SDCC: What You Want to Know

So last week was one of the year’s most epic moments: San Diego Comic Con.

At this geek fest, nerds from far and wide across the globe met to declare their love of all things Geek through cosplay, forums, showcases, meet-and-greets, and so much more, but above all, they came for exclusive, sneak-peak footage of all their favourite franchises.

Marvel. DC. Star Wars. The list goes on, and far beyond my memory or interests.

Disney, the now affluent parent company of Marvel and Star Wars, did some of their larger reveals at their own event, D23 Expo, the preceding week. This included a staggering cast line up for the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War as well as some behind the scenes footage of the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Personally, I’m still reeling from the D23 Expo and forgot all about Comic Con, which I think might have been the point. If it was, Disney succeeded in their strategy of slightly eclipsing Comic Con by just enough it was as memorable as the usual powerhouse of Geekdom. They played their aces at D23, especially with their Star Wars footage (though, we also had the Star Wars Celebration in April).

That said, they still had a royal family up their sleeve, and it was at Comic Con they revealed they still have upper hand on DC, bringing stunning reveals of their character specific Marvel films, like Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther.

All that to say, as I’m still catching up on what happened at SDCC myself, this is my personal opinion of what everyone should be looking forward to.

I’ll start with the obvious: Black Panther.

In the same way it was about time we got a female superhero film (thank you, Wonder Woman), it’s about time we had a black superhero film too. All that to say, we finally have one coming. If you don’t know anything about the Black Panther, then I surprisingly know just a tiny bit more than you.

In the comics, he’s this stealthy, sleek ninja with catlike reflexes (obviously), who is a Prince/King of his African Country, Wakanda, when he’s not kicking butt. Not unlike his other billionaire-by-day superhero counterparts, Iron Man and DC’s Batman, who build their world saving personas from their own wealth and resources, Black Panther, or T’Challa, is an elegant, humble monarch who fights to protect his nation and the people he loves, and the mantel of Black Panther he dons is as much a part of his role as king as anything else required of him. That said, there is more sociological, anthropological nuances to his character which sets him apart in comparison to the aforementioned.

We are at a time when racial tensions – though apparently resolved through the Civil and Cultural Revolutions of the 1960s and since – are as strong as ever. Their potency comes in that they are more subtle and harder to distinguish in a society that demands equality with every breath, even for the suppressors.

As a woman who was at a loss for articulation of why I needed a female superhero film, why Wonder Woman changed everything for me, I can only imagine what Black Panther means for black people everywhere. And for them to have an example like T’Challa? A man of honour, humility, pride, and respect? A king? I cannot think of anyone better. Perhaps I’m wrong, but for me, an outsider looking in, T’Challa is everything someone would want to look up to, in the same way Wonder Woman is everything I look up to as a woman. I cannot wait.

Next up we have Stranger Things.

Now, I may not have been born in the actual eighties, but with three older siblings whose birthdays all precede 1980, I feel I was a part of its culture by proxy. Thus, I have grown up heavily influenced by the creative renaissance of film and music, to say the least, from 1970-1980s. I love the eighties. I like to think of myself as an honourary eighties child (though a very proud 90s kid), but not everyone can accept that, especially actual eighties kids who tell me, “But you weren’t there.” Whatever.

Regardless, Stranger Things, the first season, blew. me. away. I won’t get into why because we would be here far too long, so I’ll just summarise with: if you love the eighties as much as I do, and if you were actually born in the eighties, then you HAVE to watch Stranger Things.

Furthermore, if, like most eighties kids, you were the precursor to the modern day geek/nerd because it was with you the fandoms of Star Wars, Nintendo, Dungeons and Dragons, and more began, you owe it to your generation and love of all things quintessentially eighties – like Stephan King, John Hughes films, and synth – to watch the show as the four main characters were you at that age of awkward pubescence when you were enthralled with magic, space, and the unknown; when fantasy and science fiction began rising as the kings they are today. (Thank you, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Jim Henson.)

Season two of Stranger Things looks like it will take this nostalgic version of our world the Duffer Brothers have meticulously recreated deeper into our memories as well as the Upside Down. And I’m so. freakin’. excited. Check out the trailer here.

Unfortunately, I now have to mention the elephant in the room: Justice League.

Okay, I don’t have to, but I should. I should because I grew up on DC Comics. I’m 99.99% certain it wasn’t until the first Spider-Man film of 2002 my dad informed me there was such a thing as Marvel Comics. Before that, my superhero world solely included Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and more from the DC pantheon. Thus, as homage to my upbringing, where my true loyalties lie, I have to mention the Justice League film.

Personally, I have been waiting on it since I was four or five when I first watched Tim Burton’s Batman and Richard Donner’s Superman (of course, I didn’t have my Wonder Woman film…yet), and my dad told me they were best friends who also fought in this group known as the Justice League. When this film was FINALLY announced, I was both thrilled and terrified given DC’s current track record.

Why it has taken this frickin’ long, I’ll never know. Studio executives are far more to blame than anything, especially now. (No, really. They are.) Only I won’t get into this song and dance of DC Comic’s films. There are plenty of other articles for one to read about it, and I’d rather save my breath (and word count). However, what I can say is you can check out this article here discussing the current reshoots for Justice League, which could either give us the desired result or rubbish. We’ll have to wait until 17 November to find out. Though, it’s nerve wracking to know such an anticipated film is going through so much post-production and additional photography, but I am more hopeful.

That’s because in the footage revealed at SDCC, there were shots when the colour palette seemed lighter, not as grungy, gritty, or grey, and Aquaman is looking more like he’s supposed to. (Don’t fight me on this. I’ve always loved Aquaman. I’m not one to usually prefer Aryan attributes, but I am a bit of a purist. That said, it would obviously make sense for him to be Polynesian, and while I’m all for diversity, scientifically speaking, Aquaman would naturally have lighter skin and hair and pale blue eyes due to living in the ocean like all the other deep sea creatures. However, now I’m just ambivalent because of said new footage. The actor they chose, Jason Momoa, is going to be incredible, in spite of the previously mentioned discrepancies. I can tell.)

Whatever is going on at Warner Brothers with Justice League, I just hope they don’t screw it up because I’ve been waiting on this film for over two decades (not to mention the four more my dad has waited.)

That’s it for Part I. Check out the rest of my Comic Con review in Part II, where I rave about a very specific reveal.