There are certainly worse things than being confused about comic book movie allegiances, but still–for me, this shit is pretty disconcerting.
Case in point: Last week, I found myself more excited about two movies featuring DC Comics characters–Batman Begins and next summer’s Superman Returns–than I was about any of Marvel Comics’ upcoming films.
Understand: I’ve always been a hardcore Marvel fan. Sure, DC’s big guns–Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman–are iconic, but they’ve never been half as interesting as the comedic angst of Spider-Man or the moral allegories of the X-Men.
But Batman Begins kicks ass. And the online production diaries that ex-X-Men director Bryan Singer has been using to build hype for his Superman Returns are confident, fun, and enthusiastic. And 2007’s Wonder Woman just netted a serious writer/director–Buffy creator Joss Whedon.
Marvel’s countering next week with Fantastic Four. But c’mon–its main draw is The Commish in a rubber suit, and it’s directed by the genius behind the Queen Latifah/Jimmy Fallon debacle Taxi. (And sure, I’m moderately in love with one of Fantastic Four‘s stars, Ms. Jessica Alba. But can anyone else see a problem with casting the Hottest Woman of All Time™ as the Invisible Woman?) The rest of Marvel’s upcoming slate doesn’t look too great, either–a rushed, Singer-less X-Men 3, some intentionally vague Spider-Man 3 announcements, threats of Nicholas Cage in Ghost Rider, and future films with everyone’s favorite jingoist, Captain America.
The shiny new DC logo that’s attached to Batman Begins–which, in three weeks, has made more than $200 million–would be a battle cry in any other industry. (In comics, it’s akin to a nasally put-down a la the Revenge of the Nerds flicks.) Marvel might still be the winning team, but it’s getting harder to root for ’em–just as DC’s figuring out how to play the game, Marvel’s sending in their benchwarmers.
