Guest Author- Comic Relief
Differently than some other comic book cinema articles written for this site, the X-Men franchise definitely have a feature film history most can remember. Because of this choosing the best vantage point to discuss the upcoming film can be difficult to define regarding what’s at stake with this movie and franchise. Also what perspective best describes the challenges defined by this film? Should a studio’s perspective of the film or the fan or specifically the fan boy or girl’s perspective be used? Since this site attempts to empower consumers a perspective that uses a combination of both perspectives will probably be best.
Please watch trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1434032665/
If LIH were to take the studio’s perspective, it might sound very much like this promo that is posted on the website the Daily Blam.com;
“X-Men First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men”.
This summary sets up the film very well and also helps fans remember the largely Brian Singer directed franchise of the previous decade. Played by Hugh Jackman, that franchise would best be remembered largely as a vehicle for the character of Wolverine. Despite a whole new cast of characters and actors playing them, many wonder about the fate of this film without the franchise’s star. In fact so much of the contemporary portrayal of this team (in comics and film) is dependent on that one character. Imagine doing a prequel to the Star Wars franchise without focusing on Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker or one of the more popular characters. As we know that prequel actually did just that. Though popular neither the characters Professor X nor Magneto were the breakout star of the original series.
That said we should consider the fanboy perspective also. Many in this community are strangely at odds with Sony Pictures Entertainment/Columbia Pictures Corporation (Spiderman)[1] or Fox (in the case of X-men)[2] for historical complexities that are largely beyond anyone’s control at this point. If you are a fan of contemporary super hero films you almost cannot love them without loving Sony/Columbia and Fox. Why? Because these studios supported Marvel before the company could support it’s own film ventures. Since then Marvel, got its financial house in order, produced Ironman[3] and Thor[4] and now some irrational fans want Marvel to have full control of all its properties or characters. Why, because Marvel’s participation supposedly guarantees greater adherence to the original comic stories. Though this theory sounds probable, comic’s fans clearly saw the many ways Marvel in Ironman ad Thor changed the original storylines to suit feature film audiences.
If you think contempt for non-Marvel creators is irrational you are not alone. It’s a chicken versus the egg story where many prefer the chicken and hate the egg, even though we know this is completely illogical and impossible.
Why do people hate the egg if we were to consider the egg Sony/Columbia and or Fox ability to produce films when Marvel could not? Odd events don’t end with the business department alone because they extend to the story as well. Similar to characters like Thor, the X-men’s origins begin in the sixties. At that time the team was made up of a number of characters we’ve already see on film: Cyclops, Jean (Marvel girl) Gray, Beast, Iceman, and Angel.[5] Yet when they were initially introduced they were introduced together as an integral set of characters. Also similar to Thor this incarnation of the team had a bumpy past, occasionally got cancelled and were later reintroduced and reissued. After one of these reissues the character Wolverine was invented and the team has been strong and solvent ever since.
In terms of team line up this is where the original movie began. Appearing to have never been created, two characters, (Beast and Angel), were neither heard from nor seen in the first film. Possibly replaced by characters Storm and Rogue, (that were equally created long after the origin), the franchise proceeded to add established characters with each new sequel. Beast and Angel eventually appeared in X-men three or X-men: Last stand. Oddly though fans supported these movies, SOME fanboys have only recently expressed their rage regarding the way the films differ from the comic book continuities.
So though X-men: First class is a prequel because it occurs prior to the previous franchise and intends to be an origin story for the team. It will in fact feature a lot of characters that were again created long after the original story.
To many of us, unfamiliar with comic’s continuity and consuming these tales on film for the first time these distinctions are meaningless. Yet studios will see possibly for the first time whether these contentious distinctions between the old original fans and those of the new film franchise now helmed by director Matthew Vaughn, will have any negative impact on box office earnings. Or will the studio gamble that the new and old fans will combine together to guarantee the success of this film prove victorious. Undoubtedly, many of us will be there to observe and see.
Please join us for a discussion: Thursday 5/26/2011@7pE/12UTC
comicreleaf
comicrelief2
Comic Relief
parisienne
littlebells
Lurker
ozzie20
Open Book
LIH
linkedinhollywood.com 
I’m really looking forward to this franchise. I think this may be the best franchise to date. It seems like they stayed true to the comic book narrative with this one. Are my assumptions correct Comic Relief?
I guess we’ll see during or after the discussion. Hope to see you tonight.
Oh man, I don’t even want to attempt to explain how virgin I am to this territory! 🙂
I think the preview looks really good (saw it on the big screen the other day) and I am more apt to see it because of this site and CR’s article. I’ll be here today, but hiding out. haha!
Littlebells,
You haven’t seen any of the X-men movies? If not that’s cool and I’m not sure it will matters.
Glad you’ll be there but please don’t hide. It’s always better when you’re around, plus we’ll have fun. IMO, most of the more interesting issues have very little to do with the article.
BUT I STILL STAND BY IT!…..
LOL, see you soon.
Hi All!
I can’t wait for this film! It looks great. LittleBells, don’t worry…I know very little to pratically nothing about X-Men. I did see all the films that came out though. The last one I saw, I can’t remember the name of it, Jean Grey gives herself up to stop some catastrophe from happening and ended up in the ocean. Now the pre-quel is coming out. IMO, that’s ridiculous. Note to film makers: Please finish the storyline of the last film before attempting to explain how Professor X and Magneto became who they are. Thank you, have a great day! There are so many things that could have been done with bringing back Jean Grey. What do you think?
Paris,
If I remember right Jean Grey is the last movie. Much like the comic story she loses her mind’ kills two of the cast and mayhem ensues. That one was directed by Brett Ratner and had a tone different from the first two that were directed by Brian singer. Tell me if the trailer jogs your memory?
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3890348313/
Hi everyone.
Hello!
Hi Paris!
Hi Open Book!
That’s the one. 🙂
Hi Everyone!
Great article CR. Let me read and get caught up.
Hi OB and Paris,
Paris
About that movie, I’m not sure it even matters. A lot of fanboys hate that film. And if the faithful diehards don’t like it I’m not sure the film was successful on many terms. I thought it was okay but I may not be drinking the same Kool-Aid they are.
Thanks for the compliment OB.
I may have scared Littlebelles away. I hope not. I guess we’ll see.
Come out! Come out! LB wherever u are. LOL!!
O.k. I have seen all the X-Men films even the Wolverine spin off. However, I have to agree with CR with this new franchise it does not matter if u have not seen the Brian Singer films. This is a re-imagined film so it really does not matter. But so far it’s getting great reviews and being a McAvoy supporter here. U will not be disapointed he never phones in a performance. The guy seems to give 110% with everything he does.
Oh yeah…. that’s right the McAvoy obsession.
I loves James.
Me too, the franchise is very fortunate to have him.
Great minds I say!
we do think alike. LOL
Yep!
LOL!
CR! So what did the fanboy’s not like about the last film. I can only imagine but please fill me in.
he does I agree. 🙂
LB,
If you’re lurking…hi!
LB,
come out, come out, whereever you are.
Honestly I barely remember, something like:
• Too many characters!
• Why kill off Cyclops and Professor X?
• Questions about the introduction of Beast and the original Angel
• Continued Continuety problems
Take your pick….
ummmm ok how about continuity problems? 🙂
I think I said during in the article that the comic has a different story about who started out in the group than the movie portrays. After three movies, some fanboys have never gotten over this.
OMG! I could not get their reasoning behind killing off the Professor. Also, the end where he assumes another persons body. So now we are doing Invaision of the Body Snatchers?
something like that. That stuff just makes for a ridiculous storyline. If one is going to kill off a character then kill off the character and the character actually DIES. no chances at another life.
In comics characters are constantly recreated, reincarnated, brought back form the dead, etc.
Sometimes this kills the since realism of the stories, sometimes not….
I know u die that’s it! Don’t try and sneak back in. How many false kill off character scenes has there been?
1. The character dies but at the end it’s revealed he or she was dreaming.
2. Comes back as someone else
What else is there?
LOL!!!!
Has some type of magical healing.
Yeah! that’s another one. That really bugs me.
Paris & CR
Who’s your favorite Mutant and why? Did u vote?
i did i voted for Rogue.
Why do u like Rogue?
why Rogue? I love her hair. 🙂
O.k. who’s your least favorite Mutant and why?
idk…i don’t have a least favorite. but i don’t like the love triangle between cyclops, jean grey and wolverine. Just let Jean and Cyclops be together end of story.
Yeah, they needed to leave the triangle out of it they already had enough going on. It would have been nice if they spent more time developing there relationship and why they were together. Plus it made Grey seem wishy washy about what she wanted.
I agree. I hate triangles. unless it actually serves a purpose of the storyline then ok but don’t make characters seem like they are unsure of themselves. JMO.
I’d say Nightcrawler, he has allot of potential to be unpredictable.
Nightcrawler was cool!! I really liked the costume for him.
And of course you can’t possibly forget that tail?
One aspect of the uncanny X-men story line is that it has drawn a remarkably minimal amount of criticism of its claim to conceptually actualize Charles Darwin’s belief in biological evolution. In fact there used to be a Saturday morning cartoon that was literally called “X-men Evolution.” If you can answer this question without divulging your religious beliefs or lack thereof, in comics or film does this stake in the religious/non-religious creation war strike you as appropriate or inappropriate regarding comic book super heroes?
Actually neither because i never thought of that way.
Paris,
are you responding to my question?
yes i am sorry i didn’t make myself more clear.
are you going to rephrase the statement, I can respond but I’m not sure what you are saying
yes. ok…it strikes me as neither appropriate or inappropriate. because things can happen either way. it all boils down to what one choooses to believe. Do I think that the writers of the comics or the makers of the films are trying to sway people to believe one way or the other? Maybe…maybe not. Its just a story that happens to have those elements in them. I hope i’m making sense.
Yes it makes sense and ITA!
Perfect sense. I’m not sure they are trying to sway any one. And I’m not sure viewers have ever complained about this topic yet it is there plain as day.
In fact what I’m wondering is by presenting this creation commitment in this context, aren’t they possibly suggesting this belief in evolution is a fantasy? Maybe I’m thinking too much.
I just voted. I chose Wolverine because Nightcrawler wasn’t available.
Speaking of Wolverine….. want to hear a SPOILER? Remember if you choose yes you possibly hurt someone in the audience. So chose very carefully.
yes.
LOL!!!!!! I knew you would say yes. O.K I’m waiting for OB.
🙂
Yes! Go for it!
Sorry, Paris for the really long pause. This may be old news now anyway.
Supposedly Wolverine makes an appearance in X-men: First Class.
I said in the article that they were taking a risk by not featuring him, but it appears they figured out a way to have him appear anyway.
Dammit, I forgot again! Well, I thought today was Wednesday actually but that’s neither here nor there. Sorry!
Hi Ozzie! Its ok. 🙂
Hi Ozzie.
Hi!!! Sorry, I just woke up from a much needed nap! 🙂
Off to read with Ozzie! hahaha!!!
Hi!
Hello.
You didn’t scare me away! hahaha!!!! NEVAH!
Phew!!!!
Hello all! Caught up now and I’m off to comment. 🙂
Hi LB & Ozzie!
My favorite Mutant is: Mystique-I like how unpredictable she is.
My least favorite is: Storm- She’s much more vulnerable than she appears. I mean someone can easily take her out while she rustles up some storm clouds. All I hear is the Jeopardy music playing in the background with her.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
hahaha!
O.B.
I’m sure employees at Marvel, are getting off the ground and getting back in their chairs.
I don’t who’s my favourite and who isn’t because I don’t know who’s who! I’ve only seen one but I only keep catching the end of it. It’s the one where there’s a creepy guy who can make people think he’s a little girl and one of the women dies when holding back the water so they can take off.
I could go and base it on things that shouldn’t count when it comes to deciding. In that case, I pick Wolverine because Hugh Jackman play him and he’s the only one I can name! For my least favourite, it would have to be the blue lady because of an episode of Family Guy, lol!
…an episode of the family guy?
Oh, gosh it’s a long story! To pay off his tab with the pharmacist, Peter sells his daughter because his son is obsessed with her. They treat her like a slave and she decides she wants out but the only clause is if the son cheats on her. So the mum Lois dresses up as the blue lady and seduces him to break the contract!
It’s much funnier than I described it. I tried to find a video of it but didn’t come up in my search. The scene is what freaks me out, lol!
Ok my brain is kind of foggy.
CR,
What was so different about the movies that have fanboys/girls not liking them?
You may have mentioned it but I just can’t seem to compute much I’m reading at the moment. LOL!
I don’t think it was a gender thing. IMO, I think there was alot more resentement about Singer leaving than you will likely hear. I could be wrong, if so refer to my earlier list.
Thanks CR!
…your always welcome.
I really hated the combat costumes they looked too much like Batman.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3866802176/tt0376994
who is the guy that plays angel? he’s hot.
IDK!
You know one of the original reasons for the leather out fits was to avoid spandex. Singer and friends thought the leather looked cooler. This is what the characters look like in the comic?
http://www.tpbwiki.com/index.php/Category:X-Men
Ok, CR, I have to know: why do all the comic men look like they work out all day long with protein injections and the ladies dress like they are heading down to 10th and J (my downtown) for the evening?
I am assuming it’s because boys want muscles and sexy girls???
LOL!! I can’t stop laughing.
nope. its because we know how to work a street corner better than they do. LOL!!!!!! i’m just playing. IMO, that’s how women are viewed.
LOL! O.k. please stop!! I’m crying now!
I bet if I could squeeze into my WW costume from 1982 I could rock my corner too! hahaha!:)
LB- U are the last comic standing. LOL!!
I believe brilliant as always. How do you do it?
I’m excited to see Jennifer Lawrence!
Yes me too!
O.k. I can’t wait to see if McAvoy shaves his head in the next film or will he wear a bald cap or they could just CGI his bald head. In the comics how does he loose his hair?
well in the beginning he has hair so maybe he won’t lose it for this film.
meant to say *lose. No he doe’s not lose it until the next film from what I hear. They are trying to figure out how it will happen. I just wonder if he will take the plunge and shave his head.
Resembling actual minorities like Jews, the LBGT community, the physically challenged community, People of Color, etc.; who say or can prove that they were born into their respective social, religious, or physical groups at birth, the X-men were always presented as human outcasts. One could even say, like the LGBT community, they pushed the association even further by moving to San Francisco in the early part of this decade. What benefits and disadvantages would you say accompany these narrative associations?
ok. i’m going to answer this the best way i can and this is only my opinion. Everyone is all the same, IMO. There is no race and or challenge, orientation that is better than the other. We all have different qualities that make us who we are and we can help each other. When people learn this there will be no more wars, IMO. In the comics/movies they are viewed as outcasts because that is how society sees itself. Society sees itself as seperate from the whole. Although we aren’t. I think movies try in a very subtle way to show this. I hope I made sense.
I meant to say different groups see themselves as seperate from the whole.
I understood you. What do you think O.B.
I absolutely agree 100%. Without getting too deep, no one is greater than the other. We all have special talents and qualities that are unique to us and when we all come together to help others and just be kind to one another, our blessings are multiplied and society moves to a higher level. Not a better-than-you level, but a better level of goodness.
I agree. 100%
Wow! Very profound LB! Love it!
Thanks. It’s something I very strongly believe in and am trying to teach that to my children. We are all amazing, wonderful people. 🙂
I agree also.
Beautifully put Paris!
thank you. 🙂
Very well put Paris and LB!
I really think in this day and age the association between the X-Men and minorities are too subtle. I think when this comic book came out the civil rights movement was at an all time high so they had to really go for the extreme by making the mutants red, blue, green, purple etc…..I mean it was quite advanced to have Storm be from Africa. But still she did not appear until the 70’s. Anyway, today u need to be clear Asian, African American, Hispanic etc… No ambiguity!
Excellent.O.B., that was a really bold answer.
Well heres my pet peeve with the franchise. Is it a crime to have Asian, Blacks, Hispanics as Mutants? I mean back in the 60’s it was different. But today there is no excuse. I liked to think we have evolved enough in this society that we can watch different races as superheros?
honestly though i don’t think we have evolved that much that the racial inequality has stopped. IMO.
Yep, it is still alive and well, unfortunately. However, I think there are more of us who are accepting than non and aren’t afraid to stand up for others.
that’s true.
In the 1960’s in the comic, when the group began there were no super heroes of color. In the 1970’s this changed. X-men: first class the movie will correct this somewhat yet there’s still no asian or native-american characters in the film.
One of the Hellfire villians is Latino (Riptide), I believe one of the X-men is African (Darwin)and I believe on the Brotherhood is African American (Angel).
I’m pretty sure I got that right. I will correct later if necessary
O.B., Paris, Littlebells and Ozzie:
Comic book super heroes and heroines are so prevalent in popular culture now the “origin story” is as commonly told as the scorned children’s revenge scenario in the western or the ill-fated love triangle in the romantic comedy. Yet unlike so many complicated tales of how an individual earned Super powers or unique abilities, the X-men have a simple chain of events. They were born that way. Do you think this narrative treatment of a hero’s origin is ingenious or lazy in regard to super hero tales?
No because I think what they do with the power is more important than how they got it. Things like will they be good or bad, like or dislike and the struggle interests me more.
Just out of curiousity has anyone seen Misfits? I don’t know if it’s gone over to the US yet.
Nope, hmmm. I will have to check it out.
I’ll have to post a video because it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s about 5 young people doing community service when they’re hit by a freak storm of lighting and gain super powers! 🙂
Actually, I’ll send the video to you. It’s full of adult material, lol!
nope. I haven’t seen that yet.
I like the origins again it’s very poignant of the 60’s attitude towards race and equality.
Honestly, I think it is great to have super heroes born with these powers. Who wouldn’t want to find out they have miraculous powers! Realistically, none of us have super powers like flying, whipping up winds, mutating, but what we do have can make a tremendous impact on our world.
I think that they have to be born that way. I wouldn’t know how else to explain their differences.
i think that movies like X-Men have to be based in some sense of reality.
Littlebells,
Great statement, in response (Ok this will be my last question)…
One aspect of the X-men narrative that differs from other character takes on super heroes is the X-men frequently address societies’ response to these characters. In the prior trilogy, storylines addressed humanities fear of these characters, demonstrated the military’s pursuit of mutants, and even supported a story line featuring a medical cure for “mutantism.” In the current movie the Fledgling Mutant group participates in the Cuban Missile crisis. In regard to real world historical incidents and film, do you believe these scenarios are harmful or helpful in regard to comic book super heroes?
Sorry i meant Paris…
Aw nuts. 🙂
No offense Littlebells it could have been you as well. I was responding to what she said.
I know! I was just teasing you. heehee
Thank you. 🙂 IMO, I don’t think that their storylines should merge with reality. Everyone already knows what happened and how it turns out. The storyline needs to be based in fantasy otherwise consumers might say film makers are trying to rewrite history.
IMO, it would be odd watching the x-men 30 years into the future try to stop 9/11. It would be unrealistic. Hope I made sense.
history not reality.
Perfect sense. Too bad we’re out of time I would like to think more about this. The X-men trying to stop 9-11 might seem kind of cheap now. I wonder if adults in the ’60’s would feel the same about them intervening in the Cuban Missile crisis?
ITA Paris! I think it’s a quick way to wrap things up and get on with the story.
Well CR! We have five more minutes to go. Does anyone have anymore Q.
I was waiting for Paris to conclude her thought. I guess I’m comfortable to go after that
sorry it took me awhile. I had a phone call.
When does X-Men come out again? I’m too lazy to scroll to the top.
It comes out tomorrow in the UK and next Friday in the US.
June 3rd for the US. Tomorrow or May 27th in the UK.
Ozzie-What’s Misfits? Is it a spin on X-Men? Is it a movie?
OB, I’ll send you an email, lol. I did post as brief as possible synopsis without getting too graphic. There’s alot of swearing and adult topics. 🙂
Thanks Ozzie!
Well Everyone-
This was another great discussion. CR great article and discussion. It’s always a pleasure having u join us. I’m learning so much about comic books. Goodnight everyone!
good night!
Thanks that was a lot of fun.
This movie, X-men: First Class has already gotten a lot of good reviews. With some saying it is the best in the series/ franchise. I guess we’ll compare notes.
Bye all.
Night all! 🙂