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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
  • While mild digressions are okay, discussion of the comic books should go in this thread. Extended digressions may be thumped as off-topic.
  • Spoilers for new releases should not be discussed without spoiler tagging for at least two weeks. Rather, each title should have a dedicated thread where that sort of conversation is held. We can mention new releases in a general sense, but please be courteous to people who don't want to be spoiled.

If you're posting tagged spoilers, make sure that the film or series is clearly identified outside the spoiler tagging. People need to know what will be spoiled before they choose to read the post.

    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#52426: Mar 3rd 2016 at 5:44:40 PM

They focus on the mystic side, yes, but more specifically, Ghost Rider's niche tends to be on pseudo-Judeo-Christian lore (angels, demons, biblical bad guys, the works) combined with Americana, so often tossing in things like War veterans, Old West (and subsequently New Old West), cannibal rednecks, New Orleans mystics, KKK-ish religious fundamentalists, that sort of stuff.

Blade's niche lends to traditional Folklore, Vampires, werewolves, and that sort of Things That Go "Bump" in the Night often combined with Punk-ish aesthetic, gothic trappings, and more noir-ish urban fantasy.

While Doctor Strange is into mad aventures in the fourth dimension against maniacal eldritch abominations, Blade and Ghost Rider are on the darker, grittier, more mundane side of marvel fantasy.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#52427: Mar 3rd 2016 at 5:53:26 PM

I'm still trying to figure out how Marvel is able to make those blend with the other parts of the comics.

I mean, between the eldritch abominations, paranormal creatures, warring alien races, mutants that can be born with the ability to kill you just by blinking, and enough fucked up science to turn you into a supervillain if you so much as flip a switch the wrong way, it's a wonder people can still live their day to day lives there.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#52428: Mar 3rd 2016 at 6:00:32 PM

Marvel functions on a "checks and balances" logic. Sure there's all this deadly shit, but there's all this good shit to counter it, basically.

The bext example is how WWII went in Marvel. The Nazis had dark sorcery, aliens, superhumans, but so did the Allies, thus they cancel each other out.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#52429: Mar 3rd 2016 at 6:06:27 PM

So what are some crossovers in the comics that occurred between Blade, Ghost Rider, and the rest of the Marvel verse?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#52430: Mar 3rd 2016 at 6:10:22 PM

Blade was in Luke Cage's Avengers a couple years back

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#52431: Mar 3rd 2016 at 6:28:01 PM

What else?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
comicwriter Since: Sep, 2011
#52432: Mar 3rd 2016 at 7:01:39 PM

More detailed rundown of the Civil War clip.

For Captain America: Civil War, which will be in theaters this May, they showed a full unfinished scene with Captain America and Winter Soldier being pursued by Black Panther. It began with a “great shot” of Winter Soldier stealing a motorcycle by throwing off a driver as he spun the cycle around. Captain America’s car is hit and he hops out and runs as it rolled behind him. All three are stopped by War Machine. The scene finishes with Black Panther pulling off his mask as he is apprehended. They refer to him as “Your Highness.” War Machine looks to Steve Rogers and says “Congratulations Cap, you’re a criminal!”

edited 3rd Mar '16 7:02:09 PM by comicwriter

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#52433: Mar 3rd 2016 at 7:22:02 PM

I mean, between the eldritch abominations, paranormal creatures, warring alien races, mutants that can be born with the ability to kill you just by blinking, and enough fucked up science to turn you into a supervillain if you so much as flip a switch the wrong way, it's a wonder people can still live their day to day lives there.

I remember there was that part in JLA/Avengers where the Justice League does a flyover of the Marvel Universe and - being pretentious dicks in that story - collectively go "this is the worst world ever, their heroes must be morons."

And then Batman beats up the Punisher offscreen.

edited 3rd Mar '16 7:22:16 PM by KnownUnknown

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#52434: Mar 3rd 2016 at 7:35:41 PM

So what are some crossovers in the comics that occurred between Blade, Ghost Rider, and the rest of the Marvel verse?
Blade actually joined MI-13 in Captain Britain and MI-13, mainly because he was hunting a resurrected Dracula. There was a great arc where Dracula came for everybody called "Vampire Nation."

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#52435: Mar 3rd 2016 at 7:36:24 PM

[up][up]And gets an earful from Plastic Man about it.

edited 3rd Mar '16 7:36:34 PM by Anomalocaris20

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#52436: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:03:44 PM

[up]"HEL-LO! WERE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?! 'Stick to the plan,' he says. 'Observe and move on' he says. But does he follow the plan? Or does he spend twenty minutes beating up some LOON in Kevlar to save some drug dealers?!"

ultimatepheer Since: Mar, 2011
#52437: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:15:07 PM

How'd the DC characters react to mutant hate?

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#52438: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:20:51 PM

They were shocked and appalled. On the other hand, the Marvel heroes thought that the DC heroes were all put on pedestals and worshiped, which shocked them.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#52439: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:32:48 PM

[up]Keep in mind though that some of them were being affected by the Grandmaster and Krona, causing them to behave somewhat more irrationatly than they usually would.

edited 4th Mar '16 7:47:05 AM by kkhohoho

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#52440: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:44:33 PM

[up][up][up][up]The funniest part wasn't what Plas had to say; it was the fact that he had shaped his hand into a megaphone and was yelling it right in Batman's ear (Who was just unphased as always).

edited 3rd Mar '16 9:44:42 PM by Anomalocaris20

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#52441: Mar 3rd 2016 at 9:59:51 PM

Apparently both Cap and Superman were cranky in that crossover because being so in tune with their respective universes made being in a foreign one rub them the wrong way.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#52442: Mar 3rd 2016 at 10:45:26 PM

As a last-minute handwave of Let's You and Him Fight it was kind of iffy, but then the plot relied on Out Of Character Moments.

edited 3rd Mar '16 10:45:47 PM by KnownUnknown

alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#52443: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:02:14 PM

The best part about that crossover, though, was that when Captain America and Batman start fighting, they just start testing each others defenses and then stop, saying that they know neither one is the enemy and that they should instead team up to find out who is doing this. And when Batman and Captain America team up, you know Krona has just lost.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#52444: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:11:44 PM

[up][up] Its a bit of a meta justification. The Avengers and Justice League fought because the settings created by the two companies were so different that the actual characters were uncomfortable visiting.

Not that it would happen but if something similar to JLA/Avengers happened today, that meta justification wouldn't work the same way.

DC and Marvel have come a lot closer together in tone.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#52445: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:14:24 PM

If anything, Marvel's stayed mostly the same while DC's done a complete 180 and gone even darker.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#52446: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:16:57 PM

I think Marvel actually got a bit more optimistic as a setting.

At least now that we're off the slow inevitable death march to Secret Wars.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#52447: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:20:05 PM

[up] Outside of Hickman's books and the actual Secret Wars tie-ins, did that really seep into the rest of them all that much?

Oh God! Natural light!
alliterator Since: Jan, 2001
#52448: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:21:33 PM

[up] And actually, the Secret Wars tie-ins ranged from pretty optimistic (Renew Your Vows) to bleak but great (Siege). And Secret Wars itself ended with a massive happy ending. It was only the run up to Secret Wars that had a bunch of super depressing stuff happen.

edited 3rd Mar '16 11:22:12 PM by alliterator

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#52449: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:23:30 PM

X-Men seemed like it was depressing too, albeit for different reasons.

Those reasons being that it was X-Men and if tragedy isn't constantly happening to mutants, the world may explode.

Although the fresh new hell was the original X-Men being brought to the future to show them that the 616 present was relatively a Bad Future.

[up] Well I did say the march to Secret Wars.

edited 3rd Mar '16 11:24:11 PM by Bocaj

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#52450: Mar 3rd 2016 at 11:54:30 PM

While the Marvel Comics are one big universe, I feel that said universe barely holds together. Which is why I want them to be a little bit more selective for the MCU. They have so many properties, even without the X-men, they should stick to those which do fit with some tweaks. They really need the F4 back, though. My dream is that the MCU will continue, but not in a fluent timeline like in the comics. I want that characters (with the exception of Dr. Strange or Thor, who are more or less immortal/ don't age as fast as others do) die and are replaced by younger heroes. As long as possible.

And once the current MCU comes to an end (way, way down the line), I want them to do a short break and perhaps do something like a Blade and Ghostrider verse (perhaps under the Touchstone label, in order to show that it doesn't belong to anything else). And then they could restart the MCU, but under the premise: Okay, we had one verse, but what if it went a little bit different? What if Gwen Stacy became Spider-man? What if Jessica Jones joined the Avengers? What if... (you'll get my drift). Naturally with new actors all around.

But those are thoughts for way, way down the line. As long as the MCU keeps up the good work, I don't see it ending anytime soon.


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