SHIELD Logo

In all honesty I was debating on whether to do this one or the Marvel Cinematic Universe discussion first, but this series is more than likely less known to people who just watch the films and I figured I will start here before branching off into the Marvel Cinematic Universe Discussion.

I will say this as well before I begin, but this will contain spoilers for all Marvel films, this includes Age of Ultron, possibly, as well as the more obvious Agents of Shield, which the season just recently ended. So, you have been warned.

I know this is an anime blog, but when I started I wanted to make this about comics as well, which has been difficult. In all honesty it is turning into about 70% anime, 20% manga, and 10% comics. I will also say I am no math major but I can tell that these numbers are wrong but are there to prove a point. Anyway, I was into comics way before I was into anime, and back when the idea of what anime was never was on my mind. My first series was the Runaways, and I am making this really sound like the start of that Runaways Complete Collection Volume 1 review I want to do, but anyway you get the point hopefully. I am into comics, thus I want to talk about comics. Sorry DC fans but this blog is run by a Marvel Fan boy and thus you are only getting Marvel based discussion about 99% of the time.

 

Alright time to really begin now. I would first like to say that when it comes to this series there is a lot that I enjoy, I really like the concept of what they are going with and the second season I did enjoy more than season one since it felt as though they had a stronger sense of what they should do. They have introduced villains found in the Cinematic Universe, and have established their own way. At the same time it really feels as though the show can do much better than what it is doing.

The reason for me saying this show could be better comes mostly from season one, since in the second season there was less impact. In season one it felt as though every other episode was in some way a direct connection to the movies or made a reference in some form or another. The next problem deals with Coulson himself, more will be discussed about this in the next discussion, but those that seen the Avengers knows he is killed off. Between the start of the series and that scene in the Avengers he is brought back to life.

I will talk more about my thoughts on one hand in the next, but I will talk about my problems with this in terms of the show. For starters he was brought back. Although I did not mind the first half of the second season when it came to the mystery part, since in the first season it was revealed he was brought back using Kree blood. Those that seen Guardians of the Galaxy, Ronan the Executioner is Kree. This also relates to Inhumans, which is a future Marvel film, as well as rouge group that is introduced in season 2.

Anyway, besides the fact that I went off a tangent, I do not mind since it really helped to show the fact there is so much going on in the series and can give a lot of information for future series.

At the same time I guess most of my problem comes from the first season and the fact Coulson lived. On one hand most of the season dealt with trying to solve how he was a live, granted there was the end that tied in the Captain America, which I will talk about in a bit. Looking at it that having him there would allow a familiar face attract people to watch as well as give a character that people are familiar with. At the same time this sort of screws up a lot seeing that he was brought back to life, meaning after people die, they could be brought back. Granted this is something that is common in comics, but the concept of death is kind of irrelevant thanks to the series.

There are the concepts that I really enjoy as I stated. Skye for example was revealed to be an actual Marvel character, with Mr. Hyde as her father at the midpoint in season 2. That is a real comic book thing, she might not have been a character with her own series, but it is still true and the fact they were able to weave a minor character that more than likely no one has ever heard of into a series and give her an origin, was just wonderful. It is events like that which make this show really be able to do what it wants that has nothing to do with the movies, but there are still the connections.

A major one in season one was Captain America Winter Soldier, where it was discovered Hydra has been manipulating SHIELD from the inside. I will also say that with the Third Season announced and Captain America Civil War being out before that season would end, that film will have a major impact on that series which would intern affect season 4, we all know it will happen.

Now when it comes to that spoil that SHIELD was taken over, you cannot watch one, be it the movie or show, first without being spoiled in the other. Really the only way to do it is you watch both simultaneously. There have been ups and downs with this sort of thing, granted yes I think it is pulled off wonderfully, but a better execution needs to happen with this sort of thing, although with Civil War it will be pulled off better.

Season 2, really felt less reliant on the film series because of this factor of SHIELD needing to go into hiding. There is also the fact that after Captain America 2, there was no movie that affected Earth. Granted Guardians of the Galaxy did provide insight on the Kree, but it was still minor and you did not need to watch it in order to know in advance. So, there is that.

The show does have a lot to offer and can expand on the universe in a sort of weekly scenario. It gives a look into the world on what happens between the movies, and does not focus on one hero, but a group of people. I think that is what this series does best at. It is not really a superhero show with superpowers, at least for the first season and some of season 2, but it does have the right balance between superhero and an action series.

I know there was something else I wanted to say, but I guess I said enough, mostly because I stopped for a bit to watch some anime, namely catching up on Seraph of the End, because it would not be a post without me saying something about anime. I also thought of the idea of maybe watching the Marvel anime series at some point, I heard they were kind of bad, plus I don’t like superheroes and anime mixing, but who knows.

I think it is safe for me to say that, one I really should have made this just one central focus on the Cinematic Universe as a whole, since some concepts here are going to impact that talk. At the same time I might do another talking at least on my thoughts on Daredevil which would be another discussion. If you would not mind that please comment.

 

Agents of Shield airs on ABC, at least in America I do not know where else, it might be on Netflix as well. Obviously, Marvel owns Agents of Shield.

 

So, if you would not mind a third conversation of me talking about Daredevil as a whole, please tell me.

 

So, if you like what you read feel free to follow. Normally I say if you have any suggestions to leave them on their respected pages, but if you have any suggestions superhero related for future discussions since I want more conversations and have a few ideas for reviews as well, feel free to leave them here, that would be very appreciated.

– Joe