marvel

Comics, canon, fanfiction, mythology

Recent unpopular events in the Spider-Man comics (yes, even more of them) have got me thinking about the whole concept of ongoing comics as a storytelling medium. And then I have to stop and take out a word, because I don’t think what comics have at the moment is storytelling? Not in Marvel world, anyway, not sure about DC comics. If Spider-Man or Iron Man or Dr Strange aren’t allowed to grow in many significant ways, or to stay dead if they die, how can that ever work?

At the moment it feels like current comics “canon” is more just us the readers seeing people play with toys over and over again. There’s a lot of value in playing with toys, of course, but why should one person’s made up playtime story matter more than another’s? Can’t my fanfiction be canon too, especially in a world like Marvel’s where canon barely exists as is? Didn’t several of their characters fight in the Vietnam War until Marvel literally, and yes this is as bizarre as it sounds, replace the Vietnam War with a fictional war involving a sentient country? How on earth are you supposed to have a “canon” when stuff like that is going on?

At the moment it feels like Marvel comics are at best a testing ground for ideas that might make it into the MCU, and at worst a long and convoluted advertisement for Funko Pops and Fortnite skins. You can’t grow attached to any character because a retcon or shocking twist will inevitably happen and ruin them. You can’t appreciate your favorite toy because some other kid on the playground is going to rip it out of your hand and stomp on it, and good luck affording a new one. I’ve heard comics called modern mythology but they’re only mythology via capitalism, and thus not mythology at all, in the same way that a story which is forbidden to end cannot be a story.

Do fanfiction.

Chadwick Boseman tribute art

It’s been just over a week since Chadwick Boseman’s passing. The sense of unfairness hasn’t gone away. I thought I’d post some of the tribute art I found on Reddit and Facebook.

(Boseman was all set to play this role, now it won’t happen, sigh.)

harry osborn’s weirdest comic appearance

(Though it’s up against some pretty stiff competition.)

Okay! This was in a comic called X-Statix Presents Dead Girl, issue 3. As far as I can gather the premise is, villains are coming back from the dead so assorted heroes, including the titular Dead Girl and Dr Strange, go visit the afterlife to stop them. Death is, as everyone knows, a VERY fluid concept in the Marvelverse.

I guess that’s the in-universe explanation for “If your character sells enough comics they’ll probably come back from the dead.”

And Harry is like, ur, the elevator guy… of Hell? This may not be a bad thing though cos lots of heroes end up there? I think?

Oh and also Gwen?! She’s in the background of the third panel.

So Harry and Gwen, best friends, each involved in the death/downfall of the other, are in the same room/elevator/dimension/whatever in this comic and THEY DON’T SPEAK. Sonofabitch. Hey! Howsabout you read this instead.

The other odd thing about this surprise Harry Osborn appearance is that this comic was released in 2006, long after Harry’s intital “death” in 1993. (of course his death was retconned in 2007, making it so he never died at all, so what’s he doing in an afterlife? COMICS.) He was never one of the most famous Marvel characters, even taking the Raimi films into account, so I guess another Harry Osborn fan was writing this particular story and decided to give our boy a cameo. Good on ya mate.

Oh and also George W Bush is in this.

Marvel turns transgender 12-year-old into comic book superhero, and we love it 3,000

Marvel has turned a 12-year-old LGBT+ activist into its latest comic book superhero. The unique gesture came about after Rebekah Bruesehoff featured in Marvel’s Hero Project, a Disney+ show dedicated to celebrating real-life heroes. The show focused on how Rebekah helped campaign for LGBT-inclusive education in New Jersey, after the Trump administration rolled back protections…

Marvel turns transgender 12-year-old into comic book superhero, and we love it 3,000 — PinkNews – Gay news, reviews and comment from the world’s most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service

I still dislike that Marvel won’t include any LGBT main characters in their films, but this is good for obvious reasons.

Recapping the Incredible Marvel Studios Hall H Panel at San Diego Comic-Con

I literally can’t even explain how excited I am about all this!!! (Uh, so I’ll let other bloggers do it for me?)

I may be most thrilled of all about Jane as a new Thor. I love Jane to pieces. But then the Valkyrie thing, my god, is that finally confirmation she’s the “first Marvel LGBT character” we’ve all been waiting for?!?!

Um. Is Thor 4 gonna end with a Valkyrie/Jane pairing? Please, please say yes.

Annlyel Online:

Waking up this Sunday morning my head is still throbbing with a slight headache from all of the exciting news last night from Marvel Studios. It was said there was going to be a panel depicting what’s next for Phase 4 of the MCU, I knew there was going to be some information about the upcoming Black Widow movie and Eternals film but…I was not expecting what would transpire next.

Today, I’m recapping the mind-blowing event last night. You may have been like me, refreshing the Twitter and following along with the live tweets and updates on the websites. If not, prepare for your mind to be blown! Enjoy.

The First Eleven Years

infinitysagalogo

The panel began with a giant montage celebrating the first eleven years of the MCU. Avengers: Endgame spearheaded the end of the montage with Thanos saying, “I am inevitable” followed by Tony Stark’s already-iconic response, “And I am Iron Man.” A few more clips of Endgame were shown before the logo for the first three phases of the MCU was released, which you can see in the picture above. The Infinity Saga. Isn’t it beautiful?

After that, the real news commenced.

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Stan the Man