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Tue Dec 8
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Last night I watched part of an animated Fantastic Four from the 90s called "And A Blind Man Shall Lead Them." Obviously this was a reference to the issue of FF guest starring Daredevil when Doc Doom took over the Baxter Building, and sure enough, that's what it was. But whereas Stan and Jack's comic was bursting with life and spontaneity, the cartoon just laid there, with wooden dialogue, wooden acting, wooden animation, wooden everything, and none of it in a good way. I don't know why, but animation with the Marvel name on it has never captured the verve of the classic comics.
I do agree with you that Hulk Vs. Thor was almost interesting. #marvel
Kind of the same problems I had with the Turok direct-to-DVD animation... Great idea, they almost tried for a style, but it was a lot of just being there.
However, between Marvel and DC and everybody else, they do keep getting better and better. While mass Western audiences don't seem to want anything except fairy tales and Pixar comedy, we might actually be able to reasonably cross our fingers for direct-to-DVD to start matching Japanese anime OVA. #marvel
@Cory Gross: I thought Green Lantern: First Flight was really interesting. I had never read a GL comic and only had a passive knowledge of the story so I was reading Wiki while I watched it and was absolutely fascinated. So I thinkin overall terms of enjoyment DC cartoon movies are better than Marvel's. #marvel
@AngriestGeek: but it was literally just the kirby artwork, "animated" in the same way the motion-comics are done now, but without the Flash smoothness. #marvel
I've longed for a live-action Doctor Strange film for a long time, complete with all the psychedelic weirdness and cosmic magic of the comics. I really don't care if it makes sense, as long as it trips me out. Is this Doctor Strange animated film for me then? #marvel
@Starwatcher: You ever see the live action tv movie with John Mills in it (the only name I recognize at least on the cast list)? Pretty decent for a tv movie from the late 70's. #marvel
@Sunshineyness: Sad how that still stands up as one of the better Marvel adaptations even after 30 years. And then there's the incredibly accurate rip-off of Dr. Mordred. It's Dr. Strange, period. How they weren't sued is beyond me. Or maybe it was supposed to be another Dr. Strange movie then something legal popped up. Anyone know? #marvel
@blackoak: Yes, I recall hearing about this from a friend of mine who was old enough to remember it playing on PBS (I think.) But thanks for the groovy clip. I'm going to see if I can't find a copy somewhere online. #marvel
@Sunshineyness: Wait a minute, I should've taken a helio-pause* for a second before posting that--I always forget that the bottom-most posts are first chronologically. That's hard to get used to because I read them top to bottom, like most people.
* More "brilliant" sun puns were this came from. #marvel
@Starwatcher: They should really just make Brian K. Vaughn's Doctor Strange: The Oath into the film. It's really a terrific story if you haven't read it. #marvel
I liked the Ultimate Avengers and Next Avengers flicks, I didn't think they were that bad, but I had no pretext to judge them against since I had not read Ultimate Avengers. Plus I am a parent and still a kid at heart and enjoy the shit of of cartoons, and I think it helps that I am such so I don't put so much weight in them.
If I was neither of the above things though I would probably not waste time watching them. #marvel
@Makidian: Yeah, part of the problem of Ultimate Avengers is its comparison to The Ultimates, something Marvel encouraged in the early trailers, which used only the Bryan Hitch artwork, suggesting that's what we were gettng.
And I agree, only the Hulk Vs. really worke mainly because they were so short and had no obligations to a greater, more demanding storyline. #marvel
Definitely agree that Hulk Vs. is the pick of this particular litter. But I preferred Hulk Vs Wolverine, if only for Nolan North as Deadpool. Well maybe just for the inclusion of Deadpool... but Nolan North is a nice bonus. #marvel
what, no love for Nextwave? that has action-comedy written all over it. semi-dysfunctional superheroes-with-issues rebel against the Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort that employs them and actually start saving people and stuff! it has Machine Man for the trippy scifi bits, getting drunk. It has The Captain for the Captain Marvel style action bits, Elsa Bloodstone for the fantasy, Forbush Man for the comedy, and the secret agenda of H.A.T.E for the thriller elements (with MODOK!)
@DoktorH: NextWave is comedy for comic-book fans. If you're NOT a comic-book fan, it's really too self-referential and in-jokey to be amusing.
Seriously, stuff like Irving Forbush or a bunch of two-page splash panels (with no story) are only funny to comics fans (and wouldn't translate at all to the movies). Likewise, half the characters would need explanation; a movie audience isn't going to know who Bloodstone is (hell, most comic readers didn't know) and isn't going to be happy with finding out one of the members is his daughter...and won't be happy with the two lines of exposition about it in the comic that passes for her back-story.
@WizarDru: False. The elements that you describe are no different than those in Mystery Men--inside jokes for comic book fans, characters with obscure origins--and that was a great movie.
10/18/09
10/18/09
I do agree with you that Hulk Vs. Thor was almost interesting. #marvel
10/18/09
However, between Marvel and DC and everybody else, they do keep getting better and better. While mass Western audiences don't seem to want anything except fairy tales and Pixar comedy, we might actually be able to reasonably cross our fingers for direct-to-DVD to start matching Japanese anime OVA. #marvel
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HAHAHAH. Thanks for that Graeme. #marvel
10/18/09
Bam! Dead baby! #marvel
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* More "brilliant" sun puns were this came from. #marvel
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10/21/09
10/18/09
If I was neither of the above things though I would probably not waste time watching them. #marvel
10/18/09
And I agree, only the Hulk Vs. really worke mainly because they were so short and had no obligations to a greater, more demanding storyline. #marvel
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06/15/09
Now Jamie Madrox, that's a character I'd like to see done right on film.
06/14/09
06/14/09
Cloak, not Clock, argh, typo.
06/15/09
Typo aside, Power Pack is a great idea for a summer blockbuster. Kids would love seeing someone like themselves with superpowers.
Cloak and Dagger, though...it's a little too dark. And it feels dated to me.
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06/15/09
Seriously, stuff like Irving Forbush or a bunch of two-page splash panels (with no story) are only funny to comics fans (and wouldn't translate at all to the movies). Likewise, half the characters would need explanation; a movie audience isn't going to know who Bloodstone is (hell, most comic readers didn't know) and isn't going to be happy with finding out one of the members is his daughter...and won't be happy with the two lines of exposition about it in the comic that passes for her back-story.
Nextwave would make a TERRIBLE movie.
06/15/09
It just couldn't rely on those elements.