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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

Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#93251: Dec 31st 2018 at 8:40:08 AM

[up][up]While I do think thatthe Mutants have a rightful place in the regular comic verse, I agree that bringing them into the MCU at this point would be a horrible idea.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#93252: Dec 31st 2018 at 11:34:23 AM

@Tobias: I guess people don't hold the killswitch against Tony Stark because everyone in Ultimates is tettering on the edge of sociopathy.

Hell, wasn't this the universe where Black Widow killed Hawkeye's family, Hank Pym nearly killed Janet because she ran away in the middled of a (implied common) beating, and Nick Fury wiped out an entire universe worth of people just to prove a point to Reed Richards?

Not to mention a Wolverine Freaky Friday flipped into Peter Parker's body trying to have sex with teenage Mary Jane, which is both ephebophilia and rape by deception.

So the killswitch is not out of character, is what I'm arguing, and the Ultimates was already so filled with questionable material nobody thought it was worth kicking up a fuss over anymore.

Edited by HailMuffins on Dec 31st 2018 at 4:37:56 PM

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#93253: Dec 31st 2018 at 11:42:00 AM

IIRC, he didn't install a kill switch. This version of Natasha had nanites in her system that got installed to control an IM armor Tony gave her. While monitoring the nanites, Tony discovered information revealing her as a traitor. So it was less him violating her body because of sociopathy and more just discovering her treachery rather early.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#93255: Dec 31st 2018 at 11:49:17 AM

It makes superheroes feel too old. tongue

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#93256: Dec 31st 2018 at 11:58:48 AM

Better to sell your marriage to the devil and then wait for readers to just forget it ever existed.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#93257: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:00:31 PM

But can you sell your marriage to the devil in exchange for wearing his pants?

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#93258: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:01:15 PM

Someone once made a joke that superhero writers have never been through a regular break up because of the way relationships tend to end in their stories.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#93259: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:05:33 PM

I think it's a symptom of Armed with Canon that causes relationships to end so weirdly. A comic book romance rarely begins with the intention of ending, so there's almost never a smooth narrative from beginning to end.

It starts because a writer has a story to tell with it and thinks it will be a good relationship for his character.

It ends because a different writer thinks it's stupid and/or wants the character to hook up with someone else. "This plot point is bullshit and everyone should agree with me," is an attitude that rarely makes for good storytelling.

Indeed, one of the things that ultimately turned me off of comic book writing is the fact that it's too revisionist. Too many writers are trying to "fix" the characters, story, and setting rather than making new and interesting stories with them. There's too much emphasis on turning back the clock to when X Superhero was "better".

If the MCU was a comic book, Iron Man 4 would end with Tony sacrificing himself to blow up the villain, but surviving. However, the explosion put shrapnel in his heart, and now he needs to put the Arc Reactor back into his chest to survive. Because the writer insists that the character was cooler when that was part of his dynamic.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 31st 2018 at 1:08:22 PM

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LordVatek Not really a lord of anything Since: Sep, 2014
Not really a lord of anything
#93260: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:07:46 PM

I'm curious, what is the longest-running, uninterrupted comic book romance?

This song needs more love.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#93261: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:09:44 PM

I want to say Reed Richards and Sue Storm, which is pretty much the OTP of Marvel. Those two have somehow managed to be married for decades without anyone ever f*cking with it. They have kids now! Two of them! And they're still together!

Venture Bros. can make jokes about how Reed's a shitty husband but honestly, he must be doing something right if he's, like, the only superhero ever who can make a healthy marriage work for decades of publication.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 31st 2018 at 1:11:11 PM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#93262: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:12:09 PM

No one’s sold their marriage to the Devil for whatever reason so yeah Reed is definitly a better husband than Peter.

He is somehow both the probable smartest man in the universe & best superhero husband.

Edited by slimcoder on Dec 31st 2018 at 12:12:39 PM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Brandon Deadly Vu! from Between Thanksgiving and Christmas (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
Deadly Vu!
#93263: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:13:31 PM

Speaking of "Fantastic Four", since I'm sure Marvel will be doing their own reboot sometime down the line (what with Disney buying Fox), what actors you think would be good for the roles?

Personally I'm all for Michael Chiklas coming back as Ben Grimm.

Maybe Alice Eve could be Sue Storm.

Like creepy stories? Check out my book!
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#93264: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:15:57 PM

Reed will clearly be played by Jesse Eisenberg.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#93265: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:18:58 PM

I'd like them to be an older team, honestly. Right from the start. Veteran astronauts before they get their powers, lost in time and/or space for decades on end as some people have suggested, however they want to do it, but yeah, give Reed his signature grey temples, let the Four connect to that retro future a little bit.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#93266: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:22:30 PM

I'd really like it to be something along the lines of what a Lost In Space movie should look like: the Fantastic Four disappeared decades ago, but have actually been stuck in the Negative Zone or far past the known reaches of the Nine Realms or inside Galactus' armpit or something, and the plot is them exploring this new and strange place while trying to find their way back home.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#93267: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:42:12 PM

Indeed, one of the things that ultimately turned me off of comic book writing is the fact that it's too revisionist. Too many writers are trying to "fix" the characters, story, and setting rather than making new and interesting stories with them. There's too much emphasis on turning back the clock to when X Superhero was "better".

They hated Jesus because he told them the truth.

BTW, has anyone actually forgot about Mary Jane and Peter's marriage? I've stopped following comics a while ago, but I'm surprised it never seems to come up anymore.

And I must say, all this talk about the Richard's and not a single joke about Mr. Fantastic stretching powers.

I do not know whether to be proud or disappointed.

SonOfSharknado Love is Love is Love Since: Oct, 2013 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Love is Love is Love
#93268: Dec 31st 2018 at 12:59:36 PM

"Reed must be doing something ri-"

Penis. The answer is malleable, shapeshifting super penis.

My various fanfics.
Brandon Deadly Vu! from Between Thanksgiving and Christmas (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
Deadly Vu!
#93269: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:01:39 PM

[up]x5 I actually could kinda see Jesse Eisenberg playing Dr. Doom after seeing him as Lex Luther.

Like creepy stories? Check out my book!
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#93270: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:10:19 PM

[up][up] Sizeshifting, not shapeshifting.

/pedantry_off

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#93271: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:11:34 PM

Size-shifting and shape-shifting.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
wanderlustwarrior Role Model from Where Gods Belong Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
Role Model
#93272: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:13:34 PM

But if the MCU does the Fantastic Four, then there won't be any more former Johnny Storm actors to put into compelling roles!

Also, I'm fantastic foured out. Even Doctor Doom by extension. Galactus I'd like to see done right, particularly as the Lifebringer.

Unsung it's a living from a tenement of clay Since: Jun, 2016
it's a living
#93273: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:24:44 PM

[up][up]Rubber Man, a subtrope of shapeshifting which allows for a degree of sizeshifting, though typically within somewhat strict limitations based on mass and volume. *pedantry++*

I know I don't want another Fantastic Four origin story, but there's a lot of lore, and a particular old-school flavour of Science Hero adventure that I would like to see more of. Maybe the Four could be more of a universe-wide supporting cast for a while. I'd like that.

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.
#93274: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:42:18 PM

Can't Reed Richards split his fingers into multiple, smaller fingers? And also grow and stretch his body longer than a mile? Reed Richards can do whatever the fuck he wants to with his body, which makes him a veritable sex god. Reed Richards could easily turn his penis into a hentai tentacle monster.

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
She/her
#93275: Dec 31st 2018 at 1:43:09 PM

Jesus Christ, I didn’t need that visual, thanks.


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