HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAPTAIN AMERICA 2025 (7/4)

MEMORIAL DAY 2023: IN HONOR & RESPECT

HAPPY CAPTAIN AMERICA DAY 2022

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP: CAP V NAMOR

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP: CAP V NAMOR

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: CAP & NAMOR

 

VETERANS DAY 2020: IN REMEMBRANCE AND RESPECT

 

HAPPY CAPTAIN AMERICA DAY 2020!!!

SO LONG, JOE SINNOTT...

A comic-book artist's work is best complemented by an expert inker's hand. You proved that time and again, Mr. Sinnott, doing justice to the artistry of such titans as Jack Kirby, Gil Kane and John Romita Sr and Jr.

The magic that flowed from your hand can be found among such icons as the Fantastic Four; the Silver Surfer; Captain America; the Falcon; Black Bolt; the Avengers; the Defenders; the Invaders; Ms. Marvel; the Hulk; Thor; Spider-man; and even Ed Sullivan with the Fab Four.

The comic-book world has, indeed, lost one of its precious greats, but what you placed upon paper will continue to captivate for generations of grateful fans. 

MAIN ENTERPRISES PRESENTS FANDOM WORLD: THE CAPTAIN AMERICA ISSUE

The significance of Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, hit home recently when a coworker insisted that I remove a "First Avenger" mini poster from my cubicle. She claimed it was offensive to her and others who held a dim view of our country at this point in time (though she refused to elaborate beyond that). I held my ground and kept the image tacked. That's what Cap would have done. After all, in the home of the brave, freedom of expression is paramount. Besides, I didn't demand that she remove her "Castro, Viva la Revolucion" poster from her office space. (Two wrongs don't make a right.)

In any event, I now hold an even greater respect for those who appreciate and exalt Cap's valiant symbolism and go that extra mile to commemorate his iconic status: case in point, publisher Jim Main, whose latest Fandom World (Vol 2, #2, Fall '19) acts as a most satisfying salute. 

As with all Main Enterprises publications, this one is a labor of love, with 140 patriotic pages packed with contributions from artists and authors who admire and respect our hero's long, illustrious legacy. (Just take a gander at the above Earl Martin image, bursting of colorful courageousness, and Tom Doyle's touching Simon/Jack Kirby sketch, not to mention Tim Faurote's classy Fandom World cover. Wow!!!)

A gallery of Cap collectibles also fills this issue, along with historical essays by Robert J. Sodaro, Sam Gafford, Will Murray, Buck Oviatt, Mike Maloney and Stephan A. Friedt. The freedom-fighting ingredients even acknowledge Cap's primary pals, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson, the Falcon, as well as our patriot's perennial opponent, the censorious Red Skull. 

If you love Cap and embrace all that he stands for, you must add this issue to your collection. To make the process easy, Mr. Main is offering a free PDF of it. You merely make your request to mainjim23@gmail.com. You're set.

Why not take advantage of this generous offer? No true, red-white-and-blue aficionado should be without this Marvel-ous Captain America Issue!!!

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: HAPPY PRESIDENTS' DAY 2019

WITH GREAT GRATITUDE AND RESPECT...VETERANS DAY 2018

HAPPY EARTH DAY 2018!!!

IN APPRECIATION, HONOR AND RESPECT...VETERANS DAY 2017

HAPPY JULY 4TH 2015!!!

JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER...FOREVER FIGHT (NEVER EMBRACE) TYRANNY...HAPPY FOURTH!!!

I saw Ultron come of age...

Joss Whedon's new Avengers adventure, "Age of Ultron", has arrived, and our favorites are back: Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans); Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr); Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo); Thor (Chris Hemsworth); War Machine/James Rhodes (Don Cheadle); Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner); Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson); the Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)...and a special appearance by SHIELD's fatherly force, Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson). 

New to the mix is Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff (Aaron "Kick-Ass" Taylor-Johnson), though not to be confused with Evan Peter's hero in "Days of Future Past"; the Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and the majestic android, the Vision (Paul Bettany, who also voices Stark's digital butler, JARVIS). 

The computer angle is big in this sequel, with a robot army on the loose, led by the power-hungry Ultron (voiced by James Spader). However, the concept of fickle technology isn't new in science-fiction/fantasy fables. We've seen it depicted in "Terminator", "2001: a Space Odyssey, and "Colossus: the Forbin Project". As far as acrobatic robots dominating the landscape goes, we've seen that, too, thanks to the RoboCop and Transformers sagas, but "Age of Ultron" somehow manages to keep things fresh, despite the recycled trimmings. 

On the flip side, as significant as the mechanical infiltraton is, it never dominates our heroes' presence or their sense of family. Sure, the members possess enough variance to be dysfunctional, but they also subscribe to a common cause: keep Earth safe.

As seized from Hydra's Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), the technology involved is culled from Loki's scepter: its harbored "artificial intelligence" deemed worthy of implantation in Stark's defense project, designed (ironically) to protect us from villainous penetration.

Ultron, a creation fashioned as a learner/watcher of sorts within the expansive program, develops an egomaniacal consciousness, which then constructs a body and breaks free to take over the world with a league of his own. He's also quite a sight to behold: a towering cross between Superman's Brainiac and a pumped-up Terminator prototype. 

Stark is, perhaps, the most adversely affected by the robot rebellion, for having activated the computerized Frankensteins, which leads Rogers to push further toward the Avengers forefront. Considering that Ultron and his army are equivalents to Nazis, Commies, and any other variety of on-and-off-again evil-doers, Cap's prominent presence feels right. After all, this is a war-time mission, and through his cordial relationship with Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), he increases the Avengers' chance for victory with his stalwart perspective. 

With this established, the movie advocates that we, as cognitive, freedom-loving creatures, have full right to combat and destroy such cold, calculating monsters. To fight is essential and all-out war (particularly under the film's harrowing circumstances) a non-debatable necessity. 

All the same, this staunch angle will likely unsettle negotiation advocates, but as the turmoil mounts under Whedon's emotional script and tense direction, "Age of Ultron" can't help but inspire one's righteous angst: the need to shout out a hardy "action not appeasement". Its message, though seemingly simple, should prove profound for anyone with any sort of practical, moral conviction. 

Philosophy aside,the movie is jammed with vivacious action sequences. The prelude is one of the best rendered (and that's saying a lot considering how sleek the Bond intros have been), and the battle between a confused Hulk and Stark's Hulk Buster is a grand feast in it own right, guaranteed to rattle one's senses with rumbles and roars, heightening the adventure to near Wagnerian proportions. 

I can't yet say that "Age of Ultron" surpasses the original "Avengers", which had the charming novelty of bringing the gang together, and it's certainly nowhere near as politically intricate as "Winter Soldier". It does, however, soar consistently high, never losing its momentum even when it dares to spotlight the relationships between Hawkeye and his wife, or the burgeoning one between Widow and Banner/Hulk. (The latter scenarios surely could have derailed the film, as had the superfluous romance in "Amazing Spider-man 2".)

Regardless of what the future holds for the Avengers, this current chapter does an admirable job of nurturing the traditional comic-book format. That should certainly please purists. The movie is also a terrific way to start the spring/summer blockbuster season, delivering thrills, chills and above all, a sense of wonderment. So, don't delay; jump on board and join the fun!!!

I saw Cap...

I saw Captain America, in the grandiose sequel, "Captain America: the Winter Soldier" (directed by the acclaimed Anthony and Joe Russo and penned by the equally acclaimed Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely), and as far as team-up jaunts go, this is a triumph: right up there with "Avengers", I dare say, only not as character-laden, of course, and considerably darker, more cynical than most other Marvel movies. It also features both of Cap/Steve Rogers's primary comic-book "best buddies": Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan, reprising his role from "First Avenger") and Sam Wilson, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). The ever stalwart Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) is in there, too, along with the ever resourceful (and abundantly fetching) Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), plus some new characters, like SHIELD honcho, Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), who brings a sleek,  '70s espionage feel to the scene. Still overall, it's essentially Chris (Johnny Human Torch) Evans' steadfast WWII superhero who keeps this powerful yarn completely in check. Through him, everything patriotically revolves.

The film's ultimate focus (as most already know from recently publicized comic-book lore) centers on a revitalized (once believed defunct) Bucky: brainwashed into a super-charged, bionic machine. He's the Winter Soldier: for what it's worth, a term that refers to one of initial honor, but later of questionable cause.

In a way, it's actually quite heartbreaking to discover that Bucky has gone from virtuous aide to demented foe (even though in the last Cap entry, he was radically reinterpreted to be older and wiser, instead of an adolescent "poor man's Dick Grayson", as he's sometimes been called). Still, as the mind-warped Winter Soldier, one can't help but feel a sentimental twinge for Cap's wartime sidekick, but gosh, is he ever a lethal opponent! At the same time, he's also not a traditional villain, if only in that he can't entirely shake his gracious roots (particularly when he recognizes Rogers after an intense encounter), but always remains a tenacious enough force to fuel the film's escalating tension.

Although Bucky may have fallen off the virtuous path, the Falcon is there to more than deftly occupy his spot, but it's the modern, practical look that he sports, not that hip, '70s flair that many generally associate with the character. Nonetheless, the new look works logically in the modernized scheme of things, and whenever the Falcon takes flight, the sequences are nothing short of thrilling.

At any rate, Cap not only has to contend with a dangerously revamped Bucky, but has suspicions that Nick Fury and SHIELD many not necessarily be on the level, especially in the aftermath of a recent mission. How Cap resolves this, and who (or what) is actually pulling Bucky's strings (an old enemy, perhaps?) is what draws one deeper into the plot.

In the end, beyond all the twists and turns, "Winter Soldier" emerges as a rollicking, high-adrenalin adventure, which like its predecessor, never forgets that, at its heart, it's all about a good man trying to do good. That's what counts here. Cap stands for something righteously old-fashioned, yes, but so what? Admirably, he believes in doing the respectable thing and is never hesitant when it comes to dishing out justice. Of course, in Bucky's case, Cap does face a dilemma, for his friend has obviously been altered by others. Still, with the damage done, how can Cap allow his old pal to run rampant? Cap has no choice but to stop him, or by some impossibly slim chance, find the means to reach him, redeem him.

Anyway, get off your duffs and support Cap in his latest spree. That's right--send a message to those high-brow know-it-alls who think Cap is passe, and maybe on a more frequent basis, we'll be awarded even more of these good-hearted salutes. God only knows we need such in this ever confusing world; why, oh, why not at the very least start with the movies?

LONG LIVE CAP AND ALL FOR WHICH HE STANDS!!!