The Weekly Pull : Marvel Fights Dirty
It’s no secret that Marvel is struggling to regain their properties from major motion picture companies. The bulk of the characters are over at Disney (which we can all be thankful for), however Sony holds the rights to Spider-Man while Fox, with an iron grip, controls X-Men and the Fantastic Four. But what about Marvel’s very first superhero? Their first mutant? Who controls the Sub-Mariner? Who controls Namor?
Now, I know what most of you are thinking : “Who cares, it’s Namor.” and quite honestly, I’m inclined to side with the same logic. However, after the publication of January 2015’s Avengers #40, it has become abundantly clear that Marvel cares, and is willing to do just about anything to prove it.
Please note, from this point on, SPOILERS may be present if you aren’t up to speed on current Avengers story arcs. So if you wish to remain in the dark, this is your one and only warning.
Plain and simple, character rights are a fickle bitch. It’s extremely unlikely that any one studio “owns” the rights to something. For example, Sony only holds cinematic power over Spider-Man, where Marvel has full control over the character in print and television mediums. Unfortunately, each character in the Marvel U is bound by it’s own set of rules. Some of which expire, while others remain perpetual.
Before the massive success of Iron Man, Marvel's self produced, high risk Hail Mary to escape bankruptcy back in 2008, superheroes in cinema weren't the box office smash that they are today. A prime example is Director Ang Lee's 2003 take on the Hulk produced by Universal Studios. Although the film grossed $245 million worldwide (surpassing its 137 million budget), the film's reception was less than stellar. The mixed reviews ultimately prompted Universal to allow the cinematic rights for the Hulk to lapse, retreating back to Marvel, which allowed them to reboot the franchise with Edward Norton as The Incredible Hulk and include the character as a key member of the Avengers.
How does this all connect to Namor and Marvel's stance on the a Sub Mariner? Universal Studios still holds a portion of the rights to the Atlantean King, and in this day and age, they aren't so keen to make the same mistake twice. So, in rebuttal, Marvel has opted to play the strongest card they have and completely eliminate all marketing support with the launch of Secret Wars ...
The gloves are off, we're fighting dirty and it's pretty clear Marvel isn't screwing around anymore. Need further proof? With Fox's Fantastic Four reboot set to hit theaters this fall, Marvel has indefinitely canceled the series.
Do you have a comic, graphic novel, comic event or storyline you’re itching to read or learn more about? Sound off in the comments below, find me on Twitter or let us know on the New Geek Protocol Facebook page!
Until next time True Believers,
-ArchangelEZE
