This year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe produced it's 9th and 10th entries. It now has 4 active film franchise (with at least 2 more on the way) as well as a plethora of television shows, one shots and tie in comics which are all joined together in one ever expanding continuity. Through this model they have constructed a near bullet proof business model and are changing the way Hollywood thinks about film franchises. Next Spring, Baltimore University will hold a first-of-it's-kind course to delve deep into the world Marvel has created and why it has taken both the box office and entertainment industry by storm.
"Taught by Arnold T. Blumberg, D.C.D. '04, an adjunct faculty member in UB's Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, the class will uncover the unprecedented efforts by Marvel to establish a viable universe of plotlines, characters, and backstories that leave no question unanswered, no story or character abandoned or otherwise unexplained. Blumberg says this critical look will encourage students to better understand the culture's fixation on superheroes, fictional global threats, and other "widescreen" novelistic tales that have pushed the comic book-to-film ethos into new territory."
The course will look to examine how Marvel's unique inter-connectivity between different characters and stories has helped it draw in the audience as well as challenge their suspension of disbelief. Said Blumberg
"One thing we'll do is dive into the impact of the Guardians of the Galaxy film, which proved two things: Mainstream movie audiences are not remotely tired of superhero movies; and Marvel Studios can now release a sci-fi adventure that actually features talking trees and raccoons. It's not that they're getting away with it—they've created a universe in which fans completely accept these developments, and they're ready for even more. The series maintains a consistent tone for its brand. Just like the early comics had to 'train' their audience in the basic mechanics of comic book storytelling, with human characters transformed into heroes that spoke to a college-age readership and beyond, this cinematic series has been constructed to bring a mainstream movie-going public into a wild world of superheroes and science fiction. It started with a human emotional core delivered in the first Iron Man movie, and built out from there. The Tony Stark character is memorable in that he was someone who could readily comment on the insanity around him. This grounded the entire Marvel film canon, and is still recognizable in the Guardians film. I think relatability is one of the reasons why audiences continue to come out in great numbers for these films."
Blumberg continued,
"Every generation has a modern media mythology that serves as a framework for entertaining as well as educating about ethics, morality, issues of race, gender, class, and so on," he says
. "For the past several years, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings have served in that role for tens of millions. When I was younger, it was the first Star Wars series, which I saw in the theater. For me, that saga—along with many other science fiction stories—provided that essential exploration of the hero journey, the struggle of good vs. evil, in a mainstream pop culture context. This series not only provides action-packed entertainment but also profound statements about the nature of heroism, the great responsibilities that come with wielding great power, our willingness to trade freedom for security, and much more," he says.
"Every issue facing our world today is encapsulated in deceptively simple morality tales featuring four-color comic book heroes whose histories stretch back to 1939. We have a generation coming of age with these characters and this completely mapped-out universe. It could be argued that it's never been done better. But no matter what your age, there is always a fantasy/sci-fi/superhero realm that helps you to explore your place in the world, your identity, and your ideals. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is that realm for this generation."
Special thanks to CBM user @Bekss for the heads up on this news
What are some of the things you guys would like to see covered in this course, and how do you feel about the MCU having it's impact felt at this level?