Deep thoughts on the Avengers…

 

Congratulations to the Avengers for setting back-to-back weekend records! I have to admit this is really, really cool. Growing up, there were two types of nerd, DC Comic and Marvel Fans (or Star Trek vs. Star Wars). I was a Marvel fan (with the exception of Batman, who is universally loved.) The old Marvel G.I. Joes written by Larry Hama were the first comic books I ever got into and it wasn’t before long that it spiraled into X-Men, Wolverine and other random assortment of Marvel properties.

Not only that, I loved watching the Marvel themed TV shows. I loved the old 1960’s Spiderman cartoon with the hit song, “spiderman, spiderman, does whatever a spider can…”, the old Incredible Hulk TV show with Lou Ferrigno, and of course, Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, with Iceman and Firestar. Spiderman and his Amazing Friends was one of the more popular 80’s cartoons and for its time featured good animation and decent plots.  We used to play like we were these characters all of the time.

But there was one Marvel property I wanted desperately to like, but just couldn’t do it because they were well, just too cheesy (even by my 80’s elementary school standards) and that would be the Avengers.  You can’t deny their place and history in the comic book world, but by the time I was a kid they were pretty second rate. I wanted to like them, I wanted them to be good, but they just weren’t.  That is, until now.

It really started with the Ultimate series, where Marvel reworked them into a tougher, grittier and more realistic series of characters. Then the movies starting coming out, and the characters became popular again.

There has never been a movie like the Avengers. They have been building up to this movie with a series of FIVE other movies for years now.  The stakes for Marvel, Disney, and director Joss Whedon were huge and many questions were raised as to whether or not they could pull it off, and they did, with amazing results.

Think of it this way, Iron Man 1 & 2, Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk were all on some level, decent movies that did well. Sure Iron Man 2 wasn’t nearly as good as the first one,  and Hulk wasn’t as good as Captain America, but for all intents and purposes, all of those movies were decent, if not great, on one level of another. If you are a movie production company, say DC, wouldn’t you take those results any day? Look at Superman, Catwoman and the Green Lantern.  (Dark Knight is all they have had.)

“Spider-stan, Spider-stan…”

It’s great to see these old, classic characters be given a chance to shine.  Did you ever think the Avengers would outsell X-Men comics?  As a Joss Whedon fan I am thrilled to see him finally cement his place as one of the new talented directors. More importantly, as a Stan Lee fan I am thrilled to see the Avengers do so well.

I have to think the ole’ Generalismo has got to have a grin on his face. These last few years have seen the smash success of his greatest creations, from Spiderman, to the X-Men and now the Avengers.  I hate to say it, but he is getting up there in age, and we don’t know how much longer he will be with us.

I have to think that as a writer and creator these films and comics will go down as a lasting tribute to his legacy. That when his time does finally come, he can rest in peace knowing he will always be remembered. Not just by comic fans and nerds, but by the greater population of movie going America, and the millions he inspired.  And of course, by a young, red headed kid with whom it all started by staying up late at night and reading G.I. Joes. Here’s to you Stan, Excelsior! And we salute you.

Avengers Pre-show and The Cabin in the woods review

In Joss We Trust . . .

The less you know about The Cabin in the Woods, the better.  The movie has been promoted as a horror film about 5 young adults taking off for a weekend trip to the titular cabin and that’s really all you need to know walking in.  The familiar premise might make you roll your eyes, but despite the lack of Autobots, Cabin, is more than meets the eye.

The film begins by introducing a parallel story involving a pair of lab-

like employees Siitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whidford) swapping wife complaints while preparing for some sort of event. The scene goes on long enough to remind you that this isn’t what you’re here to see. Aren’t you supposed to to be watching kids get violently murdered? What is going on?

What is going on indeed. This brief, disorienting intro sets the tone for the rest of the film: Something is not quite right here. However, before you have time to dwell on the question, the film flashes its title credits and starts setting up the conventional horror film formula: 5 college students heading out to an isolated lake cabin for a weekend of partying, pot, and. . . . hooking up. Each member of the group also fills a standard role. There is the naive, virginal(ish), Dana (Kristen Conolly), her hot, promiscuous roommate, Jules (Anne Hutchison), Jules’s studly alpha male boyfriend Curt (Chris Hemsworth), their pothead friend, Marty (Fran Kanz), and the handsome friend-of-a-friend, Holden (Jesse Williams), who simultaneously fills the role of potential love interest for Dana and ethnic minority. The quintet sets out and right on time, cue an ominous encounter with a grimy, tobacco chewing hermit, whose warnings the group undoubtedly ignores as they continue to their middle-of-nowhere destination.

From here, the parallel stories start to weave into each other and not much more can be said without major spoilers.The film surprises bit by bit, then snowballs with plot twists and reveals, until it culminates in an outrageous half hour finale of frenzied chaos, gleeful gore, and winks to classic villains and baddies that horror geeks love. Cabin is a treasure trove of horror fanatic goodies. The fiendishly clever script by was penned cult hero, Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and director of the the much-anticiated Avengers film), and Whedonverse  followers will recognize the auteur’s self aware style. There are lots of witty one-liners, nerd references, and visual gags that are just the right amount of absurd, including a passing bit involving a collapsible bong.  There’s also a very well-timed cameo that’s sure to delight sci-fi fans.

Whedon and his often creative partner, director Drew Goddard, have always had a flare for old school horror bloodshed and there’s plenty of gore to spare in Cabin in the Woods. Be warned, this is a very violent film, but it’s never truly scary. Instead, Cabin is both a satire and celebration of the horror genre, inventively twisting horror cliches and bending conventional tradition to ask the questions: Why do we love horror films so much? Why do we root for these violent deaths? Are the victims’ demises a result of their own free will or the machinations of forces they can not control? 

The Avengers is not the only Whedon-vehicle that is a must see this year. Even for those not keen on horror films, it’s a fun genre-pushing film that will delight, surprise, and thrill you. By the end, you won’t be quite sure what just happened, but you won’t be sorry it did.

Cabin in the Woods get 4.5 Babbles out of 5.

Avengers Assemble!

Marvel Studios just released a new set of posters to promote the upcoming Avengers extravaganza. All the characters are in their expected ‘hero’ stance with the exception of Scarlett’s Black Widow- who’s seemingly most heroic attribute is her butt. Nevertheless, not sure how this movie can live up to all this hype but…in Joss we trust.

The Avengers Trailer!

Dang Joss Whedon is bringin’ it!

Go over to http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/marvel/avengers/ to watch the trailer in HQ. Leave your comments on what you think below.

EW’s Avengers Cover and set photos!

Looks like a weird family photo. Everyone just looks a little off.

‘The whole enterprise is falling apart. Egos, tempers, uneasy alliances and bad attitudes are threatening the group, and failure would be catastrophic.’ – EW

Chris Evans aka Captain America, and Robert Downey Jr. aka Tony Stark/Ironman

Scarlett Johansson aka Black Widow, and Jeremy Renner aka Hawkeye.

Chris Hemsworth aka Thor with Joss Whedon, RDJ, and Chris Evans on the set of Avengers.

Captain America spotted on the Avengers set!

The Avengers is currently shooting in downtown Cleveland posing as NYC.

Captain America fighting:

Explosions.

The Avengers Teaser Photo

This new Avengers teaser photo was released today- reinforcing that these heroes are assembling. However, don’t you think the HULK needs a bigger chair?!?! The Avengers is set to release May of 2012- which can’t come soon enough!

The AVENGERS teaser trailer

Even though it’s 2 years away, Marvel has released a teaser trailer at Comic Con to whip fan boys into a frenzy. The Avengers, under the direction of Joss Whedon is set to release May 4th, 2012.

Saturday: Day 3 of Comic Con

Some of my friends with home-made CHUCK T-shirts for the panel on Saturday morning

A pretty amazing Hawkman from the DC universe

Star Wars had an amazing diorama of the entire Hoth scene from Empire Strikes Back

Rebellious teens show up to Comic Con in the form of Teen Titans

Now I know what it is liked to be encased in Carbonite!

Olivia Munn was interviewing Daniel Day Kim for the G4 live broadcast. Asian power!

  

Ironman was well represented as a fan favorite

Harrison Ford makes his very first appearance to Comic Con in handcuffs- mocking an earlier incident in Hall H. It was the loudest applause I had ever heard for a single individual!

The highlight of the day was the surprise AVENGERS panel with the entire cast led by a very enthusiastic Joss Whedon

Tony’s Audition for the Comic Con Documentary

As a proud Babbler and total nerd, I am auditioning for the upcoming documentary on Comic Con called Episode Four: A Fan’s Hope. It is being shot on location this year. The purpose of the doc is to follow around a few Comic Con fanatics as they are immersed in the amazing four day experience. Being produced by the legendary Stan Lee and visionary creative Joss Whedon, this documentary is sure to honor the ‘nerd arts’ and capture the spirit of the annual Comic Con. It is also being directed by talented storyteller Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me. My dream is to highlight BabbleOn 5 and share our team’s passion for the best event of the year- the San Diego Comic Con.
Show your support by clicking on this YouTube vid and leaving a positive comment. Thank you!

Learn more about the documentary on Morgan Spurlock’s page.

Fan-made AVENGERS posters

With IRON MAN 2′s multiple (and excessive) references to the upcoming 2012 AVENGERS, the mania for this ensemble superhero extravaganza is blowing up like a nuclear bomb. Can it possibly live up to the hype? Here a couple of great fan-made posters imagining the AVENGERS assembling for the first time. I’m sure many more are to come. With Joss Whedon attached to the project, it dramatically increases the chances that it won’t suck (he rocks!). Does this get you excited?: