Anand Retains World Chess Crown with a Playoff Victory

After trading wins and tying Challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel at 6 games apiece to force a four game playoff, Viswanathan Anand of India was victorious in the second rapid playoff game and retained his World Chess Championship crown. After drawing the first game, Anand won game two and kept the lead by drawing in the final two games. The victory won Anand $1.5 million, and Gelfand took home $1 million. Anand had last successfully defended his title in 2010 against Bulgarian challenger Veselin Topalov. Anand praised Gelfand for a tense match and said he felt more "relieved" than happy because he wasn't sure of his win until the very end. "In all fairness, this match simply could have gone either way."

“Yes, of course the tie-break was incredibly tense", says Anand. "When I woke up this morning I had this feeling that one way or the other the match would finish today. I simply didn’t know how it was going to be. The match was so even that I had no sense what shape the tie-break would take. I think right now I only feel that I’m relieved. I think I’m too tense to be happy.

The game one was an incredibly tense start and I have no idea we were playing correctly or not. When all those complications happened after 21…Bg3 and the forced line with 26.Bg7 I played 26…Kh7. To be honest I saw 27.Rb7 but I could not believe it. Had it happened, the game would have gone really nuts there. In the second game I think I was better during the most of the game but, of course, Boris was defended extremely well and the result should be a draw. However he didn’t have much time and actually the position was unpleasant for Black when I had my pawn on b5. With my knight on c5 and rook on seventh rank anything can happen. Boris blundered and made me a gift.

I had a lost position during the third game but I was lucky to have some contra play at least. So I had this pawn mass in the center and g-file, even Rg7. But honestly speaking the score in the match could have been equalized right away.  
In the fourth game it was enough to make draw and I know that I was not supposed to play too hard for a draw because it can be finished very badly but somehow at the board I just started to do it. Let’s say I was happy when my rooks were doubled and I’ve got this trick with Re6. Still I think my opponent had a lot of chances in the games 3 and 4.”

Gelfand commented that, “The fight was variable today and I believe I had an edge. In the second game I think I played well and had more than enough compensation for the pawn. Most likely the problem in the tie-break for me was lack of time. When you don’t have time it’s not easy to make all best moves and big mistakes in the second and third games were decisive for the fate of the match. I had also an advantage in the fourth game but again I needed more time to find the best way to develop my edge. In the fourth I game spent a lot of time after 5.e5 because I was trying to find the best variation for Black in order to get complicated position and have some chances to win.”

The match was played in a room filled with about 100 people at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, one of Russia's finest museums. Hundreds of other chess fans of all ages watched it on a large TV screen in a hall outside. "We're seeing so many attacks and counterattacks in the games that they give me goose bumps," said Lev Khristoforov, 80, a long-time chess fan from Moscow. "This is very exciting." Gelfand, who emigrated from the former Soviet republic of Belarus to Israel in 1998, was supported throughout the match as if he were a local player.

In his post-match interview, Gelfand also thanked his Israeli supporters and said he hopes his performance will boost interest to chess in Israel, where it's relatively unpopular compared to the former Soviet Union. Russian tycoon and former chess player Andrei Filatov, estimated to be worth $1.3 billion by the Forbes magazine, is believed to have paid for renting the unusually lavish location for Wednesday's championship match.

Opinions differed on the quality of the match, with many spectators disappointed with the amount of draws, however the nerves, mental toughness and skill required nevertheless left most spectators with  respect for the champion and admiration for the challenger.


Anand - Gelfand (2012 World Chess Championship Game 14)
Sicilain Defence

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. b3 e5 6. Nxe5 Qe7 7. d4 d6 8. Nxc6 Qxe4 9. Qe2 Qxe2 10. Kxe2 Bb7 11. Na5 Bxg2 12. Rg1 Bh3 13. dxc5 dxc5 14. Nc3 O-O-O 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Rxd6 17. Rg5 Nf6 18. Rxc5 Kb8 19. Nc4 Re8 20. Ne3 Ng4 21. Ncd5 Nxe3 22. Nxe3 Bg4 23. f3 Equal 23... Bc8 24. Re1 Rh6 25. Rh1 Rhe6 26. Rc3 f5 27. Kd2 f4 28. Nd5 g5 29. Rd3 Re2 30. Kc1 Rf2 31. h4 Ree2 32. Rc3 Bb7 33. Rd1 gxh4 34. Nxf4 Re8 35. Rh1 Rc8 36. Rxc8 Bxc8 37. Rxh4 Bf5 38. Rh5 Bxc2 39. Rb5 Ka8 40. Nd5 a6 41. Ra5 Kb7 42. Nb4 Bg6 43. Nxa6 Rxf3 44. Nc5 Kb6 45. b4 Rf4 46. a3 Rg4 47. Kd2 h5 48. Nd7 Kb7 49. Ne5 Rg2 50. Kc3 Be8 51. Nd3 h4 52. Re5 Bg6 53. Nf4 Rg3 54. Kd4 Bc2 55. Rh5 Rxa3 56. Rxh4 Rg3 57. Nd5 Rg5 58. b5 Bf5 59. Rh6 Bg4 60. Rf6 Rf5 61. Rb6 Ka7 62. Rg6 Bf3 63. Rg7 Kb8 64. Nc3 Bb7 65. Kc4 Bf3 66. Kb4 Bd5 67. Na4 Rf7 68. Rg5 Bf3 69. Nc5 Kc7 70. Rg6 Kd8 71. Ka5 Rf5?? 72. Ne6 Kc8 73. Nd4 Rf8 74. Nxf3 Rxf3 75. Kb6 Rb3 76. Rg8 Kd7 77. Rb8  1-0

The 2012 World Chess Championship

The 2012 World Chess Championship is still tied with 2 games remaining in this best of 12 match between the current champion, Viswanathan Anand of India and the challenger, Boris Gelfand of Israel.

Similar to the fifth game, Anand started the tenth game with 1.e4. The opponents once again played the Sicilian Defence, but on the third move the world champion veered away from the Sveshnikov variation, choosing 3.Bb5. Just two moves later Gelfand showed a new plan – 5…e5, which resulted in an interesting position with mutual chances. Judging by how quickly the moves were made, the Israeli grandmaster had analysed this variation very deeply. Soon the queens were exchanged, the position simplified considerably, but, according to many experts, all three results of the game were still possible. Black’s position was weakened by doubled pawns on the queenside, but he had the two-bishop advantage. New exchanges followed, and the position simplified even further. On move 25 the opponents agreed to a draw.

The score is equal after 10 games – 5-5. Today, the opponents will have a rest day. The next game will be played on Saturday, May 26th with Gelfand playing White. After draws in the first 6 games, Gelfand drew first blood, in game 7, only to see Anand rebound in a 17 move shocker in game 8. With 2 games left, Anand will retain his title if he can avoid a loss, or win at least one more game.  However, if the match ends in a tie, the players will then play a 4 game, sudden death match to decide the title.

Anand-Gelfand (2012 World Chess Championship Game 8) 
Kings Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Ne2 0-0 7.Nec3 Nh5 8.Bg5 Bf6 9.Bxf6 exf6 10.Qd2 f5 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.g4 Re8+ 13.Kd1 Bxb1 14.Rxb1 Qf6Qf6 15.gxh5 Qxf3+ 16.Kc2 Qxh1 17.Qf2 1-0

Gelfand-Anand (2012 World Chess Championship Game 7) 
Slav Defence 
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 a6 6. c5 Nbd7 7. Qc2 b6 8. cxb6 8. cxb6 Nxb6 9. Bd2 c5 10. Rc1 cxd4 11. exd4 Bd6 12. Bg5 0-0 13. Bd3 h6 14. Bh4 Bb7 15.0-0 Qb8 16.Bg3 Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 20.Rfc1 Rab8 21.Na4 Ne4 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Qc2 g5 24.Qc7 Qxc7 25.Rxc7 f6 26. Bxe4 dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5 Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4 31.Ne5 Nc2 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 e2 38.Nxe6 1-0

Nakamura and Krush win 2012 US Chess Championships

Meanwhile, GM Hikaru Nakamura scored a huge victory in round 10 over GM Gata Kamsky, then bested GM Yasser Seirawan in the final round to seal the deal. IM Irina Krush defeated IM Anna Zatonskih in a rapid playoff to clinch her fourth U.S. Women's Championship title. Krush won the first game handily, and took advantage of time-pressure blunder by Zatonskih to seal the victory.

Kamsky-Nakamura (2012 US Chess Championship Round 10) 
Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 O-O 9.O-O Be6 10.Bb3 Nc6 11.Bg5 Na5 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Bd5 Rc8 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Re1 Bg5 16.Nf1 Qb6 17.Rb1 Nc4 18.Qe2 Bh6 19.h4 Qb4 20.g3 Rc7 21.Kg2 Nb6 22.Bb3 Bxb3 23.cxb3 Qxb3 24.a5 Na4 25.Nh2 g6 26.Ng4 Bg7 27.Nd5 Rc2 28.Qe3 Nc5 29.h5 Qxe3 30.Ngxe3 Rd2 31.Nc4 Rd4 32.Nxd6 Rd8 33.b4 Nd3 34.Nxb7 Nxe1+ 35.Rxe1 Ra8 36.f3 Bf8 37.Rc1 Bxb4 38.Rc7 gxh5 39.Kh3 Kg7 40.Kh4 Ra7 41.Kxh5 Rxd5 42.exd5 Bxa5 43.Re7 Bb6 44.d6 a5 45.Kg5 a4 46.Kf5 a3 47.Nd8 a2 48.Ne6+ Kh6 49.Ng5 a1=Q 50.Nxf7+ Kg7 0-1

 

Remembering Chuck Brown, 1936-2012

I still have fond memories of growing up in DC,  and part of the music scene that made us groove was our very own, unmistakable "Go Go" beat. Everyone was diggin' it; from the kids drumming on their 5 gallon, plastic buckets at Dupont Circle, to the latinos jamming in the parks of Mount Pleasant, Go-Go was everywhere. During my halcyon days back in '99 as a volunteer and webmaster at DC Vote, (a non-profit dedicated to educating the public about DC's lack of real congressional representation), we often needed to put on events to heighten the public's awareness. There was only one man whose music we knew would inspire any DC crowd; the "Godfather of Go-Go", the one and only Chuck Brown. Chuck was a huge advocate for DC's voting rights and would go on to perform many concerts for our organization over the next few years. Last year, I happened to be back in DC on U Street, when suddenly, my friend and I spotted the legendary Chuck Brown on our way over to Ben's Chilli Bowl. Ironically, I'd just heard his latest CD, "We Got This", with his fabulous new tune "Love", featuring Ledesi, Marcus Miller and Jill Scott. "Yo Chuck!" we yelled, and he flashed that famous Chuck smile. Chuck Brown passed away this week at the age of 75, and we will sorely miss one of the great, musical geniuses the Washington, DC area has ever known.

The name Chuck Brown might not mean a whole lot to people outside the D.C. area. In D.C., Brown was widely known, even revered, as the Godfather of Go-Go, a title he's held since the late '70s. Though he started out as a jazz guitarist, Brown invented go-go, a style that incorporates funk, jazz, R&B, hip-hop and dancehall, and has mostly stuck with it ever since. "We Got This" is perhaps Brown at his finest, groove bustin', Go-Go best…

“The Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown was the undisputed, sole founder and creator Go-Go music", as noted on his website, is "a hypnotically danceable genre deeply rooted in funk and soul that he developed in the early 70’s , and  the only form of expressive culture  to originate in the District of Columbia.  Foreshadowing rap and many of the major popular R&B styles of the past three decades, Chuck's signature style earned him a place in American musical royalty.  This esteem was maintained by the reputation of his legendary live shows, heavy on audience participation and built around “the beat” to create an unparalleled non-stop party atmosphere.

While searching for a sound to call his own in the 1960s, Chuck was deeply inspired by artists like James Brown.  He latched onto the Latin percussion groove from the band he played with at the time, Los Latinos.  Combining this with his roots, his love of blues, jazz, gospel, soul, and African rhythms, Chuck began to develop his own unique sound.   Starting out playing top forty, Brown would break-it-down between songs with percussion and audience call and response, and keep the music going, and the dance floor packed. 

His first hit was “We the People” on the debut album of the same name in 1972.  Next came the album Salt of the Earth, with the hit “Blow Your Whistle” (sampled by Grammy winner Eve in 2007 in her hit “Tambourine”), and one of the most sampled break beats of ALL time from “Ashley’s Roach Clip”  (including Eric B and Rakim, LL Cool J and countless others).     In 1978, the Soul Searchers became Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, and Chuck’s original composition “Bustin’ Loose” took the #1 spot in Billboard, on Source/MCA Records.  The song was used in Grammy winner Nelly’s 2002 smash “Hot in Herre,” and continues to be one of the most relevant and often sampled funk songs ever written (“Bustin’ Loose” is currently featured in a national television campaign for Chips Ahoy). 

After substantial touring across the US, but no money to show for his success, Chuck found himself looking for inspiration.  He found it in his next hit, the Billboard charting “We Need Some Money,” which propelled him around the world again.  Brown then revisited his love of jazz and created the “Go Go Swing Medley,” introducing people around the world to classics by Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, and James Moody, spun in Chuck’s inimitable way.  Released independently and later on Polygram Records, Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers once again reached an international audience through a 1985 at Holland’s North Seas Jazz Festival.  In between sets by Curtis Mayfield and James Brown, Chuck schooled everyone on the genre he created.  That same year, Chris Blackwell introduced the movie “Good to Go,” a much hyped but poor reflection of the scene.  Nonetheless other artists, such as Salt N Pepa, Kurtis Blow, and Grace Jones, began incorporating his sound in their music. Brown continued to record, perform in the US, with stints in Europe and Japan in the nineties.

After a string of live recordings, he met at the time an undiscovered, shy talent by the name of Eva Cassidy in the early nineties.  His lifelong dream of singing with a lady, springing from his love of duets by the likes of Louis Armstrong with Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Eckstine with Sarah Vaughan, came to fruition with the critically acclaimed and worldwide release of “The Other Side” by Chuck Brown and Eva Cassidy (which contained the original recording of the worldwide Eva Cassidy hit “Over the Rainbow”).  He dedicated a jazz standards album to Ms. Cassidy after her tragic loss to cancer. 

In 2001, he released the Billboard charting “Your Game... Live at the 9:30 Club” which was voted as one of the top 10 albums of 2001 by Billboard’s R&B Editor, Rapper Chuck D and others.  A live DVD came next, called “quite possibly the greatest live concert video/DVD I have ever seen” by Murder Dog Magazine. The same year a double remastered “Best Of” album was released.  In 2006 the National Endowment for the Arts awarded Chuck a “Lifetime Heritage Fellowship,” the Federal Government’s highest honor for folk and traditional arts, and Chuck also performed at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. The following year his “We’re About the Business” CD debuted as the #1 independent album and #2 R&B album  in Billboard.  The National Visionary Leadership Project recognized Chuck’s contributions in shaping American history in 2007, joining previous honorees such as Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, BB King, and Earth Kitt.

Most recently Chuck recorded with artists as diverse as Thievery Corporation, Brian Culbertson and Jeff Majors.  A street in Washington DC was recently renamed “Chuck Brown Way.”  His most ambitious recording, a three disc set “We Got This” was released on September 21, 2010.  It contains a live concert DVD shot in HD, a live concert audio CD and a CD of bonus new studio material including collaborations with the aforementioned Ledisi, Marcus Miller and Jill Scott.  At 74 years of age, Chuck Brown remained not only culturally and musically relevant, but a tireless and constant tour de force in American music."

Yo Chuck, you got this….

The 2012 US Chess Championships

The 2012 U.S. Men's and Women's Chess Championships kicked off this week in St. Louis, featuring an elite field of just 12 players and a guaranteed prize fund of at least $160,000. There would have been a shot at the “$64,000 Fischer Prize,” to be awarded to anyone that scores a perfect 11-0 in the U.S. Championship, in honor of Bobby Fischer’s result at the 1963-64 U.S. Championship, however the draws in the first and second rounds have made that feat impossible this year. Leading the pack after 3 rounds are top rated and current champ Gata Kamsky, and one of  America's best players and 2-time champion, Hikaru Nakamura with 2.5 points each in this 11 round affair. On the Women's side, the undefeated and current champ Anna Zatonskih and the number 2 seed, Irina Krush are in the lead.

There have been some decisive games and fireworks early on, with Nakamura defeating Ray Robson's Sicilian Dragon variation yesterday to share the lead with Kamsky. Kamsky's post match interview with tournament commentators Jennifer Shahade and Grandmaster Ben Finegold, explained that he wanted to avoid facing Onischuk's Berlin Variation of the Ruy Lopez, and instead, steered the game instead into the world of the London System, a popular opening at both the club and Grandmaster level. Onischuk was not as fortunate as he was facing Alexander Stripunsky yesterday, who blundered away his Bishop on the eleventh move of the game, showing us that grandmasters are indeed human, and sometimes hallucinate, turning the most routine of moves into an epic mistake. Stripunksky managed to shake off the loss, rebounding to win against Varuzhan Akobian in the 3rd round. Meanwhile, the 2012 World Chess Championship between current champ Viswanathan Anand and challenger Boris Gelfand begins today in Moscow.

(3) Stripunsky,Alexander (2562) - Onischuk,Alex (2660) 
2012 U.S. Championship Saint Louis, MO, USA
1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.g3 Nd7 7.Qe2 d4 8.Nb1 h5 9.h4 g5 10.hxg5 Qxg5 11.d3 0-1

 (7) Kamsky,Gata (2741) - Onischuk,Alex (2660) 
2012 U.S. Championship Saint Louis, MO, USA
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 b6 5.Nf3 Bb7 6.h3 Be7 7.Nbd2 cxd4 8.cxd4 0-0 9.a3 d6 10.Be2 Nbd7 11.0-0 Rc8 12.Bh2 Ne4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Ba6 Rc7 15.Nd2 Bc6 16.Qe2 Qa8 17.e4 Bb7 18.Bd3 e5 19.Nc4 b5 20.Na5 exd4 21.Bxb5 Ne5 22.Nxb7 Qxb7 23.Rac1 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Rc8 25.Rd1 Qb6 26.a4 h6 27.Bg3 Qc5 28.Kh2 Bf6 29.f4 Ng6 30.Bd3 h5 31.b4 Qxb4 32.Qxh5 Qxa4 33.e5 dxe5 34.fxe5 Rc5 35.Re1 Nf8 36.Qg4 Be7 37.Rb1 Qd7 38.Bf5 Qd5 39.Rb8 g6 40.Re8 Rc7 41.Bxg6 fxg6 42.Qxg6+ Kh8 43.e6 Rb7 44.Qf7 Rb2 45.Rxf8+ Bxf8 46.Qxf8+ Kh7 47.Qf7+ Kh8 48.Qe8+ 1-0

(5) Stripunsky,Alexander (2562) - Akobian,Varuzhan (2625)  2012 U.S. Championship Saint Louis, MO, USA
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Bd3 c5 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Qe2 0-0 7.Ngf3 Nfd7 8.Nb3 a5 9.e5 a4 10.h4 f5 11.exf6 Rxf6 12.Nbd4 Nxc5 13.Bg5 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Ne5 Qa5+ 16.Kf1 Qc7 17.Re1 Nxd3 18.cxd3 Rf5 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Nxc6 Qc5 21.Ne5 d4 22.Kg1 Qd5 23.Nc4 Rb8 24.Rh3 Ba6 25.Rg3 Rbf8 26.Nb6 Qd6 27.Qxe6+ Qxe6 28.Rxe6 R8f6 29.Rxf6 Rxf6 30.Nxa4 Rc6 31.b4 Rc1+ 32.Kh2 Ra1 33.Nc5 Bb5 34.Ne6 g6 35.Rf3 h6 36.Nxd4 Be8 37.Re3 Bf7 38.Re2 Bxa2 39.Re8+ Kf7 40.Ra8 1-0

The Avengers Re-Assembled

Director Joss Whedon is no stranger to the comic book, sci-fi genre. His best known works, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the cult series "Firefly/Serenity" were television masterpieces. Whedon's latest turn with Marvel's iconic comic book heroes "The Avengers", is another jewel in his crown; a guaranteed box office blockbuster that will no doubt thrill audiences and comic book fans alike. The Avengers are Marvel's latest entry into the world of film, (following the Hulk, Spiderman, Captain America, The X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil), yet I am always curious see how these classic stories from the 1960's translate to today's world of 2012. Whedon does a good job with what he had to work with, however I'd love to see someone make one of these films set in the decade they were created. If they can do it with shows like "Madmen" and the BBC's "Call the Midwife", surely they can do it with superheroes without the camp and cliches. How much have the Avengers changed? A brief look back at the original is both revealing and at times, even rewarding.

The original Avengers featured Iron Man, (ably played by Robert Downey Jr.); Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth); the Hulk; (a CGI-enhanced Mark Ruffalo); Ant-man/Giant-man and the Wasp. The latter two characters aren't part of this modern update, however Captain America, (played by Chris Evans), would join the team later in their 5th issue, actually replacing the uncontrollable Hulk. Hawkeye, (played by Jeremy Renner) and the KGB operative/double agent Black Widow, (played by Scarlett Johansson), arrived many issues later, and were initially characters and villains-turned heroes from the Iron Man comics. After the departures of Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp, Cap would lead an all-new team with Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlett Witch, two more "villains-turned heroes" from the X-Men comics.

One of the best things about the Avengers was the arrival of the World War II hero Captain America. In the original, Cap was found frozen in a state of "suspended animation" by the Avengers, floating in a block of ice, following his final battle with Baron Zemo, not the Red Skull in the newer film.  Whedon and the previous film touch on Cap's survivor guilt and Rip Van Winkle-like angst. It was Cap's readjustment to the '60's that also helped make the Avengers a hit, and his struggle to keep the new team of misfits together while saving the world, a world he himself was still struggling to adapt to.

The plot of the original version had nothing to do with the evil Loki, (played by Tom Hiddleston), a powerful cube, "cosmic" or otherwise, so fans of the May, 1964 issue number 5,  "Invasion of the Lava Men", will have to live with the realty of today's modern adaptations. Nevertheless, Whedon knows exactly what today's fans want; action, explosions, 3-D, CGI, a dash of romance and butt-kicking galore. There are a few guest stars to make you smile; Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as Nick Fury, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, (Marvel's version of the C.I.A., MI-5, and U.N.C.L.E. all rolled into one), Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony Stark's gal Friday Pepper Potts, and cameos by Harry Dean Stanton, Powers Boothe, Jenny Agutter, (one of my all-time favorite actresses from Walkabout, American Werewolf in London, Logan's Run and the aforementioned Call the Midwife), Marvel creator Stan Lee, (who, like Alfred Hitchcock, appears in virtually every film), and even Lou Ferigno, TV's Hulk reprises his role as the green goliath's voice!

Eventually, Giant Man/Goliath and the Wasp would return to make Cap's team into a super-powerful new version, with many story lines involving the romance between the Black Widow and Hawkeye. Later, other Marvel comic book heroes like, Hercules, the Vision, the Black Panther and others would join and herald the Mighty Avengers into the 70's, 80's and '90s. Spiderman, bless his web-spinning heart, would eschew all offers to join not only the Avengers, but the Fantastic Four and even the X-Men.

As many folks know, Marvel has had a few losers in its history of turning their comics into films; Daredevil and the Fantastic Four come readily to mind; they've also had some so-so efforts; Blade, the Punisher, Elektra and Ghost Rider for example. Many of those films suffered from either poor scripts, plots, casting, or failing to adapt those stories to more modern times.

Films like Spiderman, the X-Men, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man are absolute winners. Whedon's the Avengers now can be counted among them.