The more I mull it over, the more Joss Whedon makes sense as the director of Marvel's high-profile feature film adaptation of The Avengers. His time in the director's chair isn't extensive, but neither was Jon Favreau's before helming Iron Man, and Whedon's got plenty more geek cred and comic book experience than Favreau ever did. In fact, once you start to really examine Whedon's television work, you might see that his characters aren't so dissimilar from the superheroes who will be populating The Avengers. Let's take a look at who resembles who:
Iron Man :: Mal, Firefly
An ability to mumble pithy comments under his breath? Check. A heart of gold that sometimes gets in the way of his money-making schemes? Check. A gift for looking great in red and a love of traveling through the air? Check and check.
The Hulk :: Willow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
You wouldn't like either of these two when they're angry. Unfortunately, their tendency to transform at the slightest provocation makes their fellow heroes wary.
Captain America :: Captain Hammer, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Have you ever suspected that under Captain America's goody-goody exterior lies a shamelessly self-congratulatory inner life (and a love of showtunes)?
Black Widow :: Echo, Dollhouse
Truth be told, Black Widow resembles any Eliza Dushku character created by Whedon: sexy, dangerous, and willing to flip from bad to good depending on the hour.
Thor :: Angel, Angel
Buffy Summers and Jane Foster should really grab coffee sometime. They've got a lot in common, as each fell in love with a big hunk of a man who eventually revealed himself to be a superpowered, super-ancient immortal. Both Thor and Angel are grappling with a transformational curse: the arrogant Thor is made to live as a human by his father, while Angel is the subject of a gypsy incantation that removes his humanity upon attaining true happiness.
Nick Fury :: Giles, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Did you think we'd liken Fury to the eye-patched Xander? The two of them may have similar taste in facial accessories, but Nick Fury fills a role much like Buffy's Giles does, dropping in and out of the narrative and recruiting whatever superheroes or potential Slayers are necessary for the next threat.