Why are we here?
"Superboy Prime (the yelling guy if he needs clarification)..." - Postmania
"...dropping an orca whale made of fire on your enemies is a pretty strong opening move." - Nik
"Why throw punches when you can be making everyone around you sterile mutant corpses?" - Pendaran, regarding Dr. Fate
I started it from the start, waiting for each successive book to come out. And yeah, Jordan was good at everything you describe. Some really, really fantastic stuff in the series - small wonder it was so popular.
But he did let things massively get away from him. He did love his characters too much.
Not entirely incorrect, from a humor standpoint.
Why are we here?
"Superboy Prime (the yelling guy if he needs clarification)..." - Postmania
"...dropping an orca whale made of fire on your enemies is a pretty strong opening move." - Nik
"Why throw punches when you can be making everyone around you sterile mutant corpses?" - Pendaran, regarding Dr. Fate
Like you mentioned
spoilers:end of spoilers
The way that the protagonist (and the protagonist's mother) defeated Tony Leung was the power of a redirect-y sort of style (Bagua? Tai Chi? I don't know styles well enough).
The part that made me blink a bit in theaters was that the training arc in question where Shang asks for instruction on how to beat Tony Leung was the instructor in question starting by correcting his stance.
Namely, she takes his closed fists and changes them to open palms (before shifting how he stands and such). It was pretty groanworthy at least for me at that moment. Maybe I'm just overthinking a marvel movie lol, but maybe I've just seen that trope too many times at this point.
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
-Stephen McCranie
Fanboyism really sucks the fun out of things.
To put it uncharitably, I think this is just another step in the desperation for perceived legitimacy, in the same vein as having live-action movies of comic book characters at all is. Marvel managed to do it and become this cultural phenomenon/lifestyle brand that continues to snowball into being this juggernaut branch of entertainment where it just sort of inevitably stays relevant by always having something new coming out, and encouraging people to watch everything to maintain high views. People want that for DC; it sometimes feels like some people care less about the movies themselves, than the idea of "DC as Phenomenon". Although some of that could also just be the marketing pushing that idea.
There's also just an inherent appeal to the Shared Universe, I guess, that is hard to really pin down, but just makes a world feel more viscerally "lived in", I guess, even when the parts don't all fit together, but I feel its something younger people mostly get into, when the novelty is still fresh. As you say, though, there are so many interpretations of the same characters throughout the decades, especially the iconic characters, that at some point, you realize continuity can be more speedbump than glue once the universe gets big enough. Continuity is important within a work (be it a title or show), but when you're bolting it to a bunch of other shows, or the show has run its course, and you want to break out of the mold, or work new things in that wouldn't fit, I mean, that just gets done inevitably anyway as a show goes longer. The MCU itself was retconning things as early as Phase Three.
Honestly, I think DC's got it right with treating everything as an Elseworlds, and worrying about continuity mainly under a "mini-series" consideration. Zack Snyder, as series director, had a throughline from Man of Steel, through BvS, through Justice League, but do the other movies really benefit from being beholden to it? I don't really think so.
Tangentially related, I think people are also just tickled by the idea of "Woah, holy shit, Character Played By Famous Actor A might meet Character Played By Famous Actor B! WOWZERS!" And that, like, becomes the whole focal point of the hype behind a movie. The new Spider-Man Homewhatever coming up, the only thing I hear from people is how much they're gunna squee when Tom Holland gets into the same frame as Andrew Garfield and Toby McGuire. Like, if the rest of the movie is total garbage, but they get to have that five minute scene of three Hollywood Spider-Men sitting down and talking, that's all that matters. I'm not saying it will be garbage, and I'm sure that meet up will be cool for people, but it seems a lot less "I'm so looking forward to a great movie" and more "I can't wait to post that five minute clip of three spider-mans to my YouTube channel!" Or something like that.
I feel it falls in line with that kind of stuff. Twenty years ago, yeah, I probably would have been just as hype for it, so who am I to judge, but these days, it all feels very vapid and tedious. But maybe its because I already have read enough Marvel Comics, I just don't get excited by this kind of stuff, quality movies or no.
Also, I like to not enjoy things other people enjoy, so I can look edgy and cool. :B
Last edited by Sharkerbob; 09-08-2021 at 03:11 PM.
I enjoyed the latest What If although it is of course way toned down compared to the original scenario in the comics :P
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”
-Stephen McCranie
Oh man, I keep forgetting about What If?
They're doing a Zombie episode, right? I kinda want to check that out.
EDIT: Oh, lol, that's the newest episode! :V
I'll get to it eventually.
Last edited by Sharkerbob; 09-08-2021 at 03:20 PM.
Good points. I guess for me like you said it just seems vapid - like the whole point of the cinematic universe is for the big crossover team up movies, and those just don't interest me to the same extent. And trying to wrangle all the shows and all the movies into it instead of merely "most" because of team up love seems frustrating. Like I'm enjoying Stargirl, and I just started getting into Doom Patrol, but forcing those two together wouldn't improve either show.
Why are we here?
"Superboy Prime (the yelling guy if he needs clarification)..." - Postmania
"...dropping an orca whale made of fire on your enemies is a pretty strong opening move." - Nik
"Why throw punches when you can be making everyone around you sterile mutant corpses?" - Pendaran, regarding Dr. Fate
Crazy to think this is the same actress who played Emma in the LV Promised Neverland.
Guy And Chou's RPG Site
Rumbles Moderator
THE CBR COMMUNITY STANDARDS & RULES ~ Know them. Follow them. Love them.
Guy And Chou's RPG Site
Rumbles Moderator
THE CBR COMMUNITY STANDARDS & RULES ~ Know them. Follow them. Love them.
My Forum check it out
Bruceleegreyhulk's RPG & Story Forum
Characters: Cyber Samurai, Wilima Stonewall, Red Oni, Jaakobah , Giduiz Mazi, Midas Goldsteel
Gambit: Gambit see your bet and raise it, because the cards always be in my favor.
Okay, so... a new chapter of Berserk dropped?!
Is this the last one that was in process by Miura or something?