It’s been 85 years since the start of Marvel Comics, and theMCUis still putting Stan Lee’s narrative goal at the forefront. Founded in 1939 as Timely Comics, the publisher rose to fame with their superhero titles in the ‘60s created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko and rebranded to Marvel Comics. The success of the comics led to the creation of Marvel Studios in the ‘90s so that Marvel could adapt their stories to film and TV. Marvel has greatly evolved over the years, but the brand is still staying true to Lee’s number one goal.
In honor of Marvel’s 85th anniversary, theMarvel Entertainment YouTube channelreleased a celebratory video featuring a highlight reel of their success. From comic panels to footage from theupcoming MCU releases, the video shows how much Marvel has grown. Towards the end of the tribute, Lee can be heard explaining his narrative goal for the brand, which was “to do stories that the characters have human qualities [that] anybody can relate to.” Although Lee passed in 2018, his words still ring true in every project thatthe MCU timelinehas produced since.
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The MCU Has Always Lived Up To Stan Lee’s Goal For His Superhero Characters
This Goal Stays Consistent Despite Some Criticism
The MCU has undoubtedly gone through a rough patch in the past few years, but despite criticisms, the studio has always stayed true to Lee’s goal for his superhero characters. What keeps fans coming back to the MCU, despite its failures, is the franchise’s intriguing and humanized characters. Since the inception of the MCU withIron Manin 2008, every lead character has had human qualities that audiences can relate to, even if the character is an Asgardian god or a genetically modified superhuman.
Some MCU films or shows can get lost in their own plot, especially with so many elements going on. What anchors the projects is always the characters. Audiences know that these characters are unlike them, yet they can still relate to them because of their human qualities and emotions. Whether it’s when Tony Stark experiences PTSD or when Peter Parker feels grief,their superhuman abilities are put aside and the audience empathizes with them. The MCU’s strength has been getting audiences to relate to their characters despite being in completely different worlds.
Stan Lee’s Story Goal Is A Big Part Of What Makes The MCU Work
The MCU Is More Than Flashy Action
Superhero media hooks audiences with flashy fight sequences and dramatic conflicts, butthe relatability of the story is what turns the audience into fans. Lee’s story goal to include human traits in every character is a big part of what makes the MCU work. Otherwise, the franchise would be action movies that require no emotional investment from the viewer. The biggest MCU stories all have some kind of leading figure that audiences can relate to at their core, such as Natasha’s sense of family inBlack Widowor Thor’s pressure to live up to expectations in theThorfranchise.
It’s no secret that the MCU has struggled during the Multiverse Saga as it’s a big era of change for fans who have been watching since Phase 1. With all ofthe original six Avengerseither dead, inactive, or taking a backseat, it’s been hard for some fans to adapt to the new generation of heroes. Although the criticisms of the new MCU heroes have been that they lack compelling stories or that the pacing doesn’t feel right, it can’t be denied that the characters have always had human qualities that evoke a level of relatability.
The MCU’s Future Makes Relatable Characters All The More Important
Bigger Things Are On The Horizon For The MCU
It’ll be more important than ever for the MCU to stay true to Lee’s narrative goal for Marvel going into the future of the franchise. The culmination of the Multiverse Saga inAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Warspromises to feature the biggest battle that the MCU has ever had, and the world has been getting bigger in preparation.Characters with human qualities will be needed to ground the Multiverse Sagaand anchor the stories when they all involve an elaborate concept like multiversal travel.
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Similarly, new powerful characters like Sentry and Cyclops are on the horizon for the MCU, and they’ll need to have some way for audiences to understand and relate to them. In order to make these extremely powerful individuals not feel too larger than life and out of reach, the studio will have to find a way to ground them with human qualities and emotions. Considering that theMCUhas been able to keep Stan Lee’s original narrative goal alive for 85 years already, there’s no reason for them to stop now.
