#daredevil is back in the mcu and i'm divided on it

[spider-stark]

Welcome to my blog! Glad you decided to drop by💛

In this post, you will find links to all of my series specific masterlists. I regularly update my masterlists as I post, so feel free to check back frequently for new work! Additionally, I've posted some general information about my blog below the cut!

asks/requests:

💛 My ask box is always open! Few things make me happier than receiving asks, whether it's about my writing, fandom topics, or anything else you wanna get off your chest

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who i write for:

💛 The Last Kingdom, House of the Dragon, Spider-Verse, Daredevil, and Stranger Things

important notes:

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series masterlist links

SPIDER-VERSE MASTERLIST

🕷️ Includes TASM!Peter & Harry, MCU!Peter, & multi-chapter fics

GRISHAVERSE MASTERLIST

🐦‍⬛ Includes Kaz Brekker

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON MASTERLIST

⚔️ Includes Aegon II Targaryen, Benjicot Blackwood, Aeron Bracken, Gwayne Hightower, Criston Cole

THE LAST KINGDOM MASTERLIST

🛡️ Includes Finan the Agile

DAREDEVIL MASTERLIST

🖤 Includes Matt Murdock

STRANGER THINGS MASTERLIST

🌻 Includes Jonathan Byers

cute little sun divider by @saradika-graphics 💛

[agentem]

State of the MCU

There's a lot of thinkpieces and YouTube videos about how the MCU is "over" or "damaged goods" after Secret Invasion.

Obviously they are trying to distract us from this talk by dropping the Loki (one of the good MCU shows) trailer today.

I think there are several different lessons to be learned by some of the failures or missteps of this period of "too much Marvel."

They went from doing three movies a year, to doing, well, a lot more content. I don't actually think that Marvel is "running out" of content. There are so many characters and storylines that have not even been touched on.

But I think Marvel got a bit excited about what it could do, without thinking about the hows of actually making the content. For example, during She-Hulk we heard from VFX artists that were overworked and underpaid that there just weren't enough hours in the day for them to make all these shows and movies. Clearly, someone at the top did not take that into consideration when greenlighting all the shows.

I think the disconnect between WandaVison and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness showed limitations in the production schedules of the various properties. The time making a show is different from making a movie. And it led to some disconnect between where the audience was and where the narrative was going.

I also think a lot of things were greenlit as a good idea without them being fully fleshed out. Secret Invasion is probably one of them. I hear Echo is another. (Feige called it "unreleaseable" which makes me wonder how bad it was, since he clearly thought Secret Invasion WAS releasable.)

Hopefully in the future they will settle into some kind of release schedule (for example it was a big deal when Marvel went from two movies a year to three and then they really seemed to have three a year down in the 2018 period). I don't know exactly how many shows they can add to that.

In 2021, we got four live action shows and 1 animated show. In 2022 we had three live action shows. And we are supposed to get three in 2023.

For the shows, I think maybe two a year is a good amount, to give the writers (Pay your writers, Disney!) and the entire team enough time to work (pay for VFX artists too!). And if you can produce two quality TV series that work as TV series, then maybe they could try for three.

I'm a bit nervous about next year because three are scheduled but one is Daredevil which is supposed to be a lot more episodes than the shows the MCU has done. Though he needs less CGI than other heroes, maybe it could work?

Though these things will all probably get pushed back due to the strikes going on now.

I also think there should be a reason that something is a TV show and not a movie. I don't like this talk of "six hour movies." That's not a thing. The format changes the experience. WandaVision and She-Hulk utilized the TV format as part of the narrative. And that's a great reason for it to be a show. But it's not the only one. (Moon Knight had a unique structure, where it was divided into two episodes in London, two episodes in Cairo, and two episodes in the Underworld. That was cool, but I would argue then it should've been released two at a time instead of week-to-week. And on Friday. I hate this Wednesday nonsense.)

I think about this shit too much.

[tytach]

As a big fan of the Daredevil from the netflix show, one thing I'm really concerned about his return in the MCU is that we lose what made him such an interesting character. Marvel has had a tendency to go more light-hearted recently, which doesn't align with the Daredevil we've been introduced to. So I watched the latest episode of She-Hulk, and here's my thoughts on Matt's return.

She-Hulk spoilers below the cut.

First of all, I understand that She-Hulk has been a really light-hearted and carefree show so far. So it's obvious to me that DD being introduced in that context will have an impact on his characterization, and I'll adapt my commentary based on that. As desapointing as it is, I am not expecting a Matt as profound and tortured as the one from season 3. Here are the notes I took alongside the episode.

Fight between Jen and Matt: fun! And we can see that Matt is having fun too. We know he has a tendency to put himself in danger, near suicidal sometimes, so fighting a Hulk would defintely give him his adrenaline spike of the month and I can believe he would enjoy it. He might be a bit too open about it though. I have a big issue with how good he looks at fighting. As in, the movements are too fluid, it’s obvious they’re CG. He’s too graceful. I would expect that kind of moves from Spidey, not a DD who doesn’t have heightened agility. The original show was more gruff, the stunts were made by real people and there was more weight to the moves, and to me it’s a loss that we don’t have that here. The fight was still fun to watch though. Bonus point for Matt being disorientated after a blow to his hearing.

Matt’s suit: I’m divided on it. It’s a nod to the very first suit from the comics and I appreciate that. I really do. However, in the previous show it’s been established Matt is aiming to create fear in his ennemies. We had that with the first black suit, then the full red devil suit. Yellow and red though, I find that less fear inducing, so it’s a bit of a loss on the character in my opinion.

Matt being flirty: Matt and beautiful women. It’s been established he’s a charmer. This def gets a pass (even though I’m team Karen).

Matt being corny: that one itches me in the wrong spot. I find that out of character in most instances. "He’s lying. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know smirks". Why would he say that in court except to match the light hearted tone of the show and tell us, the viewers, "yes, that guy has powers too", which is not aligned with the DD we know? I don't mind a joke here and there, but corniness only gets a pass when he's flirting. Not in serious situations.

Also I’m not too sure about Matt being so lenient about his secret identity and his senses. Even if Jen is also an attorney and a super-hero. Matt is a vigilante. If his identity gets leaked, it's not only him that will be sentenced to prison, but most likely Karen and Foggy too (assuming they exist in this reality and know about Matt's nighttime activites.)

THE USE OF DAREDEVIL’S THEME KSOEUHIEUHPIUTH I know you’re trying to get me in the feels, Marvel, and it’s working.

Where’s his gruff Daredevil voice though

Corridor fight: ok, now we have DD. Even if that corridor fight wasn't a corridor fight(TM). Love that the batons are back. Still can’t explain how DD could knock that guy out with his baton without even being the room though.

Overall I had a good time watching the episode. Matt's characterization was a bit lacking, but it was to be expected seeing the context he's reintroduced into. It was nice to see him a bit more light-hearted than we're used to though. However I would have really appreciated it even more if his Daredevil personna stuck closer to what we know. Yes Daredevil is broody and very garded. I don't mind that he looses that façade once Jen knows his identity, but at the beginning it would have been nicer to see the Daredevil we know (as well as later on in the final fight against the goons). I'm still worried about how much of the netflix show will be canon in the upcoming retconned show. And, ngl, I'm still worried we won't get back what made Daredevil such an amazing and unique series; even though I've kind of grieved season four by now. Rest in peace, amazing storyline gone too soon. I hope your descendents will honor your memory and stay true to your essence (even though I don't really believe it'll happen anymore.)