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4 Reasons Avengers: Endgame is the Greatest Comic Book Movie of All Time


WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame, now in theaters.

Marvel Studios’ latest superhero blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame, is a film that was over a decade in the making. After the climactic ending of Infinity War, the bar couldn’t have possibly been any higher. Still, despite the massive expectations it faced, Endgame set a standard for comic book movies that may never be matched again.

But is it the best comic book movie?

We here at Epicstream certainly believe it is, so we’ve compiled a list of four reasons Avengers: Endgame is the greatest comic book movie of all time:

  1. The Fan Service Is Plentiful, But Not Overwhelming

    Fan service is often thought of as a dirty term used to describe moments in film, television, comics and more that pander to the lowest common denominator. However, when used appropriately, it’s actually a great way to reward the audience for its dedication to the subject matter.

    That being said, Endgame is packed to the brim with moments of fan service that are instantly recognizable to longtime Marvel fans (both comics and movies), without feeling distracting, overwhelming or alienating. For example, there’s the callback to the elevator brawl in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Morgan and Happy’s cheeseburger exchange (a callback to Iron Man), the return to Iron Man 3’s Harley Keener, Iron Man finally making the big sacrifice Cap said he wasn’t man enough to do in The Avengers and so much more. Then, from the comics side of things, you have Cap lifting Mjolnir (which is also a nod to Age of Ultron), a reference to Secret Empire (which is also a nod to The Winter Soldier), Ronin, Professor Hulk, etc. (And let’s not forget Cap finally saying, “Avengers Assemble!”)

    The point is, all of these things are rewarding for those who’ve been with the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Marvel Comics since the beginning. And for those who haven’t, none of it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film (though admittedly, it does help to have seen at least a handful of MCU movies before jumping into Endgame).

  2. It Subverts Expectations

    While some feel the MCU can do no wrong, it’s by no means infallible, and one of the more common complaints is that the films are too formulaic. In fact, that gripe often extends to the comic book/superhero movie genre as a whole. However, Endgame does an incredible job subverting expectations and giving viewers something they weren’t prepared for.

    Unlike nearly every MCU film before it, Endgame begins with a cold open of Hawkeye’s family being dusted before the Marvel Studios banner even appears, immediately setting the precedent that this is a different type of movie. Then, the big bad of Infinity War and the past decade of the MCU, Thanos, is beheaded within the first hour, only to be replaced later in the film with a time-displaced version of the Mad Titan. Oh, and those post-credits stingers that have been a staple of the MCU since 2008? Endgame doesn’t have one.

    To be fair, none of this alone makes Endgame a great comic book movie, let alone the greatest. Still, it does make Endgame something different, which is enough to help it stand out in an increasingly crowded landscape of comic book adaptations.

  3. It’s the Ultimate Payoff

    Endgame is the culmination of a storyline that’s played out over the course of 11 years and 22 movies. Just take a moment to think about that. No movie franchise has ever done something on this grand a scale, and yet, Endgame successfully closes out the Infinity Saga and pays off on the 21 chapters that came before it.

    Black Widow was a character whose main objective was to clear the red in her ledger, and she did so by sacrificing herself so her team (and her best friend) could succeed in its mission. Iron Man was a cocky reformed arms dealer who favored working smarter over working harder, and he finally laid down on the wire and let the rest of humanity crawl over him. Captain America was an altruistic symbol of morality, and while he still is, he finally did something for himself by reuniting with Peggy Carter.

    At the end of the day, Endgame closes the book on a number of plot threads that have been dangling over the last decade, and no comic book movie before it has given fans that sort of payoff.

  4. It’s a Comic Book Come to Life

    Adapting superhero comic books to live action is tricky, largely because of budgetary restraints and the ability of the audience to suspend its disbelief. If ever there was a movie that truly felt like a comic book come to life, though, it’s Endgame.

    If you need proof, look no further than the final battle against Thanos and his army. Did you ever believe you’d see that many superheroes fighting alongside one another onscreen and have it look that amazing? That’s the epitome of big summertime comic book events but translated to live action.

    Avengers: Endgame is the new gold standard of comic book movies. Nothing before it comes close, and it’s going to be a long time before anything else does either.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Avengers: Endgame and Lists page.