Comic book buyers and sellers owe Kevin Feige a great deal of thanks. It was through his stewardship of the MCU that comic books received the attention by the media that they never received in years past. Publishers never really promote the comic book industry with zeal, so the spillover interest in the hobby was more than ever bestowed upon the industry.
Times were good for comic book publishers. Even minor heroes and villains were being optioned for movie treatments. Then complacency crept in and attention to detail waned. Films and television shows suffered. The MCU has limped along but it is not dead. Now is the time for Kevin Feige to once again inject a bold ingredient to make the MCU thrive again, and this goes beyond his casting for Dr. Doom.
The Feige Formula
Villains Matter
A story is only good as the villain. Darth Vader. Joker. The Queen from Snow White. Audiences feel vested in the story because the hero/heroine is in jeopardy. Did anyone who saw Captain America Brave New World feel that SERPENT placed Captain America in danger? Giancarlo Esposito is a great actor. This author has spoken with him briefly and he really takes his work seriously. It was not a failure on his part to portray the villain adequately on the screen. The creative choices for the story doomed his portrayal from the start.
Instead of making the character serpent-like or even with some powers they made him more grounded in reality. The problem was a superhero who could fly and the presence of Red Hulk already had the audience suspend their common sense and reality. Why then limit the prowess of the antagonists? That was where the writing team deviated from the Feige Formula, but it was not the only break from that pattern of success.
Double Bladed Razor
Writers know that memorable heroes need a formidable foe. Where Feige excelled was he conjured stories where the internal turmoil facing the hero was almost as daunting as the superior villain. Thor was battling his own hubris, narcissism and naivety. Captain America was trying to overcome the insecurity of still seeing himself as that scrawny teen even with his powers. Stark had to deal with the guilt that his wealth was built upon the dead bodies of innocent people.
In overcoming their personal demon's Feige realized fans were more engaged in their battle with the villains. Yelena Belova's story of overcoming the guilt of her sister's death made the audience like her because on some level they could relate to her fight. The hero's fatal flaws allowed fans to see themselves in the character. Later films and television projects lacked this dynamic. A typical villain was used in every story to portray a threat but they were really nothing more than a bad guy. That does not mean past glory cannot be rediscovered by introducing one the greatest villains in the history of Marvel Comics to shake up the MCU.
The Villain's Villain
A Universal Threat
Norman Osborn is unique. The Green Goblin was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #14. Norman Osborn had his first appearance almost two years later in Amazing Spider-Man #37. Two issues after that the villain and the hero discovered each other's secret identities. For several years they fought each other in one epic encounter after another. Several people being harmed in their battles. The reason he is important is because Osborn is more than a one-villain foil.
He was a member of the Thunderbolts with the likes of Bullseye and Venom. Osborn was also a member of the Dark Avengers. Many heroes faced his wrath. It is rare in comics where a villain can be considered a true threat to so many powerful heroes and yet Osborn is that level an opponent. Osborn is a greater level of evil on par with Thanos, Carnage, and Dr. Doom. Osborn and his alter ego have so much potential, but only if done right. That means the perfect actor is needed to play him and here is a suggestion for Kevin Feige....
The Final Boss
The Rock has already dipped his toe in the superhero genre. The problem was he went with familiarity rather than trusting his acting ability. He played Black Adam as a hero rather than a true villain. In contrast, he is currently the Final Boss in the WWE. An authority figure that is loved by fans because of his charisma, but that facade only cloaks his true Machiavellian plans. Imagine a Norman Osborn that the MCU universe senses is a good guy but ultimately is the embodiment of evil scheming to destroy the world. The Rock could handle that type of portrayal. The stature of Dwayne Johnson would also go a long way to reveal what his physical prowess would be in battle. This is a character that could be a threat to many in the MCU, including a beloved actor returning to the MCU.
Breaking Bad
Iron Man may be gone but that does not mean Robert Downey Jr. is not involved in the MCU. He will soon be playing Dr. Doom. Imagine a film concept where the two main players are Dr. Doom vs Osborn with a couple of mid-level heroes thrown in. Fans have gotten tired of the same old fare of the hero vs the villain. Audiences loved rooting for Tony Soprano, Dexter, and other villains. A story featuring two major villains in a battle where morality is not at play could place the whole planet in peril. Fans would love it. MCU fans. Movie fans. WWE fans. Even comic book fans.
Need for New Blood
Back to the Basics
Comic books experienced a renaissance when the MCU and other films used them as source material. Collectors and investors witnessed an increase in demand and returning participants in the hobby. Older fans relived their childhood through watching the exploits of heroes and heroines they once read about in the funny pages. Younger fans realized the coolness factor that surrounds these characters. People may have complained about the newbies, but their introduction allowed an expanse in the hobby in numbers never before experienced. That goodwill can only last for so long if projects are subpar.
Strike Two
The MCU has been around for 17 years. That is a long time for a movie franchise. Feige cannot afford to rest on his laurels. The fate of the MCU is at stake, but so too is the comic book hobby. In fact, it is an even more dire position than the MCU. The hobby needs an influx of younger fans to keep it going. That should be important to Kevin Feige and Disney. They own a whole library of Marvel characters that may one day be as obsolete as a rotary phone if fans do not stay involved with comics.
Hope for Fans
Comic series' were once the petri dish where characters were grown and nurtured. Fans grew up reading their exploits. If comic books go the way of the dinosaur so too may those heroes. That could make a whole library worthless. Fortune favors the bold. The MCU needs an influx of characters that will keep the fans engaged. Norman Osborn could be just such a character and with the Rock playing him the potential is sky high. This would benefit comic book fans who could see prices rise and new fans interested in the hobby. As Stan the Man would say....Excelsior!!
