Pwnership
I had a post ready to go, based on something that’s been stuck in my craw for a bit, but it didn’t feel right. My usual meandering writing style didn’t fit. So, I think I’ll just not beat around the bush and go for it.
Lately, a lot of people are whining about the next marvel Thor movie is going to star Natalie Portman as a female Thor, who cares. I mean, whiners do, clearly, but this is ghostbusters all over again. And it’s happening a lot.
If you have strong feelings about casting, don’t go see the movie, i say. But milking the decision for content, so you have something to rant about for a blog is irritating. One, cause it works, and it makes the point seem debatable and open for discussion, and two, that’s what ‘they’ want. I’ll get back to that.
‘But Jason, you ruggedly handsome scoundrel, isn’t that what YOU’RE doing right now? HMM?’…. Button your lips, mister/sister. You don’t KNOW ME!!! But yeah. A little, I guess I am. BUT, the difference in my case, is that I’m not falling into the trap, I’m drawing a circle around it in the hopes other people won’t either. I’d hate to think people see me adding my voice to this whole issue. I think there’s just not an issue to be had.
At the core of it, i think mostly, people are uncomfortable with change. they like what they like, and they don’t want it analyzed to deeply. some people don’t care for more women adopting roles they see as men, whether it’s reboots, or sequels, or whatever. It rattles the sense of ownership we feel to the intellectual property we like. But the fact is….. we don’t own shit. there’s a reason these series of movies are called franchises. it’s business. and the people who share in the profits, LOVE this ‘issue’.
It’s free publicity. Make Thor a lady, outrage. The next James Bond is a woman, and a black woman at that, more outrage. People get on the interwebs, and start freaking out, and now the rest of us now know these films are coming out, that they are hotly debated for some reason, and while we’re all talking about about inclusivity vs tradition, we’re at least talking about the movie they want us to talk about.
And it would be just fine, if these decisions were about more representation of women, or racial groups, or whomever, but I guarantee you these are soulless calculated decisions based not one who wants to see what, but what will kick the hornet’s nest for free press. While we’re burning our nikes, tossing our kuerigs, or boycotting this, that, or the other thing, few people will be talking about the merits of the product.
The saddest part about it, is that no actual headway is made. Products become more slick in a social media way, but the artistry that goes into a movie, stagnates. Why work on a better film when you’ve already secured a guaranteed outrage investment? And I think that’s just sad. And worse than that, instead of figuring anything out, we get cattle prodded into consumerism with the delusion that we are expressing free agency.
And that’s the trap circled, with a little sign posted at the edge. Don’t play the game. And that’s my 2 cents. Enjoy both of them.
Merits of the art … is that even a thing anymore? Reactionary!?! Good for you. ;-)
art has merit. what’s on display might not be ‘art’. not that i’m gonna try to define that!
Why do they make any movie? To make money. Duh. Of course it’s out of your control. Thor is the stuff of legends. Norse legends. Want to make a Thor comic? Go do it, copyright laws don’t protect Thor. Marvel only owns the Marvel interpretation of Thor. Want to make a Sleeping Beauty comic? Go do it. There’s a good one out there, too. But no, you can’t make a Superman comic, that’s DC’s character.
So recently I saw Joker. Once I realized that it was an art house noire, not a comic book, the movie clicked. Was I upset at what I saw? No! The movie works just fine. The lady who wrote the score wrote it based on how she felt about the script, not from seeing the dailies. So in one of the scenes, Phoenix is actually interpreting the music for the first time he hears it, as it would be played for that scene. Wild!
Yeah, I’m not going to bother seeing the female version of Thor. Honestly, I wasn’t hooked on the current presentation, either. Marvel’s Thor is too much of a ultra-hero type, like Superman. Thor shouldn’t be an ultra-hero type. Adrenaline junkie, sure. But I can imagine him on his day off, just trying to figure out how to pick the next fight.
I honestly don’t understand why Marvel has to focus on Thor. There are so many good heroines in Norse legend, it’s not funny.
The one thing that I wanted to see when Thor and Dr. Strange teamed up, was a medical discussion. In the comic, the original character was a doctor, Donald Blake. So here you have two medical doctors meeting up. Does Marvel do the character some justice? Nope. He’s an idiot with a hammer.
So much for movies. At least Battle Angel Alita was good.
i never saw alita. i think it came out at a time, in a way, and under the radar. but glad you liked it!
as for thor, who knows. i never had much use for it, but he’s become a tent pole for marvel. i mean, same as iron man, captain america…. all of them. maybe none of them are your thing, but all together? that’s a recipe for cash. and so long as you’re gonna watch 1, watch them all, cause you don’t want to miss all the references. ahh. film.
i haven’t watched joker yet. there seems to be too much surrounding it, and i don’t think the context in which you watch something should be greater than your want to see it.
Ok, something nice:
You’re awesome, your webcomic is awesome and I share this on every “What webcomics are you reading now?” thread I come across.
I’m a member of your silent majority – we read but don’t comment much. But please do keep up the excellent work.
Also – have you shopped this over to image or some of the other publishers out there? It seems like the kind of thing they’d love. There are a lot of crime, crime-in-space type comic books out now, but nothing quite like this.
well, thanks for saying so. i do enjoy hearing from the silent long timers from time to time.
i looked around several years ago, when i had a few pages, maybe a chapters worth, and it seems like a lot of places aren’t looking for unsolicited material. so, either you know the right people, or you go looking for them. it’s not a direct path to getting noticed. but, i’m not really all that interactive with the webcomic/comic community. between my day job and the comic, i don’t have a lot of free time to network. kind of a catch 22, sadly.
but i’m glad to hear i stand alone in some way! i like thinking i have something a little unique, if also a little hidden. haha. thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing my stuff with the people who might be looking for something new! i love that kind of word of mouth exposure. you get the best people that way!
My main headache is not making a movie with a different lead, it’s why it’s made. I know, money is money, but remaking a film just to put in a female lead detracts from the source itself. Political correctness be damned. I feel we are getting closer to a real “Demolition Man” situation every year.
well, i don’t want to get into a political correctness thing here. i do think that franchises can adapt to ever changing culture and norms, but my main point is that doing it to spark fake controversy is wrong. and if a franchise can’t adapt to the times, maybe it should just stop. new things will take it’s place, and people can have their fond memories without ranting that hollywood ruined ‘X’.
i love old film noir, but there’s a reason people say things like ‘they don’t make them like that anymore’. they probably shouldn’t. there was some very troubling things in old movies that would not play well to audiences nearly 75 years later.
“This reeks of Tech Wizardry”.
I’ve been reading your comic from the start, waiting silently for years for you to slip up. Now is my time to strike.
well, if you think this is my first typo, think again. i do it all the time. also, why are people silently appreciating, but vocal with criticism? say something nice for no reason! sheesh! haha
At least your cents make sense. I get tired of these arguments too. I just don’t watch anything. It’s easier.
easier, but sadder. i’m not saying people can’t enjoy what they enjoy, i just think it’s too bad that some possibly important social issues get litigated in the comment section of rotten tomatoes and IMDB, where no one has ever walked away from more mature than they arrived.