The problem with comic book heroes...

[hells_half_acre]

I think part of my reluctance to get into the Marvel fandom is the fact that comic books don't end... and nothing happy ever happens in them. Yes, the hero saves the day, but it's usually at the cost of their own happiness. Their best friends and/or lovers die... or they do, tragically. You need drama to keep a story like that going and the best drama is tragedy.

So, for instance, I've been enjoying Captain America fic recently, but the fic that I'm enjoying is the sort of stuff that would never actually happen in the official story - because it's the fic where everyone is broken and is never going to get better, yet they learn to live with their brokenness and they learn to be happy, and the fic ends with the premise that everything has reached a stage of "as joyful as possible given the circumstances" and it will remain that way until all characters die of old age. Whereas, I already know that depending on what comic-book plot they follow, and, to me, all evidence points to the fact that they are going to follow this one...there's a good chance that Steve Rogers is going to die and Bucky Barnes will become Captain America. And that's not a happy ending, because someone is dead and someone must live without them.

I like things that end. Ironically, it was part of the reason I got into Supernatural - I was convinced that it would end after S5, and even if it ended in tragedy (which, at the time, Supernatural had all the markings of a clear tragedy), I would be fine with that, because at least it would have a definite end to the tragedy - and the tragedy would not continue forever. Comic books just keep going and they are ALWAYS tragic and nothing ever works out, not completely. And even if one chapter ends on a happy note, you know the next chapter is going to destroy that happiness... and I don't think I can take that when there's no clear end to the misery in sight.

Comments

[katsheswims.livejournal.com]

I actually recently got into the Marvel fandom (as far as reading fic goes) just from watching the MCU films. I haven't read any of the comics, and when reading a fic if I come across a character I don't know I just do a quick wiki search. I've learned about some of the comic storylines that way and I get what you mean about all the death (and coming back from "death") and drama that happens. But I think in fic you can just ignore that and search for what you want. And the MCU movies are doing a good job keeping a followable timeline and linking the movies together.

I just saw the new Captain America a couple weeks ago and thought it was great. I hope you post a reaction after you see it because those are always interesting! So you haven't seen any of the MCU movies? I saw Avengers first and that made me want to see others. (I've watched the 3 Iron Man ones, 2 Thor, and 2 Captain America.) Also on imdb it says there is a Black Widow movie coming in 2015--hope it's true! (And I want a Hawkeye movie too! Or for him to be in her movie.)

And I heard about Agent Carter today and I'm excited. I wonder where they're going with it? I hope they do a good job because I haven't heard too many good things about Agents of SHIELD (though that got renewed so it must have something). Obviously it will be back in the forties or fifties, but I'm hoping there might be some flashbacks to the war that may incorporate others we've seen in the first CA movie. I can think of a lot they could include, but I just don't know what direction they'll take.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

I hope you post a reaction after you see it because those are always interesting!

Okay, if I do go see it, then I'll post a reaction. I already have the first Cap movie waiting to be watched, but I'll probably maybe wait and do a reaction post to both, if I manage to make it to the theater to see Cap 2.

So you haven't seen any of the MCU movies?

I've seen the (Edward Norton) Hulk, Thor I, Ironman I, and The Avengers, but that's it.

I hope Black Widow gets her own movie too! And I'd love it if Hawkeye was in it, or got his own movie too...or showed up in someone else's movie.

I hope they do a good job because I haven't heard too many good things about Agents of SHIELD (though that got renewed so it must have something).

I heard that Agents of Shield got really good towards the end of the season, once the Cap 2 movie was released and they could include storylines that otherwise would have been major spoilers, I guess. I've heard it said that other Whedon ventures have needed a whole season just to get off the ground and get going, so it could be that AoS was the same and they'll do better from here on out.

Obviously it will be back in the forties or fifties, but I'm hoping there might be some flashbacks to the war that may incorporate others we've seen in the first CA movie. I can think of a lot they could include, but I just don't know what direction they'll take.

Apparently it's going to take place starting in 1946, and follow Peggy Carter as she deals with the men coming back from war and wanting to put her back in the kitchen. She'll be running jobs for Howard Stark, while dealing with sexism, basically... meanwhile she'll be recovering from the loss of Steve, who, of course, is for all extents and purposes completely dead at that point.

[katsheswims.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'll look forward to your reaction! And if you can maybe try to watch the first Captain America before you see The Winter Soldier--it may give you a more emotional connection to the characters because we do see some from the first in the second (which I'm sure you know the obvious). But if you can't then you can't.

And about Agent Carter--that sounds interesting. Thanks for filling me in on the basics.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to see the first Captain America before I see Winter Soldier. I already have it on my computer ready to go. I'm more doubtful about whether I'll actually get to see the Winter Soldier, because I still have to get to a theatre to see that - and that's a harder task to accomplish. But, it's still playing at a few theatres in town, so hopefully there will be a good time and place for me to find it.

[cordelia-gray.livejournal.com]

This is a lot like what I've been doing - there is a ton of information out there, so it's easy enough to get oriented without going through reading 60 years worth of comics. :D

I'd recommend Agents of SHIELD, with the caveat that it starts very badly, and doesn't get really good until the point where it starts to tie in to the Winter Soldier movie. If you're interested, I could probably recommend which episodes watch if you don't want to sit through the whole thing. ANd I'm so excited for Agent Carter! Yay.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Cool! I'm excited for Agent Carter too.

And yeah, if you could save me some time with Agents of SHIELD - or at least let me know what episodes to look forward to - I'd appreciate it. :)

[cordelia-gray.livejournal.com]

Grr, I just typed out a giant comment about AoS and then accidentally deleted it before posting.

To make a long story short: it starts to get good about episode 6, better around episode 10, and to really cook when it hits the tie-in with CA: Winter Soldier, which happens between episodes 16 and 17. Don't watch past 1.16 until you've seen the movie!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thanks!