The superhero is truly dead. What started out with a bang with Daredevil and Jessica Jones, ended with a whimper with Luke Cage and Iron Fist. And you only have yourselves to blame.
Ten years ago, a movie made sense of the chaos around us. Its most astute character was not the hero Batman, but the film’s arch-villain, The Joker. When he said “The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules,” you know he was prophesying the future.
United by passion, fandoms are so often the real reason we become fans of anything. Besides the mutual appreciation of a book, film, band, or team, there is the satisfaction of coming together to grieve and celebrate, argue and laugh, form connections and hold post-mortems. But like many things, the pandemic has taken the joy out of fandom.
On the 20th anniversary of Blade’s film debut, it’s worth remembering his role in making superhero movies what they are today. He was the first black superhero before Black Panther, the first gritty franchise before Batman Begins, and Iron Man and Captain America owe their popularity to him.
After ruining Superman for my little sister and making the travesty that was Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder expects me to pay for Justice League. He might as well rob me at gunpoint.
Captain Marvel takes us back to the humble beginnings of the MCU, before we come to its operatic end. It’s a welcome palate-cleanser before the guaranteed plunge into the overstuffed chaos that Avengers: Endgame, releasing next month, will be.