There Goes My Free Time
Written by: Dylan Haslam
Dating back as long as the entertainment has been thriving, companies have been in constant competition with each other to produce content that will set them high above their fellow competitors. In doing so, these companies are working tirelessly to produce projects that will make a stamp on the timeline that is the history of popular culture. It is the goal of these companies in making these projects that they not only produce the best pieces of work they can, but to transcend time itself. We, as the audience, pick and choose which pieces of content we want to watch and in doing so we show allegiance to the companies producing them. This choice is due to a variety of intersecting elements like plot, source material, cultural representation, budget and quality, but in this humble writer’s opinion I believe we choose this content based on the level to which it resonates with us. Two such companies that seem to really have the formula down for creating content that resonates with its audience is that of DC and Marvel. The rivalry between the fans of these two companies is constant and within the entertainment community. There is a constant divide. This divide spans across all facets of media, from comics, to movies, tv shows, collectibles, and even soundtracks. I myself truly value and appreciate both companies and I see the value in striking a balance by indulging in both.
This year has been a tough one. People’s lives have been drastically changed and we are all trying so hard to establish a routine and some sense of familiarity in a state of constantly venturing into the unknown. That hasn’t stopped DC and Marvel from producing content though. Marvel started this pandemic off by pushing back the release date of Black Widow, but Marvel has since risen from the ashes and come back strong with the weekly releasing of episodes of WandaVison. All episodes are currently available on the Disney Plus streaming service. This show is different from most other pieces of entertainment that Marvel has produced and I have heard mixed reviews> But as we all know, reviews mean nothing. It is all about how you personally resonate with the show. Marvel has also started releasing weekly episodes for the long anticipated show Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I will be honest, this is the piece of content that I have been waiting for ever since the ending of Avengers Endgame. Needless to say Marvel is starting 2021 off strong and based off their current pattern, it will be a very packed year for quality content. Marvel also released the name for the upcoming Spiderman movie starring Tom Holland. While news on the new Dr. Strange and the new Thor has been kept somewhat quiet, we can only imagine that all the content produced this year, both movie and tv show will seamlessly blend together with continuity and canonicity.
Just this past week DC has released something that we have all been waiting for all year. The director of Justice League that Zack Snyder has been posting about a Director’s cut of his movie in which the quality far exceeds the content of the movie we initially got in 2017. DC may not always have the best record for live action content and some people believe they are still chasing the glory days they had back during the years of the Dark Knight franchise. However, this Director’s cut of Justice League named “The Snyder Cut ” after the director himself. This particular director’s cut which can be found streaming on HBO Max, is actually four hours long. This cut of the movie offers us a more in depth back story to characters like Flash, and Cyborg that did not receive their own stand alone films like Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, and Batman vs Superman. DC fans are already aware of these origins and details from such sources as comics and the animated movies found within the Animated DC Universe and the animated Flashpoint saga. As an audience we also receive a more detailed and cohesive plot that allows us to really grasp Snyder’s vision and conceptualization for these characters as well as a glimpse into the future that given the greenlight that Snyder has planned for the franchise. DC and Marvel have been hard at work this past year. In a time during a pandemic, where almost everything is uncertain and we are constantly in a state of the unknown, it is tough to see the positives sometimes. We are constantly trying to establish routine and establish a sense of normalcy. With all this quality content being produced, conceptualized, scheduled and released my biggest concern is when I am not at work or working on school, how will I budget my free time enough to enjoy it all? This is only the beginning of this year’s release of entertainment content. We have many more months to go and if we are all inside anyways, so I cannot think of a better way to spend it than sitting with a comfortable DC blanket, hot chocolate in my Marvel coffee mug and getting my nerd on in front of the tv. All I have to decide is what I want to watch first.
