Today’s episode of “Avengers Assemble” features the Impossible Man. Once again, a Fantastic Four foe, rather than someone (anyone) from the Avengers’ own formidable rogues gallery, the Impossible Man is Marvel Comics’ answer to Mr. Mxyzptlk, an imp with magical powers who can do anything. In “Avengers: Impossible” he turns up to match wits with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Meet me after the jump for my thoughts.
Impy and the Wrecking Crew
As much as I’ve bitched about this series not featuring Avengers villains, we also get the Wrecking Crew. They are refreshingly traditional to their comics appearance, but I do need to point out while now they are considered Avengers foes, they started off as pawns of Loki’s against Thor. Although the writers seem to have forgotten that while the rest of the Crew are thugs and bruisers, Thunderball is a physicist. They’re pretty much just hitting stuff here. I guess everyone has an off day.
Impossible Man shows up after an Avengers/Crew slugfest, and preying on Falcon’s dissatisfaction at not being as well known as the rest of the team, decides to star him in a movie. What I found curious is that when Iron Man tries to determine what they’re up against, SHIELD has the answer. So the Fantastic Four shares info with SHIELD, but not the Avengers??
It was nice to see Black Widow among the Avengers for once, rather than missing or opposing them with SHIELD. Similarly it was also nice to see the Falcon taking on the Wrecking Crew alone, but that joy was balanced by his lack of confidence and wanting the Avengers’ help. It’s only the Wrecking Crew, dude! Maybe Falc does need a movie to boost his ego. Isn’t Captain America The Winter Soldier enough?
The Chitauri and Friends
Impossible Man breaks the fourth wall frequently, and digs up Attuma, matching him with sitcom music and a laugh track to much entertainment. It’s all manipulation on Impy’s part and funny on more than a couple levels. Then he adds more ‘fun’ to the sitcom equation with Ulik the troll, the Wendigo, even the Midgard Serpent.
For dessert, the Impossible Man serves up the Chitauri, the alien invaders from the Avengers movie, who began as Skrulls wannabes in The Ultimates. I’m just wondering, are ratings that bad that the powers that be have to invoke a movie tie-in? And if this is a continuation of the movie continuity, why isn’t Iron Man freaked out by the vortex as he was in his most recent flick?
I was a bit disappointed in the battle between the Avengers and the Chitauri. One would think with animation, one could do more than what was done in the movie, and for much less. It doesn’t happen however. I was promised ‘epic,’ I wanted epic, but I didn’t get epic. I mean if you’re going to do the movie, and make us believe in the same level of danger, this was just a cheap imitation.
All in all however, despite my problems with it, “Avengers: Impossible” was a pretty good episode, fun, and the Avengers even eat shawarma in the post credits sequence. Does it get better than that?
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