SDCC is back and Marvel has once again staked its claim on the future, while DC once again continues to sow seeds of doubt.
After years of stressful situations, San Diego Comic Con has returned and brought some sanity back into the lives of fandom. It was a moment where things could feel a little bit normal again as fans both attending and watching online, were very much looking forward to a con season not hampered by current events.
Marvel unpacked so much that fans left hall H disoriented on a sugar high. It was a repeat of that day you asked for the extra large sundae and your parents said no but you insisted. You got what you wanted and now look at you. Can’t even get up off the floor.
DC on the other hand, did what DC does- the bare minimum. This was the first real no hold bars Comic Con since 2019 and the last time, Marvel was presenting their plan for phase 4 which hadn’t even started. They introduced all their new shows and brought along the cast members and set the stage for an ambitious run where many had no idea where it was headed. They announced WandaVision, Loki, Falcon & Winter Soldier, What if, Hawkeye, Black Window, Thor Love & Thunder, Multiverse of Madness, Eternals, Shang Chi, Black Panther 2 and Blade. How crazy is that when looking back? They promised and delivered on just about everything.
Now Marvel has returned and not only repeated their promises, they’ve also triple downed and laid the ground work for the next three phases. Meanwhile DC gives fans a Shazam trailer & The Rock as Black Adam, who is the next to proclaim to be DC’s savior.
DC continues to feel unsteady even with James Gunn building a successful series with Peacemaker, The Batman being the 4th highest grossing film of the year and recently hiring Alan Horn, Disney’s former chief creative officer between 2012-2021. They continue having small sustainable successes but when you step back the overall picture still seems thin and rickety.
Comic-Con hasn’t been just a comic related convention for a long time. It is now the launching pad for new series, pilots, features and one of the best places to directly interact with fans and get their attention on a new project. It says something that immediately after SDCC word got out of Ben Affleck’s return to DC Films via Aquaman 2 instead of DC/WB just flying the actors out for a quick appearance in Hall H. Sure there could be a multitude of reasons why they couldn’t make it and every one is understandable but if not? If they just slacked and thought this was enough, says a lot. Look at how Marvel treats SDCC and look at how DC does. Tells you everything you need to know about the two companies right now.
Harley Quinn, another one of those DC successes, had a season 3 premiere screening at SDCC with its showrunners but that got lost in the news of Marvel’s slate even with James Gunn guest starring in the new season and him already being at SDCC. Instead Gunn was giving an emotional thank you and farewell to Marvel fans as unfinished clips of Guardians of the Galaxy were shared to the audience. Clips that still have yet to be leaked. Shades of the hype before Age of Ultron when even that trailer was kept from getting leaked.
DC would be smart to put the Harley Quinn animated series at the forefront along side it’s major features. The show hits every note, pushes the boundaries of writing for animation and is one of the funniest series streaming right now. It also is ultra inclusive and is a much needed slap in the face for anti-woke comic fans still asleep at the wheel. Dare I say it has the best incarnation of all the DC characters especially the Batman Family? It really spotlights how after Nolan stopped doing Batman, DC/WB have just been trying too hard to recapture that vibe and tone while chasing and falling behind Marvel. DC and its fans seem to take the work way too seriously and HQ is such a welcomed departure from that attitude. They might consider taking the slapstick approach more often. Look at how well Peacemaker & Suicide Squad were received. Plus lets not forget how dominant DC/WB has been on the animation side of things.
Hopefully things work out for DC/WB and this next try puts them on a path of better success. It’s gonna be interesting to see if WB is still willing to keep taking L’s while putting so much into these films. As much as purists want to think the superhero genre is tired and on its way out, it is here to stay and stay for a long time. Marvel has barely tapped into 10% of its true power while DC has seemingly exhausted their major characters and is still hesitant of digging deeper. The time is now to open up the flood gates as the dependence on the revenue of these projects are becoming more apparent. These films are now regularly grossing close to a billion dollars and that is a detail no executive or fan has failed to notice.
Recent Comments