Industrialist Tony Stark, besides being the invincible Iron Man, is a man of technology. So what happens on today’s episode of “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble” when Tony is challenged to swear off technology for a day? Think he can handle it? Maybe. But what if the rest of the team takes the bet and that day involves a visit to the Savage Land? Find out after the jump in my review of “Savages.”
The Bet
The old argument between Captain America and Iron Man about talent and ability vs. technology rears its head in this episode. After being a Richard while trying to get Cap to try using jet boots, Tony agrees to a bet. He has to go a full day without technology, not counting the arc reactor in his chest of course. There’s the set up, can you see the punchline coming?
Tony loses the bet far too easily. But in doing so convinces stereotype drill sergeant Captain America that all the Avengers (sans Black Widow who’s never around, is there a ‘No Girls Allowed’ sign on the door to the Tower?) need a day without technology. So as a ‘team-building exercise,’ Tony, Cap, Hawkeye, and the Falcon go camping in the Savage Land.
The Savage Land
For the newbies out there, the Savage Land is a hidden tropical land in Antarctica that was first glimpsed in early X-Men comics before becoming a Marvel Universe staple. It’s the home of Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil, it’s where dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures still live, and of course, there are mutants and super-villains around every corner, as well as a whole lot of vibranium too.
Here, it’s little more than a backdrop for more jokes, an excuse for the powerless Avengers to fight dinosaurs, and oh yeah, there’s Justin Hammer too. He’s there to mine the vibranium (which surprisingly the Avengers don’t know about) and buy his way into The Cabal. At least he’s not one of the regular crew of villains expected in the Savage Land.
Forced Comic Relief
While the boys are in the Savage Land pretending they’re on “Survivor,” Thor and Hulk are left behind, just in case the world needs the Avengers. Right. Here they are reduced to the one note clowns they were in the first few episodes, spoiled children who only want to play and fight.
I am sooo missing “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” right now. Where is the noble god of thunder who speaks in beautiful if incorrect Shakespearean wannabe? Where is the Hulk that in this animated continuity also responsibly lead his own super-team, the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.? Reduced to idiots for cheap laughs.
Odds and Ends
It’s not all bad. There are raptors with lasers, Tony wearing stone armor, as well as the Rock People and quite possibly an oblique reference to Garokk. I was a bit puzzled why the Red Skull was more concerned with Stark than Cap, but what can you do?
They keep showing the Wasp (from “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”) in the Disney XD intro. Why must they tease us so? Will we ever see the Wasp again? Either remove her, introduce her (because the team doesn’t seem to have any female members), or start showing “EMH” again.
There’s a nice shout out to Wakanda as being the only place on Earth where there’s vibranium. Perhaps we have a Black Panther appearance in the future? Eh, probably not, but I can hope. And hopefully the next episode will be better…
It is sad to hear that this show is still failing to get better. Last time I checked it out, Avengers Assemble was getting better but by no means as good Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Marvel Animation better get their act together and sort this and Ultimate Spider-Man out, they’re slowly killing their fans with these poor adaptations.
Awful episode!