Hey guys! Today's readings were especially interesting because I have absolutely no experience with Thor other than seeing commercials, pictures, and occasional movie snippets. Loki, in these comics, is much more badass than I had previously imagined. Especially in Avengers #1, with his face appearing in the sky while cynically conducting schemes to lure Thor out of earth.
Something I found interesting about this issue that the class has previously discussed is the topic of Hulk at the circus and how that particular image is only really acceptable in a comic book medium. I definitely agree with this and found it interesting because while I was reading I did not even stop to pause on that picture because it didn't stand out to me as odd. However, in reality, it is the hulk with clown makeup! If I had seen that in a movie or something, it would be ridiculous. But it made so much sense in the comic and felt fitting for some reason.
I was amused with the Wasp character, who seemed to be really flirtatious all of the time and offered comedic relief that was appreciated. I found the Iron Man costume to be interesting because I had not known that that was a costume for him in the comics. I had only seen the movies and had seen the first suit he made escaping the cave and found it to be strikingly similar to that of the first Avengers issue. I don't know if there is any connection but I found it to be at least worth mentioning.
As I mentioned earlier, many of these super heroes are only apart of my knowledge through film means; I had not read anything about Hawkeye, or Black Widow, or Thor or Captain America. Therefore, reading these after only seeing them present in recent film adaptions was interesting. I found myself overly excited when I'd see them in the comics because I had known them from billboards and films played by people like Scarlet Johanson. It is weird to think that such things can be switched now. Usually it is the other way around.
Captain America's issue was interesting and I found it mirroring the whole PTSD thing. My brother was in the military and had PTSD when he had arrived home for a while and this comic reminded me a lot of his nightmares. It was nice to see how Captain America could mirror the common American soldier, while other heroes could give their persona to other types of people: like small woman (Wasp), large women (Wonderwoman), archers (Hawkeye), science nerds (Spiderman), buff white guys (Superman), bipolar guys (Hulk)-- etc.