When I was a socially awkward comic nerd that couldn't get a date on a tombstone, I wished for a time when superheroes would be mainstream and finally receive the respect they deserved as American mythology. After I walked out of Thor: Love and Thunder, the old adage, "be careful what you wish for," sprang to mind. The dominance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become my version of a monkey's paw. Superheroes are finally mainstream, but they're campier and sillier than the days of Joel Schumacher and rubber nipples.
Obviously, the premise of superheroes demands that any live-action adaptation possess a decent amount of levity and suspension of disbelief. I can accept that. Turning the characters into jokes- and the same monotonous, self-referentially glib, pop-culture referencing joke at that- is where I draw the line.
Several talented creators toiled in darkness and poured their souls into superhero comics, hoping their contributions would finally be viewed as art. They endured countless jeers that belittled their livelihood and passion as "trash" and "kid stuff." These were visionary men and women with an unparalleled work ethics that forged the mythos spewing money machine that Disney gleefully defaces for cheap retweets and merch money. I'm not saying Thor, and characters of his ilk, can't be funny. However, giving Thor a tramp stamp in lieu of writing an actual joke is massively disrespectful to the scores of creators and fans who helped the character survive for the last sixty years.
In the video linked above, the YouTuber Matt Draper talks about Walt Simonson's legendary Thor run. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. Let's remember Thor as he was before he became a worthless joke.
