Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War ~ I will say it up front, this is quite possibly the best of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies so far in my opinion. Marvel's The Avengers, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain America: Winter Soldier all run a tie for a very close second. And it's notable to mention that Ant-Man and Avengers are probably only in that running because of my love for those characters more than the movie itself, but still I would rank them top five easily. But Civil War, thematically an Avengers film and an official sequel in the Captain America franchise is still the best of the dozen or so MCU flicks.

The film is very loosely based on the Mark Millar and Steve McNiven miniseries from Marvel Comics a decade ago called Civil War where Captain America and Iron Man divided the Avengers and the entire American superhero community to go to war with each other over philosophical issues. It was a real war, and lives were lost and destroyed, and one of Marvel's greatest friendships was splintered for many years.

Justice League Rebirth

I've looked at the comic that started the whole Rebirth thing for DC Comics, and several of the Rebirth restarts for various characters. Now I'm looking at the restart of one of my favorite comic book franchises, Justice League Rebirth.

The monumental task of relaunching DC's major superhero team goes to Bryan Hitch, handling both writing and illustrating duties. Hitch has worked on the team before and is probably best known, at least to me, as the artist who brought Marvel Comics Ultimates - a super-realistic version of their Avengers - to life. I admired the attempt, disliked the story and the characters, but dug the art. I still like Hitch, somewhat (he draws an ugly Wonder Woman, sorry, but it's how it hits me), but this is not his best work, or perhaps his style is not right for the Justice League. I think it might be the latter, at least on the visuals. His Flash also bothers me, never looking like the Flash, but more like just some guy in a Flash suit.

Bryan Hitch is aware of the new continuity, and the old continuity. He's better than some of DC's guiding editors in this instance. I loved how he wove in the new/old Superman and the two semi-new Green Lanterns into the story to aid the remaining five Leaguers - Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg - against an oncoming alien threat.

At first, the giant alien monster attacking the unnamed city seems almost Lovecraftian, then kinda downgrades to a cheap Starro knock-off. Either way, the Justice League's triumph is straight out of "Doctor Who," specifically that first Matt Smith episode, "The Eleventh Hour," when he tasks the Atraxi to run, and tells everyone that Earth is defended.

Despite some problems, I liked this issue, not as much as some other Rebirth books, but enough to give it a chance if I come across it again.

Vixen on CW Seed

Having an adult animated series about a super-heroine of color is a wonderful thing, if only more folks knew about it. The genius mix of James Tucker and Greg Berlanti at the helm, along with setting it in the loose Arrowverse, that also features The Flash, Constantine, Arrow, and yes, even Supergirl, makes Vixen a truly hidden gem.

And hidden it is, on the CW Seed application for your phone or mobile device. This app also features the 1990s CBS television of "The Flash" starring John Wesley Shipp. There's other stuff but I can't remember what else, so it's not really even genre specific, or even a lot. This would a great place to put "Constantine," again provided the CW let anyone know about it.

Like most most comic readers, my first introduction to the Vixen character was in the ill-conceived, much-maligned, and underestimated critical failure known as 'Justice League Detroit.' In a deconstruction of the classic team, Aquaman disbanded the Justice League then rebuilt it using heroes who could give their time 24/7. A similar concept was done in Avengers in the 1960s when that team became 'Cap's Kooky Quartet,' basically Captain America and three former villains - they had to prove themselves the Avengers. Same thing here, mostly unknowns, including Vixen, and they were headquartered in Detroit.

This was where I first read Vixen, I'm sure she was around before that, in ads at least, before the infamous DC Implosion that cut production on much of the DC Comics line. Vixen may have even made an appearance or two but her advertised solo title never happened. Bad planning and bad economy killed a lot of good ideas that year, Vixen was only one of them.

Vixen had a sort of resurgence in the DC Animated Universe, appearing in "Justice League Unlimited" and later "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" before becoming part of the Brad Meltzer 'big guns' Justice League of America team in the comics. Now with her entry into the Arrowverse as the first animated series on CW Seed, she'll finally get the attention she deserves.

In the comics, model Mari McCabe is in possession of the Tantu Totem that allows her to access the abilities of certain animals for herself. With powers similar to Animal Man, but not quite, she is a terrific but criminally underused character. I'm happy to see her animated.

In the CW Seed series, in animation close to that television/anime style of the recent DC direct-to-DVD projects, we see her origins in the Arrowverse. Vixen's story is very good, but her first encounter with the Flash and Arrow is rather forced and weak, especially Cisco's naming of the character. It was kinda cool however seeing the two, hell, three heroes animated. And Mari's path of discovery to becoming a heroine is fascinating. I can't wait to see this animated Vixen come to life on "Arrow" this season.

Jessica Jones S01 E04: AKA 99 Friends

Producer/writer Hilly Hicks Jr., late of "The Big C" and a show that didn't get enough of a chance, "Kidnapped," wrote this one, with David Petrarca directing. Petrarca's resume includes "Boardwalk Empire," and "Game of Thrones," among others. That Marvel can command such talent amazes me. Comics have truly grown up.

As we open Jessica is pondering the eyes of the Purple Man. They're everywhere. Anyone could be in his thrall, watching her, taking pictures of her. It's maddening, and a lesser person would break. Jessica, she goes to work, and finds a new case on her doorstep.

Standard stuff - mad wife needs in flagrante photos of her philandering husband for the divorce, but it's the reference that's fishy. Paranoia's gonna getcha to paraphrase the Kinks. Once bitten, twice shy, to quote Ian Hunter. Jessica is remembering the Hope case from "AKA Ladies Night," which Kilgrave sent to her door.

Meanwhile Patsy, I mean Trish calls. The cop who tried to kill her last episode is back, and it's Jessica to the rescue. Trish isn't in danger; the cop is out of Kilgrave's power and now worried he had killed her. Jessica talks him down, her cover is blown, and now this cop knows more than she wants him to, but she calms him down.

While this could be a lesson in the scope of the Purple Man's powers and what happens to the people he throws away, there's a little more to this. We will see this guy again, I think. The cop was identified as Will Simpson, former special forces, and that matches up to something in the comics… Nuke. That Will Simpson was subjected to the same super soldier programs that created Captain America and Wolverine, became a cyborg, tattooed an American flag on his face, and fought Daredevil while rampaging through Hell's Kitchen.

Back on the case, Jessica, thinking Kilgrave is behind it, follows the wife not the husband. She sees her practicing her gun skills, and when Jessica is sure she's not mind controlled finally follows the husband. Like Admiral Ackbar always says, it's a trap, and not by the Purple Man, by the wife. She lost her mother in the Battle of New York, and blames superheroes. Learning that Jessica is 'special' and 'gifted,' she went after her. Big mistake.

Also in this episode we had the intriguing concept of a support group for Kilgrave's victims, a slowly growing at gunpoint friendship/relationship between Trish and Will, and the revelation of who's been following and taking pictures of Jessica. The Trish and Will thing is a bit creepy, and by the middle of this one I knew Malcolm was the spy.

Despite the twists and turns in this episode, and the lack of Kilgrave's physical presence, I dug this episode quite a bit, and I was relieved the Purple Man was not the major villain of the piece. The only letdown was the Hogarth divorce, which was as interesting as watching Diggle just stand around and do nothing on "Arrow."

Jessica Jones S01 E03: AKA It's Called Whiskey

For the longest time, superhero sex has been a verboten topic. It's rarely brought up out of immature puberty, Mad magazine, or Kevin Smith movies. There is that great Larry Niven essay "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex," Superman II, and in recent years the seen-but-not-spoken-of red solar lamp in Lois and Clark's bedroom... but for the most part, beyond innuendo, not much else. And yes, I am completely ignoring the Hank and Jan incident in Geoff Johns' Avengers.

In the last episode of "Jessica Jones," when our heroine and Luke Cage realize how strong and durable they both are, of course they have sex. Their first time in "AKA Ladies Night" was full of tentativeness and gentility, and remarks about not breaking each other. This time they can really cut loose, aware that 'normal' boundaries are no longer in the mix. They can relax and go with instinct and not hurt anyone - at least physically.

Just when I was going to make a comment about how Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter might only have chemistry when loving or brawling, I'm proven wrong by a post-coital coffee talk about their powers. It took three episodes, but the two have finally clicked. Colter was always good as Cage, but Sweet Christmas, Ritter finally caught up. I did dislike the idea that their destinies are intertwined however. Cage's wife being killed by a Kilgraved Jessica is a bit much, even for the funny pages.

With Jeri defending Hope, Jessica needs to turn public opinion regarding the case so she asks Trish out to lunch. Maybe some "Trish Talk" might sway some folks about the case. That's when we get a bit of explanation about Trish's training. She's doing Krav Maga, making sure she can defend herself now that Jessica isn't her roommate any more. That's why the training, the bruises, and the bloody nose. And then there's also her mysterious abusive mother. There's a lot more to Rachael Taylor's Trish Walker than at first meets the eye.

Patsy Walker is one of my favorite comic book characters, and not just because she has a cool last name. She first appeared in Miss America Magazine #2 as a romance/comedy feature in 1944, when Marvel Comics was known as Timely Comics. Think Betty and Veronica with cooler adventures. There's a very short list of characters who have been around non-stop since their beginnings in the Golden Age, and Patsy is one of them.

I was introduced to her when she popped into Avengers in the 1970s as a subplot that wouldn't go away. When the opportunity arose for Patsy to put on the powered costume of The Cat and join the Avengers in superheroing, she jumped at the chance, rechristening herself as the Hellcat, a more fitting name for this feisty redhead. She's floated around the Marvel Universe ever since, as an Avenger and as a Defender.

Seeing as the Defenders is the endgame for these first four Netflix series, I'm not the only one hoping Rachael Taylor will be donning a catsuit sooner or later. Also notably this is not Taylor's first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as she was also in 2005's Man-Thing.

In this episode, in an attempt to defend Hope, Jeri tricks Trish into putting it all out there on the air of her radio show about Kilgrave and mind control. Of course it tempts the Purple Man out of the shadows and he calls. Was I the only one watching with a stone in my stomach worried he might give a command to the entire listening public? I think not. Later as Jessica and Trish leave the studio they have an encounter with a fan who they suspect is an assassin sent from Kilgrave. The fan says he misses Trish's red hair and has a Patsy Walker comic book for her to sign.

When the real assassin does come in the form of a police officer, Trish does fight like a hellcat, but it's not quite good enough. Good thing Jessica comes to the rescue. And again, she fights with her wits as well as her fists. She follows the assailant back to Kilgrave and we finally get a look at him. He escapes and leaves Jessica in a room walled with images of her. He's been watching and he can be anywhere all the time. The eyes of New York are essentially his eyes...

See you later.

Jessica Jones S01 E01: AKA Ladies Night

I guess I should probably make this confession up front. I came to the character of Jessica Jones late. When writer/creator Brian Michael Bendis controversially came on board the Avengers franchise to much fanfare and derision, I sought out his other work just to see what we Avengers fans were in for.

My first impression was mixed. Bendis was, and is, a fantastic writer, but his style, no matter how things turned out (and they turned out well, he turned the comic into a million dollar franchise), was not for my Earth's Mightiest Heroes. I did not want Wolverine or Spider-Man on the team, or Spider-Woman or Sentry or Ares for that matter. I did not want the years long story arc of Secret Invasion. And most of all, I did not want deconstructionist thinking in my comic books. Bendis did all of these things, and yes, in hindsight, they all worked. But it wasn't my Avengers.

However, that said, in his other projects - before, during, after (and including) Avengers, they did work. Most notable and critically acclaimed was Alias, the title that brought us Jessica Jones. Operating outside and within the superhero universe that was the Marvel Universe, Jessica Jones was a former super-heroine, Jewel, who was now a private investigator. Later continuity implants placed her among the Avengers, and in the present day involved her with Luke Cage, now an Avenger, living with the team along with her and Luke's child. Because comics.

Now I normally dislike retcons unless they make sense and are absolutely necessary. Sometimes they are the mark of lazy writing. Bendis wanted Jewel to have a past with the Avengers so there it was. Don't get me started. Alias had some great stories, and some great storytelling, but the climax was what happened to Jessica to turn her from superhero to private investigator? This big question was the floater in the pool until we found out, and it appears to be the thrust of the Netflix TV series as well - the Purple Man.

"Marvel's Jessica Jones" was created for Netflix by, and the first episode was written by Melissa Rosenberg, and she's also an executive producer, and the showrunner. She is the award winning head writer of "Dexter," who also adapted most of the Twilight saga for the screen, and worked on "Birds of Prey," which was far better than anyone wants to remember. I am hopeful, and have faith in her abilities - despite how "Dexter" ended.

Also among the numerous executive producers for "Jessica Jones" is the character and series co-creator Brian Michael Bendis. Shouldn't he be busy wrecking the Iron Man comic or making the "Powers" TV series better? Yeah, that was sarcasm. Pardon me, I'm still bitt er about what he did to my Avengers…

The opening credit sequence is very cool, with graphics showcasing the art of David Mack, and I like the theme by Sean Callery. He's also scored "Homeland," "Le Femme Nikita," and "24" in both television and videogame formats.

I love the opening line of the series: "New York may be the city that never sleeps, but it sure does sleep around." Jessica is very old school Raymond Chandler down and out private dick, but one must wonder - would we have gotten such a gratuitous panties shot out of a sleeping Philip Marlowe?

From the first second we are thrust into the mood and vibe of this world. Film noir but in vibrant dark neon, mood music, and classic voiceover from private investigator Jessica Jones. Whatever my reservations about Krysten Ritter, they dissolved quickly. And without fanfare, even if one hasn't seen the trailers for the show, we get the hint, less than three minutes in, that Jessica may be more than we think.

There's also that longer than needed shot of the bus ad - the "Trish Talk" radio show - introducing one of my favorite comic book characters, one technically older than the corporate name of Marvel itself, Patsy Walker. No relation. And in this incarnation, she's blonde and going by Trish. I can't wait for more of her, whether she's 'catty' or not.

Carrie-Anne Moss' Ms. Jeri Hogarth is a gender-switched womanizing lesbian version of Jeryn Hogarth, a lawyer who worked closely with Danny (Iron Fist) Rand. We also get our first glimpse of Mike Colter as Rand's partner from the comics, Luke Cage, while Jessica is on stakeout and peeping tomming it while trying to stay awake. The scenes with Luke Cage are the only places where Krysten Ritter falters. The words are there as is the direction, and Mike Colter is great, but there is no chemistry at least for me. This is the only time where Ritter seems remote, robotic, almost as if she's reading the words. I didn't believe her at all.

And then we also got our first taste of David Tennant's Kilgrave, the series' big bad, known as Zebediah Killgrave - The Purple Man - in the comics. I love the purple neon effect of his powers, and now we know why Jessica drinks herself to sleep. The Purple Man's power is such that he's caused post-traumatic stress disorder in Jessica. The drinking helps, and reciting street names helps. Either way he still haunts her. When Jessica finds that he has set her up with her current case, finding a Midwestern couple's daughter, solely to bring her back into his web, she freaks out. A drop in on her old friend Trish to ask for money to get away polarizes Jessica to do the right thing and rescue the girl.

And that's when we find out just what kind of sociopath Kilgrave is. The ending is horrific. If "Daredevil" raised the stakes in what can be done in comic book superhero television, "Jessica Jones" takes it to a whole new level. I can't wait for more.

Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher

Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher ~ This animated feature comes to us from Madhouse, the folks behind Iron Man: Rise of the Technovore, and the four Marvel Anime series - "Iron Man," "X-Men," "Wolverine," and "Blade." I wasn't too fond of the feature, but I liked the first three series quite a bit. I was initially a bit conflicted seeing this one because as happy as I was to finally see the Black Widow get some time in the spotlight, I am not a Punisher fan.

This feature does not hold back on the violence, and is definitely not for the kids. As a matter of fact, the opening scene with the Punisher, a graphic bloodbath gunfight, is everything I hate about the character. My heroes don't wholesale murder dozens of individuals just because they're in the way. No matter his motivation, even if there's a heart in there somewhere, to me, the Punisher is a murderer and a villain, no better, if not worse than the 'scum' he 'punishes.'

Most irritating of all, regarding the sequence, is that the Punisher doesn't kill the big bad in charge, a fellow named Cain, but allows him not only his life but to escape as well, after killing dozens of his underlings outright. Punisher's murder spree is interrupted by Black Widow, Nick Fury, and S.H.I.E.L.D. They manage to only distract the killer. The Punisher in this feature is superhuman, almost supernatural, as if the animators were unaware of the character's origins and 'power set.'

A deal is struck, Punisher's freedom for his cooperation in the SHIELD mission that collided with his criminal massacre. Forced to work together, the Black Widow and the Punisher pursue Leviathan, a Russian offshoot of Hydra, who were among the big bads in the first season of "Marvel's Agent Carter." When Widow describes Leviathan to the Punisher, it's startling to hear his hypocritical care for dead civilians. Again, I reiterate, villain.

Now there's some weird stuff going on in this story. There's a character who's a mish-mash of both the original Red Guardian and Hank Pym foe Egghead, an anime stereotype version of Amadeus Cho staying at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Istanbul headquarters for some reason, and cool cameos of old school Marvel villains like Count Nefaria, Baron Zemo, Taskmaster, and others. The Hulk shows up as well, ridden by Amadeus Cho in a visual that conjures both the Imperial Guard's Warstar and Rankin-Bass' animated "King Kong."

And just so you don't think the Avengers part of the title is misleading - Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, and War Machine all show up late in the third act. They help wrap up Leviathan's bio-soldiers as well as Graviton, and the Griffin, and the other villains. Quite a finale, and I would love to see more anime Captain Marvel.

Now there is a nice evolution in the Black Widow and the Punisher's partnership. They go from opponents, to bickering couple, to the Widow actually teaching him something about mercy. So I didn't hate him as much at the end as I did at the beginning, but I still have intense dislike. The score by Tetsuya Takahashi needs to be mentioned also as its one of the best parts of this feature.

The animation is spectacular, visually stunning, and the kind we've come to expect from the company who also did "Death Note," Batman: Gotham Knight, and The Animatrix. And as much as it's not the Punisher we know, it is kind of cool seeing his eyes glow in combat. As I said, it's pretty violent, but worth seeing for comics fans, and Punisher fans will probably love it.

And if you'd like to hear more discussion of this feature, or my feelings about the Punisher, please check out this week's episode of The GAR! Podcast.

Marvel Morning Coffee

This past Friday I had the opportunity to speak with friend, fellow writer, and TV host Kristin Battestella at the RadioVision Network on their program "Morning Coffee." The topic was Marvel, in the movies, on television, and other media platforms.

We discussed Ant-Man, Avengers: Age of Ultron, the films that have worked, and those that have not. In the second segment we talked "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Agent Carter," and in the third segment, "Daredevil" and the rest of the Netflix series.

We also go off topic a bit talking about Ben Affleck's viability as Batman or Daredevil, what's good and about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as what's coming up in the future. You can see it right here. Good times, it was an awesome chat, with shout outs to Biff Bam Pop! and The GAR! Podcast. Thanks to Kristin, Morning Coffee, and the RadioVision Network.

RIP Patrick Macnee

We've lost another one of the legends of genre, one of the masterful actors of our time. Today, at the age of 93, we have lost Patrick Macnee.

Most of the time when folks read or hear me talking about the Avengers, it's the Marvel superhero comic, but Patrick Macnee was part of another Avengers team, the cool Avengers. In the 1960s spy series "The Avengers," Patrick Macnee played the quite dangerous gentleman in the bowler hat and the quick dry wit, and the always sexy female companion. Whether it was Honor Blackman, Julie Stevens, Linda Thorson, Joanna Lumley, or the dazzling mod minx Diana Rigg who accompanied him, John Steed was the epitome of quirky cool. "The Avengers" was smart fun television, the likes of which has rarely been seen since.

The series was by far his only claim to fame however. Macnee was an actor for decades, one of his first roles was in the Alistair Sim (the best) version of A Christmas Carol as young Marley. He's been in James Bond projects, played Sherlock Holmes, been in dozens of TV shows, and most memorably he was the demonic savior Count Iblis in the original "Battlestar Galactica." Macnee was also in This Is Spinal Tap, and he was even an invisible agent in the much-maligned theatrical version of The Avengers.

Macnee was a star of stage and screen, both silver and small, even appearing in music videos by the Pretenders and Oasis. We've lost a legend, and he will be missed.

Daredevil S01 E10: Nelson v. Murdock

The best friend is usually the last one to know. In the comics it seems that friendships and relationships outside the superhero business are kept in the dark far longer than those in the business. Oh sure, there are exceptions, notably employment situations as with Alfred Pennyworth and Batman, but for the most part, for every Thomas Kalmaku and Happy Hogan, there are dozens of James Gordons, Jimmy Olsens, Harry Osborns, and Etta Candys. And then there's Foggy Nelson.

Now as I've said before, I'm not a big Daredevil fan and the gaps in my comics knowledge of the character are large, but to me the character of Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson seems much more soap opera than the usual early Stan Lee fare. While Foggy is Matt Murdock's best friend, his law partner, and at the best of times, his conscience - the early comics portray him as almost a nebbishy comic relief sidekick, more of a Doiby Dickles than a Rick Jones. He was forever caught in that humiliating love triangle with Matt and Karen Page when he hopelessly pined after her while she was always in love with Matt.

And like a 1950s Lois Lane, he stupidly fell for Matt's ruse of having a twin brother Mike, to help cover up his secret identity. As lame as that trick was, I did dig the homage made in this series when Matt tells Night Nurse to call him Mike. Let's not even get into Karen's character as she also fell for Mike Murdock, and hard. But even as a kid, I looked at Foggy and I would never hire Nelson and Murdock - what if you got the dim half?

As the years go by, Foggy continued to be portrayed as ineffectual, and certainly various comics creators put him through hell. Bad marriage, unemployment, an on again/off again friendship/partnership with Matt - none of these things helped to strengthen his character. It's a sad state of affairs that he actually learns Daredevil's secret identity along with the rest of the world when he is outted by the press. And then, Foggy doesn't even believe it until he finds a beaten and battered Matt in costume, just as he did in our last episode.

I think the real turnaround for Foggy Nelson was in the much-maligned 2003 movie, and his portrayal by future founding father of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jon Favreau. A more gregarious personality and snappy aware dialogue saved him and made cool. And it's this version that Elden Henson mines in his Netflix version. On an interesting sidenote, Favreau also invigorated the similarly hated Happy Hogan in the Iron Man franchise. If I had my way, he'd play Steve Trevor in the upcoming Wonder Woman movie the same way.

In the last moments of "Speak of the Devil," a drunken Foggy came across the horribly beaten Daredevil in Matt's apartment, and is shocked to find its Matt under the mask. Well, at least it's better than reading it in the newspaper. We open as Matt wakes up. Night Nurse has been and gone, and Foggy is understandably angry. "Are you even blind?" launches us into the credit sequence and an "Arrow" style flashback.

Then, they were college roommates, fast friends with common backgrounds, and for Foggy, someone to look up to, and the perfect wingman. It's easy to see how betrayed he feels. The noose tightens when Karen calls and Foggy is forced to do the thing he hates Matt for - lie to someone he cares about.

Meanwhile Madame Gao, who along with Owsley is now all that's left of Fisk's legion of doom, takes a park bench meeting with the Kingpin. She delivers a warning and poses a question. Nobu's clan, who we almost certainly know is The Hand, has a long memory and will be taking their vengeance on Fisk. That's one, but more directly, Gao wants to know when Fisk will turn on her. She says he must decide if he is a savior or an oppressor, for he cannot be both.

Ben gets the bad news about his wife's care and decides to pack it in, giving all his notes to Karen. Under the premise of finding a home for Ben's wife, she has him drive her to a place far away, where she knows Wilson Fisk's mother is. This was a bit weird to me. Why didn't she just tell him, and save them both a lot of time? Speaking of Fisk, his benefit goes very bad very quickly. Poisoned champagne, with more than a few casualties, including possibly Vanessa. Somebody is going to pay...

We are also given, through the flashbacks, the last few pieces of Daredevil's origin. I was left wondering just how good friends were Matt and Foggy. At least how good a friend was Matt, while he's been lying to him for years. I have to admit to liking secret identities done realistically for once. Foggy's reaction to the truth is exactly what it should have been. I just wonder where this leaves their friendship as Foggy tosses their new firm sign in the trash.

As scenes change to address each member of the cast, one can't help but remember the last filler episode "Cut Man," where Matt was also incapacitated. This is a trick that works perhaps once a season, more than that, especially in a series meant to be binge-watched, it's a cliche. As we speed toward a conclusion, this is a solid STOP sign as opposed to merely a speed bump. Much happens and there's lot of good stuff here, but the trick is old and we can see the man behind the curtain.

There are some interesting tidbits in this episode. In Ben's office, among the newspaper clippings on his wall are those about the 'Battle of New York' and the 'Harlem Terror,' referencing the Chitauri invasion and the Hulk's rampage in Harlem, both from the Avengers movies. And in one of Foggy's flashbacks there is a case involving Roxxon, the oil corporation featured in both Iron Man 3 and "Agent Carter," which is constantly on the side of evil in the comics.

Avengers Assembled

If you're not tired of me talking about the Avengers, at the end of this post, you just might be.

I'm talking about the film Avengers: Age of Ultron in two places this week. First you can find me and The Bride discussing the film in the Disney-focused Make Mine Magic Podcast right here, and then if you want see me as well as hear me, I am joined by Biff Bam Pop! staffers J.P. Fallavollita, Jason Shayer, and Jim Knipp talking about the movie on the latest episode of the Biff Bam Popcast! that you can check out right here.

Of course you read my review of the film here, my hopes for it here, my reviews of the first Avengers movie then and now, and if you don't know who (or what) Ultron is, I tell you here.

And as sidebars to the film, my reviews of "Marvel's Agents of SHIELD" are here and "Marvel's Agent Carter" here. And if that's not enough, my reviews of Disney XD's animated series "Marvel's Avengers Assemble" are here. And if you want to discuss anything Avengers-related, check out the Avengers Forever group on Facebook here.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Yesterday I talked about re-watching the first Avengers film before seeing the new one. Today I'm tackling Avengers: Age of Ultron. Be warned right here right now, there will be spoilers.

Wow. When I walked out of the theater I saw a text from friend, fellow South Jersey Writer, and fellow Biff Bam Popper, Jim Knipp. He'd also seen the movie last night and wanted to know what I thought of it. I had to ponder the answer for a moment, then I typed back, "I didn't hate it."

I didn't hate it. I also didn't love it. I'm not even sure I liked it. In choosing Ultron as the antagonist, writer/director Joss Whedon must have known he was starting off on a bad foot. As I talked about in my article about Ultron over at BBP yesterday, without Hank Pym, there really is no Ultron. Without that creepy Oedipal complex and family connection to the Avengers, Ultron is completely interchangeable for any killer robot, and thus loses his charm and uniqueness.

So right out the gate, Whedon is already off-book by having Tony Stark and Bruce Banner create Ultron. Joss seems determined to stay off book, from the Hulk/Black Widow romance to Hawkeye's family to the almost complete ignorance of the "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." television series and events, it's like he wants to build his own continuity outside of the established Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's not just off-book, he's off the rails.

What it results in is an uneven film, a badly structured story, a disappointing film for comic book fans, and believe it or not, a boring film for action fans. There are multiple holes in the plot, illogical motivations, and probably many deleted scenes we'll have to wait for home release to see, but as is, this was unsatisfactory.

Let's start with S.H.I.E.L.D. Much has been made of Joss Whedon's comments regarding "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," but the facts are that not only is his brother a showrunner, but Joss is also a co-creator and executive producer on the show. His comments about the show invalidating his first Avengers movie can only be taken so far, and yet, the events of that TV series are both ignored and avoided in the new film. S.H.I.E.L.D., for all intents and purposes, no longer exists. This is a serious break in the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One could probably get their fill of No-Prizes explaining away how it does fit, but it doesn't fit well.

Spinning off of the S.H.I.E.L.D. issue is the presence of Hawkeye's family. In the comics the Black Widow is not just a close friend and partner, she's a former lover of Hawkeye. More than that, Bobbi Morse AKA Mockingbird, a prominent character on the "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." TV series, and soon to be star of her own spin-off, is Hawkeye's ex-wife, lover, and partner in the comics. On the show, a source of drama revolves around her working with her ex-husband Hunter, a character that doesn't exist in the comics.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the idea of movie Hawkeye having a wife and kids, and I'm a big Linda Cardellini fan. Whedon is obviously one of those fans who doesn't like Hawkeye, and dismisses him as just a guy with a bow and arrow. I'm sorry, just my opinion, but if you don't like Hawkeye, you just don't know Hawkeye. He is one of the most effective, most resourceful, and one of my favorite Avengers. And that's one of the biggest problems with movie Hawkeye not being comics Hawkeye.

The wife and kids goes against the comics history of the character, but it lends not only some background, but also some grounding and humanity to character. We understand him and care about him more. And of course it's always nice to see more of Jeremy Renner on the screen. And as far as comics vs. film continuity goes, perhaps Hawkeye and Mockingbird just haven't met yet.

Similarly the Hulk/Widow connection is a fiction of the films rather than the comics, however it's one I don't mind. While clunky at times, the party especially, it works, and succeeds in developing both characters. And except for the one bit where our only female Avenger is the captured damsel in distress (I hated this so much), this relationship, and the performances of Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo, is one of the best features of the film.

Speaking of the Hulk, the CGI effects were far superior this time than last. The Hulk resembles Ruffalo, has more emotion in his facial expressions, and moves nearly flawlessly with the live actors. Ultron on the other hand is terrible on that point. I was creeped out every time his lips moved, his eyes blinked, or had any facial motion. He looked like a badly formed Muppet. I wish his face had been unmoving metal, and they had kept the terrifying George Perez visage from the comics. That's the real Ultron. James Spader was a good choice for the voice, but every time the CGI Ultron physically spoke I was taken out of the film.

Paul Bettany's Vision was well worth the price of admission though I wonder why it was so hard not to make him look like he does in the comics. I found his design (I hated his head) unappealing to say the least. His actions - from his interaction with the Scarlet Witch (there is one look between the two when he rescues her at the end that is perfection) to his fighting style to his final confrontation with Ultron - were all wonderful. There should have been more Vision. Speaking of more, I loved seeing War Machine and the Falcon, but where was the Falcon in the final battle? He should have been there.

Some folks might poo-poo this one as set up for future movies, but I loved the bit with Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaw (they spell it Klaue, but we all know it's Klaw). Over and above Ultron, Klaw was an engaging adversary here, and I would have loved if not an appearance by Prince T'Challa, at least a mention. I guess I'll have to wait until Captain America: Civil War or Black Panther for that…

I have to make a confession. I have never liked Quicksilver. And it's not just that he's a third-rate Flash, he's also just a complete jerk, always has been, always will be. Pietro has always been too overprotective of his sister Wanda, an annoying wet blanket for everyone else, and when he freaked out about his sister's relationship with the Vision - he was borderline, if not dead-on, racist. Quicksilver, as far as I'm concerned, sucks.

What is fascinating however, is that much like Hawkeye, film Quicksilver -whether it's here in this movie, or over in X-Men: Days of Future Past - is sooo not comics Quicksilver. The films have made Pietro cool. I find it amusing that Joss Whedon, infamously noted for killing his characters, has found a way to solve the problem of Quicksilver being so annoying… he just got rid of him.

I'm glad Whedon simplified the Scarlet Witch's powers, even if one of them was merely a plot device to reveal secrets from the Avengers' pasts. I wish there had been more of that, and it was nice to see Hayley Atwell's Agent Carter if for only a few seconds. I would have liked to have seen more of the Red Room from Widow's flashbacks as it might have clarified the connections to the "Agent Carter" TV series.

Speaking of women, I was very disappointed to find no Pepper Potts or Jane Foster in the film. They were sorely missed, and the women we had were sorely used. I struck up a conversation with a gentleman while waiting in line who was wearing a Black Widow t-shirt. We talked about the lack of merchandise with female heroes, and women around us, many wearing Avengers t-shirts chimed in as well. To paraphrase Field of Dreams, if you make it, they will buy it. Are you paying attention, Marvel/Disney?

As far as Avengers: Age of Ultron goes, I was not thrilled with it. I did not leave the theater charged up and anxious to see it again as I did with the original movie. I left feeling empty and disappointed. With the knowledge that I would be seeing it again Sunday night with The Bride, I seriously wondered if I really wanted to see it again, and I think that says volumes.