Did Hawkeye Hit It's Mark(et Audience)?

 "The city is flying and we're fighting an army of giant robots. And I have a bow and arrow. Nothing makes sense." -Clint Barton

Clinton Barton is just a regular guy, and that's what I like about him.  That's what I like about Black Widow, and for the most part, that's what I like about Steve Rogers.  They aren't gods, monsters, or high-tech billionaire/genius/philanthropists. And sure, that might not make them the coolest characters, but to me it makes them the underdogs. So, when the idea of a Hawkeye series came up, I was interested.  Especially given the dual life he's lived.  He's a loving father and husband, but he's also spent his life murdering people, and in recent years went on a crazed, grief-driven, killing spree. What does a life like that do to a person?  These are some of the questions I thought made a Hawkeye series seem intriguing. And then it all got highjacked by cameos.

Hawkeye is set two years after Avengers: Endgame. Which means it's 2025.  Not sure how, or if, they will ever sink up with real-world time.  Anyway, Clint is spending time with his kids in New York when his past comes back to haunt him, and someone is seen wearing his old Ronin suit.  Clint finds Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld, in the suit and bad guys are after her because of it.  Now Clint has to clear up the Ronin mess, make sure Kate is safe, fight off the Track-Suit Mafia, avoid Kingpin, and try to convince Yelena her sister's death wasn't his fault.  And also make it home for Christmas with his family.

Some people were disappointed with the first few episodes focusing on Kate Bishop more than Clint Barton.  But anyone who didn't think this show was really going to be about the passing of the Hawkeye mantle to the next generation had their expectations a skewed.  One thing I love about the series is you see Clint's emotional and physical state.  His body is beginning to show his age and all the battles he's been through.  He's losing his hearing and he's constantly sore.  Plus, he is still feeling guilt over Natasha's death.  This comes to a head in the finale as he faces off against Yelena, who is looking to blame him for Black Widow's death.  But in the end, they both had an epiphany that Natasha made her own choice, and they both know she was strong enough to not be stopped after her decision was made. 

SIDE NOTE: The Black Widow post-credit scene had Valentina Fontaine hiring Yelena to kill Hawkeye. We now know Kate's mom was the buyer.  Valentina has also recruited John Walker to her side.  Is she making a new Avengers team or a personal hit squad?

Kate's story is one of privilege.  Sure, she lost her dad when she was young, but her brattiness in the beginning of the series threw some people off.  I didn't really like her to begin with, but by the end I didn't hate her. Hailee Steinfeld is a good enough actress you can't totally hate her.  I still would not be keen on her getting her own series or film, but put her in an ensemble film, or a Yelena team-up, and I think she'd be great.  Just make sure you add Jack into the mix too.  I did find her mother, played by Vera Famiga, a little too straight forward.  Sure, we all knew she was a bad guy the whole time, but I was hoping for a little more depth to her by the end. 

The other future hero this series sets up is Maya Lopez, known in the comics as Echo.  I thought as a supporting part the character and the actress were great.  But the idea that Marvel and Disney might give the character her own show seems a bit off-putting. I don't think Maya is strong enough as a character to carry her own series.  Like Kate, I would love to see her in future MCU projects, but her own solo outing would not get me counting down the days will it debuts. I'd rather see a Yelena and Kate buddy comedy, with Jack as their boss/confidant. 

Of course, the big question in this six-episode series was the debate of whether Vicent D'Onofrio as Kingpin would show up.  So much so that it took up a lot of the talk for Hawkeye.  My friend JR swore he was going to show up, but I was skeptical due to the complications of bringing in the Netflix actors over to the true MCU.  But after Kevin Feige told the world Charlie Cox is the MCU's Daredevil I figured D'Onofrio was coming.  But only 24 hours later and my fears are coming true.  Speaking with EW, D'Onofrio says that this Kingpin is the same one from Netflix and that "The Blip" is the reason for the differences.  Not sure that's why he wears Hawaiian shirts now, or why he had so much trouble taking on a young girl in her twenties.  Chatter is spreading that this Kingpin pales in comparison to his Netflix performance, and that's why I thought Marvel should have just recast when bringing in Kingpin and Daredevil.  A new actor would not get as scrutinized for being the next person in line to play a version of Kingpin.  Also, people would not be disappointed as a rated R Netflix character transitioned into a PG-13 MCU world. 

The highlights of the series for me included the quiet moments between Clint and Kate.  Like the phone call with his son, the shot not taken, and what is the sacrifice to be a hero. I loved any scene between Kate and Yelena and was intrigued with the Lauren Barton mystery.  Most of the series Clint wanted to get the watch from the Avenger's compound auction (shouldn't someone be worried that Avengers stuff is being sold on the black market?) and we come to find out why it was so important.  Laura Barton was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent! And the back of the watch hints that she was Agent 19. In the comics, Agent 19 is Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird, and girlfriend to Hawkeye.  Now, this is kind of a kick-to-the-balls to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans because in the series Mockingbird is played by Friday Night Lights alumni Adrianne Palicki. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts! I feel like this puts an end to the debate on whether Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is truly part of the MCU.  Looks like it's not, and Phil Coulson is still dead.  Bummer. How this new information might affect the MCU going forward (or looking back) we'll just have to wait and see.

Hawkeye was meant as a holiday spoof with classic Christmas carols playing throughout, a bit more goofy than other MCU series, and what I thought was a Home Alone moment when Clint and Kate are gearing up to take on the bad guys.  I find the series enjoyable, but not great.  I think it took care of its two main characters well and gave us a lot of holiday fun.  Is it the best of MCU series? No.  Is this series for everyone?  No.  But I like to think of it as Die Hard meets Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  Except we can call it Arrows, Pizza Dogs, and Track Suits.

Spider-Man: No Way Home SPOILERS Review

I've never been a big Spider-Man fan.  My fondest memories of the web slinger is the 1990's Saturday morning cartoon.  My brother and I would settle in for TV watching that included Spider-Man, Batman, and X-Men.  My brother Patrick however is a HUGE Spider-Man fan.  Everything I know about Spider-Man comes from me reading his comic book collection when he wasn't home.  Like most big brothers, he didn't like me getting into his things.  As a whole I like the Tobey Maguire trilogy, but never really warmed up to the Andrew Garfield films.  I have, however, enjoyed Tom Holland's portrayal of Peter Parker.  So heading into his third film I was curious what was going to happen in No Way Home, and who was going to show up.  The correct answer for both of those questions was EVERYTHING!

This film picks up right where Far From Home ended.  Peter's identity is exposed to the whole world, and those closest to him are being hurt because of it.  Peter turns to Doctor Stephen Strange to help him make the world forget he is Spider-Man.  But when the spell goes wrong it brings in everyone from the multiverse who knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, which included villains (and heroes) from all the Spider-Man films Sony has released in the last 20 years. It all comes down to a climactic battle at the Statue of Liberty with three Spidermen versus the Sinister Five.  Yes, FIVE.  When they were all captured my first thought was, "there has to be one more to make it the Sinister Six."  But there wasn't.

First off, my problem with this film is the same reasons I, and many other, geeked out so hard while watching it.  It's filled with cameos from all the previous Spider-Man films; and then some.  It had great references and the money shot of all three Spidermen, in costume, ready to battle. But, earlier I hopped on YouTube to rewatch the Matt Murdock scene.  I remember freaking out when he appeared and I just kept thinking, "Charlie Cox's Daredevil is in the MCU." And in the 80 seconds or so he was in the film I didn't process any dialogue or anything else in that scene.  I was in a daze and missed everything else being said.  I just kept wondering when the next cameo was coming instead of focusing on this Peter's emotional journey.

But, despite two other Spidey's in the film, the heart of it was still Tom Holland's Spider-Man.  It was his hopefulness of not giving up on the villains.  Trying to not just send them back to their deaths, but to try and help them.  The end of the film ended with Peter making everyone forget not Spider-man, but Peter Parker; even his friends.  The last scene with Peter and MJ killed me Peter was about to tell MJ who he was till he noticed the bandage above her eye and believed the best way to keep her safe was for him not to be in her life. This reminds me of a comic book storyline called Brand New Day.  After Civil War everyone knew who Spider-Man was, and this led to Aunt May being shot.  So, Peter made a deal with Mephisto (yes, that Mephisto) that he would save May's life if Peter would give up is life with Mary Jane. Thus, causing everyone to forget he was Spider-Man, never meeting or marrying MJ, and him living the bachelor life with his buddy Harry Osborn in their New York apartment. That's what the end of the film felt like to me; that it's a brand-new day for Spider-Man.  Peter has his own New York apartment, struggling to get by, and most important; sewing his own costume.  This is the basics of who Spider-Man is to me, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Speaking of what's next, the mid-credit scene saw Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock getting the 411 on the MCU.  The bartender explaining it all is Ted Lasso's Cristo Fernandez. Football is life!!  Anyway, Eddie then gets zapped back to his reality thanks to Peter and the events of the film but leaves behind a piece of the symbiote.  And every comic book fan's immediate thought was not only "Black Costume Saga" but also, "Is the MCU gonna do their own Venom?"  Now, I'm still confused how Eddie ended up in the MCU.  We assume it's from the Strange spell, so then why would he get zapped to the MCU if he had no idea who Peter Parker was?  This feeds into the fan theory that Venom's hive mind with other symbiotes includes the one from Spider-Man 3, and Venom, not Eddie, knew Peter was Spider-Man, and why Eddie came to the MCU, and then returned to the Sonyverse. 

I believe No Way Home is love letter to everyone who has been watching Spider-Man films for the last 20 yrs.  It remembers the past but set up so much for the future of the character, and also raises so many questions like; did they bring Tom Hardy's Venom over just to leave the symbiote piece behind?  Does Zendaya's MJ ever get back with Peter or is this the actresses' way out of the franchise?  And what's up with Morbius?  We know he's in the same universe as Venom, but that Spider-Man mural is in the background in the trailer and so is Michael Keaton.  Also, Keaton's Vulture no longer knows who Spider-Man is according to the rules.  If Jon Watts and crew got a non-loving Spider-Man guy like me to get excited about the possibilities, I can't wait to see what he does with Fantastic Four!

Daredevil and The Defenders Dysfunctional MCU Problem

  I'll go on record right now.  Netflix's Daredevil is my favorite LIVE-ACTION comic book series.  Even more than Smallville or Arrow.  Daredevil is one of my favorite Marvel characters.  I like him not because of his powers or costume (which is pretty sweet) but because he's a hero who is just trying to do the right thing, but most of the time ends up making things worse for himself and those around him.  Charlie Cox was so great as Matt Murdock I gave away my copy of the Daredevil starring Ben Affleck.  Same thing with Jon Bernthal and my copy of The Punisher with Thomas Jane.  Cox and Bernthal's version of the characters are so definitive to me I can't watch any other previous version.  But I admit that is also a problem.

Last night, my Twitter feed erupted from a story coming out of the site CinemaBlend. In an interview with Kevin Feige he said, "If you were to see Daredevil in upcoming things, Charlie Cox, yes, would be the actor playing Daredevil. Where we see that, how we see that, when we see that, remains to be seen."  Rumors of Cox's possible return to the role have been circling for months.  Some believe we will see Matt Murdock in the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The problem this creates is that Cox was part of another shared Marvel universe on Netflix.  Before Disney+ started cranking out MCU shows, Netflix was doing The Avengers formula on a smaller scale.  The Defenders started with individual series for Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist, that then came together for The Defenders.  These characters were actually supposed to be set in the MCU with references sprinkled throughout, but then the references became less and less.  However, the Netflix series were all under the reign of Ike Perlmutter, who was the Chairman and CEO of Marvel Entertainment at the time, and who Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios president, did not get along with.

As the series were released Daredevil was beloved by most, while the rest got mixed to mediocre reviews.  Jon Bernthal's portrayal as The Punisher was praised as a highlight of Netflix's Marvel U.  When Disney+ was created the Mouse House wanted to be the only ones making MTV (Marvel television) and the Netflix series were cancelled. Some saw this as mercy killings anyway, except Daredevil.  Since then, fans hoped Cox, and even Vicent D'onofrio's Kingpin, would be incorporated into the regular MCU.  

Like I said, the Netflix series were technically part of the MCU so if Feige and his team plan to bring Cox aboard as Daredevil then they just have to acknowledge the Netflix series is MCU.  But that means the rest of The Defenders would be considered MCU as well.  Feige's problem with how Perlmutter ran his division of Marvel meant Feige also didn't want to mix his and Perlmutter's characters.  These TV shows would reference the MCU films, but never the other way around.  Sure Charlie Cox as Daredevil would be a huge win.  But what about all the other characters Feige would inherit?  Jessica Jones and Luke Cage declined in quality as they continued, and Iron Fist never was any good (and this is coming from someone who likes Iron Fist as a Marvel character). Setting aside Finn Jones's acting abilities, that version of Danny Rand was terrible.  Do we really want that version as the MCU's Iron Fist going forward?  

Now, Feige can say that Charlie Cox is doing an entirely new interpretation of Daredevil going forward, but then why not just recast?  Someone else will play Wolverine besides Hugh Jackman and someday, someone, will play Tony Stark besides Robert Downey Jr. How many Batmans, James Bonds, Jokers, and Supermans have we had?  Some have been good, and some not so good, but we all moved on after.  Keeping Cox on as Daredevil only continues the current entitled narrative that fans say what the studios should do.  While I was curious to see Zack Snyder's Justice League, I was not one of the sweaties that demanded Warner Bros give Snyder millions of dollars to let him finish his version of the film because they "deserved it." And after the $70 million+ was spent, the sweaties demanded Snyder get to finish his other planned DC films, even though all his previous DC films all under performed. Like a toddler throwing a fit in the middle of a toy store, we cannot let them think they are in control. 

To sum up this entire post I just have to ask myself three questions. Do I want to see more of Charlie Cox as Daredevil? Yes!  Do I want to see more of the rest of the Netflix Marvel characters? No! Do I think I should just shut up and remember that Kevin Feige probably has a plan like everything else he's done so far, and so far, it's all been pretty good? Of course, dumbass!

Masters of the Universe: Revelation: Part II: This Will Shut The Fanboys Up

 "I have the power!" Just saying that phrase gives me a sense of confidence.  Of course, growing up in the 1980's I was into He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.  It's a little too cheesy now to watch as an adult.  A more palatable version is the 2002 Cartoon Network reboot that I believe only lasted two seasons, but the 3-part origin story is a great framework on how a He-Man movie could be.  A while ago, it was announced that the ultimate geek, Kevin Smith, was going to be producing a Masters of the Universe series for Netflix that was going to be a sequel to the beloved 1980's series.  I hoped it wouldn't be as campy, and from the trailer it looked like it could be family programming.  Then came the wrath of the fanboys.

When the first five episodes were released back in July it got MotU fans in a tizzy as both He-Man and alter ego, Prince Adam, were barely in it.  Instead, the first few episodes focused on Teela, and the aftermath of a great battle that made Eternia believe both He-Man and Skeletor were gone.  People brought their grievances to social media and attacked Kevin Smith personally.  They accused him of creating an SJW series that focused on a girl instead of, "the most powerful man in the universe."  I took it for what it was; the first five episodes of a season that had more to come.  I wasn't overjoyed by Part 1 of Revelation, but knew Mr. Smith and his team had a second half of the story still to tell.  Today, Part II of Revelation was released on Netflix and I believe it's everything the whiney fanboys from months ago wanted. WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!

When last we were in Eternia, Skeletor had returned and now has the Sword of Power, which he used to stick Prince Adam with.  The Power of Grayskull was his!  As the new episodes start out our heroes are on the run and Teela uses her emerging new abilities to heal Adam before certain death.  They soon rendezvous with King Randor and his army to try and fight Skeletor, but, before they do, Evil-Lyn has tricked bonehead and she is now Master of the Universe.  And she's looking to burn it all down.

This is the part of the season fans wanted.  A lot of action, a lot of their classic hero, and big consequences with not a lot of talking.  I think we all saw Teela becoming the Sorceress before this was all over, and I thought it was cool that without the sword Adam's transformation of power pretty much just turned him into the Hulk.  In the end we had a giant spectacle of a battle that ended with the Skeletor defeated and He-Man as Eternia's champion once again.

But this series has also evolved the mythology into something new, and not just the classic story.  The opening tries to fill in newbies as to what MotU is, but I think a person having seen at least a few episodes of any previous He-Man cartoon would help when they start this series.  But now, going forward, they can tell new stories, and not just retell old episodes of the original cartoon.  The characters I've known since my childhood have grown and can continue to grow.  Also, I'm not an MotU expert, but if this series is supposed to be a sequel to the 80's cartoon, then don't She-Ra and the Horde already exist?  Don't get me wrong, I loved the tag at the end to set-up the Horde, but is Hordak still fighting She-Ra and the rebels in Etheria?  I just want some clarification if those characters already exist moving forward in this series.

When the voice talent was announced for Revelation, I thought it was top knotch all the way; from Sarah Michelle Gellar to Mark Hamill.  In Part II, the stand-out voices for me were Liam Cunningham as Man-at-Arms and Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn.  Along with Teela, Lyn got the most character development in the season, which is why I know some fans cried SJW.  But I say again, this series is MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, not HE-MAN and the Masters of the Universe.  

The lesson Teela learned that her mother did not is that becoming Sorceress doesn't mean leaving those you love behind. In fact, Teela learned that they made her stronger than those who guarded Castle Grayskull before her.   That part made me think of Harry Potter, since it's a cliche hero lesson; but a goodie none the less.  I wanted to rewatch the first five episodes before starting the new ones, but this time of year leaves me no time to do so.  But I would like to go back and watch all ten episodes together at some point.  For now though, I think this season is a great journey that gives He-Man fans the prospect of good things to come as far as storytelling.  But I gotta say, I was kinda sad no one said "snoochie boochies" at least once. 

Ghostbusters Gets An Afterlife (WARNING: SPOILERS)

Who ya gonna call? How can anyone not respond to that question without saying, "Ghostbusters!" I grew up in the Ghostbusters era. The first two films are beloved by me.  I watched The Real Ghostbusters animated series as well as the Filmation Ghostbusters series.  I was a Ghostbuster for Halloween at least twice as a kid, and I had quite a few Ghostbusters toys.  One that comes to mind is a footless Egon action figure thanks to our family dog.  So, when it comes to the Ghostbusters, I guess I would call myself a fan.

But as a Ghostbusters fan it's been a while since I've had something to get excited about.  I was too old when the Extreme Ghostbusters animated series came out, and it just seemed not that great anyway.  The IDW comic books in recent years have never gotten my attention.  And of course, the 2016 film was quite controversial.  I didn't mind it, but I thought it was nowhere the level of 80's classics. Then came news that Jason Reitman, son of the original film's director, was going to tackle a new Ghostbusters sequel.  Jason has directed such films as Juno, Thank You For Smoking, and Up In The Air.  All of which I enjoy, so it got me excited for this new edition to the franchise.  But then the trailers started to be released my excitement dwindled.

The first trailer had a bunch of kids driving Ecto-1 through a town and chasing a ghost (who at first, I thought was Slimer, but more on that later).  The films and the animated series were full grown adults who could handle an apocalypse-level event with thermal nuclear weapons on their backs.  Plus, they were funny as F$%K! These trailers made it look like Stranger Things the movie, not helped by the addition of Finn Wolfhard from the Netflix series.  I spent the two weeks before seeing Afterlife introducing my 8-year-old daughter to the franchise.  We watch the first two films, and a few episodes of The Real Ghostbusters.  We sat down to watch Afterlife, and to be honest, I thought it was ok.

The daughter and grandchildren of Egon have moved to a smalltown after Egon's death and they soon find out that the original Ghostbuster villain, Gozer, is about to rise again, and it's up to little Phoebe (played by McKenna Grace) to organize her own ghost-busting team.  This film is of course Sony's attempt to reboot the franchise and get a new generation into Ghostbusters.  I say this because my 11-year-old nephew was sitting several seats down from me and I could hear his excitement.  And my daughter also seemed into the film, getting several references from the previous movies we had recently watched.  Maybe having a Ghostbusters film starring not all men (or women), but kids, could be just what the franchise needed.

I kept drawing parallels to The Force Awakens, in that it was a very similar plot to the first films in their franchises and had the returning veterans playing supporting characters.  McKenna Grace is known for playing younger versions of women in films like I, Tonya and Captain Marvel, but I would call her the lead in this film.  However, I think expanding on the troubles of her mother could have helped us get more invested.  We get one quick scene to meet the three characters before being thrusted into the plot.  Why was her mom behind on rent?  Did she have a job?  How good of a relationship does she have with her kids?  And if Janine wasn't her mom, who was Egon's wife/baby momma? 

Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd, helped bring a gravitas to the film as he did what he does. But it seems like they forced the two adult characters of the film together just for the Keymaster and Gatekeeper pay-off, which also seemed like the writers almost forgot they needed to bring forth Gozer. Wolfhard's character was just there to drive the car it seems; and to crush on a girl.  The real personality of this film came from Phoebe and her friend, Podcast, played by Logan Kim.  They all seemed a little too young to be taking on an evil God, which is why I thought the original cast should have come in sooner.

Let's be honest, Annie Potts and Sigorney Weaver's parts were pointless.  They were quick and added nothing.  I wish after the phone call to Ray the three Ghostbusters would have gotten there sooner before the battle had started.  And when they tried to stop Gozer, but couldn't, it would have made Phoebe's attempt more meaningful.  I thought Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson's deliveries were great, but to me it just didn't seem like Bill Murray wanted to be there.  Sure, he is older now, but I didn't feel the Venkman energy of wit I love so much.  Bringing them in sooner would have given them more time for character development, or some kind of story instead of just semi-cameos. And speaking of cameos, no Slimer?  I thought Munchie was cute, but come on!   At one-point Slimer was more popular with Ghostbuster fans than the actual Ghostbusters! 

"Are you a god?"  Luckily Ray had the right answer this time around.  The film is filled with plenty of easter eggs like Twinkies and marshmallow-covered heroes.  The end of the film is beautiful with ghost Egon appearing as you see the original four in one shot.  You get a father/daughter hug and it seems like the Ghostbusters are back in business as the film ends with Ecto-1 blaring through the streets of New York again.  But why?  I thought ghost-busting business had dried up in New York City?  I know they are trying to set-up a sequel with that (and the post-credit scene with Winston) but I don't see how stopping a ghost in the Midwest equals ghost activity now up in New York?  

I feel like I've written this review like I've hated the film, but I didn't.  To me, this film was made for kids who can see themselves in Phoebe and Podcast, and grow up to carry the torch of this franchise for another lifetime.  I thought Reitman did a decent job directing with some great camera shots and angles.  While I wasn't thrilled with the teenage characters, I thought Phoebe and Podcast were great and carried this film well.  I also may not have thought Afterlife was a worthy sequel to the others, but it's cute enough to entertain families and possibly spark more Ghostbusters films.  And to this once one-legged, Egon action figure owner, that makes me happy. 

Spider-Man: No Way ALL The Rumors Are True

Well folks, it finally arrived.  After days of anticipation we finally got to see it; my mother-in-law's new fancy bed.  But while I was putting that together, people in L.A. were gathering into a theater to be the first ones to get a look at the newest trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Sony promised a special surprise for those in attendance.  And I guess the appearance of Tom Holland is the surprise they got.  But those of us at home were hoping to see appearances from different webslingers last night.

Not since Avengers: Endgame has so many rumors and theories been swirling around a single film.  From Daredevil to Professor Charles Xavier I've heard every Marvel character might make a cameo in Jon Watt's third installment in the MCU's Spider-Man "Home movies." Cue laugh track. 

But with this film bringing in all the villains from previous Spidey movies people expect to see the Spider-Men that go with them; Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Recently, film pundit, John Campea posted some pictures online he thought were fake, but was soon contacted by Sony to take them down because they "could be real" as the Sony rep told him.  But it was too late.  People saw, saved, and shared those pictures all around showing Holland with Garfield and Maguire on a set much like the one we see in the new trailer when Peter is about to face off again Electro, Sandman, and Lizard.  People are speculating Marvel pulled one of their trailer magic tricks and erased two Peter Parker's from that shot for the trailer(look online for the Lizard getting punched by air).

So what take-aways do I have from this newest Spider-Man trailer?  Well I'm about 99.9% sure Maguire and Garfield are in the film.  I think Spider-Man is about to jump over to his own Sony-controlled film universe.  And I think Peter will suffer a tragedy.

A few years back Marvel and Sony Pictures broke a new deal after their old one in sharing live-action rights to Spider-Man had expired.  After it looked like Tom Holland's Spider-Man was gone from the MCU the two companies said they had renewed for 2 more movies; 1 Spider-Man film and 1 MCU film that Spider-Man would appear in.  I, like some, believed this was the two studios way of writing Spider-Man out of the MCU and into his own Sony universe with Venom, Morbius, Kraven, all of his own supporting characters. With the Multiverse going awry it would make sense that Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is the other MCU film Tom Holland will be in, and then have "no way" to get back to the MCU after Strange cleans up the Multiverse.  I for one have enjoyed Spider-Man interacting with the other Marvel characters, and while I believe he can lead his own cinematic universe I'd much rather see him stay in MCU.  But I think Sony is done letting Marvel Studios play with their most valuable toy.  Even if Marvel did re-polish it after Sony mistreated and dragged it through the mud.......Moving on.

The first trailer gave us Doctor Octopus and a hint of Green Goblin.  We also knew Jamie Foxx would be reprising his role as Electro. In this newest trailer we got confirmation of Sandman and Lizard with Doctor Strange saying "They all die fighting Spider-Man; It's their fate."  Now, I plan on re-watching all the live-action Spider-Man films before seeing No Way Home, but Sandman didn't die.  From my memory, all the others died at the end of their subsequent films, but Thomas Hayden Church turned a corner at the end of Spider-Man 3 and became dust in the wind.  Plus, we are missing two live-action Spidey villains; Venom and Harry Osborn's Green Goblin.  The end credit scene of Venom: Let There Be Carnage hints that "a Venom" might make a cameo in this film, and Willem DaFoe wasn't the only Green Goblin in the trailer. One shot showed a Goblin looking different. My guess is it's Harry from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but some say it may be Ned's possible Hobgoblin turn like in the comic books.  But I'm more curious about Ned's letter jacket?  What sports or activities is he in to get one of those?  I also don't believe Molina's Doctor Ock will be a true foil in this film.  He also turned over a new leaf at the end of Spider-Man 2 and was about to die a semi-hero.

The trailer ends with a classic love interest fall and Peter diving to save her.  Maguire saved his girl.  Garfield killed his.  How do you think Holland is gonna shake out?  "This is all my fault. I can't save everyone," is what Peter says in the trailer.  Also falling in the trailer is a giant shield.  Looks like New York is making some Captain America memorial?  And the last line of the trailer is Strange saying, "They're starting to come through, and I can't stop 'em." Which I believe is a tip of the hat of what the good Doctor will have to fix in his own sequel film. Let's also not forget Peter had another new suit, a black one, that looks magical, because, we gotta sell some toys!  

I'm at that point in my life as a geeky film fan where I walk in trying to check all the rumors and head Canon before going in.  I'm not the biggest Spider-Man fan, but I do enjoy the character, and I look forward to see what Marvel and Sony have in store for us.  But, I'm wearing my Daredevil shirt just in case Charlie Cox shows up and I scream, "Yes!"

Eternals: A Better Justice League(SPOILERS!!)

X-Men. Daredevil. Captain America.  These are Marvel characters I keep up, and read, on a monthly basis. Like a lover of any form of media I can't consume it all.  But, when a new film is announced based on a comic book I don't know very well, I at least seek it out to try.  Guardians of the Galaxy was a title I knew, but never read.  But when Marvel Studios decided to make a film about these obscure characters in Phase 2 of their plans I went and read a few issues; and I loved it!  Shang-Chi and Eternals fell into the other category.  I knew of the characters, and their basic origins, but when I went to dive into their worlds I was disenchanted by what I read, which in turn didn't get me excited for either of their upcoming films.  

I sat down to watch Eternals not really knowing what to expect.  I knew the reigning defending Best Director, Chloe Zhao, was the film's director, but to be honest I turned off Nomadland an hour in because I thought it was boring.  I also knew that the Critic Score for Eternals was the lowest score ever given to a Marvel Studio film, and hanged just on the other side of "Fresh".  As the film progressed I became more and more intrigued with these Gods trying to act human.  And after the film was done, my friend and I agreed, this was a better Justice League film than anything we got from Warner Bros.

Eternals is about a group of superpowered beings who land on Earth thousands of years ago.  Their escapades are passed down through time to become myths.  They live among the humans, and find out their mission on this planet, and their own existence, is not what they thought. Now they must stop the world they love from being destroyed by the birth of a new god.  One of them can fly and has heat vision. One is super fast.  One is a warrior woman.  One is good with technology.  They didn't have a fish guy though. 

I'll admit the film starts slow with setting up the characters and their origins, and honestly I was finding some of the performances stoic.  But as the film progressed so did their relationships, and when the world was in peril you saw what each of them was fighting for.  Gemma Chan and James Madden led this ensemble as Sersi and Icarus.  Two beings whose love stretches across hundreds of generations.  And this I felt was the crutch of the film.  Cersi loved the humans, which was represented by her relationship with the other Stark brother, Dane Whitman(more on him later).  And as the strongest Eternal(allegedly), Icarus knew what their true purpose was and was willing to carry it out to the end.  But like Sersi, who clung to her connection to the humans, it was Icarus's connection to Sersi that did not allow him to stop her from saving the world.

SIDE NOTE:  Why was the love scene in the film?  I mean I get it, we know they probably bumped uglies, but in a Marvel film we've never seen sex; only insinuated it after or before.  I felt like Icarus and Sersi's sunset kiss was good enough to show the audience their feelings for one another.  We didn't need 10 seconds of them naked on the dirt from the shoulders up.  And since I came to the theater with two 8 year-olds, I felt it was unnecessary.  

The rest of the cast did a find job in sharing their characters with us.  Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo gave us some comic relief; along with his assistant Karun.  We felt the sorrow of Sprite as she longed to look older, and wondered why she was made to look young. Thena sought revenge on the Deviant who killed the person who never gave up on her.  And Phastos had a family, and tried to live a good life, to try and make penance for the sins of his past. Each one, I could feel their point of view, even Druig, who I felt like may become the villain of the film after the first hour.  

Marvel isn't really known for strong villains, but in this film I felt like it didn't matter.  We believe at first the Deviants are the villains; killing the Eternals and stealing their powers.  But once the bigger picture is revealed it seems like the Deviants no longer matter, and there are bigger fish to fry.  Thena still gets her revenge in the end, and I understood the Deviant's role.  They're the Manhunters to the Eternal's Green Lanterns.(look it up).  So, the so-called "weak villain" troupe didn't bother me.

As it seems with every MCU film these days, the mid-credit scene sets up the film's possible sequel, while the post-credit scene sets-up what is to come in the greater MCU.  In the mid-credit scene Thena and the other voyaging Eternals learn the fate of their comrades courtesy of Pip and Eros.  In the comics, Eros is technically an Eternal along with his brother; Thanos.  So as much as I hate to admit it, this does give us the possibility of a Thanos resurrection. 

Meanwhile, in the post-credit scene, we go back to Dane Whitman("later" is now) who is about to touch a magic sword when a voice behind him warns him of the consequences.  It was at this point that the two people next to me turned my way and asked what that was all about.  I get that a lot after Marvel post-credit scenes. And although I knew Kit Harrington is becoming the Black Knight, I don't know much about the future Avenger.  And as Chloe Zhao confirmed, the voice warning Dane of his actions was Mahershala Ali, who is set to playing Blade the vampire hunter in future MCU plans.  So after a little research on the Black Knight I find out that his Marvel origins are based in medieval magic, as his sword, the Ebony Sword, was forged by Merlin and he is a descendant of Sir Percival; a knight of Arthur's Round Table.  But the sword is said to corrupt those who wield it, including Dane's uncle.  So where does a vampire hunter fall into it?  I have no f#$king clue.  

Despite what some may say, I found Eternals to be a deeper film than most we have seen out of the MCU, and it's relationships and tipping of the cosmic scales is what I found most entertaining.  With most films I can usually see why people don't like them(ask my wife about The Last Jedi).  Films are art, and art is all subjective.  But with Eternals I don't see what all the bad press is about.  This is the first film in years I'm going to try and see again in theaters.  And while my intrigue won't be enough for me to give the comics another shot, you can be sure I am gonna find out more about the Black Knight.

The Book of Boba Fett's 1st Trailer

       Next week is Disney+ Day. The Mouse House has promised exclusive looks and insight into what the company has in store for the streaming service.  One thing we Star Wars fans figured we'd get was our first trailer for the newest series; The Book of Boba Fett.  So, I for one was surprised when Disney/Lucasfilm released a Boba Fett trailer a week before Disney+ Day.  It was already anticipated, so why not wait another week, or perhaps Disney has another big surprise in store for us fanboys to make us geek out?

     In any event, the trailer runs just under two minutes long and provides us a sliver of what this entry of the Star Wars franchise has in store.  For those who didn't know, there was an end credit scene in the final episode of season 2 of The Mandalorian.  In it, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand return to Tatooine, to Jabba's palace to find Jabba's old crony running the show.  With one blaster bolt, Boba takes the throne and it looks like he's going to be in charge.  And that's what we get in this trailer; Fett and Shand trying to take control of the Underworld that Jabba once ruled.

      At first viewing I was a little underwhelmed.  With the series premiering in less than two months I thought there would be more to it than this.  However, I expect another trailer to be released before the series airs on December 29.  To be honest I've always been one of those guys who thought Boba Fett was overrated.  I never saw the appeal.  But after he shows up in the last season of The Mandalorian looking for his armor, and then helps Din Djarin kick some stormtrooper ass, he thought he finally lived up to his reputation. Though, he did seem a little less ruthless than his reputation would perceive him.  Maybe getting swallowed by a living pit in the desert gives a guy a new perspective? 

      When a spin-off series was announced I was intrigued, but like The Mandalorian, the lack of Jedi and Force ushers didn't get me super excited.  But from this trailer it looks like we getting a galactic Sopranos.  One man's quest to seize and keep power in an area of the galaxy where everyone else is trying to to the same.

      One thing I liked about The Mandalorian was how it connected to other parts of the Star Wars universe.  Din finding a creature of the same species as Yoda, being rescued by Death Watch during the Clone Wars, the status of the Empire years after Return of the Jedi, the beginning of Snoke, and several memorable cameos. So what do I think we could see in this series, or what do I hope for?  For me, Boba's connection to the clones has been his more interesting characteristic. Could we see Temuera Morrison play multiple roles like say a Captain Rex or even a member of the Bad Batch?  What about his "sister" Omega?  As far as the underworld, I'm taking a cue from one of my favorite Star Wars podcasters, Joseph Scrimshaw, and going on "Hondo Watch."  The animated pirate turned Galaxy's Edge host could provide some great comic relief against Morrison and Ming-Na Wen's serious characters.  A live-action Doctor Aphra would be cool.  I would also hope for Cad Bane, but we saw him return not that long ago in The Bad Batch; so I don't want to be greedy.

From this first look, The Book of Boba Fett looks like it builds off the feel The Mandalorian sets up.  But I expect it to be even more gritty.  Either way, it's Star Wars, so everyone knows I'm in.....unless it's LEGO.

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X-Men Legends: Rewind To The X-Men Glory Days

      I often mention how my the title 'Dayspring Discussions' is an X-Men reference, and how I feel like I don't talk about X-Men enough, even though Marvel's mighty mutants are my favorite thing about Marvel Comics.  Also, in recent weeks, I have been trying to get back into writing more.  This site started out as a blog to talk about all my theories, reviews, and fan castings for my geeky interests.  But as podcasting has become more popular I too made the switch over to modern media.  That is why I don't suspect anyone will read this entry, but like I said, it's more about getting back into writing for me.  And talking more about X-Men. So, this is me trying to hit two Sentinels with one optic blast. ZING!

     My earliest memory of buying an X-Men comic from the local comic book store was when Age of Apocalypse was going on.  I remember at the time Gambit was my favorite X-Man so the title was Gambit and the Xternals.  As I grew up my taste changed, and for years now Cyclops has been my favorite X-Man.  He's the leader who does what he feels is right and makes the tough calls.  And most of the time his colleagues disagree with him.  Nevertheless he does what he feels is best and never apologizes for it.  He takes responsibility for the entire mutant race and it's future.  Since the 2000's he's been more bad boy than boy scout, and some have compared him to being a mixture of Xavier and Magneto.

     Because of my current affinity for Scott Summers I feel like I know a good amount about the whole Summers clan.  Havok, Cable, Corsair, Rachel, Vulcan, Jean Grey, and I would even put Polaris in that group.  And during the 90's their were hints of Cyclops and Havok having a brother, and who it could be.  Some thought it might even be Gambit given that he was an orphan adopted by the Thieves Guild.  But, an answer was given in Deadly Genesis and Gabriel Summers, Vulcan, was revealed to the world.  But last week a new series came out that makes it seem that Adam X, a popular mutant in the 1990's, is indeed the brother of Cyclops and Havok.

     X-Men Legends starts off with the kidnapping of Scott and Alex's grandparents.  Followed by the reintroduction of Adam X.  Adam is being pursued by Erik the Red and thinking he is important on a cosmic scale.  Cyclops and Havok find Adam, and so does their father, Corsair, who then seems to fire a pistol at his own son.  And that's where issue one ends.

     I had heard about this series, but never really dug into what it was going to be about aside from the famous "third Summers brother" conspiracy.  The book is written by Fabian Nicieza who helped bring life to Deadpool, and has written many X-Men and Marvel comics in his career. This reminds me of years ago when Chris Claremont did another take where he left off with X-Men.  What would he have done if he was still writing X-Men?  To be honest, I could not get into the series because at that point the X-Men had grown so far past where Claremont left them.  That's how I feel about this comic series.

     I have mixed feelings about the current status of X-Men comics with House of X been going on for a while now, but at least it's something different and new.  I feel like Legends is just trying to take us back in time when the X-Men was the best selling book Marvel had.  I never knew much about Adam X because I thought he was created just to make a character that reflected the current youth.  I preferred Nate Grey; the X-Man.  

     While this series is great nostalgia for long time X-Men readers, I find it moot.  The costumes and art are great, but why dig up an old mystery that has already been solved by one of my favorite X-Men and Marvel writers; Ed Brubaker.  Brubaker created Vulcan into a far better character than Adam X ever could be in my opinion.  So even if you didn't like who the lost Summers brother turned out to be there is no point in living in the past.  That's when you become what you hate.  Right Magneto? 

Dayspring Discussions Feb 16, 2021: Zack Snyder's Justice League 2nd Tra...

Star Wars' Civil War

     Two sides.  Each battling for their principles.  Each doing what they believe is best for the galaxy. The Rebels are good guys and the Empire are the bad guys.  The Resistance are the good guys and the First Order are the bad guys.  The Jedi are the good guys and the Sith are the bad guys.  Can real life ever be that simple?  Even Obi-Wan Kenobi says, "MOST OF THE TRUTHS WE CLING TO DEPEND GREATY ON OUR OWN POINT OF VIEW." 

     I'VE BEEN A STAR WARS FAN MY WHOLE LIFE.  I remember seeing all of the Special Edition films in theaters(along with every other Star Wars film).  I remember my dad taking me and my brother to the comic book store, like he did every Saturday, and seeing the first issue of Dark Empire.  I remember reading a few pages of Heir to the Empire to prove to my dad that I could read well enough to get the novelization of A New Hope.  To this day, The Empire Strikes Back is my go-to sick day film.  I usually post a Han Solo "I Feel Terrible" meme as I lay on the couch resting.  I know I am not alone in my love of Star Wars.  Millions around the world have discovered this franchise at different times in their lives, and has become a myth that has been passed down several generations now. I was 15 when The Phantom Menace was released.  I saw it three times in theaters.  I saw Attack of the Clones four times in theaters.  These are my least favorite Star Wars films, and for a large number of people, thought of as the worst of the franchise.  That is until 2017.

     In 2012 Disney purchased Lucasfilm and announced a new trilogy (Episodes VII, VIII, and IX) would be on the way.  Also, that any existing mythology outside of the seven films and The Clone Wars TV series would be erased from Star Wars Canon as it "no longer counted".  As a person who grew up on the Expanded Universe it had it's good stories and bad, but Star Wars fans also knew it was hours upon hours of time spent that no longer mattered.  DISNEY AND LUCASFIILM WANTED TO START FRESH, and since parts of the Expanded Universe contradicted other parts it was just easier to wipe the whole board clean.  Some fans felt it was Disney saying "you wasted your time."  While Dark Empire, the Thrawn trilogy, Legacy, and Shadows of the Empire are Expanded Universe(or now referred to as Legends) stories I still enjoy to this day, there is a lot of Expanded Universe(and some of the current Canon) I don't care for.  

     In 2014 I remember going to see The Theory of Everything at the Alamo Drafthouse on Thanksgiving weekend to not actually watch the film, but to see less than a minute of footage from the newest Star Wars film that was over a year away.  It was glorious!  But, rumblings started to spread of the shot of JOHN BOYEGA AS A STORMTROOPER.  What I saw was Kylo Ren's cross blade lightsaber and the Millennium Falcon facing a TIE fighter with John Williams beautiful score playing in the background.  Why did the race of a stormtrooper matter?  Millions, if not billions, were part of the Empire.  While we never saw them take off their helmets, you had to assume not all the stormtroopers in the galaxy were white males. 

     In 2015 The Force Awakens arrives in theaters.  Daisy Ridley starred as Rey, the Force-sensitive orphan who became the hero of the sequel trilogy.  BUT SHE WAS A GIRL!  And everything is easy for her!  Some people accused Disney of making the main character a girl who can do anything just as a social justice message.  Anyone ever heard of Princess Leia?  How about the line, "Somebody has to save our skins.  Into the garbage shoot flyboy!"  When Rogue One was released in 2016 I didn't hear much about Jyn Erso in the same way, but I think we where all just mesmerized by the Vader hallway scene.

     THEN, IN 2017, THE WAR ERUPTED.  The Last Jedi was the Star Wars film that finally divided the fanbase.  Up to then, everyone agreed that the original trilogy was great, the prequels not so great, and the last two films were at least ok.  After two years of speculating, nothing I thought would happened did, but I still walked out satisfied with what Rian Johnson gave us.  Others did not.  Sure the Finn storyline can be called pointless(I wouldn't) and killing the Emperor-type villain, Snoke, so abruptly was jarring.  But the biggest critique I heard about The Last Jedi was how the hero of our childhood, Luke Skywalker, had become a bitter hermit who didn't want anything to do with the battle to save the galaxy. All of which I believe are valid points of opinion.

     The lines had been drawn, and while I could understand people's complaints, I DON'T UNDERTSAND WHAT FOLLOWED THE LAST JEDI.  The social media accounts of Daisy Ridley, Kelly Marie Tran, and Rian Johnson were full of hateful messages.  So many that Ridley and Tran deleted their accounts, and to this day I am still not sure they have returned.  Imagine getting your dream job.  You get to work in Star Wars.  You are told to play a part, and then you do as your told.  Then people personally attack your gender and ethnicity simply because they didn't like the character you played.   Star Wars hate was nothing new.  PEOPLE ACCUSED GEORGE LUCAS OF "RUINED MY CHILDHOOD" WITH THE PREQUELS.  Ahmed Best, Jake Lloyd, and Hayden Christensen were all subjected to personal attacks simply because of the characters they played.  But in the era where billions have a place to interact and voice their opinions, those voices turned vicious by some fans who celebrate films meant to be about diversity, acceptance, and no holding on to anger.

     Since then I feel like Star Wars fans have been divided on everything.  I KNOW ITS TAKEN ME SEVERAL PARAGRAPHS TO GET TO THE POINT OF THIS ENTRY.  I apologize. But we've gotten to the point in fandom where some believe that if you have a different opinion about film, a piece of art, you are wrong and stupid.  I'm not a big fan of The Rise of Skywalker, but when I watch it I try to focus on the things I like about it, and don't lash out at those who do enjoy it.  Or, I just choose just not to watch it again like I do the other Star Wars films. I believe the Star Wars fanbase has become a representation of the bigger divide not about Star Wars, but about the world around us.  

     Of course what prompted me to write this entry was the firing of The Mandalorian actor Gina Carano.  I admit I only read one or two of the tweets she published that led to her getting fired, so I may not have a full view of the situation.  I can only judge from what knowledge I possess.  And while it is her right to speak about the things she believes, it is also her employers right to let her go if her actions jeopardize their business.  If I was a cashier at Target and swore to all the time I would expect Target to fire me.  They would lose business because of my vulgar words and that is not the kind of image they want to project to their customers.  AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO GINA CARANO.

     But this is just another incident in the Star Wars fan community within the last few years.  Headlines about fans shouting hatred, treating humans beings like they aren't real, or have no feelings. Believing that if a story does not go how they wanted it too that it is wrong.  And honestly, I'M TIRED OF BEING A STAR WARS FAN. It is so exhausting reading about personal attacks on people who work for Disney and Lucasfilm. People bagging on books that they haven't read.  If you don't like the idea for a book, just say it doesn't look interesting, and move on with your life.  Not everything is for everyone. YOU DON'T NEED THIRTY TWEETS ABOUT HOW THE THING YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN IS GONNA SUCK.  I see so many fans talking not about what they love, but what they hate.  And for the life of me, I can't understand what they fear.  "Fear leads anger.  Anger leads to hate." Is it not getting what they want?  Not being open to something unexpected?  Or just the belief that their opinion is the only one that is right?  

     TO HEAL THE STAR WARS FANBASE WOULD MEAN HEALING THE WORLD.  But we're all too selfish to take a look at ourselves and realize we are the problem.  I've always grown up believing Star Wars was about unity, fairness, understanding, love, and acceptance.  That's why I don't understand people who say they love Star Wars, but don't believe in what Star Wars is. 

    

  

Falcon and the Winter Soldier Super Bowl Spot

      As I sat down last night to watch the 2021 Super Bowl I, like some people, weren't tuning in to see the Buccaneers vs Chiefs.  Going back decades, the commercials during the big game have always been a big part of the Super Bowl experience.  For me, I always look forward to seeing what new movie trailers might pop-up so that the studios can let as many people know what they are releasing in the coming year.  As the evening went on I was disappointed by how little trailers we saw, but I guess this was to be anticipated since most film studios aren't even sure when, or if, their films will arrive in the theaters due to the on-going pandemic.  But even in the darkest of times a light shined bright, a reflecting light from a shield.  But who will wield it is the true question.

     It's no secret my favorite MCU character is Captain America.  I prefer his trilogy over the sacred Dark Knight trilogy, the Iron Man trilogy, or if you can even call the Thor films a trilogy.  Like Superman, he's a guy who always tries to do the right thing, and the right thing is usually the hardest thing.  So, as old man Rogers sat on that bench in Endgame, I was sadden by the idea of an MCU without Captain America, but excited that a series about his legacy was on it's way.

     When Marvel Studios announced that they were doing Disney+ series the one I was most excited for was Falcon and the Winter Soldier.  Steve Rogers two best friends teaming up in his absence to try to keep the world safe with him gone. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their roles along with Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Daniel Bruhl as the villainous Zemo.  And rounding out the cast is Wyatt Russell as John Walker, otherwise known in the comics as U.S. Agent, a man who tried to be Captain America and failed.

     So where do I think this is all going after last night's Super Bowl spot?  Well, as we see, Bucky and Sam are still having their friendly rivalry with what seems like a therapist trying to help them work out their issues, and settle a staring contest.  It's like two little brothers who compete for dominance now that the big brother has left.  They both want to carry on the good work Steve would be doing, but they have to try and survive each other.  Classic buddy cop series! The two actors verbal sparring made for some good scenes in Civil War, and that chemistry was probably the start of the idea for this series I'm guessing.  

     Now, in the comics books, both Sam and Bucky have played the role of Captain America when Steve couldn't, and I must say, Bucky's run as Cap by Ed Brubaker is my favorite storyline ever from the title. So I'm a bit biased.  At the end of Endgame it seemed like both Steve and Bucky gave their blessing for Sam to carry the shield. But someone else may want a say about who represents America.  My GUESS is that the government wants their own Captain America. One who will be a good solider and not defy their orders. And they probably picked John Walker.  So again, my GUESS is that you'll have two or even three characters all vying for who will be the next Captain America when it's all done. And hopefully learning what that responsibility means.

     However, if it's up to Zemo none of them would be the next Cap.  The villian from Civil War is back, and while most saw him as a weak adversary, I saw him as man who knew how to strategize.  

     "My father . . . still holding my wife and son in his arms. And the Avengers? They went home. I knew I couldn't kill them. More powerful men than me have tried. But, if I could get them to kill each other."

     This is a guy who thinks the world shouldn't have superheroes.  And that having the First Avenger gone is sign for him to continue his quest of toppling the empire.  Is he right?  We'll find out as he teams up with Solo alumni Erin Kellyman to take on the dynamic duo.

     But, like Batman and Robin, it looks like the boys will have some help from a girl.  Sharon Carter returns in this trailer to kick some ass and I'm sure sort out some feelings about losing her man to her aunt Peggy.  In the comics Sharon is the true love of  Steve's life, but for the MCU we all knew it was Peggy.  I'm glad to see VanCamp back and I hope this series gives her some more character development than we've seen in the films, much like I hope it does for Mackie and Stan.

     It's a spy-action series that has Captain America's supporting cast taking center stage.  It looks to be of high quality and high thrills.  I'm in!  And with a March 19 release date it will start just as WandaVision ends. If everything stays on track this will be a year packed full of MCU material on the big AND small screen. I wasn't even that excited about WandaVision and I'm loving it.  So for characters and a series I'm actually excited for?  I could do this all day.

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