Agent Carter episode 4 and comics-related whinging

[shapinglight]

Still absolutely loving Agent Carter.

Which is more than I can say for the Marvel Comics Universe at the moment.

More behind cut, with spoilers for upcoming developments in the MCU, but no real spoilers about Agent Carter.



Yeah, Agent Carter was really good, but as very few people on my flist appear to be watching it (or haven't been able to watch it yet) there doesn't seem much point writing about it.

I did find amusing (in a sour sort of way) the comments of some guy on a Buzzfeed article, who was moaning about how, why did no one tell him the show was about 'feminism, pure and simple', because if he'd known that he would never have watched it.

Reading this makes me want to show the guy the really horrible crying baby gif that Tom Brevoort, one of the lord high panjandrums of the Marvel comics arm, has taken to using whenever anyone says anything to him on his Tumblr about not liking the direction the comics are going in.

Not a nice man, Tom Brevoort, or at least his online persona isn't nice - though I have to give him some brownie points for some very robust rejoinders against posters wanting to 'declare war on Muslims' after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, and telling him he was a 'towel head lover' when he disagreed.

Where the comics are concerned, though, the retcon about the parentage of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch not being Magneto's children after all (as has been the case for the last 30 years) was the final straw for me (and Brevoort can repeat as often as he likes that it's not being done to bring the comics verse in line with the movie verse - no one, including me, will ever believe him). I've decided to quit Marvel comics for good.

About time, I suppose. ;)

And happily for me, they've given me a perfect jumping off point, because their latest comics-wide event, which is supposed to simplify their various comics universes and whittle them down to only one, entails what will probably be the cancellation of the last two books they're producing that I'm actually interested in - the Magneto solo book, and Loki: Agent of Asgard.

These may be famous last words, of course. But that's the plan. I'll just read to the end of the current storylines (some time this summer/autumn) then walk quietly away.

Or maybe I should do what one of the nuttier Bangel 'shippers out there has done because of the Buffy/Spike kiss in Buffy season 10, and bombard writers, artists, editors, comic book review sites, even Joss and SMG, with outraged, abusive tweets, all written in capital letters?

What do you think?

Comments

[rahirah]

bombard writers, artists, editors, comic book review sites, even Joss and SMG, with outraged, abusive tweets, all written in capital letters

O_o

It's so nice when it's the other camp behaving like loons.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it seems to work. :-/

[shapinglight]

You think so? Why?

My impression is (going by Allie and Brevoort) that comic book types react very badly to that kind of thing. You should see some of the stuff Brevoort comes out with.

Mind you, you should say some of the things people say to him.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Regarding Joss and Allie, Bangel campaigns got them the Chosen kiss and I really doubt S8 would have gone like it did if not for their extremely vocal fanbase.

[kikimay]

I don't understand. I would be furious. If I were them I would deny to grant wishes to people this rude.

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Oh... Now I finally get what the whole bangel disaster in Season 8 was all about. Comicwriters' revenge.
Finally it makes some sense.

[shapinglight]

I'm sure you're right they wouldn't have got the Chosen scene without being so vocal. Not so sure about anything to do with the comics.

Unless it was revenge on Joss's part? For what, I don't quite know.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

On the comics, I think the whole thing was set up to play shippers. So yeah, it is more or less them getting what they want, although in the comics it fit both groups. Both Spuffies and Bangels hated the Immortal storyline even thought it made perfect sense for Buffy as a character.

[shapinglight]

Both Spuffies and Bangels hated the Immortal storyline even thought it made perfect sense for Buffy as a character.

Yes, they did, and still do. Which I will never understand. But hey, what do I know?

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

About as much as me, I guess. Same thing with Kennedy. Made sense, but fans didn't like her, so she's gone.

I suspect that girl with Clive will be Tara 2.0, though. Or Satsu 2.0. Sales are down; they need another gimmick to get people talking again.

[shapinglight]

I really don't think there's anything now that will boost sales, apart from Joss coming back. The people reading are the people reading.

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

Nope. I doubt even Joss coming back would help. It would raise profile, though.

[shapinglight]

It's so nice when it's the other camp behaving like loons.

Yep. I haven't seen Gage name drop Spuffy Latino in ages.

[kikimay]

Or maybe I should do what one of the nuttier Bangel 'shippers out there has done because of the Buffy/Spike kiss in Buffy season 10, and bombard writers, artists, editors, comic book review sites, even Joss and SMG, with outraged, abusive tweets, all written in capital letters?

What do you think?

I think I speak for everyone when I say ... HUH?

(This quote was needed, but really WTF?)

[shapinglight]

Yeah, someone really has done that on Twitter.

They have ten followers. I'm quite surprised it's that many.

[snickfic]

Hah, I also have mostly gone off Marvel these days. I have some subscriptions that I'm reading until they run out, but the only one I'm reading with enthusiasm is Ms. Marvel. It's all Image for me these days (and one DC outlier).

And I'll blog about Agent Carter as soon as I've watched it! I just haven't had time yet, and probably won't until tomorrow.

[shapinglight]

Yay!

You'll really enjoy it, I think.

I don't intend to replace Marvel with anything else. Never liked the DC universe anyway, and I'm just going to avoid anything else so as not to get sucked back in. ;)

[snickfic]

I've never had any enthusiasm for the DC verse in general, but I can't resist adorable teen girls having adventures at haunted boarding schools. :)

[shapinglight]

That sounds like the plot of an Enid Blyton book. ;)

ETA:

Sorry. That came across as rather rude and abrupt, which I didn't intend. Which book do you mean?

[snickfic]

Hah, it didn't occur to me that it was rude! So you're fine. :)

But it's called Gotham Academy, and it's basically a standalone - I haven't needed to know anything about the DC universe so far, other than Batman exists and Bruce Wayne is rich.

[shapinglight]

That doesn't sound too bad.

I dunno what it is about the main DC universe. I just don't find it appealing at all.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

some guy on a Buzzfeed article, who was moaning about how, why did no one tell him the show was about 'feminism, pure and simple', because if he'd known that he would never have watched it

Oh dear god. "Pure and simple" indeed.

Another good episode. "Is that pistol an automatic?"

bombard writers, artists, editors, comic book review sites, even Joss and SMG, with outraged, abusive tweets, all written in capital letters?

Some people must have had parents who gave them ice cream every time they screamed and kicked their heels as children...

[shapinglight]

Another good episode. "Is that pistol an automatic?"

Yeah, that was completely out of left field, wasn't it?

Or almost. I saw someone over on Dreamwidth speculating that Dottie was the person who killed Agent Kosminsky, so I was sort of keeping an eye on her and wasn't entirely surprised when she did what she did.

Some people must have had parents who gave them ice cream every time they screamed and kicked their heels as children...

That would explain a lot.

[yourlibrarian]

Mike and I were instantly suspicious of Dottie because she was introduced as a ballerina but she's much too tall.

Of course, I've also been suspicious of Angie and Daniel from the start too, but Daniel is seeming pretty unlikely after the latest episode.

Loki: Agent of Asgard

I haven't read any Marvel comics but I've got to say that's an intriguing book title :)

[shapinglight]

Mike and I were instantly suspicious of Dottie because she was introduced as a ballerina but she's much too tall.

That is a very good point. In fact, if you said that either on LJ and DW, it may well be you I was thinking of when I mentioned someone speculating about her.

Loki: Agent of Asgard is a terrific book. Unfortunately, though, like all Marvel books, the storyline will get hi-jacked periodically by one of their big comic book line-wide 'Events.'

Also, in order to understand it, you would have to read through an awful lot of back story.

[yourlibrarian]

No it wasn't me, I've been posting too sporadically to be giving much current commentary on shows (though I've managed more this month than I expected). But I figure there's got to be a Hydra plant or two around.

:nods: I suspect trying to follow particular storylines takes a lot of time which is likely one reason that comics don't take a bigger hold among readers. I get glimpses of information here and there from, say, Avengers fanfic, but it's still clear that people are working from various different verses or storylines.

[shapinglight]

I suspect trying to follow particular storylines takes a lot of time which is likely one reason that comics don't take a bigger hold among readers.

There's also a huge amount of backstory stretching back decades, which many new readers probably find quite off putting.

In fact, this re-boot I'm talking about in my post (which they insist is not a re-boot) is probably meant to simplify everything and make it easier for new readers to jump on.

I very much fear it's the end of the versions of the characters I love.

[lonelybrit]

Ooh, they're cancelling Agent of Asgard? That'll be a shame, and I hadn't realised that Magneto had his own book but ditto for as (although I only know them really from the films) they are both wonderfully interesting "villains".

And am loving Agent Carter! I don't read the comics so am delightfully unspoiled as to who exactly these new characters are that keep on being unveiled/referenced, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it nevertheless. I will be so disappointed if it doesn't get a second season, but sadly I probably won't be very surprised given the various reports I'm seeing of how some 'fanboys' are reacting to the show.

[shapinglight]

Ooh, they're cancelling Agent of Asgard? That'll be a shame,

Well, probably. That's what I take from what the writer has said, though he certainly didn't say it flat out. And I could (and kind of hope that I am) be wrong. Both Loki and Magneto are involved in something called 'Last Days', which is supposed to lead up to, and run concurrently with, this Marvel alternate universe-smooshing event. Neither character may come out the other side, or if they do, they may not be the mainstream MCU versions of them, but one of the alternates, and all other versions will be cancelled out.

I'm very much afraid that the mainstream version of Magneto- the horribly damaged Holocaust survivor - is going to be replaced by one of these alternates - one with a much less emotionally loaded origin that will make it easier to turn him back into an outright villain.

Well, I never read any of the old Captain America comics where Peggy was his war time girlfriend, so the character is quite fresh for me too. I do know that she was American, not British, in the comics, though. Not sure why they changed that (though I like that they did). And apart from the Howling Commandos, Stark Snr and Jarvis, I don't know if any of the other characters in the Agent Carter series ever appeared in the comics.

Agent Carter is really good, isn't it? I'm afraid you're probably right that the fanboys' distaste will mean there won't be another series, which is a shame. They think it's 'sexist', or something.