It was billed as the main event of the summer, at least for comic
book fans. Marvel Studios had two films
in contention for the superhero crown: One about a Norse God who wields a
mighty hammer and the other about a super soldier draped in the American
flag. The latter had the clear advantage,
if the advance buzz was to be believed.
DC Entertainment, who also had a flagship character in the race, stumbled
out of the gate with a clumsy marketing campaign that preceded a mediocre film. The Norse God was off to a sturdy start and
solid finish. It was the super soldiers
race to lose, or so it seemed. When the
dust settled, a chimp was left standing with the first place trophy firmly in hand.