Marc Maron, one of the most irreverent and interesting comedians currently working today, has had some pretty serious beef with the comicbook community lately. Yikes. Whether it’s via his podcast WTF, an interview, or the world at large — Marc Maron has never considered himself a Marvel fan.
Looking for proof? Check out his interview on Conan from a few years ago. He doesn’t pull punches. Plus this clip amuses me, and Wednesdays are all about keeping ourselves entertained. Right?
Now, it seems the 59-year-old funnyman has had a change of heart. In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Maron sat down to discuss some of the things he’s had to say about the Marvel franchise, and how he’s softened his opinions.
“I don’t know about Marvel or DC, really. I’ve spoken negatively about Marvel movies, but I got a lot of flack for doing Joker, which I said, ‘Yeah, but that’s DC. It’s different. These are the underdogs.’ But it was ultimately because I was going to do a scene with (Robert) De Niro, so what was I going to say? No? Just to maintain my integrity for a bunch of comic book fanatics?”
He has a point. Back then, DC was struggling to keep up with the House of Mouse and its Marvel Machine. Heck, it’s struggling now, but hopefully that changes. I’m looking at you, James Gunn.
Just because you aren’t into something, doesn’t mean you can’t give it a try sometime — even if you don’t really give a crap. Marc Maron was great in Joker, what was he supposed to do? Turn it down?
“I’m not closed off to a particular zone of fantasy. I don’t know about bigger DC movies, unless it’s a Batman movie where I play a human part, which would be cool.”
Marc Maron wants to make sure things stay a bit more grounded, and I don’t blame him. Especially these days. He’s not opposed to the fantastic as much as he can’t bear the unbelievable.
Let’s face it, irony has always had a sense of humor. Marc Maron would make an incredible Stan Lee. The most obvious outcome is that a comedian who doesn’t quite care for superheroes winds up playing the man responsible for bringing them into the mainstream, that’s life.
Hopefully we all can set aside our differences long enough to give Marc Maron a chance, and watch him begrudgingly pick up a mantle he never even asked for — like any real hero would.