Many years ago this blog used to cover the intersection of politics and popular culture, but for a number of reasons comic books seldom came up. If a reader told me eight years ago that I would one day be doing YouTube broadcasts with artists like Ethan Van Sciver, then I would have responded, “Hmmm. Are you sure? That’s cool…but I don’t know how it’s going to happen.”
The universe is a weird and wonderful place, and as it turns out I did recently chat on Planet YouTube with one of the industry’s best artists. We hung out like we were Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock after a long day at the law firm — and it was a blast.
Check out my latest live-stream below and then feel free to share your feedback in the comments section below. As always, be sure to subscribe if the video format is up your alley. I don’t always have the time to cross-post like I used to, so a lot of content goes straight to YouTube without ending up here (I’ll try to get better about that going forward).
Comic book fans know that Marvel Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski has a slew of problems to deal with as he gets settled in his new job. Some issues are more complex than others. He will need to wisely pick and choose his battles.
One issue, however, that can be dealt with over night is the behavior of writers like Max “I f***ing you hate personally” Bemis.
Every normal company has a social media policy. Every normal company would fire an employ who told paying customers “I f***ing hate you.” Therefore, it makes absolutely no sense why Disney and Marvel turn a blind eye to the behavior of Mr. Bemis of Moon Knight.
Check out my new YouTube video for a rundown of the latest unprofessional turn by a Marvel writer. Feel free to contact Mr. Cebulski and Disney with screenshots of Mr. Bemis’ Twitter feed. Some of us would love to hear them explain how, exactly, this promotes the industry.
Imagine a moment in time where Marvel writer Dan Slott was interacting with a friend — perhaps someone of Jewish or Islamic faith — and he said that not even King David or Allah could convince him of the following: Former President Obama failed the American people.
Got it? Now imagine that yours truly made a joke about said left-wing ideologue, which required me to call the religious figures mentioned a “cuck.”
Question: How would Dan Slott react to my joke?
May conservative guys like myself make fun of Jewish and Islamic ideologues of a left-wing persuasion, or is there are hypocritical double standard?
Can I make fun of Muslim left-wing ideologues with the same ease displayed by Dan Slott’s feminist crush as she refers to Jesus Christ as a “cuck”?
You tell me, dear reader. Let me know what you think, and then watch my latest YouTube video. I think you’ll find Mr. Slott’s latest attack on your friendly neighborhood blogger quite telling.
There will come a time many years from now when film historians will analyze Marvel Studios, and some of them will rightfully conclude that Thor: Ragnarok won over critics and fans despite its forgettable script. Producers gave the world a $180 million stick of cinematic bubble gum and the world cheered.
Once upon a time, superhero fans watched Thor movies in which actor Chris Hemsworth and his supporting cast attempted to channel literary classics like Beowulf. Director Kenneth Branagh infused Thor (2011) with tinctures of Shakespearean tragedy, while Alan Taylor churned out similar work on Thor: The Dark World (2013).
All that is over with the arrival of director Taika Waititi, who has the first “family-friendly” Marvel Studios/Disney movie that drops an “orgy” reference into a scene involving the cosmic equivalent of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous “Lolita Express.”
Thor: Ragnarok is essentially two movies mashed into one. Half of Ragnarok involves a ancient prophecy in which Asgard is captured by Thor’s sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) and ultimately destroyed by a giant demon named Sutur; the other half deals with an exiled Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) fighting as a gladiator on a planet ruled by Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum). The god of thunder and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) end up stranded on the planet as well, but they soon find a way to escape through “The Devil’s Anus.”
The two brothers are helped along the way by a disillusioned Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and the whole thing is tied together by a series of jokes that often follow (i.e., undermine) dramatic scenes.
In short, Ragnarok is a film that doesn’t take itself seriously — even as it sometimes asks the audience to do so. It is a movie that is seemingly so terrified of being parodied at the MTV Movie Awards that it decided to deny them the opportunity. Chris Hemsworth, at times, seems as though he’s parodying himself playing Thor. Potential moviegoers simply need to imagine a Batman movie in which the actor was required to alternately channel Joel Schumacher’s notorious Batman Forever (1985) and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight (2008).
“Even when you had two eyes, you still only see half the picture,” Odin (Anthony Hopkins) says to Thor during a near-death experience. “Are you ‘Thor, the god of hammers’? Hmmm? That hammer is to help you control your power — focus it. It’s not your source of strength. […] Asgard is not a place, never was. This could be Asgard. Asgard is where our people stand. Even now — right now — those people need your help.”
“I’m not as strong as you,” Thor replies.
“No. You’re stronger,” says Odin.
The exchange is meant to be poignant, but it comes after nearly two hours of improv and slapstick comedy — it’s hard to appreciate Hopkins’ turn as Odin when the audience is still wondering how a thinly veiled masturbation joke involving Thor’s hammer made it into the finished product.
The question that fans of the genre need to ask themselves after the joke-a-minute Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 and now Ragnarok is this: If a superhero movie struggles not to inject a gag of some kind into every heartfelt moment, then what does it say about the audience? What does it say about our culture?
If you’re looking for a Marvel movie that most closely resembles Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), then run out an see Ragnarok before it leaves theaters. If you expect your god of thunder to possess a Game of Thrones gravitas, then stay far away.
It’s here — Marvel’s attempt to tackle the “Legacy” of Tony Stark, aka The Invincible Iron Man. There’s only one problem, my friends: Writer Brian Michael Michael Bendis really wanted to keep the main character dead (for all intents and purposes) for a long, long time. Those pesky fans got in Editor in Chief Axel Alonso’s way, and now everyone who wanted to crown Riri Williams “the” Iron Man must to pretend as if they’re not backtracking against their will.
Mylatest YouTube video covers The Search for Tony Stark: Part 1, although what’s really going on is a search for ways to placate Disney overlords while still undermining Tony Stark’s long-term credibility.
Give my latest “quick-take” on the situation a listen and then let me know what you think in the comments section below. And, as always, if the video format resonates with you then make sure to like and subscribe. I don’t always cross-post these days (I need an intern!), but I try to do so as time permits.
Sometimes Marvel write Dan Slott tells Christians to go to “Christ-Land” after they win supreme court cases. Sometimes Marvel writer Dan Slott mocks prayer after terror attacks with “God isn’t fixing this” Twitter re-tweets. And sometimes Marvel writer Dan Slott mocks serious prayers by yours truly when he knows deep down that he would never do that to a Muslim comic book critic.
Check out my latest YouTube video if you want to see just how low modern Marvel Comics has fallen. Then ask yourself the following question: When will Disney step in?
BONUS: When all else fails and Marvel writer Dan Slott doesn’t know what to do about my videos, he goes back to his tried and true option — he lies.
Thoughts become words. Words become actions. Actions become habits. Habits become character, and character becomes destiny.
Therefore, it’s incredibly sad that Marvel’s Tom Brevoort and his activist friends make a habit of lying — to themselves, to fans, and anyone else who is willing to listen.
The House of Ideologues has attempted (and failed) for months to defame YouTube creators who are exposing its hypocrisy, and the latest effort involves blaming “toxic fandom.” It’s not going to work because, as my latest YouTube video demonstrates, the partisan propaganda spewed by Marvel’s writers and editors can always be juxtaposed with their laughable moral grandstanding.
As always, let me know what you think of the latest developments in the comments section below. If you like the format, make sure to subscribe for regular updates since I don’t always have time to cross-post onto the blog.
New York Comic Con 2017 is over, but the After Action Report for Marvel Comics will not be a good one. Retailers exploded on the company behind closed doors early on, and then an event with defense contractor Northrop Grumman was cancelled on Saturday.
Ask yourself this question, though: Why did the outrage brigade not seem to care that a Planned Parenthood panel was held at NYCC, but a comic book designed to promote STEM fields generated enough anger to make Marvel buckle?
Here’s the deal: I don’t want anything political at a convention that is supposed to be focused on superheroes, but if comic industry pros are going to celebrate abortion providers, then a handful of angry fans on Twitter shouldn’t be able to end a Marvel/Northop team-up.
Check out my latest YouTube video for the full rundown. I experimented with a new format today, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. I prefer scripted content whenever possible, but creating it can be very time consuming.
Some people are saying that “Comics Gate” is upon us. Others say that we’re in a “comic book culture war.” Whatever you decide, the bottom line is that Marvel writer Dan Slott gives bloggers and YouTuber creators like yours truly plenty of material to work with on a weekly basis.
If you want to know why Marvel Comics is struggling these days, then look no further than Mr. Slott’s stance on the “job of the artist,” which he shares with Alan Moore.
Both men believe “it is the job of the artists to give the audience what they need“ (emphasis mine).
Ask yourself, though: Is that true? Do artists decide what you “need,” or is that the position of men with seriously bizarre god complexes? Check out my latest YouTube video on the proper role of the artist, and then sound off in the comments section below.
This topic lit up YouTube, Twitter, and writer Roger McKenzie’s Facebook page this weekend, so I’d like to hear what you think.
Editor’s Note: When backed into a corner, Dan’s go-to option is to look for the “Stan Lee escape hatch,” even if the damage control is painfully obvious.
Your friendly neighborhood blogger does not make predictions very often, but when I do they tend to come true. Take, for instance, the time I predicted that “Spider-Rockets”would grace the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man and it came true within months. I took no glee in the development, but at the same time I am grateful to have it as a data point when people question my judgment on Spidey-related matters.
Sadly, we now have another instance of yours truly playing the role of the successful prognosticator when it comes to Marvel Comics. I said in June with the launch of Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man that there was a 75 percent chance he would wind up doing standup comedy with his mask on by issue 12.
Note: I was ahead of the game by eight issues.
Check out my video below for more on the damage that writer Chip Zdarsky is doing to Peter Parker’s credibility, and as always feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section below. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Update: It appears as though Diversity & Comics is finally coming around on ASM’s Dan Slott. That means it is now time for me to give him some good-natured mockery: Vindicated!
