![]() ![]() In the MCU, even the traditionally working class Spider-Man (Tom Holland) has a billionaire patron in Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Films like Captain America: Civil War can be read as stories about superheroes fighting against efforts to hold them accountable to democratic norms. This is particularly true in an era where people are increasingly distrustful of institutions and wary of how power can be abused.Ĭomics critic Colin Smith has argued that the modern era of Marvel Comics has often positioned its superheroes as an upper class. Superheroes are supposed to represent an ideal, so there is a power in perverting that. There is something inherently unsettling and disturbing in seeing these heroic characters repurposed in a grotesque and horrific manner. Perhaps these zombified icons resonate in a particular way, both in the wider context of popular culture and the more specific context of these Marvel Studios projects.Īt its most basic level, the Marvel Zombies reinvent the superhero as a horror story. So, why does this particular concept linger? Why haven’t other novelty takes like Marvel Apes or Larval Earth or that universe where all the Avengers have beards caught on in this manner? Perhaps there is something particularly evocative in the concept of these monstrous superheroes. In a recent email newsletter, creator Mark Millar hinted at the possibility of “ a little live-action Marvel Zombies further down the line.” There is some suggestion that this is simply the beginning. The first art was teased in the Marvel Studios: Expanding the Universe special in November 2019. A zombified version of Captain America appeared hidden in the “W” of the title art revealed in July 2019. Their appearance was a major selling point for What If…?. David Fincher and Brad Pitt’s sequel to World War Z was canceled. Recent high-profile zombie films, like Zombieland: Double Tap or Peninsula, have tended to be sequels to movies released at the height of the craze. By the time that the Marvel Zombies made their MCU debut in What If…?, it seemed like the moment had passed. The years that followed saw an explosion in zombie films: Shaun of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Planet Terror, Dead Snow, Zombieland.Īs with most horror trends, the obsession with zombies gradually petered out. ![]() Released in 2002, Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later… is credited with starting “ a revolution” in zombie media. This was at a time when zombies were ubiquitous in popular culture. They made their first appearance in Ultimate Fantastic Four #21, published in July 2005. The Marvel Zombies are a sub-brand unto themselves, a strange but enduring intellectual property tucked away under the Marvel umbrella.Īt the same time, it is interesting that the Marvel Zombies have endured in popularity. After all, the concept began as a wry joke in Mark Millar and Greg Land’s Ultimate Fantastic Four and has since spun off into ( quite a few) spinoffs and miniseries, a prestige collection, several toy collections and even video game easter eggs. However, there is something fascinating in the lasting appeal of the Marvel Zombies as a brand. The concept of Marvel Zombies is intuitive, implied by the title, “What if your favorite superheroes were also zombies?” It’s a fairly easy-to-follow premise, up there with “ What if your favorite superheroes were also babies?” and “ What if your favorite superheroes were also apes?” People like superheroes people like zombies. Last week’s episode of What If…? introduced the Marvel Zombies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). To resurrect an undead comedy cliché: What is the deal with Marvel Zombies? ![]()
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