Media

What Has Marvel Got To Lose?

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[This article was originally published at Comics Bulletin.]

So having seen Thor 2: Return of Loki and some other guy with blond hair, it’s obvious (and as in being discussed all over the internet) that Marvel is going large. Huge. Enormous.

This all sounds like it may lead to a rather “rocky” crossover with a real gem of an idea that could get you stoned if you did it wrong. Wow, that metaphor got out of hand.

So what is Marvel doing having, as it were, thrown down the gauntlet?

Infinity_Gauntlet

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Make It So: The Trailer Film Of Trailers

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Awhile ago I mentioned how Serdar and I had discussed the way film companies could act as incubators for smaller, less pricey movies. The risk is lowered, the chance for success is good (and perhaps higher without Save The Cat efforts), and goodwill would be made. Basically, a skunkworks.

Well admittedly we don’t know if anyone is doing this, though I’d like to fantasize that big studio execs read our blog and hang on our every word. Or at least try to find ways to mess with Scott (I suspect that Charmed remake HAS to be that).

But a similar idea struck me – it actually came during a movie outing with a local group of gamers. We were discussing “Machete Kills.”

Now this Danny Trejo vehicle may not seem to be something that leads to particularly deep thoughts about movies and media. But let’s consider its origins.

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Does io9 Get It Right About SF and “Competence Porn”?

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Well worth reading.  Rough summary, SF has diverged from “Competence Porn” – the joy of seeing smart and skilled people do smart and skilled things.  I agree with the thesis that this has happened, but not his explanations.  In fact I probably need to analyze this for awhile before I can coherently state my own theories.

However, I think there’s something here.  Maybe it’s just my age, but for me my SF heroes were always, well, competent.  Scientists and adventurers with names like Dick Seaton (oh, E.E. Smith . . .), Danny Dunn, Tom Swift, John Carter.  Even Luke Skywalker, a bit niave, was a fast learner – but then again *I* mostly wanted to be Han Solo or Obi-Wan, so maybe I don’t care.

Something to think over.

Also I am so using the term “Competence Porn.”

(Edit: I put in the wrong link.  Ironic that.)

– Steven Savage