Avengers: Age of Ultron Comics and Movie Comparison

Cover for Age of Ultron #1

This last weekend, we were able to go see Avengers: Age of Ultron. It was pretty excellent. We have an ongoing discussion thread about the movie and all things Avengers – that would be a great place if you wanted to talk about the movie, spoilers welcome! Or if you’re looking for a full movie review, how about two-for-one over on Sourcerer?

Meanwhile, this is my LitFlix for the movie – my comparison of the movie and its source material in the comics. I read a handful of Avengers comics before and after the first appearance of Ultron in Avengers #55. I also read the titular Age of Ultron storyline. I know it’s not really the source material for the film, but between these two and some Avengers reading from a while back, I feel like I have a good foundation for comparison.

So let’s look at the Avengers in the film and the Avengers in the comics!

Hydra, at it again – have an Avengers Trailer!

[tweet https://twitter.com/Marvel/status/525071656306626560]

That’s what Marvel had to say about the leak of their first trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron. It was supposed to air next week, during Agents of SHIELD.

I’m not sure I get that plan, either, since most people watching Agents of SHIELD are going to go see an Avengers movie. Let’s just safely make that assumption. In reverse, if your goal is to get people watching the show to see the trailer… wait, people still watch television live?

Anyway, once the proverbial cat was out of the bag, Marvel gave up their original plan, and released the HD version of the trailer online themselves. Blame Hydra, but in this case they seem to have done something good… we’ve got the trailer and a few of our thoughts after the jump!

All the Mutants! – X-Men: Days of Future Past

After my LitFlix of Amazing Spider-Man 2 yesterday, I wanted a bit of time before writing my next one on X-Men: Days of Future Past. However, I have a lot to say about this movie (well, I had a lot to say about Amazing Spider-Man 2 as well…) and so I am breaking it up into three posts. So consider this my X-Men: Days of Future Past week! I have X-Men related posts queued up all week on our Tumblr as well, so check them out!

Despite having a lot of known characters used again, there were a lot of new characters in the film as well. While they weren’t exactly pivotal to the plot, they were phenomenal additions, given a chance to use their powers, to have great scenes, and made for a really fun summer blockbuster. 

So between these known characters and new ones, there were a number used really well – and a number that weren’t. Here are some of my thoughts on all the mutants! (Spoilers!)

The Hype Machine – X-Men Days of Future Past

Found on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877832/

Ah, X-Men: Days of Future Past. I think I actually want to open by saying I am really excited for this movie. This is the great X-Men story I grew up with, one of my first and main introductions into time travel (along with Back to the Future), between the comics, the novelization, the adaptation on the animated TV show, and then eventually to hoping it would come to pass as the movies took hold.

I have said before, and will say again, where I always wanted X-Men: The Last Stand to end was with a lead-in to Days of Future Past. It would have made sense, to, as trouble always seems to lurk for the X-Men whenever something happens to Professor Xavier, and it was definitely not his finest day in The Last Stand. But it didn’t happen, and they’ve put a lot more movies out there before finally getting to this story.

Found on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877832/

In many ways, this is the movie that they need to redeem and empower their franchise. And story wise especially this is true. However, it sounds like the cost on the movie is such that it may make or break their future plans – which are already spinning. This could be their Avengers – or their end. I’m excited to find out which it will be, and I am really hoping for the excellence that half of the X-Men films have shown – not the failure the others have been. 

To that end, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the fascinating marketing, advertising, hype, and social media that have swirled around this movie. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it – and I want to write this post before the movie comes out precisely to consider and speculate on this marketing, rather than to praise it or blame it.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – A LitFlix

Cover from Captain America #11 by Ed Brubaker

Okay, I’m over a month late on getting out a Captain America: The Winter Soldier LitFlix, and for that I am sorry. I can blame the A to Z Challenge and all the things we put off writing about in April, but that’s not it entirely. I think the problem is, there’s just too much to say about this film.

I was also left with a question: what was it about this movie that made me love it so much?

After seeing it another two times, I think the answer is quite simply that it is a good movie. It works internally with itself. It works as a sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. And it works within the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, the characters and events fitting in with the larger happenings in other films. It did the things it needed to, and did them well.

My goal however is not to present you with a review – though I will provide you with a list of solid reviews to the film. My goal is to compare this film to the comics it is based on, in the full fashion of our LitFlix. So needless to say, all sorts of spoilers to follow!