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!!!
Summer is here, along with a new Airship 27 Podcast.
Though we didn't get a podcast for June, Captain Ron Fortier and Chief Engineer Rob Davis give us an early July treat, supplying all the hot-off-the-press fun.
This includes scoops on Nancy Hansen's sizzling Jezebel Johnston exploit, "Danseuse"; Fred Adams' highly anticipated "Dead Sheriff, Vol 3"; and I.A.Watson's in-development "Legend of Robin Hood" omnibus, which will contain the author's four novels and a bonus, short story. Updates on Radio Archive's releases are also detailed, with Fortier's exciting "Nighthawk" now queued, performed by Nick Santa Maria. Cool...
Oh, and there's further commentary on my novel, "The Persona, Vol 2: Green-Fleshed Fiends", for which I'm most grateful. (The book is edging toward completion, as Kevin Broden works on Illustration #9.)
Fill those ears and eyes at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCiD_frR9aM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0ZRpRHvdbjDZQvfNBWutYK_466_7sBkr0RFiCYvvJGHqgkD4s-x_zFIq8.
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.
Hot dog!!! To add to our summer fun, Filmfax #154 is now in our eager grasp, with an informative, David Frankham interview.
Frankham starred in such swell productions as "Tales of Terror", "Master of the World", "The Black Sleep", "House of the Seven Gables", "Return of the Fly", "Thriller" and "The Outer Limits". You'll relish his comments on Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, Charles Bronson, Roger Corman, Ed Nelson, Patrick MacNee, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Henry Hull and Vincent and Victoria Price. (Yeah, talk about mega namedropping!!!)
In addition, there's continued coverage on Pat "Twisted Brain" Cardi, Rad "the Last Sunset" Fulton and exploitation heroes, Herschell Gordon Lewis and Ed Wood.
We're also treated to more historic, Death Ray details and an in-depth, Fred Grandinetti spread on Popeye's made-for-TV, color cartoons, not to mention those neato "Just for Fun" and "Monsters! Monsters! Everywhere" novelty photos.
Another great issue with page after page crammed with wild, eclectic wonderment...
Get your copy of Filmfax #154 today at your favorite bookshop, kiosk or online source.
The anticipated third season of Netflix's "Stranger Things" kicks off July 4th. courtesy of creators Matt and Ron Duffer.
As with previous seasons, the Upside Down will be explored for the eight-episode sequel, with our young and old protagonists provoked and impacted along the way. There are also mall, Cold War and carnival backdrops, bracketed by generous, summer warmth. Sounds sweet...
To extend the ambiance, our humble, Hawkins, Indiana characters return: Millie Bobby Brown as El (aka Jane Hopper); Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler; Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler; Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair; Nicole Ferguson as Erica Sinclair; David Harbour as Jim Hopper; Noah Schnapp as Will Byers; Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers; Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers; Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler; Sadie Sink as Maxine Mayfield; Darce Montgomery as Billy Hargrove; Joe Keery as Steve Harrington; Paul Reiser as Dr. Sam Owens; and good ol' Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, who (per advanced insinuations) has a juicier part this time, though I think he pretty much devoured the scenery with his weird pet in Season 2, don't you?
Joining the gang is Maya Hawke as Robin, Cary Elwes as Mayor Larry Kline and Jake Busey as Bruce: the latter two horror/fantasy-film veterans. (Supposedly, the Duffer brothers sculpted Bruce for Busey, inspired by his role in Peter Jackson's "Frighteners". Even so, Bruce appears more journalistic than murderous, unless that's just a ruse.)
For better or worse, the founding gang has aged, which means for the kids, they (and we) will likely experience growing pains. Would moodiness and mush work as the emphasis? Aren't the gooey monsters supposed to be the show's adversarial crust? Ah, heck, I'm probably worrying over nothin'. The Duffers surely wouldn't screw with success. I mean, it's not like they've handed the reins over to Kathleen Kennedy.
The bottom line: I've no notion how Season 3 will fly. I can only presume that the favorable, '80s nostalgia will prevail: you know, those references to Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, Richard Donner...Stephen King. (I wouldn't mind a little hellraising Clive Barker woven in there, too, but hey, I ain't callin' the shots here.) Sources dare to declare that "Fletch" figures into the tapestry, as well as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: peculiar additives, but they could click if handled right. Maybe...
I just don't want things to get strained. If there's even the slightest trace of slippage, I trust the Duffers would throw in towel. I (and I'm sure most viewers) would rather see a shorter, quality span than something remembered for being beaten into the ground. In other words, it wouldn't hurt to give the concept a nice, long rest, and then in a few years, the kids could return as adults to fight a new day: no "It" recasting required. Capeesh?
Alfred Hitchcock was a master at placing innocent, identifiable people into extraordinary, harrowing circumstances.
One of the director's best examples is MGM's "North by Northwest", which hits its 60th anniversary release date (per its Chicago premiere) on July 1.
"North by Northwest" is a tale of mistaken identity, where Cary Grant's Roger Thornhill, a New York businessman cut from the "Mad Men" cloth, is framed for murder in an enemy-agent attempt to smuggle some top-secret microfilm from the United States.
The content is pulpy and sweeping, featuring on-the-run, Bondian intrigue and piles of paranoia.
To stir these ingredients, Ernest "Sabrina" Lehman's script streams with cunning calculation: an astute match for Hitch's jolting build-ups. The Mount Rushmore finale is stupendous and nail-biting; the moments with Grant and Eva Marie Saint's Eve Kendall are intelligent and steamy. (Saint is an excellent example of Hitch's proverbial icy blonde, but her character also applies a welcoming warmth that fills several, important interludes.)
The rest of the cast is as adroit, with Jessie Royce Landis as Thornhill's supportive but doubtful mom; James Mason as the wily Phillip Vandamm; Martin Landau as his stony henchman, Leonard; and Leo G. Carroll as the helpful, agency-with-no-name Professor. I'm also fond of Malcolm "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" Atterbury's cameo as the "crossroads man", whose enigmatic appearance proves the perfect prelude to one of cinema's most memorable moments.
To add to the production's high caliber, Bernard Herrmann's score is pure, agitated grandeur, as are Saul Bass' ominous, opening graphics. Robert Burk's photography is rich and refined, creating one of Hitch's best looking efforts.
In all aspects, "North by Northwest" is the pinnacle of the thriller genre. To mark its superiority, re-experience it today or enter its splendor for the first time. "North by Northwest" isn't called a classic for nothing: Satisfaction guaranteed.
