It is that time of year where the midnight openings start popping up across the country. The popcorn poppers and soda jerks are warming up for a long summer. The costume festooned mobs are preparing to descend upon your local decaplex for the most treasured of geek seasons. It is superhero movie season.
The excitement is palpable for most, but there is always a curmudgeon. There has to be at least one nerd who isn’t buying the hype. As everyone else is making their plans for multiple trips to the theater to see Thor, there is one geek getting his Netflix queue in order. No surprise, I am that curmudgeon.
I have learned to accept that I have a major problem with the comic book movies. It’s me, not them. Jealousy is the petty emotion that drives my dislike. I really, really, really like comic books, and I have for a long time. Comics used to have juice, then they lost it. The movies found the juice and flipped it for cider. Now that’s a party. It just isn’t the type of party I usually hang out at.
It is cool that people like the Batman and Spider-Man movies. It would be a lot cooler to me if they started to like the comics. It is a superior medium for those characters. The costumes always look a bit goofy in real life. The words seems strange when read aloud. The big colors and big action don’t need to be apologized for or gussied up for the mainstream. It is the medium from which the characters are born so it should be the most natural fit. It allows for a a world that can stretch to match your imagination. Hell, television would probably be a better fit than movies at this point.
The concept of the movies being the comics brought to life never rings true. They seem a bit pale in comparison to the art on the page. They are someone’s vision of the characters, but not really mine. There have been some movies where the vision of the directors and writers were fairly compelling (The first two Spider-Man movies, Nolan’s Batman movies), but there also have been tone deaf adaptations that never reached escape velocity (Watchmen). Honestly, Watchmen just about scared me off of comic book movies forever. Thank god it wasn’t successful enough to convince Hollywood that it is a good idea to just stick to the visuals but to hell with the tone.
It also doesn’t help that the excitement for the movies seems to have dragged some of the more annoying elements of the comic world into the movie world. There is mirroring of the solicitation insanity with the growing obsession with casting choices and the minutiae of the film, years ahead of its actual release. They even have to worry about continuity within the Marvel & DC movies. Are we to expect an exposition break from Samuel L. Jackson in all of these movies a la Iron Man 2?
Regardless of my concerns, the comic book movie train is going to keep rolling as long as they make money. Fans are going to jump at the chance to see their favorite characters come alive (depending on the actor or skill of the CGI artists.) Actors are going to take their shot at becoming fused with pop culture icons. It also does generate excitement, something comics seem to be lacking these days.
Here is the patented Tom Katers Friday Optimism section. The enthusiasm does start to break down the curmudgeon wall. People who I respect are excited for Thor, so there must be something to this film. The trailers for X-Men: First Class actually have a bit of style to them. Green Lantern has Kilowog. Captain America has a creepy looking Red Skull (that is a compliment). Maybe I just need to take my own advice and learn to chill out a little bit. They are just movies and if they are making money, God bless them. Lord knows the industry needs it.
There is actually quite a bit about the Thor movie to pique my interest. If even a hint of Kirby’s designs make their way into the movie, it will be awesome. I also dig Kenneth Branagh’s movie work. This isn’t a movie industry carpetbagger stopping by to write a Thor comic for three months. This is a man working within his chosen craft. Branagh is the type of director who is going to infuse his own personality into the story. That is more important than being beholden to any singular Thor story. A great Thor movie that bends the comic history is worth more than an okay adaptation of a Thor comic book. I want a good movie, not a good comic book movie. Thor could be that, so I should probably give it a shot. I should give all the movies a fair shot and perhaps I have been a bit unfair in my judgement.
I like the underdog. That is probably why I am so defensive of comics and so hostile towards the leviathan that is the movie world. There is a part of me that doesn’t want comics to just be chewed up and spit out as summer blockbusters. That part of me is a crybaby moron. Comics have always been about making money and hustling to get the kids hooked. Churning out these movies while they are hot is the probably the most “comic book” move you could make with these properties.
I am going to end up seeing Thor. All because you enthusiastic nerds have broken through my stone heart and convinced me to give it a chance. I consider myself a man of the people, a real Fred Forklift. I now realize that I let some elitism sneak into my nature. I need to give these movies a chance. Just a word of warning, If I get 20 minutes of exposition I am going to ask you for some money, so be ready.
Tom Katers wants to bring his Doctor Zaius nitrous tank into the theater. Is that cool Mr. Movie Manager?
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i feel we have similar ideas about this kinda stuff especially they whole “characters look goofy in real life” thing. As good as the Nolan Batman’s, and Spiderman’s and Iron Man’s are, part of me thinks they are incredibly goofy as well. Why is Batman in a rubber suit? Why would anyone dress up like a Bat instead of just get some Navy SEAL gear and go out and kick butt? Maybe for the same reason that photography is tough to get to work in comics…the characters and stories are just made for illustration.
I never get as excited about these superhero movies as some. maybe its the fact that i see the characters on slurpee cups and soda cans for months leading up to it. It makes it less special maybe? It ruins the child like innocence? Eh i dunno. Still interesting to think about.
I feel this way about 90% of the movies I see in theaters.
@stuclach –actually me too! haha thats why we only go to the theatre now maybe once every few months instead of once a week like a yr or two ago.
Netflix and On Demand has basically replaced the movie theatre for us. (wife)
I feel as though the novelty of the superhero movie has worn off for me. Now, rather than being happy that there was a decent one made I expect them to be good. If they look remotely weak I start to feel turned off by them. I would rather see these characters done well in books than done at all in movies. However, I can wish into perpetuity for this and it will not be. 75% of the reason these books are being made presently is in hope of turning it into a blockbuster summer film. What happens when the mood shifts and superhero movies aren’t en vogue? Disney and Warner cut support for the print lines and cost these creators a ton of jobs? I haven’t enjoyed the las few superhero movies very much and it seems as though Hollywood has found their formula for them… which they will naturally beat to a blood pulp and leave for dead.
@wallythegreenmonster Exactly.
@zombox That’s how I feel about Green Lantern. I hope it’s good, but I’m not expecting much.
That random picture of William Hung is so Katersesque.
Great article Tom. I agree about how a lot of things look and sound better in comics than they do in movies. That line in the GL trailer where Carol says Hal has “the ability to overcome fear” made me cringe when I first heard it.
@comicBOOKchris Tone Deaf like Snyder.
@ThomasKaters RE: Snyder on Watchmen – He banged, he banged.
I can understand the underdog thing, but I like both mediums (comics and movies). I don’t think I like one more than another. Sometimes a story works better in one medium than another. Sometimes you can make a concept work in both. The Thor story I just saw on the big screen was not nearly so complex as some of the best Thor comics, but I was very entertained and think the visuals lent themselves to the screen. In this case it worked out.
I think my philosophy is different here, in so much as I don’t look at this as Hollywood coming in and showing comics how it’s done, or filmmakers barging in to add legitimacy to the characters I enjoy. I look at it as a challenge, and I’m rooting for the film’s creators to succeed in adapting a story from one medium to another. So in that way, they’re the underdogs.
“I can’t believe the weird ways comics and cartoon characters and comics art make their way into popular media. It’s never about the art.” – Paul Pope
I thought that Josh was the curmudgeon and you were the wacky neighbor that burst through the door with slapstick physical comedy?
“The concept of the movies being the comics brought to life never rings true.” I respectfully disagree here. That’s exactly what the movies do. If you’re taking that statement as that the movie is the REAL version of a character over the comic then I agree with you. But I think it’s more about the visuals and the things that can only be implied on the page. Yes, the great artists can can convey the sense of movement and action on the page. But come on, the first time you see Spider-Man swinging through the streets of NY you think, YES, that’s what it would like like if someone was dressed in a funny costume swinging through the streets. It harkens back to the first Superman movie which is why it’s tag line way back in 1978 was You Will Believe a Man Can Fly. After years of reading about the things these characters can do it’s awesome to see, when done well, those very actions captured on screen for us to enjoy. We love to see Spider-Man swing, Superman fly and Thor throw his hammer.
This is not an either or proposition. We’re talking about 2 forms or entertainment. Enjoy one, enjoy both or enjoy none. But it’s supposed to be fun. Enjoy yourself a little man.
You know, I had actually managed to forget that William Hung not only happened, but existed entirely. Until today. Thanks, Tom Katers!