Internet, rejoice!  Joss Whedon provided a whopping jolt to the superhero genre with this year’s The Avengers by proving that “gritty and solemn” isn’t the only way to make a successful superhero movie, and now Marvel has officially signed Whedon to write and direct the film’s sequel.  Whedon is the key creative force behind the brilliance that is The Avengers, so bringing him back for the inevitable The Avengers 2 was on the forefront of fans’ minds going forward; Matt even wrote an editorial arguing why it was crucial to re-hire Whedon.  Hit the jump for more.As recently as Comic-Con, Whedon had yet to come to a final decision regarding his involvement with The Avengers 2.  Some in-depth negotiations likely took place (Whedon justly deserves a significant raise this time around), and the news that Whedon has signed to write and direct the sequel was announced on the Disney Investors Conference Call this afternoon (via Variety), along with the news that he'll develop "a Marvel-themed TV show for ABC."  We recently heard that Marvel was developing a live-action drama series for ABC set in the Avengers universe, so it's possible that this is the television show that Whedon will be developing.This is great news not only for The Avengers 2, but for the upcoming Marvel slate of films.  With Whedon firmly in place developing the film that will conclude Marvel's “Phase 2,” the creative genius can provide some insight and thoughts on Captain America: Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World, Guardians of the Galaxy, and possibly Ant-Man as they build to The Avengers 2.  Details on the Avengers deal and subsequent TV show are scant at the moment, but let's all let out an enormous sigh of relief knowing that Whedon is sticking with Marvel for the foreseeable future.  The Avengers 2 doesn't have an official release date as of yet, but it's widely assumed that it'll hit theaters sometime in 2015.