGERS: About the Team and stuff
Part two of the Avengers post. This one is about the team in general.
EARTH 616 (Main Comic Continuity). The Avengers is the Marvel Universe's superhero team, similar to DC's Justice League. They first "assembled" in 1964. The team back then was Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Wasp and Ant-Man. The Hulk literally left in the next issue, and Captain America replaced him in issue #4. The roster is always changing. Pretty much every hero in the Marvel Universe has been an Avenger at one point or another. (See: list of Avengers team members) I think that is what makes the Avengers different from the Justice League. There is no trinity (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) who are (almost) always present.
Also, the creation of the Avengers came from a different place. Most of the Avengers heroes didn't have their own comic books. Iron Man made appearances in "Tales of Suspense," while Wasp and Ant-Man appeared in "Tales to Astonish." Thor was created for "Journey into Mystery" which eventually became "The Mighty Thor" a few years after the Avengers debuted. Publication of Captain America had ceased in the 1950s. The Avengers found him and revived him-both in the comics and out. I like that aspect of the team. They support each other and make one another better. (I think this is also why Marvel's "big" heroes like Spider-man and Wolverine did not become part of the Avengers until recently. The book was a place to keep well-liked characters from dying, not another showcase for the super successful ones. That's just my impression though.)
In an interview about how to bring the Avengers to the big screen, Joss Whedon said he'd been looking at the first issues, but also The Ultimates and some others.
One thing that the first Avengers book and the film had in common was that bad guy: Loki. In the comics, Loki (being the trickster god and all) tricked the Hulk into rampaging and destroying a railroad line (oh noes! Not the trains!). I doubt that's a big enough menace to be the plot of the film but I do hope we get to see Loki messin' with the heroes' heads. It's just fun.
I digress. As I said, in the beginning the team was:
Iron Man
Thor
Ant-Man
Wasp
The Hulk
(Captain America)
The ACTUAL "First Avengers": Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp
Compare that to the Film Team
Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Iron Man (Tony Stark)
Thor (Thor Odinson, aka Donald Blake)
The Hulk (Dr. Bruce Banner)
Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)
Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
WHY ARE ANT-MAN AND WASP NOT IN THIS? Long story short: They have not been in Marvel Cinematic Universe films!
Longer answer, they've pretty much been replaced by Hawkeye and Black Widow. Old schoolers, like George RR Martin, are upset about this. I'm not really sure how I feel.
Henry Pym (Ant-Man, also called Giant Man) is a scientist and discovers something he calls "Pym Particles" that allow him to grow really, really tall and really, really small. Also, he can talk to insects. Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) is his girlfriend. He grafts wings to her back and shows her how to turn really, really small. Originally she couldn't grow really, really tall like he could (I guess you needed a penis for that) but now she can.
I honestly can't explain it better than this COMICS, EVERYBODY!
Marvel is still trying to make an Ant-Man movie, like they have for years. Though I believe the studio heads have said they are now looking to make it more of a comedy film. It's kind of sad that he and Jan can't get the same respect as the other heroes. But on the other hand, he talks to ants. There's no way that's not hilarious. (Recent news about the Ant-Man movie)
THE ULTIMATES. In the 2000s, Marvel rebooted their top titles under the Ultimate imprint. First was "Ultimate X-Men" then "Ultimate Spider-man." The Avengers became simply "The Ultimates." The first two books in the Ultimates series are not bad, though I have issues with the dialog (in particular, there is one scene that fanboys love where Captain America mocks France which I think is not only out of character for Steve but also ignores the fact that he fought with many French officers during the war, but whatever, I'm seriously digressing). The Ultimates team is the same as the original comics team.
A big difference between the Ultimates and the original Avengers is that the team was actively put together by Nick Fury and SHIELD. The MCU!Avengers are similar in that regard. Fury and SHIELD have sought these heroes out and are kind of forcing them into a team dynamic.
The Ultimates
The other thing of note is that "The Ultimates"' diversified the characters. By that I mean, Nick Fury the director of SHIELD has turned into a black guy and Wasp is suddenly Asian. That's probably the main contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that the illustrators based the appearance of Ultimate Nick Fury on Samuel L. Jackson, so when it became time to cast him there was only one choice. There is even a kind of clunky scene in which the Avengers sit around and talk about who should play them in the movie.
(For the curious, here is how it breaks down: The guys choose Brad Pitt for Captain America (Steve doesn't know who that is), Fury thinks Johnny Depp would make a good Iron Man, Matthew McConnaughey is tapped to play Ant-Man, Wasp is Lucy Liu (though Jan complains that all Asian people do not look alike), and Hank picks Steve Buscemi for Bruce Banner. The only one who actually gets his way is Nick Fury, who obviously picks Jackson for himself being modeled after him and all. And also because he is in charge.)
FUN FACT: However Robert Downey Jr is mentioned in the Ultimates. When Captain America breaks Nick Fury's nose, Fury tells him not to worry about it because his nose has "been smashed more times than Robert Downey Junior." (Though it's a stupid thing to say since Steve probably doesn't know who that is either.)
The Ultimates also has Bruce Banner as a scientist working for SHIELD. He hates turning into the Hulk and hopes that finding Captain America and recreating the Super Soldier Serum will cure him. Anyway, this is sort of similar to the MCU in which Banner was working on replicating the Super Soldier Serum but wasn't properly informed about the nature of the project by General Ross. Steve's DNA is unable to fix Banner, and he turns into the Hulk in the middle of an alien invasion (as you do), so he serves as an antagonist more than a team member in this series.
In the animated film Ultimate Avengers, based on "the Ultimates," the plot is kept pretty much the same except that Black Widow is added to the team. She and Steve Rogers are considered to be the only professionals on the team, and the others are referred to as "civilians." (Natasha believes their tomfoolery will get them killed.) I mention this because she serves at Nick Fury's eyes and ears on the team in the animated movie, and it appears she plays a similar role in the MCU. (See: Scene from Ultimate Avengers in which the team screws up its first mission from SHIELD and Natasha has a hilarious moose and squirrel accent.)
WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE ANYWAY? The Avengers team has had a couple of different team leaders. Right now, in the comics the official team according to Marvel's website is Maria Hill. (While Luke Cage leads the "New Avengers" and Steve Rogers leads the "Secret Avengers." You can see how this gets confusing.)
Anyway, since we're talking about the movie and that rules out people like Luke Cage, there are two distinct possibilities: (Well, three if you count having Nick Fury lead the team from afar; I call that wussing out): Iron Man and Captain America.
Steve is the leader in "The Ultimates," for example. And Tony is the leader in the current animated adaptations, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and The Super Hero Squad Show.
You'll notice the trailer is already teasing a rivalry between the two. The two have been at odds in the comics as well. We just got over the Marvel Civil War storyline that had Steve leading one faction of superheroes and Tony leading the opposing team. It ended with the much publicized death of Captain America*:
Captain America is shot
*Don't worry he was only comic book dead not actually dead. He came back to life.. oh, right! In time for the movie. What a coincidence?
Long story short (too late!) on the who is in charge: I don't know. Joss Whedon? We'll see.
But! For the sake of lulz, I will tell you that shippers are already going nuts with Steve/Tony in the wake of Civil War, and now the movies are making it worse. Every so often some irritated fanboy will get SUPER mad because superheroes are NOT GAY (like Batman and Robin!). It's hilarious. I wanted you to be able to point and laugh too. You're welcome.
If Tony Had Been Born a Woman, Civil War Never Would've Happened
aka How Legalizing Gay Marriage Could Have Saved Captain America's life
UP NEXT: Part III: Who the fuck are these people?
EARTH 616 (Main Comic Continuity). The Avengers is the Marvel Universe's superhero team, similar to DC's Justice League. They first "assembled" in 1964. The team back then was Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Wasp and Ant-Man. The Hulk literally left in the next issue, and Captain America replaced him in issue #4. The roster is always changing. Pretty much every hero in the Marvel Universe has been an Avenger at one point or another. (See: list of Avengers team members) I think that is what makes the Avengers different from the Justice League. There is no trinity (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) who are (almost) always present.
Also, the creation of the Avengers came from a different place. Most of the Avengers heroes didn't have their own comic books. Iron Man made appearances in "Tales of Suspense," while Wasp and Ant-Man appeared in "Tales to Astonish." Thor was created for "Journey into Mystery" which eventually became "The Mighty Thor" a few years after the Avengers debuted. Publication of Captain America had ceased in the 1950s. The Avengers found him and revived him-both in the comics and out. I like that aspect of the team. They support each other and make one another better. (I think this is also why Marvel's "big" heroes like Spider-man and Wolverine did not become part of the Avengers until recently. The book was a place to keep well-liked characters from dying, not another showcase for the super successful ones. That's just my impression though.)
In an interview about how to bring the Avengers to the big screen, Joss Whedon said he'd been looking at the first issues, but also The Ultimates and some others.
One thing that the first Avengers book and the film had in common was that bad guy: Loki. In the comics, Loki (being the trickster god and all) tricked the Hulk into rampaging and destroying a railroad line (oh noes! Not the trains!). I doubt that's a big enough menace to be the plot of the film but I do hope we get to see Loki messin' with the heroes' heads. It's just fun.
I digress. As I said, in the beginning the team was:
The ACTUAL "First Avengers": Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp
Compare that to the Film Team
WHY ARE ANT-MAN AND WASP NOT IN THIS? Long story short: They have not been in Marvel Cinematic Universe films!
Longer answer, they've pretty much been replaced by Hawkeye and Black Widow. Old schoolers, like George RR Martin, are upset about this. I'm not really sure how I feel.
Henry Pym (Ant-Man, also called Giant Man) is a scientist and discovers something he calls "Pym Particles" that allow him to grow really, really tall and really, really small. Also, he can talk to insects. Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) is his girlfriend. He grafts wings to her back and shows her how to turn really, really small. Originally she couldn't grow really, really tall like he could (I guess you needed a penis for that) but now she can.
I honestly can't explain it better than this COMICS, EVERYBODY!
Marvel is still trying to make an Ant-Man movie, like they have for years. Though I believe the studio heads have said they are now looking to make it more of a comedy film. It's kind of sad that he and Jan can't get the same respect as the other heroes. But on the other hand, he talks to ants. There's no way that's not hilarious. (Recent news about the Ant-Man movie)
THE ULTIMATES. In the 2000s, Marvel rebooted their top titles under the Ultimate imprint. First was "Ultimate X-Men" then "Ultimate Spider-man." The Avengers became simply "The Ultimates." The first two books in the Ultimates series are not bad, though I have issues with the dialog (in particular, there is one scene that fanboys love where Captain America mocks France which I think is not only out of character for Steve but also ignores the fact that he fought with many French officers during the war, but whatever, I'm seriously digressing). The Ultimates team is the same as the original comics team.
A big difference between the Ultimates and the original Avengers is that the team was actively put together by Nick Fury and SHIELD. The MCU!Avengers are similar in that regard. Fury and SHIELD have sought these heroes out and are kind of forcing them into a team dynamic.
The Ultimates
The other thing of note is that "The Ultimates"' diversified the characters. By that I mean, Nick Fury the director of SHIELD has turned into a black guy and Wasp is suddenly Asian. That's probably the main contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that the illustrators based the appearance of Ultimate Nick Fury on Samuel L. Jackson, so when it became time to cast him there was only one choice. There is even a kind of clunky scene in which the Avengers sit around and talk about who should play them in the movie.
(For the curious, here is how it breaks down: The guys choose Brad Pitt for Captain America (Steve doesn't know who that is), Fury thinks Johnny Depp would make a good Iron Man, Matthew McConnaughey is tapped to play Ant-Man, Wasp is Lucy Liu (though Jan complains that all Asian people do not look alike), and Hank picks Steve Buscemi for Bruce Banner. The only one who actually gets his way is Nick Fury, who obviously picks Jackson for himself being modeled after him and all. And also because he is in charge.)
FUN FACT: However Robert Downey Jr is mentioned in the Ultimates. When Captain America breaks Nick Fury's nose, Fury tells him not to worry about it because his nose has "been smashed more times than Robert Downey Junior." (Though it's a stupid thing to say since Steve probably doesn't know who that is either.)
The Ultimates also has Bruce Banner as a scientist working for SHIELD. He hates turning into the Hulk and hopes that finding Captain America and recreating the Super Soldier Serum will cure him. Anyway, this is sort of similar to the MCU in which Banner was working on replicating the Super Soldier Serum but wasn't properly informed about the nature of the project by General Ross. Steve's DNA is unable to fix Banner, and he turns into the Hulk in the middle of an alien invasion (as you do), so he serves as an antagonist more than a team member in this series.
In the animated film Ultimate Avengers, based on "the Ultimates," the plot is kept pretty much the same except that Black Widow is added to the team. She and Steve Rogers are considered to be the only professionals on the team, and the others are referred to as "civilians." (Natasha believes their tomfoolery will get them killed.) I mention this because she serves at Nick Fury's eyes and ears on the team in the animated movie, and it appears she plays a similar role in the MCU. (See: Scene from Ultimate Avengers in which the team screws up its first mission from SHIELD and Natasha has a hilarious moose and squirrel accent.)
WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE ANYWAY? The Avengers team has had a couple of different team leaders. Right now, in the comics the official team according to Marvel's website is Maria Hill. (While Luke Cage leads the "New Avengers" and Steve Rogers leads the "Secret Avengers." You can see how this gets confusing.)
Anyway, since we're talking about the movie and that rules out people like Luke Cage, there are two distinct possibilities: (Well, three if you count having Nick Fury lead the team from afar; I call that wussing out): Iron Man and Captain America.
Steve is the leader in "The Ultimates," for example. And Tony is the leader in the current animated adaptations, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and The Super Hero Squad Show.
Click to viewYou'll notice the trailer is already teasing a rivalry between the two. The two have been at odds in the comics as well. We just got over the Marvel Civil War storyline that had Steve leading one faction of superheroes and Tony leading the opposing team. It ended with the much publicized death of Captain America*:
Captain America is shot
*Don't worry he was only comic book dead not actually dead. He came back to life.. oh, right! In time for the movie. What a coincidence?
Long story short (too late!) on the who is in charge: I don't know. Joss Whedon? We'll see.
But! For the sake of lulz, I will tell you that shippers are already going nuts with Steve/Tony in the wake of Civil War, and now the movies are making it worse. Every so often some irritated fanboy will get SUPER mad because superheroes are NOT GAY (like Batman and Robin!). It's hilarious. I wanted you to be able to point and laugh too. You're welcome.
If Tony Had Been Born a Woman, Civil War Never Would've Happened
aka How Legalizing Gay Marriage Could Have Saved Captain America's life
UP NEXT: Part III: Who the fuck are these people?