The MCU Is Better Than The Comics For One Big Reason – Looper

Throw an Infinity Stone in any direction, and the likelihood of hitting a character with a solid story arc in the MCU is pretty high. From guilt-riddled playboy philanthropists to Norse god outcasts, numerous heroes and villains have gone on incredible journeys. The life-altering passage of time, mixed with love, pain, and traumas, has transformed all of the fan-favorites from the people we were initially introduced to. Granted, there have been some regrettable moments with some characters (Nat and Bruce’s romance, Drax being pretty chill about avenging his family, and so on). Still, for the most part, significant events have signficantly changed the characters that they occur to, in a way that is satisfying for viewers and brings us closer to them. Essentially, when it comes to character arcs, every movie really does matter.

That’s what sets the MCU apart from the comics — and for the better. Struggles, successes, progressions, and pains stick with its heroes, unlike the source material. 

Face it, that’s the problem with the comics, and we all know it: on the page, you’re better off just picking a run you like and ignoring the ones you don’t. In the comics, monumental, life-altering events do make for good story arcs, but the impact of these events are forgotten within months, or whenever editorial gets antsy and reboots the character back to status quo. As a result, comics feature great journeys, but these journeys don’t truly matter — and rarely last. This is profoundly less interesting for readers, because these moments — good or bad — should stick, including when a hero dies in action.