The 10 Days of Marvel Challenge

For those of you living under copious amounts of rocks, in a cave, and under a copious amount of bigger rocks, Marvel is returning to cinemas at the end of this month with The Avengers: Age of Ultron. This will mark Marvel Studios’ eleventh foray into its ever-expanding cinematic universe. As with every Marvel release, people can’t help over-analyzing every frame of every trailer that has been released to the public. This movie will suck worse than Batman and Robin. This movie will bring about the second coming of Lord and Savior, Raptor Jesus. That one look Tony Stark gives at second 34 just revealed Marvel’s next 22 movies. The reality, however, is that we have no idea how good or bad this movie is going to be. As with most things on the internet, every opinion, spoiler, and hate filled rant needs to be taken with a mountain of salt.

Did you guys see that?! Howard the Duck confirmed for 2057!

I love speculating as much as the next guy, but I think that this spoiler culture that’s been created has gotten a little out of control. When the Avengers assembled in 2012, several media outlets were already discussing the potential of doing a Planet Hulk movie by 2020. Even though I was excited for to hear about the rumors, it seemed more than a little preemptive (Ultron hadn't even been announced as the villain for the sequel yet). The point that I’m trying (and probably failing) to make is this: we, as a culture, have become incapable of enjoying the moment. Whether we're talking about technology, media, or life events (we'll have kids when we're goddamn ready!), all we concern ourselves with is what's coming next.

It is with this idea in mind that I’m taking an opportunity to look back at what Marvel has done, as opposed to where I think they are going. While I don’t have the money, patience, or lack of self-respect to sit through the 27-hour marathon offered at these fine cinema establishments, I do own each of the movies and have the time to watch and write about each of them. Yes, I really am that much of a nerd. No, I really don’t have anything better to do with my life.

Unemployment is not as fun as it looks in cartoons.

My goal is to watch/write about a movie each day until Ultron faces the Avengers in a glorious, CGI filled battle. Each of my retroactive glances into these films will in no way, shape, or form be objective reviews of these films. Rather, I intend to offer insight as to what each film did right, what each film did wrong, what each film meant for the MCU as a whole, and what each film meant to me personally. Still with me? Ten movies, ten days, one unbelievably sad and lonely man, crying on the couch, surrounded by cans of Dr. Pepper.

Feel free to disagree with every single observation I make in the comments below!

About the Author 

(or My Desperate Attempt to make you Care About this Project)

I grew up in Generic Suburbia, CA, watching all manner of movies and television shows. In fact, watching the idiot box with my dad and grandpa was one of my earliest, and best, memories. I mean, perhaps they shouldn't have shown a 5-year-old a bunch of holy ghosts melting off Nazi faces, or a man getting eaten by a T-Rex in the bathroom. Seems a bit inappropriate thinking about it now… but, you know… memories! 

I didn't shit for 6 months after that.

Despite my emotional scarring, I was hooked very young into this medium of pretend, and my interest in this world only grew. In high school, many of my afternoons were dedicated to listening to DVD commentaries, listening to various podcasts about film making, and familiarizing myself with the directors and screen writers I would one day hope to imitate. As you can well imagine, I had to wear water-wings at all times for fear of drowning in pussy.

Ladies: please, hold your orgasms.

As most kids growing up in The Golden Age of Cartoons, I watched all of the 90's animated shows (you’re a lesser person for not doing so) and got excited every time I heard the theme songs to Spider-Man, X-Men, or Batman: The Animated Series. I guess that's where my love of superheroes really started to take hold. And seriously, I don’t know what 90's song writers were smoking (meth), but 95% of the theme songs composed between 1990 and 1999 are classic pieces of music that shall be studied by future civilizations when we have long since left this plain. 

Don't even get me started on THIS masterpiece!

Anyway, comics! Not until ­Spider-Man swung into theaters in 2002 did I truly start to have a fascination and appreciation for this manner of story telling. That movie led me learn all I could from my best friend and comic book guru, Shanus Maximus. Guru Maximus taught (and continues to teach) all that he knows of the comic book realms. Eventually, I became a prophet for the cause, and would teach anyone who would listen (mostly, nobody but my wife-to-be and my dog) about the intricate universes in which these characters existed. Ultimately, I owe more to comics, movies, and Guru Maximus than I probably realize at this point.

But don't tell him I said that. I won't hear the end of it.

So, why should you care? My wish is for both of you that are reading this to understand that I’m not writing about these movies as some band-wagon stunt, or for some class assignment. I’m not writing about these movies because it’s the responsible thing to do, or because I'm conducting some sort of sociological experiment. I am writing about these flicks because, as I hope you can tell, doing so ignites my passion. I hope that reading poorly written blog posts from someone who loves doing it will inspire you, in some small way, to find your own passion. If nothing else, I hope that I can at least make you chuckle along this march towards Ultron. 

Will I be able to maintain this level of enthusiasm? Will you be able to hold out for a full 10 days?

Will I (hopefully) become less pretentious along the way? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

-James