Written by: Kevin Berge
I don't know that they quite got the scale right for Tony Stark's head. It should probably be a bit bigger. (Image Courtesy of: hindustantimes.com)
Comic books have been around for a long time. For decades, they proved to be their own form of storytelling that was impossible to recreate in any form. It allowed creators not just to tell stories that combined words and pictures but to develop characters over multiple volumes and writers.
Perhaps its most ambitious aspect came with crossovers. Comic book publishers created hosts of heroes, who eventually came together for a common cause. These events comics were special because they were completely unique to the medium.
Industries spent decades trying to emulate the medium, capturing the magic of comic books, and these attempts were extremely hit and miss. They established superheroes in ways that often felt dismissive of their origins.
However, none even tried to pull off a crossover. When Marvel announced its cinematic universe starting with 2017's Iron Man, it felt like an impossible dream, a hopeful ideal that a series of interconnected movies could work without confusing audiences.
Perhaps its most ambitious aspect came with crossovers. Comic book publishers created hosts of heroes, who eventually came together for a common cause. These events comics were special because they were completely unique to the medium.
Industries spent decades trying to emulate the medium, capturing the magic of comic books, and these attempts were extremely hit and miss. They established superheroes in ways that often felt dismissive of their origins.
However, none even tried to pull off a crossover. When Marvel announced its cinematic universe starting with 2017's Iron Man, it felt like an impossible dream, a hopeful ideal that a series of interconnected movies could work without confusing audiences.
What followed is the most remarkably success film franchise in history. While the quality can be debated from film to film and phase to phase, the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been undeniably exceptional.
Marvel didn't just create some of the biggest blockbuster successes in history. It did so while introducing a complete universe of characters. After a series of solidly successful movies, fan came in droves (making $1.5 billion) to see The Avengers, a movie that only works as a culmination of the five films that came before.
Each movie that came after built upon that foundation with repeated successes that have led to Avengers: Endgame, the culmination of all that success and character building. Before getting to that movie, it is important to look back at what Marvel built that makes this final film so special.
Marvel didn't just create some of the biggest blockbuster successes in history. It did so while introducing a complete universe of characters. After a series of solidly successful movies, fan came in droves (making $1.5 billion) to see The Avengers, a movie that only works as a culmination of the five films that came before.
Each movie that came after built upon that foundation with repeated successes that have led to Avengers: Endgame, the culmination of all that success and character building. Before getting to that movie, it is important to look back at what Marvel built that makes this final film so special.
Among superhumans and gods, a man in an iron suit he first made in a cave is the leading superhero. (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
Phase 1: Establishing the Core
Six movies makes up MCU's core original films, Phase 1: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers. This is easily the least consistent section of the MCU. At this point, Marvel Entertainment was unsure how to create its characters.
There's an overreliance on Iron Man with 2 movies for him in the first three. The Incredible Hulk was a forgettable flop and the only film the franchise has completely dismissed. However, it is incredibly valuable for what it sets up.
The MCU has been built upon the creation of heroes. Many comic book films have been built on the back of strong villains, but very few Marvel movies have had great villains. While this has been to the detriment of the individual films, it has led to the long-term success of the franchise.
The Avengers works because people care about Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor. These central three characters went through journeys at their core that built these heroes up. They're special because they grew through adversity with fans excited what they would do next.
In just one film for each, beyond Tony, these characters are establish to such a point that it's easy to understand how they will interact, and the first big event film understands these characters enough to develop them further while making their big team-up matter.
It's a spectacular superhero introduction. In those greatest climactic moments of The Avengers, it's a comic book come to life. Certainly not in the same manner as a comic book but with that same sense of imagination and wonder. The trio alongside their allies are finally Earth's Greatest Heroes.
There's an overreliance on Iron Man with 2 movies for him in the first three. The Incredible Hulk was a forgettable flop and the only film the franchise has completely dismissed. However, it is incredibly valuable for what it sets up.
The MCU has been built upon the creation of heroes. Many comic book films have been built on the back of strong villains, but very few Marvel movies have had great villains. While this has been to the detriment of the individual films, it has led to the long-term success of the franchise.
The Avengers works because people care about Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor. These central three characters went through journeys at their core that built these heroes up. They're special because they grew through adversity with fans excited what they would do next.
In just one film for each, beyond Tony, these characters are establish to such a point that it's easy to understand how they will interact, and the first big event film understands these characters enough to develop them further while making their big team-up matter.
It's a spectacular superhero introduction. In those greatest climactic moments of The Avengers, it's a comic book come to life. Certainly not in the same manner as a comic book but with that same sense of imagination and wonder. The trio alongside their allies are finally Earth's Greatest Heroes.
If you can't rely on a man in a suit, you can certainly defeat the greatest evils with the help of a scrawny kid from Brooklyn on super steroids. (Image Courtesy of: time.com)
Phase 2: Conflict and Character Development
Phase 2 added depth to the MCU in a way many likely did not expect. These friendly simple heroes suddenly saw their own worlds turned upside down in a series of intense moments that would go on to truly define the heroes.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier was clearly the standout in redefining the MCU's lead trio by forcing Cap to face the complete collapse of SHIELD and the return of his best friend as a cold, emotionless killer.
On the other side, Thor: The Dark World was a complete disaster that most completely ignore nowadays, trying to add more depth to Thor by largely failing. Iron Man 3 is a divisive film built on Shane Black's attempts to truly shift the way people see MCU films and not quite landing.
For the most part, this phase felt like a dangerous bump in the road, but the quality was just good enough to withstand some lower moments. Avengers: Age of Ultron was still a huge success, but it also clearly wore down Joss Whedon to the point that he could not quite complete his own vision.
It could certainly be argued that Whedon was the most influential filmmaker up to this point for the MCU, and his departure left a dangerous hole in the franchise that needed to be filled.
However, the true strength of the MCU was slowly being unveiled especially thanks to perhaps the most powerfully unique movie in the franchise with James Gunn debuting Guardians of the Galaxy, a comedic space opera that suddenly revealed this world is far more than just big strong guys fighting big strong villains just like them.
Ant-Man also happened.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier was clearly the standout in redefining the MCU's lead trio by forcing Cap to face the complete collapse of SHIELD and the return of his best friend as a cold, emotionless killer.
On the other side, Thor: The Dark World was a complete disaster that most completely ignore nowadays, trying to add more depth to Thor by largely failing. Iron Man 3 is a divisive film built on Shane Black's attempts to truly shift the way people see MCU films and not quite landing.
For the most part, this phase felt like a dangerous bump in the road, but the quality was just good enough to withstand some lower moments. Avengers: Age of Ultron was still a huge success, but it also clearly wore down Joss Whedon to the point that he could not quite complete his own vision.
It could certainly be argued that Whedon was the most influential filmmaker up to this point for the MCU, and his departure left a dangerous hole in the franchise that needed to be filled.
However, the true strength of the MCU was slowly being unveiled especially thanks to perhaps the most powerfully unique movie in the franchise with James Gunn debuting Guardians of the Galaxy, a comedic space opera that suddenly revealed this world is far more than just big strong guys fighting big strong villains just like them.
Ant-Man also happened.
It took him 1500 years to learn that arrogance is a dangerous trait. Luckily, it took him only a few more to realize he's much cooler looking with short hair. (Image Courtesy of: cbr.com)
Phase 3: The Wide Open World of Heroes
Enter the Russo brothers. Anthony and Joe Russo brought a fresh perspective with Winter Soldier, but they truly arrived when they were given the chance to make the unofficial third Avengers film Captain America: Civil War.
What they largely brought to the table and would translate to Avengers: Infinity War and likely Avengers: Endgame is a sense of scale and impact. Each of these new team-up films showcased the heroes in a unique light and made their conflicts massive and all-consuming.
Phase 3 is the best the MCU has ever been, and it's not all that close. The storytelling was far more consistent. The quality of individual heroes was heightened immensely. Even the central trio improved with the stakes that define their conflicts.
Thor is the obvious beneficiary. Thor: Ragnarok was not just a strong movie from a great director in Taika Watiti but a successful attempt to revitalize a character that had grown stale, making him suddenly as exciting to watch as he was powerful.
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers also faced challenges, becoming more the weary gritty heroes many superheroes are expected to be in the modern era, though never losing their heart and earning their grit.
From Black Panther to Spider-Man: Homecoming, this franchise opened up the spectrum of heroes in this world and then set them at war, leading finally to Captain Marvel with a new group of heroes established that may take up the mantle for the old trio.
What they largely brought to the table and would translate to Avengers: Infinity War and likely Avengers: Endgame is a sense of scale and impact. Each of these new team-up films showcased the heroes in a unique light and made their conflicts massive and all-consuming.
Phase 3 is the best the MCU has ever been, and it's not all that close. The storytelling was far more consistent. The quality of individual heroes was heightened immensely. Even the central trio improved with the stakes that define their conflicts.
Thor is the obvious beneficiary. Thor: Ragnarok was not just a strong movie from a great director in Taika Watiti but a successful attempt to revitalize a character that had grown stale, making him suddenly as exciting to watch as he was powerful.
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers also faced challenges, becoming more the weary gritty heroes many superheroes are expected to be in the modern era, though never losing their heart and earning their grit.
From Black Panther to Spider-Man: Homecoming, this franchise opened up the spectrum of heroes in this world and then set them at war, leading finally to Captain Marvel with a new group of heroes established that may take up the mantle for the old trio.
It only took Marvel a decade to add any diversity to its major films. That's progress at a staggering rate. (Image Courtesy of: screenrant.com)
What It All Meant and What It Will Continue to Mean
Each phase developed with time and visions, creating and fostering characters that have become household names. DC once held the mantle of most iconic superheroes, but Marvel has created the most full realized central cast ever on the big screen.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe began as a pipe dream and a cash grab that has grown into an incredible achievement that may have forever changed the industry. That's not entirely a good thing as it limits what comes next especially as Disney buys out other rivals.
However, it is still worth acknowledging for its boldness and success. This is a simple story at its core. A ragtag group of gifted people each found their way to the title of hero, and they came together in the shared goal of helping the world and fighting evil.
Much like the comic books that inspired this franchise, it was not always a perfect ride, and it will continue to be inconsistent. There are still heights the franchise often fails to meet with so many of the movies just good enough.
However, at their core, they are telling perhaps the most groundbreaking tale ever put to film. It's a testament to what cinema can truly be that this all worked. It's a testament to those behind it that they kept it up through turmoil and change over 11 years.
I will be walking into Endgame with the simple hope that just a piece of all that history comes together in this final chapter of Phase 3. I will walk in as a fan, ready to cheer heroes I have watched develop and grow for a decade on the big screen make their final stand.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe began as a pipe dream and a cash grab that has grown into an incredible achievement that may have forever changed the industry. That's not entirely a good thing as it limits what comes next especially as Disney buys out other rivals.
However, it is still worth acknowledging for its boldness and success. This is a simple story at its core. A ragtag group of gifted people each found their way to the title of hero, and they came together in the shared goal of helping the world and fighting evil.
Much like the comic books that inspired this franchise, it was not always a perfect ride, and it will continue to be inconsistent. There are still heights the franchise often fails to meet with so many of the movies just good enough.
However, at their core, they are telling perhaps the most groundbreaking tale ever put to film. It's a testament to what cinema can truly be that this all worked. It's a testament to those behind it that they kept it up through turmoil and change over 11 years.
I will be walking into Endgame with the simple hope that just a piece of all that history comes together in this final chapter of Phase 3. I will walk in as a fan, ready to cheer heroes I have watched develop and grow for a decade on the big screen make their final stand.
