Spider-Girl Versus Doctor Doom

 

Thank goodness for the Internet Archive! The Wayback Machine is an invaluable source of information on the lost and long gone days of the wild west internet. Today, as a sort of early present, I thought it would be nice to post the promotional comic commonly referred to as ‘Internet Super Heroes Meet Internet Super Villains’ in its entirety.

But what is it, exactly? Well, for starters, it has two names. ‘Internet Super Heroes Meet Internet Super Villains’ is the title that appears on the cover, but the comic’s indicia gives it the title ‘Wired Kids’, along with listing it as ‘No.1, November 2005’. I would argue this latter title should be its official title on places such as the Marvel Wiki, but that’s not important right now.

 

The comic was a custom comic printed under exclusive licence and donated by Marvel to Wired Kids Inc., a charity in the United States which was partly dedicated to promoting internet safety for children and teenagers. It appears Microsoft contributed to the comic’s production, as they are also attributed on the cover and in the indicia, along with their own internet safety program at staysafe.org. And yes, this comic was originally distributed for free. Here’s a few examples of the groups aiming to educate the public about internet safety, courtesy of the internet archive:

 

The comic is written by C.B. Cebulski with pencils by Scott Hepburn, with Cebulski and Nicole Wiley acting as editors. The latter name, Nicole Wiley may be familiar to Spider-Girl readers where she also served as an editor for a time. I have to point out that Mayday does appear visually familiar and similar to her MC2 or Earth-982 counterpart but as will become clear, this is not the MC2 Universe.

‘MayDayOne@internetsuperheroes.org’ is May’s email address, while Queens, New York is her physical address, though the Parker Family Home depicted does not resemble the design we are used to, and in my opinion resembles more the one from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. May is definitely out of character with her actions in this story, though perhaps it’s forgivable given the purpose of the comic. The less said about this facial hair free Peter Parker the better!

 

The Human Torch is a younger, more immature version, while the Thing…isn’t half covered in metal. So this appears to be an incarnation of the Fantastic *FOUR* closer to the early days of the Main Marvel Universe or Earth-616, albeit with a mature adult Peter Parker who’s a father to a teenage daughter and has an obsession with internet security! Evidently, Mayday is known to Johnny and Ben in her civilian identity. That’s nice.

 

The mysterious secret shadow-dwelling big-bad ‘Mood Dood’ is revealed to be none other than Doctor Doom! Not only does Doctor Doom know Spider-Girl’s secret identity as Mayday, having used her personal email to infect and spread his trojan horse virus, but the story rather uncomfortably suggests Victor Von Doom formed an entire online identity and parasocial relationship to do so. I’ll let that sink in.

Another contact of May’s is targeted, Bruce Banner aka the Incredible Hulk. Bruce’s Xbox gaming session is interrupted by one of Doom’s emails leading to him hulking out. The Human Torch, Thing and Hulk all track down Spider-Girl, three adults knowingly plan to beat up a teenage girl. And keep in mind, they all know her secret identity and therefore know Peter is Spider-Man.

Thankfully Peter shows up in costume and clears things up, shortly before a page stuffed with dialogue balloons that delivers the message the whole story has been laying on thick. Oh, and Victor? Maybe next time don’t use your work email to troll people online? ‘Mooddude@Latveria.com’, I mean come on, really!

As much as I am dunking on this harmless and well-intentioned promotional comic, I will say ‘We’ve beaten him so many times, maybe he feels cyber-crime is the only way he can take us down.’ Is possibly the most savage take down of Doctor Doom I’ve come across. Then again, Doom delivers a rather shocking self-own after he is arrested at the Latverian Embassy by the police (can they actually do that?): ‘I wonder if they have internet access in prison…hmmm…so many kids, so little time.’ I know he’s a villain, but I’m surprised Marvel approved portraying their most high-profile villains in this way.

 

Well this was fun. Happy Holidays! I’m off to update my internet security!

 

Until I decipher what THINKB4UCLICK means, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain America: Brave New World Review

 

A slight detour from my usual content here, so bear with me. Today I want to talk about my initial thoughts having seen Captain America: Brave New World last night. Marvel Studios latest entry in their Marvel Cinematic Universe offers up a paranoid thriller with the usual customary superhero trappings courtesy of director Julias Onah. Not satisfied to merely deliver a reheated version of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this film explores themes of growth and change along with challenging perceptions both of ourselves and others.

 

With President Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross’ first 100 days in office coming to a close, he is desperate for his Adamantium Treaty to be finalized so he can cement his legacy and redefine public perception and, more personally, win back the approval of his long-absent daughter, Betty. However, unseen forces are conspiring to ensure the whole world learns the unsettling truth behind the President’s rise to power and tip the world into chaos and war. The new Captain America, Sam Wilson works to uncover the truth and free his framed friend, former solider and unjustly imprisoned Super Soldier Isaiah Bradley. With so much at stake, can Sam prove himself worthy of the shield and save the day with the President of United States against him?

 

Julias Onah evokes political thrillers such as All The President’s Men and Day of the Jackal in tone and the reverence for the genre is on display right from the movie’s earliest scenes. With the future President framed from behind bulletproof glass for his public addresses and the use of gloom and low-lit scenes to remind the audience things are not as positive as we would perhaps like them to be in Washington, this movie slowly builds anticipation for the inevitable. Perhaps it was just my V-Max screening, but the use of softer, grainier lenses which sharply focus the camera on the frame’s central figure really lends itself to the era of Watergate scandals and intrigue.  

 

Anthony Mackie is Captain America. I am not being hyperbolic; he embodies the character perfectly. While Chris Evan’s performance as Steve Rogers was a moral man who was decisive and unwavering in his beliefs, Mackie’s Sam Wilson is a very different man but one equally fit for the role of Captain America. Mackie delivers a Sam who has made peace with assuming the role but still has self-doubt. Where he shines is implementing the character’s compassion and willingness to consider a person’s desire to do better, to be better. This element is partly informed by Sam’s past as a soldier and as a counsellor for veterans and therein lies a key aspect of the film’s narrative that I am sure many will overlook. Sam encourages Isaiah Bradley to take a chance and step out from the trauma of his past, he inspires Joaquin Torres to be a real hero by his actions and he manages to find common ground and empathy for Thadeus Ross despite their own complicated past and differing opinions.

 

Harrison Ford has always been a fantastic actor and his performance in this movie is no exception. He truly assumes the role of the late William Hurt and finds the humanity and vulnerability inherent in the lonely, elderly Thadeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross without making his temperament any less strong. Embodying elements that were already there and delivering what is the culmination of a 17-year character arc across multiple films is a big ask for anyone stepping into another’s role, but Ford handles it with ease and respectable grace. While Ford may be at ease, Ross is most definitely not, with his on-screen political career on the line he is evidently stressed and tense. Previous Ross appearances referred to the character’s heart condition and the movie manages to weave this into the plot in a satisfying way, along with significant elements from 2008’s Incredible Hulk.

 

Carl Lumbly really breaks my heart as Isaiah Bradley, you can really feel his pain when he talks about his past and his justified distrust of the government. His plight, framed for an attempted assassination of President Ross, acts as the central motivation for Sam to investigate the shady plot. This was the right method to make things personal for the character. Sam feels responsible for putting Isaiah in the situation and if he cannot exonerate him, Isaiah will be sentenced to death or face the rest of his life once again unfairly behind bars. Meanwhile Lumbly does not want to pull Sam’s good name down with him, despite his own dire situation. The dynamic between them and that of Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres are some of the most genuine and grounded relationships in the film and it is a shame we did not get more scenes of the three of them together.

 

Giancarlo Esposito, a late addition to the film, works well as the leader of the Serpent Society known as Sidewinder. Esposito is clearly having a great time in the role but his character while a fun element of the movie doesn’t do much more than act as an intermediary for the real mastermind of the piece. I am glad Sidewinder was not killed off, at least, leaving us the potential for a future return. Good to see Giancarlo flex his action muscles, too.

 

I think Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns was one of the elements of the film that received the least media attention in the lead up to its release, neither positive nor negative. Ironically, he is one of the best parts of this movie. A versatile and infinitely changing actor, it is a great shame we have not seen him return before now. Fortunately, the long-dangling plot thread of his character’s absence for 17 years pays off with his performance which is equal parts creepy, manipulative, calculating and cold. I am delighted audiences get to see Nelson deliver on the Incredible Hulk film’s promise, though I am slightly unhappy we did not get as much of him as I had hoped. Nelson was pleased with the implementation of practical make up and prosthetic effects to achieve the character’s appearance and I feel his initial scenes, barely lit in shadow with a chilling voice and glinting green eyes helped enhance this effect.

 

As I write this I am listening to the utterly captivating soundtrack by Laura Karpman. It is no exaggeration to say this is one of my favourite new Marvel scores. Its deeply rooted influences in the bygone spy and espionage thrillers, political dramas and nailbiters of the 1960’s and 70’s are delivered with pitch-perfect attention to detail. The undercurrents of intrigue and mystery rising to a crescendo and crashing like waves as they mix with the more action-laden bombast and soaring superhero elements. My heart was pounding as the music suddenly ramped up and began beating out a breakneck discordant drumming rhythm. Truly an experience to be heard in the surround sound of cinema. I love this soundtrack.

 

Not satisfied with serving up more of the same in terms of the action sequences audiences have come to expect in a Captain America film, Julius Onah has gone for a more grounded, down and dirty approach for the hand-to-hand combat. Not juiced up by a Super Soldier serum, Sam Wilson uses everything at his disposal to take down his opponents, with a more meat and potatoes fighting style whenever he finds himself without wings or a shield. This grittier and dirtier choreography might not play quite as flashy or impressive, but it works to make Sam feel more vulnerable and his wins more hard-earned. The addition of his iconic wings, now made from the sturdy and energy absorbent Vibranium, present new opportunities to deliver never before seen manoeuvres and tricks. An action highpoint would have to be the aerial dogfight over the newly emerged Celestial Island, with both Captain America and the new Falcon, Joaquin desperately trying to stop an international incident breaking out by stopping rogue United States pilots attacking Japanese forces.  

 

The computer-generated effects, particularly on the Red Hulk and during the aerial combat sequences are very well integrated into the frame. For my money, this is the best any Hulk has looked onscreen since 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Harrison Ford’s likeness is faithfully captured in the facial expressions of his crimson counterpart without losing the monstrous aspect of the towering figure, with the physicality and brutality remaining intact. There are a few minor moments in other sections of the film where it is evident the visual effects team had to work on a tight schedule, but nothing that would take you out of the scene.

 

While there’s always room for improvement and a difference of opinion is always expected and even welcomed, I feel the Captain America: Brave New World does a very solid job making a three-course meal out of the various ongoing narrative threads only a long running shared universe like the Marvel Cinematic Universe can provide. Thunderbolt Ross has gone from a decisive, driven military man of action who relentlessly pursuing Bruce Banner aka the Hulk across continents to advance his career at the expensive of his relationship with his daughter Betty, to a lonely man at the height of his political career who wants nothing more than to change how the world sees him and win back the love of his daughter. Ross once saw Banner as a monster and now because of his actions over the decades, becomes a metaphorical, literal and physical monster himself.  

 

Further to this, Sam’s own history with Ross informs and colours his perception of the President, which heightens the tension in their scenes together. While Sam feels he must constantly prove himself and live up to the mantle of Captain America, he is striving to see the good in people and that is the crux of this films theme.  Early on, Ross extends an olive branch to Sam, an example of his desire to move forward and make amends for his past actions. Likewise, Sam takes this as a sign that things can improve between them but following the attempt on his life, Ross quickly reverts to his old self and dismisses Sam. The real meat of this dynamic is a scene where Thadeus Ross discloses is desire to reconnect with Betty, recalling how they used to walk among the cherry blossoms together, which pays off in the films climatic fight between Sam and the Red Hulk. If I had to criticise an element of this final battle, it’s how quickly the tension is resolved, though I feel it’s earned by the previous groundwork the movie has laid between them, with Sam appealing to Ross’ sincere desire to do better.

 

Overall, Captain America: Brave New World is not going to win over any haters, many of whom have risen in recent times to decry nearly every Marvel movie the latest failure if it is not utter perfection. But this just might restore the hope of some Marvel movie fans who still want to hold on to hope, myself included. I may revisit my opinions on movie after further viewings but for now, it is a highly competent film that demonstrates the strengths of Marvel Studios. If you are looking for it to outdo such lauded entries as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the high benchmark for the Studio, you’ll come away disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind and willingness to give it a chance, it might just surprise you.

 

 

Until I find another movie that features a red President trashing the White House, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

 

The Leader in the MC2

 

Marvel Studio’s newest film, Captain America: Brave New World is days away from release and I personally cannot wait to see it. Once again, I’m going to tie today’s MC2-related post into an aspect of Brave New World, with a look at the so-far unseen mastermind behind the film’s plot. This is a brief look at The Leader in the MC2.

 

First appearing in Tales to Astonish #62 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Samuel Sterns aka The Leader is one of the Incredible Hulk’s greatest villains thanks to his gamma-gifted superhuman intelligence. The following issue presents our first full look at the mega-cranial megalomaniac with Tales to Astonish #63 detailing the Leader’s origin as a lowly labourer who was bombarded by gamma rays in an accident which transformed him, turning his skin green and causing his head to enlarge to accommodate his vastly increased brain and intellect.

 

In the MC2, the Leader only made one appearance, in Amazing Spider-Man Family #3 when Alexsei Sytsevich aka The Rhino and Peter Parker aka Spider-Man discuss the expenses of paying for medical treatment and they bond over their common lack of money, both working job to job. Aleksei mentions some of the ‘bad bosses’ he’s worked for including the Beetle, Doctor Octopus and the Leader, the latter of which refers to the events of Incredible Hulk #124 and Incredible Hulk #157-#159.

 

In the Incredible Hulk #124, The Leader revives the unconscious Rhino and subjects him to further gamma treatments to enhance his strength, providing him with a new Rhino suit and sending him to attack Bruce Banner during his wedding to Betty Ross.  During the encounter, the Leader accidentally hits the Rhino with his gamma ray device, causing the Rhino to charge him, resulting in an explosion which seemingly kills them both.

 

The Leader would later control the comatose body of the Rhino in another plot against the Hulk that leaves Jim Wilson (relative of Sam Wilson aka the Falcon) injured and ultimately led to both the Hulk and Rhino on a rocket headed for the High Evolutionary’s Counter-Earth. As a result of the rocket’s shuttle explosion upon their return to Earth, the Rhino would become permanently bonded to his Rhino suit (Incredible Hulk #157-#159). This event, apparently occurred during the Incredible Hulk #159 and was implied in Thing #24 and confirmed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #10, would become Alexsei’s driving motivation in several stories that followed. No wonder Rhino considers The Leader a bad boss!

That’s it for the Leader in the MC2, but it’s nice to see the connections to Marvel’s past woven throughout the MC2. I’m very soon heading to an early screening of Captain America: Brave New World, so let’s see how that bulbous brain looks on the big screen!

 

Until I leave a huge Russian guy stuck in a Rhino suit after leaving him in a coma because I wanted to ruin my arch-enemy’s wedding, I remain

 

frogoat

What To Watch Before Captain America: Brave New World

With Marvel Studios latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: Brave New World fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to take a quick break from my usual content and make a guide for anyone wanting to catch up or refresh before it hits theatres. Here’s What to Watch Before Captain America: Brave New World.

 

It’s a good place to start off with 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, only the second ever entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and one film that gets too often dismissed or forgotten. The MCU’s introduction to Bruce Banner’s (here played by Edward Norton) incarnation of the Hulk. Important characters also include Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, Bruce’s former lover and confidant, as well as her father military man Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, played by the late William Hurt. Thunderbolt Ross uses a version of the Super Soldier Serum on Emil Blonsky in an effort to counter the Hulk, with disastrous results. Notably, Bruce has a secret contact which turns out to be Samuel Stern, a scientist who makes use of Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood to further transform Blonsky in The Abomination and is also himself inadvertently infected…a plot thread which hasn’t been touched upon on-screen until now.   

 

Skipping past 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger as it doesn’t feature any of the current film’s major players, we jump straight to Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). This movie introduces the audience to Anthony Mackie in the role of Sam Wilson and marks his first appearance as the winged hero The Falcon. Sam aids Steve Rogers aka Captain America and Natasha Romanoff aka The Black Widow against Steve’s brainwashed friend Bucky now known as the titular Winter Soldier in a global conspiracy that goes all the way to the top of S.H.I.E.L.D.

 

Optional: 2015 saw Avengers: Age of Ultron in which Sam Wilson briefly meets up with Steve, only reappearing at the film’s end where he is recruited to the new Avengers roster. Also in 2015, the first Ant-Man movie features Scott Lang as the fledgling Ant-Man sneaking into the Avengers Compound to steal a MacGuffin only to be confronted by The Falcon. The two briefly battle but ultimately Scott gets away. This does however set up…

 

Captain America: Civil War (2016) pits Steve Roger’s Captain America against Tony Stark’s Iron Man when the Avengers are forced to choose sides following the implementation of the Sokovia Accords. The movie also saw the return of William Hurt as Thunderbolt Ross after 8 years, now promoted to the Secretary of State. With Bucky framed for a bombing, Sam helps Steve to recruit like-minded allies (including Ant-Man) to hold off Tony’s own team. Sam’s pick proves extremely helpful in the conflict but ultimately, they are all arrested. Fortunately, the film ends with Steve breaking them out, leading them to go on the run as fugitives…

 

Released in 2018, Avengers: Infinity War was the culmination of ten years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Thanos’ forces on Earth seeking the Infinity Stones, Sam and the rest of the fugitive team reform the Avengers to defend The Vision in the Battle of Wakanda. Despite their best efforts, Thanos arrives and claims the last of the Infinity Stones before using them to erase half of the population of the Universe including Sam Wilson…

 

While the majority of Avengers: Endgame (2019) doesn’t feature The Falcon, it does have one of his most memorable scenes. After the erased population is restored 5 years later, a weary Steve Rogers stands alone against Thanos and his assembled army but just when all seems lost he hears Sam say ‘on your left’ as the returned heroes emerge from various portals and assemble for the Battle of Earth. Afterwards, a now aged Rogers passes on the shield to Sam.

 

Optional: The events of the Black Widow movie released in 2021 take place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, revealing more details on Natasha Romanoff’s early life and her surrogate family. William Hurt makes his last performance as Thaddeus Ross prior to his passing, pursuing Romanoff before she successfully dismantles the illusive Red Room’s Black Widow Program, apparently prompting him to give her a chance to escape. Reports indicate that actress Shira Haas will portray Ruth Bat-Seraph - known in the comics as Sabra – in Captain America: Brave New World, but to avoid controversy she will be established as a former Black Widow rather than an Israeli superhero.

 

As only the second Disney+ live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier covers a lot of ground in it’s six episodes. We learn more about Sam’s family life and his conflicted feelings about taking up the mantle of Captain America. He and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky have to put their differences aside to stop the Flag Smashers, while working to stop the new government-sponsored Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell) when he goes too far. The series also introduces Joaquin Torres, a member of the Air Force who relishes working alongside The Falcon and is gifted a set of his old wings. When Bucky and Sam free Zemo from prison to aid them, the also wind up on the wrong side of Wakanda’s special forces, the Dora Milaje. After some soul-searching and a meeting with Isaiah Bradley, a tortured escapee of a Super Soldier Serum test who became Captain America during the Korean War only to be locked away for his service, Sam accepts the Captain America title and saves the day.

 

Optional: Strictly speaking, I don’t believe there will be any returning characters from the 2021 movie The Eternals featuring in Captain America: Brave New World. However, that film’s climax does centre around a gigantic Celestial emerging from the planet only to be transmuted, effectively becoming a massive ‘Celestial Island’. This new island will play a major role in the upcoming film.

 

That should be all the essential viewing you need to fully enjoy Captain America: Brave New World next month. I’m looking forward to seeing Harrison Ford take up William Hurt’s role as Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross and seeing how this mosaic of Marvel Cinematic Universe plot-threads will be woven together.

 

Until I get to tell Tom Holland I have my own movie, I remain

 

frogoat