Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Category: Geek Canon Page 10 of 12

Did Hollywood Ruin Comic Heroes?

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On August 11, 2015

In Geek Canon, General Cogitation

I have talked in the past about how much I’m enjoying the continuity of the Marvel movies and TV series, its been an unprecedented achievement in live-action content. A good friend of mine recently went on a mini-tirade about how Fox has ruined the X-Men franchise (too bad Marvel Studios can’t get the rights). He grew up a long time, hard core, comic book fan. The monetization of live-action content has a tendency to do that and Twentieth Century Fox is most notorious for taking certain liberties in their film adaptations. Granted I haven’t read a comic book in about 20 years but X-Men is a series I grew up on.

cap_minionI know I’m in the minority when I say that I have actually enjoyed all the X-Men and Wolverine movies. I felt everyone was cast really well. I liked the first Fantastic Four movies (while the latest one is deplorable).  I’m going to boldly state that I also enjoyed Ryan Reynolds in the Green Lantern movie (I know it wasn’t the greatest telling of Hal Jordan but I personally felt it was acceptable). I haven’t seen Ant-Man yet but I’ve heard the overall ratings are generally pretty good.

I think the most difficult conundrum producers and directors face when they are adapting a film that has a huge fan base is making a movie that appeals not only to the fans but to the general public as well. They have to draw in enough of a crowd to meet the ROI of making the film and, statistically, the number of fans in the subculture is not going to bring in enough money at the box office. Remember, in the end making movies is a business and to succeed in business you must be profitable. Now, with that said, you have to do better than the recent iteration of Fantastic Four which will cost Fox money instead. Although Fox could be on the road to redemption if the Deadpool movie is as good as it looks in the trailer.

I think we might be nearing the end of the super hero paradigm. The success of X-Men, Avengers, Iron Man, etc has gone to the head of every movie studio executive and we are now a bit overwhelmed with super hero movies. Just like bad film adaptations, the monetization of a subculture can go too far and will ultimately burn everyone out.

/cheers

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

My First Fanboy Episode VII Concern

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On July 22, 2015

In Fulmination, Geek Canon, Star Wars

han-chewie-episode-7I try not to read too many spoilers about The Force Awakens because I want to be surprised by the story just like anyone else. However in a couple of recent posts/interviews people have alluded to the possible death of one of the original characters.

Before I go any further I am going to do the ole’ SPOILERS warning. If you have read any of the books from the expanded universe then I won’t unveil anything new (and I am referring specifically to Vector Prime). Also, if you don’t want to hear the rumors going around about the upcoming movie, you may want to stop as well.

Continuing on …

If you are familiar with any of the Star Wars lore then you know the reason Chewbacca is always by Han’s side is he owes Han a life debt. At some point in the past Han saves Chewie’s life and therefore Chewie will remain by his side to fulfill said debt. I don’t recall anywhere else in the canon that suggests Chewie has ever fulfilled his life debt but its probably safe to assume he has not. Which brings us to Vector Prime. Vector Prime takes place several years after ROTJ and Han and Leia are married with three kids (Jaina, Jacen and Anakin). I don’t know the specifics as I haven’t read Vector Prime (yet) but I do know that Chewie fulfills his life debt by giving his own life to save Hans’ kid(s).

So that’s the lore as it stands today. (Btw, all books published using the Star Wars name and characters must be approved by George Lucas.)

In recent plot discussions about The Force Awakens, there have been statements that allude to the fact that either Han or Chewie die and the popular rumor is that it’s Han. At the risk of sounding like a nerd raging fanboy, this is NOT in line with the expanded universe. It doesn’t matter which one of them dies (assuming the rumor is true), neither are supposed to die before Han and Leia’s kids are born. When we deviate from the widely known canon we start to look as inconsistent as Star Trek!

Yes, I went there! I just compared Star Wars to Star Trek! Granted Star Trek couldn’t keep its story/timeline straight through all the television series and movies whereas we are comparing movies to books. You cannot use the old [Star Trek] cliché that the books are an “alternative universe or timeline” because that is WEAK! You cannot expect us nerdier Star Wars fans to read the books outside the context of the movies because, in our mind’s eye, that’s our sole basis for comparison.

After all, it is those of us that are the mega-Star-Wars-Universe-nerds that can look past the plot and acting flaws of the prequels (or Phantom Menace at the minimum). So, just like a losing wookie, it would also be unwise to piss us off.

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Happy Towel Day!

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On May 25, 2015

In Geek Canon

towel-definition Towel Day is when we celebrate the life and books of Douglas Adams. It, ironically, coincides with Geek Pride Day and, this year, it also coincides with Memorial Day. So when you head out to those Memorial Day parades, don’t forget to bring your towel.

Now, as a special treat for this Towel Day, I have snagged some vogon poetry from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Please, try not to run screaming from the building:

Vogon_poetry2Oh freddled gruntbuggly,
Thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits
On a lurgid bee.
Groop, I implore thee, my foonting turlingdromes
And hooptiously drangle me
With crinkly bindlewurdles,
Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon,
See if I don’t!

– Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz

TV Is Marvel-ous!

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On May 21, 2015

In Biggs On, Geek Canon

marvelFirst it was Vampires – post-Buffy vampires. Television networks and production studios became obsessed with vampires (thanks to Stephenie Meyer). Vampires are cool, except for the kind that sparkle *shudder*. Then “The Walking Dead”, “World War Z”, “Day Z”, etc; i.e. zombies! Zombies are much more interesting than vampires (except for iZombie, that show didn’t make sense, from a zombie canon perspective).

During the obsession with the undead Marvel was producing comic-movie-after-comic-movie, culminating in the first Avengers movie and Captain America: The First Avenger. Then the dam burst and the flood waters of Marvel super heroes started spilling forth not only more movies, but TV series as well. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Daredevil and I believe there are more to come. I know DC has been trying to do the same thing with Gotham, Flash, Arrow, etc, but the Marvel shows have been doing something quite unique. All the shows and movies are linked. Events that happen in a movie will somehow directly or indirectly tie back into one of the shows (and vice-versa). This is something even Star Trek couldn’t keep consistent with all the TV series and movies.

I think its actually quite clever and brilliant marketing. I watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. just before Avengers: Age of Ultron came out and I immediately wanted to see the movie after that episode. The other thing the writers of the show do quite well is not to spoil the movies in the episodes that follow the movie’s release. I have yet to see The Dark World, and I know there have been references to the movie in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. but they didn’t say anything that gave anything away.

I know I’m probably the biased fanboy, and now all the Twi-hards get an opportunity to roll their eyes, but I really love the new comic content. Granted a few movies have been a little less than stellar (ex: the first Hulk movie), but I’ve been enjoying all of the TV series. Keep up the good work!

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Ruminations of a Die Hard Fanboy

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On May 13, 2015

In Geek Canon, Movies, Star Wars

fanboys

Cast of 2009 film Fanboys

When I was ten years old I saw Star Wars for the first time and from that moment on there was no turning back. I remember when I was in my teens and my grandma once remarked “remember this because eventually I will grow out of it”. Sorry grandma, its 20 years later and I’m a bigger Star Wars nerd now than I was yesterday and the day before that … and the day before that. I love all the movies; and I mean ALL the movies. 1-6.

Why do I like the prequels, you ask? The reason is simple – because its Star Wars.

I had a conversation with a friend of mine about the movies and prequels recently. When I gave him the reason I enjoyed the prequels his response was “That’s awful”. I laughed. He isn’t a fan of the prequels, and I know there are hundreds and thousands of TOT (that’s my acronym for The Original Trilogy) that do not like the prequels. It occurred to me then that I believe there are two kinds of fans out there. Fans of the Star Wars movies and fans of the Star Wars Universe. I am the latter.

You see I liked the prequels because of the music, the characters, the history of the characters, the planets, the lore, the ships, and how all those things are part of this massive, albeit imaginary, universe. I do recognize that all three prequels were deeply flawed (i.e. Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen, Jar Jar Binks) but that hasn’t changed the fact that I still enjoy watching all six movies equally when I need to get my Star Wars nerd-fix. If I can’t get my fix from watching one of the movies, then I will get it from one of many other sources (by the way the books for the prequels are actually quite good).

I’ve noticed that most people that fall under the Star Wars movie fans are likely making comparisons between the prequels and TOT and, obviously, siding with the originals. I can respect their opinion, despite the 35 years of changes in technology and film-making. It’s interesting to ponder if TOT would be different if they had been made within the past 10 years and would they still have the same cult following. Be that as it may, I imagine the interest in Star Wars ends at the movies for those that are fans of the movies. I’m probably being a little presumptuous when I say those that are simply fans of the movies probably haven’t read any of the books, Essential Guides, Steve Sansweet‘s Encyclopedia, or played many of the games; all of which expand on the lore and add depth to the universe.

So the question on everyone’s mind now is will J.J. Abrams redeem Lucas from the prequels (especially among the haters)? I do not think there is a better person to direct 7, 8 & 9 (with the possible exception of Irvin Kershner but he’s kind of dead). I base that opinion on the fact that I enjoyed both Star Trek movies he has recently completed. I can tell you now, I already love The Force Awakens 🙂

P.S. Why is it that none of the Trekkies whine so much about any of their movies and TV series? Are they not as passionate? Or are they just better fans? 😉

/MTFBWY

Just When You Thought It Was Safe …

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On May 5, 2015

In Geek Canon, Star Wars

large

Oh, and Happy Cinco De Mayo, too!

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