I didn’t think that a time would arrive when I would become sick to death of superhero movies. But, I’m sick to death of superhero movies. I’ve stopped watching them all together, regardless of who the hero may be, how well crafted the effects are, and if the story line has a chance of actually being entertaining.
I’ve stopped watching them because somehow the whole concept of superhero has turned into an internet social justice warrior campaign. A veritable blitz of indignation and hurt feelings over gender and race representation. Of superhero’s for Christ sake.
Remember that we’re talking about superhero’s here. Fictional bullshit meant to provide a couple hours of respite from the non-fictional bullshit that rules the rest of our lives. Remember too that the original ideas for these movies were generated from comic books drawn and written for kids.
But fuck it, let’s fight over whether enough women, people of color and gay people are wearing the capes and masks. I’m actually surprised that someone hasn’t bitched about transformers because the hero/heroine isn’t transitioning from a male to female at the same time as a sentient robot turns into a Volkswagen.
Also, I’ve stopped watching the movies because there are just too many of them. Super, bat, aqua, iron, ant and spider are probably enough men titles, and yup they’re all white guys.
I was wondering if any film makers outside of America are making their own superhero movies. I don’t think the responsibility to make inclusive superhero films should fall exclusively to Marvel or Disney, or whoever the fuck makes the movies these days.
Thailand for example could make a movie about a billionaire caped crusader and call it Bhatman. Plus there’s lots of Lee’s other than Stan Lee that could write and draw comic books. Comics don’t require the writing prowess of a Harper Lee, so Spike Lee could write the next Black Panther, and Jet Li or someone from Bruce Lee’s family could draw some Asian characters that aren’t sidekicks. Geddy Lee could provide music for some Canadian content and then all we’d need are some gay Lee’s. I looked for some famous gay lee’s on the google. The search was fruitless but I did find three porn stars including a Yasmin who is a transsexual actress, so maybe she could star in the next transformers flick.
I kind of understand the concept of diversity in movies and in our hero’s. I further understand that if white men write, bankroll and star in the majority of movies then those same men might invent or draw hero’s that look like them. The hero might have more muscles and be better looking and taller and braver than the creators, but everyone has a dick and it’s a white dick.
So, that leaves women, gay people, non-gender specific people, and men with colored dicks looking for hero’s that they can relate to, and apparently the internet believes these non-white hero types are in short supply.
Which begs a question or two. Firstly, why is it the responsibility of any writer or creator to provide hero’s that are diverse enough to please everyone? I’m guessing that if China turns out a series of pirated x-man movies that the characters are all going to be brunette and Asian. Just a guess but there might be a shortage of blonde gay dudes. Secondly, if any disenfranchised group feels superhero slighted, then why the hell don’t members of that group get off their literal asses and write something entertaining with characters that they believe represent them?
Just like Spike. One of the Lee folks I mentioned earlier.
If the created character, or story line, or soccer team, or musical artist, is entertaining enough then people will buy the movie tickets and the merchandise. If the character isn’t entertaining then they won’t buy their shit. That measurement system has been in place pretty much as long as ideas have been floated, and it has fuck all to do with equality. It has everything to do with quality. Quality of entertainment mind you, not quality as determined by critics or academics.
Anyway, I was talking about hero’s. It seems to me that not too long ago people aspired to be like their hero’s. Now, we’ve somehow turned things around to where our hero’s are supposed to be like us. We no longer identify with an ideal, but instead admire ourselves and expect that movies and literature will provide us with hero versions of ourselves. No matter how shitty, petty and inconsequential we are.
No aspiration, just affirmation that we’re awesome just the way we are. So, our superhero’s have become as lazy and unmotivated as us, and that kind of hero isn’t super in any way shape or form.
At least in my estimation.