- Published on
Good morning, happy readers, and welcome to the latest controversy within fandom ... and if you know anything about fandom's many controversies then you full well know this won't be the last one.
While I've said over and over and over again that my site is unlike a lot of the others -- I rarely wander into the fray of online cultural arguing -- I'm occasionally pushed into the light. My point in refraining from such hubbub is that, fundamentally, what I have to say really isn't going to change anything anywhere, so why should I expend any time, thought, and effort on it? I know, I know: that sounds a bit defeatist, but I do like to think of it as me being a realist. When something happens, it generally happens for a reason; and I'm willing to let things play out to see where they lead. Regardless, there are instances wherein an event or two have folks asking me what I think, and today's another one of those days.
Now ...
As I've often said, I'm no fan of James Gunn.
I don't harbor any ill will against the man -- his Tweets are stuff of vile legends, and in his defense he's insisted that they were just jokes, though I fail to his anything humorous in there -- and even though he's lost his job as Grand Poobah over DC Studios I suspect he'll continue to be gainfully employed in Hollywood (of all places). He and his buddy Safran have arguably damaged the DC Studios brand, and I really don't think that can be effectively disputed: box office returns being what they are, any affiliated merchandise attached to his projects seems to be equally dead. When that happens, bosses have to do something and quickly if they want to retain some prospect for intellectual properties to interest here and abroad. That's simple reality.
Still, the controversy seems to be 'did he quit' or 'was he fired,' and -- once more -- I have to say that I really don't care one way or the other. Based on his statement, it would appear that quit once he realized that the nature of being a studio head was somewhat beyond his grasp, he learned that lesson, and wanted out. If that's the case, then good on him. Since then, a great deal of reportage has surfaced strongly indicating he was, in fact, removed from the post; and, frankly, it isn't hard to see how that couldn't be the true means with which he and Peter were somewhat cast aside.
The point I'm trying to illustrate here thinly is that financial metrics underscore that a change was N-E-C-E-S-S-A-R-Y. The state of DC Studios rose to a point wherein someone -- some adult in the room -- recognized that fiscally things weren't worked; and regardless of whether Gunn's movies and shows are liked you can't woo investors into the breach on the promise of little to know profit. Hollywood math being what it is, Gunn's efforts simply weren't working at the scale required; so his vacating the job -- however it happened -- was a necessary first step. That essentially is where all of these issues start and stop for me: it might make me a bit callous, but as I've already said I think it makes me a realist.
Those who would celebrate the change in management are perfectly justified in doing so, especially given the fact that all of Gunn's internet fans spent the better part of the last few years trouncing anyone who had a kind or even supportive word to say about Zack Snyder's handling of the DC properties. In the ultimate battleground demonstrating better than ever that you reap what you sow, there were very few voices -- like mine -- trying to stay focused on simply celebrating entertainment that worked to unite us as opposed to divide us. While I'm an admitted fan of what Zack did, I'll concede that his take on superheroes wasn't for everyone. While I've been no fan of Gunn's work, I equally don't go around christening his supporters as rejects. Each of us gets to like what we like ... so long as we're being honest with one another ... but I prefer fandom when we're not at each others' throats.
But, again, the change in leadership was N-E-C-E-S-S-A-R-Y. For better or for worse, this conclusion has come to pass; and we'll have to wait and see where it takes us. Naturally, if 2027's Man Of Tomorrow comes out and is a box office hit, I would suspect that there might be another layer to this that could have Skydance suits doubting their decision ... and, yet, for now all we can do is let the chips fall where they may.
Try to do it respectfully.
-- EZ