Five AVENGERS Comic Book Covers Which Would Make A Better Theatrical Poster

While the majority of users here on CBM are fawning all over the new poster for The Avengers (find it HERE), I have to say I'm firmly in the thoroughly unimpressed camp. The proportions of the characters all look off and the way in which the actors are all awkwardly (and seemingly randomly) placed around the poster just makes it look like a complete and utter Photoshopped mess. Considering that the movie - now titled Avengers Assemble in the UK - is Marvel Studios' biggest yet, I really was hoping for something which would look impressive if put up on the wall. Hopefully they'll release something a little more like that before April, but for now, here are the five comic book covers which I think would have made for much better theatrical posters.

NEW AVENGERS #1 (2005)

This cover was used to launch a new team of Avengers after the team was "Disassembled" by Brian Michael Bendis. Featuring the likes of Spider-Man, Wolverine and Luke Cage, this may seem like an odd choice, but a live action version featuring the team from the upcoming movie could potentially make for one very striking poster, despite the fact that they're shrouded in shadow. Replace the anonymous lightning bolt with Loki and his alien army and this has the potential be one hell of a poster, although there is a little risk of it coming across as too generic if not handled in the right way.

ULTIMATES 2 #1 (2010)

A fair few of the characters on this cover - Giant Man, Wasp, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch - would obviously need to be removed, but it could still work. Of course, the major concern for the studio would more than likely be having a masked Chris Evans as Captain America at the forefront of the poster (while both Iron Man and Thor take flight in the background). However, if the Hulk was somehow incorporated into the image, there's no reason why the it couldn't be finished off with a nice shot of Stark Tower or even the Helicarrier to really make the images of the heroes pop.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 - VARIANT (2012)

How perfect is this? Captain America is front and centre, while both Iron Man and Thor fly above and the Hulk looms in the background. Hawkeye and Black Widow fill out the poster by being either side of the heroes and while the American flag may be a little too patriotic for audiences outside of the US, replace it with a background similar to the one used in the poster released earlier today and we're all set. Captain America's shield being thrown towards the audience is nice touch, while they could probably even squeeze Nick Fury, Agent Coulson and Maria Hill in there somewhere.

Whether this would actually work is debatable. Regardless, Hawkeye and Black Widow could be left off altogether, with Captain America instead taking the place of Ant-Man and Wasp. Seeing the big four facing off against Tom Hiddleston's Loki (even if he is only seen from behind) would give audiences a clearer idea of the threat the team face in the film - the general audience should have no trouble remembering Loki's unique helmet from THOR - while also cementing The Avengers' status as a movie which features four of the world's biggest superheroes coming together in one epic team-up after their respective solo movies.

THE AVENGERS #4 (1964)

Replace Giant Man and Wasp with Hawkeye and Black Widow and that's that. Captain America's pose could do with being a little less peculiar looking, but seeing the heroes all in action would make for one breathtaking piece of imagery. Place the Hulk in the background and replace Namor with the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and it would be just about perfect. Of course, this wouldn't really make for a better poster unless Marvel actually got all of the actors in at the same time. The recently released one-sheet and last year's X-Men: First Class posters prove that this is a look that just doesn't work if they're all just awkwardly photoshopped together.