It is no secret that when it comes to dedicated fandoms it doesn’t take all too much until feelings run high, and few other topics are as likely to push the right buttons as comments about the perceived rivalry between comicbook publisher behemoths Marvel and DC, especially when it comes to their respective movie outings. And now that the plans of both WB/DC and Marvel Studios for movies until 2020 are on the table the discussions are not about to quiet down.
James Gunn, director of Marvel Studio’s 2014 smash hit
Guardians of the Galaxy, recently talked to IGN Movies about his feelings towards DC’s coming movie offerings and a possible confusion in the general audience resulting from the parallel appearances of somewhat similar Marvel respective DC bad guys Thanos and Darkseid (
as reported here). His statements provoked a sometimes quite harsh reaction from the community, and on his Facebook page Gunn now showed one example of such a reaction from the social media, and used it as a basis for further explanations about what he said:
Says Gunn:
You're welcome.
Also, while we're at it, I don't have any problems with DC characters or DC movies. I grew up reading them and loving them just like I did Marvel characters. What seems to have outraged a small section of DC acolytes is, when asked what I thought of the DC slate, I said I didn't really have an opinion, because at this point it's a list of titles I don't know much about. I went on to explain that with Marvel we've seen most of the onscreen portrayals of the characters in upcoming films, as well as the actors who play them, and we know many of the writers and directors making these films. You kind of know whether you like Marvel movies or not. But what we know about the DC projects in comparison is small. I'm excited and hopeful that these movies are good. But I'm waiting to see just like the rest of you.
PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS, HUH?!
I'd like to say I'm dumbfounded as to how this line of thinking has caused controversy, but I'm not. If there's one thing I've learned in my years on the Internet is that people LOVE to be outraged and look for any chance they can to be so.
Love you all. Even the outraged ones. Bat-Mite for life. xo James
Will this clarification of his words and his declaration of love towards both the DC properties and the fans help to calm things down, or will people become even more outraged because of his observations about internet behaviour? That remains to be seen...