For so long, if you were a comic fan, you had an allegiance to one side or the other. All you would have to do to see this in proof is peer through my windows as my father and I discuss the merits of which character could out-do the other.
DC will claim dominance if you asked them. But, of course, so would Marvel. Both would be totally unable to comprehend the idea that it wasn’t them that led the comic revolution through the ’s.
But only now is that battle being fought out in the cinema box office. Now yes, granted, that’s because the medium hasn’t had the money and technology until today. But a new battle is not unexciting just because it was unlooked for.
The greatest example of this battle is in the pair’s respective superhero teams. On one side, we have the Justice League of America, camping out underneath the DC banner. And, from the right corner, coming from New York, we have Marvel with their Avengers. Both teams are made up of heroes from within their respective universes, and are lynch pins to the industry.
Subsequently, movies focusing on the teams will be lynch pins, or as Warner Bros. are calling them, “tent=poles” for the film industry. But if you’ve been following any of the JL news of late, you’ll know that there is no peace in WB and DC world. In fact, things aren’t looking too bright at all.
Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan – the actor and director from the Batman Begins movie – have expressed their sadness at WB’s desire to create the JL movie prior to the end of their trilogy of movies. Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris – the screenwriters behind the failed Superman Returns movie – have pulled out of any future sequels. And the general feel for the casting rumors are that the movie is going to turn out as a Justice League 90210.
Warner Bros. and DC are hurrying along the Justice League movie because they know that comic fans will go bananas for it. But they’re not only misjudging out gullibility, but mistreating the franchise in the process. If nothing else, ask yourself, who else would you want to play Batman these days?
Compare all of this to what Marvel is doing, and you’ll see that there is going to be a clear winner.
Already we’ve seen Marvel pump out a pair of trilogies for X-Men and Spider-Man. Iron Man will make his debut next year, and we know Thor is currently undergoing script changes. Two Fantastic Four movies have been made, and the Incredible Hulk is already filming. Wolverine is in pre-production, beginning filming in under a month, and we’ve heard that Ant-Man is coming along as well. Add to that rumor’s of movies for Luke Cage, the Black Panther, Namor, and the most recent news that Captain America may have a director, and you begin to see a pattern.
For those a little slow on the uptake though, here’s the kicker; I’ve basically listed pretty much some of the heavy hitters of the Avengers. Let’s look at it again without the extra words; Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Ant-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Black Panther, Namor, and any of the Fantastic Four except Reed are all eligible characters for an Avengers movie. They’ve all lined up in Avengers books, and are all fan favorites.
Marvel has decided that giving the fans what they want is the best course of action. They’ve seen that they have a huge fan base, and in all reality, they’re going to be pumping them for all the cash they possibly can. But that doesn’t meant they don’t respect them. They’ve just thought of the best way to use them.
Marvel have slowly, in conjunction with Fox Studios, Sony Pictures, and simply through their own studio, managed to produce, or place in to production, enough movies that an Avengers movie is simply the next logical step. And when you consider bringing in extra characters in to an Avengers movie, they’ve then got spin-off material as well. Hands up who wants a Wasp movie? I sure as hell do!
DC could learn a thing or two from what Marvel is doing. Instead of belittling its fans and forcing through a movie that is at least 5 years away from real viability, WB and DC are going to push JL no matter how much it hurts the franchise; and us as fans.
I pay no special allegiance to any comic branch. I’ll read them all, and love them too! And though DC usually wins in a direct face off, this time, Marvel has not only got the edge, but the blade, the pommel, the sheath and the bloody pants as well!
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