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Comic Book Movies

Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness Pre-View!

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Last we saw Stephen Strange, he was de-supremed (the Sorcerer Supreme mantle passed to Wong during the 5 year Blip), sporting a rare hoodie-cape combo (would love to see more of this in the world), and engaging in casual magic malpractice with Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Saying the good Doctor handled Peter’s request to re-bottle the world’s knowledge of his secret identity badly is like saying Chris Rock’s jaw seems kinda strong. Doctor Strange didn’t ask the hormonal, emotional 17 year old ANY questions before diving into a multiverse-breaking spell, let Peter distract him to the point of implosion during the spell, and Chris Rock’s jaw is clearly made of adamantium.

Worse, throughout “No Way Home” Stevey took ZERO responsibility for his involvement in the multiversal Sinister Six incursion, and near breaking of all reality. He constantly blames Peter, and is only forced to acknowledge his significant role in the mess a single time, when MJ calls him out on it. Dr. Strange’s origin journey is about replacing his insufferable arrogance with enough humility to learn from the Ancient One, but here it’s clear that the arrogance has returned in force. Heading in to the second Dr. Strange movie in the MCU, it’s clearly time for Stephen to relearn what it means to be a hero. [Read more…] about Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness Pre-View!

Spider-Man: No Way Home Review!

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It’s 2002 and I’m in Junior High, sitting front row (but too nervous to slide four seats over next to my crush) for the debut of the first Spider-Man movie of my life. I’m way too shy to talk to my crush after, but I can’t stop talking to anyone within earshot about Spider-Man. From this point forward I will refer to Spider-Man as my favorite comic book character (sorry Wolverine and Nightcrawler).

It’s 2012, and I’ve been married just over a year, and I’m watching the rebooted Amazing Spider-Man on DVD in my Chicago apartment, gin and tonic in my hand. I’ve started a comic book website recently, but it’s a fledgling little project. I won’t even cover the film there. I’m quite unsure of where my life is headed professionally, stressed out and aimless, but nonetheless I have a great time watching.

It’s 2021 and I have a rare night out without my three young boys, watching Spider-Man: No Way Home in a theater screening that required proof of vaccination against a virus sweeping the world yet again. Today I’ll worry about all the maskless moviegoers around me enjoying their popcorn, but for nearly 3 hours, I’m fixated on the webbed mask Steve Ditko designed so perfectly in the early 60’s.

A lot’s changed for me in two decades, but one relative constant is that I’m more likely than not to enjoy a great Spider-Man movie, and Spider-Man: No Way Home is no exception.
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MCU Eternals Review!

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Above everything surrounding Eternals – the reports of global bans for Marvel Studio’s (woefully belated) attempts at queer representation, the most rotten critical reception any MCU movie has seen, the debates about MCU fandom’s respect for Eternals creator and Marvel Comics King, Jack Kirby – there’s one element I was most excited to figure out: What’s the strategic thinking behind Eternals at this particular moment of MCU Phase 4? Why Eternals, and why now?

* Spoilers For Eternals Will Follow*

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The Suicide Squad – A Gruesome Ode to the Outcast

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Even the lowliest of creatures have purpose in the world.

In a nutshell, that’s the driving idea behind James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad – a return to the deadly adventures of Task Force X and one of the goriest, most subversive, most heartfelt comic book movies ever made. [Read more…] about The Suicide Squad – A Gruesome Ode to the Outcast

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Enters The Legacy Phase: What Should We Expect?

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The “illusion of change” has been the driving force behind the cyclical drama of superhero comics since the very beginning. Of the big two, Marvel’s relationship with change has been the most fascinating. Priding itself as the “world outside your window” and eschewing the massive continuity reboots that plague their Distinguished Competition, Marvel long set themselves apart from DC by eschewing the concept of sidekicks and by extension, legacy characters until very recently in their long history.

However, despite this aversion to the concept, the juggernaut of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is forced to contend with its source material’s shallow pool of legacy characters as it reaches its greatest threat yet: time.  [Read more…] about The Marvel Cinematic Universe Enters The Legacy Phase: What Should We Expect?