Marvel Circle Jerk

The Marvel formula is

a huge circle jerk.  The hero doesn’t kill openly but maimes the hell out of pretty m

uch everyone around them.  Those who to kill get a raised eyebrow of disapproval and the occasional were trying to be better sermon.  He/she wants to protect friends and “tells” them not to help, meanwhile their lives are inevitably destroyed by their emotional proximity to the “hero”.   The people they most surly do not kill are their most despicable enemies.  Why?  The author’s opinion, if the enemies died Marvel would have to develop new ones.  As corollary the back from the dead, enemy turned good and the classic ‘wasn’t ever actually dead’  (only mostly dead titter titter)

The stories are not about all the people around the “hero” who are obviously dying in collap

sing buildings and crunched cars (though not shown) while the super creatures fight.  It is about the teenaged angst of the hero.  They are not really driven by good or evil but their own ridiculous journey to find themselves and deal with their feelings about their dead parents.  They are given plenty of time to work these things out because they never think of a plan for anything.  They pinball around while their enemies who are much smarter and more disciplined make real plans and are willing to make actual hard choices.

Anyway the formula works pretty well as their success attests.  Unfortunately, good is not great.  They need to let their heros grow up.  This happens occasionally (Ironman) but Marvel needs to evolve.  Disney may not let them.