How about that Superman & Lois season 2 finale!?!? That show is s
o good! I dare say it is the best of the Arrowverse CW shows. A few weekends ago at Fan Expo Dallas I got to talk to the Super Sons themselves, Jordan Elsass and Alex Garfin, about the show and all the pressure that comes with it. Check them out here:
Jordan -
Alex -
Also, if you’re in West Texas this week, I’m hosting the very first Night Nerd trivia night at Bar Room Lubbock!
Ok, now on to today’s topic. How much should we service fandom?
Whenever a new superhero project is announced it is almost always met with some kind of backlash. The fans go on and on about how this person already did it better, or how this new talent doesn't know what they're doing. They argue about how a certain story better not be touched or how another should be brought back and praised. Heaven forbid the story starts over and an origin is retold! The internet is lit up with these people arguing over things that, at the end of the day, they really don't have any control over.
Wait, are we talking about movies or comics? The funny thing is that we are talking about both! The same discussions come up whether Marvel is bringing a new series to Disney+ or DC is changing the creative team on Batman. Part of superheroes, and storytelling in general, is change and growth. These characters need to be constantly challenged and be adapting to what's going on around them.
Why is change important?
I've heard a million times that every comic is somebody's first. While it is fun to dive into the multi decade history of characters later, it can be a daunting journey to start. With comics new voices are also important. There are stories out in the world that need to be told and not everyone can tell them. I'm a firm believer that stories should reflect the world around them.
The same is true for movies. I think Batman is the best example of this. Older people love Adam West, while not-as-old people (usually my age) think Keaton is the best Bat. Younger people tend to gravitate towards Bale. In recent years we've seen our lord and savior Ben Affleck bring a darker, more brutal take to the Dark Knight. After seeing "The Batman" I think Pattinson can make a claim for the best Batman. It's sad that Lewis Wilson is usually left out of this talk.
(For the record, Kevin Conroy is the best Batman!)
You could argue that every Batman is someone's first. In both cases I love it when someone is first exposed to one era or voice for the character but goes on to discover a different one that they connect with more. With changes to a character people can find one that fits them the most. From a business standpoint this is smart because you can sell different versions of the same thing. The creative view is that you can tell your story for someone out there, you can always find an audience.
What if the change "doesn't work"?
How can you tell if a change doesn't work? Usually that falls on the almighty dollar. If a book doesn't sell well or a movie doesn't get great returns some might consider it a failure. That's the basic way of looking at it. I feel like we've delevoped a little past that in recent years. The higher ups have started looking at critical reception too. If a book or movie had mediocre returns but got great praise and won awards there's a better chance of it surviving. I've seen comic series be canceled, then win awards and get a second run.
The other thing people are taking into account is the voice of the fans. In the past all that has mattered is if the fans buy a book or a ticket, but we're seeing a shift from that. If fans can create enough noise online, whether it be petitions or tweets, the studios take notice.
How do they listen to fans?
Most recently we've seen Warner Bros. give into fan demands with the release of "The Snyder Cut." For a few years fans made a roucous online and in person to release Zack Snyder's original vision of his "Justice League." Due to a family tragedy Snyder had dropped out during filming and was replaced by Joss Whedon. The two have extremely different styles and the film suffered because of it. Snyder began to leak screenshots and rumors that he had a more complete version of the movie waiting to be released. Fans latched on and went as far to rent billboards and create events to persuade WB to finish the film. Ultimately they relented and the released the over four hour epic on streaming.
In comics, it's a little different. There's a lot of nostalgia floating around and that effects change. In a weird way, the past changes the future. A great example of this is Chris Claremont and the X-Men. Claremont took the X-Men to super stardom from the 70s into the 90s. Early 90s X-Men are some of the best selling comics in the history of the medium. For a lot of people, myself included, those were their first comics. Since then the X-Men have had ups and downs. Usually when sales are down and the book is at a low point Marvel relaunches the book with a new number one and brings in Claremont to write a few issues. They've even gone as far as to bring in some of the artist from his original run onto the books too!
Should they listen to the fans?
This is a question I struggle with a lot. As a creator I think stories should be completed, we should see the end of a person's vision. There is a fine line between telling a story for the art of it and telling a story for the money of it. That is something that should be taken into account.
I also don't subscribe to the saying about "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." There's a great episode of Justice League Unlimited that shows why sometimes that isn't the best way. The episode is called "The Greatest Story Never Told" if you want to check it out. I don't think that if someone throws a big enough fit they should get what they want.
The Snyder Cut is further complicated by all the recent things that have come out regarding Joss Whedon and how he treated some of the cast. I think I've ultimately become okay with releasing the Snyder Cut because of his trajedy and Whedon's actions.
When it comes to comics I have a different stance. Let the original people tell their story and don't cut them short to bring Claremont back! Marvel even launched an entirely new series, X-Men '92, to play off the love of that era. Let him right that and leave the other titles be. We don't need a new number one to drive sales and bait collectors into shops, the work should speak for itself.
I don't read every comic because they aren't for me. I grew up reading the 90s X-Men and I don't really enjoy Hickman's run. That doesn't mean it isn't great, just that it isn't for me. Instead of complaining about it I don't buy the book. I know people that do love it and I wouldn't want to take that joy away from them because I'm not in love with the title.
So, what's the solution?
As bad as it sounds, I think we should go back to money talks. In today's world there are too many people illegally pirating both movies and comics. Most of the people who download this stuff are the ones throwing fits about it. If you like a movie, go see it! If you like a comic or a creator, buy the book! Don't wait for the trade, buy it upfront. This lets the studios know what is actually popular.
Also, be positive! Don't just tweet out how much you hate something, tell a creator you love their book. Tag the publisher, editor, entire creative team, whoever you can! This shows there is passion for projects which helps a lot too.
With all that….
Like what you like, let people create but I don't think we need Zack Snyder making an X-Men movie.
Until next time,
Lance
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