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Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM
Shocker's costume is supposed to be So Bad, It's Good but it's not a bad creative choice to move it towards being visibly homemade so he's less of a joke character.
It reminds me a bit of the Reality Ensues nature of Spider-Man's first costume in Civil War.
Looks like Shocker is competing for the identity of The Bombastic Bag Man.
But yeah, it works and is an interesting choice, just like the Civil War Spidey suit. One thing that has struck me and doesn't get acknowledged enough is that being a genius doesn't mean you inherently have a budget. Like not everyone can be Tony Stark and have unlimited funding for their ideas/inventions.
Once again, Spectacular was pretty great on this in how Mysterio and Tinkerer were basically villains/worked for other villains because how else are you going to get funding and be able to test your inventions?
It also makes sense in both how Shocker is likely to appear in the movie and thematically. Given that we know the Big Bad is Vulture, Shocker is probably going to be the Batroc of this movie: a minor supervillain threat that Spidey takes down tangential (but still likely essential in some way) to the plot - which is a role he does perfectly in the comics. Maybe Pete spends a good chunk of the movie's early parts tracking Shocker, only to realize too late that there's a much grander and more sinister (no pun intended... although maybe?) plot going on around him that's bigger than the bang robber with the air cannon. And like proto-Rhino in Amazing 2, Shocker's shabbier and less polished than the Big Bad and so comes of better as a "regular day in the office" villain for Spidey.
Also thematically, Spidey's feeling more and more like he'll be the dawn of the traditional superhero in the MCU (at least movie-wise), and this makes a lot of sense as a "realistic" MCU take on a "early supervillain" sort of concept. The idea of a regular working class joe getting ahold of a super-tech weapon and deciding to become a bankrobber of all things is classic camp that's every where in the Silver Age - especially with Spidey - and adapting all that Silver Age Spidey goodness is at the heart of Homecoming. But nevertheless, this is a perfect idea of what a "random dude who goes on a super crime spree" concept might look like in a time before being a supervillain becomes "cool."
Because of both of those things, I want Shocker to live through the movie.
edited 5th Sep '16 8:43:42 PM by KnownUnknown
The revolving door prisons that keep putting his rogues gallery out on the street are as important to Spider-Man as they are to Batman, and for the same reasons. The common complaint has been that Loki (and Red Skull and maybe Ultron, sort of) has been the only good, classic supervillain in the MCU so far. I'd make a case for Arnim Zola, and of course we can't forget Kingpin, Purple Man, and Mr Hyde.
But the point is, most of them end up dead after their first appearance. That really needs to stop at some point. And a Technical Pacifist career robber like Shocker is a good way to kick that off.
I hope they go with the portrayal where they really emphasize his Punch-Clock Villain status. Shocker's just in this for the money (yes, even if his inventions could earn him a fortune legitimately). He doesn't even bear a grudge against Spider-Man for putting him in jail, because them's the breaks when you're a criminal.
edited 5th Sep '16 10:50:30 PM by Unsung
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I'm imagining Spidey's confrontation with him.
Spider-Man: "So what's your deal? Did some guy experiment on you or steal your inventions or kill your family or some shit like that?"
Shocker: "Oh no, it's my boss that's on the revenge train. I'm just in it for the money, man."
Spider-Man: "Oh. Well, that's...refreshing."
Shocker: "Isn't it?"
Sorry if I stole your bit, Tobias.
edited 5th Sep '16 9:22:24 PM by KarkatTheDalek
Oh God! Natural light!Well, he's got a point.
Maybe Peter should try calling him a furry instead. Low-hanging fruit, I know, but hardly moreso than what he was going with.
Oh God! Natural light!That is one of the reasons why Hydra works so well...even if you kill of the villain, two more will take his place.
But yeah, we need a few villains which are allowed to live at least for a while. And not just until the next movie in order to get killed off there. Zemo is the kind of baddie who can be around for a long, long time - is it strange that I want him to team up with Justin Hammer at one point? Hammer is technically not a villain, just an antagonist who has bad taste in helpers, but I can see him funding more questionable characters in the future.
Though with most of those villains, there really wasn't much of a choice but to kill them. Killgrave, Ultron, Ronan, you either stop them forever or not at all.

I wish the diamond/mattress cushion pattern was more visible, but other than that, this works for me. I wonder if the movie will go with Shocker having personally invented his gauntlets and the fabric that makes up his costume.