A Simple Hope

I changed my Facebook cover photo to this… 

Spider-Man reminding us all to check our pride.  “…We need to give each other the benefit of the doubt, or there won’t be anything left of us but our pride.”

“When you walk around only expecting the worst, that’s all you’ll ever see.” – George Scully

I have grown weary seeing only the worst.  That’s why I am not on social media as much as I was at one time, these days.  I have trained myself to see the worst.  In my defense there have been some very good examples of the worst given by my peers and friends.  And I have cut some people off for the simple reason that I don’t need the additional head noise.  Some had to go because I do not do conspiracy theories on my own time – nor white nationalist agendas.  That bullshit had to go.  In the wake of their exit I have become sensitive to seeing ‘the worst’.  I can’t live there, though.  I need to believe (apart from glassy eyed believers and Nazi sympathizers) that we can give each other the benefit of the doubt.  I need to believe this because Spidey is right, if we can’t, “there won’t be anything left but our pride.”

A simple hope.  The return of normalcy, of dignity, of unity.  No cults or bigots.  A place where confirmation biases are recognized – both yours and mine – where we can set them aside, rationally discuss issues, compromise, and move forward towards a common good – towards a future.  A future for all.  A future worth having.

A simple hope, I know.  But a worthy one.

I look forward to a time when this election is behind us.  I hope it is a future without the current occupant of the White House for reasons found on the previous 1,367 pages of this tome*.  The future I see is after this dark time in history.  It will come – eventually.  When it does, may we have the eyes to see our mistakes, the ears to listen, the hands to help, and the heart to change.  We will need them all for healing to happen but happen it must.

It will.

We owe it to the future – to pass on to them a world worth having.

Perhaps, one day, we will look back in remembrance of the lessons learned from this time – a time then far behind us and wonder at the changes that have come to pass and how far we have come.    

I hope so.  It is a simple hope – for a better future.

Simple but worthy.   

Selah.

 

*Gentle Reader, I have been keeping a journal since the beginning of the quarantine.  This humble blog post is part of a much bigger project.  The project is growing.  I will keep doing so until the new normal is established as, well, the new normal or, probably, for another 1,300 pages.  It is not fit for human consumption at this time, but it is doing exactly what it needs to do – mark this time in history, document day to day life, and keep me sane.

 

The Comic Book Project

So a friend of mine, let’s call her, “Trixie” was cleaning out an attic recently.  Her son found some issues of “Action Comics”, “Jimmy Olsen”, & “World’s Finest”.  She asked her son if he wanted them.  He said no.  She said that she knew someone (spoilers – ME) who would.  She was right.

Trixie, I love ya.

The books are from the mid to late sixties & are monthly publications and this got me thinking.  I too am from the mid to late sixties and I have an original publication date (birthday) in December.  ‘Come to think of it,” I thought to myself, “lots of people have such a publication history.”  Then I thought of my immediate family.  How cool would it be to find a comic in the birth month for each family member, frame them, and put them in a collage on a wall in the ops center at Rancho del Evil Chicken?  “Very cool, indeed.” I thought to myself.

But how does one organize such an undertaking?  Do you choose only Marvel, only DC, or do you mix and match?  Of course you go with characters that you love but what if the cover in your birth month is a little less than you had hoped – do you plan for back up covers?  Yup; you do.  My thoughts immediately were drawn to, “The Amazing Spider-Man”.  In December of 1968 the cover has Spidey with his back to the view, askew, with the gauntlets of Mysterio ready to crush him.

Not bad but then I thought to myself, “What was the HULK up to?”  Apparently he was in the Savage Land with Kazar fighting “UMBU the Unliving”!  Nice cover – looks like it’s right out of the sixties – and now I have a dilemma.

Then there is my wife.  I narrowed her down to two covers, “Detective Comics – Batman and Batgirl” 384 and, “Silver Surfer” 4.  The Batman issue has the quote, “Who is the mysterious SHE?” prominently featured on the cover so that scores some points there. 

The Silver Surfer cover is set up in a classic Jack Kirby-esqu slugfest between the “God of Thunder” and the “Sky-rider of the Space Ways!”

What about the kids!?  My oldest was born just when “Doomsday” was being introduced to the DC universe.  His arrival was big news for Superman and her arrival was big news for us.  

My middle child has a love for Tony Stark and all things, “Iron Man”.  She was born during the whole, “Heroes Reborn” saga at Marvel.  A pretty good time to be alive.  

Rob Liefeld & Jim Lee breathed life back into these guys when no one else could.

My youngest was born when “Batman Beyond” was making the transition from TV to comics.  Further, Terry McGuiness is one of her favorites.  I hope that DC does more with Terry in the future - so does my youngest.

So now I have another reason to save my pennies.  My wife has already threatened to take her issue into work – thereby throwing off the entire Comic Book Project concept in the process.  I may have to get both issues for her so she can alternate at work and not throw off the AWESOMNESS of the feng shui that the framed collage would provide.

I know that I have some of these issues in the attic.  So, if you will excuse me, Gentle Reader, I have a mission to attend to.  This project is not going to start itself.

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!

Lilliputians Attack Spider-Man Right in NYC!

Happy Thanksgiving, Gentle Reader!

  

The Amazing Spider-Man

When Sony first mentioned that they were going to reboot Spider-Man two camps formed; the “this is completely unnecessary” camp and the “sounds cool” camp.  I found myself in the “this is completely unnecessary” camp.  I mean Sam Rami got it right in two out of three films.  Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 were great ‘comic book’ movies; even Spider-Man 3 had its plus side (i.e. everything not Venom related).  He had captured the essence of who Peter Parker was and why he did what he did.  Yes, Uncle Ben was right, “With great power comes great responsibility”.

Than I saw the design of the costume – the piping and the boots and I began to get worried.  I felt that an unneeded re-launch for the series was nothing more than a blatant money grab.  I understand that that’s show business and that Sony is in this game to make money.  As a fan, however, I am very concerned with story and characterization and how these iconic figures are used.  Dare I say, the saga of Peter Parker has always been near and dear to my heart and to a young, not yet jaded, Evil Chicken.  It was from this perspective that I firmly planted myself in the “this is completely unnecessary” camp.

All that changed when I saw this video from Hall H at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wemtXS4Zx9o

This was my first glimpse of Andrew Garfield and his passion for the role right there in the legendary Hall H at Comic Con that started to change my view.  I started to hope that maybe – just maybe, Andrew Garfield and this new director, Marc Webb might be onto something.

Ok we have come this far without any spoilers.  All that is about to change.  If you wish to remain pure; leave now.  I’ll see you next time.  Thanks for stopping by!  That being said…

S P O I L E R S

Perhaps the best way to describe Marc Webb’s, The Amazing Spider-Man is to describe what it has and what it does not have when compared to Sam Rami’s, Spider-Man.  The sands of comic book history shift from writing team to writing team.  One could argue and say that Rami is more classic while Webb’s is more Ultimate Universe.  You could make the case but the fact of the matter is that both of them borrow heavily from both of those universes and synthesize a LOT of comic book history into their respective films.  That being said, who serves the Stan Lee & Steve Ditko origin story best?  Both have a teenager nerd / outcast being bitten by an enhanced spider giving him the power of great strength, agility, and the ability to stick to walls.  Therefore, I will list some iconic factors and give the advantage to either Webb or Rami.  Why do this?  I’m a fan.  I’m a geek who cares.  That’s why.  So without further ado…

Peter Parker

Both versions of Peter Parker are pictures of a nerd / outcast; however, the motivations are different between Rami’s and Webb’s Peter Parker.  Justice motivates Rami’s Parker while Webb’s is motivated by vengeance.  Rami’s Parker gets the man who kills Uncle Ben and it changes his life.  Webb’s Parker is still looking for the man with the tattoo on his wrist.  That is his motivation.  True he comes to realize that his powers need to be used to make a difference and that there is a burden of responsibility to do something with the gifts he has been given but without that resolution concerning Uncle Ben’s killer his motivation becomes vengeance.  Webb’s Parker accepts the stolen milk, lies, & steals the formula from Oscorp concerning his own web fluid.  Sure we’ll find out in the next movie that the web fluid just may have something to do with Peter’s own DNA but for now – he stole it.

Advantage: Rami!

Battle of the Bens

“With great power there must also come great responsibility.” – Ben Parker (retroactively attributed to).  It’s one of the greatest lines in all of comic book history.  Rami’s version has it.  Webb’s does not.  Yes, Webb’s Parker demonstrates this principal in what his life becomes but Uncle Ben’ words are not uttered.  Advantage should go to Rami here.  However, I ask you, could you find a better Uncle Ben and Aunt May than Martin Sheen and Sally Field?

Advantage: TIE! 

Web Shooters

In Rami’s version Peter’s web shooters were organic and grew out of his wrists as a result of that spider bite.  In Webb’s version Peter constructs web shooters just like Lee & Ditko wrote back in 1962.

Advantage: Webb!            

Love Interest

Rami jumped into the Mary Jane Watson romance while Webb went directly to Gwen Stacy.  In the books Peter meets Gwen in issue #31 while Mary Jane’s first full appearance is in issue #42.  Further, Emma Stone is pretty much perfect in the role; Gwen’s father, Captain George Stacy from the NYPD, is portrayed by Denis Leary and does an amazing job with the role.  The problem is the same that I have with the Star Wars prequels; you know how this is gonna end.  Still…

Advantage: Webb!

Peter’s Parents

In Webb’s version Peter has clear recollections of his parents and the night that he is left at Uncle Ben & Aunt May’s house.  There is much more to Peter’s parents than meets the eye.  This device is utilized in the Ultimates Universe.  In Rami’s version Peter was raised by his Aunt & Uncle with little or no mention about his parents at all.  Rami’s Parker is closer to the classic Lee & Ditko Peter Parker.  This is not to discount the Ultimates or Webb version of the story.  No.  Fact of the matter is I like their connection to Oscorp and what that will mean to Peter in the future.  Still, if we are going by classic characterization then…

Advantage: Rami!

So who wins the battle of the storytellers?  The fans do.  The fact of the matter is I love Spider-Man.  I always have and I always will.  I discovered Spidey as a wee little lad and have enjoyed his adventures ever since.  Rami’s films (at least the first, second, and about half of the third) capture who Peter Parker is in the classic sense of the character while Webb’s version appears that it is going to swing into Ultimates territory.  And you know what?  That’s ok.

The Amazing Spider-Man lends itself to being seen on the big screen in 3D.  If ever there was a character that deserved to be seen in such a fashion is it Spider-Man.  If you’re a fan, you’ll dig it.  While Sam Rami’s version is near and dear to my beating geek heart I can’t throw too many stones at Marc Webb’s version.  The cast is excellent and the storytelling has me looking forward to the next one.  That’s something I couldn’t say when I first heard of this most recent reboot of ole Web Head. Go see it for yourself and let me know what YOU think.

Excelsior, True Believers!