Welcome Ed Piskor back to Boing Boing (previously), where he'll be offering an annotated page-by-page look at the first part of X-Men: Grand Design, his epic retelling of how Marvel comics' pantheon of heroes came to be. Here's page 3; read page 1 first — Eds.
Director’s commentary
Long before the X-Men publisher was called Marvel it was known as Timely. The heroes (The Fin, Original Human Torch, Blonde Phantom, Blazing Skull, Angel, The Destroy, The Witness, and Vision) in the first panels represent the more popular creations from Timely's "Golden-Age". Because this comic is a veiled world-building exercise, I will take the opportunity to include characters from the extended Marvel pantheon into X-Men: Grand Design whenever possible.
The Sub-Mariner tidal wave that engulfed New York City in the last strip provided me the opportunity to come up with some sort of explanation for how Charles came to have a giant estate and an even bigger disposable income (Danger Rooms and Blackbird Jets aren't cheap). As far as I know this has never been covered in a major way before, though we do know early on that his father is a scientist.
Panel 4: The battleship floating over the submerged city, absorbing solar energy to then evaporate the water was a fun challenge to compose and I can live with the resulting illustration. As an artist, the beauty of such a project is that it really stretches one’s drawing chops with all that’s required. One page is World War II imagery. Read the rest
The Hollywood Reporter published a story yesterday about Marvel legend Stan Lee's horrible living situation. A document allegedly written by the 95-year-old Lee and his lawyer claims that he is the victim of elder abuse being perpetrated by his daughter, her lawyer, and others.
The Feb. 13 document, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, begins with some background, explaining that Lee and his late wife had arranged a trust for their daughter because she had trouble supporting herself and often overspent. “It is not uncommon for J.C. to charge, in any given month, $20,000 to $40,000 on credit cards, sometimes more,” the document states. It goes on to describe how, when he and his daughter disagree — “which is often” — she “typically yells and screams at me and cries hysterically if I do not capitulate.”
Lee explains that J.C. will, “from time to time,” demand changes to her trust, including the transfer of properties into her name. He has resisted such changes, he states, because they “would greatly increase the likelihood of her greatest fear: that after my death, she will become homeless and destitute.”
The declaration then explicates how three men with “bad intentions” — Jerardo “Jerry” Olivarez, Keya Morgan and J.C.’s attorney, Kirk Schenck — had improperly influenced his daughter, a woman with “very few adult friends.” The document claims the trio has “insinuated themselves into relationships with J.C. for an ulterior motive and purpose”: to take advantage of Lee and “gain control over my assets, property and money.”
From Uproxx:
Lee has denied and distanced himself from the document referenced above, but the report indicates that the “turmoil” between his daughter and the three men named has been ongoing and raised questions about the 95-year-old’s wellbeing.
Read the rest
When Disney built Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris), it was required to partner with a French company that borrowed heavily, couldn't get out from under its debts, and ended up beholden to creditors who forced it to limit spending on the park, trapping it in a cycle of unpopularity and underinvestment.
Read the rest
Marvel is launching a website that allows visitors to create their own comics using the company's pantheon of famous characters. They insist, however, that certain topics not be addressed: social issues, death, farts, and so forth. You wonder: if the trap is so obvious, why walk into it?
Here are some highlights from the very long list of no-no’s:
“Content that could frighten or upset young children or the parents of young children.”Prescription drugs or over-the-counter medication, vitamins, and dietary supplements.Contraceptives“Suggestive or revealing images,” including “bare midriffs”
“Sensationalism,” which is not defined but elucidated with the examples “killer bees, gossip, aliens, scandal, etc.”
“Obscenity, bad or offensive language” or “proxies for bad or offensive language.” E.g. no “X@#%!”
“Noises related to bodily functions.”
No politics, including “alternative lifestyle advocacies”
Death
“Misleading language”
“A copy or parody of current or past Marvel advertising creative”
Any “controversial topics,” including “social issues”
Double entendres
Any amusement parks that aren’t Disney amusement parks
Any movie studios that aren’t “affiliated with Marvel”
Guns
I can't wait to play with this.
Read the rest
On Saturday at New York Comic-Con, Marvel was scheduled to do a splashy launch event announcing the crossover between the Avengers and Northrop Grumman, a notorious arms dealer whose stealth bombers and drones have been front and center in the US campaigns of assassination in many theaters of war, declared and undeclared, in which literally uncounted civilians have been collateral damage. Read the rest
One of the most exciting things Marvel Studios has ever done is hire Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows, Hunt For The Wilderpeople) to direct Thor: Ragnarok. Read the rest
Guardians of the Galaxy was a huge surprise for me. I'm looking forward to this one! Read the rest
Just in time for the holidays, Marvel released a set of 10 different hour-long fireplace videos. So if you don’t have an actual hearth, you can cozy up next to a virtual one owned by Captain America, Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Thor, or the Guardians of the Galaxy (or a close-up shot of each of those locales). Cap's Brooklyn apartment is above and here's Iron Man's Manhattan penthouse:
The Guardians’ futuristic fireplace even comes complete with a dancing Baby Groot:
You can find the rest of the fireplace videos on the Marvel Entertainment YouTube page.
[via The Verge] Read the rest
After Every Frame a Painting analyzed The Marvel Symphonic Universe (see last week's post), Dan Golding expanded on that great video arguing that film music, and films themselves, have an interesting relationship with originality. Read the rest
Alex Schmidt of Cracked makes a passionate (and hilarious) argument for DC putting Superman and Batman into the public domain, pointing out that comics companiesmake a hell of a lot of money on public domain characters from Sherlock Holmes and Thor. Read the rest
Matt Ritchie makes "slumps" — whimsical artwork of popular characters slumped over as if falling asleep or theatrically dejected by their latest mishap.
Up top are the heroes of Star Wars, who have perhaps just learned that Disney has no plans to remaster the original theatrical release. Here's the Justice League, reading reviews of the movies they appear in. Read the rest
This week, Michigan State University's Spartan Marching Band paid tribute to Marvel superheroes.
Read the rest
Collar Clips from Migardian Treasure in Gravesend, England makes collar clips in a variety of pop-culture motifs, some obvious and some very subtle indeed:
Captain America shields, Captain America stars, Hawkeye and Hydra vs SHIELD; Boba Fett, Vader and Stormtroopers (also available as brooches and earrings). Read the rest
Would you like your skin to look youthful, even though you're pushing 100? A Captain America skincare face mask may be just the ticket. Part of Isshin Do's official Marvel-licensed beauty line. Read the rest
Parisian photographer Jackie Tadeoni Sacha Goldberger created this wonderful series of superheroes (and Snow White!) as subjects of Baroque Flemish portraits. Read the rest
Robert Downey wore it well as Tony Stark in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and you will, too. Read the rest
The fine folks at Vulture took clips from the doomed Roger Corman Fantastic Four and made a retro-style trailer. ICYMI, here's what they're parodying: Read the rest
