Tumblr, I love you. 
    And, I LOOOOVED ‘The Avengers’ movie. But you know what else I love? The comic book with 50+ years of history, iconic characters beyond those featured in the film, and a wealth of incredible stories. Incredible writers and visionaries worked on this book like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Roy Thomas, Mark Waid, Jim Shooter, Kurt Busiek, and Brian Michael Bendis. The Avengers may not have been the first super team, but they are the definitive super team.
 Again, let me say how much I loved the movie- it genuinely was as close as one could come to watching a comic book on screen. Incredible writing, direction, and acting made for a genuinely satisfying ride for this geek.  The thing is though- I, like many, come to Tumblr to celebrate my fandom- so in searching tags and following great blogs, I’m exposed to thoughtful commentary, cosplay, fan art and a myriad other expressions of love for the works of amazing creators. Lately, though, it’s ALL ABOUT THE MOVIE. I am deluded with Hiddleston love (don’t get me wrong, he’s a babe), Thor puns, and film-version cosplay. 
    A lot is made of rabid, misplaced geek loyalty. “It’s not the same!” is a childish complaint, even I agree. And let me make clear, I am NOT trying to say one fan is more valid than another. But I would like to articulate the frustration here, and what I suspect is, for me at least, the reason. 
     As I said, fifty years of history is behind the film, and some incredible storytelling filled those years. And now, it’s all buried under this new, more broadly appealing iteration. I made a smart-ass post about “pretty men running around being snarky”, and I think it was born of a frustration in feeling like that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what makes the Avengers great, yet seems to be such a focus. For me, and for many, he just isn’t Hawkeye if he isn’t wearing purple, Loki is not tortured, and let’s face it- Tony Stark isn’t always that funny- that’s Spider-Man’s job. I think the ‘fundamentalist’ geeks are just voicing a concern that this new version of what the Avengers are is earning such focus, while characters and adventures so beloved are in danger of being forgotten.
     The Avengers film is an amazing companion piece to the comic, I can’t deny it. And any exposure for these characters is a good thing. But where are Ant-Man and Wasp, Where’s The Vision? Those of us who loved this team long before the film feel like we’re at a family reunion to which some cousins and and aunts and uncles weren’t invited. We’re sharing what we love about the family, but leaving out a significant chunk of what makes it great.