Because I have strong opinions on this, and I’ve got to cleanse the palate before stoking the fires on 2016 presidential politics…

So, as we get closer to the Fantastic Four reboot release, the marketing continues to be schizophrenic; the guys making it continue to take the “grim and gritty”, “grounded and realistic” take, while other folks keep throwing out world-changing, cosmic stakes and rollicking adventure. The first trailer was suitably dour. Now the tv spot has bad jokes and Kanye.

There are so many of us out there that really want this to succeed; we old-school comic nerds are invested. The FF shouldn’t be that hard; it’s a little hokey and not exactly what the modern definition of “cool” is, but if The Fast and The Furious franchise can make crazy car stunts and hitting the audience over the head with the concept of “family” work, then Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben shouldn’t be that hard to do; people are ready for it. We’re going to all go see Ant-Man, which is probably more of a risk than this property should be, with its history, old movies and TV series behind it. It just needs to own what it actually is, and not try to be something it isn’t.

Now that I’ve ranted for two big paragraphs, I’ll draw your attention, as I often do, to somebody who says pretty much the same thing as I do, only much more eloquently: io9.com commenter Bengimon nails it in the comments from today’s Morning Spoilers column:

FF should be what Tomorrowland wasn’t – this hugely optimistic, yearning, forward-looking celebration of science and human thought, wrapped up in a unique twist on the so-called nuclear family. They’re not only going to save the world from galactic threats and bad science, they’re the ones who’re going to lead the world to a better tomorrow.

Give me crazy cosmic monsters, noble and risky experiments for SCIENCE!, Weirdly art-deco equipment, Kirby krackle, Johnny giving Ben the hot foot, a little Yancy Street Gang, and an affectionate and optimistic 60s sitcom family dynamic with occasional world-eating danger, and I’ll be happy.

…but I’d be satisfied with them just owning the inherent optimism.