There’s two schools of thought in comics, separated by the two powers that be of Marvel and DC. Marvel prides itself by grounding their heroes in characterization and personality. DC’s roster of legacy heroes embody the spirit and determination that has allowed their heroes to endure and reach iconic status long before Marvel was even conceived in the media blitz of the 1960’s.
If Marvel is to continue to thrive past this current fad of comics to screen, their characters must find their place in the iconic spirit of the American dream of self actualization which endures far after the current trends and directed marketing. Spider-Man must become the new Batman and Captain America must become the new Superman or be lost to the tides of pop culture.
Peter Parker’s the working man’s superhero, through him the reader should see how tough it is to hear the call and defend the innocent. Though Spider-Man processes immense power when compared to a normal guy Peter’s strained to the extent of his endurance just to keep his neighborhood safe and his life intact. Spider-Man is a crimefighter, not a cosmic hippie like the Silver Surfer.
The Spider-Man movies never spent enough time developing Peter’s niche in the city as a hero. Sure there was a Spider-Man day with a big American flag and all but then they had to retcon Uncle Ben’s death at the end of the movie so Peter wouldn’t have emo attacks anymore and he can keep his powers without baggage. More movies or cartoons without a hitch in the story, like resolution make the world go round.
Feh. A hero has to be defined by his attitude toward the public. The introduction of organic powers that can be shut off by intense emotion only plays up that Peter thinks that Spider-Man is a curse.
In the original comic origin Peter find himself in that situation and says all right, here I am, now what do I do with it. Just like Bruce Wayne waiting for the bat to crash the window in his study, Peter took the situation and created the character of Spider-Man and made it work.
The webs have to come from his heart, not his forearms or even his @ss for that matter.
Most of the superhero movies I’ve seen try to spin these iconic characters to fit whatever market trends and all they end up doing is writing the character into a corner so there’s no reason for the hero persona to endure past one or two story arcs.
Take Superman as an icon since 1938, this year 2008 is his 70 year anniversary. The two-fisted avatar of Truth, Justice and the American Way.
In Superman Returns they refused to even say “the American Way” because they thought somebody would be too offended and pull the plug. Clark simply dorks his way around the plot to be ultimately saved by Lois a bunch of times.
NEWSFLASH the audience wants to see Superman take a stand where the common man has not the strength and lay the beatdown on oppressive forces no matter what form they take, be it an ideal, wrongdoing, or physically dominant force.
People want the American Way in their movie, dammit.
HAW! We got you Clarkie! We wrote you into a kid that you can’t even take care of! How are you going to power your way out of that? No escape for you Clarkie! Even a Superman has a price and we’re going to prove it! Shathahellup.
I’m looking forward to the mother of all DC movies, one where the super kid turns out to be the communist Bizzaro clone and the buildings in Metropolis tremble from the thunder from the greatest super fight ever seen on screen.
Superman can mean something once again.
