by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor
Avengers Assemble!
The Avengers have come to save the day in Volumes 3 and 4 of the hit animated series, now available to own on DVD! Cap, Thor, Iron Man, and the rest of the team must come together to face new threats from Kang The Conqueror, The Masters of Evil, Hydra, and Loki in these Season One adventures.
Episode Highlights:
“Widow’s Sting”- Ever since the Black Widow framed Hawkeye as a HYDRA spy, he has been waiting for the opportunity to bring down the woman who betrayed him. Hawkeye will finally get that chance, with a little help from Cap, Black Panther, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative known as Mockingbird. Can they stop Widow and HYDRA from unleashing a new deadly plan?
“459”- Avengers fans will not want to miss the animated introduction of Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel of the Kree! A Sentry has been unleashed on Earth, and it is up to Captain Marvel to stop it. Can the combined forces of the alien officer and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes stop this robotic invader? And what has happened to Carol? Get ready for the birth of an Avenger!
The Kang Story Arc
“The Man Who Stole Tomorrow”/”Come The Conqueror”/”The Kang Dynasty”- The mysterious time traveler known as Kang The Conqueror has appeared on Earth in our time, and he is determined to stop the future from going wrong. Kang has determined that the only way to save the future is to rule the past, and that doesn’t sit too well with our heroes. Now with a little help from an army of Ultron robots, The Avengers must find a way to stop Kang and stop a devastating future from occurring. This story arc features some fantastic setup for the remaining episodes of Season One, and leads directly into the creation and development of one of The Avengers greatest threats of all time: Ultron-5.
The Ultron-5 Story Arc
“Ultron-5″/”The Ultron Imperative”- Following the events of the Kang Story Arc, Ultron’s former peaceful demeanor has been replaced with a new imperative: Peace can only be achieved if humanity is erased from existence. Can The Avengers stop this technological threat before it takes over and controls all of Earth’s systems? As an Avenger falls, get ready for the rest of the team to fight for their lives.
The Fall of Asgard Story Arc
“This Hostage Earth”/”The Fall of Asgard”/”A Day Unlike Any Other”- The stage has been set for the final showdown with Loki. With Thor captured and The Avengers disbursed throughout the different mystical realms, it looks like Loki will seize the day. Get ready for a defining moment for the team as they face off against the threat that brought them together in the first place. It has all been building to this!
Special Features:
Unfortunately as far as special features go, each of these volumes only includes one featurette.
Volume 3- Avengers Unmasked: Masters of Evil
Volume 4- Avengers Unmasked: Hail, Hydra!
Both featurettes are described as an animated in-episode comic book experience loaded with fun facts on Marvel’s Avengers and the villains that challenge them.
Overall:
The creative team behind The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have taken some fantastic steps to incorporate classic Avengers storylines into the new animated series, and have truly done justice to the characters and the ideals that they represent. The overall season arc leading to the face off against Loki was executed with perfection. As a fan of the comics, it was a great experience getting to view an animated version of Ultron turn to evil, the first appearance of Captain Marvel, Hawkeye teaming up with Mockingbird, and even the battle against the Masters of Evil. The amount of effort that was put in to make sure that these characters were done right is extremely apparent. This show will definitely appeal to fans and newcomers alike.
This show is a perfect take on The Avengers and I cannot wait to see what Season Two has in store. Get ready, because the Invasion has just begun!
ComicsOnline gives The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – Volumes 3 and 4 – 4.5 out of 5 chances for our heroes to ASSEMBLE!
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