Tag: Fandom

We Are Nothing Without Marvel

A world without Marvel is no world at all. With the direction of Stan Lee, MCU has brought the world together through its inclusion of diversity and the ability to insert racial issues. In hindsight, MCU is the reason why comics and science became cool.

Image Via Den of Geek

It’s hard to envision pop culture without the impact of Stan Lee. So much so, that in 2017 parents thought it best to name their newborns after their favorite MCU characters. Some of the most common names are Loki, Pepper, Natasha, Wade, and Parker, which ranks at the top with 1,487 females and 4,386 males. This is no surprise as our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has been attributed to the beginning of the success of Marvel.

 

Stan Lee and his team went further than inspiring kids with the creation of comics like the Fantastic Four and the iconic X-Men. The Fantastic Four and X-Men heroes, like Professor X, Logan, Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Storm, were the outsiders that allowed fans to compare themselves to characters that resembled their own differences. This didn’t stop here. Black Panther, with the most successful release, provided more representation for black audiences. We hailed Wakanda for months on end, taking on the pride of the Panther Tribe with costumes and more.

And let’s not forget, every hero has a villain.

Image Via Amino Apps

Among these villains are Ultron, the robot created by Dr. Pym in the original Ant-Man; Loki, son of Laufey the king of the Frost Giants; Red Skull, confidant to Adolf Hitler and leader of HYDRA; Ronan, the radical Kree warlord who formed an alliance with Thanos in order to eradicate Xandarians; Thanos, the most evil, bloodthirsty villain who attempted to conquer the universe with the Infinity Gauntlet and many more. These villains, although vicious, are the greatest villains of all time. MCU has made it so that we not only root for the superheroes, but we also give praises to the villains.

 

Even though Marvel films have a variety of characters within different periods of time, they all share an overarching storyline, making Marvel one of the best universes. As Screen Rant’s article puts it, “if audiences had to pick between listening to a lecture on the nuances of particle physics and watching the Hulk smash through Manhattan, they’d probably pick the latter.”

Image Via slashfilm.com

Speaking of audiences, if you ever go to a Marvel movie and you try to walk out at the end, best believe you will get the glaring eyes. There is always a glimpse into what will be coming next, leaving the audiences itching for more.

 

MCU aims to not only entertain the audience but also encourages audience members to reflect on the issues that plague modern society. Many of the issues represented within each comic include “delicate topics like sex, race, drug use, violence, and authority.”

Although Stan Lee won’t show up in the movies anymore, the MCU continues on its legacy by keeping the audiences glued to their seats willing and ready for whatever comes their way.

 

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Feautured Image Via The Verge

The Top 5 Superhero Novels for All You Super-Fans

Superheroes are often underrepresented in literature. To be sure, they dominate the landscape of comics, television, and movies these days, but actual books about superheroes are pretty scarce. Nevertheless, they do exist and there are some real gems among the throngs. You just have to dig deep. But to celebrate the release of Avengers: Endgame, here are some recommendations for the best superhero novels to add to your collection, super-fans!

 

A pair of gloved hands hold a winged helmet against a blue backdrop

Image Via Amazon

5. Soon I will be invincible by Austin Grossman

Soon I Will Be Invincible is a loving commentary upon superhero tropes that also embraces the concepts that make them so endearing to audiences. It tells the story of two characters, a rookie superhero named Fatale and a villainous mad scientist called Doctor Impossible. Both are quite compelling points of view, each chronicling their attempts to become a superhero and rule the world respectively. Eventually, their paths cross, and the novel deconstructs the cliches around superheroes while still making them compelling for an audience. It’s very well-written and highly recommended for any comic book lovers.

 

The cover to Princess Paragon featuring an old timey pulp superhero

Image Via Amazon

4. Princess Paragon by Robert Rodi

A hilarious satirization of superhero comics, Princess Paragon tells the story of a renowned comics cartoonist Brian Parrish who has fallen on hard times. Bang Comics hires him to redesign one of their iconic superheroes, Princess Paragon, an innocent super-heroine who is considered outdated and needs a grittier makeover. Brian’s solution is to make her lesbian and embrace her sexuality, bringing him into conflict with Princess Paragon superfan Jerome, who tries everything he can to stop Brian. The result is a deranged sendup of superhero stories, providing a great look at the minds of comics fandom and behind the scenes work on comics in general.

 

A towering building is dominated by two superheroes, one in full armor one wearing a dark hood

Image via Amazon

3. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Renedages  by Marissa Meyer tells the story of a syndicate of humans with extraordinary abilities. Champions of justice, they overthrew a corrupt society and built a better one, making a utopia. The Renegades are beloved by all, except, of course, for the villains they ousted. Now, Nova, a former villain, wants to defeat the renegades and return to power. But then, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who falls in love with her. Now, Nova’s loyalties to the villains are tested as she finds herself caught between two worlds. An alternate history from the villain’s POV, this is a great superhero novel that is heavy on grey morality and showcasing a world where the good guys win… and not everyone is happy.

 

Wonder Woman stands with her arms crossed before a raging sea

Image via Amazon

2. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo 

Wonder Woman: Warbringer is part of the DC Icons series, a collection of novels about their most iconic characters. By far, the best yet is this novel Wonder Woman: Warbringer, which delves into the origin of Diana Prince before she becomes a superhero. Diana wants to prove herself to her warrior sisters on her hidden island. But when she finds a mortal woman washed up on her isle, a direct descendent of Helen of Troy, she’ll risk everything to defend her new friend. This novel is great both as an origin story, having fun action against monsters and mythic creatures while also forging a powerful friendship between Diana and the woman she saved, Alia Keralis.

 

 

Image via Amazon

1. Wild cards edited by George R.R. Martin

Wild Cards is an anthology series of books, centering on different superheroes throughout different ages of history, all written by various authors, including George R.R. Martin himself! An alien virus struck the earth in World War II, giving various members of society superhuman abilities. Some became heroes, some became villains, and the world turns into an alternate history from there, chronicling the so called ‘Wild Cards’ throughout the long history of Earth. From the backdrop of World War II to the Cold War to Vietnam to the modern age, the Wild Cards have a role to play in everything. Some of the best characters of the series include: Fortunato, a man whose abilities are powered by sexual pleasure; the Turtle, a telekinetic who builds a huge armored shell to fight inside; and Jetboy, a legendary hero from World War II who sacrificed himself to save the world. Full of complex, weird, and tragic figures, Wild Cards is the ultimate superhero series.

 

Featured Image Via Wild Cards Wiki.