As you all know, in 2015 Marvel and Netflix will deliver five new series based on the characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. As the press release states, viewers will be taken into “the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell's Kitchen”. Yet, while despite being synonymously “street level”, many fans of the genre still hope for a more light-hearted, family-friendly take on these characters. I however am anticipating a much more mature and overall darker exploration, and here are five reasons why:
Character History
Whenever a film or television series adapts a text of any sort, the first thing many viewers will normally do is inspect how much it draws from or resembles its original source. Consider 2005’s Sin City. It was hugely popular amongst fans of the original comic book series because it was so faithful to the source material. Now that’s not to say that when a film distances itself from the source material that it will be bad, rather that staying true to it will likely strike a chord with both the masses and the book’s followers.
Why then should stories about Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, or Luke Cage be altered to appeal to the all-ages audiences of Iron Man or Thor? While they may differ considerably in power and abilities, how each character navigates their way through the superhuman world is similar – more destructive and brutal.
Take Daredevil as an example. Many fans want to see an interpretation of the character as created by Stan Lee and now being carried out by Mark Waid. But that version of Daredevil only exists in two very different eras, the 60s and the 2010s. That forty year gap in between is inhabited by the heavy-hearted aching Daredevil moulded by the likes of Frank Miller, Ann Nocenti, and Ed Brubaker. That IS Daredevil.
These characters’ histories are darker and edgier, and so it is these representations of the characters that we deserve.
Put it this way, if the rights to Spidey went back to Marvel tomorrow and they announced a thirteen episode series, who would you want to see? Lee and Ditko’s Amazing Spiderman, or Kraven’s Last Hunt Spiderman?
Expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The ways in which Marvel have created and are continuing to build its cinematic presence is incredible. We have a shared universe where character cross-overs and cameos not only seem organic but warranted, and each film seems to strip away another layer of this rich world. The wonders of science and technology are made apparent in Iron Man, while Captain America provides us with a history or politics and war. On the flip side, Thor takes us into a magical world of Gods and Norse mythology, and soon we’ll see the cosmic side of things in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy. But if men in super-powered armour and talking racoons can exist in the world, surely mob bosses, perverted super villains, and ruthless martial artists can too?
These Netflix series need to show the darker side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Doing so allows Marvel to continue expanding their world, making it all the more fun for viewers to step into. When those dark corners have been found, it allows Marvel to tell very different, but nonetheless entertaining stories that tackle mature themes and issues. Just because the plot may be more grounded, and essentially darker, doesn’t mean it’s any less enjoyable. Just look at the comics!
New Audiences
With The Avengers being one of the highest grossing films of all time, and Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America now major franchises, it can’t be denied that Marvel is dominating the film market right now and has been for a number of years. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that their films appeal to all film-goers or comic book fans.
Consider DC’s recent cinematic ventures. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy was also extremely successful at the box-office and amongst critics, and compared to the Marvel way of doing things, much darker. Between Scarecrow’s mask, The Joker’s madness, and depictions of social unrest and political violence, it’s safe to say the target audience did not include children.
Now what of those film-goers who adored Nolan’s take on Batman, and looked to Marvel for a similar experience? They really wouldn’t find anything at all. But now, Marvel has the opportunity to attract those kinds of audiences with these Netflix shows. Gang warfare, sadistic psychopaths, and as promised, “flawed heroes”, you name it, these four series provide the perfect platform for exploring such topics. Making these shows “dark” makes it more likely for fans of The Dark Knight, Watchmen, and even The Punisher to start paying attention to the Marvel brand. And while the call for more child-friendly comic books and superhero material is totally justifiable, these shows can silence those who are quick to dismiss comics as a child’s medium. Guys and girls in tights jumping over buildings and bouncing bullets of their chest can still confront serious issues. Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos’ Alias is a perfect example of that, so let’s see it on screen too!
Competition
It is said that we’re currently living in the golden age of television. Actors, directors, and the writers of Hollywood are now flocking to the small screen to tell their stories, and with the arrival of digital streaming via Netflix, iTunes, and Hulu, people around the world are staying at home to “binge” on their favourite shows. But now, consider the types of shows we seem to be addicted to. Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Following, the list goes on but it’s fair to say that these are not bright, sunny, family affairs. Sure, there’s also Glee and Downton Abbey, but the majority of popular programming now deals with violence, death, and moral ambiguity. That is the current state of television, and while it may suggest something far deeper about western society, the fact is that we seem to love “dark” stories. Therefore, from a business standpoint at least, it makes complete sense to give the masses what they want – darkness.
Think of it this way, Marvel has an enormous catalogue of characters each of whom could have filled the Netflix slots on the same budget, such as Black Panther, She-Hulk, Blade, and a number of others, but they chose to use four of the most distinctively street-level properties they have. It’s a smart move. These characters make for more mature narratives, enabling them to compete with the likes of Sons of Anarchy and True Detective. It’s a great way to further branch out into television.
Heroes
Naturally with darker storytelling, shades of grey begin to emerge. In the 1970s, extremely talented filmmakers such as Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola introduced us to some incredibly complex characters who got it wrong as many times as they got it right. They may have caught the bank robbers in the act, but they were happy to slip themselves a few hundred dollars in the process. Morally ambiguous characters – we’ve loved watching them for decades. And in recent years we’ve seen them on television too in the forms of Walter White, Dexter Morgan, and Tony Soprano to name a few. These characters have been beautifully crafted over many years and we enjoy seeing them succeed. But don’t be mistaken, these men are protagonists, not heroes. Does that mean that the only way to survive in a cruel world is to adopt an even crueller persona? Is it kill or be killed? In these dark days of war and disaster, I hope not!
But now Marvel have a chance to do what it does best – give us heroes. In the Marvel Universe, just because you live in the darkest areas of the world doesn’t mean you have to embrace that darkness, in fact, you can fight it. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage – flawed? Hell yes, but morally ambiguous? I don’t think so. These four serve as primary examples of superHEROES, who, regardless of the blackness that surrounds them, remain good people, and I think it’s about time that television audiences get to experience what comic book fans have been experiencing for many years.
So there you have it, please let me know why you agree or don’t agree with me :)