The Inhumans of Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D.
The winter finale of season 2 has solidified the bridge between Marvel Studios movie universe and the television universe. Previously, the show has only taken a reactive stance to situations that were happening the in the film universe, such has the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. after Captain America: Winter Soldier. Now it looks like Marvel Studios finally decided to birth and develop a storyline that will ultimately become one of the scheduled motion pictures for phase 3.
We learned from the first season how Coulson returned from the dead. His search during that arc being the most focused drive of the season, but they still left questions for the upcoming season 2 to answer. What we have learned so far is that our boy Coulson was indeed not going crazy, but the alien drug in his system was doing a lot more to him than the initial reason of healing. Once his crazy was figured out, not only did he return to the sane, level man that has been a constant in our Marvel lives since Iron Man, but they dropped one fantastical bomb.
A being was shown in some kind of cyro stasis when Coulson first learned of origin of the drug he was injected with called GH.325. It was determined that the being was alien, but they didn’t have anything or access to anything that would give them a solid idea of what kind of alien it was. Now, Marvel fans probably had a good old time guessing, but I am sure there were some out there that had a strong belief such as myself.
I personally guessed that the alien was Kree, based on the color of the skin and the fact that the drug clearly had healing abilities. I know from the comics that the Kree as a race are pretty durable. My guess was even more supported when in season 2, the team discovered that the carvings and symbols that Coulson had been creating and chasing was actually a blueprint layout of a hidden city. My marvel brain clicked to the city of Attilan and the Inhumans. Those little pieces just put this little show into a whole new ballgame.
I am going to be honest, I thought we would spend the rest of season 2 searching for this city and trying to beat Hydra there. That’s a pretty solid endgame for season 2, and that would have been satisfactory. But no, not only did we find the city before the end of the winter finale, we also basically threw in Inhumans and named the aliens as Kree.
To all of my little friends that are not comic book nerds, the only reason you probably know the word Inhumans, is due to the knowledge of the upcoming film. They have not actually come right out and stated the term in reference to the ending transformation at the end of the finale, but that is what you have, my friends.
Revealing who and what they are is not going to end your world or spoil anything upcoming. It will just help you understand the concept a little more. The Inhumans are an ancient race of people that were initially human until the alien race, the Kree, came to Earth and experimented on them. They used what is called Terrigen Mist on the humans that would genetically enhance and transform the individual while it places them in a type of cocoon, which explains what happened in the final scenes of the winter finale. Once the Inhumans were fully transformed, they were judged and killed by the regular humans of Earth, simply because they were different. This forced the small race into hiding by building a secret city where they could live in peace.
I have no idea what the rest of the season involves, but the fact that we are running around in what could be either Attilan or some version of it is a pretty critical play. As mankind evolved, it would not be surprising if the Inhumans left for some other hiding place to stay safe. They have been known to do this in the comics. While Coulson and his crew could have stumbled into the very city of the current favorite Inhumans from the comic world, I would take a 50/50 stance on that city being it or the people left that city abandoned. This would also mean a 50/50 chance that we will get to see the very Inhumans that will grace the silver screen. There definitely was a suspicious teaser at the end of that episode when a man with no eyes called a mysterious individual to inform that someone had activated the mists.
All and all this jump in the series is very exciting. Since they revealed that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D was to be a real series based in the same universe, this is what I have been waiting for. The show itself allows for the unique opportunity to allow characterization and information for some of these upcoming plots and people soon to hit phase 3, without necessarily being forced to create another movie just to explain in depth. The television show allows time for that without having to always specifically focus on it or have something take away from the core group and show that it is made of. They are treating the cinematic and television universe just like they do in the comics, and it’s pretty damn brilliant. How they play out this Inhumans storyline will really open a door for other little tidbits to come. On a side note, still upset as hell that they killed B.J. off. I liked that guy.
Guess we will all just have to wait until March 3rd to find out. Yeah, I know, but they are trying to test Agent Carter, and give her proper breathing room to stand on her own. Don’t know why? It was two very solid episode so far.
Tis the Season for Geek Swag
This holiday I was blessed with all sorts of great goodies, so much in fact that I decided to share them with all of you.
Dean and Sam Get a Clue
I indeed coveted this item, but saw that it was practically sold out everywhere. I didn’t think I would be a proud owner until later in the year. My family made sure that I was not without! I thought about taking some more pictures of the details, but I thought I would save that for a separate post that would feature it and the gameplay. I will probably do the same with my recent birthday present of Doctor Who Monopoly.
A History Lesson
If you love history and alcohol, then you should be watching Drunk History. I got this from my family and have some catching up to do. This show is amazing and hilariously perfect. It actually started out as a Funny or Die web skit, but Comedy Central eventually picked it up and turned it into a full blown series. They basically get someone, who knows the specific historical tale, wasted and have them retell the story while under influence. They then get your favorite comedians to reenact to the very detail of the drunken tale. It is fantastic. It can be gross, depending on how well or badly an individual can handle their drink. So worth it though.
Sailor Solidarity Tee
I got this lovely t-shirt from my one of my besties. I do love me some Sailor Moon. It’s fun, and it is true!
Guardians of the Thirsty
This was another lovely gift from one of my besties. I love these cups, especially at work for water. This is my first nerdy one! Yay!
Christmas Tree of Sleeping Beauty
I love and adore Princess Aurora. I have loved that movie since I was a kid, but if there is one place where it is made insanely clear how much I love her, it is on my Christmas tree. I have been collecting for about fifteen years now. I got these lovely new additions from my mum and dad. They feed my obsession. Technically, I bought the kiss scene ornament, but it was from Christmas money sent from my parents. I think I will do a post next holiday season of all of the ornaments I have collected over the years.
Make It Blue
I got this great doll gift set from my sister. While I love the special dolls, I don’t normally go and try to get my hands on every single Princess Aurora doll that has ever been made. My friends and family do however understand that if she is in a blue dress, then it’s a whole other story. As with this lovely, signature set, Princess Aurora is proudly dressed in blue. I love it!
“Are you okay? Do you need a Fresca?”
This next gift isn’t exactly nerdy, but so fitting and hilarious to those that know me well. I quote the above line from the movie Slackers all of the time. That movie is crazy random, which is why I love it so much. My sister sent this to me as well for the holiday, and I fell out. I love it and wear it proudly.
The Marvel of Carol Danvers
I got this bad ass poster one of my besties and her family. They honestly spoiled the shit out of me, which is amazing, but not necessary. Honestly, I loved it. Lol! I am single. I don’t have a man to spoil me. I will need to get a frame for this, so I can put it up properly. I can’t wait.
The Good Fire
I got this from my bestie and her family as well. When it comes to my favorite super hero, the difference is barely existent. Honestly, I only love Phoenix more than Carol Danvers, because I have had the Phoenix in my life longer. This is pretty bad ass, and you can flip the head around to make her expression angry. That’s pretty awesome.
The Very, Very Bad Fire
The very same bestie and her family finished their spoiling with this kick ass Dark Phoenix figure. There is not too many things in the Marvel universe that outrank the Phoenix when it comes to power, but when she is sporting red, you better run like hell. I enjoy that her expression is pissy. It just adds to the overall effect of the doll.
Show Me the Ladies, Marvel
Marvel Studios continues to knock it out of the park with their movie adaptions of our favorite comics. There just hasn’t been a lot of women standing alongside the men. As of right now, we have only seen three female superhereos, Black Widow, Lady Sif, and Gamora. We have been promised more with the upcoming addition of Scarlet Witch to the Avengers. A Jessica Jones series for Netflix is also said to be released, and Marvel Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. announced that Mockingbird would be appearing on the show.
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
Though comic book fans know her as Magneto’s daughter and a mutant, it is unlikely that she will be presented as such in the movie. I am under the impression that Marvel Studios will gloss over this information due to rights of “mutant” belonging to Fox. I have faith they will make a good run with making it believable and even open for later clarification if a possible crossover happens. Outside of the red tape Scarlet Witch has been a long time member of the Avengers in the comic and a suitable choice for the team’s next super heroine. Depending on which version they go with, her powers are capable of effecting probability or changing reality. I am assuming the later, because that would make her a much more mysterious and complicated character to write, especially when it comes to controlling her powers.
Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones
Jessica has a few code names, the most famous being Jewel, but no one really refers to her that way. She, like her husband in the comics, just goes by her name. She has super powers from an exposure to radiation that give her super strength and the ability to fly. She also is a little hard to kill, which can be useful. I imagine the show will focus around her being a private investigator, but we will just have to see.
Mockingbird
Mockingbird
Not only is she badass, she’s just human. She is a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent and was a big member of the Avengers in the comics. She could potentially be added to the Avengers later, but it would be interesting to see how they handle her and Hawkeye due to their history in the comics.
Mr. Joss Whedon has stated that the new Avengers movie will feature four major female roles. We already know about Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, but the other two could already be known or simply wild cards. The known possibilities for the other two roles are Maria Hill, which is likely, Jane Foster, or even Sharon Carter. I don’t really think that Jane Foster’s role will be large if it even exits, but you never know. Sharon Carter was the fun S.H.E.I.L.D. agent that was keeping an eye on Steve Rogers in his last movie, and comic fans know her to have a romantic involvement with Cap as well as fighting by his side. Now, let’s play a game where they bring in some unknown power houses. Who could be added to the Avengers movie and possibly take on one of these roles?
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel
I say this while crossing my fingers and praying to whatever nerd god will listen. Can we have Carol Danvers, please? I would settle for her in her Ms. Marvel incarnation, but the comics have done so much to rebrand her that I feel it would be a step back. While there is no need to go into full detail of who and what she is, we have seen the Kree in the latest Guardians of the Galaxy movie. They just have to quickly link her powers to a Kree machine explosion and go on about their business. Then they need to give the woman her own damn movie where they can go to town on her background and origin. The chica can fly, has super strength, advanced healing, and can absorb energy just to throw right back in someone’s face. Captain Marvel is one of the strongest damn female characters they have in Marvel and they need to put her ass on the big screen immediately.
Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman
I know there are rumors about a Sony Spider-Man spinoff featuring female leads, but Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman is a rumor, and one I hope won’t come true for Sony. There are a lot of female characters out there that have used a variation of spider for her name, but please don’t let Sony take Jessica. She doesn’t really have any involvement with Spider-Man especially after they retconned her origin story. The new and accepted origin for Jessica Drew is what makes her a great possibility for current Marvel Studios universe. She was raised and brainwashed by Hydra becoming an agent only to discover their lies and ended up joining S.H.E.I.L.D at Nick Fury’s invitation. She went back to Hydra as Fury’s girl and kept tabs for S.H.E.I.L.D. With Hydra’s current rise in the film and television world, she would be an ideal addition. Her abilities include being able to walk and crawl across anything much like Spider-Man, but that’s as far as it goes where similarities are concerned. She has a venom like energy that comes out of her hands to take down her opponents. Her last ability is the one she dislikes the most and is the hardest to control. She can release pheromones from her body that can either make you terrified or enamored by her depending on which she was going for. She can’t just turn it off or focus it on one individual, which makes it unpredictable at times.
Marvel Studios has also left open these possibilities for their current franchises. While they don’t need to be large focused roles, it would be nice to see them.
Original Concept Art of Valkyrie for Thor: The Dark World
Valkyrie
Sadly, during the development of the second Thor movie, creators had every intention of including Odin’s shield maiden, but left her on the idea podium. However, it looks like Thor will be returning to Asgard to deal with his brother in the third film and hopefully he will need every ally possible including Valkyrie. If they decide to bring in the Enchantress to help Loki keep up his throne, it would be good for Thor to have another female ally besides just Lady Sif. Valkyrie is Asgardian, so she is super strong as well as quite durable. It would be nice to see her.
Misty Knight
Misty Knight
While she may not be one of the biggest female superheroes that Marvel puts out, she is quite large where Hell’s Kitchen is concerned. She plays a large role in keeping the streets clean alongside Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Hell, she is romantically involved with Iron Fist in the comics. She was a former NYPD officer that lost her arm in an explosion. Tony Stark helped her out with a bionic arm and super strength that allows her to be one hell of a badass. If you get a chance to read the short lived Fearless Defenders comic series, please do. It features Misty and Valkyrie leading an all-female superhero team. I am just bummed that they killed it.
She-Hulk
She-Hulk
Yes, I agree, a long shot, but if they pursue anymore Hulk stories, then she is still a possibility. She is blessed enough to keep her mind when in hulk form, and actually prefers that compared to her normal human self. She has all the hulk perks with practically no negatives. I am sure her cousin Bruce Banner gets jealous a little every time he sees her.
Wasp
Wasp
You really can’t do an Ant-Man storyline without at least mentioning the woman. While Hank Pym is clearly going to be aged somewhat, we may not get to see the Wasp. I just hope they at least mention Janet Van Dyne. She has so connected to the Avengers in the comics, that it would be disrespectful not to at least give her a shout out somewhere in the films.
Thor Won’t Be Sashaying Anywhere Soon
New Female Thor Concept Art
Marvel Comics has certainly been the rage this week. Two large announcements shook up Marvel fans everywhere. The news was so popular that I even had to hear about the change on the E! Network, which made me stop and ponder life and where it was heading for a minute. Marvel announced this week that Thor would be a woman in an upcoming series, and Sam Wilson would become the first black Captain America. The announcements unfortunately had a flip side, there have been a lot of angry and upset people making ludicrous statements. Do you want to know something else that’s crazy about these announcement. Most comic book fans didn’t really bat an eye at it. They were more confused by the manner in which the announcements were given and spent some time schooling people throughout the internet hoping to calm the masses down.
Beta Ray Bill
So is Thor becoming a woman? Yes. Is that woman Thor? No. That doesn’t make sense, huh? Here is what is actually happening. Marvel is giving a woman Thor’s powers and abilities and she will probably be called Thor unless something has to change during the period of her existence. She is not Thor himself, just someone worthy of his power and some form of his abilities. This has happened already with the alien named Beta Ray Bill. Yes, that was typed correctly. He is a, for lack of better description, a horse faced alien that was worthy enough to pick up and use Mjolnir. Of course Thor eventually needed it back, so a new powerful hammer was forged by the dwarves so that this worthy being could continue his destiny as a hero in space. There is also a Thor Girl, but she never really went over well with the masses. Beta Ray Bill has been around forever and has been romantically tied to Lady Sif in some books. Don't ask me about how that works, but love is love right? Looks like homegirl found a solution to not having Thor for herself and went and found the next best thing.
Thor Gil
Loki as a woman.
Thor as a woman.
Thor himself has been a woman before just as his brother, Loki, was. Unfortunately for readers, they were never at the same time. That might have allowed us to avoid the awkward flirtations by Loki. I know that Loki has spent his existence proving how he is not related to Thor, but that's your brother, man, woman....frost giant. Thor has also been a frog, but we rolled with it. The woman thing was actually supposed punishment by Odin in both cases. It is hard being a woman, but I don't remember Odin calling them out for objectifying. Female Loki actually spent a lot of time in main comic world, but female Thor did not. Thor was a woman during an interesting comic storyline that was developed between two books called Earth X and Universe X. The whole series really took the Marvel world and did whatever they wanted. It was meant to be its own universe that didn’t affect mainstream Marvel comics.
The second announcement from Marvel stated that Sam Wilson, best known as the Falcon and one of Captain America’s sidekicks, would be taking up the mantle of the shielded warrior with the blessing of Steve Rogers himself. Sam Wilson is considered one of Steve Rogers most loyal and best friends, right up there with Bucky Barnes. Him taking over, isn’t a shock. This isn't the first time that Rogers has stepped away from the role. Bucky Barnes actually took up the star spangled uniform a few years back in the wake of Steve Rogers supposed death at the end of the Civil War storyline. Once it was revealed that Rogers was still kicking, he actually encourage Bucky to stay in his place, so he could go do some incognito work to uncover all of Norman Osborn’s grand and terrible plans during the Dark Reign arc.
Concept art for Sam Wilson as Captain America
To those who were so shocked and angered by these announcements that they took to the web to state explicitly their outrage, please, calm the hell down. The world isn’t going to end. Everything will be okay. Marvel has several universes in its comic world. They are usually called Earth and some number. We have the main universe that is the most common and universes where writers and artists are allowed freedom for a bit. They also create these storylines to breathe new and modern air into the characters. This allows the characters to never age by giving them a new background that is not only relatable to new readers but believable. These changes can be a gamble. If the entire story bombs they will just create a new universe for it and act like it never happened. If say a character works out, but the rest of the storyline may not be strong enough to take over the mainstream universe, they may pull the character only into the mainstream universe. This kind of happened with Nick Fury. Nick Fury actually became a black man in the Ultimate universe books for Marvel. This character was so popular that he has practically replaced the original version while the rest of the Ultimate didn’t quite make the cut, although it had a pretty decent following. They have explained away current Nick Fury's race as him actually being one of his seemingly large mass of illegitimate children. Seems like a stretch, but when you factor in how old the original Nick Fury is, his R&R activities were bound to lead down that road.
Two things. Yes, Thor really was a frog once. Second, whether or not Disney owns ABC and Marvel, why the hell they felt the need to have the Thor announcement come from The View, beats the hell out of me.
Frog Thor
Basically Marvel isn’t going to do something crazy just to piss you off. They still have to make money, therefore your opinion is important. Just give these changes a chance, and if you don’t like them, then simply say that. Marvel’s ear is already on the ground waiting for your reaction. The anger and slander is unnecessary. Marvel will change it back if enough people don’t like it. All they are asking is for a chance. The world didn't fall apart over Nick Fury. True the change didn't win everybody. If you feel passionate and head strong about your loathing with that change, I invite you to make that statement directly to Samuel L. Jackson's face. If you survive that, then your opinion will be considered valid....maybe.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
The X-Men are back and in the future facing a threat that has them and their fellow mutants on the brink of extinction as well as humanity. Having tried every means to stop this threat, they are left with only one option. They need to send someone back in time to stop the event that lead to this outcome before it ever happens and give them all a better future that they can not only fight for but live in. Wolverine becomes the obvious volunteer due to his mutant ability. Not only does he have the task of stopping the event, but he has to help Charles Xavier find the man that Charles once was and become the man that Wolverine knows. Oh, Wolverine also has to convince both Xavier and Magneto to play nice, so that they can both help Wolverine fix the future. That shouldn’t be too hard.
I wouldn’t be the first to admit that I had reservations for this movie as the release date began to creep closer and closer. Fox’s record hasn’t been exactly solid since X-Men: Last Stand. The third installment fell victim to entirely way too much going on. The movie would have probably been pretty decent if they had focused on either the mutant cure plot or the Phoenix plot separately. Unfortunately, just like Spider-Man 3, there were too many faces thrown at the audience without a whole lot of reasoning of why they were there except to fill seats of eager fans to see them. If this was the purpose, Fox, you could have at least stayed decently true to the character, *coughs* Psylocke *coughs*. Why have them in there at all if you are going to butcher them? The Phoenix storyline was clearly the B storyline, but took up most of the movie to explain and make believable, while the A storyline quickly went from the humans are utilizing the cure as a weapon to war at factory to save all mutant kind.
So that movie left a bad taste in the mouths of fans, and it was believed that a new X-Men movie would never happen. We were only to look forward to some Wolverine movies maybe. Then along came X-Men: First Class. It actually took me awhile to fully appreciate this movie. I was very excited to see a new X-Men movie and knew the concept would be very interesting. I just had too many issues with continuity littered all over the film. I’m not even talking about in comparison to the comics. I expect that. This film did not entirely fit into the established timeline of film franchise. After watching it a few more times, I accepted it as a reboot in a way and its own timeline. I became very okay with the concept and thoroughly enjoyed it as well as some of the fantastic acting they managed to snag for the film. Michael Fassbender is inspiring as Magneto.
Then Fox announced that not only were they going to do another Wolverine movie, but they were going to take on one of the biggest storylines in the X-Men comic history, and pull the cast from the original movies and First Class to make it. Now Fox was going to merge the two worlds. The not so awesome reception of the third X-Men movie and either two Wolverine movies was proof enough that Fox had the high probability of screwing this bad boy up.
I am thankful to report that the movie was actually pretty good. As much as it was fantastic seeing Ian McKellon and Patrick Stewart acting as our favorite professor and villain, there is just this amazing quality that James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender bring to Professor X and Magneto that is just a true joy to witness. It was awesome seeing some old faces and new ones and having them blend together as a whole. I saw that some other fan blog reported this film being the apology for the third X-Men movie, and I’m going to have to agree. It was really fun and engaging, until the end where it got slightly iffy.
The end left us with a lot to think about, because we are shown with the ending that the past definitely changed…a lot. I wasn’t looking to be baby fed the missing fifty years, but a couple of things would have at least established whether or not key points were changed, especially when we as the audience were given certain tidbits. If this was to be the last ever X-Men franchise movie to ever be made concerning this film universe, I would have no problem with how it ended. We would then simply be given the happy ending with no need to explain, because there won’t be another movie. Unfortunately, since it has already been announced that more will be made, I have a problem. My biggest is with the effect that this film has on Wolverine’s origin story and what has made him his character. They don’t tell us whether Logan continues his years in the same manner before. It wouldn’t have necessarily been too much of an issue, if they hadn’t chosen to end the film with the scene that they did.
I still had a great time and fully recommend the movie if you are only a fan of the movies or a fan of the comics as well. It is a still a fun ride. I really only had these issues, because I am a fan of the comics and am a firm believer in continuity. If you are not, you will probably not have too many problems. The nice part about them choosing not to answer those questions that the ending left is that they still can. I just hope that they make sense and they are careful.
Sharing the Geeky Fun with Toddlers
It’s an understatement saying that parenting isn’t easy these days. Sharing the things we loved as a kid with children just isn’t as simple. Sometimes our excitement for sharing these things that we loved when we were younger overshadows our judgment for what the children may and may not be ready for. The littlest kids are always the hardest to share with. While they may not always be able to determine the difference between reality and fiction, they still want to enjoy things like comic book heroes and robots in disguise.
My nephew is creeping closer and closer to the giant age of five and is a big Marvel and Transformers fan. He has been a big fan since he was three. This excited both my brother and I greatly, because we are big fans as well. The problem was that my nephew was not quite ready for the live action motion picture versions then and isn’t quite ready for that now. We did manage to find something for the little guy to enjoy, The Super Hero Squad Show and Transformers: Rescue Bots.
The Super Hero Squad Show
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Super-Hero-Squad-DVD-Plans/13366
Marvel has several animated television shows and films out, but most of them were and still are a little too mature for my nephew. It is usually due to either too violent content he is not ready to be exposed to or complex story lines that he cannot understand or relate too. Then Marvel came out with Super Hero Squad Show in 2009. The show is a toned down version of the Marvel world focused around Super Hero City which houses all of Marvel’s beloved comic book heroes. The heroes come off as silly and simpler versions of themselves while they battle even sillier versions of Marvel’s villains. My nephew just loves it. He gets to root for his favorite heroes like Captain America, the Hulk, and Iron Man. We don’t mind watching the show with him, because Marvel understood that parents would be watching the show along with the kids. There are several jokes littered throughout the entire show that fans of the comics and movies would find entertaining. I personally love watching it with my nephew, because I think it’s hilarious.
The best part of my nephew having a marvel outlet is that we can go out and buy the costumes and some of the toys from the shows and movies and now he understands what they are. The unfortunate thing is that there were only two seasons made of the show. That being said, the entire series is currently on Netflix, and I think it still runs on The Hub from time to time. The show may be gone, but they still make toys and video games for tots to enjoy as well.
Transformers: Rescue Bots
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Rescue_Bots_(cartoon)
This Transformers show is extremely toned down compared to the rest of the family. It is has no Decepticons. Before you freak out over that, please understand that this show was made for a specific market, and it needed to be comparable to that market. The market is toddlers and they didn’t want bots tearing and blowing one another up. Instead we have a small group of Transformers that have taken the forms of the main public service vehicles in a small town. They were sent to help out the community and learn about humanity by Optimus Prime himself. The city believes that the Transformers are just experimental robots that also turn into rescue vehicles. The fact that they are alien beings is only know to a family that tends to the rescue and public needs of the town. Yes, it does have Optimus Prime and even Bumblebee in a few episodes, but they are not featured. The bots pretty much help out with whatever mystery or shenanigans is going on with the town at that time. It is a specifically toddler focused show. As an adult watching it with my nephew, it is not any more entertaining than the Nick Jr and Disney Jr shows, but the little guy loves it. He adores the theme song as well and sings it all of the time.
Show has one season under its belt, which can be found on Netflix also. It has just started its second season and has no plans as of yet to finish. It currently airs on The Hub as well. The show has spawned several toy lines that are specifically geared to toddlers with simple and easy transformations that won’t discourage the little ones. Because he now has a point of reference, I always joke with my nephew that I see Bumblebee at my work. He gets really excited about why Bumblebee was there, and it can get really fun thinking of stories to explain it. I joke with his parents that the day he gets old enough to watch the live action movies his poor little mind is just going to overload the first time he sees the very real car turn into a giant robot. It will be a fun day.
I really hope other companies and franchises like DC Comics hone in on this niche and add to this market. There is a lot of potential here since honestly these are the only two shows of its kind that I know of. I believe that not only having these types of shows can be entertaining for these age groups and exciting for parents, but it can be quite the lucrative market for these companies to roll into. I really hope that Marvel comes back with something like The Super Hero Show Squad especially in light of all of the recent film adaptation success. Finally, I hope that these two shows help you share some nerdy love to the sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews in your life.
My Top Five Favorite Marvel Female Superheroes
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of guy superheroes that I get excited for. I am salivating as much as the next nerd for the new Captain America movie. I just personally believe that girls can kick ass as well as the next guy. I am a Buffy fan, so this should be no surprise. Allow me to showcase some of my favorites. Some you know, and some you may not.
1. Phoenix –
Whether she’s bad or whether she’s good, Jean Grey’s incarnation or should I say several incarnations of the Phoenix is definitely a wild card for any side that wants to have her in its back pocket. There are two main schools of thought concerning the Phoenix’s origin. The first one, Jean Grey is such a bad ass mutant, or level 5 as they call it, that the Phoenix is actually the name given to her full psychic abilities and persona which had been dampened for Jean’s safety as well as pretty much everyone else by Professor X. This was the version they leaned towards in in the third X-men movie, and honestly not my favorite. The second one is of the Phoenix as a cosmic entity that uses Jean Grey as a host, and has been known to use other characters as well, the most popular being Jean. Not only do her telekinetic and telepathic abilities increase astronomically, but she gains cosmic abilities that can effect anything in the universe at a subatomic level as well as manipulate life and death like she’s changing nail polish colors. Cosmic powers pretty much trump most in a fight, but Jean has to take a page out of the Hulk’s book otherwise she just might destroy the universe during her next tantrum. Did I mention she’s been known to eat stars when she’s feeling peckish?
http://marvel.com/images/gallery/character/1009496/images_featuring_phoenix#0-22704
2. Captain Marvel –
Carol Danvers has held many aliases over the years, her most notable being Ms. Marvel. Don’t let her name changes cloud the fact that she is one tough lady. She was formerly a pilot in the Air Force and worked as special ops for the branch after being captured and tortured during a flight test that crashed. When I say tortured, they beat the mess out of the poor woman. Injuries and all she managed to escape and deal out some payback. Why is this detail so important? This happened before she got superpowers. Ms. Marvel #32 is rough to read, but solidifies her as a badass. Due to an explosion of an alien Kree device, Carol is given powers. She can fly, has super strength, and can absorb energy, throwing it right back as a weapon. Unfortunately over the course of her life, she was kidnapped by the alien race, the Brood, tortured and experimented on turning her into the entity Binary. There was also that run-in with Rogue who held onto her just a little too long and permanently absorbed her powers and memories, leaving her in a coma. She eventually wakes up and regains her abilities, but not her memories. After all of that she fell victim to alcoholism, which honestly isn’t surprising with everything that’s happened to her. She did eventually sober up, and even had Tony Stark as her sponsor. She is currently flying under the name of Captain Marvel in honor of the original and deceased Captain Marvel. She once again becomes victim to amnesia due to her recent self-sacrifice to save New York and the world. She is definitely one awesome lady and one I hope to see on the big screen.
3. Spider-Woman-
Jessica Drew has a couple of versions in the Marvel universe, but the most recent and well know version makes the original look like a girl scout. Jessica got her powers in the womb after her mother is exposed to an experiment on spiders. As a child, she begins displaying similar powers to the spider, such as the ability to climb up walls and an energy, venom blast coming from her hands. During a fight between her father and mother, Jessica blasts her father in order to save her mother, but the strain makes the child pass out, only to wake up from some kind of stasis as an older teenager in the welcome arms of HYDRA. She is manipulated by the organization and turned into a weapon. She eventually discovers the treachery and does a little soul searching before becoming an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. under Nick Fury, who has her become a double agent and sign up for HYDRA as well. I would say that she becomes and Avenger during this time also, but Jessica became the chosen form for the Skrull queen during their invasion of Earth because of her ties to both organizations. Jessica never made it past her recruitment of HYDRA being taken and help captive until her escape from the Skrulls along with several other heroes that were captured. She does fully join the Avengers team after her return becoming one of their most valuable characters.
4. Storm –
Growing up watching the X-Men cartoon, Storm was just the pure impersonation of class to me. Her ability to control the weather was unquestionably formidable, but it was her clear and level mind that was often the voice of reason for the team when Professor X was not around made me admire her. She did break at times losing her temper and control over her powers every once in a while. She could be rendered useless when her severe claustrophobia attacked. The woman has a past as well. She was homeless as a child and turned to thievery to survive. When her powers began to emerge, she was treated as a goddess with the tribe in Africa that she was staying with. All were major challenges that shaped the amazingly fierce and balanced woman that she became. As much as I loved Halle Berry playing her in the film, I just don’t think the movie really showcased this important side of her. She was always a wise asset and leader when needed. It was a shame that the film couldn’t show that.
http://marvel.com/images/gallery/character/1009629/images_featuring_storm#228-35229
5. Rogue –
I was an X-Men fan first due to the 90’s cartoon, and Rogue was the easy choice for my number five. I learned about her living with only her mutant power of absorbing others energies and life forces after the shows ending. At the time I never realized that Rogue didn’t always have Carol Danver’s strength and power of flight her whole life. I was too entertained by her sarcasm and southern charm as she mopped the floor with the bad guys to care. Now I know better, and though the movie version was not the Rogue I wanted, it was the version that is most common. You can’t help but empathize with her over the power she has been known to refer to as a curse on more than one occasion. She can’t touch anyone meaning she can’t have any kind of real or intimate relationship with anyone. Cuddling is high risk with her. Anytime a cure is mentioned, it’s no wonder she’s the first one to jump. Even though I was bummed to hear Anna Paquin’s scenes in the next X-Men film were dramatically cut. I was hoping that we would get a post Carol Danver’s version of Rogue, who is honestly a little handier in a fight. Alas, I guess I’ll just have to wait till the Blu-ray comes out to see those special features.
http://marvel.com/images/gallery/character/1009546/images_featuring_rogue#41-891077
- All images are not owned by Geeky Girl's Guide to Life and were taken from Marvel.com
Tapping My Nose at S.H.I.E.L.D.
My Tuesdays were to be exciting this year with the announcement that Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. and Supernatural were going to be airing on the same day. I am just glad that New Girl is online, but I was willing to make that sacrifice for Whedon and my boys. I haven’t been this excited about a Tuesday, since they aired Angel right after Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But alas, I am now firmly planted upon the fence that sits between love and loathe when it comes to Whedon’s newest television endeavor.
Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. is kind of a radical concept in film and television. We have had television shows before that were adaptations of a film or simply spinoffs or continuations of one. This show stands out, because it sits outside of the normal film to television construct. It is a spinoff choosing to focus on one of the more important aspects of the Marvel movies that has yet to be fully explored. The presence of S.H.I.E.L.D. is in every Marvel movie that has been made, and now we simply get to learn more about them. But why is that so unique? The world that the show exists in is the very world that the Marvel movies exist in. What happens in this show can effect what happens in Marvel movies to come, and vice versa.
I have yet to see any kind of ripples from the show make it into the movies, but that is okay for now. It isn’t a device that should be taken lightly or overused. It will take away from making the show its own. What the series is currently developing into its own is what I am having issues with. Being that it is the first season, which can be rough for any new show, and that it is a Whedon production are the only two reasons I am honestly sticking around to see what happens.
When any new television show is being introduced my first question to ask is could this show be interesting for five seasons. It doesn’t mean that a show will get five seasons, but it has to move forward. This question only needs a yes or no answer and should be found in the very first episode. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. clearly defined its intentions in its first episode as a specially assigned group of people out to find the extraordinary, a concept vague enough to be answered in hundreds of ways throughout five seasons.
Then we have to have people to care about and connect with, a reason to continue to tune in weekly. We already have Coulson, a beloved character from the films. His familiarity brings us in along with the question of his mere existence, since the last time we saw him was his death scene. Unfortunately, one man cannot do the show by himself. He has to have some kind of support, which comes in the shape of his chosen team.
Now we have a cast that is mostly new to fans and needs to be developed. We also have a beloved character whose questionable existence cannot be answered immediately or the draw of the show will be lost. We also have well known superheroes that exist in the world and could very well pop up. Everyone would love to have Tony Stark constantly barge in and irritate the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents, but how would we get a chance to care about the show and continue watching it on the episodes he did not. While I assume and hope that these characters will make appearances in the show it will be rare and only for exceptionally big events. Outside of quick cameos by Maria Hill and Nick Fury, cameos that honestly couldn’t really be avoided too long considering their place in the organization, the show has only made well placed comments or dealt with connected issues concerning the characters and movies like the quick opening scene cleaning up the mess in England left over by Thor after the events in the second film.
The show has really done a great job not leaning on these easy tactics that would guarantee instant viewers. It has been focusing on building the characters. Unfortunately, that is all it has been doing, and we only really know half of them. The problem I have with the season so far is a clear overall focus. Yes, we have had to track down relics and stop them from getting into the wrongs hands in each episode, but there is yet to be a clear pull that we are looking forward to being resolved or flipped over by the end of the season. Not only is it unclear, but there could be more than one avenue they choose to follow from what has been aired so far. Being halfway through the season, we should have some idea by now.
Does this mean that there is no hope left for this show? Absolutely not. It could very well be suffering from common first season afflictions, where shows test out characters and plot devices trying to latch onto those that work and remove that which does not. We as an audience play a massive role in what happens, because believe or not writers and creators do listen to the audience. They are not going to give you full creative control, but they are very aware that if you don’t watch, they can’t keep making the show. We are very powerful when it comes to our favorite televisions shows. If they didn’t listen to us, Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Castiel from Supernatural would have only been in one or two episodes. We are the reason they had many more.
What I am hoping for in the last half of this season is a direction of what is going to carry us to the end. If this happens, then I guarantee one hell of a cliffhanger that will force us back for season two’s premier. I want this show to succeed. As a comic book fan, S.H.I.E.L.D. was everywhere, meaning this show has so many stories to tell. It is not closed off to one teenager’s hard realizations about responsibility. They have full access to all of the possible stories from the comic world as well as being completely believable with anything new they come up with. Because of this, there is no reason for this show not to succeed. As a Marvel fan and a Whedon fan I will probably hang on regardless of quality till the end, because I am loyal. I just don’t want that to be the only reason.
Espionage Cosmetics
