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Comic books. We all love 'em. But what is it these days with every comic book hero (or villain) being given their own Hollywood treatment? In Coyote's Howling, venerable columnist Coyote entertains the idea that maybe this sort of thing simply must STOP. Check it out and then leave your comments!
As a writer, I absolutely understand the need to appeal to a larger-than-target audience in order to make a buck. But I also understand that you can do so by presenting solid material that doesn't pander to the crowd or dumb down the content. Hollywood on the other hand seems hell bent on using the same tired two tricks in attempts to appeal to that larger audience, only to ultimately appeal to none.
Read more Coyote's Howling: Who Else is Sick of Comic Book Movies?
Comments
I thought Thor was pretty weak, even though it had a lot of the iconic elements of the movie. I was 'ok' with this until you described Spider Man. I guess I can see it as a Spider Man for the new generation, but it's still lame.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
If any of these comic book movies had any redeeming values they might be half decent. Even the original Superman movies were miles better than the current crop. The directors seem to spend all their time on special effects and who cares about plot or storyline. Unfortunately I have been stuck taking some kids to many of these and I just refused with the latest one.
and all Hollywood wants is the green...not as in Lantern tho.
Sick of comic book movies? Not at all. Sick of the multitudes of poorly done ones? To my back teeth.
I love the genre in movies but there really are very few which are very good. I went through a fad last year where I would google for every single comic book movie made and then proceeded to watch them all and while I loved some, even ones I'd seen before, the majority of them really were quite pathetic.
omg this is not mmo related. Go make comicbookguru.com or comicbookmovieguru.com or WhoElseisSickofComicBookMoviesGuru.com !!!!!
Anyhow never been a comic fan myself. Do like most of the movies though and started to get a liking for the comic universes and the characters.
I had to sit through Thor this summer because my kids insisted, but that pretty much did me in.
I am bored by comic book heroes generally (the new Batman movies being the only exception), and I think the superhero MMOs are pretty lame as well. I just don't get the appeal of wonky costumes and "special powers". After all, when there are 185,000 OTHER superheroes flying around wearing fluorescent spandex, no one is really very "super."
All I can say is how I hated some of the movie made into comic books, that total trashed what we knew as canon. Like fantastic 4, what they did with Vicrot Doom and so forth.
I would not have an issue if they did not break canon but most of them have.
I bet Ryan Renolds would make a good Spiderman or Batman.
I don't see anything wrong with recent comic book movies. Some are decent to good (First Class, Captain America, Batman, etc.), a lot are not that great (Thor, Green Lantern, next Spiderman, etc.). Which is basically how general cinema is - out of a bunch of poor attempts and money-grubbing blockbusters, you get one or two gems per year.
As long as ever few comic book movies, we get a good comic book movie, there's nothing wrong with the current state of comic book movies. It's not like the 90s when every single movie was shiet.
You do make a good point apart from the comment about movies in the 90's.. The Shawshank Redemption, Goodlfellas, Schindlers List, Pulp Fiction, Se7en? Come on.. Back to the point, I guess it's like any other genre be it Action, Horror, Drama or any of the other multitudes. There are a flood of movies in the genres but only a few stand out, it just seems there are more bad ones than good in this particular genre.
I'm pretty sure hollywood is totally out of ideas. As someone who has never cared about comic books or comic book movies I've never understood the fascination people have with them.
Heck, at my age, even the comic books themselves are getting a little out of my zone.
Johnny Storm and now Peter Parker... dead? Wonder Woman wears pants? Lois isn't Superman's GF and never was?
Ah well, as long as the kids like it.
Hollywood has always drawn from other sources, including novels and comics. They are not doing anything different now.
On the OP though.... No, not sickof them as a 'thjing' at all. I take each super hero movie as it's own animal and judge it on it's own merits. Some are great, some arnt. Same as with all movies.
I am no more sick of super heroes then I am sick of Sci-Fi, fantasy, or whatever. If a movie is done well then it gets love, no matter what genre it sits in.
I think it's pretty idiotic when some folks say they are sick of or don't like this or that genre... it, honestly, shows a pretty closed mind and willfully ignorant prejudice. I am a fan of giving everything a chance and judging it on itself, not some vague label like 'super hero movie'.
Going to have to agree with Kabaal here...
I won't go see a movie because it's a topic I'm interested in. I will however go see a movie if it looks like something I would enjoy and it seems to be done well. For example, I can miss Cowboys and Aliens, but I went to see the apes movie. Am I a huge fan of science fiction (hello, aliens!)? Yes I am, but I'm not going to see every invasion movie, every movie that has lasers, and anything with an unexplained creature. Am I a fan of gorillas and chimps? No, but the apes movie looked entertaining and I heard several positive things about it before I spent money on it.
I don't feel like lumping in comic book-themed movies as a group and punishing the idea because there have been fail movies. Just like I wouldn't automatically dismiss a Star Trek game coming out just because most of them have been complete failures. I would however exercise extreme caution before purchasing, because of the history.
so...
Honestly its a guilty pleasure of mine.
Superhero movies are the one type of film that i dont overlly criticize.
Its just mindless fun, watching old heros that i read about like the Hulk or Thor smashing shit on my HD screen.
I enjoy it.
Playing: Nothing
Looking forward to: Nothing
Not tired of them at all. I really loved Thor and X-Men First class. I thought that they were both well done.
" But as of late, comic book movies (with a few obvious exceptions) have become watered down, easy to digest versions of themselves designed for the masses instead of the core demographic of fans that made them popular in the first place. "
Coyote, have you taken a close look at the genre of gaming for which you write this column? MMORPGs fit your comments to a "T" if one has at least the perspective of being invloved with them since the mid to late 90s.
That's the nature of entertainment. A small group of folks find a given "thing" cool or entertaining. One way or another it goes "massively" popular and many of the aspects that made it originally fun to that small group get watered down or taken out because those "details", the things that made the thing "the thing!", are too hard or complicated for the average human.
Sick of Comic book movies? Nah. Course, outside of Iron Man and Batman I don't watch comic book movies. Batman has always appealed to me because he isn't a "superhero". Just a normal human with above average martial arts training and a crapload of money. The Iron Man movies appealed to me only because I'm a R. Downey Jr. fan.
Oh, and I will see the Avengers movie(s) because I'm a Sam Jackson fan.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Absolutely.
I would LOVE to do a column on how MMORPG's are missing RP, quests, storylines, and are basically mutliplayer first person shooters with zero risk or real feelings of investment.
Corpse runs.
REAL death penalties.
REAL consequences for the poorly thoughout zerg attack or lack of planning.
But man.
The forums would all but explode.
Heh.
Maybe next week.
Nice! I'll get my asbestos suit (I'll bring an extra just in case you forget yours) and the popcorn!
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
I agreed, disagreed and laughed at the original article but it wasn't until I re-read it again a few minutes ago until this little nugget struck a chord.. "Only through the cleansing fire can we achieve purification… and maybe a decent Deadpool movie.". I thought to myself why the heck have we not seen this movie already? And then i hit up google and see we have one slated for 2014 with Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern) of all people listed as playing Wade/Deadpool, how wrong is that?
Umm you should do it. Your writing style is probably my favorite on this site and this is something that would speak to the masses here at MMORPG.
But on the topic; I love comic book movies. I don't know why everyone hates on the Thor, my only issue was it was too short and the little love affair thing was stupid and short. Captain America was pretty good.
I really enjoyed X-men the first class but I think that it's funny that even if your powers are to "Adapt to survive" you can't survive the hollywood stereotype that when there is a group you must kill the black guy.
Didn't watch green lantern but it's DC so why would I?
Even my fiance who hates movies liked most of the hero movies this year and she has over 2k comic books that take up half of a giant book shelf.
Also if you want a good pulse on what superhero movies are good go visit your local comic book shop. If they tend to give a good review of the movie then it's probably worth seeing. The one dude at the store we visit weekly loved First Class but hated Green Lantern which was another reason why we didn't see it.
OH and WTF I hated what they did to Dead Pool in the X-men Origins movie. He's a cocky talk all the time jerk mercenary not some mouth sown shut freek with swords that pop out of his arms.
Also for anyone that reads comic books. Wouldn't it be so insanely awesome if they made a movie based on the "House of M" storyling? I would love it.
"have become watered down, easy to digest versions of themselves designed for the masses"
I've been using the term bastardised myself
As a huge Deadpool fan I have to ask, whats wrong with Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool? He made a horrible Green Lantern, but the Merc with a Mouth? I thought he personified the character quite well in X-Men Origins (before his...alterations). In the spirit of this article I guess they could always go with Robert Pattinson :P 'Twipool?' 'Deadpool, Emo Merc with Glitter!' Anyway, heres hoping they ignore all the changes made to Deadpool in Origins and reboot the character we love.