The Avengers

[Previsionary]

Are you waiting for some Avengers?

Looks like the team will finally be done right. Some highlights

Further strengthening its robust animation slate, Marvel Animation, a division of Marvel Entertainment, announced today the production of an all new animated series, "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes." Production on 26 half-hour episodes is already underway using the production services of Film Roman, producer of "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill."

The new series, expected to be available for broadcast in 2011, continues on Marvel's already impressive television line-up which includes the all-new "Wolverine and the X-Men" and "Iron Man: Armored Adventures" series that will both debut on Nicktoons in 2009. Marvel Animation will also debut the all-new series "Marvel Super Hero Squad" and "The Black Panther" next year.

"The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" is an all-new property featuring some of Marvel's all-time favorite characters including Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Giant Man and Wasp. When the planet is threatened by super villains, time traveling conquerors, alien invaders, mythical monsters and mad robots bent on the total destruction of humanity, when forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero has the power to save the world, when there is no hope left...the Avengers assemble!

More at the link. Apparently, this also paves the way for the "Avengers" movie. Interestin' and all that jazz of sorts.

[BentonGrey]

Could......could it be?  Have my prayers been answered?  Are we going to get a JLU style Avengers cartoon?  Not based on the horror show that is modern continuity?  Now Wolverine, Storm, or other X-Men on the team, just the classic line-up?  I...I don't know what to say.  If this actually happens.....Marvel will be officially kicking DC's butt in EVERY area of entertainment.

[Podmark]

Cautiously excited about this. Animation in that picture is a little wonky but Spectacular Spider-Man and Wolverine and the X-Men are awesome shows. If this one is like them then I'll be very happy. 

[Talavar]

I call shenanigans on that press release!  Giant-man and Wasp aren't anyone's all-time favourite characters.

Still, I hope this show will be at least as good as Spectacular Spider-man or Wolverine and the X-men.  Will it be as good as JLU?  Probably not, but then, I don't consider either of the Marvel 'toons to be as good as it.

[BentonGrey]

Haha, actually Talavar, classic Giant-man is probably my second favorite Marvel character.  He's just behind Thor....of course they did do their best to make him utterly unlikable, but then again, they did the same thing with Aquaman.  I like to see the potential in characters........at least when their very beginnings aren't mired in horrible storytelling choices (I'm looking at you Nightwing).

[Midnite]

Is the image of the Avengers reflected off a fun house mirror?  :lol:

[Alaric]

I call shenanigans on that press release!  Giant-man and Wasp aren't anyone's all-time favourite characters..

I can see someone (erroneously) claiming that about Giant-Man, but the Wasp has often had a fairly large vocal fan-base.

[herodad1]

theyre animation looks like jlu.

[BentonGrey]

Yeah, the character designs leave something to be desired, but it could certainly be worse....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Avengers:_United_They_Stand

They really don't bother me.

[Silver Shocker]

I call shenanigans on that press release!  Giant-man and Wasp aren't anyone's all-time favourite characters.

Still, I hope this show will be at least as good as Spectacular Spider-man or Wolverine and the X-men.  Will it be as good as JLU?  Probably not, but then, I don't consider either of the Marvel 'toons to be as good as it.

Do you mean the first season of Justice League after it changed to JLU or back when it just started as Justice League? Because if it's the former, I don't think it's a fair comparison to compare the first season of one show (or in this case, two), to the third season of a series when the writers had really found their sea legs. I do agree that both shows are (so far) not as good as JLU from the third season on, but they're both really good and could probably be considered on par with the first two seasons of Justice League.

[GogglesPizanno]

I do agree that both shows are (so far) not as good as JLU from the third season on, but they're both really good and could probably be considered on par with the first two seasons of Justice League.

I have to disagree and say that even the best of the Marvel toons (thus far) is probably equal with the lesser of the Timmverse stuff. Marvel Animated stuff has always seemed like its gotten close but never quite nailed it.

[Talavar]

I call shenanigans on that press release!  Giant-man and Wasp aren't anyone's all-time favourite characters.

Still, I hope this show will be at least as good as Spectacular Spider-man or Wolverine and the X-men.  Will it be as good as JLU?  Probably not, but then, I don't consider either of the Marvel 'toons to be as good as it.

Do you mean the first season of Justice League after it changed to JLU or back when it just started as Justice League? Because if it's the former, I don't think it's a fair comparison to compare the first season of one show (or in this case, two), to the third season of a series when the writers had really found their sea legs. I do agree that both shows are (so far) not as good as JLU from the third season on, but they're both really good and could probably be considered on par with the first two seasons of Justice League.

Well, there's some truth to that.  The first season of Justice League kinda blows - it's certainly one of the weakest groups of episodes produced for any of the Timm shows.  The second season of Justice League knocked it out of the park though, and nothing I've seen in Spectacular Spider-man or Wolverine & the X-men comes close.  And while I greatly enjoyed all three seasons of Justice League Unlimited, its second season (or the 4th season of Justice League, depending on how you count the seasons) is definitely the strongest.

Maybe Spectacular Spider-man and Wolverine & the X-men will reach such giddy heights in later seasons, and maybe the Avengers will be great right out of the gate; I hope they so, but I have some doubts.

[herodad1]

although i'm a big hulk fan i wish they would have left him out and just went with cap,thor,ironman,hawkeye,vision,wasp,and scarlet witch.characters like wonderman,black panther,hank pym,hulk,and quicksilver could make guest appearances.even have beast stop by so him and wonderman could have a guys night out.they may be going to throw him in like they did superboy in the legion series.theres enough interesting characters on both teams without doing that.

[BentonGrey]

I'd hardly say that the first season of Justice League was as bad as y'all are saying.  It was not nearly as good as the best of the Timmverse stuff, but I would still put it above most of what I've seen of the new spider-man, if not by leaps and bounds.  Heck, that episode with Aquaman, cutting off his own hand to save his son, by itself raises that season up a few notches.  Still, that hardly matters.  I agree with you herodad, Hulk does seem out of place, but maybe he's only there for the first few episodes, like the Avenger's origin.  That could totally work, with the series quickly turning from him working with the team, to them hunting him at the instigation of Loki (as the Space Phantom wouldn't transfer particularly well, methinks).

[Talavar]

The first season of Justice League isn't terrible - though I may have given that impression with the comment 'kinda blows' - but it was pretty mediocre.  Though individual characters sometimes got moments to shine, the team wasn't well-depicted - in fact, they were somewhat incompetent, the new characters didn't receive a lot of characterization or motivation, and the storylines just felt uninspired, or small - they weren't worthy of the Justice League - plus Superman had those terrible cheek-lines.  Some episodes rose above that though - the first part of Secret Origins, the Justice Guild episode, the Injustice Gang episode, and the first season finale, where they fought in WWI - but my biggest problem was just knowing how much better the show should have been when compared to Batman TAS, Superman TAS & Batman Beyond. 

[BWPS]

but my biggest problem was just knowing how much better the show should have been when compared to Batman TAS, Superman TAS & Batman Beyond. 

Batman Beyond was so Shway.

[herodad1]

well as far as the avengers cartoon...who would you want on the team?seven characters.even why you'd want them.

[Talavar]

I'm pretty flexible on Avengers membership - aside from Captain America and Iron Man, there aren't too many people I think need to be on the team.

As to the cartoon's announced roster, I'm a little underwhelmed.  There's too much character overlap, and too much power overlap.  The announced team has 3 scientists - Banner, Stark & Pym - and 4 bruisers/bricks - Iron Man, Thor, Giant-man & Hulk.  Sure, they could portray Iron Man as more of a blaster type, but the point stands.

I'm not much of a Thor fan, but sure, he belongs I guess.  The hulk is a poor fit.  Either he's the stupid hulk, and then as much a liability as anything, he's Banner all the time, except when the team needs a save, and becomes a crutch, he's some variant of a smarter hulk - something I don't expect to see, or he's underpowered & made more of a team player.

Giant-man does nothing for me personally, and having a team with Iron Man, Hulk, Thor & Giant-man seems redundant.  He's strong and tough, but so are the rest of them - only moreso.  Sure, Pym is a scientist too - but so is Iron Man.  And Bruce Banner.  In a cartoon you don't want too much character overlap, and this seems to have it in spades.  Maybe he'd come in handy if something was on a really high shelf? 

The Wasp is a poor choice.  The team as presented in the press release has only one female character, and they choose the worst female Marvel superhero.  Ms. Marvel would be better, or maybe the Black Widow.  Or Tigra.  Or damn near anyone with two X chromosomes.

You can argue that it's a fairly "classic" Avengers line-up, which it is, but there are reasons they didn't stick with that line-up long in the comics.  Plus, as a cartoon for kids, I'm a little suprised at the single female character, and the total lack of ethnic diversity.  You might see it as tokenism, but I think it matters for kids to see their own ethnicities represented in shows like this.  Get Black Panther on the team or get Luke Cage.  Get Pulsar/Photon, the Falcon, Firebird - at least make an effort.

[Previsionary]

well, to be fair, we don't know how long this team will last and what will happen in the future. Kinda odd though, I didn't hear these type of complaints in the WatX lineup at all. Of course, I know what's to come there, but still..not one complaint about ethnicity. Makes ya wonder. I guess the difference is that Storm is there every other episode, no?

edit:

Also, I dont think they'll be using BP until his series starts...but then again, they're using ironman...confusing.

[Talavar]

Well, to be doubly-fair, Wolverine & the X-men has a better measure of diversity & gender representation from the get go.  I've only seen the 6 episodes aired so far in Canada, but they've got Storm, they've got Forge, they've got Shadowcat & Emma Frost - who, regardless of her outfit straight from Whore Island, has already been the hero of one episode. 

And while Nightcrawler & Beast may have mutated from white guys, they're the poster children of the mutants-as-excluded/oppressed-minority metaphor.

I'm not expecting the Super Politically-Correct Squadron, but it would be nice to see the Avengers reflect today's cultural mix even a little bit, instead of the Super White Dude Team, plus one guy's girlfriend.

[Podmark]

That's exactly the Avengers lineup I'd want to start with, with Hulk leaving after a couple episodes. Then as the show goes on bring in Hawkeye, Wanda, Pietro, Simon, Vision - the classics. If you need some racial diversity then bring in Falcon or Black Panther early on, or Captain Marvel/Photon/Pulsar.

Later seasons we can throw in Spider-Man and Wolverine ;)

Also Rick Jones. We needs some Rick Jones.

[herodad1]

i'd rather see the panther or falcon before photon.my worry is not getting their abilities/strengths/weaknesses..ect right.the first attempt at a avengers cartoon had wonderman shooting energy beams and almost everyone on the show wore armor.

[BentonGrey]

Podmark took the words out of my mouth.  This is just about the perfect lineup to begin with!  I would love to see them retell the first 10+ years of Avengers history (condensed and edited for the best stories, of course), as long as they stop before they destroyed Hank Pym's character.  I would love to see the team evolve, the arrival of Hawkeye, Hercules, the Black Knight, and others.  There are some REALLY fantastic stories from those days, and even the stories which weren't especially wonderful in execution were still fairly good in concept.  As long as Hulk leaves early on, I have no problem with his inclusion.  I just want to see some classic Avengers action!  As for those who question the inclusion of Hank Pym and the Wasp, well all I can say is that you must not have read those classic adventures.  Giant-Man was a really vital part of the team, and he fit in really well, especially when it began to evolve.  Wasp was less useful at first, but she turned into one of the better female characters in comics!

[captainspud]

I'm taking bets on how many shows they do before Hank starts beating Jan.

I've got five bucks on Season 2, Episode 2.

[Podmark]

I'm taking bets on how many shows they do before Hank starts beating Jan.

I've got five bucks on Season 2, Episode 2.

No way, midway season 2. About ep 6 or 10 depending on season length.

Also Hank is actually one of my all time favorite Avengers. I'd be upset if he wasn't in the show. And of course you can't have Hank without Jan.

[BentonGrey]

I hate you both...that goes double for Spud....

[spoiler]Season 3, season finale....[/spoiler]

[BWPS]

I'm taking bets on how many shows they do before Hank starts beating Jan.

I've got five bucks on Season 2, Episode 2.

Probably after a season 3 with a name change. "Avengers Ulimated"? Like how they didn't play the Batman Robin molestation angle or have the Flash is addicted to cocaine episode until the show became Justice League Unlimited.

[Podmark]

Production on the Hulk cartoon has been canceled and it's work is going to be folded into this cartoon. I thinks Hulk my stick around.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18665

[the_ultimate_evil]

the designs hurt, what the hell is wrong with wasp's face

[BentonGrey]

Once again man, it could be (and has been) so much worse.