Marvel Comics Movie Madness

Make no mistake, we are living in the decade of the outcast.

Once ridiculed and book-dumped in the hallways of America’s schools, the comic book collectors, video gamers and fantasy novel readers of the country are the future of the commercial industry. All you have to do is turn on the TV and see the incessant commercials for the Punisher DVD, Wolverine and Watchmen movies or feature film-quality video games to see that corporations are desperate enough to pander to the very people they once shunned. Gone are the pro-military movies (unless it’s based on G.I. Joe of course), gone are the tough guy action films (unless it’s based on a video game), replaced by comic book video game movies that are easily downloadable to your handheld system of choice. Added proof to support this claim is that Warner Bros. pumped millions (and split the meager profits with 20th Century Fox) into The Watchmen, a bloated highbrow comic book movie that would only appeal to people who actually read the comic.

I have to say that the ‘nerd community’ is taking their ascension in stride.

And whereas the company with the most recognizable names in comics cannot get their act together, Marvel Comics is going from strength to strength. Batman, Justice League and Superman are all on indefinite hiatus from DC Comics while the Avengers are marching toward ticket holders with so much confidence you’d think the average guy on the street knew who these heroes are.

Giant Man, the Wasp, Iron Man, Cap and Thor- The Avengers

Marvel Studios has announced a revised release schedule leading up to their Avengers film that looks something like this:

Iron Man 2 (possibly with Scarlet Johnasen as the Black Widow and Mickey Rourke as Whiplash)
-May 7, 2010
The Mighty Thor (Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Josh Harnett has been rumored to play either Thor or Loki… which makes as little sense to me as it does to anyone)
- May 20, 2011
Captain America, The First Avenger (no casting news but the rumor is that this will be a WWII perios film establishing the character as the first of a new breed of super heroes)
- July 22, 2011
The Avengers (the movie that will knit all of these projects together and presumably see the return of the Hulk as a villain)
May 4, 2012

Spider-Man's next big screen villain?

Add to this the recent announcement that Sony Pictures has slated Spider-Man 4 for a May 6, 2011 release date and it is beginning to look like a good time to be a Marvel Zombie. Director Sam Raimi has been quoted as saying all kinds of things about what he would like to do next, from the Lizard to Morbius the Living Vampire, so it’s hard to say what the next Spidey flick will look like. Co-creator Stan Lee says he would like to see the Vulture make an appearance which makes sense to me… but maybe Stan ‘The Man’ is thinking he can cameo as the aged villain.

Another chance for hornhead?

There have even been rumblings of a Daredevil revival much in the same vein as the Incredible Hulk film with Tim Roth. Comic creator/director Frank Miller has taken a shine to action actor Jason Statham and the actor has taken a shine to starring in a comic book movie so it could happen.

What does all of this mean? It means that all those ‘comic book nerds’ that were once looked down upon are now being pleaded with to save Hollywood… God help us.

Some Accessible Super Hero Comic Collections:
Captain America Omnibus, Vol. 1
Thor, Vol. 1
Spider-Man: New Ways to Die
Hulk, Vol. 1: Red Hulk
Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 1: The Five Nightmares
Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus, Vol. 1

About Comics:
Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society
You’ll All Be Sorry! (collected editorial columns of Gail Simone)

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