Yeah, I only was able to enjoy MCU when I let go of expectations I had based on the comics. All 17 yrs of it has been far-afield from the comics in so many ways in order to be the "cinematic universe", and only it gets exacerbated in these TV series "spinoffs".
I agree with Nick's points here regarding the rise of the antihero (and although the point of the post was specifically not to delve into the antihero argument, it *really is* the issue). The MCU head-honchos (Feige and his team) know what will sell, and that is their job: Box office sales and Disney+ subscriptions. As of late, the antihero has become what audiences crave because that is the state of all things surrounding our day-to-day. Traditional myth-making and fantasy doesn't sell these days.
It is interesting that we're in this cultural shift in terms of what kind of "heroes" we want. I personally like the exploration of the anti-hero - especially in a world where those who were previously portrayed as heroes are actually bad guys (corrupt politicians, CEOs, clergy, military etc.). However, unlike someone like Deadpool, whose journey we get to see: former military who's been abandoned by the system, generally poor, and seeks alternative assistance after he can't get the healthcare he needs to survive, the MCU Agatha is not a hero in any sense of the word. She's an enjoyable character who has gone through some serious traumatic experiences, but her evil is eventually just given as neutral at best. Agatha is not like Deadpool or even a Wanda Maximoff. Her power is already unmatched and she reflects the characteristics of a Trump or a Musk rather than a working class anti-hero, who is trying to fight for a living in the absurdity of our current age. That's where my thoughts take me pertaining to Agatha and pop culture's wrestling with anti-heroes in general
Agatha Harkness is taken way out of context in the MCU. In the comic books she first appears as Franklin Richard's nanny. The son of Reed Richards Susan Storm Richards of The Fantastic Four. Franklin is left with Agatha when the Four go into space or other dimensions. They know she has the power to protect him. In later years she becomes a mentor to Wanda Maximoff. I don't understand this incarnation of the character. It is a bastardization of the intent of the original creators. To put it simply I love the comic book Agatha. I do not like the MCU version.
That is a really different version of the character. I’m only familiar with the MCU version, which doesn’t seem to have the same qualities or nuance as the Agatha Harkness you described. It sounds like I have some reading to do!
Yeah, I only was able to enjoy MCU when I let go of expectations I had based on the comics. All 17 yrs of it has been far-afield from the comics in so many ways in order to be the "cinematic universe", and only it gets exacerbated in these TV series "spinoffs".
I agree with Nick's points here regarding the rise of the antihero (and although the point of the post was specifically not to delve into the antihero argument, it *really is* the issue). The MCU head-honchos (Feige and his team) know what will sell, and that is their job: Box office sales and Disney+ subscriptions. As of late, the antihero has become what audiences crave because that is the state of all things surrounding our day-to-day. Traditional myth-making and fantasy doesn't sell these days.
It is interesting that we're in this cultural shift in terms of what kind of "heroes" we want. I personally like the exploration of the anti-hero - especially in a world where those who were previously portrayed as heroes are actually bad guys (corrupt politicians, CEOs, clergy, military etc.). However, unlike someone like Deadpool, whose journey we get to see: former military who's been abandoned by the system, generally poor, and seeks alternative assistance after he can't get the healthcare he needs to survive, the MCU Agatha is not a hero in any sense of the word. She's an enjoyable character who has gone through some serious traumatic experiences, but her evil is eventually just given as neutral at best. Agatha is not like Deadpool or even a Wanda Maximoff. Her power is already unmatched and she reflects the characteristics of a Trump or a Musk rather than a working class anti-hero, who is trying to fight for a living in the absurdity of our current age. That's where my thoughts take me pertaining to Agatha and pop culture's wrestling with anti-heroes in general
Agatha Harkness is taken way out of context in the MCU. In the comic books she first appears as Franklin Richard's nanny. The son of Reed Richards Susan Storm Richards of The Fantastic Four. Franklin is left with Agatha when the Four go into space or other dimensions. They know she has the power to protect him. In later years she becomes a mentor to Wanda Maximoff. I don't understand this incarnation of the character. It is a bastardization of the intent of the original creators. To put it simply I love the comic book Agatha. I do not like the MCU version.
That is a really different version of the character. I’m only familiar with the MCU version, which doesn’t seem to have the same qualities or nuance as the Agatha Harkness you described. It sounds like I have some reading to do!