The Avengers (2012, Joss Whedon)

For some inexplicable reason, partway through The Avengers, director Whedon and his cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey, decide to switch over to really bad DV. The entire movie might be DV, but the middle section is painfully obvious. With Tom Hiddleston’s British machinations, it feels like the biggest, strangest (and possibly worst) “Masterpiece Theatre” ever.

While Whedon’s responsible for a lot of the film’s problems–the lousy first act, the utter absence of character development, some of the least ambitious direction in motion picture history–some of the problems came with the project. Sam Jackson isn’t just ludicrous, he’s bad. Scarlett Johansson as a Russian? And a super spy? It’s absurd.

But Whedon doesn’t give his better actors much to do either. Both Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. meander for the first half, though Evans is a little better (Downey recovers in the second half). Mark Ruffalo does better. Chris Hemsworth barely makes an impression; his appearance feels contractually obligated more than anyone else’s.

The movie does come together eventually though and Whedon does come up with some really funny scenes. He starts the movie incompetently small and then brings in the spectacle. The spectacle works, regardless of his direction, it’s just too bad The Avengers isn’t a cohesive work.

Hiddleston’s pretty good as the only non-CG villain and Clark Gregg does great supporting work. Jeremy Renner’s minuscule presence is inconsequential; Cobie Smulders is terrible.

Alan Silvestri’s score is dreadful.

But, as I said, The Avengers spectacle does entertain. Eventually.

The Avengers (1963) #266

Av266

So, in this Secret Wars II epilogue, the Molecule Man finally gets a happy ending. And since Shooter isn’t writing it, Volcana’s just a dim bulb, instead of being the target of endless misogyny. There’s also an (early?) example of She-Hulk tramping around, picking up Hercules in the conclusion of the issue.

But the Silver Surfer frames the whole thing and I wondering if Stern realized how perfect it was to use him, an alien observing the possible end of the planet. Regardless, it’s a nice move. This issue might be better than every other Secret Wars II crossover issue–or close, anyway.

I’m a little perplexed how the Wasp managed to be a popular character for so long, since she’s such a vapid twit. And can anyone tell me if the Black Knight and Captain Marvel get together? They should, but I don’t care enough to read more.

The Avengers (1963) #265

Av265

Wait, hillbillies don’t know who the Avengers are? The things I learn reading Secret Wars II crossovers….

This issue features–finally–the scene where the Beyonder reveals his body is just a modified copy of Steve Rogers’s body. Well worth reading thirty issues for that non-moment in comic history.

Otherwise, Stern seems to be doing his best not to emphasize the silliness of the crossover, which isn’t the same thing as the comic book good. Instead, there’s bickering between Hercules and Namor. It goes on for pages, actually, maybe the entire first half of the comic book.

Then the Avengers attack the Beyonder and they get beat up and he has a bunch of idiotic dialogue (did it hurt the more capable Marvel writers to write such drivel?), then the issue ends.

I like the Black Knight and Captain Marvel. They aren’t annoying like the rest of the cast.

The Avengers (1963) #261

Av261

This Secret Wars II tie-in is a regurgitation of all the other Secret Wars II tie-ins–well, maybe not all of them, but a lot of them. It’s the Beyonder trying to understand the human experience, this time playing with the Avengers.

It’s as lame as his costume on that front. And his costume is really lame. About half the issue is dedicated to the tie-in, with the other half concentrating on the Avengers themselves (was Captain Marvel the ostensible lead of the book at this time? She’s the only one who gets to go home and be off duty for a couple page).

There’s a page or two of politics, the Avengers losing their FAA privileges for the quinjets, which provides a nice monotony after the issue opens in deep space with the Skrulls.

Cap still does sound like Chicken Little warning everyone about the Beyonder.

The Avengers (1963) #260

Av260

I know people love The Avengers, but I never really got into them. I think I read West Coast as a kid, but I don’t know. Probably. I probably did.

Anyway, this issue reminds me more of Star Wars (one of the second two prequels mostly) than it seems like what an Avengers comic should be. It’s all very interstellar and, well, boring. The Wasp comes off badly, which I found interesting. I always thought she was supposed to be cool, but here there’s definitely something nasty about her.

But none of the Avengers are really the main characters in the issue. Firelord isn’t an Avenger and he opens the issue. Starfox is an Avenger? He has the next most to do, but only because he can tie in with the Skrulls and the space battle bad guy.

I am completely indifferent to it.

Funny outfit on the Beyonder though.