Mark Millar on why Marvel movies work and DC movies don't

[DetlefK]

https://io9.gizmodo.com/mark-millar-has-an-interesting-about-theory-why-marvel-1823282223

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are some of my favorites but I think these characters, with the exception of Batman, they aren’t based around their secret identity. They are based around their super power. Whereas the Marvel characters tend to be based around the personality of Matt Murdock or Peter Parker or the individual X-Men, it’s all about the character. DC, outside of Batman, is not about the character. With Batman, you can understand him and you can worry about him but someone like Green Lantern, he has this ring that allows him to create 3D physical manifestations and green plasma with the thoughts in his head but he’s allergic to the color yellow! How do you make a movie with that? In 1952 that made perfect sense but now the audience have no idea what that’s all about.

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Something feels a little old about them, kids look at these characters and they don’t feel that cool. Even Superman, I love Superman, but he belongs to an America that doesn’t exist anymore. He represents 20th Century America and I think he peaked then.

Millar’s thinking here is sound but, of course, not all encompassing. We saw a Wonder Woman movie work perfectly last year. Superman movies have worked in the past as well. DC characters can make great cinematic heroes. But it’s a fine line—and, now, another interesting argument to throw onto the debate.



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1. How many background-stories and personality-traits of DC-characters can you list?

2. Superman is a boy-scout from an era of black&white idealism. But the world has become complicated and cynical. That's why a charatcer like Superman no longer works.

3. Wonderwoman worked because the movie happened to coincide with a new wave of feminism.