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!