There is a spirit to pop culture the world over and it’s a spirit that was inherited from fairy tales, legends, fables, folklore, and taken to heart as new stories were told and new characters were born out of the old legends to satisfy the curiosity of the intended audience. From the time we’re little to the time when we can understand such tales, a lot of us tend to treat such stories as what they are, interesting tales of men and women that experience amazing things and are somehow larger than life. For decades now Marvel has been taking those stories and turning them into something that has captivated audiences all over the world and has inspired countless readers, artists, writers, and anyone and everyone that has been looking for something to look up to in their lives. Stan Lee’s narration of this piece below is great since he’s absolutely right when he speaks of what the stories mean, what they’re intended for, and how they’ve been used to unite people over the years. One might not realize it, but the fact is that Marvel and their many stories have gone on to influence so many people throughout the world that the number of people that can attest to knowing about at least one or two Marvel heroes has reached the millions, if not billions since Marvel has made the leap from one era to the next and at this time has become one of the biggest storytelling franchises the world over. From the earliest versions of some of the most popular heroes to the MCU the stories have never stopped, and the hopes and dreams that have been built up over that time have continued to expand as more and more people find themselves drawn to the Marvel universe as it takes on one story after another, humanizing its heroes and villains in a way that speaks of the old legends and myths from which it derives many of its stories.
More than once, Marvel has gone above and beyond to give people some of the most entertaining tales that have pit hero against villain, hero against hero, and in some cases, heroes against the very society that they’re sworn to save. While DC has gone to great lengths to promote their stories as well, Marvel has often stayed on the ground level with their stories while reaching into the cosmos to come up with tales that are absolutely insane but also so compelling that it’s been easy to fall into them without question. Many of us have our own fond memories of when we first came to be a fan or at least an admirer of Marvel comics, and many didn’t even bother paying attention until the MCU was in full swing, but the point is that Marvel is for more than just the fanboys that have been around the stories since before they could walk. It’s not just for the superfans and those that can list the almost endless litany of names that each villain and hero go by. Marvel is for those that want to wonder, to dream, and for those that love a good story and are compelled to follow said tale from beginning to end without fail. Many might recognize a good number of tales within the Marvel universe from the old legends, myths, and fables that have been handed down through the generations, and many might think that it’s all imagination and fantasy. But the point of Marvel is that it’s an idea that is at this time moving forward in a very big way. As Phases 1 through 3 gave us the Infinity Saga, Phase 4 and onward will be set to deliver a landscape that is constantly changing as it welcomes new actors to the fold and says goodbye to old ones.
The coming movies that are currently being pushed are those that people know by name at this point and are anticipating as starting this summer we’ll see some of the favorite heroes and villains of the MCU hook up, and we’ll see new faces enter the fray and possibly expand the universe with their own storylines. One thing about any story is that at some point it needs to grow, and while Marvel has made it clear at times that death is not as lasting in the comic book world as it is elsewhere, the MCU has made good so far on the idea that change will happen, no matter how painful it will be. Moving forward will no doubt meet some resistance by the fans, but the general outpouring of approval is bound to happen once the movies start hitting the theaters again and the shows continue to feature on Disney+. It’s kind of fair to say that WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier were a bit a strange start, but both shows have paved the way thus far, and the fans are ready for more.
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