All-purpose, running Geek thread (formerly Battlestar Galactica thread)

Thor seems strange since the movies have managed to make him a popular character.

Changing up Captain America isn't anything unusual, but with the movies, it also seems a little odd.

I think Thor switching up just might be a way to write Charlize Theron into the movie universe but that's just me.

 

Part of me wonders if the Captain America move is related to the movies. Chris Evans has said he wants to start doing more directing and behind-the-scenes work. Replacing Captain America with the Falcon in the comics could be laying the groundwork for doing it in the cinematic universe down the road.

As for Thor, I think it's a short-term thing. I'm betting eventually Thor will have Mjolnir back and the female Thor will have her own weapon provided by Odin.

 

I think all the movies will have problems as the actors start to age out of their roles or get tired of the more physically challenging parts.

The books have the advantage of the heroes not ever showing their age, that won't be the case for the actors.

I remember reading that Marvel has a movie plan through 2028 and will Robert Downey Jr. still want to be Iron Man when he's in his 60s?

So do you reboot, cast another actor, or something else?

Are people going to see the character or the actor? And the answer to that question hasn't been established yet.

 

Not sure the Falcon as Captain America relates to the movies, in large part because Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky, has a contract for a bunch of movies (I think it is six more). In the comics, Bucky overcame his programming as the Winter Soldier and took over as Captain America for a while. Point being, they already have a natural replacement for Evans in the movie universe.

Regarding Thor, I just wonder what they will call the current character once the woman begins to wield Mjolnir because I don't think they are killing him off this time. There have already been images of a future version of the Avengers that include him, but he is holding another mystical weapon, the axe Jarnbjorn (which is a key part of the current storyline in Uncanny Avengers). They have already told the story of Thor's crime, the one that makes him unworthy of Mjolnir. Now the transition just has to happen.

 

I wrote similar thoughts in the other Thor thread. Yeah, I'm in the boat of "this sets up recasting for the movies."

 

I see it more as a move to keep their options open and keep people guessing when they have to go without Evans. Stan makes the most sense, and I still bet he gets it, but this at least throws some doubt into it. And Mackie's under contract for multiple films as well. That's pretty much standard Marvel practice now. Not saying he'll end up being Cap, but like I said, it gives Marvel options.

My guess is they call her Thor. At least for a bit. I'm betting Odin uses it as a way to put his son in his place. Both people get called Thor. Eventually, she'll get a different name. And at some point, Thor the god will no longer be unworthy and will get Mjolnir back. Maybe she gets her own hammer/enchanted weapon then like Beta Ray Bill or Eric Masterson.

 

I assume that is how the story will play out, too. By current character, I meant Thor as a man. I don't think the switch has taken place yet. I guess they could go that route and call both Thor. Marvel has made it clear in advance press on the storyline that the woman will be called Thor.

 

Making the rounds on the Interwebs:
Disney owns Marvel.
Marvel owns Thor.
Thor is the son of a king, or a prince.
Thor is now a woman, or a princess.
Thor is now a Disney Princess ©.

(Note: Also posted on the Thor thread in news since we seem to have two running discussions.)

 

As talked about in the other thread, I am now an Amazing Spider-Man subscriber, which I'm looking forward to getting. I also ordered a few months worth of back issues, going back to when they rebooted the series with Volume 3, Issue 1 in May.

I'm pirate-downloading my way through the Superior series that led up to this run (where Dr. Octopus takes over Spider-man's body and does a run trying to be a hero), and man am I ever hooked. This shit is fun to read.

 

I ended up enjoying the Superior run a lot more than I thought I would. I just wish they hadn't sold the "Peter Parker is never coming back" bullshit like they did. Sell it as "this is the status quo for the foreseeable future" instead of outright lying and saying he'll never be back when you know he will be.

 

Nobody ever stays dead. I can live with that

After a bunch of hours of googling and asking questions on some forums, I finally got it.

Amazing Spider-Man was the original main series (although there's always side series and crossovers and such) that ran through issue 700 a couple of years ago. It was discontinued and replaced with Superior Spider-Man when a dying Doctor Octopus switched bodies with Peter Parker and became Spider-Man. Earlier this year, they ended that story with Peter Parker regaining control of his body, and relaunched a new version of "Amazing Spider-Man" that began with issue 1 (and is now up to issue 4).

The 1.1-1.3 that confused me is a special side-story they are doing where they retell the origin story. It will end up being five issues in total.

I *think* the subscription is once-a-month and doesn't include the side-story, but I'm not even completely sure about that still.

But here's the thing that bewilders me: None of that information was available on the Marvel comics web site! Most of it I had to figure out for myself through confusing google searches or ask someone who knew. That is about the least new-reader friendly system I could imagine. I had to look pretty hard to even *find* the link to subscribe to what should be one of their premier lines, and the scant information that they did have was not only unhelpful but actively confusing. All I knew is that the subscription includes "12 issues," it didn't even say how often they are published or when.

I understand and have no problem with the fact that their business is built around soaking up money from the hardcore fans and the collectors, the ones who will buy all 12 variant covers and the spin-offs and whatever else. But I really would have thought they'd be a little more accommodating of the "Like the movies, maybe it'd be cool to get a comic book in the mail once in awhile" crowd.


OK, that aside, I finished reading the Superior run this morning and I'm definitely hooked. I enjoyed it quite a bit. So much that I'm a little disappointed to see Otto-Spidey gone and replaced with the original, even though I thought the whole arc was well-done.

 

Oh, and the "Help" link at subscriptions.marvel.com is broken. Just to add to the customer-service experience. They *really* did not want my money, but I found a way to give it to them anyway.