MARVEL 616

 Let's talk a bit about, MARVEL 616.

“What’s that?”  It’s a show on Disney+.  I just finished the first season and I loved it.

There are 8 documentaries about Earth 616.  And, in the MARVEL Universe, World 616 is us – it is our home-world.  These documentaries, filmed by 8 different documentarians, examine, “the intersections of storytelling, pop culture and fandom within the Marvel Universe.”

Brief breakdown of the documentaries…

1.       “Japanese Spider-Man.”  There were 41 episodes of Spider-Man that were produced in Japan that the western world didn’t know of until about 2009.  Interesting story. OH, and if the rumors of a Spider-Verse movie are true Shinji Tôdô NEEDS to one of the Spider-Folks.

2.       “Higher, Further, Faster.”  Representation matters.  It is important that kids can look around and see a hero that represents them.  It matters a lot.  Further, there are more women working as writers, artists, and editors, too.  Worthy episode.

3.       “Amazing Artisans.”  Technology has made the world all the smaller.  This episode follows two Marvel artists – contributors to Miles Morales and Moon Girl, both live in Spain and both meet their deadlines.

4.       “Lost and Found.”  This one made me giggle and then laugh out loud.  Paul Scheer is on a search to reboot a forgotten team of Marvel superheroes.  Good luck with that.

5.       “Suit Up.” Is all about cosplay at the New York Comic Con. 

6.       “Unboxed.” This one explores, “the relationship between toys and comics.”  Seeing the inner workings of Hasbro and Funko was fun.

7.       “The Marvel Method.”  This is how Stan Lee wrote.  He would come up with characters, a villain, and a plot and then he would give it to artists to tell the rest of the story.  Most comic writers these days use a script, which makes things easier for artists, pencilers, letterers, and editors.  Dan Slott, who had a 10 year run on, “The Amazing Spider-Man” is not one of them.  He uses the Marvel Method.  I loved this episode.  If you like to write – you too will LOVE this episode.

8.       “Spotlight.”  I didn’t know that Marvel produced high school plays for the stage.  This final episode of the first season follows two classes of kids producing two different plays – Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel.  This one is all about theater and the process of collaborative storytelling.  I loved those kids and their teacher - but I speak too much - go see it for yourself!  I dug it.

I am looking forward to season two of, ‘MARVEL 616’.  And Disney+, if you're out there, PLEASE greenlight Season Two!  You must do so, for there are still so many stories from Earth 616 to tell.

 

Betting on the Super Bowl

 

“So what do you say we up the bet?” my friend from my place of business asked me.  “I’m tired of betting the usual.”  On such occasions he and I usually bet a single, solitary paperclip.  [NOTE: yes; we are both well aware that this is lame.]

“Well, what should we bet?” I asked. 

“How about a Schwartzie!”  A, “Schwartzie” is a corned beef hoagie with coleslaw & Thousand Island dressing from Primo Hoagies an awesome sandwich franchise from Philadelphia, PA.

“Ok, so if you win I buy you a Schwartzie and if I win you buy me a Nonna’s Veggie.”  A “Nonna’s Veggie” is an eggplant, sharp provolone, broccoli rabe & roasted red pepper hoagie that I have fallen in love with.

“I don’t know… who’s playing?” I asked.  I am not a sports fan.  I prefer the commercials and movie trailers to anything that’s happening on the field. 

“Baltimore & San Francisco,” he said.  “What do you think?”

“Well, Baltimore are the, ‘Ravens’, right?”

“Right.”

“Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favorite writers and Baltimore obviously cares about him too.  Still, Jack Kerouac spent some time in San Francisco…  Ya know, I’ve gotta go with Poe.  I’m for the Ravens.”

“Good!  Do you want to bet a point spread?” my friend asked. “I’ll go 27 – 20, San Francisco.”

“No.  I’m confused enough already.” I said meaning every syllable. “Let’s just stick with who wins the game.  If the Giants win then you get a Schwartzie and if the Ravens win then I…”

“The 49ers.” My friend corrected me.

“YES, of course; the Gold Rush!  It all makes sense now.”  We went on to ‘seal the deal’ with a fist bump.  Win or lose, Primo Hoagies is in my future.  I’m hoping for victory on Super Bowl Sunday!

We shall see. 

What I’m really looking forward to are the tent-pole movie trailers and the commercials.  The Super Bowl charges upwards of 4 million dollars for a 30 second spot.  This is where the corporations with deep pockets come to display their wares to the public.  Being a member of the public and a purchaser of wares I might watch on a lark; however, from a psychological and advertising standpoint I find it fascinating.  These corporations are firing across the bows of ALL demographics when they advertise in this game.  There are hits and there are misses and each shot that is fired costs between 4 – 5 million dollars.  Those are expensive cannon balls.  This is what makes the spectacle interesting to me, the much larger game of demographics & advertising.  The studios and corporations are betting on US, the hearts & minds of the viewing public, to consume and invest in their wares. 

Making movies is a gamble in itself and there is no guarantee that a movie or a product will prove worth the commercial investment.  Here’s a brief breakdown for the tent-pole movies advertising during the Super Bowl from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/01/31/movie-super-bowl-ads/1878365/.  Disney is betting on two offerings with, “The Lone Ranger” and “Oz: the Great and Powerful”.  That’s 10 million dollars for two 30-second spots.  Those are high stakes.  For the studios and corporate entities that advertise it must be worth the price of admission.  That is the big game behind the Super Bowl.  That is what I find fascinating. 

I’m betting a hoagie but the big boys are betting on a whole lot more than that.  So, Gentle Reader, enjoy the Super Bowl for whatever reason you’re watching it.  For yours truly that reason is rumored to happen during the second quarter when the new Star Trek trailer is unveiled.

Go Poe!

 

Refugees from a Magical Kingdom

 “So, the mouse got you too.” Spider-Man said to the Stormtrooper.  Spidey didn’t know if he was really a Stormtrooper or a Clonetrooper due to all the shake-ups in the Imperial Navy.  Either way he knew that their mutual futures now belonged to a place whispered to be, “The Happiest Place on Earth”.

“That is the word from on high.” The Stormtrooper said.  His voice sounded odd through the voice synthesizer in the trooper’s helmet to Spider-Man’s ears.  “So, what do we do now?” the trooper asked.

“Road trip.”

“What?”

“Road trip.” Spider-Man said, “Think about it, we’ll get out, see the sights; it’ll be a hoot!”

“A ‘Hoot’?  You’re suggesting that I go AWOL from the Empire.

 

“No I’m suggesting a ‘Road trip’ and as for being part of an Empire, YOU are part of an Empire…” Spider-Man’s voice shifted slightly and the Stormtrooper couldn’t quite tell if he was pleased or melancholy.  “…WE are all part of the Empire now.”

The trooper considered this for a moment; perhaps two and asked, “A road trip, you say?”

“Yes.” Any question of melancholy was now replaced with, what the Stormtrooper detected as eagerness & wonder.  He was glad to be in his helmet since it hid the smile on his face.

“Now you’re talkin’!”

“Who knows,” the Stormtrooper said.  “Maybe I’ll finally find those droids I’ve been looking for.”

“ROAD TRIP!” the unlikely pair shouted in unison.

<<< >>>

 

You too can follow the adventures of these two stalwart travelers on Pinterest right here: http://pinterest.com/theevilchicken/travels-with-spider-man-his-amazing-friends/. 

"Why?" you may ask.

Why not? 

Tune in next time!

Blu-Ray Worthy

I am a movie geek a title which has its privileges and its responsibilities. Oh yes, it’s true. A little known fact is that it is no easy burden to be a movie geek there are pitfalls and the calling requires a certain degree of commitment. Some of these pitfalls include; the poor, lost souls who talk, text or send / receive cell phone calls during a movie (Dante envisioned a special ring in Hell for these folk), sold out opening night showings, Blockbuster not sending you “home happy” for one reason or another, and collecting a large amount of DVDs that really are not the Grade A movies that you hoped they would be. Ah, Gentle Reader, the path of the Movie Geek Warrior is beset with many a trap.

“Where are you going with this?” you may ask.

Hear me out (Good question BTW). Blu-Ray won the war between formats when industries chose it over HD-DVD. Disney, Warner and porn went with Blu-Ray and the rest is history… or at least history that is right now being written. So, I got to thinking, now that Blu-Ray is the new gold standard what films are worth purchasing and which are just rentals?

I compiled a short list of movies that I think would be deemed Blu-Ray Worthy…

1. Jaws
2. Hellboy I & II
3. The Forbidden Kingdom
4. Blade Runner
5. Star Trek (2009)
6. Sleepy Hollow
7. Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Iron Man
9. Superman (1978)
10. Godfather I & II
11. John Carpenter's The Thing
12. Big Trouble in little China
13. Shaun of the Dead

And that's only the beginning.

So I ask YOU, Gentle Reader, what movies are worthy of a Blu-Ray Disc purchase?

Spider-Mouse!

Disney buys Marvel Comics for 4 BILLION dollars. Here’re the gory details: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/08/31/2009-08-31_spiderman_meet_mickey_mouse_disney_to_buy_comic_book_powerhouse_marvel_for_4b.html.

Disney has kept their fingers out of the PIXAR pie (creatively speaking) I have high hopes that they will keep in step with the acquisition of MARVEL. This could be a great day in comic book history, that and the fact that I have always thought Stan Lee would have made a great Walt Disney. Until I hear otherwise, Make Mine Marvel!

EXCELSIOR!

The Last of the Nine Has Fallen

Ollie Johnston was 95 years old when he passed from natural causes. He was the last of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men”. Read all about it here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080415/ap_en_mo/obit_johnston_3.

Ollie Johnson was at ground zero and had a hand in shaping some of the most influential films ever made. As the Yahoo article says his credits include such films as “Bambi”, "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," "Peter Pan" "Lady and the Tramp," "Sleeping Beauty," "101 Dalmatians," "Mary Poppins," "The Jungle Book," "The Aristocats," "Robin Hood" and "The Rescuers."

That’s an impressive body of work. I love what Leonard Maltin said in the Yahoo article, “(People) know his work. They know his characters. They’ve seen him act without realizing it. He was one of the pillars, one of the key contributors to the golden age of Disney animation.”

I’ll have to put “Frank & Ollie” in my Blockbuster que. It’s a documentary about two of the Nine Old Men who used to car pool 45 minutes to and from work at Disney Studios.

A chapter has now closed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.