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Sunday Debate: My comic superhero or yours?
Two comic buffs, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor and Rohan Shrestha, do a show of strength in this Team DC vs Team Marvel face-off
“DC’s Batman is rooted in humanity”
By Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
I’m a DC fan because of Batman, which is vintage and iconic. DC movies, cartoons and comics are a lot darker than the Marvel World. I still watch episodes of the Batman animation show collection I have. Just the fact that Batman is someone born out of the justice system failing around him, isn’t blessed with superpowers and happens to be a wealthy man who uses that to his benefit, makes it rooted in humanity.
The writers taking his parents away paves the way to him operating on the fringes of society and moulds him into an answerable and responsible character. Superman comics have a lighter tone to them, even when it comes to romance.
The Christopher Nolan Batman series was exceptional though. It’s like Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018), which is based on the idea that someone unremarkable can make a difference. But Aquaman was difficult to watch.
I don’t understand the hype about the Marvel universe too. I think it’s a marketing strategy taking the space of independent films.
Directors should get a free hand when it comes to movie adaptations. Joker (Joaquin Phoenix) is a great example of that. It’s an art film in disguise, with a commentary on society, with themes that are relevant even today. What worked is that you got to know the character beyond the gimmicks and gadgets, which is much more fascinating.
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, 30, is an actor, who played Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. His last cameo in AK vs AK was much appreciated.
“Marvel’s characters are more relatable”
By Rohan Shrestha
Growing up, I was a DC fan because it was ahead of its time. I got hooked to Marvel when the movies started releasing. The Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) they’ve built is nothing like anything else before. My favourite is Guardians of The Galaxy because I love Chris Pratt and Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper). I love the humour!
DC got back in the game with Christopher Nolan’s Batman because of the way it was shot. But Justice League was bad. They tried to copy Robert Downey Jr’s (Iron Man) one-liners and it just didn’t have the same effect. Ben Affleck (as Batman) is just not a funny guy. When you look at Jason Momoa in Aquaman, you see Khal Drogo (Game of Thrones)! Henry Cavill was brilliant as Superman and then they recast Superman in back-to-back movies! That will never work!
The way the MCU has built the relatable characters is incredible. They hit it out of the park with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). Marvel got the casting right – you can’t think of Iron Man as just a character, it’ll always be Robert Downey Jr. Even their “side films” are brilliant.
Can you imagine getting such a high profile cast like that in Bollywood? Nope. Chris Evans was born to play Captain America, Mark Ruffalo looks and talks like the tortured Hulk. DC needs to pull up their socks. I mean, how can you screw up Wonder Woman, one of your best characters?
Rohan Shrestha, 35, is a well-known celebrity photographer, who has shot several magazine covers, including Kareena Kapoor and Sania Mirza for HT Brunch.
From HT Brunch, February 21, 2021
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