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.

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.

Time To Choose Sides For Marvel's Cinematic Civil War

Yesterday some alleged concept art was released revealing whose team each Avenger will choose for the upcoming film Captain America: Civil War.  The origin miniseries is one of my favorites and seeing how both Marvel Studios and the Russo brothers handled the Winter Solider storyline I have no doubt this movie will also be awesome.

In the comic, after a disastrous event causes many casualties, the government proposes the Superhero Registration Act.  This act demands all super powered beings reveal their identities and work directly for the government.  This splits the Marvel heroes into two sides; Iron Man being for registration and Captain America leading the rebellion against it.  Hawkeye himself, Jeremy Renner, went on Twitter and confirmed that this concept art is legit and that these are indeed the two sides to this war.  Fighting with Captain America will be Falcon, Winter Solider, Hawkeye, Agent 13, and Ant-Man.  Fighting along side Iron Man will be War Machine, Black Widow, Black Panther, and Vision.

I have a few issues with these teams.  First off, why is Black Widow fighting against her best friend, Hawkeye, and also Steve Rogers.  The progression of Steve and Natalia's relationship in the last Captain America film was one of my favorite parts of the movie.  She started off thinking he was an outdated boy scout, and as the film progressed she ended up respecting him as a true hero; the kind she's never encountered in her life.  Also, at the end of the Winter Soldier she basically told a government committee to grow screw themselves.  Now, I have no idea how close the film will stick to the source material.  For all I know Cap could be for registration, but given how he helped take down S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't see him liking big brother telling him and his friends who to fight.

The other issue I have is how stacked Tony Stark's team is.  Tony is a genius and a pretty formitable opponent himself, but then he gets another super suit with War Machine, and most all, Vision.  Vision has an Infinity Stone in his forehead.  He could take down Cap's team by himself!  They only way I can see this being more even is if Scarlet Witch, with her hex powers, ends up siding with Steve.  That might give Vision a little trouble and even out the battles a little.  But this is Captain America's movie.  And we always love rooting for the underdog.  

Everyone else is pretty predictable.  Of course Steve and Tony will have their best buds, War Machine and Falcon, on their sides.  Black Panther runs a country so he'd be for government supervision.  Agent 13 was also gimme.  However, with her being in the concept art it makes me hopeful that Emily VanCamp with be in more of the film than I thought.  Maybe among his biggest fight ever Cap gets a little lucky in love.  They hinted at it in Winter Soldier and if you know the comics you know it's coming.  

I knew best friends Hawkeye and Black Widow would be on opposite sides fighting each other.  I just thought they'd be on the other opposite sides.  Though, I liked how in Avengers: Age of Ultron we saw more of Hawkeye's personal life and what he fights for.  I felt like we got to know his character better the way we got to know Black Widow better in the first Avengers film.  Now that we know he is a family man I think it make sense he'd be for the people's rights.  I'll buy it in hopes that Renner is given a chance  to grow this character even further.

So, I have not seen any of the D23 footage nor do I know the exact plot of the film.  But given what I know about the comic book and which side Iron Man and Captain America both fall on these are my thoughts on the announcement of the teams and concept art.  What's yours?

Marvel's Ant-Man Waste Another Villain

Like Aquaman, Ant-Man is known to the general audience as a laughable comic book hero.  What good is a guy who can shrink down to the size of an ant?  Director Peyton Reed, Paul Rudd, and the rest of Marvel Studios set to prove that they can make another unknown property popular just like Guardians of the Galaxy.

In this film Rudd plays Scott Lang, a smart ex-con who got thrown in jail because he was defying "the man." Scott wants to get is life back on track, back into his daughter's life, and scientist/millionaire Hank Pym wants to help.  Pym, played by Michael Douglas, wants Scott to break into his company and steal a prototype suit that will allow a solider to shrink down to micro size and be stronger than average size.  Pym's former protege Darren Cross, played by Corey Stoll, disagrees.  He wants to sell these suits and make billions, or finally gain approval from his father figure.  That's the confusing part to me.

Coming off of the epic Avengers: Age of Ultron it was nice to get a much more quiet film from Marvel to end Phase 2 of their cinematic universe.  Ant-Man was a heist movie with superheroes.  Scott had to break into a highly guarded building to steal a suit.  It was pretty straight forward and simple.  The side stories however were not.  This is a film about fathers and their children.  Scott and Hank's relationship to their daughters were at the forefront with Pym also being a father figure to both Darren and Scott.  Hank and his daughter Hope, played by Evangline Lilly, was done pretty well, but his disappointed mentor role for Darren fell flat.

Throughout the entire film I didn't get if Cross was trying to make the shrinking suit because he finally wanted Pym's approval, or if his first goal was to make money. He was like a mixture of Obadiah Stane and Loki; only not fleshed out enough.  Instead, Yellowjacket will just be another throw away Marvel villain.

I liked the smallness(no pun intended) of this film.  Hank warned that the world would be in danger if Cross succeeded, but given that Falcon gave Ant-Man a run for his money do you really think Iron Man or Thor would even break a sweat against Yellowjacket?  In any event, Michael Pena gets the "Steals The Movie" award as Scott's friend who is clearly there for comic relief.  His role could have gone the way of other bad comic relief like Jar Jar Binks and those racists robots in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.  But Pena made it work.  Granted the film had just a little too much humor for my taste, but it was also partly what made it feel so different from the last few Marvel films we've gotten.

I think the entire cast did a really good job with their parts.  But if anything, what Ant-Man suffered from was editing.  It felt like there was quite a few quick cuts that, as a person who has not only watched movies his entire life but also studied film making, were very noticeable.  Some people say the film seemed too long.  I think slowing things down to explore more of the relationships would have been better. 

For me, the two things that shined in this movie were how well the shrinking effects were done, and also the dialogue.  The script was very solid, and I was glad to see Edgar Wright, the man originally tapped to direct this film, got his due in the credits for his contributions.  

Overall, I think Ant-Man is a decent film.   It's no where near the quality of Captain America: The Winter Solider, but far from the garbage Iron Man 3 was.  It's got just a little bit too many silly moments to make it great, but it created some great characters.  I like Scott and Hope and I can't wait to see them incorporated into the bigger MCU scope.  

RATING:  C

P.S.  Too many MCU references.  "Why not call the Avengers" was fine.  "They're probably too busy dropping cities on people" was too much.

Spidey Joins the Avengers in the MCU

Last night I was doing my usual thing, watching some television and casually browsing the internet on my tablet.  After drinking a few beers I came across a piece of news claiming Spider-Man will be in a Marvel Studios movie.  I've heard these claims for years now, but then I saw that this came straight from marvel.com.  I couldn't believe my eyes, and I was way too tipsy to think about the possibilities and hurdles.  But today I'm as sober as Captain Amierca on a Sunday.

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have reached a deal that will allow Spider-Man to appear in an MCU film before getting another film in 2017.  The web slinger will still be Sony property, but will be produced by Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige.  Plans are even in talks to bring Marvel Studio characters into a Spider-Man movie.  Shortly after this announcement Marvel Studios released a statement saying that their film slate for the next four years has been altered.  The next Marvel film we will see after Captain America: Civil War will be the new Spider-Man movie and not Thor: Ragnarok.

I was one of the non-believers who said we would never see this day.  Even though rumors have been swirling for months.  Sony Pictures had high hopes for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and even though it made money, the film fell quite short of their expectations.  Since then Sony claimed it was still moving forward with its Spider-Man film universe.  A Sinister Six and Venom movie were rumored to be in the works.  But with Sony's financial trouble, along with some e-mail hacks, Marvel must have seen their opportunity to bring ol' web-head back home.  

The problem is going to be integration.  I never saw a mixture of Spider-Man into the MCU because the two studios would fight over every detail.  Spider-Man is a bigger franchise than Captain America,  so would Sony get a bigger cut of the movie profits?  If someone is in trouble, Sony will want Spider-Man to do the daring rescue and not Iron Man.  With Spidey staying under the Sony banner I think these questions will arise.  However, with Feige basically in charge of the production, I  also believe these issues will be taken care of.

The two Marvel Studio films coming out this year will be Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man.  Both of these movies are already done filming and are in post production.  The next film will be Captain America: Civil War, and then a Spider-Man movie is promised.  If Marvel wishes to bring Spidey into the fold before his own solo movie it's a safe bet he'll be joining Cap and Iron Man for Civil War. Which sounds exciting to me because Spider-Man was a big part of the original Civil War comic.  

However, with the third Captain America film almost a year away, plans have to be made in regards to Spider-Man.  Word has it that this will be another reboot for the web slinger.  It won't be Andrew Garfield playing Peter Parker, so casting for that role has to begin soon.  But with such a big story as Civil War I don't believe there will be time for another Spider-Man origin story.  Will Marvel just put Spidey into the mix and worry about the origin in his solo film?  But why do we even need another origin story?  It's been done twice within the last thirteen years.  In the Civil War comic Peter has been Spider-Man for a while.  I think they should just start off there.  I'd much rather see a seasoned Spider-Man than another tale of Peter discovering his powers.    

  As much excitement as this announcement has caused I feel like it has posed over a dozen question about Spider-Man's future, his part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and whether he'll be in it for the long hall.  Could we see Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War Pt. 1?  Or is Sony only trying to use this deal to springboard Spider-Man back to the top of film franchises?  Is Marvel Studios now setting their sites on bringing Fantastic Four or X-Men into the MCU?  I'm sure we'll all have these answers in time.  All I can leave you with is the same phrase I've been saying the last few years; In Feige We Trust.

MCU's Civil War: Drawing the Battle Lines

Last week Marvel Studios invited quite a few members of the press to a secret announcement.  Many speculated what it could be; from the casting of Dr. Strange to Spider-Man joining the MCU(Marvel Cinematic Universe).  President of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, surprised everyone when he presented the studios films for the next five years that included Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel, two more Avengers films, and a Black Panther film starring Chad Boseman from 42 and Get On Up.  One of the bigger announcements came as little surprise given recent rumors, but a giant delight, as Feige read the title of the next Captain America film; Captain America: Civil War.

Based on the 2006 mini series, we'll see Captain America and Iron Man face-off against each other on opposite sides of the Superhero Registration Act.  Feige says that MCU's Civil War will be more about who the heroes report to rather than their identities since this world knows who Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner are.  Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans appeared on stage with Boseman to sell the upcoming rivalry.  This leads some to believe that Black Panther may play a key role in Civil War.  Perhaps a Switzerland type who chooses to stay neutral? 

Missing however from the original Civil War story line will be Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and may other heroes Marvel Studios does not have the rights too, or have yet to introduce.  But both Cap and Iron Man still need soldiers to support them.  So given the current Avengers/MCU characters I've got my team predictions.

TEAM STARK:  Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor, War Machine, Ant-Man, and Maria Hill

In the comic book mini series Tony gets the inside scoop before the Act goes into effect and tries to soften the fallout.  Stark feels that super beings should be trained properly and report to someone.  His team would be a posse that is used to following orders.  War Machine and Maria Hill have ties to Tony so I'm sure they've got his back.  Meanwhile, Thor is a demi-god, and knows how power can be abused.  Therefore I feel like he'd side with Stark on supervising those who have power.  

Not much is known about how Ant-Man will fit into the MCU, but given he sided with Tony in the comics I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he'd be on Team Iron Man when the battle lines are drawn.

TEAM ROGERS:  Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Falcon, Nick Fury, and Agent 13  

I was on Team Captain America while reading the comics so I'm a bit bias; but I like this team.  Each person on Cap's team has been burned by the government before so they'd be a bit suspicious of the Superhero Registration Act.  Natasha really started to believe and trust in Steve in their last film, which included their team-up with Falcon.  Nick Fury also got burned by his friend and boss so he's all about questioning "the man" now.  And Agent 13?  Well, anyone who knows Sharon's story knows her chips wouldn't fall anywhere else.  

The Hulk was probably the hardest to choose a side for.  He and Tony are science buddies so I can see that bond.  However, Bruce knows what it's like having his government hunt and try to contain him.  I think he'd be against being put in a "cage".  I also think these teams give for some great match-ups.  

Iron Man vs Captain America(leader vs leader)

Hawkeye vs Black Widow(good friends/partners face-off)

Thor vs Hulk(they really never finished their fight in Avengers)

War Machine vs Falcon(black best friend battle royale)

Nick Fury vs Ant-Man(the man(s) with a plan)

Maria Hill vs Agent 13(S.H.I.E.L.D. agent cat fight, MEEOOWW)

Like my teams?  Disagree with them?  Let me know! 

Marvel's Cinematic Civil War A Good Idea?

This week has been a comic enthusiasts dream.  After coming off all the news from the New York Comic Con there were also two big movie stories that broke.  I'll share my thoughts on Warner Bros announcement in my next post, but for now I'm gonna focus my feeling about Marvel Studios.

Robert Downey Jr seems to be teasing Iron Man fans lately with saying he wants to do another Iron Man film and then retracting his statement just hours later.  Now, Variety has reported that Downey is in negotiations to guest star in the third Captain America film opposite Chris Evans.  This is happy news, but the 'exciting' part of the rumor is that Cap 3 is set to start the infamous Marvel storyline, Civil War.

In the 2006 miniseries, the government has implemented the Superhero Registration Act, a law that requires any vigilantes or masked heroes to reveal their identities and work for Uncle Sam.  Tony Stark sees just how serious the American government is about this and decides to support the Act.  Meanwhile, Captain America opposes the Act and leads an underground group against Iron Man and those who follow him.

This series was epic and one of my favorites.  I've always dreamed of seeing it on the big screen, but I'm hesitant about this decision.  A main focus in this story was Spider-Man.  He's the Marvel hero that protects his identity the most, which is why Stark convinces him to reveal who he is at a press conference.  Later on, Peter Parker switches sides to Cap's team.  Peter's journey in this plot is central, and without him I feel like the movie(s) will be missing it's heart.  However, there are talks about Sony loaning Spider-Man to Marvel Studios due to their financial situation.  Could Marvel take advantage of this and get Spider-Man mixed in to the cinematic Civil War? 

 Another major perspective in Civil War is the Fantastic Four, which Fox currently owns the movie rights too.  Having to choose sides tares this team in two and almost destroys Reed and Sue Richards marriage.  Without this subplot I feel like the film may also be missing another piece of it's center.  I don't believe for a second Marvel is canceling the FF comic book in an effort to try and hurt the upcoming film, thus allowing Marvel to possibly get the rights back.  By the time the Fantastic Four movie is released next year you can bet Marvel Comics will have another FF series out to take advantage of any buzz the film may get.

My last gripe about bringing up Civil War on screen is the lack of characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Sure we have more characters coming like Ant-Man and Dr. Strange, but all of these superheroes have already outed their identities.  The only issue would be those who are forced to work for the government or hang-up their tights, or leather now-a-days.  Of course, if they need more heroes Netflix's Defenders team will be coming up soon.
And what about Thanos?  We all figured Avengers 3 would be the Infinity Gauntlet.  Are they really going to continue that slow burn until perhaps Avengers 4 or 5?  I could however see all the Marvel heroes splitting up, but then having to put aside their differences to face the galaxy's ultimate baddie.

With all the concerns I've listed don't think for a second I'm not ecstatic about this!  Sure they'll probably have to pay RDJ a crap-load of more money, but seeing this all unfold will be sweet.  You can see in Captain America: The Winter Solider how the small seeds were planted for the idea of Civil War.  Speaking of which, the second Captain America film strayed pretty far from the original source material, but was still the best film Marvel Studios has released in my opinion.  So if this "Civil War" doesn't follow the miniseries exactly I won't be upset as long as it's good.

A year ago there was a phrase that I, and perhaps others, have started reciting; In Feige We Trust.  Guardians of the Galaxy was a risk for Marvel Studios that paid off big time because their president knows what he's doing.  I'm sure he's had Civil War planned for years now and is just now letting us all in on a fraction of his plan.  The story may not be exactly like the original comic, but as long as it's a good film I'll be ok with it. 

 Marvel Comics seem to be bringing back old story lines like Secret Wars, Planet Hulk, and Civil War, but the cinematic world is still a toddler that has a lifetime of stories to tell that will be fresh to us all.  Now if you'll excuse me I'll need a break before I start my DC/Warner Bros post.  Or I may just watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier because I could literally watch that film every day. Until next time true believers, In Feige We Trust. 

Comic-Related News.....From Last Week

Greetings Muggles!  I'm about to unload on you the comic-related stories from last week that I was most excited to hear about.  I hope you are too!

DEADPOOL MOVIE GETS FAST TRACKED:  Fan boys have been drooling for a Deadpool film for years now, and there has been no bigger advocate than Ryan Reynolds, who played the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. A recent test footage revealed that a Deadpool movie is in high demand so last week Fox set a Feb 12, 2016 release date for the Deadpool solo film.
To be honest I'm not really a big Deadpool fan.  He's pretty funny, but Marvel waaay overused him when he became popular by putting him in every book; just like they did with Spider-Man and Wolverine.  The Merc with a Mouth is pretty obscene, and pretty violent given that he's a killer assassin.  Some have cried that the film must be rated R for it be done justice.  While I agree with this I don't for a second believe it won't be PG-13 like every other superhero film to bring in the biggest audience/money.
Tim Miller, who directed the test footage, is also on board to direct the film.  No word if Reynolds will reprise his role as Wade Wilson, but seeing how he also starred in the "leaked" test footage I'm sure it's only a matter of weeks before he is announced.  I'm just disappointed my favorite part of the character will probably be not mentioned in the film; the public mistaking him for Spider-Man because of their similar costume styles.  Below is a link to the Deadpool test footage on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CphFZGH5030

SUPERGIRL TV SERIES FLIES OVER TO CBS: A few weeks ago it was reported that Arrow and The Flash co-creator, Greg Berlanti, was developing a Supergirl TV series.  It appears CBS has picked up the series, which kind of surprised me.  Given that Berlanti was advocating this series I figured it'd end up on The CW with his other shows.  I'm sure we all even hoped it would help expand the DC/CW television universe even more.

I'm curious to see how this series will go given that there have been many different interpretation of the character since her appearance in 1959.  My favorite has been the version introduced by Jeph Loeb in 2004.  I will admit though I have yet to read the New 52 version since I'm not a fan of the current handling of Superman via New 52.  Either way, I'm just happy to see more comic book characters making their way onto more screens.

JARVIS ADDED TO AGENT CARTER:  We have to wait quite a few more months to see Hayley Atwell reprise her role as Agent Peggy Carter but we have learned that she'll be joined by Jarvis!  No, not Tony Starks artificial intelligence, the real Jarvis.  Actor James D'Arcy will play Edwin Jarvis, who, in the comics, was Tony Stark's butler but replaced by a machine in the films.  This kind of gives you the feeling that J.A.R.V.I.S. might have been help created by Edwin or perhaps leaves quite the impression on the right people to name a sophisticated computer program after him.

I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I quit watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. after three episodes.  I am, however, excited for Agent Carter because I really like the character.  We learned that in Captain America: The Winter Soldier Peggy helped start S.H.I.E.L.D. so I'm hoping that's what this show is all about.

 

SCOTT GLENN IS STICK: Remember the wise old man from Sucker Punch?  Well now he's play the wise old blind man in Netflix's upcoming Daredevil series.  Scott Glenn will play Stick, the sensei who teaches Matt Murdock to not only live with being blind, but use it as a weapon to fight crime.
I'm psyched for not only Daredevil, but what Marvel Studios is doing with Netflix as well.  Producers and film makers promise this will be a grittier and more dark Marvel world than the films.  I'm a fan of Daredevil and Iron Fist so I can't wait to see this all come out!

AMANDA PAYS RETURNS TO THE FLASH: I remember as a kid watching the 1990 Flash TV series.  I was too young to realize how campy it was but I remember Luke Skywalker played a villain.  In any event, I'm anxiously waiting for the new Flash series that premieres in less than a month, and glad to see the original Flash, John Wesley Shipp, will be on the show playing Barry Allen's father.  Now, another Flash alumni has just been added.  Amanda Pays will return to play Dr. Tina McGee.
In the comics Tina was around during the early Wally West days.  But in the 1990 series she helped Barry discover his powers and the gave him the means to use them to help rid Central City of bad guys.  Word has it instead of working for S.T.A.R. Labs though like in 1990 series she'll be working for a company competing against S.T.A.R. Labs in the new show.  Either way, I'm happy to see familiar faces.

The Guardians of Summer Entertainment

If you're one of my Facebook friends then for months now you have seen me post numerous things about the  film, The Guardians of the Galaxy.  It's based on an obscure little comic book that even most fan boys have never read, which is why so many of us scratched our heads when Marvel Studios announced it's 2014 release.  

I will admit, I had never read any GotG(Guardians of the Galaxy) before I heard they were making the film.  I knew the names Rocket Raccon and Groot, but not much more than that.  I decided to check out the source material, the 2008 comic book series by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan.  And I LOVED it!  It was so different from the superhero-style comics that Marvel put out.  It was weird, a little quirky, and didn't really take itself seriously. In 2013, Brian Michael Bendis relaunched the series to help people get acquainted with these heroes before the film opened, and it's been a hit ever since.  Seriously, check it out, you'll get all those Peter Quill "dad" references in the film.

Because this property was so unknown the film was Marvel's Studio's biggest gamble since their first film, Iron Man.  Park and Recreations star Chris Pratt plays Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, a human who grows up with a band of intergalactic thieves. Quill finds an orb that everyone is after, including that purple guy who was at the end of The Avengers, Thanos.  Peter then finds an entourage of misfits and outsiders who decide to come together to protect the orbs power from Ronan the Accuser, a Kree criminal who wants to kill billions of people on the planet Xandar.

This film felt like The Avengers in that it was fun as hell!  There were a lot of laughs and a lot of action to make it the perfect summer popcorn film for everyone to watch.  The characters were really the thing that made it pop.  The five leads just sitting around talking were some of the best scenes.  And these characters could have turned out sooo bad.  

Being familiar with Pratt's work I wasn't worried about him carrying this film at all.  Zoe Saldana as Gamora was probably the safest bet; her being a veteran to sci-fi films like Star Trek and Avatar.  Vin Diesel's unique voice was perfect for the character of Groot, who only is supposed to say three words, ever.  But I'll get to that.  Pro wrestler Dave Bautista could have also been bad, but Drax the Destroyer seemed to be tailor made to fit his "range" as an actor. Finally, Rocket Raccon was voiced by Hollywood pretty boy, Bradley Cooper.  Sure there were dozens of animators that helped bring Rocket to life, but I think Cooper did a great job of bringing this character out, so much that sometimes I forgot it was Cooper, and isn't that the point?  

The other actors were small and really unimportant. Lee Pace as Ronan was effective, but not memorable and complex like Loki.  Djimon Hounsou(who I think should be playing Black Panther) was a waste of talent in this film.  Meanwhile, award-winning thespians John C. Reilly and Glenn Close didn't even have enough screen time to have character personalities.  The best supporting role I felt was Karen Gillan as Gamora's sister, Nebula.  She didn't say much, but carried that character with attitude.  I would have loved to have seen that sibling rivalry more, but that's what sequels are for.

Now for the knit-picking kids!  First off, the Nova Corps is Marvel's version of the Green Lantern Corp; each with tremendous power.  So why did they seem more like a pathetic, galactic, military.  None of them showed the strength a Nova Corps member was supposed to have. GotG is about opening up the Marvel "universe" so let's see the universal police be badass so people will say, "I want to see more of that."  As of right now I don't want more Glenn Close unless she plans on boiling a bunny.

Gamora seemed a little too good.  This is a girl who was raised as a warrior to kill and is the most feared woman in the galaxy.  Why did she seem as pure as Princess Leia?  Right now I fear Black Widow more than Gamora. 

"I am Groot".  That's all I've ever read Groot saying in any comic book, EVER. "We are Groot" does not make sense.  It took me out of the film.  In fact it made some people in the audience laugh at a moment that was supposed to be sad and sweet. I am Groot. That's all we'll ever need.  And as for the post-credit scene?  I found it funny, but these extra bits at the end usually add something to what is to come in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Is this a hint of things to come, or just a silly thing to make people laugh and say WTF?  I'm gonna go with option B.

I had high expectations for this film, and although I really liked it, I didn't LOVE it. It's a great sci-fi/comic book film that I can't wait to see a sequel too, but the plot was simple and nobody outside of the main cast is worth remembering. Well, maybe Michael Rooker.  However, I do hope this shows J.J. Abrams what today's audience is looking for in it's sci-fi/fantasy.  I had a blast watching this film, and I'm glad everyone else did too.  Now, to all of my Facebook friends who got annoyed with all my GotG posts.  You're Welcome. 

Rating:  B+

P.S. What's on your Awesome Mix?

Comic News Round-Up: July 20(Otherwise known as 2 Weeks till Guardians of the Galaxy)

Before I let another week ago by  with missing my blog entry I decided to do a quick one about some recent comic book and comic related news.  I know I've been slacking a little on my blogging lately, but I've come to the point where I feel like I'm just blowing hot air on this site, and I would love to possibly start a podcast if anyone is interested in joining me.  Or if you like the idea of me just doing a weekly round-up on comic related news via this blog let me know that too.  I'm just trying to get as many readers as I can, even if it's just my Facebook friends.  Here are some comic related news you might not have heard of, and what I think.

SUPERMAN IS NOW THE ATOM:  Brandon Routh, the actor who played Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns has just been cast to play Ray Palmer in the upcoming third season of Arrow.  In the DC Universe Palmer is the superhero known as The Atom, a scientist who can change his body size to shrink down to the size of an atom.  Routh hasn't had any big roles since appearing as the Man of Steel, and Superman Returns was not well received (even though I liked it).  I've seen him in the Kevin Smith film, Zach and Miri Make A Porno, and he also played a villain on the TV series Chuck.
I'm excited for this news!  I liked Routh as Superman and his '"Return" to the DCU makes it seem like he's being given a second chance to please fan boys.  Palmer is supposed to take over Queen Industries in the next Arrow season.  It's not said whether we'll see him become The Atom but the expansion of the DC TV Universe has got me excited.

THE ARROW'S COUSIN IS FIRESTORM:  Speaking of expanding the DCTV characters, it was announced that Robbie Amell has been cast to play Firestorm in the upcoming Arrow spin-off series, The Flash.  If Robbie's last name sounds familiar it's because he is the cousin of Stephen Amell, the actor who plays Oliver Queen on Arrow.  Talk about keeping it in the family.
I'm not too familiar with Amell's previous work since I never watched The Tomorrow People or Revenge.  I'm sure Firestorm, a.k.a. Ronnie Raymond, will be a bit different than the standard comic book look; since his head is on fire in the comics.  Either way the casting of Amell and Routh adds two more Justice League members to the DCTV club. Arrow has already introduced Green Arrow, Black Canary, The Flash, and Speedy/Red Arrow.
But don't count on Clark Kent or Bruce Wayner popping in.  Warner Bros has already said they won't, which is fine of me.  I'd much rather see Hal Jordan or another lesser-known hero show up to have a similar 'Justice League' episode like Smallville did in it's sixth season.  I love how the DCTV Universe is shaping up.  I think it's looking way better than the Cinematic Universe.

THOR IS A GIRL:  Marvel seems to be getting a jump on the Comic-Con spoilers a week early as they came out with several big pieces of news this week.  One I will mention down below.  Another is Entertainment Weekly's Avengers: Age of Ultron exclusive.  Finally, Marvel as announced that after their Original Sin storyline Thor will become a woman.  Apparently something happens that makes Thor unworthy to bear the mighty hammer.  A woman then takes the reigns as the God(dess) of Thunder.
I've read comics my whole life and I know a publicity stunt when I see one.  I know they're trying to bring in more female readers and sell more comics, but eventually everything goes back to the status quo.  The initial issue will sell a few more hundred comics, but readers will die off and then they will bring the original Thor back just about the same time the new Avengers film comes out, which stars a male Thor.  I've never been a Thor reader, and if the idea is good I'm all for it, just as long as it doesn't change what they're doing in the movies.

CAPTAIN AMERICA IS A BLACK MAN:  The other piece of Marvel news last week is that Cap is hanging up his shield...again, and letting someone else don the Captain America name....again.  Last time, when everyone thought Steve Rogers was dead, his former sidekick Bucky Barnes took over as Captain America.  I'm glad Bucky isn't taking a step back to play the part again because as much as I loved 'Bucky Cap' I'm loving where they are taking Winter Soldier in the Marvel U.
This time Cap's longtime partner, Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, will be throwing the legendary shield.  Apparently Steve becomes an old man and looses his super-human powers, causing Sam to take over the American symbol.  This of course is another publicity stunt that will be over by next summer.  Marvel wants to sell comics.  So they come up with this idea of shaking things up, but then everything will return to the status quo when Steve Rogers appears in a movie as Captain America.  Because you can't sell more comic books to the little boy who wants to buy a Captain America comic book, if it's not the Captain America he saw at the theater.  Trust me. Just ask Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, and.....Captain America.  Did anybody ever even notice the Human Torch died?