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Don't Oversaturate the Market

In Summer 2013, people will finally have their long-awaited Man of Steel. If it's received well, critically or financially, that leaves two full years (at least) until the rumored arrival of Justice League – plenty of time to build anticipation and buzz. Give Marvel's shared universe their space, and see if audiences begin to tire of their solo/team-up/solo universe, since the hype can’t feasibly continue to grow.

Captain America 2, Thor 2, Iron Man 3, Guardians of the Galaxy, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show will also overlap and interconnect with enemies and powers much less grounded than those seen thus far. With a vastly different array of unproven talent and oddball picks for directors, even Marvel is willing to accept that all their risks won’t lead to flawless successes. And come summer 2015, casual Marvel fans may be required to see over a dozen films just to follow the larger plot.

By contrast, that same summer could see a Justice League movie that hasn't been rushed, featuring the most recognizable superheroes in the world: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash - take your pick. And best yet, all set within a single story that requires absolutely no homework or lead-ins to understand and appreciate.

Justice League Team Heroes Fan Art

Some have immediately claimed that DC's plot of releasing a single Justice League movie three years from now is a "cash grab," and nothing else. But it can be seen as just as much a move to distinguish themselves from Marvel, and avoid the churn that is already forming with their properties. Marvel already has plans to release five films by the time that DC will have potentially released two. Obviously, then, DC isn't looking to bring in fast cash. But they may be looking to launch a shared universe with the same sense of cohesion that it took Marvel half a dozen films to realize is the best approach.

Superman has his lead-in with Man of Steel, Green Lantern has been brought to the public’s attention, for better or worse (and even if Thor had bombed, Marvel would have kept to their Avengers plan). Batman is a household name. That leaves Wonder Woman and the Flash - both characters best known to the public by name alone, making them fitting as support characters (to start).

There's also no real reason to think an early team-up film is somewhow more likely to fail, assuming the script is solid - especially if DC is committed to taking almost three years to complete it. Marvel was required to prove their individual heroes to the public, and succeeded in building excitement for a team-up. We won't claim that the marketing draw of any Superman/Batman team-up is automatically as high, but it's damn close.

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Batman vs Captain America Dc vs Marvel

Imitation Doesn't Automatically Equal Success

Simply giving the public more of Marvel’s formula isn’t a wise move from any standpoint, artistically or financially. For all we know, fans may have a mixed reaction to the injection of the Cosmic side of Marvel's coming Phases, and Guardians of the Galaxy may be too strange to find mainstream success. There's no guarantee that 'up' is the only way to go, especially if Joss Whedon's future with Marvel comes into question. Come Avengers 2, feelings on the universe Marvel built could be quite different than they are now.

Then again, the Marvel Phase Two films could all be spectacular. But it’s a bit foolish to think that the cultural significance placed into the Superman logo or Batman’s cowl don't have an appeal all their own. Not to mention that fans will have spent two years since Man of Steel without any of DC’s iconic characters by the time the Justice League film rolls around - meaning rabid fans may only be rabid-er.

The Avengers Full Team Shot

Again, it's the quality of writing and story that fans rely on to know where characters come from, not entire two-hour features. Would a newcomer to The Avengers know the canonical details of Bruce Banner's backstory? Thor's? To claim that extended backstory and familiarity is essential in making an ensemble film resonate with an audience is a complete fallacy.

That logic implies that the storytelling and satisfaction of a sequel or threequel is automatically more promising than a single film, whereas the opposite is usually proven to be true. Apply the added pressure of proving why these characters matter immediately - not with an entire film's worth of plotting - and they'll have no choice but to define themselves by the differences and similarities to their surrounding heroes.

Forgive us for our optimism, but DC following the exact same formula they always have with comics makes sense. Use the most iconic characters - the ones kids know before they can speak - to bring in fans, and introduce them to new characters they would never have sought out otherwise. Find what works, what doesn't, and refuse to delay the group adventure fans have begged for since the early days of superhero blockbusters.

If the alternative is introducing every single major player via two-hour films over the next three years... we'll stick with the Justice League.

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Batman vs Superman Movie Fight

Conclusion

We'd love to hear from you on what chances DC stands, and whether doing things differently is such a crime. When all is said and done, comic book fans will have almost a dozen superheroes to enjoy on the big screen, so let's all stay positive.

Image Credits: DeviantArt, Marcio Takara

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