On "I have mixed feelings about the SHIELD uniforms"
@barnhouse I did like Captain America, The Movie. But again, I had the opposite reaction you did to his role in Avengers! I mostly feel bad for him, because he seems totally lost and hopelessly uncool the whole time. He's dumber than Stark and Banner, weaker than Banner and Thor, and dorkier than pretty much everybody. I'm almost surprised Hawkeye doesn't promise to be his friend if he will eat a bug. "I got that reference!" (Nick Fury rolls a single eye.)
That seems to be the point of the whole Coulson thing: to let Cap know that not everybody thinks he's a total loser. People believe in you so you can't let them down, you gigantic cornball!
You do have a point about the bad guys, though. I think Loki is supposed to carry all of the villainous pathos, which he does, but he comes off as very separate from the aliens. I think the early scene that establishes the threat screws this up a little by telegraphing that his allies are planning to stab Loki in the back. He's sympathetic, but as soon as the invaders show up, he doesn't seem like a credible threat anymore.
That said, Loki's first big "fear me for I am evil" scene does happen in Europe. There's even an "I faced Nazis, asshole, you don't scare me" moment!
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On "I have mixed feelings about the SHIELD uniforms"
What a coincidence! A Thing for Agent Coulson is the title of my Fantastic Four+Avengers slash crossover!
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On "I have mixed feelings about the SHIELD uniforms"
@barnhouse I feel as though we watched different movies. The DoD refused to cooperate with Avengers because there WASN'T any "hooray America's military" going on. SHIELD is not American and morally murky to boot.
I also like RDJ's Stark, but you could have probably guessed that.
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On Know Your Internet History! A Chat With Rex Booth Of Rex's World
This made me feel young.
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On Obama Still Hates Gay Marriage, No Matter What You Want to Think
Jeremy, you fool! The moment enough of the Awl Commentariat understands your joke, we descend on you like a pack of ravenous hyenas and devour you for being insufficiently arch. GOODBYE MOFF IT WAS NICE KNOWING YOU I AM SURE YOU WILL BE DELICIOUS
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On Obama Still Hates Gay Marriage, No Matter What You Want to Think
EB@facebook (#233,348)
Fixed.
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On President Endorses States' Rights
@Multiphasic Yeeeeesh. Well, at least you think I'm pithy.
Call me moderate (because that's an insult now), but I don't vote for base-inspiring speeches that backfire in your face or have no practical result. That's called "grandstanding," and it's a great way to get campaign donations but a shitty way to govern.
There is plenty of room to criticize President Obama on matters like civil liberties and paramilitary contractors. I just told someone the other day that if those were his core issues, I didn't blame him for planning to vote third party in 2012.
But I don't consider it a problem for a public figure to hold his tongue if he thinks speaking up might undermine his policy goals.
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On President Endorses States' Rights
You should govern (and, for that matter, live) in clear recognition of the practical consequences of your actions, yes.
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On "I have mixed feelings about the SHIELD uniforms"
@barnhouse And here, this should make your day. (And everyone's.)