ARTWORK: Sian Williams
2021 WANDERVISION SPOILERS AHEAD Sabrina Tse The Blockbuster Machine that is Marvel Studios has dominated the superhero franchise in the film industry since the inception of the first Iron Man movie. With an army of 23 films and 12 TVshows, it’s hard to imagine the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expanding its collection even further. I will admit, over the past year I have really felt the superhero fatigue starting to kick in. I mean, more spin offs increases the risk of oversaturating the MCU with too-complex-to-keep-up-with crossovers, inconsistent character storylines and more loose ends. However, the latest release of WandaVision has banished previous doubts about Marvel’s ability to create something fresh and relevant. The miniseries, stylised in a classic 50’s sitcom format, gives a humorous and creative insight into the characterisation of Wanda Maximoff
(Elizabeth Olsen). She made her first appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron alongside her twin brother Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Her tragic origin story, telekinetic powers and cornerstone romance with Vision (Paul Bettany) has made her mutant status all the more alluring. Whilst the series has been praised for its boldness and emotional complexity, I was more impressed by the style and tone of the first half of the series. Having– mostly– kept up to date with the chronology of the MCU films, I’ve familiarised myself with the Stan Lee cameos and constant interjections of comic ease, the latter clearly being a backbone of American humour. With the MCU entering its Fifth Phase, Marvel has undoubtedly maintained a consistent and recognisable style with each new release. But ironically, I think it’s WandaVision’s divergence from the conventional Marvel formula that has earned its accolade and praise.
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