Two were old movies getting another run in the theater due to anniversaries: Clue and This is Spinal Tap. (The next movie I see will be The End Continues.)
The others -- in the order I saw them -- were...
Thunderbolts*
Superman
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
There is a definite theme.
I believe I am going to write about each of them individually, because there were thoughts with all of them, but I have also been thinking about the genre and its fans.
I am sure that is more true because so many people are complaining about the "wokeness" of the films.
I rolled my eyes even typing that, so, that's not me, but I would also also not be considered the biggest fan. I have read a fair amount of comics, and will read more, but there are a lot of things that I am fine with not seeing or reading.
Of these three, I have probably read more Superman comics than any of the others. My Fantastic Four knowledge is probably the weakest, but then I have previously only seen John Walker from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and I saw Valentina in that and Wakanda Forever, as well as Ava Starr in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Maybe I see about a third or a fourth of the Marvel offerings, and that is much more than DC.
(I also read more Marvel than DC, so it is weird that Superman was the most familiar, except that Superman is a more major character than any of the others.)
If I feel like I am missing something, I will look it up. For example, in Superman I saw someone who could mimic elements, and wondered if it was Element Lad, Jan Arrah, but I only knew of him from "The Scavenger Vortex" episode of The Big Bang Theory. The character was actually Metamorpho, who was unfamiliar except reading about him I did remember Urania Blackwell from Sandman and I could see the resemblance in the character design.
That is my level of fandom, but I really appreciate the superfans.
For one example, I want to refer to this post from Gail Simone:
https://x.com/GailSimone/status/1955407214820331978
She makes a well-reasoned point about the entrance of Galactus, referencing issue 48 and crediting Kirby.
I could never do that. I love that she can. I know that she loves comics on their own terms, respecting their history but also knowing the weaknesses.
One of the little thoughts that would come in watching Superman is that clearly James Gunn loves comics.
It just so happens that I had only seen one other thing by him before, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. That spoke to me of a great affection for Star Wars, but also an awareness of its shortcomings. Seeing Superman, I see the love for comics. And animals.
He may work with properties that don't interest me, but I trust him to handle what he does with respect and affection.
I love that.
I didn't go into Fantastic Four expecting many connections. The most familiar name for me was Pedro Pascal . I did recognize Natasha Lyonne, but then I was just thinking "That's not Alicia!"
But then, at the end of the credits in the Special Thanks, there started being some names for whom I feel a lot of affection. Maybe I haven't read their Fantastic Four work, but I have read other things they have written, for Superman or Iron Man or they spoke at ICAF or a comic-con or were guests for one of the MOOCs, and, wait, Chip Zdarsky? Oh, he has a new Final Four book out.
I guess I will have to read that.
Related posts (among many):
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2013/05/gender-through-comic-books-my-first-mooc.html
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2013/04/greetings-from-stumptown.html
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2013/06/international-comic-arts-forum-source.html
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment