Marvel Cinematic Universe

The modern superhero movie renaissance was started either by Blade or by X-Men, depending on your opinion of Blade. The MCU is definitely when superhero movies really found their footing, but it didn't start the modern wave of superhero movies. Also, don't forget about all the terrible superhero movies that existed in the 2000s decade.

Superhero films were around even before then. Like I said there were the Superman movies in the late 70's to mid 80's and there was also the Burton Batman films. They haven't necessarily aged well (the first Superman film was the only one considered good even at the time besides maybe certain cuts of 2, and even that movie is pretty quaint and kind of dull besides Cristopher Reeves' performance nowadays), but they are really interesting. The audiovisual aesthetic of the Burton movies was genuinely great and we haven't seen anything like it since.

And for as much of a bad rap as 2000's superhero films get sometimes I kind of find myself missing that era sometimes. There were some real stinkers but also real hidden gems. I guess he doesn't necessarily count as a "superhero" per se but I honestly think that Hellboy 2 is a secret top 5 comic book film of all time.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:35:09 AM

There were superhero movies before that point, but it can't be denied that the first X-Men movie kicked off a brand new movement of superhero films. The old Batman and Superman films were great, but those were more an end of an era of those older superhero movies and shows, not the start of one.

It’s funny how the Foxmen helped majorly kickstart the genre & they instead wound up being devoured by the true headliners.

Edited by slimcoder on Oct 21st 2019 at 6:38:29 AM

I'm guessing the reason the backlash against the MARVEL brand is also due to X-Men and Spider-Man not reaching the level of success Disney had, even if I like Spider-Man 2 and X-Men 2 over a lot of the MCU.

The MCU stands on the shoulders of giants who were ashamed to be superhero movies

The Christopher Reeve Superman movie unfortunately led to a number of low budget, shoddy superhero films (including Superman 4) that thoroughly tarnished the image of the genre in the public's eye. It wasn't until Tim Burton's Batman that it started being taken seriously again.

For what it's worth Superman 2 is not terrible, at least not to me. 3 had somewhat decent effects even though the plot was ludicrous. 4 was where they literally stopped caring.

Edited by Fighteer on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:48:43 AM

Ehhhh, I personally don't really like that turn of phrase because I feel it only applies to maybe a handful of movies. A director or studio having a different interpretation of a character doesn't necessarily mean they're "ashamed" of the material. Though I do admit that the all-black outfits of the X-Men movies do kind of give off that vibe :'p

I think it's telling that Donner's Superman movies are the only films of that era that I'm familiar with. After them it's basically a blank until Burton's Batman film in 89.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:47:57 AM

When Marvel brings the X-Men back, I hope they get their yellow costumes, just to thumb their noses at Fox.

I’ll give Raimi’s Spider Men that it mostly leaned into the camp

Except in the villain designs in 1 and 2

Oh right, I forgot about that hideous green goblin outfit.

I don't think Doc Ock is too unfaithful in SM 2 though, I honestly don't feel like him dressing in brown makes much of a difference.

I liked his white double breasted suit outfit in the comics

x5

The Foxmen’s biggest problem really was a lack of style.

Over reusing the same old Xavier and Magneto plots, rushing and half-assing the Dark Phoenix, and barely giving screentime over to mutants not named Mystique or Wolverine?

That too of course but how can you call yourself a superhero without even a little theatricality?

Edited by slimcoder on Oct 21st 2019 at 7:31:37 AM

Not really, but it feels like many tried to say yes.

I've been on a GARO Streak recently, and I wonder if an fully R-rated Series of GARO films and TV made in the west under Original Creators creative control would help alleviate some things these Auteur directors think they see as failings within Comic Book Movies.

That, and I would like to see a crossover with Marvel's darker characters like Blade.

Issues of quality aside, I don't get why the Foxmen movies get accused of being "ashamed to be comic book movies" while no one holds it against the MCU that Hawkeye isn't dressed like a court jester or that Falcon isn't dressed in red and white (to say nothing of them changing Redwing from a bird Sam could telepathically communicate with to an attack drone).

The MCU makes plenty of narrative and aesthetic changes in their movies too but somehow manage to avoid this accusation.

It's probably because enough of the characters in the MCU still look like they came straight out of the comic book.

Marvel was sneaky and snuck their 'ashamed to be comic book movie' costumes into comic books via the Ultimates

Pretty sneaky, sis.

I would love to see more of the suits.

That's the fun thing about Japanese superheroes. Their super-suits usually look like extravagant Iron Man armors.

Edited by slimcoder on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:04:51 AM

I really hope Kate Bishop in the Hawkeye show gets a cool outfit like MCU Clint's so the comics can finally kill the hipholes abomination they keep shoving her in.

Edited by Tuckerscreator on Oct 21st 2019 at 9:04:59 AM

Apparently the primary reason she wears that is to get out of stuffing stuff into her outfit so she can make Clint do it.