The RDJ/Doctor Doom Reaction Is Just Another Form of Comics Gatekeeping
Criticism is fine and legitimate, but this was something else.
Programming Note: I’ll be taking next week off, as Monday night/Tuesday is Tisha B'Av, Judaism’s annual fast to commemorate the destruction of the First and Second Temples, among other things. I hope to be back the following week!
San Diego Comic-Con 2024 was full of big announcements and exciting news. Still, nothing came close to Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel, where Robert Downey Jr. announced his triumphant return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Not as his beloved portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man, but as the villainous Doctor Doom. As I turned on my computer after the Sabbath, I could not believe what I was seeing. And, seemingly, neither could the fans in Hall H themselves.
And yet, if you spent time on Comic Book Twitter that night, it was as if Marvel Studios had just announced that Comic-Con was canceled forever or that Galactus was coming to devour Earth. Account after account of prominent comic book influencers and critics came after Marvel Studios, accusing the company of everything from creative bankruptcy to betraying the very comic books its films and TV shows are based on.
(A note for those of you who are not terminally online like myself: Comic Book Twitter should not be confused with Comic Book Movie Twitter. The former is dedicated to a love of the comics and the properties they inspire, while the latter does not really engage with the comics, earning them the disdain of Comic Book Twitter. What I am addressing is the reaction of Comic Book Twitter, not Comic Book Movie Twitter.)
I don’t have an issue with a lot of the complaints that Comic Book Twitter is leveling at the casting news. RDJ was not my first choice for Doom, and it does have the stink of a nostalgic cash grab. As someone who wishes to see better Jewish representation across all media, I very much relate to the anger and disappointment over casting RDJ in a Romani role.
However, the tone of the criticism by Comic Book Twitter is less cultural conversation and more vitriolic anger. Not just criticizing the casting but putting down others who are excited about the casting — telling them all the reasons they are wrong and how Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will be the worst Marvel films to date. It’s all very reminiscent of the gatekeeping that has plagued the industry for years, where long-time comic readers dictate who is a “true” fan by quizzing new readers on superhero trivia and scolding them for reading X instead of Y.
The irony in all of this is that many of these individuals who are furious over the RDJ casting are the Comic Book Twitter accounts who fight against the very same gatekeeping of comics and encourage people to read what they like. This does not mean they are against comic criticism. Quite the opposite in fact. Some of these users offer the most compelling comic book analyses the industry has to offer. But it is all in an effort to grow the industry in multiple directions. They keep the gate open, allowing everyone to pick the lane that suits them. And yet here they are, dictating what is right and what is wrong when it comes to RDJ and Doom.
Again, there is nothing wrong with criticizing the casting, and it’s amazing to have characters such as Doom and actors such as RDJ that inspire such passion and devotion. But that passion and devotion cut both ways, and neither side should have to come at the expense of the other. Comic Book Twitter would do well to remember it’s creed of inclusivity and open gates. Otherwise, they will find themselves less in the company of these fans…
…and more so with these.
What do you think? Was Comic Book Twitter’s reaction warranted, or did it cross a line into something else? Take the poll and leave your thoughts in the comments!
One Comic I Read This Week
Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter #1 by Jay Kristoff and Tom Taylor & Tirso Cons and Riccardo Federici
The Dark Knights of Steel universe is one of my favorite Elseworlds DC Comic has to offer. Taking the heroes and villains of the DC Universe and placing them in a fantasy Game-of-Thrones-esque setting worked wonders for the original Dark Knights of Steel series, and now that world is expanding with Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter.
Taking place six months after Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri’s series, Allwinter follows Slade, a Viking mercenary known as the Deathstroke. Fantasy novel writer Jay Kristoff slides right into the world Taylor crafted, matching the original writer’s tone and giving a weight to everything Slade says. The Viking warrior has seen things—done things—that have left him in a state of cold numbness. But there is also humor and levity hidden beneath all those layers that can be seen in the small moments, as well as the conclusion of the first issue, where a piece of Slade’s past returns.
Tirso Cons’ art captures the complexity of Slade, drawing him tired but strong — a stoic who can’t help but crack a smile. Like Putri, Cons transforms timeless DC characters like Vandal Savage, Black Mask and Killer Frost who have been around for years into fantasy archetypes, honoring their classic looks while giving them a new feel. But what is most striking about the issue is that is nearly in all black and white, which captures the harshness of the endless winter this region endures. And even with the less colorful palette, the action comes through, with Slade leaving a trail of the black blood of his enemies.
The backup story, “Heir to See” sees Taylor return to the universe he helped create, introducing us to Dark Knights of Steel versions of Jonathan and Martha Kent, Jim Gordon and Black Manta, as well as a younger version of Amanda Waller, who played a large role in Dark Knights of Steel. Meanwhile, Riccardo Federici was born to draw fantasy, with his detailed lining capturing every detail of this beautiful world. With only eight pages, he leaves readers with a lot to chew on. And yet, by the time you reach the end, you are desperate for more.
