Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

[ToddKent]

This show was totally off my radar when it first aired but I just caught it on Netflix streaming and really enjoyed it. I've always been more of a DC guy but I still have a passing familiarity with most Marvel characters and concepts.

Even with that limited background I still thought the show was great. Seems like it would be a great way to introduce people to the Avengers. I'm surprised this show didn't get more attention.

Here are a few of my thoughts;

-I loved that several characters got stand alone episodes at the beginning of the series. It really felt like they were building something. They also had great continuity throughout the first seaason.

-The Hulk seems more intelligent here than I've seen him portrayed before. That's probably a smart choice in order to make him more a part of the team dynamic.

-Loved the Wasp's design and characterization...spunky but not annoying.

-Loved Hank's characterization...a hardcore pacifist who kicks ass. He could have easily come off as whiny but they didn't go down that road. I'm also glad that they steered clear of the wife beating angle that they seem fond of in the comics.

-Check it out: the money in this universe has the Green Lantern symbol on it!

-Am I the only one that thought Iron Man's voice sounds a little like Jack Black?

-I caught the Wolverine cameo in the Cap episode, a mention of mutants on a newspaper headline and the obvious Fantastic Four cameos. Were there any other Easter Eggs I missed?

-They seem to be cherry picking things from both the comics and the movies, which is fine with me. Can anyone who is more familiar with the Avengers comics continuity let me know if there were any wild strays from continuity? Any comic book precedent for the season long "Black Widow traitor" storyline?

-What do hardcore Marvelites think of the series?

I'm assuming there will be another season and I really hope I have "Disney XD"...whatever that is. I guess I should check.

 

[Christopher]

-The Hulk seems more intelligent here than I've seen him portrayed before. That's probably a smart choice in order to make him more a part of the team dynamic.

It's consistent with how the Hulk was written in the first few years the character existed, including the debut issue of The Avengers. The show is drawing a lot from the events of the early issues of the comic -- first the team comes together in response to a ploy of Loki's, then the Hulk leaves, then they find Captain America, etc. Although they're bringing in a lot of later stuff too.

-Loved the Wasp's design and characterization...spunky but not annoying.

Yeah, she's fun. But she'd be even better-looking if they'd drop the sticky-outy hair things on the side, give her more of a pageboy/Ezri Dax cut.

I also wonder if they're ever going to play around with her costume design. The comics' Jan was constantly redesigning her Wasp costume.

-Loved Hank's characterization...a hardcore pacifist who kicks ass. He could have easily come off as whiny but they didn't go down that road. I'm also glad that they steered clear of the wife beating angle that they seem fond of in the comics.

Canonically, Hank struck his wife once in a moment of anger, and it was scripted as an accident, something that happened when he angrily waved his arms and didn't realize she was standing right behind him. It was drawn to look more intentional, but still, it was a onetime thing that he regretted and was forgiven for, and the characters moved on. But somehow the readers latched onto that one single panel and defined the character by it from then on, and the Ultimate Comics version of the character was made into a full-on wifebeater, and so on.

-Am I the only one that thought Iron Man's voice sounds a little like Jack Black?

I just think it sounds like someone trying to sound like Robert Downey, Jr. Though the actor playing Iron Man, Eric Loomis, does look a little like Jack Black, at least in build...

-I caught the Wolverine cameo in the Cap episode, a mention of mutants on a newspaper headline and the obvious Fantastic Four cameos. Were there any other Easter Eggs I missed?

Probably a bunch, but I can't remember them all.

-They seem to be cherry picking things from both the comics and the movies, which is fine with me. Can anyone who is more familiar with the Avengers comics continuity let me know if there were any wild strays from continuity? Any comic book precedent for the season long "Black Widow traitor" storyline?

Black Widow started out as a Soviet spy in '60s Iron Man and Avengers comics, but then defected and became first a recurring ally, then a member of the Avengers. It wasn't until the '80s or '90s that she became a SHIELD agent. I guess the show's storyline is an amalgam of those phases of her career.

 

[JD]

^I've been watching the show for a couple months, and I've been really enjoying it. I'm down to the last 6 or so episodes, so I hope to finish it up sometime in the next couple weeks. Oh, and if anyone was wondering, according to wikipedia so far they are set to do 52 episodes, and so far 26 of those have aired as Season 1. It also say Season 2 starts next month.
And I definitely agree that Wasp is a really fun character. I've gotten really attached to her and Ant-Man during the show, so I'm really hoping we get to see them in a live action production sometime in the near future.

 

[Samurai8472]

Season 2 will introduce new armors and Ms Marvel.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/SuperGamer/news/?a=37234

-Iron Man get's a triangle arc reactor
-Cap get's an Ultimate suit with energy shield
-Hulk get's stretch pants designed by Stark
-Thor's new suit looks like the movie thor's

 

[JD]

Well, technically they did introduce Ms. Marvel in Season 1, she just didn't take the name Ms. Marvel yet.

 

[Christopher]

-Iron Man get's a triangle arc reactor

I will never get why that keeps being treated as such a big deal in the various adaptations. So it's a triangle. What's so awesome about that?

 

[Brikar99]

I watched this show recently, too, and I really enjoyed it. I guess my only gripe is that while I like the general look of the show, the animation could stand to be a bit more fluid. But whatevs, I'm diggin' it. Looking forward to season two.

 

[Saga]

i'm a big Avengers fan and i really dig the show. its my favorite Marvel toon. really looking forward to season 2. i just wish there were some toys for the show.

 

[Mr Light]

Yeah I ended up enjoying this show more than I thought I would. Gorgeous animation, tons of characters, they're basically trying to do every story ever...

 

[MilleniumLance]

its the Marvel equivalent of the Cartoon Network Justice League, im guessing in season 2 they will be branching into the broader marvel universe.

 

[ToddKent]

-Cap get's an Ultimate suit with energy shield

Yeah one thing I forgot to mention is that I noticed in the last episode of season 1 that Cap's shield got smashed and then later he is shown in a group shot holding it (in tact) and then at the end of the episode the shield seems to still be smashed. Guess it was just an animation error.

 

[Captain Qwert Jr]

It's how you're supposed to do the Avengers. A team made of alphas.

 

[Saga]

-Cap get's an Ultimate suit with energy shield

Yeah one thing I forgot to mention is that I noticed in the last episode of season 1 that Cap's shield got smashed and then later he is shown in a group shot holding it (in tact) and then at the end of the episode the shield seems to still be smashed. Guess it was just an animation error.

it was an error. Cap gets a new shield next season.

 

[Samurai8472]

-I caught the Wolverine cameo in the Cap episode, a mention of mutants on a newspaper headline and the obvious Fantastic Four cameos. Were there any other Easter Eggs I missed?

I guess Iron Man's armors

The classic version

The first version that looks like the movie mark 1

 

[ToddKent]

Accoriding to internet rumor (which is always reliable) the new season may start Oct. 20.

Here's a link to video of the Season 2 trailer

 

[JD]

Very cool. Is the blonde in red Ms. Marvel? I only know her in this outfit.

 

[Saga]

Very cool. Is the blonde in red Ms. Marvel? I only know her in this outfit.

yes. that red outfit was the first costume she wore.

 

[Noname Given]

After watching the trailer and as and old FF fan, I like that it appears we'll see the FF (and least Reed and Sue) of this unverse at some point.

 

[Christopher]

^We've already seen a photograph of the FF and a couple of references to them in the show.

 

[ToddKent]

Reed showed up in an episode in season 1 but didn't have any lines. Johnny and the Thing showed up in a different episode we're they helped out when the city was under attack.