We Have An Army

I don't normally post a new entry mid-week, but the reason for the delay of this week's entry should be made immediately clear at the very end.

Anyway, unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably cried yourself to sleep over the awesomeness of the Superbowl trailer that features, among other things, this one memorable line:

Well, if Wonder Man from last week's final issue of the Avengers: Children's Crusade is to be believed, so do the Avengers.

Art by Edward Cherniga for the upcoming Upper Deck trading cards set.

Of course, the movie's continuity is worlds away from that of the current comics but I couldn't help noting the irony.
I did mention in a previous entry how the Avengers is neither a family nor a school.
But an army?

Okay, maybe that sounds about right considering that since the revamp and reorganization of the Avengers franchise about two years ago, there have been four different squads running about regularly and two assembled for only brief periods (i.e., miniseries), including the Young Avengers.

Heroic Age Avengers by Marko Djurdjevic

So here now are my thoughts on the Avengers teams and titles of the past couple of years, quite notable for being the period with the most number of legit A-teams simultaneously in operation. Thankfully Fear Itself hasn't quite shaken up the status quo unlike in previous years when we've seen radically new lineups and titles following the Civil War and Secret Invasion.

We may as well get started with the Young Avengers.
Marvel did right by me when they decided not to let any other creative team alter this group other than their creators, writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung. Sure, they've been involved in a few scuffles here and there, but for the most part, their membership have remained intact... at least until the very end of Heinberg and Cheung's Children's Crusade.

Speaking of which, yes, it was was almost near-torture to endure almost two years plagued with delays for a 9-issue miniseries plus a special one-shot (that Heinberg did with Allan Davis), but every issue that came out left me completely satisfied me as a fan not just of the Young Avengers, but the Avengers in general! And that is already more than I can say about some of the current story lines running through the titles.

As for the main team, the folks we have on the left is pretty much the same as who we had in the beginning of the relaunch. Just swap Thor with Storm and Bucky Cap with the real thing plus add in the Red Hulk, the original Vision, and Quake (No, that's not Maria Hill). Oh, and yes - no more Wolverine and Spider-man!

I don't want this to turn into a case of Bendis-ranting (there'll be time enough for that later), so I'm not gonna comment on the quality of this book so I'm just gonna tackle the cast.

I want to be thrilled that Storm is finally among earth's mightiest heroes but her induction was kinda lame and she so far has not done anything significant. And the Red Hulk and Quake are like Ares and Echo all over again! They just don't belong on this team!

As for Bendis' other group, the New Avengers. Again, not much has changed since the relaunch except for the addition of Daredevil! (Not in picture are Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Mockingbird, and Jessica Jones.) I've been waiting for him to join and now he's finally here!

I want to like this book and its lineup, I really do. It's just that Bendis' writing, supposedly better with these street-level characters, just really left me disappointed with the first 14 issues (WTF was Mockingbird doing with the iPhone?), except for issues 7 and 8.

I'd like to see this team intact when Bendis finally leaves the Avengers alone and let other writers work them. Well, almost intact. Ms. Marvel should really be on the main team along with Storm and Spider-woman. Now that she's poised to become Captain Marvel, who knows?

Throwing a bit of a curve ball here, but this is the other miniseries I mentioned earlier: The Dead Avengers featuring original Captain Marvel, the original Swordsman, Doctor Druid, Deathcry, Yellowjacket, and once again the original Vision! (This storyline took place way before his re-introduction above).

The team was assembled in a 3-issue miniseries that tied in to Chaos War. It was exciting for me to see these characters (who I haven't seen in forever on account of being, well, dead) back in action even for a little while. This isn't the first time I enjoyed an adventure with deceased Avengers, but I'm curious why the Wasp, Scott Lang, and the Jack of Hearts weren't included in the lineup.

And now for the two titles I'm currently enjoying immensely:

Avengers Academy! And no - it's not a girl power book like what the cover on the left seems to suggest. It is, however, very empowering. It started out with the Avengers steering an all new set of characters who also had the biggest potential to end up villains towards the right path.

Now the Academy has opened its campus, which has relocated to the old West Coast compound following Fear Itself, to any young (and already established) superheroes including Lightspeed of the Power Pack, the new White Tiger, and even X-23! Reminds me of the time when the Initiative brought in new recruits also made up of existing characters, including the new Ant-man!

Speaking of the Initiative, I'm glad those guys still frequently make guest appearances at the Academy - even if they're on opposing sides now!

And going back a bit to Ant-man, I'm glad writer Rick Remender kept the little guy around when he took over Secret Avengers after the runs of Warren Ellis, Nick Spencer, and the team creator Ed Brubaker.

Now that Steve Rogers is back with the main team as Captain America, he appointed Hawkeye as the new leader of this covert group, which now also includes Giant Man, the original Human Torch, and new inductees into the Avengers' ranks - Captain Britain and the new Venom!

Though one of the biggest disappointments I had with the original cast was Nova. Hope he can come back so they can do more with him. I hope Shang-Chi comes back also since there's an awful shortage of Asian Avengers!


And now for the reason I was late with this blog.

The first issue of Avengers Assemble featuring the movie cast just hit stores yesterday. Once again, in true Bendis fashion, issue number 1 was just one big prologue that you wouldn't understand until subsequent issues!

It's not exactly an entirely new group, but it is set in regular continuity so it would be very interesting to see the Hulk back in action with his former teammates.

The book will feature a rolling cast from the team's long history, so I hope they feature characters I haven't seen in a while!

This is so far the only regular title I'll be getting when everyone else ties into Avengers vs. X-men since this title won't be affected by that mess! Here's hoping it's worth my while!

Not included in this entry are defunct teams and titles. For a comparison of past and present Avengers lineups, check out Newsarama!

My Avengers Assembly

It's officially 50 days until the movie hits Philippine cinemas, which means I'm halfway through this blasted countdown! As much I'd like to go on a long exposition of anything related to the Avengers, I've had a really long day and I have an even longer day tomorrow! So I'll make this quick.

Here are two recent additions to my ever-expanding Avengers collection that I just nabbed a few hours ago from Greenhills:

The Falcon and the Black Widow loose Superhero Squad figures.

I was hoping to find enough loose figures to complete this lineup:

SDCC 2010 Exclusive Avengers  Lithograph by Alex Ross

The thing about me is that I rarely collect loose toys. I prefer them packaged with Avengers branding.

Avengers Face-Off Superhero Squad

Hasbro Marvel Universe Original Avengers

SDCC 2011 Exclusive Avengers Mini Muggs 

Toy Biz Marvel Collectors Edition Original Avengers

Original Avengers MiniMates

Of course, that's not all I have!

My collection circa 2007.
Click here for detailed descriptions.

Updated collection 2012.

Evidently I have a penchant for smaller items mainly because I'm collecting a team here and I need to conserve space!

Anyway, some of the newer items added to my collection not covered in the previous blog:

Superhero Squad Quinjet

Emperor Doom Graphic Novel and Next Avengers DVD

More books and hardcover collections!

More than 10 years worth of adventures - now in two boxes! 

There's a very special story about this poster. Click here.

Siege / New Year 2010 swag

Huge-ass Marko Djurdjevik Avengers Heroic Age poster!

As you can see, I got everything I wanted and more!
Of course, my collection is expected to grow even more what with all the merchandise tied to the movie and all. Actually, I just placed an order for the following items not related to the movie:

Avengers 7-piece play set figurines

Marvel Universe (more like New Avengers + Hulk!) 7-piece play set figurines

And now I'm also hunting for these items:

Avengers Mini-kit featuring a Captain America figure, an official Avengers logo pin and a 48-page guide book!

Avengers Resin Figures Set of 8

Yep, it's definitely gonna get expensive and expansive here when the movie hits.
Speaking of which, user frenxy77 of the Pinoy Toy Kolektors forums shared this little tidbit:

Looks like we have the schedule of the toys’ local release!

I really hope to add some nice apparel and games to this collection.
Maybe the next time I update my collections blog there will be!

Shout Out To My Fellow Fans!

Last week, upon spotting it at the Trinoma branch of Planet X, I made an impromptu purchase of this item:

Avengers: Official Index to the Marvel Universe

I didn't know it existed nor did I know what was in its pages, but reading the description at the back of the book, I figured it's an important tome for any fan to have.

Which brings me to the point of this week's blog:
I. Am. An. Avengers. Fan.
A big fan!
In fact, probably the ultimate Avengers fan... here in the Philippines at least.

I know only one other person who shares my love for the Avengers and that's my friend Oliver.
Check out his awesome work of art featuring... who else?

Check out Oliver's DeviantArt!

Oli's also a big fan of other comic book titles and characters from Marvel, DC, and even the independent rebels. Meanwhile I can't be bothered to read or care about other characters, which I guess makes me an exclusive Avengers fan boy!
Thing is: I know people who are exclusive fans of Superman, Batman, Spider-man, the X-men, etc. I even know people who are fans of Cap, Iron Man, Thor, and all the individual heroes who make up the Avengers.

But there just aren't that many fans of the team.

Photo from cosplay group Avengers Philippines

Sure, there are the Avengers cosplayers and the collectors (neither of which I am). Sure, there are even those who buy the comics because they're either blown away by Bendis' writing or because Spidey and/or Wolvie also just happen to be there.

This is what I do as a fan! I create!
Check back my deviantart for more!

And because there aren't that many fans here or even around the world, I would take any chance I can get to really reach out and connect with those I encounter.

Avengers vs. X-men cosplayers. Photo by Kit Perez.

Thankfully, there's the Avengers Forever Facebook group, which was set up and managed by the same people behind the now-defunct AvengersForever.org (which was a nice fan-run website that had great sections like profiles, downloadable goodies, interviews, reviews, etc).
Oliver is also a member along with a couple of our fellow Filipino fans who are based overseas.

Speaking as a fan, I'm not really happy with these licensed apparel designs
I spotted at SM Department Store.

Also a member of the group is Van Plexico himself who is the owner of possibly the oldest Avengers fan-site: AvengersAssembled.net. That's where I used to get all the news and information about the Avengers back when I started being a fan. He's also the editor of two books about the Avengers by fans for the fans (which is to say, they were unofficial):

Assembled!

I have yet to get my copy!

And of course, thanks to the movie, there are the denizens of Tumblr who claim that they're fans of the Avengers. I hope they remain fans until after the movie and explore the rest of the Avengers' world!

Outdated photo of my Avengers collection back in 2007.
This has since grown and is bound to grow even more!

So if you're reading this blog and you're a fan of the Avengers regardless if you're exclusive or if you only got excited because of the movie, and regardless if you're a Filipino, in the Philippines, or what have you, let me know!

Leave a comment below and let's talk Avengers!

Assemble!

Of the Widow and the Wasp

It's officially 65 days until the movie hits local shores. That's just a little more than two months away and I have to fill that time up with this weekly blog about anything and everything Avengers.
For this week's edition, I wanna tackle these two Avenging ladies.
One is a founding member. The other is in the movie.

From Black Widow and the Marvel Girls

Both are insect-themed heroes created by the man himself: Stan Lee.
Both debuted during the opening salvo that heralded the age of Marvels.
Of course I can just as easily be describing Marvel's flagship character, but what I've come to realize recently is that these two ladies occupied a certain niche position that Marvel didn't define for their first few female characters like Susan Storm or Jean Grey. Rather, their roles in the grand scheme of things were originally set by DC, not necessarily for female characters, and that's what makes them interesting.

First let's look at the Wasp.

From United They Stand

Sure, just like the two previously mentioned ladies above, she's the token founding female of the Avengers, but prior to that she was Ant-man's partner - in more ways than one.
Sure, she debuted as a heroine, but not in the way that Marvel, at the time, placed them: As the doting, more powerful paramour of the leader in a team.

Figures from the Toy Biz original Avengers boxed set

Rather, she performed the role of sidekick, distaff counterpart, and even romantic interest - tropes roles that DC markedly defined with Robin, Batgirl/Supergirl, and Lois Lane.
And Janet Van Dyne had to be all that for Hank Pym.

Now let's look at the Black Widow.

From Earth's Mightiest Heroes

She's only the third female recruit to the Avengers' rank whose career started off as a villainess to Iron Man. It would be easy to make the Catwoman connection at this point, but it's her role as Hawkeye's recruiter that makes her a curious case.

From the upcoming movie

She was the alpha female (Again, a rare occurrence among Marvel ladies at the time) - a mysterious, non-powered but lethal one at that - who went after an enemy with superior weaponry and took in an orphan from a circus.
Sound familiar?
In this light, all the roles that the Wasp played for Ant-man fall on Hawkeye.

From Ultimate Avengers

As for the Scarlet Witch, well, her character development is very Marvel. Just like the Invisible Woman and Phoenix, she was the all-powerful token female member, beginning with the villainous Brotherhood, then with the second wave of Avengers along with Hawkeye and Captain America. In both instances, her twin brother Quicksilver was with her. He may not be the leader of either groups nor her paramour, but he still fits the role of overly protective male like a glove.

The first three lady Avengers!

Thoughts?
Feel free to comment below.

For a related entry, please check out my post in my previous blog where I argue that the Invisible Woman is possibly Marvel's Wonder Woman.

My Issues with the Avengers

A few days ago I thought I'd blog about the Avengers vs. Justice League debate, but I had completely forgotten the meat of it, so I thought I'd share something else.
I thought about blogging why I have a particular distaste for the Skrulls and why I keep hammering that they're NOT GONNA BE IN THE MOVIE, but I think one Skrull-related rant for this week is enough.

So I thought I'd share something else a bit more positive. (And you thought I was gonna rant, didn't you?)
I was thinking a while back how certain issues of the comic certainly fell on very important dates in my life.

One in particular was released before I was a fan, before I even discovered the Avengers, before I even took any interest in comics and superheroes, in fact: Before I was even born!

Avengers Annual 10 (1981)

Yep, it's the annual of my birth year, released just a few months before I was born. I don't have a physical copy of this issue, but I have read it and it's a great issue to be sure! Guest stars abound, the storytelling is topnotch (Chris Claremont baby!), and Al Milgrom's art has a tinge of George Perez (my fave Avengers artist)!

More importantly: a) this was the very first appearance of Rogue who was my favorite X-men; b) this had a story centered around Ms. Marvel - one of my favorite Avengers; c) this featured a guest appearance by another favorite: Spider-woman!

I've said it once before, but if I only get to own one issue to keep forever, it would be this!


Another important issue, of course, is the one that made me a big fan.

Avengers Vol. 3 No. 34

I was turning 19, I had just finished taking a quarterly high school exam, and I had money. What's a geek boy to do? Go to the mall and check out comics (and - ugh - watch Battlefield Earth). I was getting pretty bored with the X-men at the time and wanted to check out something new and I remembered the Avengers/Thunderbolts were having a crossover at the time, so I thought I'd check that out.

It took the very first panel to convince me that I dare not leave Filbar's without this issue.

"It all started--" said the text box. How very true for me!

Sadly it was Perez's last issue and I debated with myself for a while if I wanted to follow the series considering it's the art that got me hooked in the first place. We all know how well that turned up, don't we?


One of my stipulations at the time was that writer Kurt Busiek was still with the series so it's bound to be good - AND IT WAS - but even he had to say goodbye.

Avengers Vol. 3 No. 56

But not without leaving something for me.

(Click to enlarge. Look for the letter by "Nicky Aniceto".)

Yes, I had used a different name. I don't remember what I was angry at my mom's side of the family about, but I was convinced I was going to use my dad's last name forever.


And, of course, the best thing the folks at Marvel ever did for me as a fan was printing another letter I sent on an issue that came out exactly on my birth month, exactly 10 years since I first picked up an issue!

Avengers Academy No. 5

As fate would have it, Academy is the only one of all the current titles with a letters page! This issue is cover dated Dec. 2010, but it came out two months earlier - just in time to celebrate my birthday!

Click to enlarge. Yes, I used my real name this time.)

Except for the last issue, everything else are just brilliant coincidences, but they do make me feel happy - nay, GIDDY - as a fan!

You know what else is a cool coincidence? They released the official trailer to the movie just a few days before my birthday last year!

So, if any of you guys reading this are fans, tell me: Which issues of your favorite book are really important to you?

Maximum Spoilage

Right now it's Superbowl weekend in the US.
Unfortunately I'm not in the US nor am I a fan of football (or any sport for that matter).
So what this really means for me or anyone who is a big fan of the Avengers is that we get a new trailer for the upcoming movie.
Seeing as this is just a 30-second spot, I don't expect surprisingly new footage.

Which brings me to the point of this new entry:  I want to be surprised.

Why is Thor looking another way?!
From Entertainment Weekly.

Just a few days ago, Marvel released a 10-second preview of the Superbowl spot, which totally did not make sense to me. That's 10 out of 30 seconds worth of footage, and judging from the glimpses of screen shots I unfortunately couldn't avoid, most of it is new. That means the next 20 seconds of the spot would have to be really new, never-before-seen, heard or even speculated on. And that's already a tall order considering the previously released full trailer in its American, German, and Russian translations already contain different sets of footage.

For this reason, I chose not to watch the preview and will patiently wait until the whole spot is uploaded on YouTube or something. Call it lowering my expectations so I don't end up disappointed, but I really just want to be blown away by the experience.

Seriously, Thor. Is this highlighting your good side?
From Empire Magazine.

Because that's exactly what happened with the previous Marvel movies leading up to the big one. Aside from casting news, I had no prior inkling as to what to expect from the movies. I didn't see any of those movies' concept art, official behind-the-scenes pics, leaked photos from spectators on set, not even the publicity shoots for magazines. That's probably one of the reasons I enjoyed those movies. For example, this guy's cameo in this movie came as a total shock to me but was apparently reported earlier on.

As far as THE MOVIE is concerned, I don't mind the concept art or the mag shoots, but I do draw the line at the on-set photos, regardless if they're official or not. Why? Because I'd rather keep the magic and the surprise alive. I want to see the film and never think "Hey! I saw how they did that!"

In live action!

I guess I'm just wary because the trailer they released last year left me a little underwhelmed as I have already seen much of the footage thanks to the barrage of leaked and official photos from the Cleveland and New York shooting. BTW, The fact that I know their shooting locations is disturbing me to no end.

I don't know if all these publicity stunts is Marvel Studios' way of making sure interest in the movie remains hot considering they've done a successful job of keeping a tight lid on everything else, but I'm still not buying. I want to be shocked, awed, and blown outta my wits when I leave that movie theater. So I'm keeping myself free of previews, spoilers, and even speculations.

Concept art featuring the team, the Quinjet, and Stark Tower!

That's not gonna be easy considering:
a) I need to be kept abreast of promo art as well as new merchandise; and
b) I'm using my Tumblr to share news about anything and everything Avengers. Unfortunately I'm not the only one who's posting Avengers-related content.

If you haven't already, check out this hilariously impressive DIY take on the Avengers trailer!

UPDATE (Feb. 6): The extended Superbowl spot (1 MINUTE LONG AND ALL NEW FOOTAGE) is here and it blew me away! Success!