Episode 30 – The Avengers

Summary: Talk about well worth the wait!  This past weekend, Joss Whedon's The Avengers finally opened coast to coast and BLOW'D IT UP!!!  Not only did it SMASH box office records (to the tune of $207 million on it's opening weekend), it also damn near melted Matt's eyeballs and brain because it was so epic (and because he watched it without his glasses).  Join us this week as we have a spoiler-ific discussion about the movie and all of its superhero glory.  Step away from the heavy bags, put Mjölnir on the shelf, have Jarvis hold all of you calls, and definitely DO NOT GET ANGRY as you listen to this weeks all new episode of Monkey in the Cage.  AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!! (01:15) - In an effort to spread the word about the podcast and website, the crew spent Free Comic Book Day at the Frank and Son Collectible Show manning the free comic table.  Plus Karen narrowly avoids death in the back alleys of China at the hands of Batman (true-ish story)! (05:50) - Robert is talks Anime and Identity Theft, because those things are totally related... - Lupin the Third and Kevin Poulsen's Kingpin. (09:50) - Matt, he-who-does-not-finish-video-games, reports on just what he needs - sequels and DLC! - Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Skyrim "Dawnguard" DLC. (13:02) - Ramses caught the comic bug this week, only it was of the Marvel variety! - Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk and Old Man Logan. (15:20) - Karen talks all things post-Avengers and Karen crushes Matt's fan-boy dream movie. - Mark Ruffalo's Hulk movie deal, Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2. (19:20) - We can't hold back anymore so it's topic time!!  This discussion is just too damn awesome to even let you jump around, so you, the listener, get bullet points on this one.  No worries, there will be links.  Enjoy! ~~~  WARNING:  SPOILERS AHEAD  ~~~ Joss Whedon and Robert Downey Jr. need to team up more often. Successful humor without becoming parody. Every character and actor gets their fair share of screen time. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury - not a military bureaucrat. Joss Whedon finally gets his main-stream recognition... after 20 years of hard work. Every character is done justice, thanks to the writing. Whedon "pulls a Joss" with the fate of Agent Coulson. No worries, he'll be back in the rumored Nick Fury film. Mark Ruffalo IS Bruce Banner and The Hulk finally gets done right! Captain America truly shines as the leader of The Avengers. The Thor vs. Iron Man vs. Captain America "rumble in the jungle" has great ramifications for gaming. Nuance and details, courtesy of Joss Whedon's directing ability. Kudos to Stunt Coordinator R.A. Rondell and the treatment of the action sequences. Individual characterization and personal relationships for Black Widow and Hawkeye were given their due when most directors (probably) would have passed on it. Joss really knows how to show the strength of his female lead, Scarlett Johannson, while simultaneously creating vulnerability among the rest of the cast and their roles, even The Hulk! We predict a Hawkeye / Black Widow team-up film on the horizon. Ant-Man and Wasp coming in the sequel? Easter Egg #1 - Will Thanos be the next Avengers villain, or will he be in Thor 2? Hulk vs. Loki - Greatest. Scene. Ever! Loki is a great villain and generic alien enemies help move the story. Awesome in ANY dimension! This movie makes us all want shawarma and we discuss Easter Egg #2. The character development of Tony Stark and his selflessness at the end of the film has Whedon written all over it. What can we say, Joss Whedon nailed it!  Now, go out and watch it a few more times... you know you want to. ~~ This episode is dedicated to the memory of Adam "MCA" Yauch - R.I.P.~~ Closing Song - Sure Shot  - written and performed by the Beastie Boys . . . . .