A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans
There’s a romantic idealism at the center of Captain America. A figure who’s both a relic of the past and a timeless source of inspiration across generations. And while longtime readers have loved Captain America for decades, one film bridged past and present to set the hero on the big screen adventure of a lifetime.
In 2011, Marvel Studios brought Steve Rogers to life in Captain America: The First Avenger
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone a long way to making a household name out of Black Widow a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff a.k.a Natalia Romanova a.k.a. Nancy Rushman a.k.a. Oktober (okay, maybe not all of these names are household just yet). Unlike associates of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, the characters in Nat’s orbit have yet to transcend in the way that Pepper Potts, Sharon Carter, Lady Sif, and even Happy Hogan have. That may change when Black Widow is finally released in theaters, hopefully sometime later this year. The delay of a major motion picture is hardly the most upsetting aspect of a global pandemic, but the removal of Black Widow from the release schedule at least gives intrepid readers the opportunity to better get to know the Marvel Comics characters that might soon make their big-screen debut. Read on to learn more about the people surrounding Natasha, and for a couple of suggestions for where to start your reading. [Read more…] about Black Widow’s Supporting Cast — Reading Recommendations & Origins!
What do you want from a follow-up to Avengers: Endgame? Historically, Marvel has followed up the biggest most game-changing events in the MCU with lighter comedies or character introductions (Ant Man & The Wasp, Doctor Strange). The reaction has been a mix of praise (this mint after a heavy meal is exactly what was needed!) and resignation (well, I guess not every story can be the biggest one ever told).
For my money, the MCU’s never needed a transition film with a sense of purpose as strongly as Spider-Man: Far From Home. The entire MCU has come to as close to an ending as a comic book storytelling perpetual motion machine can come. Which of course, leads to the question I’ve been pondering: “What do you want from a follow-up to Avengers: Endgame?” [Read more…] about Spider-Man: Far From Home Review!
Marvel’s characters have always been larger than life and, in that, no one art form has ever been able to singularly contain them. It’s something the late Stan Lee’s been hawking as a life’s mission from easily as far back as the 1960s. And in that spirit, certainly the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an achievement beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings.
That said, the publication wing would be utterly remiss if it didn’t periodically take into account what the crazy successful younger sibling is up to and maybe try to cop some of its style. Call it synergy. Call it the tail wagging the dog. Call it a neverending feedback loop. Call it art imitating another art eating its own tail. More eyeballs on these creations is more eyeballs on these creations and that can’t be bad.
Let’s take a look back over the last decade and see exactly how the MCU has come to influence Marvel Comics! [Read more…] about How The MCU Has Influenced Marvel Comics
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!)