Why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Is Misunderstood
Let me preface this column by saying this is not an attempt to claim that one comic book company is superior to another. That said, I will admit to being more of a fan of Marvel than DC, but to prove the fact that I am able to be bipartisan, I will say that I think Arrow is the best comic book show on TV right now. However the margin between Arrow and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is not as substantial as some threads would suggest and neither show is perfect.
Admittedly, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has it's issues. One could reasonably argue that the actors have little chemistry and that the script is full of cringe-worthy comedy. The criticism that does not stand up, however, is that the show does not contain enough superheroes. From the very first promo until now, the theme of Agent's of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been about non-empowered humans trying to adapt to a world filling with superheroes. Even the show's tagline, “Not All Heroes Are Super,” reflects this idea.
I'm not arguing that a show focusing on non-empowered S.H.I.E.L.D. agents would be more entertaining that a show filled with superheroes. However, arguing that a show that has always been about S.H.I.E.L.D. agents does not contain enough superheroes is invalid. Despite the invalidity of the argument, I can sympathize. After seeing how Arrow successfully portrayed several comic book favorites on screen, many Marvel fans (myself included) wanted Marvel to do the same with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nonetheless, Marvel made the decision to focus their network show on non-empowered humans. Meanwhile, they were negotiating with Netflix to give four costumed heroes, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, their own series. This goes to show that just because our favorite heroes aren't showing up on ABC, that doesn't mean that Marvel does not have plans for them. Who knows? If the Netflix series are successful, we could see characters like The Punisher or Black Panther or maybe even a proper reboot of Elektra through the same medium. But if the writers of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. chose to pencil in these characters, the effort and due diligence that these complex characters deserve would not be present if Frank Castle or T'Challa made a one-episode cameo.
Furthermore, let's slow down on the accusations that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is not using characters from the comics. It is reasonable to believe that if Marvel reserved certain heroes for a Defenders team up that they could also be doing the same for certain villains such as Taskmaster, Radioactive Man, Bullseye, or the Serpent Society perhaps for a Thunderbolts series. Also, I've also seen complaints that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is not using any of the agents from the comics, specifically Clay Quartermain and Mockingbird. Personally, I'm not sure where these complaints are coming from. We are only seven episodes in and we have already seen Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Jasper Sitwell, and Victoria Hand. We've also been treated to a intriguing origin story for Graviton. (As a side note, don't sleep on Agent 13 showing up at some point. Emily VanCamp, who is playing the character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is the main protagonist of an ABC show already. An appearance in another show on the same network is hardly a stretch.)
Well this is already more lengthy than I intended, so I'll wrap it up. All of this to say one thing: be patient with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It is Marvel's attempt to reenter the live action TV market and they chose to take the conservative route by using agents in suits rather than heroes in colorful costumes. Lastly, I'll say this: tune in. Watch this show and Arrow. Watch the Flash show when it comes out. Subscribe to Netflix and watch Marvel's new shows when they are released. For that matter, go see every CBM that is released. We are in a golden age of live action comic book portrayal and we are responsible for maintaining it. Good ratings and gaudy box office numbers is how we show the entertainment industry that comic books films and TV shows are lucrative and worth investment.
As always, I welcome feedback. I want to know other fan's opinions. Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed the article please thumbs up.