EDITORIAL: Why Marvel Knights need to be more appreciated.

EDITORIAL: Why Marvel Knights need to be more appreciated.

Why I think the Darker Marvel characters need more love.

Editorial Opinion
By EdgyOutsider - Mar 01, 2012 09:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Comics

Lets cut to the chase: As you all probably can and should tell by now, I'm more into the darker characters like Ghost Rider, The Punisher, Blade,ect.

The darker characters need more love not just from the film makers and critics but fans as well. Their not as well known because their not geared towards every one, well Black Panther is somewhat well known outside comic fans and Ghost Rider has became some what a house hold name after the apocolyptic disaster Mark Steven Johnson created (though it was still faithful to the comics).

The Punisher needs to be more appreciated because the character is very interesting and unique. He may be up there with Blade as far as the least family oriented superhero ever created but he's as real as your gonna get, he has some very interesting stories and 2 of his 3 movies weren't bad. The original Punisher film was pretty good for what they could do at the time, 2004's Thomas Jane remake is the best and stayed true to the comics and who the character is in my opinion. He was a tortured soul, who is still grieving on the death of his family and in trying to create a better world and do his family justice he cleans the streets of mobs and gangs. Basically he is the non kid friendly version of Batman.

Blade: I'll be honest, I never read a Blade comic. But let's be real. It's because of the Blade films that lesser known characters got movies and it showed that darker heros can have success at the box office too. He is the first success Marvel had and whether or not the films had a Marvel Knights logo attached or not, Blade is the start of the Marvel Knights movies and basically even though he is a vampire hunter, he is greatly under appriciated and if it wasn't for the films he never would've been as popular as he is today. He is under appreciated because his stories and his character deals with vampires. I think he deserves more respect then he gets.

Ghost Rider: Now this character has become a punch line like Nicolas Cage's career since Mark Steven Johnson destroyed them both. Though the film was respectfully close to the comics, it was still in a way original. The comics have great stories but again being a darker character he doesn't get the respect he deserves. The newest Ghost Rider film, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance for most people made it worse though I greatly enjoyed it. He is under appreciated because he deals with the great fantasy of demons and the way he's been represented since 2007. Also due to everyone for some reason hating Nicolas Cage.

DareDevil: Now we all can agree DD has a couple of the best stories, the most popular being the Born Again storyline. Now his on screen debut was a bit like catwoman only better everything but still shitty, unless you've watched the Director's Cut. Now he's getting his well deserved remake and hopefully done right. This character is greatly under appriciated due to his on screen debut (directed by once again MSJ) and like Ghost Rider, has become a punch line.

Black Panther: Need I say more for him? This character not really being memorable nor having memorable stories still has a decent origin and completely misused. Hell the poor guy has yet to come close to having a debut on the silver screen.

Not a big list but those are the biggies I felt needed focused on, comment if I missed any other dark Marvel characters that have been greatly under appriciated.

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Tainted87
Tainted87 - 3/1/2012, 11:36 AM
I don't see Ghost Rider as a dark character, no more than the Hulk, really. Black Panther is NOT a dark character, I'm not even going to try to understand your reasoning here beyond "he's black". He's a brighter Batman who has his own Gotham City to worry about. He's willing to kill, certainly, which gives him an edge, but he's not a psychopath, not a crazed gunman, not even a vigilante really. He is the King of Wakanda.



Marvel Knights needs some attention from HBO. You see bits of the end of the 4th season of True Blood in these pictures here? Angry Viking Vampire invades a Necromancer's coven after being subject to mind control... and one of this Necromancer's loyal witches jumps in the way saying: "if you want Marnie, you'll have to go through me." Angry Viking Vampire rips his heart out and drinks blood from one of the valves.

If it can give you that level of gore and violence mixed with the supernatural, then I'm fairly certain HBO would make good use of the "dark elements" of these characters and their respective stories. I don't think that the big screen is the place for them because a) Marvel/Disney doesn't want to make R-Rated films that won't make a lot of money, and b) in a tv show, they can crossover far more often and strengthen one another's popularity.
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/1/2012, 11:54 AM
@MarVell: Your welcome, and I apologize about my comments from my review of TDK.

@Tainted87: I consider Black Panther to be a dark character because he necessarially isn't a light character.
LAWLZY96
LAWLZY96 - 3/1/2012, 6:08 PM
I agree GhostRiderfan1...for the most part. Ghost Rider hasn't really had a good comic series in a while and I hope he gets one soon; he deserves it.

Blade has NEVER had a good comic series, but the films(with the exception of trinity)are awesome and completely revamped (vamped, get it?) the character for the best.

I'm hearing good things about the current Punisher comic, I just personally don't really care for the character.

Daredevil is actually getting some pretty good critical reaction due to the Mark Waid written series. I think its selling well too, but I could be wrong. Hopefully the inevitable reboot will redeem the franchise in the eyes of the general public.

One dark character everyone forgets to mention that deserves much more attention is Moon Knight. I love Moon Knight, and I'm not talking the new Bendis run(although that is pretty good)but the series has always been awesome since its start in the 70s by Doug Moench. It was dark and gritty before it was cool to be dark and gritty. Him dealing with his personality disorder was actually handled really well. Now the Bendis series is being cancelled after only 12 issues. Nobody ever cares about Moon Knight...I hope one day he gets the recognition he deserves.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 3/1/2012, 8:47 PM
You're right, I don't know the character well. Never appealed to me. I just don't think demonic possession makes a character dark, more of a cop-out actually, but then, I'm thinking in general. I don't read comics anymore, and I never read Ghost Rider. I define "dark" as being someone who has committed unspeakable atrocities in his or her past, experienced torment that is mind-altering, and struggles on a daily basis to put that behind him or her.

Still sticking with my HBO idea though. You're not gonna get R-Rated movies that will do these characters justice well enough, and I think a show with a season made up of 12 hour-long episodes would be enough to satisfy fans and deliver that which children should not see.
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/1/2012, 10:15 PM
@Tainted87: Ghost Rider is dark because of his dark past, and who the character is. Johnny Blaze sold his soul to Mephisto to save the life of his adpoted father crash. Johnny is cheated and becomes Ghost Rider (there's more to it but I'm summing it up for you), from then on he fights evil doers. Then when they did the Dan Ketch Ghost Rider it was, his sister died, he touched the medallion on his bike (turned out it was the medallion of power) and he wrecks hell on whoever spilled innocent blood. The Dan Ketch character has better stories and more interesting stories as well as being darker. His mother becomes an alcoholic, while Dan rides the night fighting and destroying villains like Deathwatch, Blackout, Scarecrow, Vengeance (later becomes ally), Blackheart, ect. He later finds out Johnny Blaze is his brother (found out from caretaker) and they team up then they form the midnight sons to fight and destroy lilith and her army. Dan sacrifices himself as the ghost rider fights and destroys blackheart. But ya from then on the comics never got good again till Road to Damnation and the movies (which the first was bad, but the second I actually enjoyed)
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/1/2012, 10:18 PM
I almost forgot, the Dan Ketch Ghost Rider is the one with the chain and Penance Stare
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 3/1/2012, 11:13 PM
Well you see, I've read all that on Wikipedia, ComicVine, etc... I thought you might give me something other than alcoholism or family members dying.

Venom and Wolverine are darker characters, it seems. I'm not trying to be stubborn, I just... Tony and Carol were THE alcoholics for a time. At my job, there are alcoholics and potheads who are barely 18 or younger, so it just isn't that much of a shocker to me.

Don't worry about it, you know, if you like the character, I'm happy for you. Don't worry about what I think.
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/1/2012, 11:29 PM
With all due respect, I find alocholism to be pretty dark. Along with the demononic subject to be dark on top of it but, I respect your opinion.
MercMatt
MercMatt - 3/2/2012, 2:17 AM
Tom Jane's Punisher wasnn't the Punisher. He did very little of anything besides cause Howard Saint to kill his best friend and wife. Ray Stevenson was who Punisher is. War Zone is brutal, over-the-top, bloody, and violent. It was a great frikin movie. Good article, man. Marvel KNight team up would kill!
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/2/2012, 4:39 AM
@MercMatt: I favor Tom Jane's Punisher film because he isn't a ruthless killing machine. He is an actual character you would believe does this, and he tricked Howard Saint to kill his wife and best friend to start [frick]ing up his life because he took away Frank's entire family. But that is my respectful opinion. As far as War Zone being a great movie, I respectfully disagree by a long shot and thx
EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 3/3/2012, 7:32 AM
@Dox: True, but still for a comic even for supporting character, it's still a dark subject
irondragon
irondragon - 3/3/2012, 8:59 PM
ghost rider has the potential to be a great movie if in the right hands, unfortunately whoever is in charge does not take the character seriously. could be very character driven due to the entire story between johnny blaze and danny ketch is one of loss and sacrifice.right actors (not nicholas cage) possibly jensen ackles from supernatural would be good but you can get a very great trilogy if theres well written drama and more action scenes with demons or them fighting mephisto in hell. other dark heroes are daredevil, punisher, moonknight,wolverine,balde.

but these movies need to be rated R not for blood and guts and just testosterone but to show that things dont always go nicely, especially in wolverines case. its an R rating for a story driven reason.

although if they did a marvel knights team movie, i would love to throw spiderman as the wisecrackin teenage hero gettin on everyones nerves to show contrast. good job bringin this up though GhostRiderfan1
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