Welcome again to We Have Always Live the Kraken, a pop culture blog transmitted directly to you from the belly of the beast. Here in the Notes we’ll show you this month’s posting schedule, but first here are some thoughts.
Now that we have gotten through the speed bump known as November, it is time to get to what everyone actually cares about– December and all the holidays it brings. It is a time for giving, and giving, and more giving, as well as when Oscar season really takes off… but I am not going to talk about any of that.
Instead, I am going to talk about the sad disintegration of the Marvel Netflix universe. It all started with the cancelling of Iron Fist, which let’s face it, wasn’t even that sad. In fact, it freed up the characters to possibly be in a much better show by having Danny Rand and friends head over to Luke Cage… and then Luke Cage was cancelled. This was sudden–so sudden that apparently half the scripts for Season 3 had been written already. Still though, maybe this meant Netflix just realized it was time for Heroes for Hire, which would be something truly great! But no, it soon became clear that this would not be the case. This was a blow to be sure, but Daredevil Season 3 came, and was highly regarded, and things looked like they would be okay… you see where I am going with this… Daredevil has also now been cancelled.
The end of an era is fast approaching…
Now there are two Netflix Marvel shows left, Jessica Jones and Punisher, and let’s be honest, very likely as soon as their next seasons end, both of them will also be cancelled, and with that, the business relationship between Marvel and Netflix will be over, just in time for Disney to start their new streaming service next year. Who is to blame for this? The obvious answer is Disney, because why on earth would the House of Mouse want a competitor to have access to its content? But at the same time, Netflix is clearly done with this arrangement as well. Whether because of the huge costs for these shows that the streaming giant does not wholly own, or because they were tired of dealing with the demands of Marvel and Disney, Netflix seems to be running away from these shows as fast as possible. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is here, because the problem is that as these shows disappear, we are losing a whole cadre of superhero shows that had a unique flair and style, and a lot of grit.
Sure, we may still get some sort of Daredevil show in the future from Marvel proper, but it will almost assuredly be less dark, and put under the same shiny filter as the rest of the Kevin Feige Cinematic Universe. I am not even really referring to how light or dark the story content is–I’m talking about the fact that every Marvel movie save Thor: Ragnorak and the two Guardians of the Galaxy films look the same, with the same predictable narrative structures. That’s what made the Marvel Netflix shows so fascinating. Unlike the MCU, they had a texture to them that was vibrant and rare, and soon that will be gone. I guess I could rant about how this was all an inevitable consequence of Disney’s gradual cultural takeover, but I’ll leave that for another day. For now, let’s all just reflect upon what was given to us with the Netflix and Marvel relationship, and enjoy them while we can, because soon they will be gone, and probably nothing like them will exist again for quite some time.
From the depths of the Kraken, here is what we are bringing you this month.
David returns with How Haven’t You Seen That!? What work will he write about? You’ll have to wait and see!
The LitK makes a limited engagement comeback. Only 100 shows on 100 nights will be–what? One show? Oh, well, the listeners will have to tune in for that one! The gang are talking the Best Of 2018 in pop culture, so keep an ear out for that.
Kyu dreams a little dream of Sony–and makes a list of the games he would have included in the PS Classic mini console.
Keskel isn’t just back, he’s back to back, and he’s here to talk about the current state of anime streaming as well as his no doubt gif-filled list of the best, worst, and most must-watch animes from 2018.
Catch of the Week Month:
Each and every week the residents here in the Kraken will offer one recommendation for the week that we think you all would enjoy. It might be a movie. It might be a book. Who knows? This is your… Catch of the Week Month.
David: Skottie Young tends to be known for his artwork, especially on Marvel comics, such as these or this or my favorite, this. But he’s also a pretty damn good writer, and this past month he offered up his latest comic, Middlewest. Young is an inventive and creative force, and he uses that to tell a magical tale of exploration and self-discovery in the Midwest. This comic is immersed in magical realism, and could really turn into something special, so get started from the very beginning so you can follow along with this comic as more issues are released in the coming months.
Kyu: I don’t often watch slice of life movies, or Japanese animated films, or family movies about small children, but that didn’t stop me from liking Mirai, the new film from Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children). It’s a sweet, low-key movie about a very young boy, Kun, who has to gain a new understanding of his family and his role in it when a new baby sister comes home. The film is engrossing even when it’s just about the wonderfully animated hijinks of the family trying to adjust to their new circumstances, but it really soars in the magical realism segments, where Kun learns lessons in what may be childish flights of fancy or may be something more. Poignant, sweet, funny, and moving, Mirai takes you on a keenly-observed emotional journey at the first stages of growing up. Highly recommended.
That’s it for this month’s notes. During this holiday season, do be aware that we will be experiencing quantum phasing storms on an irregular basis. Make sure to heed any storm warnings that are issued, lest you find yourself suddenly in the core of a faraway sun.