CONFESSIONS OF A FANGIRL - Marvel Comics Edition

I proudly consider myself both a geek girl for my knowledge of technology AND a fangirl. As a fangirl, I’m partial to anything Jim Henson, but have a deep love for Sci-Fi/Fantasy, graphic novels and comic book heroes. When it comes to DC and Marvel I fancy myself more of a Marvel fan. My love for Marvel started in the early 90's, when my then 4-year-old son and I 

would watch Spider-Man The Animated Series everyday after school. I thought if we watched Spiderman together maybe it would help me relate to my little boy or at the very least create a bond. What I wasn’t expecting was to actually like the show. I found myself becoming deeply attached to the characters and the storyline. As a single mom, the soap opera love affair between Peter and Mary Jane was a perfect way for me to live vicariously through them, providing me the social life I was lacking. Any fanboy or girl understands how I could become emotionally attached to cartoon characters. Shows like Spider-Man are really well written and intended to have the kind of depth not found in your typical after-school cartoons.

Four painfully long years after the end of the animated series, Marvel released the live action version of Spiderman. I was immediately a fan of the film. Tobey Maguire was the ideal Peter Parker and well Kirsten Dunst let’s just say, I don’t want this blog to turn into an actor bashing review. Comic book to film adaptations aren’t and shouldn’t be about the acting since that’s not that reason these films are made in the first place. Studios want to make as much money as they can, as quickly and cheaply as possible. Films like Spiderman are made for profit, making the talent gene pool pretty shallow. But that’s the economy of media, a whole different subject. I would like to focus more on the actual story lines and director's vision.

Back to Spiderman, my favourite by far, are the Sam Raimi versions. Spider-Man 2, with Doc Ock, is what I consider an almost perfect movie. The only other movie I can confidently put in the perfect movie category is JJ Abrams, Star Trek.

Considering both directors, Raimi and Abrams, are fanboys in their own right it's no doubt they would make perfect movies (no pressure JJ). Perhaps if Raimi had stayed on for the, unnecessary, Spider-Man remake the storyline wouldn't have been so disappointing. Since the first one fizzled for me, it pains me to say I have no motivation to see the second Andrew Garfield The Amazing Spider-Man. I might be a bit biased given my sentimental attachment to Mary Jane but I never really embraced the Gwen Stacy storyline. The actors that played the main characters in the newest incarnation might have chemistry in real life but it was missing on screen. The story lacked the emotionally tormented and very complicated love story of Peter Parker that I had grown to love in the 90’s. I get not all of us are hopeless romantics or even care about a love story, we're talking about action hero flicks after all. I am, however, the type of fangirl that notices and really appreciates a good, preferably complicated, love story. I suspect little, if anyone, would agree that the original Terminator is the best love story of all time, but I digress. At this point, I’ve all but given up on seeing Spider-Man in the theatres and wait now until I can see the movies in the comfort of my own home.

I find myself torn between my love of Spider-Man and my love of Iron Man particularly, Tony Stark. I’m the type of person that forms my opinion about an action hero by their civilian characteristics rather than their alter egos. Tony Stark’s confidence, ok, ok, some would call it cockiness, does it for me. I haven’t read any of the Iron Man comics or watched any of the cartoons and base my critiques only on the films. I’m a fan of all the Iron Man films yet the spinoffs like Captain America and The Hulk, (Bana, Norton or Ruffalo) meh, didn’t do if for me. Don’t even get me started on the incredibly irritating Thor. SO MUCH YELLING! (See what I did there with the caps lock, I was yelling teehee) 

Thor had the potential to draw me in with the whole exile to earth thing for his love, Jane Foster, but I just couldn’t get past the yelling. I get that a stern voice shows authority, but that doesn’t mean I have to like that he yells…all the time. Ugh, I could barely get through that film. Maybe it’s my lack of Thor knowledge that made the films so lack lustre for me.

The full ensemble Avengers flicks are purely popcorn films that definitely lack any depth or substance. The Avengers movies are made to get people out in droves and that they did. With the franchise's easy to follow stories, visually pleasing effects and let’s face it visually appealing cast it’s easy to understand why they are so popular. I enjoy the Avengers for what they are, perfect entertainment for families or date night. With the incredible supply of Marvel entertainment hitting the theatres regularly, there is something for everyone. Even though my son is grown man now we still bond over our mutual, never wavering, love of Marvel. I hope some parent, fangirl or not, creates the same lifelong bond with their kids that I did with my son all those years ago.

DC Comic book heroes hmmm where to begin with my carefully researched critique of DC's decimation of Superman and possible downfall of Batman...alas that will have to wait for my next blog entry. 

Pickle's Pairings: Good ole' popcorn

Keep it simple, easy and classic to properly honour the Marvel films. Your best bet is to kick it old school with a big 'ole bucket of popcorn and the biggest size of fountain pop possible so you can share with your loved ones. If you're viewing at home, Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theatre Butter microwave popcorn, delish!