DC Super Hero Movies: AKA: When Will We Get Aother Good One?

Ok, so I spend way more time thinking about comic book heroes than I should probably admit. I mean that isn't ALL I think about, but its probably, ok definitely higher in my every day thoughts than most/all people.

Ever since I saw Man of Steel, I've been trying to figure out why Marvel has been having such great success with bringing their heroes to the big screen, and DC, well lets face it, aside from Nolan's Dark Knight series, has really just been falling flat. Yup, this is the kind of stuff I think about. After much internal debate, and some fabulous conversing with The Boy, I've come to the conclusion that the super heroes being brought to us upon the big screen from DC just aren't as relateable as the Marvel characters.

Before you start arguing with me that The Avenger's fought of an entire alien race, or that the X-Men are made up of mutants, let me explain. Let's start by breaking down The Avengers. We'll start with Tony Stark. Tony Stark is basically The Marvel equivalent of DC's Bruce Wayne, except instead of a tricked out utility belt, he has a tricked out suit. Both are essentially genius, billionaire, playboys, who decide, for various reasons, to use their abilities for the good of humanity. Most importantly, they are both humans, who have used their intellect and abilities to fight crime/evil.

Black Widow, also human. Natasha Romanoff is a former Russian spy. She is trained in various forms of combat and has no "magical" abilities, thus making her a fairly "believable" character.

Hawkeye, again human. Clint Barton is a ridiculously skilled marksmen with a bow and arrow, sure he was smart enough to create some awesome trick arrows, but again no other worldly powers. He's just a really talented man.

Now we get to the more "fantastical" creatures of the Avengers line up. Let's start with Captain America. The interesting thing about Steve Rogers is, he started off human. He still has all the human emotions, he's just been altered into a super soldier. And if we really think about it, it's not so unbelievable. I mean we've seen the effects drugs can have on the human body, steroids, meth, who knows with the right cocktail who's to say our government couldn't create a super solider?

Same principle applies to The Hulk, I mean he is basically a government super solider serum gone wrong. So who's to say something like that is so far out of our grasp.
Then there is Thor. Ok Norse God of Thunder may be a little far fetched a concept. However Thor, and to some degree Loki, are just part of a larger picture. They are not the full focus of the movie, and lets face it the stand alone Thor movie was ok, but not nearly as good as the more believable heroes who had stand alones.

The Boy and I were having a discussion the other day as to why it is easier to believe in The X-Men, as opposed to Superman, and he came up with the suggestion that it has to do with believability.  It is easier to believe that there is perhaps a race of mutants that have evolved in society, because you have so many different characters to choose from, where as Superman is the only one of his kind, if we're are not counting in Super Girl or General Zod. He is pretty much an all power alien being come to Earth to basically judge us. Sure he grew up upon Earth, which makes him more inclined to side with earthlings and yet, he remains different from us, "better" than us.

So the other day while I was catching up, on my DVRed programs from the fall, I realized the next perfect DC comic book character to introduce to the big screen is, none other than Mr. Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow. Now, I know what you're thinking, Oliver Queen is just a more obscure version of Bruce Wayne. I will grant you that there are similarities between the two men. Both are spurn to their vigilantly tactics by the death of a parent, or in Bruce's case parents. Both are considered criminals by their respected cities police forces, at least for a time. Both are gorgeous, rich, billionaire playboys. Still this does not make them the same person, in fact I think it is their similarities that will help make a Green Arrow movie a success. DC's best success in recent years has definitely been The Dark Knight trilogy. Nolan took great pains to keep that universe as "real" as he possibly could.

Green Arrow, being a lesser known DC superhero would allow for a wider interpretation with less backlash. I will fully admit to the fact that having a Green Arrow movie would more likely than not allow the introduction of Black Canary, and lets face it, I would be giddy upon the introduction of a female superhero upon the big screen. I could go on and on about how ridiculous the lack of female superheroes in our current pop culture universe is, but I feel that is a rant for another post.

Until then I suppose I will just have to get my fill watching the CW's Arrow, which is not such a bad deal I suppose.

Man of Steel: AKA: Superman: DC's New Attempt to Bring Us a Hero

 

Ok, maybe not that new, but lets be honest in the current verse of super hero movies, let's say the last thirteen years, Marvel is leading the pack. I mean sure, DC brought us Nolan's Batman trilogy, which was amazing, but they also gave us Green Lantern, Jonah Hex and Watchmen, so...yeah.

Marvel on the other hand has managed to launch a few different cinematic universes, The Avengers, the current Iron Man trilogy, Captain America, Thor, two different Spiderman incarnations, A slew of X-Men movies, as well as several other franchises. This is not to say that Marvel has not had it's commercial failures, The Fantastic Four movies, Daredevil, and Elektra come to mind. But given that they are producing more of the genre and lets face it The Avengers was an EPIC movie, I think it is safe to say they have a bit of a edge.

I'll start with admitting Superman was never one of my favorite heroes. I mean don't get me wrong I grew up watching Superman The Animated Series, Tim Daly will forever be the voice of Superman in my head, just as Kevin Conroy will forever be Batman, so I didn't dislike the character, and do have a fair bit of knowledge on his backstory but personally I've just always liked "realer" heroes, like Batman or to some extent Iron Man. I just always found them more relatable then and alien who lived among us and acquired his powers form our sun.

And here is where I'm gonna insert a mild SPOILERS WARNING before breaking it down for you.

The Good

1) They somehow managed to make Superman a more relatable character. There was a heavy focus on the fact that although he was an alien, he had grown up among us, as one of us. Although I could have done without the blatant Jesus reference, about him living on Earth for 33 years. We get it, he is a "god among men", give the audience a little more credit. 

2) The fact that Lois Lane was NOT a plot device. Lois Lane has always been a kickass female character. The most wonderful thing about her is even in the comics, even 75 years ago, she held her own. Let's face it, in the that we live in, it is VERY easy for a female character, especially in action/superhero movies, to simple play the role of damsel in distress. Man of Steel, was able to walk the line, sure Lois occasionally needed to be rescued, but so did several male characters. Also, Lois is the one who learns how to send General Zod. 

3) Giving Superman a REAL villain to fight. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Lex Luther, and was beyond happy to see a bunch of Lex-Corp logos, which we all know is strong foreshadowing that in some future movie, we will get our Lex Luther, but I have found I prefer Superman when he is battling aliens as opposed to human villains. I just feel like it is more of an even match and therefore more interesting. 

The Not So Good

1) The treatment of Johnathan Kent. One of the interesting things about Superman is that he had/has not one but two sets of loving parents. It is important because it makes him who he is. They instill him with strong morals and encourage him to use his abilities for the good of humanity. I think this is why Jonathan constantly discouraging Clark from helping others bothered me so much. I mean at one point he basically tells him flat out that he should have just let an ENTIRE BUS FULL OF CHILDREN DIE. I'm sorry, what?!? Then later on he refuses to let Clark save him from a tornado and his impending death. At which point, Clark stands by and watches him die! While I do understand why the Kents would be concerned over how and when Clark used his powers in today's world, I personally do not buy that Superman, no matter what Jonathan instructed him, would stand back and let/watch is father die. 

2) The Banishing of General Zod. Ok, so let me get this straight, your planet is dying, collapsing into itself, you World's best scientist has come to you imploring that you evacuate, he believes this so strongly that he steals your ENTIRE SPECIES genetic code and sends off world in the hopes of saving your race. Despite all this, instead of, oh I don't know evacuating, you take the time to hold a treason trial and send your worst members of society off planet. So much for intelligent life. 

3) Was it just me, or did everyone and there mother seem to know that Clark Kent was Superman? Listen, I fully appreciate the fact that Lois used her journalistic abilities to to discover her her hero's true identity. Plus it makes her seem like less of a moron because less face it between working with him everyday and being rescued on a pretty regular biases, she should be able to tell that Clark/Superman are the same person. But let's face it wasn't very difficult for her to figure out who he was so I'm pretty sure the government could figure it out pretty easy. Also the authorities showed up at the Kent's farm to get him at some point, so if they haven't figured out that he is Clark Kent I fear for our country. 

 
The Odds and Ends

1) The Casting. Some of it was spot on. I mean let's face it Henry Cavill was SPOT ON. I mean not to sound all superficial but swoon. Russell Crowe was AMAZING as Jor-El, a character I've never much cared for before, but was actually deeply upset when I realized we would not be seeing again in the film. He was the perfect blend of caring and calculating. Michael Shannon was born to play evil.

And on a slightly unrelated note, any time Michael Kelly is cast in anything, I am a happy gal.

As much as I love Amy Adams, I wasn't overly thrilled with her Lois. I can't really pinpoint why, and it wasn't that I thought she was bad, I just wasn't feeling it. I also wasn't thrilled with Kevin Costner's Jonathan Kent. He just felt a little too harsh to me.

2) The Fights. Ok, so some of  the action scenes were fabulous, but somewhere near the umpteenth encounter with General Zod, they began to feel a little long. We get it Zod and Superman are both super strong and can destroy stuff. Let's keep it moving.

3) The Satellite. It said Wayne Enterprises. So does this mean we are finally gearing toward a team up in the DC Universe? Can we get a few more individual movies then a Justice League film ala The Avengers? We we get some Black Canary, some Green Arrow, some John Stewart Green Lantern?  Can someone FINALLY make a decent Wonder Woman film? Joss Whedon wrote one...can we get that made? And before everyone starts yelling at me that he's contracted with Marvel now, JJ Abrams is working on Star Wars AND Star Trek, so anything is possible. 

All and all Man of Steel was a pretty decent film, but let's be honest here, if DC truly wants to compete with Marvel, they're gonna need to step it up a bit. 

The Holidays Are Near: AKA: Geeky Gifting Abounds

It's that time again. The Holidays are fast approaching, as I type this there are 24 days til Christmas Eve! I'm a huge fan of the holidays, mostly because everyone seems to be in a better mood and there's a hint of magic in the air. New York at Christmas is just fabulous, the decorations, the Holiday Markets that seem to magically spring up in every park, ice skating, the Rockefeller Christmas tree, Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, it's easy to get lost in the excitement of it all.

With the holiday season also comes the BIGGEST shopping season of the year. Now, personally I LOVE to shop for the holidays. I find it fun to hunt down the perfect gift for each of the important people in my life, in fact I'm one of those annoying people who shop all year for the perfect gifts.

But coming up with the right gift isn't always easy, so below I offer you my Geeky Gift Guide for the Holidays. It is but a small sampling of all the geeky goodness out there this year.

Clothing:
 

Tee Magnet
There are a TON of really awesome Geeky/pop culture available for one day only sites out there and Tee Magnet is awesome enough to collect them all in one place for you for easy reference.

 

Handpainted Ninja Turtles Bra

  ~ $40

Disclaimer, the seller has already stated that any new orders will not be fulfilled in time for Christmas, however I am including it because some things are worth the wait. This makes me giggle so hard, and it's not just turtles, there are plenty of other geek worthy options, Super Mario Brothers, Xbox, Star Wars, go see for yourselves.

Jewelry:

Doctor Who Blue Gallifreyan Symbols on Silver Cuff ~ $26

Seriously, this bracelet is just gorgeous, and what Doctor Who Fan wouldn't love sporting this on their wrist? Also the Seller makes one where you can personalize what it says. Imagine having their OWN  name written in the language of the Time Lords. Admit it, that is just Fantastic.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Mr Darcy's Proposal Blue Brass Cuff Bracelet ~ $40

Um...This has to be one of my all time favorite quotes. Any Jane Austen/Pride & Prejudice fan would be lucky to have this on her wrist. The seller also makes other jewelry with different quotes from the works of Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, Shakespeare and other giants of the literary world.


 




Books/Comics:

Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion: The TV Series, the Movies, the Comic Books and More: The Essential Guide to the Whedonverse  ~ $12.89

I'll admit, I haven't read it, but how cool does this look? A breakdown of the Whenonverse? Yes, please. Joss Whedon has created many a complex character/world in his time, and dissecting them all is just part of the fun.

 

 

 

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass; City of Fallen Angels; City of Lost Souls ~ $60.77

Confession: I am OBSESSED with this series, I DEVOURED it. Cassandra Clare is a FANTASTIC writer. The characters and worlds she creates are so vivid and entertaining that you can't help but be swept away into them. This link is for the whole series as of now, however you can always just by the first book in the series (City of Bones) and start them off slowly. Kindle and Paper back additions also available.

 

 

Random Geekery: 

Sherlock Mini Plush Dolls ~$28

To ease the pain of the LONG suffering Sherlock fan, and give them their very own adorable Sherlock and Watson to cuddle while they wait another year for their beloved show to return. You have to admit these guys are pretty damn cute.

 

 

 

 

 

Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Electric Toothbrush

~ $ 19.29

Ok, this is just epic. I'd brush my teeth like 30 times a day, just to use this beauty. Yes, I am that much of a dork. Seriously though, this is awesome.

 

 

 

 

Geeky Art: 

Cut it Out Art

~ Most range from $5 - $75

I absolutely LOVE these. I'm a big fan of pop culture art work and this line is really cool. There is literally something for everyone. You can find everything from Star Wars, to Twilight, to Harry Potter, to Breaking Bad, even Jimmy Hendricks. Seriously check them out.

 

 

 

 

 

The Art of Laurie B

~ Prints from $10 to $30 (depending on size) ~  Originals Price Avail upon request ~ Books from $3 to $20

 I first discovered Laurie B at NYCC 2011. I never actually saw her, she wasn't at her table when I walked by, but I grabbed one of her fliers and after seeing her website fell in love with her work. She covers all kinds of subjects but my faves by far are her gender benders (like the Female Han Solo to the right) and her Baby work, seriously Baby Magnito is adorbs.

Squire Sword The Standee People

~ $10

Speaking of NYCC, while I was at this years I came across these lovely little gems, I own the Doctor Horrible one, and I can not even begin to tell you how cute these little standees are. The store offers a plethora of options with categories like: Anime, Gaming, Comics, Television and Film there is sure to be something for everyone.

New York Comic Con 2012: AKA: Where the Geeks Come Out to Play

Photo Credit L. Lyles

As I write this I am standing, yup I'm standing, on a packed train home, battered, bruised, tired and poorer, and wouldn't trade this weekend for anything in the world.

The past four days in New York have been a geek paradise, for the Jacob Javits Center has been home to the 2012 New York Comic Con. I was extremely lucky enough to be able to be in attendance for three of the four days.

While not quite as large as it's San Diego brother, NYCC has been steadily growing. It is a whirl win experience, often boarding on sensory overload, that can be an amazing experience. I could probably go on for DAYS about the extraordinary time I had this weekend with my very amazing ladies, but rather than bore you all with self indulgent stories, although some personal antidotes are sure to poke through, I thought it's be best to talk about the dos and don'ts for making your comic con experience the best it can be.

DO

Plan Ahead
I can not stress enough how much easier/enjoyable this will make your life/overall experience.

Buy your tickets ahead of time. You can order tickets online MONTHS before con, and it is in you best interest to do so. This way your very own shiny NYCC pass will be mail to you & you will therefore avoid having to stand online to pick it up on the day of. Trust me there is A LOT to do, you are not going to want to waste time standing in line to get your badge.

Photo Credit: L. Lyles

The folks over at NYCC are nice enough to release a WEALTH of information Pre-event. Take advantage of it! Look up who going to be there, what panels are happening, what booths have those exclusives you can't live without and plan out your days! Download the official NYCC app for iPhones or Droid and take advantage.

Prioritize And Always Have a Back Up Plan

When you go through the list of fabulous panels, you will probably encounter a time when there are two things you want to do happening simultaneously, or at the very least slightly overlapping. So now you are forced to choose. However don't just cast you other choice aside. Keep it in mind as a back up. The panel rooms are not emptied between panels so there is a chance you may not get into your first choice. It's nice to have a back up then.

Speaking of the fact that the panel rooms don't empty out between sessions, it's a good idea to line up for the panel you want to see early. Actually, if the panel is a big deal, or you anticipate that it's gonna be full, it's a good idea to try and get in the room for an earlier panel and sit tight. Who know you may end up seeing something you become really interested in. Perfect example, this year Stan Lee came to NYCC. That's right, THE STAN LEE. I have loved the man for years and was dying to see him speak live, so as soon as I heard he would be there, I knew not seeing his panel wasn't an option. So my lovely gals and I decided the best way to accomplish our goal was to try and go see the Person of Interest panel before hand. Now I like Person of Interest, and am a huge fan of Michael Emerson and Jonathan Nolan. Jonathan Nolan being my "Below the Line Crush"*, so I did very much enjoy the session, however I probably would have skipped it, had it not been directly before Stan Lee.

Cosplay at NYCC (Photo Credit: L. Lyles)

For those of you curious, Stan Lee is probably one of the most entertaining people you will ever see/meet. I highly recommend seeing him I you ever have the chance. Also check out his new project, Stan Lee's World of Heroes on YouTube here.

Cate as an Ewok (Photo Credit: EM)

If you do decide to cosplay, which is awesome, I mean come on, any excuse to get dressed up should be capitalized upon as far as I am conserved, start planing/building/constructing your costume as early as possible. There is nothing worse than running around the last few days/hours before the con trying to get your shit together.

There is some EPIC cosplay that goes on at any con and NYCC is no exception. Be prepared to see a little bit of everything. Trust me if you ever want to put you pop culture knowledge to the test, play Name That Cosplay. I swear it maybe my fave past time.

Bring Food and Water

The convention center concessions are HIGHLY OVER PRICED. This is not an exaggeration, bring food and water even if you think you won't need it. You will. Take it from the girl who was suckered into buy a $4.95 bottle of Vitamin Water because she was dying of thirst. Sadly, I don't even really like Vitamin Water, I was just that damn thirsty. Seriously your best bet is to eat a decent breakfast, bring a bottle of water and a bunch of small snacks to graze upon throughout the day, then after con go out and find some dinner. There are plenty of wonderful places to eat you're in NYC for crying out loud. We opted for pizza on Friday, Thai on Say (Yum) and a dinner sit down on Sunday.

Pack a Phone Charger

The Javits Center has spotty service at best. Your battery will be put to the test, especially if you plan on being there ALL DAY! So pack your phone charger, or even an external battery. This year there was a charging station just outside Artists Alley, but if you're crafty enough to find one, there are outlets all around the convention center.

Be Kind and Considerate to All

For the duration of con you are in for some LONG hours. Everyone has been on their feet for hours, is tired and most likely weighed down buy a ton of swag (that's right I like the term swag, deal with it) and other assorted goodies. Common courtesies always apply, say excuse me, be careful not to whack anyone with your bags/poster tubes/costume pieces, and SHOWER! That's right each night you come home, or morning before you come to NYCC remember to shower and put on deodorant...the gals and I opted out of much of the floor today as the 4 day funk had set in and breathing had become hazardous.


DON'T

Play by the Herd Mentality.

Cosplay (Photo Credit: EM)

All your friends really want to go to the Carrie panel but you are DYING to see Stan Lee and the are both happening at the same time?!?! Well it's okay to split up for a bit. Sure things are often times more fun when you are with a group but don't let that stop you from doing something you really want to do. Make a plan to meet up with your crew when you get out, but go do what you want to do, otherwise you'll most likely whined up regretting it.

Be Afraid to Leave the Convention Center

Seriously the last thing you want is to be a crank-a-potamous. It's 3pm, you're tired but you really wanna go to that late panel at 7 pm? Go back to your hotel room/wherever take a nap and come back. Hungry but forgot to bring food and don't want to pay convention center prices? Leave get food and come back. You can venture out into the world, as long as you have your pass you will be welcomed back and you and everyone around you will feel a whole lot better.

Turn Your Opportunity to Ask a Question into a Gush Fest

Photo Credit: L. Lyles

I get it, you are given the rare opportunity so speak to someone who is your idle/the namesake of your child/your dream man/whatever, and you are a bit star struck and wish to tell them just how important they are to you. We get it, but don't waste a valuable Q & A slot with questions like "Can I get a hug/kiss/ect?" or "how does it feel to know you made a grown woman cry?" Likewise a long ramble on your love of whomever you are addressing before your question isn't overly appreciated either. It's great that you are getting this opportunity, but remember there are plenty of other people standing in the line behind you who want the chance too.

Forget to Bring Cash

Sure the Convention Center has ATMs, which are annoying to find, and sure there are some booths who take credit cards, but just do yourself a favor, make your life a WHOLE lot easier and bring cash. It's that simple.

NYCC Exclusive David Tennant Doctor Who bust (Photo Credit: EM)

Allow One Set Back to Ruin Your Day

You raced on to the floor on Saturday morning straight to the Titan Entertainment booth to get that NYCC '12 exclusive David Tennant Doctor Who bust only to find they are sold out? Go down to wait for The Walking Dead panel 2 hours early only to be told the IGN Theatre has been completely closed for the day unless people miraculously vacate the theater? Yeah, those things suck hardcore...seriously, but that shouldn't ruin your whole experience. This is comic con! Anything can happen! Nathan Fillion can surprise a whole theater and show up at the 10th Anniversary Firefly panel. Yup that happened. So park your ass in the garage and watch the live feed of The Walking Dead,  it may not be the same as being in  the room but hey, you still get to experience it. I would however bring something squishy to sit on, because ouch. Sure you did't get the bust, but where were you gonna put it? Further more, now you have that money to spend on other pretty things. Comic Con comes around once a year, make the most of your time there.


*Below the Line is what the department at my job that is for all the non actors (directors, writers, costume/set/makeup designers ect.) is called.


 Random Musings & Photos

50 points if you recognize this childhood favorite(Photo Credit EM)

• At some point on Saturday I walked past a female Zapp Brannigan in the crowd, there was no time to stop and get a picture of her, but ROCK ON girl, whoever you were for the awesome costume.
• I'm a Sucker for a good looking hero/Doctor
• Nathan Fillion surprising the Firefly panel caused the whole IGN Theatre to go Ape Shit.
• "Doctor Who is the worst thing ever to happen to your wallet isn't it?" - Andrea Towers remarking on my "bag-o-loot" from NYCC
• You can find anything and everything at NYCC, so look around you never know what you may find, childhood toys, mini top hats, giant photos of David Tennant and his perfect hair...
• Comic Shoes work better on heels than flats 
• Friends make life better.
• Arrow is going to be EPIC, and Stephen Amell is gorgeous. 

Photo Credit: L. Lyles

Mini Top Hat- Modeled by the lovely Cate (photo credit: L. Lyles)

My attempt at FemmeNine

First Day Loot (Photo Caption: EM)

Second Day Loot (Photo Credit: E)

 

Last Day Loot (Photo Credit: EM)

Me Meeting Thor...So Pretty 

Me, The Captain and Cate (Photo Credit L. Lyles)

DALEK!

The Fabulous Katie Cook drew me the Doctor/Donna

Gambit! With red eyes and everything (Photo Credit: EM)

Avengers: AKA: Ready to Assemble!

Ok so I full on admit to being more of a DC gal. I have no problem with Marvel, I actually very much enjoy them, but I did grow up more with Batman, Superman, and the Justice League more so than any of the Marvel heroes. Sure I had X-Men and a little Spiderman but in general my expertise, if you could even call it that would be for the DC heroes.

However, while I may not have as much knowledge on the subject I absolutely adored The Avengers. first off, hello a superhero movie written and directed by one of the geekiest men in the industry? Not to mention the fact that being who he is and how he writes, you knew Joss Whedon was the perfect man to make Black Widow more than just a pretty face.

So you better believe that I was at the midnight showing, pumped and ready, sporting my semi Captain America themed ensemble. Yep, I'm that girl. I'd love to say the theatre was filled with people in costume, but I was at a small theatre in New Jersey, there wasn't even a line to get in. Still the theatre was  full by the time the movie began.






Before I continue, there will most likely be SPOILERS ahead. Go see the film, because it is BEYOND awesome, and then come back.

So here's the sitch, Thor's brother Loki is still pissed over being denied the throne, and essentially kicked out of Asgard. Naturally he does what every power hungry demi-god would, he raises an army and heads to earth. His first stop is to reclaim the Tesseract from S.H.I.L.D. in the process he uses his creepy glowing staff to take over the minds of several S.H.I.L.D. personal, including Professor Erik Selvig and Agent Clint Barrow, AKA Hawkeye whom he uses to aid him in his escape. So Fury calls together "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" retrieve the Tesseract and save the earth. Sounds simple enough, but let's face it, these people really shouldn't be in the same room together, let along coming together as a team. Let's break them down:

The Team

Agent Clint Barton AKA: Hawkeye: we caught a brief glimpse of Hawkeye in Thor. He is a master with a bow and arrow. In fact he has a tricked out quiver which allows him to have all sorts of arrows, such as ones that explode or turn into grappling hooks. He is beyond skilled, able to hit targets without even looking out them. Top it off with the fact that his relationship with Black Widow is just adorable.

Agent Natasha Romanov AKA: Black Widow: Finally a female super hero that is worth routing for. Words can not express how overjoyed I am by this. I so often find myself disappointed by the female characters in superhero films. More often than not the female characters end up being more of a plot devise than any type of real hero. Growing up I LOVED Rogue from X-Men, she was strong sassy and could totally hold her own in a fight, in the first of the 1990's trilogy, she was simply a plot point and ended up being useless in the next to films. Black Widow is anything but, she kicks major ass, but is written so she never unbelievably so. The fact of the mater is Black Widow is human. While she can kick ass with the best of them, she's not gonna win in a hand to hand fight with the Hulk, but she she can definitely kick major human ass. They managed to make her a realistic character despite the completely unrealistic circumstances.

Thor: Oh, Thor. The man is a demigod and while I wasn't really happy with the lack of explanation of how he got to Earth, aside from a passing comment thrown out by Loki, as the bridge was destroyed at the end of Thor, I was more than happy to see him appear. Once again Chris Helmsworth manage to play Thor with just the right mix of arrogance and charm.

Tony Stark AKA Iron Man: speaking of blending arrogance and charm to perfection, it is impossible not mention Robert Downy Jr's Iron Man. Let's face it, his kind of an ass, but you've got to love him. This is the kind of character that thrives on Joss Whedon's snarky dialogue. Plus as the character that movie audiences have become most familiar with, through both Iron Man and Iron Man 2, he is the one we, the viewer get to see grow the most.

Dr. Bruce Banner AKA The Hulk: I think perhaps the most interesting part about this role in this particular film was how little we saw of the actual Hulk. For a majority of the film we deal with the brilliant Dr. as opposed to his "Smash" hungry alter ego. Not only does this give us more inside into the character, but allows him to establish and form relationships with the rest of the team.

Captain Steve Rogers AKA Captain America: After much internal debate I have come to the conclusion that the Captain is by far my favorite Avenger. It is generally assumed that he is the most naive/idealistic of the group, seeing as he has been thrust into our world from a simpler time. I actually think that makes him the most jaded. When he was frozen we were in WWII a bloody, dark time in our history, a time that is still very fresh in his mind, and now he wakes up to present time and the current mess society has made of itself and you have to imagine he wonders if it was really worth it. He is strong, focused and a natural leader. He calls women "Ma'am" unironically, seriously, he may be the only man on (fictional or actual) Earth I would allow to address me as such. In the interest of full disclosure the fact that I have a bit of a crush on Chris Evans, may also contribute.

Nick Fury: Samuel L. Jackson being a bad ass. I mean seriously do I need to say anymore? First off let's take a moment to take in account that the actual comic character is designed based on Samuel L. Jackson himself, so clearly the role suits him perfectly.


Random Thoughts and Theories

1) All the characters were treated realistically - Well, as realistically as one can be in a superhero world. In fact they even managed to make the heroes more evenly matched for this movie, as best evidenced in the fight between Thor and Iron Man.

2) I have a random weird love for Agent Phil Coulson. I think mostly because he fanboys over the Captain and let's be honest that would probably be what would be going on in my head. Plus he is a genuinely good guy, brave and loyal. I mean let's face it there aren't many who would take on a Demi-god on their own. I think that may have been what made his death so heartbreaking. I remember during the scene my mind thinking in rapid fire, "no, they wouldn't.…they couldn't…but it's Joss…he would…and he will". Remember kids, guns don't kill people, Joss Whedon kills people, but never without good reason. In his dying breath Coulson explains that it's okay, his death is necessary to bring the team together. He will die so others can live.

Its not so much that this was a bad thing. On the contrary, it was an amazing catalyst to further the plot. I neither deny this, nor wish to change it, however as I've mentioned before I'm a sucker for happy endings, and it makes me sad to know Agent Phil Coulson never got to see his.

All and all it was a great movie, action pact but still full of heart. It isn't perfect, no movie is, but over all I found it to be exactly what it should be. An big action packed summer movie. My one question now is that now that Joss Whedon has proved he can not only hold his own writing/directing a super hero summer block buster, but can CRUSH records while doing it, can we please let him do that Wonder Woman movie he was working on? Because lets be honest he would totally KILL that.

It's the Most Wonderful TIme of the Year

Sorry for being MIA lately, my fabulous brother was doing some updates on my new laptop, and as I was off from work I was sans a way of updating. Plus the holidays are always a busy time. The Boy can attest to the fact that the entire month of December, our kitchen turns into a bakery.

It was a very pop culture Christmas this year, thanks to some brilliantly crafty and slightly sneaky friends. Major props go to my friend Leslie who not only cross stiched the entire Firefly cast (four times no less), but also managed to somehow sneak away at NYCC to get the lovely Jewel Staite  sign & personalize them.

Seriously how clutch is that?

Anyways, I've decided that this post, which will probibly be my last of 2011, is the perfect time for a Best Of list, are you guys tired of them yet? So here are some of my favorite pop culture things of 2011.

• Awkward - This was by far my favorite new show of the year. I knew the moment I read the pilot that I was going to like the show, despite it being on MTV. After the first episode I was hooked, even in all it's insanity, the show is still so real. It brings me back to when I was in high school, but in the good way. I am so excited that a second season is on the way and I can't wait to see where the characters are headed.

• The Resurgence of Mark Paul Gosslaar - 2011 saw the resurgence of one of my favorite childhood actors. I practically jumped for joy when I learned that Mark Paul Gosslaar and Breckin Meyers were doing a show together. I mean seriously what more could a girl raised on Saved By the Bell and Clueless want? The show itself is hysterical, better than I had expected. But things got even better, with both the TNT tv movie Hide, and ABC Family's 12 Dates of Christmas, it felt as though MPG was EVERYWHERE and that just made life better.

• Teemagnet.com - This has to be my new favorite website. Seriously all the best geeky tshirts on display. It's my homepage...it is why I am poor.

• Revenge - I fully admit to not really knowing how the show was going to work, I mean it sounded more like an awesome movie than a tv show, but after watching the first three eps I was hooked. I'm not generally a fan of "soapy" shows but Revenge is pure, gooey, guilty pleasure tv. Madeline Stowe is amazing and Ashley Madekwe is my fashion icon.

• Ring My Bell - Speaking of the lovely Ashley Madekwe, her fashion blog, Ring My Bell is my  newest obsession. This woman is fashion icon, she has a fabulous sense of style and is an all around amazing person. 

• The Return of the Muppets -  2011 also saw the return of the Muppets to the lime light, and I couldn't be more excited about it. Having always been a Muppet fan the fact that they were getting a new movie made me giddy, add in the fact that Jason Segel wrote and stared in it and I was in HEAVEN.  

• Pop Culture Art - So one of the greatest things about going to NYCC this year was getting to go through artist alley and seeing all the amazing pop culture inspired prints. Some of my favorites include, Katie Cook, Brian Kong, Scott Ethan Ambruson and Laurie B.

• American Horror Story - One of the most frustrating/thought provoking shows which I was sucked into this year. While not as scary as I had initially thought, it definitely kept me on my toes, and filled with emotions and tons of questions. While I didn't always love what went on with the story lines, and more often than not screamed in frustration over loose ends, but it was still a wild ride.

There you have it, some of the awesome pop culture stuff of 2011.