I’ve had a very strange feeling the last few months.
I’m not talking about that feeling you get when you think that history isn’t going along the right path and that you’re living in an alternate universe where people you know and love have changed– I’ve had that feeling since December 12, 2000.
No, I’m talking about how everybody in comics is talking about Flashpoint and a changed comics universe. Because twenty-five years ago, that’s what Flashpoint meant to me– and meant to a lot of other comics fans on Long Island.
The ABC Family TV series The Nine Lives of Chloe King has a website up. We’ll be having an interview with the author o the original book series, as soon as we can figure out what to call her.
Happy birthday to Ty Templeton! Even at your advanced age, there are still pretty girls lusting after you… don’t worry, I won’t tell the wife. (Yours, I mean. Mine is one of the lusters.)
And finally: New Video and Photos of Filming of The Amazing Spider-Man in New York. I gotta tell you, the costume changes are still bugging me much more than usual and I don’t know why– unless it’s because we’ve already seen that the original costume worked fine on screen. And golden slippers? Really?
For a Marvel movie geek, three things were inevitable about Thor: 1) The Stan Lee cameo scene, 2) the post-end credits scene, and 3) nitpicking. Nitpicking is going to happen with any comic book related movie, and I’ve grudgingly accepted it as a necessary evil that certain sacrifices would need to be made in any translation of a story from one medium to another. Thus, certain things will have to be overlooked IF the end result is successful.
Marvel’s version of Thor in its many incarnations has tread a delicate balance of Norse mythology and something flashy thanks to Jack Kirby’s glorious art. In Kenneth Branagh’s movie adaptation of Thor, there are elements of the Prodigal Son, Arthurian mythology, and of course, grounding in Marvel history.
For his arrogance and defiance of his father Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), King of otherworldly Asgard, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is stripped of his considerable power and warhammer Mjolnir and banished to Earth. Making matters worse, his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is beginning to discover things about himself, and let’s say he starts some trouble, now that Odin is in a coma. While on earth, Thor is tricked into believing that his father is dead (and three guesses as to who tricked him).
There was the requisite love interest in Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), a scientist investigating atmospheric anomalies. As with recent Marvel movies, the shadowy government agency SHIELD was behind the scenes, and this being a Summer movie, there was the requisite amount of wholesale property damage.
While formulaic, Thor is refreshingly entertaining. Comic book movies rely heavily upon reverence for and adherence to the source material. The result must look and more importantly feel like the comic books. Kenneth Branagh’s Thor succeeds and entertains although the progression from arrogant bastard to superhero wasn’t deep enough, and I could have done without Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), Dr. Jane Foster’s ultra-annoying assistant.
If you still have no idea what the movie’s about, here’s a brief featurette:
The 20011 Summer Movie barrage is now officially underway and first up to bat – one of the most beloved Marvel Comic legends, Thor. It was no easy task translating decades of comics into a visual project and we talk to the cast and director about how each one of them faced that challenge. Natalie Portman, Kenneth Branagh and Chris Hemsworth all join us for our exclusive coverage right here.
Ok – you saw THOR? Did it hit the mark? Drop us a comment below!
Bidding on these items ends May 8 at 10pm. To bid, email Cliffmeth@aol.com
Two cover recreations, one of THOR #126 (originally rendered by Jack Kirby), the other of SUB-MARINER #8 (by Gene’s pal John Buscema) — both reimagined here by the team of Gene Colan and Michael Netzer (12×18). Starting bid on each: $1200.00
Complete 6-page story from Life With Archie – current bid $325 (denro55@aol.com)
Plots and Misadventures by Stephen Gallagher (hardcover, limited edition from Subterranean Press) signed by Gallagher; only 750 copies issued – starting bid $25
Pages 24, 25 and 26 Original Art from Gene Colan’s Little Shop of Horrors – min. bid $180
Two random Firestorm (DC Comics) Original Art pages by Gene Colan – min. bid $200 for the pair
Spawn #33 – signed by Todd McFarlane – $15
A handful of comics signed by Gene Colan: Glamourpuss (Aardvark-Vanaheim), Creepy – Book One (Harris Comics), Journey Into Mystery #4 (Marvel, 1973), and Daredevil #89 (in rough shape) – min. bid $40
A pair of comics signed by Gene Colan: Captain Marvel #5 and Howard the Duck #3 (collects newspaper strips) B&W – min. bid $40
The Marvel’s Project (Variant Edition) #1 signed by Gene Colan with small, original black & red marker drawing of Daredevil’s head on the cover – min. bid $100
The Savage Return of Dracula #1 (Marvel) Gene Colan file copy – signed in red by Gene) – min. bid $40
The Tomb of Dracula: Book One – signed by Gene – min. bid $40
Tales of Suspense #39 reprint (Marvel Milestone Edition) signed by Gene Colan and Don Heck – min. bid $75
Tales to Astonish #79 – signed by Gene Colan – current bid $45 (kpedd)
Nathaniel Dusk #1 – Gene Colan’s file copy – signed in red by Gene – min. bid $30
Iron Man #124 signed by Stan Lee and Gene Colan – current bid $60 (josephc)
“The Simpsons: Sub-Basement of Dracula” script (signed by Marv Wolfman) – min. bid $5
Today I learned that Avengers Mansion, home to stalwarts like Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and do you really need me to rattle off the full roster, is based on a real place in New York– the Henry Clay Frick house, a city-block sized mansion at 1 East 70th St., right opposite Central Park. (The theoretical address for Avengers Mansion is 890 5th Avenue, which is in the same location.) Today the building houses the Frick Collection of art and is open to the public– so it’s quite possible Joss Whedon could shoot there.
This was brought to my attention by Gothamist (yes, I know, it should be covering DC, not Marvel) which had a brief piece showing a number of the secret rooms in the Frick that aren’t shown to the general public. Of course, even Gothamist wasn’t allowed to take photos of the Quinjet hangar.
Frick himself, incidentally, was the Lex Luthor of his day, known for strikebreaking and being at least partly responsible for the Johnstown Flood, and was dubbed one of the Worst C.E.O.s in American History by Portfolio magazine.
This week, [[[Thor]]] comes to theaters! With a director like Kenneth Branagh, stars such as Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins, and rave reviews happening from advanced screenings, many fans old and new can’t wait for this latest film from Marvel Studios and Paramount. It stars Thor, god of thunder, who in the Marvel Universe divides his time between living in Asgard, traveling through other dimensions, and acting as a superhero on Earth.
Over the years, Thor’s had some pretty epic adventures. So let’s take a look at six tales that any new Thor fan should check out.
“BUT DR. BLAKE CAN DIE!”
Thor vol. 1 #145-153
For his impudence, Thor is banished to Earth without his powers. As he continues to act as a superhero as best he can, Thor’s allies plead to Odin, the All-Father, to return his son’s full abilities. This story keeps building up the stakes as Thor’s sometimes lover and constant ally Sif inhabits the powerful Destroyer armor. Meanwhile, Loki arrives to make another bid for power and Ulik the troll shows up to cause more trouble. Elsewhere, Hela, goddess of death, watches and waits. An epic storyline that highlights both Thor and Don Blake as heroes and is a classic tale of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby days.
I’ve had a very strange feeling the last few months.
