#thetheoryoforiginality

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Introduction

You know it. You’re sure. You’re positive. it’s on the tip of your tongue, but you’re still not quite sure where you’ve heard that familiar chord progression in a song, or seen that scene in a show or movie. It’s that eerie, unsettling feeling in your mind that's dying to find the connection between your observation and the other one you have taken note of so long ago. That is deja vu in a nutshell. Some of us ponder “Why is this movie/show so similar to that other movie/show? What happened to creativity? Uniqueness? Originality?”

That’s it. The nail has been hit firmly on its head. Most of the entertainment that we consume today is genuinely not original, yet we remain content. Why is that so? This Tumblr will expose the lack of originality and creativity in the entertainment industry, explain why Hollywood must be willing to take a chance on stories that have never been told before, and what we, the consumers, must do to help make that change.  

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The Great Content War

Netflix. Hulu. Amazon. Long ago, the three streaming services lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when DCUniverse, Disney +, and more new platforms attacked. 

Today, cable is hanging onto their consumers by a thread that’s soon bound to break. Young adults are changing the entertainment culture by cutting the cord, hence their nickname the “cord cutting generation”. We no longer want to wait until a certain time of the day to watch one new 30 min - 1hr long episode only to wait another week, same time, same place to do it again. Wednesdays at 8pm only on this channel. Friday nights at 9:30pm only on that network. Primetime tv has officially become too routine. Young people refuse to stay confined to that one spot on the couch. From smartphones, robotic vacuums, and even smart doorbells, to food delivery and voice assistants, they are straying away from traditional lifestyles that their parents and grandparents grew up with and integrating technology into their daily lives. And with that being so, they are treating the way they watch tv like this too. With streaming services (and the internet), we have all of the content that we could possibly want right in our fingertips. 

Now with the existence of such easily accessible content, the ultimate question is where does your individual loyalty lie? In order to keep their subscribers hooked onto them, content must be constantly supplied. However, it’s not just any content like 90210, Gossip Girl, Kung Fu Panda, or The Boss Baby. It’s the original content that matters. Where can you find a red panda who expresses her rage about adulting through death metal karaoke? Netflix. What about Marvel’s group of teenage heroes who uncover a secret that their parents hid from them their whole lives? Hulu. A superhero that is the living parody of other superheroes? Amazon Prime Video. With so many options at an individual’s disposal, it’s difficult to make a choice (or more than one if the person can afford paying for more than one service). Original content is what makes streaming subscriptions worth paying for. It’s what defines and distinguishes each service from the other.

In addition, companies are stepping their game up by jumping onto the streaming bandwagon. Disney has not only tossed its mouse ears into the ring by preparing to launch Disney+ and ESPN+ within the next few years, but also buying out companies. The mouse now has complete control over Hulu as of May 14th thanks to another deal that will force Comcast to crumble even more, adding one of the major streaming giants as a new notch under the mouse’s belt, placing it right next to 21st Century Fox and their new comic book additions to include in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). DC Comics has launched their fairly new service, DCUniverse, which not only allows consumers exclusive access to their content and library of comics, but also provides a place to shop for merchandise. Tyler Perry has partnered with media giant Viacom to start up a service for the BET channel called BET+, and now AT&T jumps in by announcing HBO Max. At this rate, if every cable channel decides to try getting a slice of the streaming pie, then there will be not only too many services per individual to subscribe to, but also an oversaturated market. It will just be a mountain high pile of bills to keep up with in addition to the bills we consumers pay just to have the bare necessities (i.e. cars, house mortgage, apartment rent, utilities, etc). Also, we know that not all of the good things in life are free, There’s usually a price tag on things we want. With Disney+ being $7/month, Netflix $13/month (standard HD package), Hulu $6/month (standard package), DC Universe $8/month or $75/year, and the price of BET+ still unknown, the grand total can be quite hefty depending on how long the individual has held on to his/her subscriptions. 

With the streaming market growing more and more in power, we may as well kiss cable goodbye unless they can offer consumers something better. Drop the prices of their bundles, improve wifi speeds, provide better customer service, expand and include more channels on cable packages. If cable companies genuinely value their customers, then they would at least try to supply these demands and listen to their feedback. Since the consumer pleas had fell to deaf ears, then cable as a whole will most likely to cease to exist as we know it. 

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Comic Books

Comics are one of the most highly recognized pieces of American pop culture. From Superman to Batman, Wonder Woman to Jean Grey, the list of classic characters goes on and on. The first comic book ever published in the U.S. was Odadiah Oldbuck in 1842. Almost a century later, Major Malcom Wheeler-Nicholson establishes DC Comics, and five years afterwards, Marvel Comics was founded (at the time, it first began as Timely Comics) by Martin Goodman. 

 As the competitive rivals, Marvel and DC, continue to build their empires with fresh ideas and (mostly) unique characters, they decided to expand the worlds they created on media platforms: movies and television. However much to one’s surprise, both companies already lost that first milestone to United Artists as The Mark of Zorro (1920) became the first superhero film ever made. Like most, if not all superhero films, The Mark of Zorro was based off Johnston McCulley’s The Curse of Capistrano serialized in 1919 and later published under the film’s eponymous name in 1924. However, today, when one thinks of the word “superhero”, most likely the name Zorro won’t come to mind. Names like Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman (the three together are known as the Trinity) will. Despite not holding the first superhero film achievement under its belt, Marvel, however, did beat DC to the cinematic jump by releasing Captain America in 1944, while DC took home the gold for the smaller screens in 1952 through Adventures of Superman.  

With time going by faster and technology continuing to evolve, update, and improve itself, the comic companies kept producing more and more content based off their visual literary material they had already published. Shows like Teen Titans, Batman: The Animated Series, and Justice League captured the hearts of not only devoted fans of the original work, but also new audiences who aren't familiar with the comics and even managed to turn the heads of some critics (who are usually hard to please, especially when it comes to getting higher recognition like an Oscar). What made these shows so special was not only did they come out at the right time, but they possessed very unique qualities that is very hard to find in today’s televised content (especially in animation):

1. Captivating Story: A story that is interesting, powerful, and appeals to both children and adults, morals/lessons kids can draw from

2. Strong Character Development: Characters that not only look like us, but also go through the same challenges/obstacles as we do (ex. Wonder Woman being the feminism icon, Robin adding appeal to younger audiences to balance the more mature themes of Batman), making them human and relatable so audiences can connect with the characters. 

3. Good Writing: A well written script is the backbone of exemplary content. If the jokes fall flat, not cohesive, confusing or uninteresting story, odd pacing, or even continuity issues (referring to content’s timeline), then the content won’t last as long as the creator(s) have hoped, damaging their already established fanbase. 

Justice League/Justice League Unlimited (2001-2006)

Spider-Man (1994-1998) 

Young Justice (2010-Present)

As for movies, both popular publishers established a reputation and left an impression amongst fans and audiences that still sticks with them today. After successfully raking in billions at the box office through their Infinity Saga story arc (Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame), Marvel has left an overall positive impression. People can generally agree that Marvel knows what they’re doing with their materials and how to tell their stories on the silver screen. DC, however, left people feeling quite the opposite with flops like Suicide Squad and a seemingly endless debate on Batman v Superman. Despite these releases, Warner Bros., one of the major five film studios (now four since RKO no longer exists), who owns the entertainment rights to the DC characters, now understands how to make good comic book movies using their characters: stop trying to copy Marvel’s formula. After the successes of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Shazam, WB has gave fans and audiences hope as they have started regaining their trust in making better quality films. Now with Wonder Woman: 1984, Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and Black Adam scheduled to be released in the future, fans both old and new are left feeling curious, optimistic, and excited for DC's future that seems to be shining as bright as Green Lantern's light. 

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Shonen

Many people may be familiar with the following names: Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball Z. These listed names are part of the shonen sub genre. Shonen is one of the most popular sub genres of anime. This sub genre in particular contains high-action, often humorous plots that feature male protagonists and themes of martial arts, robots, sci-fi, sports, horror or mythological creatures.

The camaraderie between boys/men on sports teams, fighting squads, and the like are often stressed. Protagonists of such manga often feature an ongoing desire to better themselves and often face challenges to their abilities, skills and maturity, where self-perfection, austere self-discipline, sacrifice in the cause of duty and honorable service to society, community, family and friends are stressed. Anime expert Dorrie from YouTube channel Get in the Robot breaks down the origins of the Shonen sub genre below.

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Realism in Anime

Similarly to comics, realism also exists in anime. The reasons why these specific tropes exist and are commonly found in this genre is because they pay homage to Japan and its cultural ties. And with that being said, those ties are reflected in the content.

Hetalia, for instance, tells an often over-the-top allegory of political and historic events as well as more general cultural comparisons. Characters are personifications of countries, regions such as Hong Kong and micronations with little reference to other national personifications. Both positive and negative cultural stereotypes form part of each character’s personality. The character roster is massive and far from complete, but the main cast is primarily the countries which made up the Axis powers and Allies of World War II – Italy (North Italy in particular), (Western) Germany, Japan, United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China.

Note: The playlist below contains two versions of each episode (English and Japanese w/English subtitles). Click on the playlist icon on the top right corner of the video to select the version you wish to view.

***For the complete playlists for both videos, visit http://campuspress.yale.edu/thetheatertheory/realism-in-anime/ 

For anime fans who weren’t history buffs during their school, but gravitated more towards science, then the anime, Cells at Work, suits this audience perfectly. In addition to satisfying the typical anime criteria (moments of comedy and drama), this show in particular provides strong educational value about the human body and how it functions. Australia’s doctor, Dr. Hope, who has also broke down the medical scenes in the MCU, provides yet another in depth analysis and a doctor’s perspective on the show.

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Realism in Comics

People view comics from the most common angles, thinking of usually only the basic traits that could potentially draw new audiences in. Imaginative, creativity, unique story, well developed characters. The major trait that sometimes doesn’t get taken into consideration is realism. The fact that the characters are relatable in more ways than one is a major element in connecting with readers.

Matt Murdock, also known as Marvel’s infamous Daredevil, is a lawyer by day, vigilante by night. For those who are interested in crime dramas like CSI, and the comic book genre, then this crimson catholic crusader suits this specific mix perfectly. Below, an experienced lawyer breaks down the law scenes and their accuracies in Marvel-Netflix’s Daredevil (2015).

On the other hand, what we don’t always see or pay attention to in comics is the fact that the protagonist(s) break the law in order to serve justice. DC Comics’ Red Hood is the prime example. After dying a tragic death at the hands of Batman’s primary enemy, the Joker, he is revived back to life due via Lazarus Pit. Hellbent on getting revenge on the clown prince of crime, he now goes by the name as Red Hood. Rather than sticking to Batman’s no killing morals, he obeys his own and develops his own sense of what justice is, ending the lives of criminals with a bullet to a vital organ. Below in the next sets of videos, a lawyer keeps a broken law count of both the Batman and the Joker, and the hypocritical points of the Sokovia Accords that played a major role in Marvel’s The Avengers.

For those who are in the medical field, they will more likely gravitate towards Marvel’s Doctor Strange. Stephen Strange is a world-renowned surgeon who one day gets into an accident, leaving him with many injuries, especially on his hands. let alone being lucky enough to survive the incident. Later, he then met the ancient one and began his journey to recovery and mastery of the arcane arts to soon then become sorcerer supreme. However, Stephen isn’t the only person who needed a medic! Below, Australia’s own Dr. Hope analyzes the accuracies of the medical scenes in the Marvel Cinematic universe (MCU).

***Note: For the complete playlist, visit http://campuspress.yale.edu/thetheatertheory/realism-in-comics/ 

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Anime

Anime is one of the most highly recognized and popular forms of animation. What makes it so unique from other animation styles is the design. Bold hairdos, unique hair color that the average person doesn’t see everyday, and facial features that accentuate and highlight a character’s personality. If you’re a newcomer to this style of animation, you might wonder “Why do the characters look like that?”. The anime experts in the videos below break down the reasons for two significant features: hair and eyes.

As for the tropes in this genre of animation (i.e. heart eyes, over the top reactions) viewers might wonder “Why do these things typically happen?”. The anime experts in the next set of videos deconstruct the reasons for nosebleeds and time jumps/skips.

Not only does anime come with its own conventions, but also pay tribute and homage to its origins: the country of Japan. If viewers were to look closely at the anime they are watching, they can notice how incredibly detailed the food looks. In fact, it looks so good, it can even fool food aficionados and chefs (pro and amateur).

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The Magical Girl

As previously mentioned in the Genre Origins post, magical girl is one of the many sub genres of anime. Within this sub genre in particular, it has its own unique conventions: a love interest, cute outfits, female protagonists, magic weaponry and superpowers used to help other people (and sometimes for the protagonist’s gain), and an evil entity hellbent on stopping the protagonist(s) due to a backstory of his/her own. However, out of all of the tropes listed, the most iconic trait of this sub genre is the transformation sequence. Before you learn why transformations are a key element in this sub genre, the playlist below will break down and highlight the series in chronological order that paved the path to the most popular, iconic shows that people and new generations of anime fans grew to adore.

***Note: The closed caption feature is highly recommended for the this video below. For the complete video series, visit this post at http://campuspress.yale.edu/thetheatertheory/the-magical-girl/

As for the next video, another anime expert breaks down the reason for transformation sequences.

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Reboots, Remakes, and Reimaginings

One of the most common types of content being produced today are reboots, remakes, and reimaginings. These three terms sound awfully the same, doesn’t it? Well, to the average consumer, yes, but these terms in actuality they do not mean the same thing. Below are their distinct definitions:

Reboot: Take an existing series and start again keeping the same central theme, but ignoring the previous timeline (i.e. Men in Black International (2019), She-Ra & The Princesses of Power (2018) )

Reimagining: Recreate an existing property but with one (or more) major changes (i.e. Maleficent (2014) )

Remake: Recreate an older property with minor tweaks (Aladdin (2019), A Star is Born (2018), Halloween (2018), Pete’s Dragon (2016) )

Now that these terms have been clarified (as seen above), we, the consumers, can dive deeper into detail. As described in the previous post using the magical girl anime sub genre as an example, we, the consumers, surprisingly remain mostly okay with the content that lies within our comfort zones. If one is a Sailor Moon fan, then he/she will most likely fall in love with Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Pretty Cure, Kill La Kill, Glitter Force, or Card Captor Sakura. If one liked CSI, then that person will more than likely get hooked on Law & Order (and their spinoffs),  NCIS, True Detective, Mindhunters, Blue Bloods, or Dexter. Streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu will make these guesses by using their recommendations feature. When you watch a movie or complete your binging journey for a particular show, the streaming empires will do their best to keep streaming by recommending shows and movies similar to what the viewer just saw. A new menu will be customized to there viewer’s tastes “Because you watched (title of film/show)”. How do they do this? by using big data. Big Data is the ever-growing collection of your internet history, from every google search to the likes you give on Instagram and Facebook. Even if you clear your browser history, it is never truly gone because the data of your searches have already been collected by the time you are finished with that search and delete it. Social media and streaming sites use that data they collected from you to entice you into either purchasing an eye-catching product relating to the content you like or watch a show/movie that is similar in genre. With this information, streaming services are able to profit off of consumers by catering to their tastes. 

Remember that deja vu feeling previously mentioned in the introduction? Reboots and remakes are responsible for that. When Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man first displayed the web-slinging hero on the silver screen in 2002, true believers (a term coined by Stan Lee meaning another name for Marvel Comics fans) were thrilled with this new experience. Because of the film’s massive success, a trilogy blossomed. Years later, Peter Parker and his alter ego got rebooted under an altered name: The Amazing Spider-Man (2014). Rather than the goofy, geeky quirks of Tobey Maguire under the mask, Andrew Garfield was next to take it. Fans had mixed feelings about this, since the Raimi trilogy had already set the bar of expectations incredibly high. In the end, things weren't looking up or down for Garfield’s run. Overall, fans and general audiences can come to this same conclusion (or argue against it): Andrew Garfield was a better Peter Parker, but not the best Spider-Man. Shortly, in 2016, the wall crawler got rebooted once more. Now that Disney has made a deal with Sony to share the character (since Sony owns the entertainment rights to the character), the young hero is officially part of the mouse’s universe called the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and walking a different path compared to his predecessors who donned the suit. Today, with Tom Holland’s youth and charisma, he puts a unique twist on the interpretation of the web-slinger. 

Tobey Maguire           Andrew Garfield         Tom Holland

(2002)                        (2014)                          (2016)

In the PBS Ideas video below, one can get further understanding as to why reboots, remakes, and reimaginings are so common today (aside from profits). 

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Genre Origins

Originality begins with one idea/concept. Not just any idea, but one that no one else has thought of, one that has not been trademarked or patented, one that makes itself unique and distinguishable from the others. It takes an extensive amount of time to truly develop and polish this idea into a clear, concise vision. Each idea/concept has its own characteristics and those characteristics are the foundation of genre. Some of those characteristics also branch out to create sub genre.

For example, anime, a popular genre of animation, was first invented in 1917 Japan by “fathers” Ōten Shimokawa, Jun'ichi Kōuchi and Seitaro Kitayama. The source material for mainstream anime, called manga, first appeared in the 12th century. For the genre of anime, numerous amounts of sub genres have been born. In 1966, the magical girl genre was created through pioneer, Sally the Witch. The show’s first seventeen episodes were first shot in black and white, and color was later implemented, thus also crowning the young witch as the first colored anime.

Sally the Witch (1966)

Sally the Witch (1967, in color)

After Sally established the foundation of this sub genre, it wasn't until Naoko Takeuchi’s iconic soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon, made her debut and defined the magical girl sub genre in 1992. Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, and never running from a real fight, Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and their allies, join forces to exterminate the evil that threatens the Moon Kingdom, but not as their given civilian names, but as the sailor scouts. The group of girls magically transform into these other identities (like how Diana Prince twirls around three times to become Wonder Woman). With these given details, this soon became the successful formula other anime creators use to create their own magical girl anime. Because Takeuchi’s creation has set the bar very high for the genre for eons to follow, other anime creators essentially copy that formula and add their own ingredients to their concoctions because not only would they be avoiding copyright infringement, but also generate a lot of revenue and supporters.

90s version                  Manga version      Modern version

With that being said, this case has reappeared and bled into every genre of the entertainment industry, thus proving that most, if not all, of the content we consume today is not truly original, yet we, the consumers, remain content with that. A handful of us with keen eyes and ears can distinguish how one piece of content is highly similar or different (mostly similar) from another. The majority of audiences crave for something new, but now matter how many times they cry out for content diversity Hollywood chooses to ignore their pleas as the famous production hills are alive with the sound of money. If audiences wish to see more content diversity, they must refuse to support the copycat content.

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Content Factors

As one may/may not know, there are a lot of factors that affect the content that we consume. From the audience to the story, everything adds up, and if one factor is not being as effective for the particular content, then it’s up to the executives and the production team to make those needed corrections so the audience will have better, improved content.

Firstly, before a creator of a particular piece of content displays his/her work, that individual must have a clear, concise vision. What kind of story do you wish to tell? Is there any meaning to this piece of visual art? What kind of audience are you aiming to please? How old is that audience? These are the questions that the creator(s) must ask him/herself. 

Greg Weisman, known for the cult classic cartoon, Gargoyles, and hit DC animated show, Young Justice, knows what he’s doing. Cartoon Network, one of the three major children’s cable channels (the other two being Disney Channel and Nickelodeon), has a partnership with DC Comics, which explains why Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, and Beware the Batman aired there (this group of cartoons was under CN’s DC Nation, a Saturday morning block airing only DC related content). Seasons 1 and 2 of Young Justice did very well, but the show was cancelled (then later revived) for numerous speculated reasons:

1. Toy Sales: An odd way to do business, but one of Cartoon Network’s ways of making such heavy decisions is through toy sales. Since the show’s toy sales did not meet their demands, the network cut the cord.

Screenshot from https://io9.gizmodo.com/paul-dini-superhero-cartoon-execs-dont-want-largely-f-1483758317 

2. Audience: Another reason which was speculated rumor (and confirmed by Weisman to be false) was that too many girls were watching the show and that infuriated Cartoon Network. CN wanted Young Justice to be targeting boys, but it actually managed to hook young girls. Statistics show that there were more girls watching it than boys, and executives weren’t happy with that. This particular reason offended not only women, but also the fans who adored the show, since the comic book community is more inclusive and at least acknowledges the women who help make the comic book industry better (i.e. Gail Simone). 

Swiftly after the show’s cancellation, fans rallied and rioted for the show to return back to Cartoon Network, especially since the second season ended on a cliffhanger. As much as they petitioned, tweeted, and Instagrammed, it seemed like their efforts were going nowhere, However, it wasn’t until November of 2018 where Weissman proudly announced that the young heroes and heroines will return for season 3 that following year, but not on Cartoon Network, but on DC’s new streaming service, DC Universe. During this year’s San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), it was announced that the hit show would be getting a fourth season due to its massive success and support from the fans. 

As previously listed above, audience is one of the many factors that can determine if content will thrive or not. On average, most shows aim to last 10 seasons (with exceptions of Big Bang Theory, The Simpsons, Supernatural, and many more who’ve lasted longer), and they tend to shoot for the 18-49 audience age group. The reason for this particular age group is because they are coveted with televised ads and most of the stars of those shows (especially the leading actors) are within that particular age group. People want not only actors that look and can play the role, but also look like them. Represent them. Since Hollywood’s track record of representation amongst the stars and characters, in addition to taking characters from other forms of media (i.e. video games) into account, hasn’t been so great, but they are making this correction at a very slow rate. 

With that being said, once the creator(s) have completed the film production process, it is time for him/her to display his/her work to the audience. If it’s a show aimed to please children, then adults will more than likely not like it or watch it. If it’s a show or film made for adults, most grown-ups will prevent their kids from viewing such content. If it’s content that’s made to catch the eye of people of a specific demographic, but doesn’t meet their expectations, then both creative and production teams must be prepared to face the backlash. Teen Titans Go! for instance, is noted as one of the most hated television shows of all time. Prior to this show airing, it started as a rumor of the original 2003 Teen Titans show possibly returning for a sixth season, which the incredibly strong fanbase rallied and cried for, but their efforts and pleas fell deaf to Cartoon Network’s ears. Once the network announced that Teen Titans will return, but as a reboot and a different project entirely, fans of the original work were very displeased. After the flash animated show aired its pilot, fans lashed out at everyone who was part of the production team (with the exception being the actors since they voiced the characters in the original show) all over social media, disappointed in the network’s decision to go through with this reboot of a classic 2000s cartoon. Despite the heavy backlash, the reboot is a smash hit amongst children, who was their target audience all along. 

Story is another crucial element in what makes content so good. The formula to a story is relatively simple. A beginning, middle, and end. However, displaying that story leaves one with many choices pertaining to how to do so. Whether the person wants to tell that story within a certain amount of episodes, or within a specific amount of time in a movie, the options of storytelling are seemingly endless. For movies, they usually tend to follow the three act play formula. the beginning introduces the audience to the characters and lets them get to know the characters for a limited amount of time, then it moves on to introducing the protagonist’s conflict. At this point, the audiences knows what the protagonist is going through and knows what obstacles he/she is facing, leaving them wondering how is she/he going to overcome them. In the middle, or second act, the protagonist takes on that conflict, and for the final act, the conflict is now resolved, or so we think if the creator(s) decide to leave the film/tv season on a cliffhanger. Usually in television, the writing team, director(s) and creators have complete control over the story and the direction it takes, while in filmmaking, it can get quite tricky. 

Zack Snyder, for instance, known for directing Shaun of the Dead and the box office flop, Justice League, had a concise vision for his Justice League film. Unfortunately for him, Warner Bros. at that time, gave him little to no freedom to execute his vision the way he wanted to, thus infuriating comic book fans at the product they were given. Two years later after the film’s release, WB confirmed that the “Snyder Cut” (the original version of the Justice League film without the interference of the WB executives and their edits) does exists, fans and audiences demanded for the film studio to release it (again). Still to this day, the major film studio continues to ignore the complaints and demands from their audience. 

Unlike the unfortunate events that happened to Snyder, Ryan Coogler, director of last year’s smash and critically acclaimed hit, Black Panther, was fortunate to work on the Wakandan king’s story without any creative constraints from executives. With the trust already established with both fans and general audiences who are unfamiliar with the Marvel Comics properties, both audience groups can see their directors’ work shine because they allow them to experiment and get creative with the material they are given to work with. This has been proven to be true through the film’s multiple Oscar win back in February, including Ruth Carter’s 2019 Oscar win in Best Costume Design for the flick. 

Looking back at the televised side, there is more creative freedom available to be applied. In Justice league, Justice League Unlimited, Green Lantern: the animated series (shown above), and Spider-man: the animated series, the writers and creators have limitless ways of telling the stories fans read while growing up. In fact, in order to gain new potential readers, most newcomers to the comic book genre first learn about superheroes through other forms of media, which explains the reason why a fair portion of audiences are unfamiliar with the characters despite knowing the basics (who they are, appearance, origin story, etc.). 

All in all, as we may quote “the devil is in the details”, we must remain focused and keep our eyes sharp to look out for such quality, because if we don’t, the creators will miss out on crucial feedback that just might save their project from not only financial failure, but also embarrassment. 

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Cartoons

Cartoons are another major staple in American pop culture. From Mickey Mouse to Big Bird, the Muppets to She-Ra, everyone can easily recognize a character within three seconds flat. France’s very own Émile Cohl created Fantasmagorie (1908), which is recorded as the first cartoon (via hand drawn animation, later known as cell animation). However, fast forwarding to the present, the 21st century, we have undergone change. An evolution, if you will. Now, cell animation is more of a thing of the past. CGI and computers claim animation for dominance and with brutal force, starting with Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story, the first CGI animated film. Despite its lackluster marketing, the nostalgic film was an explosive hit for the mouse. Thanks to this movie, it managed to turn the heads of its competitors and made them realized that the times are changing. Like music, it was time for animation to transition and be digitized. Since the release of Toy Story, Disney’s competitors followed this trend like kids do with fads. Unlike mom jeans, bell bottoms, the gameboy, and the early gaming consoles, CG animation was here to stay and it continues to dominate the industry. Soon after Woody and Buzz made their debut, followed franchise rivals such as Shrek and Ice Age. 

In addition to this transition, animation faces another issue. For years, a stigma has been established, that animation is only for children and only they can appeal to that particular audience. However, that stigma is incredibly false. With content like Bojack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers, South Park, Futurama, and Sausage Party, they prove the critics who’ve established this stigma wrong. Animation is not limited to just one particular audience or age group. It’s one of the many methods of storytelling. Saberspark elaborates more on this in his video essays below. 

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Remake Your World

Piggybacking off of the reboots, remakes, and reimaginings post, Disney is an obvious culprit of committing this crime. Not only does this supplement the argument that Disney is running out of (original) ideas, but also committing to the lack of originality. As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but the mouse refuses to take that said advice, and we ponder the question: Why?

To provide one of the many answers to this massive pileup of remakes, Youtuber Saberspark elaborates on this massive controversial topic in his video below.