By this point, it's been a couple weeks since I saw the Avengers...

...although, I might take the kids again here shortly: I got a free ticket from the movie-reward card I had, then another from the DVD of the animated Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. There may be spoilers for both upcoming, or not, so beware.

While I quite liked the movie, I love the cartoon; although I have the feeling that with the spectre of cancellation looming, the cartoon's writers have seemingly opted to try and cram as much cool stuff from the Marvel Universe as they can before the end. Recent episodes featured Michael Korvac and the modern Guardians of the Galaxy, the Ballad of Beta Ray Bill, the Heroes for Hire and Scott Lang Ant-Man, and the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom. Any one of those could've been given another episode or three, but EMH is also still doing its version of Secret Invasion, which will probably be more enjoyable when it ends: we've known who the Skrull is since the end of the first season, but the 'reveal' hasn't come yet...

But, the expansive nature of the cartoon underlines my apprehension with the movie's mid-credits reveal of a certain cosmic villain: I have a hard time picturing him in a movie, since he's been in a number of stories I like, but also comes with a certain amount of backstory and baggage that would almost certainly have to be cut. In fact, that's probably true of most of the Avengers comics that are personal favorites of mine: they would either be utterly unfilmable, or not fit in with the established mythology and look of the movies, or would be completely impenetrable to a wider audience. Well, 'completely impenetrable' unless you devote a movie or three to setting them up.

And honestly? That's OK. There are things the movies can do well, and things an episodic cartoon series can do (I say 'episodic' because if Jeph Loeb's pushes the notion of only single-shot episodes, I'll be super-pissed) but there are things comics do, that only comics can do. If they're allowed to...

I'm tired of comics that think they're the unwanted bastard cousin of movies; or at best an embryonic storyboard, an unhatched film. I want comics that can tell a complete story in a single issue, even if it is "to be continued," not just a small installment of a future trade. Maybe I'm just bitching because I'd like to maybe read Avengers comics again some day, and Marvel seems deadset against making one I'd like to read.

Going through some of my favorite, and presumably unfilmable, Avengers moments; I'm a little surprised how many of them involve defeat, utter failure, or loss. Hmm.

Cap's getting a little sick of the public, and he's not the only one, in Avengers #25, "The Ninth Day" Written by my favorite Avengers writer, Kurt Busiek, art by George Perez, inks by Al Vey.

It would take two or three movies to build up to this, but man, what a payoff it would be. Or, just read Avengers Annual #7, "The Final Threat" Script, pencils, and page 30 inks by Jim Starlin; finishes by Joe Rubinstein.

Hawkeye is a cheating bastard, even if he did save the universe, in Avengers Annual #16, "The Day Death Died!" Written by Tom DeFalco, breakdowns by Bob Hall, inks by Tom Palmer.

That kid is going to break his foot kicking Ultron's adamantium melon around, in Avengers #57, "Behold...the Vision!" Written by Percy Bysshe Shelley Roy Thomas! Pencils by John Buscema (and Marie Severin) and inks by George Klein. (I have the Marvel Super Action #18 reprint.)

Hawkeye faces Excedrin headache #498, as Whirlwind shames a pile of Avengers; in Avengers #4, "Too Many Avengers!" Written by Kurt Busiek, pencils by George Perez, inks by Al Vey and Bob Wiacek.

After Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil are defeated, Cap needs a moment, in Avengers #277, "The Price of Victory" Written by Roger Stern, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Tom Palmer.

Kang forces the Wasp, at the time the Avengers' co-chair, to sign earth's surrender, in Avengers #49, "There Are No Words..." (One of those wordless, 'Nuff Said issues.) Written by Kurt Busiek, Pencils by Kieron Dwyer, inks by Rick Remender.