TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: MICHAEL V PETER

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY V DRAC (WITH WEE TORCH)

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDER, TORCH & LIZARD

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY VS CAP BRITAIN

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP: SPIDEY & THE SURFER

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY, DAREDEVIL & BLACK WIDOW

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY VS QUICKSILVER

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: SPIDEY, DAREDEVIL & THE PUNISHER (WITH CAMEO PARTS)

 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: IRON MAN, SPIDEY & THE WRAITH

 

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. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: PIZZAZZ PALS

HAPPY (SPIDEYPOOL) NEW YEAR 2020!!! (TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE)

RIP TOM LYLE...

You instilled great glory into such spry heroes as Timothy Drake's Robin and Peter Parker's Spider-man, while injecting the perfect dose of poison into the Joker, Venom and Carnage.

You co-created Starman, designed Ben Reilly's Scarlet Spider and bestowed fancy flair into the cosmic Comet, not to mention your stylish contributions to the Punisher, Kane and the Justice Society of America.

Your contagious kindness was as legendary as your artistry, Mr. Lyle,, and your impact on the the comic realm won't soon be forgotten. If anything, it will continue to expand, cementing your position among the best who's ever put pen to pad. 

I saw Spidey: Far From Home...

Back when Tobey Maguire acted as our favorite web slinger, a pompous chap told me that the actor's initial chapter pissed him off, but was too full of hot air to articulate why. Later I deduced it was Peter Parker's diligence that spurred the bum's scorn, with cowardice being his "diagnosed" excuse (ha, ha) to stay idle: Spider-man is what he'd aspire to be if only he had the courage.

Steve Ditko gave Parker heaps of courage (along with great power and responsibility), which has prevailed through decades of Marvel comics and cartoons. It's embedded in Maguire's trilogy, Andrew Garfield's love-laden set, the way-out "Spider-verse", the recent Avengers pics and Tom Holland's piloted outings.

This commendable component hits a pleasing high in "Spider-Man: Far From Home": the first in the fourth phase of the Disney-distributed, Avengers series, directed by John Watts and scripted by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the trio responsible for "Homecoming". 

This time the attentive Parker swings far from Manhattan on a European "vacation", accompanied by chaperones Mr. Harrington (Martin Starr) and Mr. Dell (J.B. Smooth), Michelle, aka MJ (Zendaya), Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon), Betty Brant (Angourie Rice), Brad Davis (Remy Hii) and rude but industrious Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori). In Thompson's defense, I'll take a wiseass any day over a lazy one.

In addition to Parker and his school mates, we're given Aunt May (Marisa Tomei)'s new squeeze, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), each within proper proximity in case anything goes wrong, and of course, it does. (BTW: When it comes to Fury and Hill, a post-credits segment might reveal a catch, and I'll let it be at that.)

These skilled protectors must deal with the consequences of a parallel-plane portal that unleashes colossal creatures (Elementals) upon the Earth...or so that's the claim. And yet it's not only the irrefutable bad that seemingly slips through the other side, but assisting "good".  (The quotation marks are there for a reason. Duh.)

Shoot, we're talkin' Mysterio here, aka Quentin Beck, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, an actor who might have played Spider-man in that second, Sam Raimi flick, if Maguire couldn't make it. Maybe in some alternate universe, Gyllenhal did, in fact, play the part: an idea that has led fans to ponder if Mysterio might be a parallel Parker and not the trickster of traditional lore.

So, is he another Parker? The next Iron Man? Well, I ain't gonna tell, but I'll say this much, Mysterio holds a potent place in "Far From Home". Maybe it's Gyllenhaal's clever nuances, that gladiator armor and emerald, Robot Monster dome, or maybe it's just his basic air of mystery that does the trick. Know what? I'll opt for the latter. Mysterio's equivocation colors this fast-paced adventure, even if its chief hue stems from its intrepid acts, which pile on in sterling spades in honor of those gutsy enough to rub a little elbow grease onto any sticky situation. 

In fact, most of the characters demonstrate their commitment to doing right, no matter how daunting the sacrifice. Sometimes the gang gets frightened, frustrated...makes major mistakes (and good ol' Spidey is right at the top of the list), but they dust themselves off and never let others do what they can do themselves. These good folks possess integrity: a trait that cowards lack. 

All the same, among the daring diligence comes some scattered romance. Parker and MJ's love blooms in "Far From Home", but shucks, even that takes sincere courage on their parts. At least the labored affection never gets overbearing, as it does in Garfield's films. It instead sprinkles the scenery with upright pause (and cause), which in turn amplifies the action whenever it resumes: further proof of a laudable, balls-attached chapter. 

Yeah, bums will take offense to "Far From Home", but Spider-man isn't a hero for those pissed-off sloths. Guess that's just how it rolls in the crybaby, do-nothing annals. For the rest of us, this flick is a metaphoric testament to the bravery we apply to every sweat-brow day: that special way we rise to the occasion even when we're afraid.  

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: HAPPY PRESIDENTS' DAY 2019

An Alternate Reality: I saw the Spider-verse...

Spider-man, aka Peter Parker, is a good role model for kids. That's because he doesn't sit on his duff all day and let the world pass him by. He wants to do good, and to do good,  he works hard to achieve and sustain it, whether within his Manhattan realm or beyond--whether through success or on those rare occasions, failure. 

"Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse" supports this enlightened vibe, though this time Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) isn't the focus, but rather his alternate-reality counterpart, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore). The of-the-same-ilk Morales co-exists with two versions of Parker, allowing each to act as a resourceful, wall-climbing guide.

Adding fuel to the teacher-student fire are other alternate-reality Spideys, all of whom enter the mix due to a dimensional rift spurred by bulky Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (Liev "Wolverine" Schrieber), which may be kismet-kissed, if one subscribes to the notion that all things happen for a reason (and in most Marvel-verses, that's generally the idea). 

In truth, "Spider-verse", directed by Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman; and scripted by Rothman and Phil Loyd, is a problem-solving, cooperation fable, with its diverse, eccentric participants helping one another stop dimensional-swapping evil. 

Among the web-slinging alternatives is Spider-Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfield); Spider-man Noir (Nicolas "Ghost Rider" Cage); Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) and Peni Parker (Kamiko Glenn). On the opposing side, we've got the aforementioned Kingpin; Doc Ock (Kathryn Hahn); the Green Goblin (Jorma Taccone); the Scorpion (Joaquin Cosio); and Morales' graffiti-gifted uncle, Aaron Davis, aka the Prowler (Mahershala Ali). 

Though Kingpin's loyalty to his henchmen is at best shaky, the good-guy side gets sincere, homespun support from Morales' parents, Officer Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio (Lauren Luna Valez), as well as Parker's forever faithful (and now technologically inclined) Aunt May (Lily Tomlin). The trio advocates the importance of doing the right thing, as much as any Spidey variant. There's lots to learn from these mature citizens, and the respect they grant their kids (and vice versa) makes "Spider-verse" an identifiable, family film of the old-fashioned kind.

It's also a pretty chunky movie, running nearly two hours, but it never drags, spreading humor, good cheer and turbulent tension throughout every colorful (CGI-animated) turn.

Though its progression is spry, some are bound to take offense to the story's knuckle-clashing bouts and depictions of death, but shame on those who object. It's about time we got back to the rock 'em-sock 'em, real-life basics in a theatrical, animated feature. For those wee dewdrops who can't hack such, there's plenty of nauseating fluff to sniff, but for those who sport a pair of balls, "Spider-verse" is just what the doc (or the late, great Stan Lee) ordered. 

You know, after watching this, adolescent Jimmy might actually conjure the courage to ask adolescent Cindy out on a date, and of course, the poor lad will get shot down. So be it. That's life. I mean, could such be any worse than getting stuck under the Kingpin's derisive thumb or any of those real-life counterparts dear Jimmy will someday face? I think not...