Dayspring Discussions Feb 26, 2021: Superman & Lois Premieres

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.