Since the debut of Iron Man (2008) Marvel Studios has become one of the biggest powerhouses in Hollywood. In over 10 years, the studio has managed to build an entire world using the characters from the comics. Though not every film has been as successful as the last one, the studio has managed to constantly wow audiences across the globe. Likewise, with explosive action, strong protagonists, and a nice dose of nostalgia, viewers can always come back to the next film and feel right at home within the universe.
For as good as the movies can be though, they are almost always inspired by source material from the comic books. Sometimes, doing things differently has actually worked in the studio’s favor, while other times, it hasn’t. Looking at some of the bigger examples, here is our list of 5 things the MCU did better than the comics, and 5 things it has done worse.
Characterization (Better)
While characters like Thor, Iron Man and Black Panther are now household names, they weren’t always like that, especially only a decade ago. One thing that Marvel Studios manages to do quite well is introduce audiences to a lesser-known character, and still make them accessible and relatable.
In regards to the Guardians of the Galaxy especially, even some generally familiar Marvel fans hadn’t heard of the team. Nowadays though, the Guardians are easily one of the Studio’s most successful franchises. While the comics deserve the credit for creating these characters in the first place, the films have definitely done a lot to make them more popular.
Villains (Worse)
For as much as people like the MCU, one common complaint that fans have is in the villains. For as great as their on-screen heroes are, Marvel Studios has struggled to get some truly compelling villains in the mix. Granted, there are a few exceptions like Loki, Thanos, Killmonger and Vulture, but there have also been some truly disappointing villains.
While characters like Ultron, Mandarin, and Baron Zemo are some of the biggest villains in the comics, their live-action depictions haven’t really been the greatest. With recent news, it seems as though some of these villains will be getting a second chance soon. For the time being, however, the comics have far more compelling foes than the films.
Appearance (Better)
Comics have a tendency to be full of bright colors and (sometimes silly) costumes. Despite that, no matter how ridiculous a character may look on the page, the MCU has found a way to make them look good on screen.
Looking specifically at Vulture from Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), the costume designers managed to find a way to tweak Toomes’ costume to not only have some classic elements from the comics, but actually look modern and threatening at the same time. Likewise, the same can be said for characters like Mysterio or even Ant-Man. Somehow, no matter how silly a character has looked in the books, Marvel Studios has found a way to make them appear far more serious.
Time Travel (Worse)
When Avengers: Endgame (2019) introduced the concept of time travel into the MCU, they managed to do it in a way that actually made a bit of sense. However, they also opened up several plot holes for the MCU going forward, and even over-explained a concept that most audiences are already familiar with.
While the concept of time travel works well within the world of the film, the comics have introduced many other different ways to do it that are arguably far better. Between time-travelling powers, time machines, magic or whatever else, the comics have proposed a much simpler explanation that the movies likely could have benefited from.
World-Building (Better)
While the MCU isn’t without its inconsistencies or plot holes, the overall universe makes much more sense than it does in the comics. Thanks to a much more streamlined timeline, the movies have managed to organize the universe in a way that is very easy for non-comic fans to follow.
Even if something is set in the past or future, audiences are typically able to follow along without getting lost. In the comics though, between all the crossovers and events, even long-time readers can get confused about the timeline. Though the comics have the advantage of being able to tell a more independent story, the movies have the advantage of being a bit less confusing to a wider audience.
Cosmic Events (Worse)
For the time being, Marvel has done well with the cosmic side of the cinematic universe. However, with properties like Thor and The Guardians of The Galaxy being really the only two franchises to explore that side, the comics definitely have a far greater advantage.
Though the MCU is likely to get there eventually, Marvel Comics has an incredibly vast cosmic stage that continues to develop over time. With so many other great characters to incorporate, Marvel Studios would be wise to explore even more of that pocket of the universe.
Thanos (Better)
Despite Marvel’s reputation for having weaker villains, they truly outdid themselves with their version of Thanos. As the main villain of the Infinity Saga, Thanos succeeded in being not only threatening, but relatable as well.
Furthermore, though the on screen villain had a similar backstory to his comic book counterpart, the MCU’s version of Thanos is arguably the better of the two. While the Mad Titan is easily one of the deadliest villains Marvel comics has yet to introduce, he knows he is the villain in the comics. Though this viewpoint can be disputed, seeing thanos view himself as the good guy in the movies arguably makes him a much better villain than he is in the comics.
Skrulls (Worse)
At the moment, the direction that the films are taking the Skrulls in is unclear. In the comics, the Skrulls are some of the worst villains the Marvel Universe has ever seen. Their constant conflict with the Kree has led to all sorts of altercations on Earth, most notably the Secret Invasion event.
Because of their status in the comics, fans were a bit surprised to see them as the good guys in movies like Captain Marvel (2019). Granted, after movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), it is very apparent that the Skrulls are going to play a much larger role in the future. Though they have the time to make the Skrulls into the great villains they are, it is still something the comics have done better.
Consistency (Better)
While not every Marvel movie has received great praise, the studio is known for being relatively consistent in quality. Though not every film is as good as the last, they have managed to find a great balance among most of them, leading to generally pleased audiences everywhere.
While the comics are arguably better than the films themselves, there have definitely been some comics that are far worse than even the worst Marvel movie. In general, comic quality is much more fluid, especially with writers constantly rotating titles and relaunches almost every year. Though there are many comics out there that are far better than the actual films, the MCU still deserves recognition for maintaining its overall quality.
Independence (Worse)
As mentioned previously, the MCU has received a lot of high praise for its general consistency in the quality of its films. However, with a big studio like Disney at the helm and an overall plan constantly in the works, there is much less room for creative freedoms. The comics, on the other hand, have generally have the ability to do whatever the creators want with the characters.
For better or worse, this has allowed for a lot of interesting character exploration and growth. While some creative have easily strayed too far from the norm at times, others have managed to use their creative freedoms to elevate characters to whole new heights. Though it is clear that Directors in the MCU still have a lot of creative control, the comic writers definitely have far more.