Comment(s): I began collecting Marvel Comics back in the early 1960’s. Back then, it was pretty much, Superman / Batman (DC super-heroes), Sgt. Rock (military), or Archie / Betty & Veronica (“girl’s” comics). Then along came Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Marvel super-heroes from 1961 onward – and the rest is history. My best recollection is that I started collecting comics about 1963. Above is the live version of a song which came out in 1975 on the Wings’ “Venus and Mars” album. It turns out that Paul McCartney was also a BIG Marvel comics fan and he based this song off of a comic cover he liked. The first time I heard this song, I KNEW eventually the film industry would be able to capture and express the imagination of all the bookworms and nerds who grew up reading comic books. I didn’t realize it would take almost another 30 years before the release of “Ironman” – which would finally dawn of the modern age of comic book superheroes and present their “mythology” on the big screen for the average person. We had a boat load of “almost’s”: like Superman and Batman movies, the Hulk, Flash, Aquaman, and Spider-Man TV series, and then later movies of “Spawn”, “Blade”, etc, which were viewed as more horror genre than superhero genre, but the special-effects were advancing steadily towards what we have today. Anyway, I absolutely knew in my bones that what today we call “nerd-dom” or “nerd-hood” was coming, and that it would take over popular movie culture.
The video above captures the energy of a Wings “live” performance of the song, even if not the studio / music artistry of Paul McCartney and the album version. Funnily enough, I had a very similar feeling when I finished reading the second Harry Potter book and thought: “Someday, this is going to make a great series of movies!” Now, if I could only predict Lottery numbers…
“A story without a message, however subliminal, is like a man without a soul,” Lee wrote in a 1970 edition of “Stan’s Soapbox,” the column he awarded himself that ran in every Marvel book.
And in another, from two years prior: “Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed super-villains, they can’t be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun … it’s totally irrational, patently insane to condemn an entire race — to despise an entire nation — to vilify an entire religion.” Lee usually ended his column with the exhortation “Excelsior!” (Ever upward!) This one he signed off with “Pax et Justitia.” Peace and justice.
— Adam Rogers
From his article: “Stan Lee Unleashed the Heroic Power of the Outcast“
On last Wednesday, my son (James) and I went to see the recently released “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) staring Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man and Michael Keaton as a surprisingly good villain: the “Vulture”. Ok. Let’s just say it… This is THE BEST Spider-Man movie EVER! No, it’s not particularly true to the comics from the 1960’s – they play fast and loose with some of the characters, but trust me… This is a GREAT movie! Of course I mean comic-book movie and not Oscar-worthy drama, but even then, it’s still pretty good.
Robert Downing Jr. has some significant cameo time as Tony Stark / Iron-Man. Maybe a little too much… But, I found it made up for leaving out the traditional “origin story” which should have happened in this – with it being a series re-boot and all. Filling out the main roles: Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds (Peter’s best friend and fellow nerd), and Zendaya as Michelle (“M.J.” – Spider-Man’s future “luv” interest). And, of course, Stan Lee has his token “minute-of-fame” / cameo.
Does the movie work? Yes! Holland is a better Parker than Toby Maguire and a better Spider-Man than Andrew Garfield. For one thing, Holland actually looks like he could go to high school. Prior versions of Parker did not. (There, we can finally admit it.) Junior College definitely, but not high-school. Plus, Holland plays both Spider-Man and Peter as a kind-of goofy teenager. So, the main actor was a good match to the role.
How about the special effects? Okay, not so great. The costume was blurry against the green-screen “most” of the time. Did it hurt the movie? No. At least I didn’t mind it (too much). Action? Got it in spades! History? The building lift scene is almost exactly the way I remember it from the comic book 40+ years ago… Awesome!
Final recommendation and what’s next? This is a great summer action movie! Highly recommended! Bring on Civil War II, Thor, the Black Panther and the next Avengers movie… I can hardly wait.
Fight not because you are told to fight, but because you are free to fight. Then you are answerable only to yourself and to the world you cherish most highly.
— John Phoenix (Mack Bolan), from his journal
[Mack Bolan is a fictional character from the “men’s” action / adventure series: “The Executioner” written by Don Pendleton. Bolan is an American vigilante who goes around the country killing Mafiosi because he feels they are beyond the law. The series is sometimes credited with being the foundation of the 70s/80s genre of male action / adventure novels. It was also the inspiration for Marvel’s character: “The Punisher“. The series ran about forty volumes and then Bolan switched to a “war” on terrorists. I bought and read the entire original series and started on the Phoenix line, but got bored and lost interest. The series was sold to a different publisher and they hired a team of writers to take over. The series didn’t have the same flavor for me. Wikipedia reports the series is still going and has over 600 (!!) volumes.
Forty years ago, I’d have thought the words “answerable only to yourself” were the most significant. Now, with age, and hopefully a bit more wisdom, I’d put more emphasis on the “and to the world you cherish most highly“. We may all be actors in a play, but none of us are an island. — kmab]
Kevin Barrett's Blog 
Predating / Predicting Nerdhood
Posted in General Comments, Included Video, Videos, tagged Comments, History, Included Video, Jack Kirby, Magneto And Titanium Man -- music video, Marvel Comics, Nerdhood, Sir Paul McCartney, Stan Lee, Super-Heroes, Venus and Mars, Wings, YouTube on September 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Magneto And Titanium Man
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