Fans lined up for the midnight showing of “Marvel’s The Avengers” last night at the legendary El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, and now we’ve got  an amazing gallery of photos from the event!

From cosplaying fans to celebrity appearances, you can see our full gallery below. And if you live in Los Angeles, head to the El Capitan’s official website for tickets and more info on “Marvel’s The Avengers”!

Don’t forget to buy your tickets now for “Marvel’s The Avengers,” now in theatesr & IMAX 3D!

Thor hammer replica at the El Capitan Theatre	Avengeres cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	The audience at El Capitan’s midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers
Hulk busts at the El Capitan Theatre	Clark Gregg at the midnight El Capitan showing of Marvel’s The Avengers	Avengers cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel toys at the El Capitan Theatre	Captain America busts at the El Capitan Theatre	Tony Stark wax figure at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel costumes at the El Capitan Theatre	Marvel comics at the El Capitan Theatre	Clark Gregg at the midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel costumes at the El Capitan Theatre	Thor and Loki helmets at the El Capitan Theatre	Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	Clark Gregg at the midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel cosplayers at the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre	Fans line up for the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre	Fans at the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	Fans line up for the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre	Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	Daredevil cosplayer at the El Capitan Theatre	Comics giveaways at the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre
Marvel cosplayers at the El Capitan Theatre	Fans line up for the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre	Fans line up for the midnight screening of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre
Fans line up for the midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatre	The marquee at the El Capitan Theatre for the midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers	Clark Gregg at the midnight showing of Marvel’s The Avengers at the El Capitan Theatrer

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.

In addition to “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including “Iron Man 3″ on May 3, 2013; “Thor 2″ on November 15, 2013; and the sequel to “Captain America: The First Avenger” on April 4, 2014.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” Thor figure from Hot Toys

Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are proud to present the Thor Sixth Scale Limited Edition figure from “Marvel’s The Avengers” available for pre-order now!

The film-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Chris Hemsworth as Thor, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, highly detailed costume, accessories and signature mjolnir.

The Thor Sixth Scale Figure features:

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

By Chris Baker

It’s a truly historic day here at the House of Ideas, as “Marvel’s The Avengers” is finally making its way to American theaters. I’ve seen it. It’s awesome. I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me soon. (Maybe you already do.

As Interactive Manager at Marvel, it’s been my pleasure to work with Zen Studios on the video-pinball adaptation of the film, which, as one of four great tables in Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, should be headed your way in just a few weeks. It looks a little something like this…

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

Cool trailer, I know, but you can see it pretty much anywhere. When Sid Shuman and Jeff Rubenstein–who preside over the PlayStation Blog with legendary Thanos-ian tyranny–demanded I present “a li’l somethin’ extra for our minions,” who was I to say no? So, here you have it, my fellow peons: Five cool things about “Marvel’s The Avengers” pinball…

5) Zen Pinball 2!

“Marvel’s The Avengers” and the other three tables within the “Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles” four-pack help to usher in Zen’s new PlayStation pinball platform on the same launch date (best I can give you now: “soon”). You can read all the details here, but the basics you need to know are 1) it houses all past “Marvel Pinball” and “Zen Pinball” titles under one virtual roof, 2) it does more stuff than those other two titles, and 3) you can switch between playing on PS3 and Vita at no extra charge. Excelsior, indeed.

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

4) Real Movie Assets

See that Quinjet? And those 3D character models? Oh, and those S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors with all sorts of high-tech-looking pictures of countries and stuff? They’re all taken directly from digital assets used in the film. So, that is the Quinjet. Those are Iron Man and Hulk. Those are the same S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors with all sorts of high-tech-looking pictures of countries and stuff.

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

3) You’re Not Just a Ball, You’re a Character…in the Form of a Ball

In terms of sheer gameplay, this is what makes “Marvel’s The Avengers” one of the most unique video pinball tables you’ll ever play. As you may have noticed, none of the screenshots feature a traditional silver ball for this table. That’s because no traditional silver balls exist at any time while you play. Instead, an Avenger of your choosing–represented by the balls you see at left–is dropped right into the thick of things, each boasting his or her own unique buffs based on character specialties. (My personal favorite: An exclusive bonus to the skillshot when you’re Hawkeye.) I look forward to watching the Zen Studios forums and seeing how sequence of Avenger selection affects the battle plan for all the hardcore Zen fans out there.

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

2) Thor vs. Hulk!

‘Nuff said.

1) Movie Guys Helped Make It

This table was a true team effort. In addition to our games group here at Marvel and, most especially, the immense talent at Zen Studios, “Marvel’s The Avengers” features what may very well be a video pinball first–actual filmmaker involvement.

Screenshot from Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

One of the coolest parts of the development experience for me was shooting ideas around with Executive Producer Jeremy Latcham, Creative Manager of R&D Will Corona Pilgrim and a few others of Marvel Studios’ finest. They were genuinely enthused about the process, and I credit them fully with coming up with some of the missions, as well as the idea of having the Helicarrier act as the setting for the board. Once things were in full swing, Will was especially helpful, providing detailed feedback on everything from character animations to the minute details of the table’s script.

All told, the film team provided some invaluable ideas and feedback. You can tell there’s a lot of talent there, the type that’s capable of creating what very well may be the best super hero movie ever, I’d say…

Did “Marvel’s The Avengers” leave you wanting even more of your favorite super heroes? Lucky for you we’ve got a brand-new episode of “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!” premiering this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD!

The team meets the Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend as they confront the dangerous Michael Korvac, but you’ll have to tune in to learn his deadly secret!

Join Iron Man, Hawkeye, Hulk, Wasp and Black Panther as they run into the Guardians for the first time in this clip from Sunday’s episode below, and remember to tune in beginning at 11:30 a.m. only on Disney XD!

Avengers fans assemble…at Marvel’s new graphic novel page on Google Play! That’s right, there’s now another online platform to purchase Marvel digital graphic novels that feature some of your favorite l heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and more!

Marvel’s Digital Graphic Novels on Google Play offers a wide variety of Marvel’s content, from Avengers to X-Men. Want to read one of the comic book inspirations for the new Avengers movie? Purchase ULTIMATES VOL. 1: SUPER-HUMAN! Interested in learning more about Captain America and Bucky Barnes? Buy CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER to plunge into international intrigue and Cap’s ongoing battle with the Red Skull! If you’re in the mood for some Hulk action, pick up HULK VOL. 1: RED HULK and vent some of that pent up anger with Bruce Banner and company.

And that’s just the tip of the super hero iceberg. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be adding more digital graphic novels to Google Play. What that means is more Iron Man, more Avengers, more X-Men, more Spider-Man and more of Marvel’s greatest heroes protecting the innocent and saving the world! So whether you’ve just seen “Marvel’s The Avengers”, or are a comic book collector about to take the digital comic plunge, Marvel’s Digital Graphic Novels on Google Play has something for everyone to purchase, read, and enjoy.

Courtesy of Romance Was Born

Tenaciously opening 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia like the thunderous force of their comic inspirations, Romance Was Born transformed Pier 2 at the Sydney Theatre Company into a super hero playground, complete with a gigantic paper-pop up set straight from the pages of a beloved Marvel comic book. Guests Jenny Kee, Catherine Martin, Sophie Lowe and Susie Lau (Style Bubble) were treated to a SLAM! KAPOW! and BOOM! and models were altered into modern day super heroes with sass as their super power.

Inspired by the almighty spectral power of color, Romance Was Born is drawn to the pop appeal of Marvel Comics and their iconic super heroes. An interest also sparked in the process of CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Key) printing which is used to produce these classic characters from the Marvel world. The CMYK printing technique of halftoning and the pattern like dot work of applying color is responsible for that instantly recognizable comic book style.

Courtesy of Romance Was Born

“Working with Marvel has been a dream”, says one half of Romance Was Born, Anna Plunkett. “Having access to such incredible graphic archives has been so exciting. The Marvel group has been really supportive in helping us reach our creative vision. It’s been a terrific process seeing the collection come to life, and a real privilege to work with such an incredible respected and creative company!”

“Marvel is a brand steeped in tradition but is constantly innovating. The continued popularity, heritage and inspiration Marvel represents all over the world is a testament to the appeal of the brand to artists, creators, collaborators and fashion designers such as Romance Was Born. The collaboration is original, truly one-of-a-kind and speaks to the enduring appeal of the characters and stories of Marvel—with a dash of drama and high fashion allowing us to speak to fans of fashion and art in a unique way,” said Simon Philips, President, Marvel Entertainment International.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” opens domestically on May 4

“Marvel’s The Avengers” opened in a number of international territories this past weekend, earning $185.1 million and breaking records overseas!

Everyone’s abuzz with news of the Avengers’ success, and we’ve got a round-up of the reports for your reading pleasure below!

The film makes its domestic premiere this Friday, May 4, but buy your tickets so you don’t get sold out!
Click on our links below to read more on “Marvel’s The Avengers” opening weekend internationally, and keep your eyes on Marvel.com for all things Avengers in the coming days!

‘The Avengers’ Opens Huge Overseas, RollingStone.com

‘The Avengers’ Breaks International Box Office Records, HuffingtonPost.com

‘Avengers’ Soars To Huge Foreign Box-Office Debut, MTV.com

‘The Avengers’ breaks box office records with $178M sales, GMANetwork.com

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.

In addition to “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including “Iron Man 3″ on May 3, 2013; “Thor 2″ on November 15, 2013; and the sequel to “Captain America: The First Avenger” on April 4, 2014.

This week on the Marvel Comics app, we’re counting down to the biggest movie of 2012: “Marvel’s The Avengers”! And what better way to start the clock than with a truly mighty sale that will have you waving your flag and saluting the nearest bald eagle. That’s right, for a limited time only, the first 50 issues of CAPTAIN AMERICA (2004) are on sale for only 99 cents per single digital issue on the Marvel Comics app.

By writer Ed Brubaker and an assortment of talented artists including Steve Epting and Mike Perkins, CAPTAIN AMERICA #1-50 contains some of the best and most action-packed stories Marvel has published in the last decade. Purchase any issue and read the adventures of the star-spangled hero as he takes on The Red Skull, Crossbones, Sin, General Lukin and more with the aid of The Falcon, Sharon Carter, Black Widow, and the mysterious Winter Soldier! Follow Steve Rogers as he unlocks the mysteries of his past and faces the greatest foe of all: death!

Buy CAPTAIN AMERICA (2004) #1-50 on the Marvel Comics app for your iOS or Android device and experience a roller coaster ride of comic book adventure that only Marvel can deliver. Do so quickly because this deal expires at 11 PM EST today!

By Tim Stevens

Noh-Varr appears to be a young adult male of above average physical fitness. While the client does appear humanoid, he is, in fact, an alien, a member of the Kree species, albeit from a different universe. This conclusion is based on both self-report and records provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. Additionally, he is the product of genetic mutation, having had his DNA spliced with that of a creature the rough equivalent of a cockroach. The client assures staff that where he is from this is a rather routine occurrence and that there are no concerns regarding negative complications from such a procedure. A battery of physical tests does seem to bear out this claim.

Since the client’s last required psych evaluation—as called for by his continued membership with the Avengers—there have been significant changes in both his “professional” (masked vigilantism) and personal life. For one, he took on yet another identity, getting rid of the homage moniker Captain Marvel and the press label of Marvel Boy, for the name “Protector.” For another, he has begun a romantic relationship with a woman who is human and was in no way connected with the super hero community until she met Noh-Varr. While he did not wish to discuss her in depth, he did allow that she was someone he enjoyed being around.

With the change in name, uniform, and romantic attachment has come a change in attitude as well. While the client was formerly very hostile towards this writer with moments where he seemed to allow himself to be vulnerable and open to the therapeutic process, he has become significantly less antagonistic. This is not, to say, however, that he has become more sharing in sessions. He is pleasant, but he is still frustratingly disinterested in exploring his past trauma or most of his feelings about his current life. What he does share is often perfunctory. It is as if he is actively hiding something though this writer confesses to have no idea what that would be. In any case, the dissipation of his anger has not made him any more interested in or dedicated to the building of a therapeutic bond. He has, however, stopped outright insulting this writer and making snide remarks about this writer’s family, so that is a certain kind of progress.

Given this, it is difficult to make recommendations about where therapy should proceed if Noh-Varr decides he wishes to do so. He has expressed no specific goals and remains aloof enough that proposing goals, beyond connecting better with others, would be mostly an exercise in inappropriate speculation.

It is conceivable that this therapist is simply a “bad fit” for the client. With this in mind Noh-Varr has another appointment scheduled with Doctors Brian Michael Bendis and Walter Simonson on May 16. Please refer to file AVENGERS #26 on that date for the full report.

Psy D candidate Tim Stevens is Practicum Trainee at a community mental health facility.

By Marc Strom

In the comics, Felicia Hardy has tried to steal Spider-Man‘s heart countless times. Now she’ll get her chance once more in the “Amazing Spider-Man” video game out June 26!

The white-haired thief known as the Black Cat in the comics receives a special makeover exclusively for the “Amazing Spider-Man” video game, and we’ve got your first peek at her new look as well as her bio from the game!

Plus, scroll down past the bio to get the full scoop on Felicia’s role in the game as we speak with Marvel Games Interactive Manager, Chris Baker, for a couple of teases as to what we have in store!

Felicia Hardy

Screenshot of Felicia Hardy in the “Amazing Spider-Man” video game

Born in Queens, New York, to a privileged and wealthy family, Felicia Hardy led the ideal life growing up as a popular cheerleader and respected athlete who still managed straight A’s in all her classes. But her family had a dark secret–the Hardy fortune was a result of her father’s career as a notorious cat burglar. Making plenty of enemies on both sides of the law, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Felicia graduated high school. Determined to continue his legacy–or perhaps for other, less obvious reasons–Felicia has since dedicated her life to following in her father’s footsteps. 

Felicia trained for years, until she felt she was ready to become the ultimate thief. Her obsession paid off–before long, she’d find that her sharp wit and seductive allure gave her an edge over the competition, landing her in circles that even her father, a master thief, could never have hoped to breach. What’s more, after three years of consistently brilliant jobs, she still managed to elude all authorities, as well as other, less law-abiding figures on her trail. But her luck is about to change…

Marvel.com: You mentioned on the This Week in Marvel podcast recently that several of the villains in the “Amazing Spider-Man” will feature some sort of Oscorp-based origin story involving cross-species genetic engineering. Does Felicia fall into this category?

Chris Baker: There is a touch of Oscorp involved in her back story, but it doesn’t involve genetic engineering in any way. You’ll find that she definitely has an interest in everything that goes on there, though.

Marvel.com: How so?

Chris Baker: Well, for one thing, that’s no normal gun she’s packing there, it’s a stolen Oscorp prototype that has some special features you’ll see in action when you fight her. Also, we’re definitely speaking to her infatuation with Spider-Man we’ve been reading in comics for more than 30 years now–it’s linked to more than simply being impressed at his abilities–and part of that ties back to Oscorp, as well.

Marvel.com: Beyond an infatuation with Spider-Man, in what other ways would you say she resembles her comics-based counterpart?

Screenshot of Felicia Hardy and Spider-Man in the “Amazing Spider-Man” video game

Chris Baker: Her general back story is similar, with her being the daughter of a famous cat burglar, but beyond that, I think with Felicia it’s all about a healthy mix of attitude, smarts, and overall sexiness. I’d say ["Amazing Spider-Man" developer] Beenox has nailed it on all counts. She’s tough-as-nails, and she knows exactly what she’s doing. And even though she’s robbing a bank in our story, once you get to know her, you realize that maybe she isn’t such a “villain” after all. In that respect, I think her introduction here is very similar to what we saw back in the ‘70s.

Marvel.com: What changes did Beenox make to have her feel more “movie universe”?

Chris Baker: Most importantly, when it came to her look, the conclusion was to at least speak to everything you could identify as being iconic about her, but make it look like something you can imagine a person feasibly wearing in the real world. We all know the comic version, for example, has a very iconic mask. Practically speaking, a mask’s functionality is to hide one’s identity, and being anonymous doesn’t exactly fit Felicia’s M.O. in our story. So instead, Beenox gave her a pair of glasses with black frames that speak to the familiar shape of her mask, which I think do a great job of making her look “smart sexy.” I’ll admit, she’s probably still a little more provocatively dressed than someone in the real world might be while robbing a bank, but there are some core things about a character you just can’t change.

Marvel.com: And what about the hair? It’s not white for many women her age. Did you consider changing it to make it feel more “real”?  

Chris Baker: Yes, we actually had some color in her hair for quite some time, but then we realized it was taking too much away from what we felt the fans–ourselves included–would really want. We actually have a story-based reason for her white hair with roots–no pun intended–relating directly to the climax of the movie itself, even though she doesn’t actually appear in the film. I’d tell you, but, well, you know…spoilers and all…

Marvel.com: Anything else we should know about her going in?

Chris Baker: The bank robbery I mentioned earlier is where your big showdown with her takes place…but that might not be the only time she pops up…

The “Amazing Spider-Man” video game hits shelves June 26!