Weighing In On The Art and Writing of the MCU and End Game

When I first started writing this post I hadn’t seen the MCU’s End Game yet and had planned on simply starting out by saying, ‘End Game is fantastic! I truly underestimated the emotional impact it would have on me. For many of us who have been following the Avengers all these years, it has become more than just a series of movies. It’s been a journey. For myself it has been a large part of my life for nearly a decade. More than just a distraction, they’ve helped me through some rough times. Now having seen End Game, I realized I couldn’t begin this blog in such a flippant way. It’s so much more than just “fantastic”. And perhaps in another blog, I’ll do a critique of it, as there are things about it that I’d like to address. (Side note: I hope to have a guest artist/writer contribute in a few weeks. She is writing a fan fiction comic about how she would have liked to have seen End Game “end”. )

Like I mentioned, to say that this visually striking and artistically captivating film, this sometimes heart wrenching movie is just “fantastic”, doesn’t do it justice. I won’t give any spoilers away, but I will say that it’s a very humorous, yet emotional roller coaster. I understand that things have to change, and that it is “just a movie”, but, I’m pretty sure that Marvel Studios broke the world’s heart this past weekend.

Diving in let me ask; when you’re watching any of these amazing and fun movies, do you ever think about the art of it? How it all came about? Or how so many extreme fans know so much about them, and the “arcs”? I tend to think about that, and the fact that the MCU in particular, can be super complicated! Or so it felt for a while. Having watched the growth of this particular series for some years now, I can say that I’m probably somewhat knowledgeable about it, especially having had a chance to re-watch most of them. I’m probably mid range fan knowledgeable 🙂 .

I feel that there are a lot of “purists” out there (with well earned superior attitudes) about the MCU, because they’ve actually read the comics who could explain it for hours. And to say that I’m a bit envious may sound a little odd, after all “they’re just comics”. But here’s the thing, these comics, were, and remain, amazing, and fantastical artworks! Over the years they have been wrongly written off as “kid’s stuff”, and that’s a shame. Especially as many not only have great art, but also have engaging, and exciting writing. Thankfully, in no small part due to the MCU, that attitude toward them is changing.

So looking at the artwork of many comics, there often is;

• Movement
• Excitement
• Mood enhancing shading and shadows

This art is not easy, and the artists were and are, pumping them out sometimes weekly! That’s not to assume that they weren’t enjoying it. I can only imagine that it was a better than average job for a creative person. But, as someone who has worked under deadline, I appreciate that it is work. Albeit, fun, amazing work that millions now benefit from!

To get back to my sometimes being as green as the Hulk, having not had the chance to read comics growing up, (most girls literally were not allowed to back in the day) as an artist, I feel I missed out on a great learning opportunity, (and a chance to hold my own in conversations about it!) Conversations which by the way, can be as multi layered and confusing as the story arcs! (I’m thinking that gamers have no issue with this either.) Though I have found that a lot of people are more than happy to try to bring me up to speed. Re-watching them doesn’t hurt either, and is always fun.

So here is my own personal feeling on some things that I, or anyone could learn from the art of comics and sketching them repetitively;

• Better figurative art.
• Faster execution.
• A possible multi million dollar contract. (heheh, jk)

It is interesting to have seen the growth over the years of comics. Thinking back to it’s “origins”, in my mind I picture a small black and white photograph from the 1950’s; someone sitting at a drawing table pen in hand, anther person perched on the end of the desk, others sitting around. They’re chatting and have slight grins. These were the first steps leading to the explosion of this movie genre.

The growth of these movies, not only with the characters, but with the overall look and mastery of sets and costumes which are beautiful and complex, has been exponentially alluring, and exciting. A massive undertaking that uses art in a myriad of ways.

And all of this, this multi-billion dollar obsession of millions of people around the world…all of it started with an idea… and a drawing.