*** There may be some spoilers ahead, so watch out.***
Well hello there, true believer!
Pumped about all the new superhero movies primed to hit theaters this year and beyond? Well, you're not alone. Scores of new fans are hitching a ride on the superhero bandwagon thanks to movies like "Avengers" and "Deadpool." However, sometimes having a large following doesn't mean a movie is destined for success. Marvel and DC Comics's earlier movies worked very hard to remain true to their original comics, but in doing so they lost the potential for widespread appeal. The "Fantastic Four" franchise is proof of that. The films received harsh criticism but made millions in box offices around the world. Even in the face of negative criticism, loyal fans continued to flock to these films. "Fantastic Four" and movies like it still do exceedingly well in terms of ticket sales, so you know where it counts.
However, these films were more than just entertaining, they are nostalgic and they are magical. These films are the realized dreams of the young and young at heart. These characters were no longer abstract ideas on a page, but physical adaptations for the silver screen.
For years, the only people I could really geek out over these movies with were my brother, my dad and maybe one rare friend. Not many people are well versed comic book or superhero lore, but that seems to be changing. More and more people are learning about the genre through film adaptations. And unlike a lot of my nerdy peers, I'm super stoked for it.
To be able to have a meaningful conversation about superheroes with someone who previously didn't know anything is refreshing. To be able to educate a new and energized fan base is awesome. Also, more and more, I find myself learning from these new fans. They are experiencing the genre differently than I did. As a kid, I mostly bought comics and hung out at bookstores with other like-minded kids. With social media, conventions, video games and literally every facet of life being bombarded with this stuff, I feel like a kid in a candy store.
A fandom thrives when more people take interest. This means more producers and creative types will be making more media for us to enjoy. Hooray! I mean, the "Justice League" as a movie has been a long time coming and now we are that much closer to seeing the whole gang on screen. Now, all I need is a "Teen Titans" draft in the works.
Comic book mythos have become common knowledge. It's hard to find someone who doesn't know who Batman is. A big problem with heroes becoming more mainstream is that they may lose the authenticity that brought comic book enthusiasts to the character in the first place. It's easy to see yourself in a character and most of these heroes exist in a diverse and ever-changing world. It's not hard to find a hero that speaks to you. My first comic book love was Peter Parker. The awkward New Yorker who juggled school, family, and super villains finding out his secret identity had numerous exciting story arcs, my favorite being the "Amazing Spider-Man." Andrew Garfield was superb and Marvel has already replaced him in "Captain America: Civil War" because Sony lost the rights to using his image. Third times the charm I guess for this web-slinging icon.
This isn't the only change in the Civil War franchise. I was already upset over the movie centering around 10 or so superheroes and not the hundreds of heroes in the actual comic book series. I know it's unrealistic to have hundreds of heroes, but asking for more than 10 total isn't unreasonable. This story arc was one of Marvel's biggest and most realistic. In it, the government passed legislation that forced heroes to reveal their identities and abide by regulations set in place by congress. Some heroes had nothing to lose, others had everything at stake. So, of course, this resulted in a full-on war. All of your favorite Marvel heroes battling their friends and loved ones on a matter of identity and freedom. It's easy to empathize with a plot like that. A hero named Goliath dies in the series and this is a super big deal, but the trailers don't even hint to him because he doesn't seem to exist in this version of the universe. Also, if Bucky ends up being the catalyst for this war, I will be very unhappy. Don't even get me started on T'Challa (Black Panther) being on Tony's side in the trailer versus his role in the comic. The movie trailer didn't seem to allude to a story like that. The plot seems small, maybe it's just because we've only seen a glimpse of what's in store. Hopefully, Marvel has some more surprises for us later on.
If it wasn't obvious before, I love Marvel's Civil War storyline. I wasn't expecting this movie to drop so soon because of how immense the story line was. More and more, studios are sacrificing the endearing qualities of heroes and their stories for cash. Making a quick buck is more important than remaining true to the essence of a superhero and art is taking a back seat to marketing. Some producers prefer chaos to continuity. Does it really matter if you change an origin story entirely or who cares if you shamelessly plug Sears or Apple on your movie? The audience does and you never want to leave the audience with a bad taste in their mouth.
DC Comics is no stranger to flubbing up either. "Green Lantern," for example, dedicated an entire scene to a Hot Wheels product placement. This part obviously sucked, but there were some good parts too, like casting Mark Strong as Sinestro, effectively depicting Hal Jordan getting his ring from Abin Sur, and I personally loved how cool the Lantern actually looked. I sort of wanted one after seeing the movie, but not really because you know, the movie was terrible. The "Green Lantern" mythos is one of the most detailed and impressive lores crafted by the DC Universe, it also has one of the worst films hanging from its laurels. Some of DC Comics best story arcs, "Blackest Night" and "Brightest Day," revolve around the Lantern Corps Universe and resembles Marvel's Civil War in scale and influence. The movie had the potential to be good, but it fell short. Hopefully, we can expect a reboot in the near future. I need Hal Jordan in the Justice League.
However, all's not lost! Deadpool just raised the bar for future superhero movies, proving that studios can produce quality films while remaining true to the story. Too many people are becoming disenchanted with the heroes they loved as a kid because of bad movies. Ryan Reynolds apologized for "Green Lantern" and comic book nerds forgave and forgot after seeing how rad "Deadpool" was.
It's possible for creators, writers and actors to make amazing pieces without succumbing to the whims of the studio or washing away what makes characters great in order to brand for a larger audience. Deadpool has really shaken things up in the genre. Snarky, red-leather bound anti-heroes have never looked so good. With more people frequenting the theaters for superhero flicks, studios need to produce bigger and better films to keep up with the demand.
This means more gripping and creative stories, more drama, better actors and improved cinematography. Audiences are ready to be challenged, they are ready for studios to produce serious pieces of art centered around superhero lore. With "Batman v. Superman", "Guardians of the Galaxy 2", "Dr. Strange", "Justice League", "X-men Apocalypse", "Suicide Squad", and more coming out soon, this promises to be a very exciting time for comic book fans. Marvel and DC have big plans for the next few years, let's see if they can deliver.
