Some parts of pop culture live more up to the idea of a “pop” than anything else. Flash in the pan releases of a whole range of different forms of entertainment are common, with only a select few breaking the mold. Sometimes, as with comic book movies, these cultural shifts are quite modern while other times, as with the classic casino table game of roulette, they can last generations.
The reasons for this popularity might be glossed over, as we relegate their importance to little more than their base fun. Taking a more in-depth look, however, we can see how the places of such entertainment are reliant on a balance of social attitudes and technological developments. While comic book movies and roulette might seem too disparate to be related, they both illustrate different sides of the same coin, and that is what we want to explore today.
The Constancy of Roulette
Roulette is hardly a new game, having its first recorded mentions arise from France in 1716. Since that point, it has proven one of the most reliable in all of the gambling world, long held as a fundamental pillar of casino floor games. As such, there can be a strong argument made for its evergreen appeal, but that doesn’t mean the game has remained stagnant.
Like many classic casino games, roulette has adapted to the arrival of online casinos. Growing ever-increasingly popular since the turn of the new millennium, online tables in their early forms had to emulate the action of physical machines. Becoming software-driven meant that these traditionally mechanical affairs were gifted far improved flexibility, but this also created a gap for users who craved a more brick-and-mortar experience.
This issue was solved with the advent of live-streamed casino gaming. Those wanting a more physical way to play now, for example, can simply join live dealer roulette at Paddy Power and have their game streamed directly onto their devices. Following this path, roulette has come forward, in a sense, by going backward. Through digital technology, it went full circle from analog to digital and then tech-enabled analog again, which has proved immensely successful.
The Era of Comic Book Movies
There was a time not so long ago that the majority of comic book movies were almost automatically considered terrible. Today, the Marvel series has bucked that trend, becoming one of the most financially successful and culturally popular franchises the world has ever seen. Unlike roulette, this is very much a reflection of changing attitudes, though they both rely on the basis of developing technology.
Primarily, comic book movies tie into our love of action films and spectacle. We’ve enjoyed this element for years, but we’ve also suffered from the limit of scope which traditional action movies afforded. Incredibly large men shooting Russians or nebulously originating Middle-Easterners not only became stale but also brought with them more serious questions related to social issues of stereotyping, if not worse.
Comic book movies have been able to buck this trend by creating a much more inclusive and varied world, while still maintaining classic thrills. We still get see things go boom, but now we have more varied settings, more inclusive representation, and stunning digital effects. In essence, comic book movies have usurped the dying traditional forms of action films, replacing them with something more culturally relevant to the 21st century.
Predicting the Future
Looking at the above examples, there are some questions as to the long-term viability of both roulette and comic book movies. On one hand, roulette has already proven its ability to stand the test of time, relating as it does to timeless sensibilities and leveraging technology to bring us together with that appeal.
Comic book films, on the other hand, might also one day prove to be the product of temporary generational appeal. While we would never expect them to vanish completely, their place in the limelight could be won by another medium. As to when this could eventually happen, if it will at all, only time will tell.
