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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

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#132851: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:50:40 AM

Well there's also Taskmaster who does play golf and makes sure to copy all the best golfers in the world to keep up his swing.

Though that one might be........ tricky.

Wait what does Bullseye like to read?

Edited by slimcoder on Aug 30th 2021 at 6:51:03 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#132852: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:50:52 AM

The Taskmaster mini started with Taskmaster and Bullseye competing in a crime golf tournament

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#132853: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:51:27 AM

I wonder if there’s any Marvel villain that could lead a Joker-esque movie.

The legend has returned.
dmcreif Vault Dweller from Vault 33 (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Robosexual
Vault Dweller
#132854: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:52:57 AM

On an unrelated note, Scorsese's words have entered my head again and now I'm thinking......
What about if we get a supervillain gangster movie? tongue
Ya know starring guys like Kingpin, Bullseye, Hammerhead, and all sorts of professional crime gangstas.

We sorta had that with Luke Cage season 2, where, I'll be honest, Luke kinda felt like a supporting character in his own show because Mariah, Shades, and Bushmaster had the better character arcs.[lol]

Edited by dmcreif on Aug 30th 2021 at 9:54:32 AM

Okey Dokey!
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#132855: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:53:34 AM

[up][up][up]In the Guardian Devil Daredevil storyline Bullseye was reading The Catcher in the Rye.

Though that might just be a rather crass reference to the fact that several prominent real life murderers were fans of the book.

Edited by M84 on Aug 30th 2021 at 9:55:24 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#132856: Aug 30th 2021 at 6:58:47 AM

[up][up][up] I do hear the Hood is essentially like "what-if Peter Parker became a mob boss through a magic cloak" so you can prolly do something there.

Amusingly his name is Parker Peters.

[up] Huh well thats some scary new info.

Edited by slimcoder on Aug 30th 2021 at 6:59:15 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#132857: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:01:03 AM

[up][up] As someone who never read it, was there any reason that book supposedly so popular among murderers?

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#132858: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:04:00 AM

It involves striking back against society or something

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#132859: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:07:21 AM

It was a Misaimed Fandom thing based on thinking that the book is presenting its protagonist's misanthropic worldview as a good thing.

Disgusted, but not surprised
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#132860: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:18:18 AM

There's also the additional point that Strange's powers, by their very nature, are reliant on outside forces (i.e magic is often drawn from somewhere, usually deities). Jason Aaaron's recent Strange run was largely about the debt any kind of magic incurs and how Strange has to run a complex chain of schemes to make sure those debts don't blow up on his face.

Was that the one where Dr. Strange kept a pain elemental in his basement that absorbs all of his pain? But then it absorbed too much pain and broke out and became evil? And by the end of it, Wong enlists an order of monks to voluntarily receive Strange's pain, presumably while shouting, "Thank you, Daddy, may I have another?"

Because I went in expecting some surrealness from Strange stories but that was fucking weird.

I also remember that run doing an arc where all of magic was being wiped out. There were magic-killing villains who were killing magic because they hate magic and want magic to die. I remember thinking that was the most boring possible explanation for something like that. "Why have all the shrimp vanished from the world?" "Oh, Captain Shrimp-Hater hates Shrimp, so he built a shrimp-erasing gun and used it to wipe out the shrimp." "Oh, okay, let's go punch him."

But, end result was to arrive at a status quo where all magic was gone except for the magic that wasn't gone so Strange could continue having magical adventures. Kind of like that time the Scarlet Witch wiped out all of the mutants except for the mutants she didn't wipe out 'cause Marvel isn't about to stop printing twelve different X-titles a month, are you nuts?

  • Writer: And then I'm going to drop a fucking nuke on the entire premise of one of our subfranchises. Scorched earth, baby. Fans will be like, "Holy shit, they wouldn't actually do that, would they?!" And then they'll tune in to every issue, waiting for the catch, but it won't come.
  • Editor: Will this affect our ability to print comics with that subfranchise's name on them?
  • Writer: ...I'm going to moderately singe the premise of one of our subfranchises.
  • Editor: That's better.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Aug 30th 2021 at 7:39:34 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#132861: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:23:59 AM

[up]The funny thing is that the magic killing villain — the Empirikul I mentioned earlier in the thread — ended up becoming Strange's new pain doll in the end.

Edited by M84 on Aug 30th 2021 at 10:27:18 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#132862: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:25:10 AM

God, this arc was its own porn parody.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Weirdguy149 Former King from Lumiose City Since: Jul, 2014 Relationship Status: I'd jump in front of a train for ya!
Former King
#132863: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:26:46 AM

I see the Marvel scientists aren’t the only ones hoarding useful things to themselves.

The legend has returned.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#132864: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:27:26 AM

The comics tied this new villain in with Shuma-Gorath too by making Shuma-Gorath the being the Empirikul's world worshipped. The Empirikul hated magic because all of the magic on his world came from Shuma-Gorath. And Shuma-Gorath of course made it as awful as possible because Shuma-Gorath is a sadistic piece of shit.

If Shuma-Gorath is ever adapted in the MCU, I hope the writers get that right. The most important thing to note about Shuma-Gorath is that he's not only a horrifically powerful Eldritch Abomination capable of eating entire universes, he's also a jerk. He's basically what happens when you make The Bully a demon god.

Edited by M84 on Aug 30th 2021 at 10:29:28 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
miraculous Goku Black (Apprentice)
Goku Black
#132865: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:32:28 AM

Shuma is kinda interesting in rather then the Blue-and-Orange Morality and lack of human emotions you'd expect from an Eldtrich Abomination. He's really a huge dickish Card-Carrying Villain.

"That's right mortal. By channeling my divine rage into power, I have forged a new instrument in which to destroy you."
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#132866: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:34:15 AM

A film appearance for Shuma-Gorath could be great. Right now, the public at large mostly only knows him from his hilariously inappropriate appearances as a fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom.

Doesn't quite capture the scope of his threat.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#132867: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:36:06 AM

[up][up]Yep, Shuma-Gorath's basically a sadistic kid who gets his kicks frying ants with a magnifying glass. Except the ants are people.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#132868: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:37:04 AM

In fairness to moderately singeing the premise, the stuff after the Empirikull arc was about adjusting to a world where magic was a lot harder to come by

I think they just ignored it or forgot it or resolved it at some point because Strange Academy doesn’t use magic sparingly. They’re kinda liberal with it. They use magic portals for multi dimensional hide and seek

And Strange made a bunch of magically one size fits all shirts for parents day

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#132869: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:37:25 AM

they'll definately go with the Cthulhu ​angle first and formost,him being a jerk might come up later but it won't be emphasized

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#132870: Aug 30th 2021 at 7:54:06 AM

I wonder if there’s any Marvel villain that could lead a Joker-esque movie.

Paste Pot Pete? tongue

But seriously, as far as a "social outcast gets repeatedly broken by society until he snaps and becomes the madman they wanted him to be" plot goes, no real A-lister villains are really coming to mind. At least none with name recognition comparable to the Joker. Maybe a more comics-accurate version of Ghost? Though I can already see the backlash to a massive capitalist media conglomerate publishing a movie that villifies an anticapitalist saboteur as a radical, violent, and unhygenic strawman.

Unless you just meant more of a general "somber Villain Protagonist origin story", in which case Magneto would have been a good, tragic choice if the Fox films didn't already cover that pretty thoroughly. There's also Loki who... got his own television series already.


Also, yes. I second seeing Shuma-Gorath in the films, not as some godlike entity with an incomprehensible Blue-and-Orange Morality we cannot hope to grasp, but as a godlike entity with a very human understanding of morality who wakes up every morning and consciously chooses to be a petty and sadistic jerk anyway just because it's amusing to him.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Aug 30th 2021 at 10:59:40 AM

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#132871: Aug 30th 2021 at 8:03:25 AM

     Joke with some spoilers for No Way Home 
Stinger for No Way Home. The camera is shot from the perspective of an open locker (not the school kind) full of captured villain equipment; camera is in the locker, pointing out into the room. The Green Goblin's glider and pumpkin bombs are displayed most prominently in the foreground.

Footsteps approach the locker. Dark, ominous music swells as a figure comes into frame. It's Ned! He approaches the locker, smiling to himself and clearly thinking something on his mind. The music swells and—

  • Music: Abruptly drops.
  • Ned: HEY PETER! I just had a cool idea! Can I borrow this bad guy tech?
  • Peter: What?! No!

Peter leaps into frame and slams the locker shut, ending the stinger.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Aug 30th 2021 at 8:07:25 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
chasemaddigan I'm Sad Frogerson. Since: Oct, 2011
I'm Sad Frogerson.
#132872: Aug 30th 2021 at 8:09:06 AM

Doctor Doom could easily lead his own movie, if you take the Protagonist Journey to Villain route.

Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#132873: Aug 30th 2021 at 8:13:00 AM

Now that would be interesting.

The only problem is you really can't call that movie anything other than just "DOOM", in allcaps, and that might cause brand confusion with the Doom video game series.

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#132874: Aug 30th 2021 at 8:15:01 AM

DOCTOR and then doom in tiny text doom

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Anomalocaris20 from Sagittarius A* Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: Love blinded me (with science!)
#132875: Aug 30th 2021 at 8:16:26 AM

Mister DOCTOR

You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!

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