Last year there was a video that made the rounds on the Internet showing The Avengers sitting around a conference table discussing the new company health plan. The costumes were spot-on but not all of the actors filled them out in heroic fashion. It was a funny bit but then it was gone and I didn’t think more of it.
So imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago when i was sitting on the bed with the laptop while convalescing and in the middle of my web surfing I came across this website: www.avengersassembletheseries.com
It turns out the people who made the initial video have been making them on a semi-regular basis. How did I not know about this? Why did none of you tell me? This is one of the greatest things on the entire World Wide Web.
The premise of the “webseries” is that it shows The Avengers — Earth’s Mightiest Heroes — doing everything but being heroic. There’s no fighting Kang or Ultron. Mostly they sit around the conference table (probably due to budget) and debate such hot topics as the Middle East, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Immigration and the Oil Spill (it’s especially amusing seeing Namor the Sub-Mariner walk in on a meeting covered in oil, swearing vengeance on the evil villain BP). They also deal with such everyday issues as office romance and carpooling. Think Superheroes meet The Office.
The first season featured 7 episodes while the new season is up to episode 5. The latest feature stars none other than Stan Lee as future Tony Stark. Not sure how often they update. Each show runs about the length of a Looney Tunes cartoon, which is smart thinking. I’m not sure superhero parodies are good for a half-hour sitcom but they work well in 3-5 minute bursts.
It helps that the series’ star is, of course, Hawkeye — played by Chris Burns. Hawk’s in practically every episode, where his smart-ass attitude and troublemaking often steal the show. The series’ other mainstay would have to be Ms. Marvel, played by Miracole Burns. She takes a lot of abuse from the heroes, but she fills out her costume much better than the others.
The shows have all been pretty funny although you have to be well-versed in Avengers lore to really appreciate them. Be warned that the humor and language is often crude and offensive to polite sensibilities. This isn’t a site for children.
The production values are getting better (see Job Interview) which is surprising since I can’t imagine they’re making any money on this. It’s also surprising that Marvel, or more importantly Disney, hasn’t shut this down. But hey, assemble while you can. Oh, and always stick around for the post-credits bit.
The RROY REPORT 