Y’all. These past couple months have been crazy.
I know I’ve somewhat disappeared on here, but I’m back! … for now. I have a couple reviews planned for the distant near future, but I found a tag that looks fun and wraps up my year in books, so here you go!
I have a confession to make: I struggled to get through Jessica Jones season 3. Season 1 was one of my favorite series ever (I even wrote two blog posts on it: about personal responsibility and themes in general). Season 2 was enjoyable to watch, but it didn’t live up to the first. And season 3? It did not hold my attention.
This got me wondering: were the second two seasons worth telling? Well, it’s a tv show. That’s what tv shows do. They continually come up with new problems to solve. But is Jessica’s story best told as a serialized tv show? Once she beat Killgrave, it felt like her story was over. We now know she’s going to keep fighting bad guys. While watching her prove that is entertaining, it doesn’t feel necessary. Jessica’s story didn’t need to be told as a continuing tv show.
Spoilers ahead.
Part of the journey is the end
After drying my tears (and boy, there were tears), I realized why Avengers 4: Endgame was deeply satisfying. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that this is the last we’ll see some characters. But it was still a great movie, because for each of their departures, the characters deliberately made a choice to leave.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
I recently got access to the new DC streaming service, and I’ve been devouring the comics on it (at least, the Batfamily ones). I’m by no means widely read in the comic book industry- I stick to the more popular characters in Marvel and DC, and I don’t read consistently. But I’ll definitely have times.
There are a few reasons I like reading comics. I like following the same character through many different story arcs, I like reading different authors’ takes on the same character, and last but not least, it’s just plain fun to read about superheroes.
Ant-Man and the Wasp was the latest Marvel movie, and one that I didn’t want to exist. After Infinity War, I just wanted Avengers 4, even if it means I have to wait a year before a new movie. (*whispers*And is anyone else getting superhero burnout? No? Just me? Okay then…)
But I had to see the latest Marvel release, and I ended up pleasantly surprised. Ant-Man and the Wasp was funny and entertaining, with flashy characters, strange powers, and cool costumes. And from a writing perspective, it made me think about the differences between a protagonist and a main character.
It’s all been leading to this. All the Marvel movies, all the hype, everything. Avengers Infinity War is finally here.
One of the largest recurring Marvel flaws has been its ‘filler’ movies. It’s clear when one just exists to stall, building excitement for next big crossover. But what’s bigger than Infinity War? Isn’t this the culmination of everything? Well, yes, but…
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Finally, Jessica Jones season two arrived! If you think that I watched the whole season in a week and a half, you are absolutely right.
As you can see from previous posts, I loved season one. That gave season two a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite do that. Part of this was the villain, part of this was the filler episodes, but the biggest reason was the characters. Those that should have been unlikable were portrayed sympathetically, while those that should have been sympathetic weren’t super likable. The roles of the characters were off.
Take Jeri Hogarth. She was extremely unlikable in the first season, and it fit her role wonderfully. But in this season, she’s portrayed in a sympathetic light, which misses much of her draw. And then there’s Malcolm. I saw him as the most morally grounded in the show, but now his flaws are stacking up.
Spoilers ahead.
Black Panther is wonderful, from the cinematography to the character motivations to the plot development. It’s one of the few Marvel movies that keeps the balance between being a standalone movie and being relevant to the larger universe.
T’Challa is such an excellent character to add to the ever-expanding Marvel cast, and the country of Wakanda adds so much to that world. But Black Panther is a great movie by itself, too. It takes one of the classic struggles of a character assuming power and puts a fresh spin on it.
Spoilers ahead.
Friends are awesome (no matter what Sherlock says). However, books and movies often favor other relationships over friendships, which is disappointing. I want to read about people supporting each other, not kissing each other.
But of course, there are some good examples of people supporting each other in fiction. Here are five friendships that are given the time they deserve. Continue reading
So I’m watching The Punisher, and I just love what Marvel is doing with its Netflix shows. Even though not every series has been top-notch, I really appreciate what this part of Marvel brings to the universe.
And it all started with Daredevil.
Daredevil created a subset in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that is far more serious, more artistic, more complex, and more violent than its large-screen counterparts. This ages the MCU, growing the universe right alongside many of its fans and keeping it relevant through different stages in life.
Justice and Writeousness 