Marvel's What If...? Trailer + discussion when it comes out I suppose

[Bob_McMillan]

Is it just me or is the lipsyncing incredibly bad? Tony and Thor's were especially noticeable.

Killmonger with Tony is such a random what if. I wonder if Tony will be a corporate asshole in this one and try to exploit Wakanda. Thank God they're calling Peggy Captain Carter and not Captain Britain. Beyond that, looks pretty good. The action scenes look much better than when the characters are just standing around, which I guess is par for the course in 3D animation.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

What if we told different versions of the stories we didn't think were worth making in the first place because they bank on the novelty of switching established plot point around?

 

[SilentPony]

The only interesting thing is that it looks like all the stories are linked, and its prime universe Dr. Strange that seems to be sorting them out.
So I guess Loki causes the multiverse, What If...is the multiverse, and leads directly into Dr. Strange 2.
Also people are happy because its Chadwick Boseman's final role, and honestly I thought they used another VA for Tchala. It sounds nothing like him.

 

[laggyteabag]

Its interesting.

Alternate reality stories of "what if character A did X instead of Y" have always great for theory crafting, and this one looks like it is going to be going in some rather interesting directions.

I doubt that it is going to be particularly deep, though - and I don't mean that in a "bring a tear to my eye" kinda way. From what I can gather, this is going to be an anthology of unrelated stories, and episodes are likely going to be between 30m - 1h, so I can't imagine that they will do much more than just the surface level of whatever alternate reality they are showing.

I am happy that Marvel is at least trying to experiment, though.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Gotham by Gaslight was one of the best DC films in a while, but this is Marvel, so...wev.

 

[Hawki]

"Thank God they're calling Peggy Captain Carter and not Captain Britain."

Um, why? I raised an eyebrow there.

 

[gorfias]

I'm looking forward to it. I read some of the first way back in the day and it was a ton of fun. The art direction seems to be some fresh air in this experience too.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

"Thank God they're calling Peggy Captain Carter and not Captain Britain."

Um, why? I raised an eyebrow there.

Nothing really, just doesn't sound so catchy. Also Captain Britain is his own character, not that I particularly care.

 

[SilentPony]

Marvel has always outclassed DC with the live action movies, but no one can touch DC animated movies, and Marvel is foolish for trying.
And even then we all know this is a limited release Multiverse series that if the trailer is accurate, Dr. Strange spends the series closing the various alternative worlds in time for Dr. Strange 2.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Marvel has always outclassed DC with the live action movies, but no one can touch DC animated movies

Including DC themselves lol

Yeah, been a long time since Marvel actually tried to do anything good in the animation department. But honestly all I expect from this series is weird and goofy shit, not necessarily good stories and characters. That said, man I would like them to actually try again with 2D animated stuff.

 

[BrawlMan]

Including DC themselves lol

Yeah, been a long time since Marvel actually tried to do anything good in the animation department. But honestly all I expect from this series is weird and goofy shit, not necessarily good stories and characters. That said, man I would like them to actually try again with 2D animated stuff.

Same, but I am not counting them out. This show has peaked my interests. Looks like I will have to keep waiting.

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[OblongYellow]

I'm looking forward to it. I read some of the first way back in the day and it was a ton of fun. The art direction seems to be some fresh air in this experience too.

Yeah! Super looking forward to this! Seems pretty awesome

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Wow. That first episode was so bad I'm kind of in shock. Apparently, the answer to "What if Peggy got the serum instead?" is "boring, poorly written bullshit".

It was essentially CA: The First Avenger dug up from the grave by high school level writers but condensed into 30 minutes. That means all the trademark Marvel banter is not only recycled, but being spouted literally every other second. I found it insufferable, especially when the voice acting isn't exactly top notch. The animation is competent technically, but feels soul-less and rubbery. Oh, and they jusy had to introduce a brand new character whose only role is to be sexist to Peggy and eventually get totally owned by girl power.

I'm really hoping things like the zombie one and Tchalla Starlord one will be more interesting, because this was just a waste of everyone's time. If you're really, really a fan of Peggy Carter for some reason, maybe you'll get a kick out of this. But for me, it feels like the MCU is continuing its downward trend this year.

 

[BrawlMan]

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[Piscian]

MEH. I think this episode is somewhat endemic of why growing up I was never a fan of "what.. if?". By and large the episode wasn't all that different from the books. It was always sort of cheap cookie cutter freaky friday stories which changes of a few things, but never explores the lasting changes. Like Daredevil died so Electra is daredevil /fin.

I've always been more of a DC Elseworlds fan where they'd drastically change things like Superman: Red Sun or Kingdom Come.

Marvel eventually caught on and did stuff like 2099, Age Of Apocalypse, Old Man logan and house of M which, even when bad, at least explore vastly different worlds.

When this episode ended my first thought was "ok so what about the good stuff? How do the angers form? What about Thanos?".

If it were me I'd fuck fans whole world up by having her arrive in the future and showing that this whole time she was in a Marvel Earth-1610 variant and Loki and the united communist coalition had defeated America while she was gone or the Chitauri had won and killed Hulk etc. Something actually crazy different, like she comes back and Wolverine is Nick Fury in hiding and Magnetos brotherhood of mutants has taken over the world. Skip all the known bullshit from First Avenger.

PUT ME IN CHARGE MARVEL

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Episode 2 was a gigantic improvement. It's exactly the kind of shit I wanted from the crazy multiverse the MCU has access to now.

 

[Piscian]

*shrug* The story for episode 2 is far more interesting, but characters and dialog were pretty weak. It was just ok. I'm not really sucked into the show at this point.

 

[SilentPony]

Okay so episode 2...I hate to be "that guy" but uhmmm...why is T'Challa Starlord? StarLord was the name Quill's dying mom gave to him for being so brave during her cancer treatments and because of his love of music. He specifically named himself that to honor his dead mother, from 1980s fucking Missouri.
Why does T'Challa use the same name? He has no connection to it! It'd be like if T'Challa got the super soldier serum but was still called Captain America. There's a little bit of context that's required. That's kinda the flaw with the What If....premise. Just taking characters and replacing them with other characters, and seeing what happens.
Stories don't work that way. There's no reason he should still be Star Lord, no reason the Wakandans would let him be taken, no reason for Nebula to be in a blonde wig, or Drax to have a completely different personality.
It doesn't count as a clever take on a character or story if everyone has a completely different personality, backstory, motivation, drive, mannerisms and moral compass. At that point its just a different story with different characters. Robin Hood Men in Tights isn't a story about what if Jean Luc Picard wasn't born in space age France, but as the son of the King in feudal England and grew up to be Richard Lionheart. Its not What if...Picard was Richard the Lionheart.
Its just the same actor, that's all. These really aren't What If stories, they're just completely separate stories using the same actors.

 

[gorfias]

Episode 3 was pretty good. A nice mystery I guessed once they gave us a few hints.
Just watched episode 4.

Spoiler

interesting but the root becomes seeing how they can do the nearly impossible: stop the end that happens from coming to pass. This seems impossible all things given and in the end... they just do not.

And just cuz

 

[Piscian]

Well that was depressing as fuck. Thanks, Disney.