The 5 Avengers Who Need to Assemble in the Movie (and 5 Who Shouldn't Bother)
Posted at 5:07 AM Aug 26, 2008
By Teague Bohlen
At the end of this summer’s smash super-hero flick Iron Man was this line: “Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative.” It’s was like comic nerd Viagra (and if your nerd erection lasted for more than three hours, you’re probably already blogged about it.)
So the Avengers movie is in the pipeline for 2011, and tied in not only to Tony Stark, but also the upcoming Thor, Ant-Man, and Captain America films, too (the latter of which is actually titled—at least as of now—as The First Avenger: Captain America.) That’s the three heavy-hitters and traditional triumvirate of the classic team, plus Ant-Man, who was—as Hank Pym, anyway—one of the team founders in the comics. Plus, it’s rumored that the Hulk might actually be both team member and villain this time around (sort of in the same vein as the Ultimates, though I doubt we see Edward Norton going around actually eating people—they’ll want to preserve the Hulk franchise there, too). But the real question is that given Cap, Thor, Iron Man and Ant-Man, who’ll round out the rest of the team? Perhaps more importantly, who does Jarvis need to keep off the cc: list for team invites?
Avengers Who Should Assemble in the New Movie:
4 & 5) Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch
These two come as a pair. One without the other is like having Reeses’ with no chocolate, Chang without Eng, a Peanuts special with Linus but no Lucy. Individually, they’re pretty nifty. Pietro is a speedster with a bad attitude, and Wanda’s not only got an interesting power (and a versatile one, for plot purposes), but she’s also hot and a potentially unhinged. Bonus! But the topper here is the familial dynamic they’d bring to the team—not only the brother/sister thing, but some major Daddy issues: Magneto, anyone? Despite the X-Men existing courtesy of a different studio, having this character link would help draw the cinch on the many Marvel properties bag of tricks. And if they were to introduce Pietro and Wanda in the long-rumored upcoming Magneto origin flick (even as only minor characters in some way) and then develop them more here, how cool would that be?
3) Hawkeye
Clint Barton needs to be an Avenger. Like Martian Manhunter in the Justice League, this is a character that almost has no role outside the team he calls home. Some have said that Hawkeye is actually more the quintessential Avenger than is Cap, and there’s a good argument to be made there. He’s a team player, first and foremost, and he’s loyal to a fault. He’s also got a power set that’s insanely easy on the SFX budget. And anyway, isn’t it a rule that every super-team has to have one archer?
2) Black Panther
T’challa is a badass, and his powers are, like Hawkeye’s, fairly low-tech in terms of visuals. He also brings some regality to the team, being King of Wakanda, and some great tech too, courtesy of Wakanda's natural resource vibranium (which may well be connected to the creation of Cap’s shield). Finally—and perhaps most importantly—he brings a good bit of multiculturalism to the team, which aside from him, would be pretty lily-white, Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury notwithstanding. This is no small issue, given that Hal Jordan gets screwed out of being the Lantern on nearly every TV iteration of the Justice League just because the African-American John Stewart was a GL for about five minutes. Anyway, the Panther has a lot going for him—and could merit a spin-off movie of his own, based on an appearance here.
1) Wasp
C’mon, if you’ve got Hank Pym on the team, you have to have Janet Van Dyne, too. They’re a team, after all, and their relationship strife is good story-fodder. Besides, this team needs some ladies so it doesn’t turn into a super-sausage fest. One thing to consider is which era they’ll draw from for Jan’s powers. We can probably rule out the “insect” form from the '90s, because, well, ick. But they could (again) borrow from the Ultimate Universe, and make Jan a mutant—no explanation of her powers needed, and it ties in the X-Men to the Marvel universe nicely. Either way, we imagine Ant-Man/Hank won't be hitting or spraying her with raid. America might think it likes its superhero movies dark, but damn—that shit is pitch black.
Check out the Avengers who needn't bother assembling on the next page!
Comments
What about The Vision? His going through walls would make for good eye candy, and his back story and strange, stony personality could add a lot.
On the leave out side, anyone remember The Black Night? He would be lameness itself.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 06:58:22 AMSecond on the Vision. Like Hawkeye the guy was made to be an Avenger. the whole married to the Scarlet Witch thing, and Quicksilver hating every minute of it could add a great sub-plot dynamic.
As far as who NOT to have? no kids - no angst ridden teens, or cute as a button 10 year old orphans.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 08:39:40 AMJust to stave off the numerous "Where's the Vision?" questions, the reason I didn't include Vizh (who I grant you is an important Avenger) is that he'd be a better result of an Ultron-focused film than this first, establishing-shot outing. That is, I think Vision should be a lock for Avengers II: Ultron Boogaloo.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 09:15:30 AMNice write up. I had not heard that the Cap movie was (at this point) names "the first Avenger". It's a tough call to think of the movie line up. One would hope they would stick to continuity a bit, such as your Vision / Ultron suggestion. I believe they need to have a character killed off in the movie, so I suggest adding Swordsman to the "original" team, and bringing Clint in on Avengers II as a vengeful character. I could see Ms. Marvel making the grade to ad some cheesecake appeal to the flick as well.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 09:25:07 AMVision is a must. So many story lines can come out of his character, but not in the first. You can easily do the ultimates theme with him and Ultron being built as a subplot of the first movie by Pym and both be important characters in the second movie.
Black Panther wont work because he is too similar to Batman on paper, and I am not a fan of throwing in characters just because of they are of a certain race. It has to make sense to the story. Wasp is important especially since I have a feeling she will be popping up in the Ant Man movie.
I would love them to go the whole Namor storyline at some point. It was a big deal when he joined the team in the 80's and made for some interesting dynamics. Black Widow would be my final suggestion though. She is a great addition to any team and plays off Captain america well.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 12:43:54 PMYou all should know, Teague writes these articles while sitting on the can.
J/K Teague. I'm your #3 fan! LOL
Posted 08/26/2008 at 02:18:22 PMWait, so you're saying a Batman like character does not make good box office? No, wait again, you're saying the Black Panther is too similar to Batman? He's a goddamn black African prince granted super powers through a fucking "panther god." Yeah, I guess they both wear black, are named after mamels, and they both lost there parents (though if I remember correctly, BP actually killed his mom. I could be wrong; my memory of Marvel Comic Presents is pretty bad).
If anything, I would put Batman and Hawekeye as being too similar; two mortals among supermen, who like to use gimmicky non-lethal weapons, and who, amazingly, are always able to beat the crap out of their insanely powerful team mates when some bad guy breaks out the brain swapper/mind control gas/ whatever. Seriously, the first comic I ever bought had an unarmed Hawkeye defeat the She-Hulk in one on one combat. Then there was that time that he took on the West Coast Avengers, and took them all down one by one. Give me a fucking break.
And I don't know, if the build-up to the Avengers movies is going to be two hours of Cap beating the crap out of Nazis in the '40s, it would be nice to have some non-white Avengers tossed in. You know, for shits and giggles. Better choice then BP: The Falcon. You can intro him in the Cap movie, and put him the Avengers. Use the Ultimate Nightmare version, give him the new "hard-light" wings, and get rid of the fuckking bird. Bingo. Black character with a solid history with both Cap and the Avengers, who can be pretty cool when handled correctly.
Posted 08/26/2008 at 08:53:12 PMEff the effing black panther.
Posted 08/27/2008 at 06:38:36 AMWhat's with all the hate on the BP?
Posted 08/27/2008 at 01:58:32 PMI would love a BP movie!
Batman with powers??? I'll take two.
I also would have to agree with Sycleark on Molitov Cocktease, er, the Black Widow. Some interesting character interactions there, but only in an Avenger movie, I'm not sitting through a Black Widow movie!
I agree with all of your In list, especially Black Panther. This guy is not a token black figure, he is something real and something cool. Good, but not overly complex backstory. Does what he thinks is right and that puts on the wrong "wide" occasionally. And he's an f'ing king! Kings make great superhereos!
Your outs are good, but could be more mainstream.
Ins: Red Falcon, no less lame than Hawkeye and two brothers on one team?!?!? Hollywood falls into the ocean at the thought.
Vision, android that's a good guy, come on!
Ms Marvel. 'nuff Said
Outs: Hercules, Limit: One god per team.
Posted 08/29/2008 at 03:49:40 PMBlack Knight, because he's lame.
Tigra, see Black Knight.
Having a super hero named after a radical, communist democracy-hating black supremist group in your comic books is one thing, but on the big screen? Nuh uh. Won't fly. It would be just as smart business to have a confederate flag-wearing good ol' boy on the team named Captain Klan.
Racism goes both ways.
Posted 09/08/2008 at 12:03:03 PMFor those of yuo who seem hellbent on having a black Avenger (white guilt giving you stomatch pain maybe)may I suggest the recently murdered Giant Man.
Posted 09/28/2008 at 02:19:22 AM