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Marvel Comics Without Movies (Options for the Future of the MCU!)

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It’s only been a few short weeks since the release of Avengers: Endgame and, as expected, speculation is huge as to what comes next. Certainly, there’s already some definite franchises to anchor the MCU into Phase 4 and beyond. However, for as much bankability of, say, a Black Panther 2 or the already-announced intentions for a live-action Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, there’s still a ton of Marvel properties that have yet to be translated into a filmed medium.

Let’s take a look at some now and pretend “elevator pitch” these concepts into an ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. [Read more…] about Marvel Comics Without Movies (Options for the Future of the MCU!)

Avengers: Endgame Review!

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There’s a part of me that buys into the idea – the non-controversial idea – that good stories have endings. This defies my love of superhero comics because the whole shared universe promise is that these stories never actually end. There are exceptions of course (this is why it was such a big deal when Hellboy comics ended this month after 25 years), with breaks for creative runs and conclusions to arcs within the larger tapestry, but endings are for elseworlds and alternate timelines. Avengers are Forever.

Editor’s Note: Let’s just assume this entire review contains spoilers – do not read unless you’ve seen Endgame, or don’t care about spoilers!

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Predicting the Future of the Avengers After Endgame

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Avengers: Endgame is almost upon us and while anticipation is understandably insane, speculation is absolutely unchartable! In terms of adapting straight from a comic book source, the upcoming film has no direct equivalent. Keeping that notion of uncharted territory in mind, it’s still really anybody’s guess as to how the team gets out of this one- much less what is to become of the beloved franchise once the dust settles (oh, puns, how you wound…).

But before those theater seats are filled and the lights go down, here’s more speculation!

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Shazam! Review – Sparklefingers Rides Again

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It feels regressive, and frankly boring, to talk about the degree of “fun” in a comic book movie. For me, any movie reviewer honing in on the fact that Shazam feels light, positive, and joyously heroic, is just more of the lazy baseline assumptions that the world is fatigued of “serious” superhero movies.

Taking a step back, though, it is mildly interesting to note the overall darkness at the heart of comic book movies. DC’s Synder-verse has gotten the most attention of course, but it doesn’t take too much analysis of Avengers: Infinity War to assert that a film ending in unmitigated tragedy isn’t a particularly happy-go-lucky affair. [Read more…] about Shazam! Review – Sparklefingers Rides Again

Captain Marvel Movie Review! Cosmic Continuity Catch-up!

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The post Avengers: Infinity War landscape is a challenging one. In the moment, neither Ant-Man & the Wasp nor Captain Marvel can truly exist outside the shadow of Thanos, the Infinity Gauntlet, and the lingering questions of how these movies can provide a way forward for Avengers: Endgame. This will likely matter less for posterity, but right now, with Endgame looming, it’s genuinely difficult to enter the MCU and not at least wonder. Taking time for standalone story feels like a luxury this shared universe doesn’t have.

Admittedly, these are the impossible standards I consider for Captain Marvel’s role in this remarkably deep Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tell a good story, introduce a new hero, and develop Marvel cosmic features that can tie in to Endgame. Captain Marvel strikes this balance effectively – substantially more so than Ant-Man & The Wasp – telling a strong new hero origin story that sets the stage for Carol Danver’s role in the MCU recovery. [Read more…] about Captain Marvel Movie Review! Cosmic Continuity Catch-up!