Over this past weekend, Morbius returned to theaters, giving audiences one final chance to see the film. Despite being a critical and commercial failure, Morbius has achieved viral status through memes popularized on Reddit, Twitter, and Google Search Results. It is unclear if Morbius' re-release will inspire a sequel. Artistically speaking, the film reflects many of the most maligned aspects of early to mid 2000s superhero movie tropes. When a meme like "It's Morbin' Time!" could drastically improve the film's quality, then it's crystal clear that Morbius is the joke.
Long before Jason Momoa's fan-pleasing portrayal of Arthur Curry in Aquaman, the undersea king, like Morbius, faced ridicule from comic book fans. Unlike DC Comics' behemoths like Wonder Woman and Batman, Aquaman was a widely dismissed superhero who talked to fish. With this legacy of disgrace in mind, comic book writer Geoff Johns set out to make Aquaman more interesting and worthy of conversation. Instead of ignoring the jokes, Johns' Aquaman run embraced Arthur Curry's disgraced legacy and transformed him into a superhero worthy of respect. Additionally, Johns' run on the character paved the way for Arthur to star in the 2018 feature film Aquaman. While many Morbius fans are ready to simply morb, Sony and Marvel should learn from Johns' iconic run to help rehabilitate Morbius.
Geoff Johns' Aquaman can teach Morbius how to accept but subvert his meme status. Much like The Living Vampire, Arthur Curry has faced ridicule from fans who treat him like a C-List superhero. In Aquaman Vol.1: The Trench (by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Joe Prado), Arthur Curry discovers that he is a punching bag for bad humor. Hungry and alone, Arthur enters a local diner to order fish and chips. Unfortunately, he's Aquaman, so ordering fish and chips will attract undue attention. Suddenly, a snarky patron leans over his seat and brings up the fact that Aquaman should be talking to fish not eating them. When The Atlantean King assures him that he does not talk to fish, the patron makes a rude remark. Instead of unleashing his trident in revenge, Arthur finishes his food and leaves in peace.
Before elevating Arthur to his prestigious position as The King of Atlantis, Johns had to acknowledge Aquaman's meme-like reputation and assure fans they are in on the jokes. Similarly, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios must accept that Morbius is a relatively obscure superhero in the eyes of fans and fellow heroes. The disappointing reality is that Morbius is the joke, and re-releasing the film into a paltry 1000 theaters won't change that fact. However, "The Trench" provides a neat path forward for Dr. Michael Morbius. Once creators learn to accept Morbius as the punchline of each joke, like Aquaman stories, they can embrace the hokiness and work it into their stories. Naturally, Spider-Man is a prime culprit for a crossover tale with The Living Vampire, as Spidey's quippy comments and sarcastic persona are very different from the morose Morbius.
Instead of ignoring Arthur's minor superhero status, Johns' Aquaman accepted and utilized it to humanize Aquaman. Ultimately, audiences sympathized with Arthur's plight, as they rooted for Arthur to overcome the character's wonky history. Through iconic storylines like "Throne to Atlantis" and "Death of a King," Johns uprooted Aquaman's comedic legacy to reimagine Arthur as a conflicted king trapped between two worlds.
Upon defeating Black Manta and his brother Orm, Arthur gains the respect and admiration of his fellow Atlanteans, the Justice League, and, to his surprise, the local townspeople. By the end of Johns' run, Aquaman is a completely different hero. Aquaman is now a complex, interesting character to many fans. Character rehabilitation is possible and provides a pathway for how to accept--yet subvert--a character's meme status and find success.