The Marvel Cinematic Universe burst on the scene with the first Iron Man. To quote everyone's favorite agent ... "you changed everything". From the easter eggs hinting at a broader universe to Nick Fury's confirmation that that universe does indeed exist, we as comic book fans have been treated to epic event after epic event. The Dark Knight saga on screen was amazing. We watched Bruce grow from a scared little boy into the savior of Gotham. We saw the Avengers assemble and repel an alien invasion. We watched Thor bring his hammer down on Captain Americas shield. And all of that was just the beginning.
Comic inspired tv shows are nothing new. Comic inspired movies are nothing new either. Now the combination of the 3 mediums with interlaced story's? That is something completely new. With the money making juggernaut that the MCU has become and the success of DC's biggest characters on screen, the two companies have been emboldened to take creative risks that weren't possible before. In September we will be given Marvels first television show that is directly tied into its movie universe. Agents of Shield will have characters that appeared in the movies and its impossible to imagine that they won't tie (in small ways) events from the t.v show together with events from the movies. What happens in one will effect the other. The same thing is occurring in the comics but to a much lesser extent. I mean is it a coincidence that Marvels big comic event is centered around the same antagonist as its movie universe story line? Of course not. Besides being good business it makes for incredible story telling opportunities.
Comics have always been at the forefront of entertainment. Superman has been a part of pop culture longer then Frank Sinatra. Think about this, Man of Steel has made over 600 million dollars world wide. How many 70 year old characters have that kind of staying power? Now with the combination of DC's most popular characters in a film that people have wanted to see for year's it feels like the comic medium has finally achieved a level of success that allows it to grow in ways that are only just being touched on. As both companies solidify there hold on theaters they are establishing strong beach heads in television. This has never been done before. Its a brand new form of entertainment and storytelling and once again, just like in the comics Golden Age of our grandfather's we are witnessing a complete cultural phenomenon.
The DC/WB show Arrow is set to introduce the Flash as a character. DC has a history of television success with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Smallville and now with Arrow. The opportunity exists for them to combine the cinema events to the television events to the comic events. I dont think DC will take this approach but it would be fantastic to see. The fact that both Marvel and DC has the ABILITY, should they choose to, to tell a single story across 3 distinct mediums is amazing. We already know that Marvel will have character and story cross over between there comics, movies and t.v series so it makes sense that the introduction of a bona fide member of the Justice League with the Flash it opens the same door for both companies. With the flexibility and mass appeal of both companies at the absolute highest it has ever been and with no hint of slowing down anytime soon, we are truly living in the 2nd Golden Age of comics.