Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres Tuesday on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET. Joss Whedon returns as the director of some of the craftiest secret agents the comic book universe has to offer. If you're a comic book nerd, or even a comic book movie nerd, ABC's new show is going to be right up your alley. But just in case you need some convincing, here's a few of the most exciting things to look forward to from tonight's premiere.
Agent Coulson: I don't know about you, but I'm ready to be at level seven security clearance if it means figuring out how Agent Coulson, the man who physically assembled the Avengers and has appeared as one of the most recurring characters in the Marvel Universe, is even around to tackle cases at all. ***SPOILER ALERT*** In Marvel's "Avengers" the agent was killed by Loki while trying to stop him from escaping his prison cell. Of course, the agent doesn't go down without first putting a high-tech round through the demigod's chest. The question remains, how in the world did Agent Coulson survive his run in with Thor's brother?
Winks to the Films: Fans shouldn't get too excited. It's more than doubtful any of the premiere episodes will feature a walk on from Tony Stark or Steve Rogers. In fact, Whedon has made it clear that he wants this show to be about the non-super heroes reacting to this world that now cannot ignore their existence. The last thing the director wants is for people to watch his show and wonder when the next super hero will appear. However, Whedon is no fool and the Avenger's cinematic universe is, in many ways partly his creation, so he would be a fool not to at least wink to it here and there. Even a reference to "the Battle of New York" will suffice for us.
Joss Whedon: I don't know if any of you have had the privilege of being a fan of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse," but if you were, you likely know just what Joss Whedon's return to television means. Not only is the iconic director behind the wheel of the Marvel universe once again, he's behind the wheel of a whole new set of characters that he can rub his personal brand of creativity on to. If you're a Whedon fan, now would be a good time to gush.
New Cast: While some are disappointed that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will have precious little to do with the comic book characters, it gives the show's creator a chance to branch out and explore new reactions to a new universe. In the comics, people have to swallow the Marvel universe in its entirety. That includes Spiderman, the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man and Thanos. The current Marvel cinematic universe, however, has only to acknowledge the Avengers team. This means that the new characters can react as a brand new generation of humanity battling against forces it doesn't quite understand or match up against.
Agents premiers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Comment and share your thoughts on the show before and after the premiere below. We'd love to get some chatter going.
