There's a moment in Avengers: Age of Ultron that I think about more than I probably should. The Avengers are at a party. Thor's hammer is sitting on a coffee table. One by one, Earth's mightiest heroes step up to try to lift it, and one by one they fail — with varying degrees of … Continue reading New Members, Old Grudges: The Characters Who Changed the Avengers Forever
Marvel
E Is for Extinction: Grant Morrison’s New X-Men Era
Fair warning before we dive in: this post discusses major plot points from Grant Morrison's New X-Men run (2001–2004), including significant revelations and character deaths. If you'd rather go in completely fresh, bookmark this and come back. You've been warned. I'll be honest with you — I came to Grant Morrison through DC Comics. His … Continue reading E Is for Extinction: Grant Morrison’s New X-Men Era
The Night Gwen Stacy Died
Every once in a while, something happens in a piece of pop culture that quietly rewires the whole genre around it. You might not notice it in the moment. But look back from a few decades out and you can trace a clear line — before and after. Before this, superhero stories worked one way. … Continue reading The Night Gwen Stacy Died
House of X / Powers of X: Jonathan Hickman’s Reimagining of Mutant Society
If you've ever watched the X-Men in any form — the films, the iconic '90s animated series, even a casual scroll through Marvel's social media — you probably walked away with a pretty solid idea of what the X-Men are. They're outcasts. They're feared. They fight for a world that doesn't want them, led by … Continue reading House of X / Powers of X: Jonathan Hickman’s Reimagining of Mutant Society
Time Travel in Endgame: How the MCU Handled This Complex Sci-Fi Trope
When the Avengers lost to Thanos in Infinity War, half of all life in the universe turned to dust. The survivors were left to grapple with an unfathomable defeat, and audiences walked out of theaters in stunned silence. We all knew there had to be a way to undo the Snap—but how? The answer the … Continue reading Time Travel in Endgame: How the MCU Handled This Complex Sci-Fi Trope
Examining the AI Threat in Avengers: Age of Ultron
"I've got no strings to hold me down..." When Ultron first awakens in Avengers: Age of Ultron, quoting Pinocchio while simultaneously crushing one of Tony Stark's Iron Legion drones, we're witnessing something far more unsettling than just another Marvel villain making his entrance. Here's an artificial intelligence that understands metaphor, appreciates irony, and has already … Continue reading Examining the AI Threat in Avengers: Age of Ultron
Assembling the Heroes: A Retrospective of MCU Phase One
Seventeen years ago, on a warm May evening in 2008, moviegoers settled into their theater seats expecting nothing more than a decent superhero flick about a B-list Marvel character they might vaguely remember from Saturday morning cartoons. What they witnessed instead was the first domino falling in what would become the most ambitious—and successful—cinematic experiment … Continue reading Assembling the Heroes: A Retrospective of MCU Phase One
Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.: Building the Connective Tissue of the MCU
Let's be honest about something: without Nick Fury, the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have been just a collection of decent superhero movies that occasionally nodded at each other like awkward neighbors at a block party. Instead, thanks to Samuel L. Jackson's eyepatch-wearing spymaster, we got something unprecedented in cinema history—a shared universe that actually worked, … Continue reading Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.: Building the Connective Tissue of the MCU
Maximum Carnage: When Symbiotes Ran Wild in New York
In the summer of 1993, Marvel Comics did something that would make modern crossover events look quaint by comparison: they unleashed pure, unfiltered chaos across New York City in the form of a 14-part storyline that spanned five different Spider-Man titles. Maximum Carnage wasn't just a comic book story—it was a publishing experiment, a merchandising … Continue reading Maximum Carnage: When Symbiotes Ran Wild in New York
The Heart of Heroes: How Partnerships Define the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Spoiler Warning: This post discusses events and character developments throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including major plot points from recent films and series. Proceed with caution if you're not caught up! When we think about what makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe so compelling, our minds often jump to the spectacular action sequences, the witty one-liners, … Continue reading The Heart of Heroes: How Partnerships Define the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Confusing Middle 