Despite her much-lauded acting performances and cheery personality, Brie just can’t seem to win the men over. Why is there such a real bubble of hate for Brie in the comics community?
One of the most baffling aspects of ‘Captain Marvel’s’ release was the hatred surrounding the whole affair. Before it hit the main screens, both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB had been review bombed in a coordinated attack to bring the movie down. It made some men so angry about ‘Captain Marvel’ that their ratings messed up the film’s ratings. Both review aggregators changed policies and updated rules to make room for fair criticism. So, what went wrong with ‘Captain Marvel’? And who is to blame?
Highlights —
- What did Brie do to deserve so much hate?
- Is Brie in the wrong in the pursual of her causes?
- Should we support Brie?
Brie before Marvel
Brie was never the acting kid who was going to turn heads in a room. Though she had been in big-name projects before, her life mostly resembled every broke actress in LA. Being from a working-class background and struggling to make ends meet meant that she had always been sympathetic to the liberal side of things.
The first modicum of success that would cement her in Hollywood came with ‘Room’. ‘Room’ was received mildly in the box office, but critics found her performance astonishing, and soon she had an Oscar to show for it.
As an indie darling who is mostly known for her acting work, coming out of the gate meant that she was not someone you would see in a multi-billion dollar franchise. However, all that changed when Marvel came calling.
It is important to note that throughout her politics had been liberal. She had spoken about the male-dominated Hollywood industry, which tended to exclude women from key roles and decisions. She only decided to do ‘Captain Marvel’ after hearing about the all-women writers’ room and the feminist perspective they would incorporate into the movie.
The politics of hate
Comic book communities can be incredibly insular. The recent casting of Robert Pattinson, for example, evoked the release of hundreds of videos decrying him as a poor choice for Batman. Over the years, actors like Ben Affleck, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, and others have been treated with the same abuse.
Why is Brie Larson such a Controversial Figure?
The reasoning is simple. Comic books form an incredibly intimate community. When someone from the outside, in this case, actors, enters, they are seen as trespassers, they’re treated with vitriol and hate. Now, a lot of this is unnecessary.
However, Brie’s criticism was unique given her status as an outspoken woman. “Comicsgate” has rattled comic book communities in recent years. A movement that claims to be about ethical hiring practices and meritocracy in comic books was geared towards not including female creators and artists and widespread spreading vitriol against comic book writers and artists who were women.
People affected by this have been legends such as Kelly Sue DeConnick and Mark Waid. The movement has its proponent in Richard C. Meyer and Ethan Van Sciver, both of whom have directed a significant amount of hate for so-called “diversity hires” in the comic book industry.
Overall this leads to Brie being in a space that was already ready to decry anyone who would be a woman. The first signs of trouble came when ‘Captain Marvel’ was chosen to be a woman.
Now in the comic book, nerds whom ‘Captain Marvel’ has angered would have to admit that the moniker has been portrayed both by women and men and so, the decision for hiring a woman was seen as a diversity hire.
Brie being a relatively unknown face, faced a massive amount of flack. People mad at Brie Larson from within the comic industry said that she didn’t look athletic enough for Carol Danvers (which, given that she was thrusting a cool 275 lbs by the time of the shooting, makes it fall flat on its face as criticism) and that she was not suited for the role.
It didn’t help that Brie had been a vocal critic of men’s only spaces that fandoms often were and had been an avid activist in the past.
The fallout
Brie would be treated to some of the worst abuse on the internet. Even now, articles are coming out talking about how ‘Captain Marvel’ apparently ruined the MCU. The movie was a success, earning a billion dollars worldwide and having a most favourable fanbase outcome.
People have talked about how her character is too powerful for MCU. In comics, Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful heroes, so the criticism falls on its ears. Since the movie’s release, Brie has launched her own top-rated YouTube channel and gained a significant following online. However, critics have not been silent.
So, why do men hate Brie Larson?
We honestly don’t know! Brie was one of the many women who was stuck in a hard place because of the comics industry’s ongoing political shifts in large. She was just one of the artists being punished for her gender. However, as a public face of diversification in the comic book industry, the outpouring of hate towards her has been significant.
It’s important to remember that Brie isn’t alone in this. As it stands, the comic book fans have maintained steady pressure on creators focused on diversity, often targeting them personally and harassing them.
Brie was stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, with her cheery self and an amicable understanding of the industry, plus her radical politics, she has won many fans over. Sure, men might hate her still, and the movement against creators like her would intensify for a while. However, ‘Captain Marvel’ is here to stay, and Brie is the person to helm it.
