The Fantastic Four: First Steps

[Ghost]

9 hours ago, Techwright said:

 

I won't ask you to elucidate.  I appreciate that you were willing to post your concern.

 

  There are character revisions I've enjoyed (Nick Fury) and character revisions I've hated (Karlie Morgenthau, the Flag-Smasher).  The latter for the overbearing pathos surrounding the MCU character, rather than the gender-swap.  There's also character re-interpretations I'm concerned about (MCU Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13), because it appears they're going morally polar opposite of their comic counterpart.  I was initially opposed to all of it at the start of the MCU, until I got the word that Marvel was not so much tampering with the comics as they were creating a new universe within their multiverse.  As the very definition of a Marvel multiverse is infinite variation, I was more accepting of any "variation" going forward, no longer seeing it as "change".

 

In specific regard to this film, one revision that comes up in discussions elsewhere of late is the Silver Surfer.  In my opinion, having a female Silver Surfer fits the situation named in the first paragraph, but I'm told that this isn't a gender swap like Karl/Karli Morgenthau.  This is a "What If...?" situation where Norrin Radd doesn't become the Surfer but Shala-Bal, Norrin's love interest does.  Apparently, in the comics, she actually is a second Silver Surfer, and at least for a time, both Surfers were active.  So in that sense, they've not strayed too far from the comics.  (This also gives me the thought that perhaps they might yet have Norrin Radd appear as a second Surfer.) 

 

 

That’s one change some fans are voicing concerns over.

I don’t mind it and am curious how it plays out.

The other changes are character personality changes….

Johnnie is no longer a brash womanizing playboy.

Sue is a strong independent woman who actually leads the team.

Ben is….shall we say…..there may be an Alan Masters instead of an Alicia.

I don’t know if any or all of this is true.  Could be a misunderstanding of what a couple of the stars have said recently.  Could also just be the Marvel haters twisting what was said in order to try and tank the movie.

We won’t know until it comes out.

 

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by Ghost

[battlewraith]

I know the character is "The Silver Surfer" or some variation. But that shiny metallic look is so evocative of 90s era cg--it would be like having a character named "lensflareman." The effects people really need to find a way to get the idea across without it looking like a stock effect.

[Excraft]

  

13 hours ago, Techwright said:

There are character revisions I've enjoyed (Nick Fury) and character revisions I've hated (Karlie Morgenthau, the Flag-Smasher).  The latter for the overbearing pathos surrounding the MCU character, rather than the gender-swap.  There's also character re-interpretations I'm concerned about (MCU Sharon Carter, aka Agent 13), because it appears they're going morally polar opposite of their comic counterpart.  I was initially opposed to all of it at the start of the MCU, until I got the word that Marvel was not so much tampering with the comics as they were creating a new universe within their multiverse.  As the very definition of a Marvel multiverse is infinite variation, I was more accepting of any "variation" going forward, no longer seeing it as "change".

 

I agree with you on all points and not all changes are inherently bad.  However -

 

4 hours ago, Ghost said:

The other changes are character personality changes….

Johnnie is no longer a brash womanizing playboy.

Sue is a strong independent woman who actually leads the team.

Ben is….shall we say…..there may be an Alan Masters instead of an Alicia.

 

These are the kinds of things that I see as wholly unnecessary and more often than not, done poorly.  It's changing the characters from what people know and are familiar with to something totally different that just winds up alienating the built in fan base.  I just don't get the need for it, not in the MCU or other IPs.  The Fantastic Four has been around since 1961 and has been selling comics since then.  They're one of the most popular, most recognizable comics of all time.  There have been and still are people of all races, genders and orientations who enjoy the FF comics, have since the start and have never needed "someone who looked like them" for them to enjoy the characters and reading the stories.   

[Octogoat]

On 2/13/2025 at 11:53 AM, Techwright said:

 

You know, there's an incredibly easy fix for all this: the glasses.  Have Fortress of Solitude Jor-El A.I. design and print a high-tech Kryptonian device that looks like a normal pair of eyeglasses.  When Clark dons them, they do some high-tech Kryptonian mumbo-jumbo that messes with people's perceptions.  To any looking at him, glasses-wearing Clark appears similar but visibly different enough that he's never really considered.  In essence, these Kryptonian glasses become his mask.  

 

Doctor Who had a similar concept they called a "perception filter".  It was designed to hide something in plain sight by influencing people to look anywhere but straight at the object.

Sounds like hitchhikers guides other people's problem field

[Techwright]

56 minutes ago, Excraft said:

  

 

I agree with you on all points and not all changes are inherently bad.  However -

 

 

These are the kinds of things that I see as wholly unnecessary and more often than not, done poorly.  It's changing the characters from what people know and are familiar with to something totally different that just winds up alienating the built in fan base.  I just don't get the need for it, not in the MCU or other IPs.  The Fantastic Four has been around since 1961 and has been selling comics since then.  They're one of the most popular, most recognizable comics of all time.  There have been and still are people of all races, genders and orientations who enjoy the FF comics, have since the start and have never needed "someone who looked like them" for them to enjoy the characters and reading the stories.   

 

There's another thing they should consider as well:  Live-action F4 films do not have a good track record. The 1990s one was done strictly for legal reasons, and was on half a shoestring budget.  Most have never seen it.  The early 2000s ones are generally considered tepid, and the last one has generally been labeled utter rubbish.  It's vital they hit this one out of the park, or the audience will begin passing on seeing any future F4 works, feeling that Marvel simply has no idea how to bring the team to live action in a manner the audience craves.  We've already got potential viewers in a "wait and see" mode.  IMHO, the best way to fix this is to not mess with the comic formula this time around.  Once a few films have been established as "good" by the audience, experimentation might be possible.  But first they must convince the audience that things are on track this time.

[Ghost]

If the rumors are true - it’s an odd decision because Marvel already have a team that checks all the boxes they supposedly are checking for this movie - The original Alpha Flight.