The Panel Biter: Teething

Aye, it me.

So. It's been five months since I've written something for this blog. I stopped writing consistently before that though, only writing from time to time. I've also slowed down on podcasting. Current, myself and my friends Seth and David are doing The Weekly Flip podcast again, catch on that our Facebook, if you want. There's a few with me and my fiancé Maci too. Oh, yeah, still working on wedding plans. By November of next year, if all goes well. 

I only say that because things haven't been easy for me lately. Back in May, I lost my job. I won't get too far into it, but I guess I wasn't meeting exceptions. I was unemployed for five weeks. Every time I thought I had a job lined up and I'd get psyched about it, something would come up. Like the position not being needed anymore or someone else on the application before me or just someone generally not being as impressed by me as they had me think. And of course with no job comes Unemployment Checks, loss of medical coverage, budgeting, and an email account full of Indeed job listings. I tried working temporarily with my father in landscaping, but-and this may surprise you-a big nerd like me did not care for physical labor. Honestly, my body wasn't built for it. I'd come home tired, sweaty, dirty, sometimes I would have trouble breathing because of how hard I had to work to keep up the pace. I couldn't even making it through my last day without telling my dad's boss I just couldn't do it anymore.

And that was tough to talk about. Not with my Father, but with my Mother. I don't want to talk too much about my parents, but they have very different approaches to motivating their children. Both ways work, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have such a strong work ethic if it weren't for my Mother being so critical of me. But, I also wouldn't have so much respect for my health and happiness if it weren't for my Dad reminding me to accept my limits. Anyway, I worked a week of landscaping and only got a slim of a check doing it. I swear, there were days I came home in three colors: pale skin, red burns, and brown with dirt.

Back in April I went to New York for a few days with my girlfriend Maci. The first night we stayed in New York City, we went to the top of the Empire State Building around 9pm. And all the way up there, seeing the city surround us and looking down over everything, I proposed to Maci. And she said yes. The ring, the trip, the food, it nearly killed my bank account. And I wasn't scared. I knew I had a job, I knew I had savings, and I knew I had time to make that money back. I had no idea I could be fired for "not being fast enough". I was fired two weeks after getting back from that trip. After the most important and wonderful moment of my life, I came home to managers who knew they were going to cut me loose. And that's how it's been ever since. Every time I get a little bit ahead, something happens.

Today starts the third week I've been working for a small distribution center fifteen minutes from my house. And it's nice. I don't wake up at the crack of dawn. I'm not rushed, or anxious, I don't feel stressed going to work or leaving work, like I have in the past. I can work at my own pace, eat whenever, use my phone, it's so nice to feel comfortable at my job. And I work with like four people, all of them a few generations older than me. So no drama, no aggression, and for once I work somewhere where my voice is heard and my opinion matters. I don't have to fight my way through levels of corporate superiority to ask a simple question. I like it. It doesn't pay that well and it's not forty-hours, but it's still nice.

I don't know, a lot has happened and I was already feeling down on blogging and podcasting, so maybe all my misfortune was a sign that I needed to slow down. I can't rebuild my life in a day or a week. I need to take what I have and move as steady as I have to. But, like I said, I'm still doing stuff. Stuff for nobody. No, wait. Stuff for me.

I think I deserve it.

Thanks Raffi.

MCWho? (10 Actors You Forgot Where in The MCU)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has spanned over a decade, and along it's path it has collected a myriad of actors and actresses. You may know who they are, but there are some MCU actors you might have forgotten about. Here's The Top 10 Forgotten Actors in The MCU.

10. Sylvester Stallone

Starting our list of overlooked actors, we have one of the most iconic character actors of the last three decades. Rocky Balboa, John Rambo, The Guy From Expendables, Judge Dredd (the bad one), Demolition Man, the bad guy from Spy Kids, Tango or Cash, whichever one he was. Stallone has had many memorable roles. That's why he may have taken fans by surprise when he appeared in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" as Yondu's old friend Stakar-known in the comics as Starhawk. Not to be confused with Darkhawk. Or Nighthawk. Or Blackwing. And other than all being bird-themed, they all have annoyingly confusing backstories. Hopefully Starhawk and his merry band of OG Ravagers appear in James Gunn's third film.

9. Donald Glover

Comedy writer, actor, and talented musician, Donald Glover can do it all. After being partly the inspiration behind Miles Morales/Spider-Man, Donald Glover has lent more than a hand to the Spider-Man franchise. From voicing Miles in cartoons, and now to appearing in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as Miles' uncle Aaron Davis. And if you know anything about Aaron Davis, you know Donald Glover is subject to villainy, death, and-again-the creation of a new Spider-Man. I don't know if the MCU will ever ditch Peter for Miles, now that "Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse" has a solid Miles origin already, but it's nice to know one of the most talented men in Hollywood can always make time to represent his fellow black nerd.

8. Tommy Lee Jones

One of the lowest points of Tommy Lee Jones' career was playing Two-Face in "Batman Forever". Maybe it was the makeup, maybe it was the script, maybe it was Jim Carrey. Actually, it was entirely Jim Carrey. Regardless, that film didn't stop him from doing three "Men In Black" movies, and starring in "Captain America: The First Avenger". He plays a U.S. Army General-shocker-and just kind of razzes Steve Rogers. And unlike Bucky or Peggy or even that one Asian guy on The Howling Commandos, Tommy didn't reappear after this film in any meaningful way. It's understandable, unless you pull a descendent thing there isn't any good reason to bring him back. And I don't think he wants to come back, for that matter. He's just a weirdly noticeably cog in the patriotic machine.

7. Edward Norton

Why is General Ross the ONLY character from "The Incredible Hulk" to reappear? Like, you got Abomination, The Leader, even Betty Ross and Doctor Sampson get powers in the comics. The only actor you'd be hard pressed to see again is Edward Norton-who apparently had some kind of mental breakdown before the filming of "The Avengers". Again, super weird because "Incredible Hulk" had a post-credit scene with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, there to tease The Avengers. Bruce Banner would quickly be replaced by Mark Ruffalo, and with him he brought a differently designed Hulk, and zero references to "The Incredible Hulk". It's almost like that film isn't even part of the MCU, excluding Ross' random reappearance in "Captain America: Civil War". Even then though, it's not like any MCU films reference the movie. Don't blame Norton though, Universal Studios still has a slice of the Hulk pie and they're stingy about sharing.

6. Terrance Howard

Before The Jolly Green Giant was replaced, Tony Stark's best friend James Rhodes was recast in "Iron Man 2" with Don Cheadle replacing Terrance Howard. Howard walked out because he wasn't getting paid as much as RDJ, which is a pretty good reason so early into the franchise. It doesn't help that in "Iron Man" he looks as a silver Iron Man armor and says "Next time, baby". Next time never came, man! It's weird imagining a universe where Terrance Howard outruns lava-men and saves the president, but that almost happened. And he probably would have been upset about falling out of the sky in "Captain America: Civil War". All that being said, with Iron Man being the most successful trilogy-at least on paper, #TeamCap-I think more people remember Rhodey's recast than Hulk's. It also helps that Iron Man got sequels. Damn you, Universal.

5. John C. Riley

Uh, yeah, how the fuck did John C. Riley get in the MCU? Did he sign away his soul to the devil? Did he sign away Will Ferrell's soul to the devil? Somehow, someway, Riley escaped his "best friend in Will Ferrell movies" trap and got a role in "Guardians of the Galaxy" as a member of the Nova Corps. So it's not enough he's in the MCU, but he gets to play a space cop. Nobody saw that coming. And despite not looking like a cool alien, his character is shown to have a family of red-skinned humanoids, so that's cool. Biracial, bi-species, bi-whatever, Riley has it made. Or had it made, I think Thanos destroyed Xandar. Tough break. At least Riley has Wreck-It Ralph to fall back on. And whatever that Will Ferrell "Sherlock Holmes" movie is.

4. Tananobu Asano, Ray Stevenson, Josh Dallas & Zachery Levi

While they aren't as badly written or as wasted as Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings, The Warrior's Three were sidelined pretty hard. Understandably, the first Thor film couldn't be a fish-out-of-water story with them on Earth with Thor. The most significant thing they all did was die in "Thor: Ragnarok". If you're a Japanese movie fan, you might know Tananobu Asano (Hogun). Although, my fellow dirty Westerners may know Volstagg better. It's hard to tell under all that hair, but that's Ray Stevenson-who played The Punisher pre-MCU. Josh Dallas-Fandal-is pretty forgettable too, but only because he was replaced by Zachery Levi after "Thor". Yeah, the dude playing a God-powered, thunder-wielding superhero played supporting character to a God-powered, thunder-wielding superhero. Alas, poor Warriors Three, you died so young. As did the rest of Asgard.

3. Hannibal Buress

If you don't know Hannibal Buress, he's a stand-up comedian. He plays a gym teacher in "Spider-Man: Homecoming", and he's also in the movie "Tag" with Jeremy Renner. Does that mean Hawkeye is good friends with Spider-Man's gym teacher? No, but I have my head-canon. You might know Buress from that "Wack" meme that's been circling the internet. Buress' comedic lack of enthusiasm is his best trait, and it's used to full effect when Peter just leaves detention and Buress really doesn't give a shit. Gotta love those Captain America PSA's. Pretty sure that guy's a war criminal now.

2. Seth Green

The voice of Chris on "Family Guy" and literally everyone on "Robot Chicken", Seth Green's most notable live-action role was probably when he played Doctor Evil's failure of a son-Scott-in the Austin Powers films. Seth Green is a pretty funny guy, though. And it's his comedy background that landed him a bit part in the MCU's funniest franchise "Guardians of the Galaxy". See, I told you there were a lot of obscure actors in "Guardians of the Galaxy"! In the end credits of the first film, and fairly early in the sequel, Seth Green voices a character named Howard The Duck. Howard is a walking, walking duck-person who comes from an alternate reality where ducks are the dominant race on Earth. We don't know how or when, but Howard had been part of The Collector's collection before escaping at the end of "Guardians of the Galaxy". Because Howard is a CGI character and he has, like, one speaking part in both films, you'd easily miss that Howard is voiced by one of comedies' best voice talents.

1. Miley Cyrus

At the beginning of this list, I pointed out how unexpected Stallone was as an original Ravager in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2". I didn't mention that his old crew included actors like Ving Rhames and Michael Rosenbaum, but there's also a character known as Mainframe. Mainframe is a robot head. And it is voiced by an uncredited Miley Cyrus. Yes, as if casting in these Cosmic Marvel movies couldn't get any crazier, Disney-to-Risque pop-star Miley Cyrus comes in like a wrecking ball to cameo at the end of the film.
Could we see Mainframe and the rest of the OG Guardians characters show up in future films? What about the other overlooked actors? What ever happened to Lady Sif? I don't know the answers to these questions, I'm still stuck on how John C. Riley snuck into Kevin Feige's office.
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Iron Man 3 is The Best Iron Man

I've kind of been sitting on this for six years. Holy shit. That movie came out in 2013. I was graduating. Jesus. But, yeah, I like Iron Man 3. A lot. I think it did a good job as a trilogy ender. I think it did well as it's own movie. And for as much as people might disagree with me, I think it's the best Iron Man movie.

Granted, it's the best because of what came before it. One my favorite things about the first Iron Man movie was how, up until Obadiah Stane's heel turn, the main antagonist was just a terrorist. You gotta understand, prior to "Iron Man" there was no superhero movie where the hero fought terrorists. Criminals, gangs, and even international terrorists. But these were 2008 terrorists. Middle East, suicide bombing, scripture screaming. These were the types of terrorists who'd record a tape of a reporter getting his head cut off. Really overshadows clowns in purple suits.

And Iron Man is a result of terrorism. Tony becomes Iron Man to escape terrorist. He creates a better armor and the first thing he does is fly to the Middle East and he just goes about killing terrorists. Yeah, it's revenge. Yeah, he believes it's the right thing to do. But in a weird way, THAT moment made the MCU just a smidge more realistic than any of the Nolan Batman movies. Because Tony Stark is a rich guy who was nearly killed by terrorists, so he escapes, builds essentially a gun with sleeves, and goes there and kills them all. Like any billionaire with the ability to make a flying gun suit would do. Hell, if the US government just dropped an Iron Man armor at a press conference, you better believe they'd paint in black and send it to Afghanistan.

That theme of terrorism being a frighteningly real threat to the world? They forget about it in the second movie, but in the third one it comes back in full force. Oddly, it's similar to those Nolan Batman movies I pointed out. Batman fights ninjas, The Joker shows up for a little, then Bane shows up with more ninjas. In "Iron Man 3", we meet a terrorist known as The Mandarin. This is the part where fans get all pissed because he isn't Asian, and he doesn't have magic rings, and he's a big fraud in the end. Boohoo. You think any of us wanted Halie Barry as Storm? Or Doctor Doom as an American businessman? Or for Harry Osborn to get amnesia in the third "Spider-Man". You think we wanted "Spider-Man 3". Fuck you.

You see, in the first "Iron Man" we learn Obadiah Stane actually provided weapons to terrorists so that the war in Iraq could continue and Stark Industries could keep their pockets full. Pretty nefarious, and cynically realistic. But The Mandarin is a step up. The Mandarin is comic-book-Osama. He goes on TV and shoots people, spouting cultural beliefs held by societies from around the world. He presents himself as an educated and worldly messiah who believes in his own mission while also being able to see from other perspectives. Now, what is scary is not that murders people on camera or even that he's a just a junkie actor playing a bit. The scary part is the motive.

Aldrich Killian wants to cure people. No matter what the cost. His Extremist Virus can do that. It cured his disability, it grew back the limbs of amputees, and he hopes to perfect it to a point where everyone can be their best self. His motives are altruistic, but his way of accomplishing his goals are inhumane. Follow me on this. He needs Tony Stark's help. And knowing Tony's ego is focused on being Iron Man, he uses that to his advantage. He crafts a fake terrorist-because Iron Man got his start fighting terrorists-and has this actor take the credit for exploding people and Happy Hogan's near death. Iron Man goes after The Mandarin, which means he falls into Killian's trap, and Killian tries to recruit Tony by threatening the only thing in the world he loves more than himself-Pepper. Killian plays on Tony's ego, and uses Tony's loved ones as ammo. Oh, and he is able to sway the Vice President because the VP has a dying granddaughter. And there is of course that little detail of Killian's enforcers being former US soldiers who help him because fighting for America got their limbs blown off. And he turns THEM into suicide bombers!

Using America's xenophobia, the mistreatment of injured veterans, and the sensitive ego of Tony Stark, Aldrich Killian almost kills Iron Man, War Machine, and The President of the United States. Fortunately, Hot and Ready Pepper Potts activates her Demon Trigger and goes Super Saiyan and just kind of murders him. That was sudden.

There are a lot of things I love about "Iron Man 3". Tony's PTSD from flying into space, Tony having to go DIY James Bond to find The Mandarin, I love how even the characters in the film acknowledge War Machine was cooler than Iron Patriot. And the finale with all the armors Tony built in his basement showing up and then he blows them all up and removes the Arc Reactor to show Pepper he can be more than Iron Man. Even all the movies after that say otherwise, at least his relationship with Pepper and his Iron Man identity is addressed in later films. But mainly, I like the villain. He's not on anybody's Top 10 MCU Villains List, he really didn't need the tattoo or to yell "I am The Mandarin". But he had a goal to heal the world, and he did horrible things to reach that. Just like all Tony wants to do is protect the world, but all he does is create more monsters to fight. In battling Aldrich Killian, Tony battles his own self-absorbed mission, and when the smoke clears he forgoes that mission. Because some people are more important than the world. And it's not him this time.

Besides, all you crybabies got "the real Mandarin" in a thirty-minute add-on to "Thor: The Dark World"'s DVD release. Wait. I just realized why nobody saw that.

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World's Finest Failures (Cavill & Affleck)

If you weren't convinced Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment had no idea what they were doing, they fired their Superman and lost their Batman. Can the rest of their character lineup support a Cinematic Universe? Or will it fall without it's foundation?

First of all: Warner and DC's newest "initiative". If you haven't read about it, WB Chairman Toby Emmerich said this back in January;

“We all feel like we’ve turned a corner now. We’re playing by the DC playbook, which is very different than the Marvel playbook. We are far less focused on a shared universe. We take it one movie at a time. Each movie is its own equation and own creative entity. If you had to say one thing about us, it’s that it always has to be about the directors.”

Normally, I'd really respect WB/DC for realizing their films were bad when all they cared about was a shared universe. However, saying it's all about the directors is redundant. Making it all about Zack Snyder is what put WB is such a pickle. Regardless of what you think about "Man of Steel", "Batman v. Superman", and "Justice League", those films were directed (mostly) by Snyder, they are a trilogy, they set-up a larger universe. A universe WB lost faith in after so many people voiced their disappointment in this universe's tone. 

The problem wasn't setting up a larger universe. The problem is the person tasked with doing it. If you don't want to do a shared universe then just say so, but don't blame your lack of success on the concept or say "nah, that was never our style anyway". And don't turn around and say it's all about the directors. You took David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" and had it completely reshot to make it "more comedic" after Golden Boy Snyder's BvS was too dark to enjoy. Just saying, I can see through your bullshit Warner Bros.

It was stated in October of 2018 that Henry Cavill would no longer be playing Superman and that no plans for Superman were in WB's schedule. Supergirl is a different story. Cavill has made other acting commitments, there were statements regarding recasting, and the general belief is that he truly is done. January 30th, Ben Affleck makes it official he will not be playing Batman anymore. While Cavill's departure was due to WB not needing a Superman at the moment, Ben Affleck's was a more personal leave. Affleck recently completely his 40 Day Rehab program and is focusing on himself and his family. Now look, I don't like to get all human on you guys, but alcohol addiction is a serious, storied, and self-destructive problem and I have no intention of making light of it or shrugging it off. It would sadden me immensely to know that such a well-respected actor like Affleck would return to drinking in response to something as trivial as a superhero movie. And I don't think it was the cause. But I do know that without Cavill or Affleck, WB is in a bad spot. Again.

I can't say losing Superman and Batman will hurt WB's upcoming plans. Maybe Aquaman and Shazam and Wonder Woman will be enough, maybe all those movies allegedly in development could excuse WB's flops. But-from a big picture point of view-I think it is wrong for WB not to have Superman and Batman. Whether it's Cavill and Affleck or two new folks, whether they recast or reboot, this is the DC Universe. And while it may be filled to the brim with lesser-known, three-dimensional, varied heroes and villains, it will mean nothing if WB/DC cannot get Superman and Batman right.

Because this is not a matter of which DC hero is popular or what DC hero could work on screen or who should play who or any of that. The broad, simple fact is this: Superman and Batman ARE The DC Universe. 

Superman is the better side of humanity, he's the ultimate immigrant, he proves you can fit in no matter how different you or from what place you come from. Superman proves a person's race-or species-does not define who they are, it is just part of them. Superman presents the hopeful optimism hidden inside of all people, and the selfless obligation to give people chances and believe in the good in all people.

Batman is strength. Inner strength, physical strength, moral strength. Batman is the overpowering of fear, Batman is adaptation, perseverance, he turns pain into his weapon, fear into his tool, and loss into his motivation. Batman exists in all of us, he is the voice in all people who tells us when to stand up for ourselves and others. Batman is the story of a vulnerable man overcoming what makes him mortal, but embracing what makes him human.

In order for Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn and Green Arrow and The Flash to exist in the past, present, and future, these two characters must be preserved. Not hoisted around to fill a quota. These two BUILT comic book superheroes in the modern age. They mean so much, not just to comic books, but to world culture. Marvel had to CONVINCE people that Captain America and Iron Man were essential characters, all DC has to do is REMIND us why Superman and Batman matter.

And that begins with two pairs of underwear.

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Avengers Postgame (Marvel Movies After Endgame)

"Captain Marvel" and "Avengers: Endgame" are only months away from release, and there is still so much we don't know. So why don't we cover what we do know about the future of the MCU. Here is Everything We Know About Phase 4.

Spider-Man: Far From Home

With undoubtably the most exposure, we have "Spider-Man: Far From Home". This film will take place after "Endgame" and will follow Peter Parker on his class trip to Europe. Aunt May knows about, and seemingly supports, Peter's superhero lifestyle and is possibly dating Happy Hogan. While in Europe, Peter will be recruited by Nick Fury and Maria Hill to battle a group of superhumans called The Elementals. Water, Fire, and Stone/Sand are the only ones we are aware of. Spider-Man will be aided by Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio-a new superhero.

It seems Nick Fury is taking a similar mentor role to Tony Stark in the last film. Speculation about The Elementals being Hydro-Man, Molten Man, and Sandman is everywhere, but there is also theories on Mystery "creating" The Elementals to make himself look good. An "illusion", you could say. There is also casting news that could mean The Chameleon-the first villain in Spider-Man history-could be in this film as well. As a master of disguise, Chameleon could be posing as Peter's teacher or as Nick Fury or as Maria Hill or anyone else. And will Mysterio's gimmick being deception it would make a lot of sense for him to have an assistant.

Black Widow

Talks of a Black Widow movie remained a pipe dream for MCU fans, but in 2014 development on a script began. Various directors have been tapped, and an R-Rating has surfaced as a rumor. It is believed a Black Widow movie would broaden the MCU's diversely-led films following Black Panther and Captain Marvel, but some fans-like myself-would argue that Black Widow's story has been told, her origin is known, and her role as a supporting character is good as is. Rumors have also claimed her film could be a period piece set after her escape from Russia and her first year laying low in America, possibly even meeting Nick Fury and Hawkeye.

Sequels to Black Panther & Doctor Strange

A sequel to Black Panther was inevitable. The film's success, box office, and awards absolutely warrant a sequel, especially with so much more ground to cover. Michael B. Jordan is rumored to return for the sequel, possibly as a ghost in T'Challa's lineage, and Ryan Coogler has been vocal about continuing the franchise.

"Avengers" Infinity War" did a fantastic job of reintroducing Doctor Strange. A sequel has been confirmed with the same director-Scott Derrickson-returning. In interviews previous to this announcement, back when Scott didn't know about the Doctor's future, he had mentioned in interviews that he'd use the character Nightmare in a sequel to to "Doctor Strange". The realm of dreams has yet to be explored in the MCU, and Doctor Strange's dreams and memories may be just what the doctor ordered to make Strange a movie vulnerable character.

The Eternals

The announcement of an Eternals film was unexpected to say the least. However, with the focus on cosmic characters being lifted away from The Guardians of The Galaxy, it is possible The Eternals may be the new cosmic topic. These "Gods-turned-heroes" have a direct connection to The Celestials that created the universe. Thanos himself is the son of an Eternal. 

It was stated by Kevin Feige that the Eternal known as Circe would be the star of the film. This lines up well with The Eternals' presence in Marvel Comics, as Circe was an Avenger back in the 1990's. And while The Eternals hold an ever-present importance to the Marvel Universe, it is always possible Eternals may be a placeholder or ruse for another team-based superhero film.

Captain Britain & The Black Knight

There has been rumors circulating in the last couple of months that a Captain Britain & The Black Knight film is in the works over at Marvel. This is backed up by an anonymous tip from a Marvel Studios employee who was station in Pinewood, England for a project called "Captain Britain & The Black Knight", to be directed by Guy Ritchie. 

In addition, one observant editor for a Marvel news website pointed out a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot from "Ant-Man & The Wasp" where a medieval castle can be seen in The Quantum Realm. We know The Quantum Realm has time-effects. We also know Marvel is trying to diversify their leading characters. And two prominent British superheroes may be their attempt at accomplishing that.

Shang-Chi

It was announced last December that a Shang-Chi film was in development. This followed the MCU's diversity initiative by starring an Asian superhero. While Shang-Chi is extremely ground-level compared to the MCU's current heroes, a more down-to-Earth story about the Earth's greatest Martial Artist could be enough to measure the quality of it's fellow films. Not much is known yet, only that Marvel Studios is certainly working on this one.

Nova, Moon Knight, & Power Pack

While none of these properties have been straight-up confirmed, Kevin Feige has expressed interest in them. He had claimed Nova had "immediate potential". The Nova Corps has already been established, Nova would make a great cosmic replacement for The Guardians, and he could potentially be a new teenaged hero for the MCU. This is due to Richard Rider becoming Nova in his late teens and Sam Alexander currently being a teenager. 

Feige claims there are "future plans" for Moon Knight. However, his plans could be five to ten years from now, so that might hurt Moon Knight's odds. That being said the character was referenced in "Captain America: Winter Soldier" and with Black Widow and Shang-Chi-two characters who lack superpowers-getting films it lends credence to a Moon Knight film being possible. He has also been mentioned as a possible Disney + episodic production.

Feige has expressed in interest in doing a Power Pack movie because he wants a family-oriented film for the MCU. Something like "Ant-Man" that anyone can watch alone or with their kids. Power Pack would be a refreshing group of characters to see in the MCU and would likely spawn it's own subgenera of fans. Yet again, nothing about the film has been confirmed.

Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Ever since James Gunn's unemployment by Disney and Marvel Studios, the fate of The Guardians of The Galaxy has been in the air. The controversy surrounding James Gunn has lead to much backlash by fans, but concern from Disney over the director of their all-ages franchise being associated with a man who made dirty jokes six years ago. With Guardians of The Galaxy being such a cornerstone of the MCU, it is doubtful the final installment will never come out, but we know the film is on current hiatus. All that's been stated is the title "Hot Christmas". Additionally, actor Dave Bautista-who plays Drax-has been very vocal about his disappointed on the part of Disney, even stating he'd leave if Gunn wasn't invited back. Meaning the third film would lose yet another crucial player.

Ant-Man Third Film

Absolutely nothing has been said about the third Ant-Man film. No title, no release date, nothing. However, it would seem Scott Lang is playing a big part in "Avengers: Endgame" and his access to The Quantum Realm could aid the heroes in the fight against Thanos. The mystery surrounding "Endgame" bleeds over into the next Ant-Man film. The more we know about "Endgame", the more we can speculate on the final Ant-Man film, whatever it may be.

(EDIT) Captain Marvel Sequel

Oh shit! I totally forgot about Captain Marvel. I mean, don't get me wrong. I respect Marvel for not announcing a sequel to an upcoming film before the film even comes out. You know, that thing Sony and Warner Bros. and Fox do. But if "Ant-Man" and "Guardians of The Galaxy" and "Doctor Strange" are any indication, Marvel could make a "Pip The Troll" movie and it'd still warrant a sequel.
Besides, you know all those videos on Youtube about "which MCU characters are Skrulls"? That's not going to matter until this sequel. See, we aren't going to see an uprising of shapeshifting aliens in "Endgame" because we're kind of in the middle of something. You know. Thanos. Half the universe being dead. Time travel, assumedly. And since Cap M takes place in the 90's, I think all those "___ was a Skrull the whole time" twists will be in a sequel. "Captain Marvel: Invasion" or something, I mean "Captain America: Civil War" proved Marvel could do a character-lead movie AND an ensemble movie at the same time.
But much like Ant-Man, we can't determine the future of Captain Marvel until after her upcoming film and "Avengers: Endgame". Phew, glad I caught that a week later.

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Spider-Man Gets RANKED

Every. Spider-Man. Movie. Gets. Ranked.

And no, Cap 3, Avengers 3, and Venom don't count.

Venom sucks.

Let's go!

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Wow. Way to abandon the tone you set in the first one. I might not have liked the first one, but I would have respected this franchise more if it didn't puss out from it's original direction. I guess the costume looks better, like next to "Homecoming" it's the best live-action suit Spider-Man has ever had. Electro is a sad loser who becomes a dick, Harry Osborn doesn't get a minute to breathe before he's flying around on a stupid gargoyle, and Rhino was Rhino for maybe four minutes. I don't give a shit about the plot because I'm too busy being bombarded with set-up for Sinister Six and Venom, so fuck you. And thank you for attaching the very important death of Gwen Stacy to this poorly written semi-truck clearly made to shoehorn more movies. I guess we saw how that worked out.

The Amazing Spider-Man

I don't like his basketball and aviators costume. Why did we have to "Dark Knight"-up Spider-Man? I know you tried to offset it with two scenes of Spider-Man being funny, but I'll never forget all those marketing images of Peter in a torn Spider-Man suit or his shadow coming down an alleyway. Or his weird long-legged logo. The Lizard looked like garbage. What kind of evil plot is "turning the city into lizard people because we are the superior race"? You clearly cast Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy because you knew you could replace Gwen's empty personality with a beloved actress. Peter doesn't seem like a smart person, and he doesn't look like a guy who wouldn't fit in. He looks like a member of a boyband. Like, holy shit they tried to start a universe with this trash.

Spider-Man 3

All the Venom shit was tacked on as hell and Raimi knows it. Venom probably looks more accurate than Tom Hardy's, and to the film's credit they try to build a rivalry between Eddie Brock and Peter. It's too bad you also had the film Raimi wanted to make with Sandman and Harry-Snowboarding Goblin-Osborn taking up time. And Peter being "corrupted" by the suit is stupid. It was stupid then and it's a meme now. I'm not saying the Raimi films didn't earn a Black Suit story, they probably deserved a Venom story too, but this film just way too much on it's plate. It's thanks to Avi Arad and this movie that "Venom" got made, so I hate it for that too. At least J.K. Simmons is in it.

Spider-Man

Yeah, it's pretty good. I can't say I like Tobey as Spider-Man, but he does a good job being a weird man-child. Norman, Harry, and Aunt May are all pretty great. MJ can stop talking though. The Green Power Ranger in the Goblin suit is kinda weird in hindsight, but I understand what they were going for. The ending fight is brutal, I liked it. And the film does an excellent job at defining Spider-Man's pathos.

Spider-Man 2

It's just more of the first one. That's not a bad thing, though. Losing his powers to-what I thought was PTSD-was a interesting concept. Doctor Octopus wouldn't be this interesting again until "Superior Spider-Man" a decade later. Him being a mentor figure to Peter was a good way of making the fight more personal and also keeping in theme with the first movie and how Peter always fights his father figures. The train scene and the climax are both really iconic for good reason.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Love it. It's part of the MCU, it's not an origin story, it's a different Spider-Man story thanks to the inclusion of Iron Man and the idea of Peter becoming an Avenger, like all that is awesome. Tim Holland is my favorite Peter Parker in live action. He's an actual teenager in an actual school. His classmates and his best friend and his aunt all feel real, they all behave like they logically would and Aunt May not being old as dirt is refreshing. Like, my Aunt is around the same age as my mother so why should Aunt May be ancient? Peter's relationship with Tony is so good. Between "Civil War" and this film, I really came around on Tony Stark, he's really grown. And of course Michael Keaton's Vulture is fantastic. His blue-collar motivations combined with a "just dues" attitude makes him frighteningly real and entertaining. And god damn does he look sick. Vulture did not deserve to look that cool. And the twist with him and Liz? Did not see that coming. Really, this film captures what teenaged Peter Parker should be, what kind of world he should live in, and how it should look. I don't care how shiny that Iron Spider suit is, nothing beats the Stark suit.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

So, the thing I liked about the Raimi movies was how they captured the meaning of Spider-Man. Not just the Great Power thing, but the idea that even the most awkward of schmucks could be a hero like Spider-Man. And what I liked about Homecoming is how it portrays a teenager in a world of superheroes. How the general public responds to superheroes and how much of an impact they have on people and how so many people from so many backgrounds could rally behind the idea of a superhero. "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" does both of those things, looks amazing, and is a fun comedy/action with multiple action fig-I MEAN CHARACTERS-that people can attach to.
And look. Live action movies and animated movies are two very different types of movies. However, actors still act, a story is still written, costumes are still designed, fights are still choreographed, and themes are still used. I felt more for Peter in this movie than I did in most of those other films. Animated or not, this is a still a Spider-Man movie ranking and I like this one the best.
It also helps that Miles takes most of the plot. His life, his struggle, his family, his development as a hero taking the role of an idol who died in front of him. I love all the stuff they do with Miles and Peter and how they manage to keep Miles' origin accurate to the comics while so tying in Cameo The Event-I MEAN SPIDER-VERSE-without interrupting Miles' journey. It's a fun way to do a legacy character and a good way of compromising between the old and the new.
And finally a Spider-Man movie where Peter Parker isn't between the ages of 15 and 21. Finally Peter Parker is an adult, one with a ex and a dead Aunt and weight issues. In a way this could be the most relatable Peter Parker ever created. But again, the movie is about Miles and they do a great job of making him different from Peter. They do a great job with the other Spider-people too like Spider-Man Noir and Spider-Ham. I liked the multiple animation styles and how visually exciting it felt. Really there is a lot to gush over with this film and that level of depth really impresses me.
At the end of the day, "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" isn't just a springboard for a new franchise of films. Trust me Sony is gonna try like hell to make that happen. But it is also a celebration of Spider-Man, and a solute to what the character means to pop culture. Anybody can be Spider-Man.
Thanks for not reading!