For a while, studios believed the Avengers model would cannibalize everything. But the fatigue is real. The post- Endgame slump suggests that audiences are growing weary of the cosmic stakes. Simultaneously, the "men’s entertainment" sector is thriving not despite its regressive tropes, but because of its authenticity.

This 12-issue miniseries is the "summer blockbuster" of comics—prioritizing high-octane spectacle over nuanced character work.

In the end, popular media is large enough for both the hammer and the cigar. But the future belongs to the team. Iron Man died so that the ensemble could live. And that, ironically, is the most mature message of all.

As the MCU became a well-oiled, highly corporate machine churning out safe, algorithmic content, a void opened up in the entertainment landscape. Men’s media has historically thrived on edge, danger, and rebellion against authority. Enter the new wave of men’s entertainment.

You might expect an adult parody to feature paper-thin plots that serve only as a vehicle to get from one adult scene to the next. However, Braun is famously labeled as the "biggest fanboy in porn".