Links and Updates

Comic Con 2016 (or as I call it: Christmas for Geeks) has come and gone, and with it an array of new trailers, announcements and sneak peeks. If you compare this to my post on the subject last year, it's clear that there's not as much to share this time around – I'm not entirely sure why, but Comic Con only yielded a couple of previews that hold any interest to me.

The big drawcard was naturally the Wonder Woman trailer, and there's not a lot to say except FINALLY. Sure, there's a distinct lack of brown faces among the ranks of the Amazons, and I'm not a huge fan of Chris Pine – but after countless adaptations of Superman and Batman, we're finally being treated to a worthy Wonder Woman adventure.

Those electric guitars! She's definitely nabbed herself the best theme music.

And of course, on the heels of this is an extended preview of the Justice League movie. It certainly looks more light-hearted than expected, but after the fiasco of Batman vs Superman (which I actually quite liked) it's probably just as well they're trying for something a bit more fun.

In comparison, the ongoing Marvel franchise was a little quieter: there were more previews for Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy II, a look at the cast of Black Panther, and the announcement of our Captain Marvel: Brie Larson.  

And then of course, there's Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword: 

After the disappointment of Merlin I feel a little fatigued with Arthurian adaptations (novels do them more justice anyway – has there ever been a truly good King Arthur movie?) This has Guy Ritchie's signature style all over it, though there a dispiriting lack of women here – just a glimpse of Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, who I thought was played Guinevere, but who is credited as "Mage" on IMDB – along with a list of other completely unrecognizable names. Elsa? Maid Maggie? Syren? Princess Catia? Who are these people?

There's also no glimpse of Katie McGrath, though I expect she'll have a pretty small part anyway.

Other than this, Comic Con didn't really offer much of interest to me. I'm not sure why pickings were so slim, but it all seemed rather muted this year.

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According to Vox, Death Is Losing Its Punch, and I have to agree. It's been a bloodbath across a wide swath of television shows lately and the subsequent audience disengagement is beginning to take its toll. The article argues that it all started with Ned Stark's death on Game of Thrones: it was shocking, but it was also in keeping with his character, inconvenient to the narrative, and helped push other characters/storylines into new territory.

Since then, most writers have got stuck on the "shock value" part of the equation, even though their value only lasts as long as the shock – a steadily shrinking window of time considering such deaths have become the new normal. So think twice before offing any member of your main cast.

Here's a good discussion on the dynamic between Steve/Bucky in the Captain American trilogy that a) helped me understand why so many women are fixated on Bucky, and b) why I have absolutely no interest in him or his relationship with Steve whatsoever.

(It has to do with the irony that the films in which he should have the most agency – The First Avenger and Civil War – give him none, while the film in which he (as a brain-washed assassin) should have the least amount of agency – Winter Soldier – actually gives him choices to act upon).

A great article called I Know What You Think of Me, covering self-awareness, self-identity, and the dangers of overhearing what other people think of you.

A new term to use to describe that sinking feeling you get on revisiting a fondly remembered movie/book/story from your childhood, only to realize that it's terrible: the Suck Fairy!