Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
So apparently there was a new Marvel Avengers animated series last fall? Which... not having TV, I didn't hear about until recently. But settiai said it was good, and the first half-season *insert eyeroll here* is out on DVD (with the rest coming in October or later, apparently), so. I watched the first two eps and now find myself wanting to squee at people about them.
The first five "episodes" are prequels composed of six-minute webisodes that "aired" online prior to the show launch. Which seems a little weird to me (I am still not used to the assumption that everyone has 24/7 Internet), but whatever. Anyway!
* Prequel #1: Iron Man Is Born - Inaccurate title. Iron Man's origin isn't told here at all. Instead, the ep introduces Tony Stark / Iron Man, Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes (the guy who runs Stark Industries while Tony is off fighting supervillains), Pepper Potts, HYDRA (idk, is that an acronym?), SHIELD, Nick Fury, Agent Maria Hill (I don't know her, but she seems to be the equivalent of la Contessa Val de Fontaine in this 'verse?), and Baron von Strucker. Wow.
High point of the ep for me: the Nick/Strucker fight on a speeding aircar. NIIIIIIIIICK. The pacing was brilliant, and he is so smart - I'd almost forgotten why I fell for him the first time, but wow. :D This is a guy, in a world full of superheroes, who has no powers or codename, very little in the way of gadgets or fancy costume, and who Does. Not. Care. He's a soldier; you're either on his side or you're not; and if you're not, he's just going to keep fighting till he takes you down. Because when it comes to Nick Fury, tough-but-fair stubbornness PWNS ALL. *eeeee*
(And I thought I'd never get used to a black Nick Fury, but you know what was actually bothering me about Samuel L. Jackson? His lack of hair. It's the gray at the temples that makes the Fury "look". I squeed.)
* Prequel #2: Thor the Mighty - Thor vs Loki. Introduces Jane Foster (who in this 'verse is a kickass lady paramedic; I was cheering for her before I even knew she'd have more than about thirty seconds' screen time), the Wrecking Crew (they're low-class supervillains, mercenaries), Odin, the Frost Giants, the whole Asgard gang... yeah. I was unimpressed only because I just saw the Thor movie, which did everything so much better. (Hiddleston!Loki: can wear that helmet and not look stupid. This Loki: cannot. And not even the Lady Sif can rock pink stocking-boots and a leotard with unfortunate polka-dots.)
I was also oddly disturbed by white!Heimdall, which considering that I never remotely imagined a non-white Heimdall before the movie, speaks very well for Idris Elba's work there. (HEIMDAAAAAAAALL. Sorry, certain people = automatic capslock. *g*) And Loki had a tendency to cackle. But for an animated TV show put together in four tiny chunks, it's not bad.
Short version: Nick Fury will PWN YOU ALL. :D Also, Jane Foster is way cooler as a paramedic than as a wormhole scientist, sorry. XD
Next up: "Hulk Vs the World"! (And then "Meet Captain America". Caaaaaaap. ♥)
The first five "episodes" are prequels composed of six-minute webisodes that "aired" online prior to the show launch. Which seems a little weird to me (I am still not used to the assumption that everyone has 24/7 Internet), but whatever. Anyway!
* Prequel #1: Iron Man Is Born - Inaccurate title. Iron Man's origin isn't told here at all. Instead, the ep introduces Tony Stark / Iron Man, Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes (the guy who runs Stark Industries while Tony is off fighting supervillains), Pepper Potts, HYDRA (idk, is that an acronym?), SHIELD, Nick Fury, Agent Maria Hill (I don't know her, but she seems to be the equivalent of la Contessa Val de Fontaine in this 'verse?), and Baron von Strucker. Wow.
High point of the ep for me: the Nick/Strucker fight on a speeding aircar. NIIIIIIIIICK. The pacing was brilliant, and he is so smart - I'd almost forgotten why I fell for him the first time, but wow. :D This is a guy, in a world full of superheroes, who has no powers or codename, very little in the way of gadgets or fancy costume, and who Does. Not. Care. He's a soldier; you're either on his side or you're not; and if you're not, he's just going to keep fighting till he takes you down. Because when it comes to Nick Fury, tough-but-fair stubbornness PWNS ALL. *eeeee*
(And I thought I'd never get used to a black Nick Fury, but you know what was actually bothering me about Samuel L. Jackson? His lack of hair. It's the gray at the temples that makes the Fury "look". I squeed.)
* Prequel #2: Thor the Mighty - Thor vs Loki. Introduces Jane Foster (who in this 'verse is a kickass lady paramedic; I was cheering for her before I even knew she'd have more than about thirty seconds' screen time), the Wrecking Crew (they're low-class supervillains, mercenaries), Odin, the Frost Giants, the whole Asgard gang... yeah. I was unimpressed only because I just saw the Thor movie, which did everything so much better. (Hiddleston!Loki: can wear that helmet and not look stupid. This Loki: cannot. And not even the Lady Sif can rock pink stocking-boots and a leotard with unfortunate polka-dots.)
I was also oddly disturbed by white!Heimdall, which considering that I never remotely imagined a non-white Heimdall before the movie, speaks very well for Idris Elba's work there. (HEIMDAAAAAAAALL. Sorry, certain people = automatic capslock. *g*) And Loki had a tendency to cackle. But for an animated TV show put together in four tiny chunks, it's not bad.
Short version: Nick Fury will PWN YOU ALL. :D Also, Jane Foster is way cooler as a paramedic than as a wormhole scientist, sorry. XD
Next up: "Hulk Vs the World"! (And then "Meet Captain America". Caaaaaaap. ♥)