Storytelling and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been in crisis mode since Avengers: Endgame. Why is that? I went on a quest to answer that very question. Recently, I watched through (most of) the MCU, adding in the movies and most of the shows I skipped in recent years. And honestly, a lot of the newer …

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All About Teamwork

My fantasy series WIP, The Myth-Keepers, is a teamwork-driven story, and as I’ve worked on it, I’ve reflected on some of the best teams in fiction. Now, I certainly could talk about nonfictional teams as well, such as the Minnesota Vikings, which would be a well-deserved shoutout, but I’ll stick to fictional ones. After all, …

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Thor’s Failed Marvel Cinematic Universe Character Arc

I’ve expressed in passing that the post-Endgame MCU films have been misses or mediocre for me. While there’s still some fun in going to see the latest Marvel movie, I’ve been less-than-impressed with multiple of the recent MCU films. The Spider-man movies after Endgame were great, I really liked Shang-Chi, and I’d agree that Guardians …

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My Top 10 Stories Of All Time

As a writer, I love good stories. There are some books, movies, and TV shows that continue to stick with me over the years, as well as excellent tales I’ve only recently discovered. Some I appreciate for their impact on my writing; others, I love simply because they excite me and move me. Trying to …

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Novellas In Series: Necessary Or No?

Lately, I’ve been reading series that include novellas alongside full-length novels, which has brought up questions about the roles that novellas play in the overall story of a series and whether or not I think it’s a valuable practice. Specifically, back in July, I read the three Skyward Flight novellas connected to the Skyward series …

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Audience Expectations, Longing for Redemption, and Spider-Man: No Way Home

Careful! A web of major spiders–er, spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home lies ahead!  Despite my neutral feelings about Spider-Man, Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to land in my Top 5 Favorite MCU Movies, sitting just behind Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame, Thor: Ragnarok, and Thor. Putting aside my nostalgic bias for Thor (the superhero …

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The Worldview of Marvel’s Eternals

Spoilers for Marvel’s Eternals ahead. Consider yourself warned! Anyone who’s followed me for a while knows that I am a huge Marvel Cinematic Universe fan (particularly of the Thor movies). The way Marvel has built this massive, interconnected universe that still continues to captivate and excite is impressive to me, and much of my own …

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