What’s the exact opposite of catching The Dark Knight on IMAX this weekend? Watching a Batman action figure argue with the Incredible Hulk over who has the most tragic backstory. But by operating outside the law to get the job of superhero mockery done, and admired by the public as a result, the Marvel/DC shorts are actually emulating the film’s hero.
Taking advantage of the template established by the Errol Morris-inspired Get a Mac ads (originally directed by Junebug helmer Phil Morrison), YouTube user ItsJustSomeRandomGuy (real name Michael Agrusso) uses the incredibly goofy medium of talking action figures to poke fun at the summer’s biggest blockbusters — from Iron Man to The Incredible Hulk to Hellboy to The Dark Knight.
Agrusso (who does all the voices himself) made the first Marvel/DC video, in which Spider-man ribs Superman for DC’s stalled superhero projects, as a funny gag for his girlfriend (who also assists with the shorts). But the witty series, with its built-in appeal for comic book nerds, quickly built a fan base that led to 43 subsequent videos and a featured position on the Marvel web site.
Existing in a quasi-fictional world where each character represents the actual hero being depicted, but is conscious of his/her own nature as the star of a major motion picture franchise (I bet you thought you were just going to read about funny superhero videos when you opened this piece, huh?), Iron Man, Batman and others seem hard-pressed to get along. What’s so engaging about these shorts is that they’re not just poking fun at dudes in tights — Marvel/DC, in its pure nerd-debate form, has a sharp, critical voice, while also touching upon real issues concerning the comic book industry and the adaptation process.
Hi, I’m a Marvel…and I’m a DC…and I’m Hellboy, for example, emphasizes the unique nature of Hellboy’s ownership: Creator Mike Mignola retains the rights, which sets the franchise apart in an increasingly corporate world. And the latest string of Iron Man vs. Batman debates focuses on which of the two films is more family-friendly. “Your film just screams out for a Happy Meal tie-in — hey kids, which horribly disfigured psychopath is your favorite? Collect all three and get a free straightjacket!” Iron Man tells Batman, just after Batman cites Tony Stark’s pole-dancing stewardesses as a sign that maybe neither franchise is right for the PG set. It’s the sort of commentary that truly captures the evolution of the superhero zeitgeist in American film.
The Marvel/DC shorts occupy an awkward place, copyright-wise: ridiculously popular, but completely impossible for Agrusso to profit from due to the gross amounts of corporate-owned trademarks with which he’s playing. But so far he’s managed not to get sued, and hopefully the corporations involved will allow that trend to continue. Because this is the voice of Marvel and DC’s audience: smart, funny, and nerdy as hell.
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