Earlier this week, we finally got a glimpse of the Flash costume that will be used in the currently filming CW pilot for The Flash. I’ll admit to being excited, mainly because it didn’t disappoint. It looks like the iconic costume, yet there’s a real world-ness to it. It works for me.
I’ve been standoffish about The Flash pilot for a few reasons. Firstly I’m old enough to remember the first time The Flash was adapted into a primetime television show. I’m not saying that it was disappointing, but it was relatively short-lived. I was saddened when it got the axe.
Secondly, I can recall a couple of other JLA members who got pilots; Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Wonder Woman was a) for a Big Three network b) had a big time producer working on it and c) had the prestige of being part of DC’s Trinity and it still didn’t make it past the pilot stage. Of course part of that was because of the backlash it got when images of Wonder Woman’s costume were released.
(Aquaman’s pilot, Mercy Reef, was developed for CW precursor The WB just before it’s merger with UPN to create the WB. It came on the heels of the success of Smallville, but sadly didn’t make it to series.)
But the last reason for my standoffishness is that I don’t watch Arrow.
I’ve watched maybe a couple of episodes of Arrow, but I’ve certainly, begrudgingly, seen more episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I can’t say that I’ve genuinely tried to watch Arrow, but I have heard genuinely good things about the show both from my best friend and from Starman Matt. Still, I can’t bring myself to track it down and watch it, despite the first season being on Netflix.
Why not?
Because like most comic fans, I have an issue with change. I don’t like when Hollywood adapts comic books that I love. I watched half of Smallville’s entire run and I was constantly explaining to my roommate how so-and-so’s powers don’t work like that or how that wasn’t character A’s secret identity or origin. For me, Smallville was as frustrating as it was enjoyable.
Every week I get a text from my best friend that read like this “Bronze Tiger looks dope” or “Deadshot slayed me.” But rather than being excited to see characters I’m familiar with actually living and breathing on the screen – including the build to the Suicide Squad and Deathstroke’s presecence in Season 2 of Arrow – all I can think about is how they’re probably messed up or out of character.
So that’s why, on a very basic level, I can understand when people complain about Michael B. Jordan being cast as Johnny Storm in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. I get being afraid that Hollywood is going to mess up a character that you cherish. It’s ok to have expectations.
What’s not ok is to be ignorant about it.
I’ve got a weekly column here about comics, but I don’t think I’ve said one bad thing about Arrow or even Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m a comic fan and, while they may not be my cup of tea, I know that they have their fans. Plus, the more successful those shows are the more likely we’ll have other comic properties on tv.
Most of the attacks on Michael B. Jordan’s casting is very reminiscent of how Firestorm fans reacted when Jason Rusch took on that identity; hate masquerading as loyalty to the character. Obviously it’s troubling.
But it appears to be par for the course. Well, I’m going to do my part by actually getting my hopes up for The Flash.
Anyway, it’s Wednesday; go out and get some fresh new comics from your local comic book shop.
