Tag: Jack Kirby

Word of the Nerd Remembers Jack Kirby

Feb. 06 Comic Books, Editor's Pick, Legends of the Longbox, Nerd's Perspective no comments

Nineteen years ago today, Jacob Kurtzberg, better known as Jack “King” Kirby passed away. Since he started in the comic book industry in the 1930s, Kirby has left an indelible mark on the medium, influencing generations of artists and writers and inspiring readers with his imaginative worlds both cosmic and Earth-bound.

Said Gil Kane of Kirby:

“Jack was a natural-and he was a natural early on before the wall hit him. I thought that in the early ’40s, he was just about the best guy around. He had a narrative style that was way beyond Lou Fine or any of these guys. On top of that, he really knew enough about drawing and everything so that there was simply no upgrading him. He was just excellent.” (Source: TwoMorrows Publishing)

Kirby was not only the progenitor of the Marvel look that would define the Silver Age, but he was a creative tour de force, developing some of Marvel and DC’s best characters. Such as…

Captain America:

Kirby was on the ground floor of Cap’s creation along with his frequent collaborator Joe Simon. When the two started working for Timely Comics (which would later become Marvel), they produced the Sentinel of Liberty in 1941. The character was so successful that Kirby was offered a position as Timely’s art director, though he and Simon would later leave for National Comics (which would eventually become DC Comics) after they felt their deal with publisher Martin Goodman wasn’t being honored.

The Fantastic Four:

The book that started Kirby’s influence over the Silver Age, the first family of Marvel defined Kirby’s signature style and showcased his ability to go beyond the usual boundaries of storytelling by reinventing the cosmos as he saw fit. Through the Fantastic Four, and Kirby, we would also get characters like The Silver Surfer, Galactus, Doctor Doom, and Uatu the Watcher. One of the more memorable stories involved the Fantastic Four actually meeting their creator, which firmly cemented Kirby’s status as the true creative force behind the Marvel Universe. His status at Marvel coupled with his frequent collaborations with Stan Lee put him at the creative ground floor of other Marvel characters like Thor, Iron Man, The Hulk, the original X-Men, and Black Panther - all of whom were penciled by Kirby with a few co-plotted by the artist when Lee couldn’t due to scheduling conflicts and handed the projects off to other creators.

The Fourth World Saga:

After another falling out with Marvel over breaches of contract and some dirty dealings concerning the lack of credit given to Kirby for character’s he’d created or co-created, the “King” of comics moved on to DC in the early 70′s where he produced a number of titles linked together under the moniker of “The Fourth World.” First introduced through Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, Kirby’s cosmic soap opera began with the villain Darkseid and later expanded to include the planets of Apokalips and New Genesis. These warring planets were inhabited by heroes like Orion, Mister Miracle, Big Barda, and the Forever People as well as the many minions of Darkseid like Granny Goodness, Desaad, Sleeze, Glorious Godfrey, Kalibak, and the Female Furies.

His work at DC also included O.M.A.C., Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, and Etrigan the Demon!

Outside of the comic book industry, Kirby was involved in several animation projects like Thundarr the Barbarian and illustrated an adaptation of Disney’s The Black Hole. Most recently, his involvement in “The Canadian Caper” during the Iranian Hostage Crisis was referenced in the movie Argo (2012) where Kirby is portrayed in a quick cameo by Michael Parks, though his storyboards are featured throughout the movie.

Jack Kirby’s style and influence as a creator and artist has followed him from his beginnings as a freelance artist and well into the 21st Century. Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Cavalier and Clay is in part a tribute to Kirby and other creators of the Golden Age of Comics with Joseph Cavalier standing in as the Kirby surrogate. Jazz musician Greg Bendian did an entire album, Requiem for Jack Kirby, as a tribute to the man with each session based on one of his creations. Superman: The Animated Series modeled Detective Dan Turpin on Kirby, going so far as to dedicate the episode “Apokalips…Now! Part 2″ in his memory. The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mirage comics even paid tribute to Kirby in Donatello’s solo book, which was later turned into a tribute episode of the 2003 animated series entitled “The King” where Donatello meets an artist named Kirby. There’s even a Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center website where you can learn more about Kirby and his continued influence in the world of comic books and art.

And if you’d like to see physical proof of Kirby’s influence in the here and now:

That’s my arm, by the way. Just in case it wasn’t obvious.

So, there you have it, Kirby is forever imprinted on multiple generations of comic book creators and readers. Artist, writer, decorated veteran, Jack Kirby may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. And as one of my favorite comedians Greg Proops says in tribute to those that have shuffled the mortal coil: Jack Kirby is a swirling vortex of cosmic splendor. He shines brightly in a sea of stars so that we might look upon him and wonder.

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What if We Had a Fourth World Movie?

Oct. 20 Comic Books, Movies no comments

In light of the recently confirmed news that Justice League will indeed be a movie and will be coming out in 2015, going up against Avengers 2, I’d like to propose an alternative to The Justice League movie that would tie in with the upcoming Man of Steel in 2013 and provide the proper incentive for The Justice League to actually form.

I’m speaking, of course, of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World.

The Fourth World was conceived of, written, and drawn by Kirby when he left Marvel for DC in 1970. The umbrella title of “The Fourth World” actually consists of the books The New Gods, Mister Miracle, and The Forever People with the conceptual introduction occurring in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. Many of the characters from The Fourth World Saga such as Darkseid, Orion, Mister Miracle, and Big Barda were integrated into the greater DC Universe as part of The Justice League or The Birds of Prey after the original titles were cancelled. They’ve also made appearances in DC’s animated and live action shows such as Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League: Unlimited, Smallville, Young Justice, and one or two of the direct-to-DVD animated movies. Pre-reboot, the book Death of the New Gods virtually wiped out all of Kirby’s characters, which was part of the lead up to Final Crisis, but then the reboot happened so none of that really matters now. Post-reboot, very few of the characters have appeared with the exception of Darkseid just kinda hanging out towards the end of Justice League’s first arc and the now cancelled O.M.A.C. There is some hope though on the last pages of Wonder Woman #12, so stay tuned as the winds may be changing in favor of The New Gods.

So, hear me out. The Fourth World was introduced through a Superman comic, forever tying The New Gods to the Superman mythos. This would give DC and Warner Brothers a perfect set-up to The Justice League by providing an entire movie devoted to setting up the villain and, therefore, providing justification for the formation of the team. Here’s my proposal for a Fourth World Movie.

The Plot/Story

Here’s the basic story. The leaders of two planets, Highfather of the peace-loving New Genesis and Darkseid of the warmongering Apokolips, exchange sons to broker a truce. Why? Well, seems that Darkseid’s after this thing called the Anti-Life Equation that would basically wipe out free will, making Darkseid the supreme ruler of all! Highfather and The New Gods don’t exactly want him to find said equation, hence all the fighting and the eventual truce since each figures the other wouldn’t destroy the planet where their “real” son was a resident. You can imagine how long that’ll last. In the middle of this conflict are Orion, the true son of Darkseid, who must learn to control his anger and rage inherited from his Apokoliptian heritage to become a hero while Scott Free, the true son of Highfather, attempts to escape the sadistic minions of Darkseid and Apokolips, eventually becoming the hero Mister Miracle on Earth.

That’s it. That’s the least amount of information you need to start this movie. From there on out, it’s a matter of setting up an actual plot, which is already sort of there in the aforementioned story. It’s about fathers and sons, nature vs. nurture, and the ultimate quest for power. Plus, there’s an amazing cast of characters you could make use of.

Speaking of which…

Darkseid and the Minions of Apokolips

Sounds like a heavy metal cover band, right?

Anyway, I bring this up because the main source of conflict is going to come from Darkseid and his people on Apokolips. He is, in actuality, a god and is worshipped as such on Apokolips, though there are pocket resistance groups that pop up from time to time. Ultimately, the Anti-Life Equation is an extension of the power Darkseid already wields on Apokolips, just on a universal level. David Brothers did an amazing article over at Comics Alliance covering Darkseid’s morality, so I’ll try my best to do the topic justice. Essentially, Darkseid wants order through the subjugation of peoples’ free will. The resulting conflict comes from people fighting for their freedom but also fighting for the consequences of freedom, which is the messy chaos of life. This is what continually makes Darkseid a great foil for Superman. Kal-El is a god amongst mortals, a hero who denies being worshipped and refuses to conquer the weaker masses. On any given day, Superman could decide to take over Earth, but he chooses not to because his own moral code honors the virtues of humanity and a person’s right to make their own decisions. To Darkseid this is unfathomable as his own power comes from others bending to his will by denying their own.

So, for the purposes of this hypothetical movie, the quest for the Anti-Life Equation is Darkseid’s prime motivation, which also sets up Scott’s need to escape Apokolips as well as Orion’s possible confrontation with Darkseid and his own Apokoliptian nature. The greater theme here, one that could be carried over to The Justice League, is the idea of freedom vs subjugation. It’s no coincidence that the two “sons” of Darkseid choose freedom in their own ways. Orion, by controlling his rage and not giving in to his heritage, and Scott by literally becoming an escape artist, always capable of breaking his chains and escaping the confines of boxes and cages.

Aiding Darkseid in maintaining his regime are Desaad and Granny Goodness. Desaad is his master torturer, so one could imagine scenes of him torturing members of a resistence group or someone who might have information about the Anti-Life Equation. Granny Goodness, however, serves Darkseid in two ways. Firstly, she’s the one responsible for the indoctrination of the children of Apokolips, which makes her an excellent obstacle for Scott. Justice League Unlimited did an excellent episode that focused on Mister Miracle and his origins on Apokolips. It’s certainly no surprise that his nightmare fuel involves Granny Goodness and her tormenting tutelage. Secondly, she’s in charge of training Darkseid’s all-woman guard, The Female Furies. The Furies alone are worth the price of admission. An all female group of villainous Darkseid fanatics, trained by Granny, and kick ass? Dear God, you’d think Hollywood would be pounding on DC’s door for this one! I mean, look at this:

More of that, right? Right?

Oh, and you might have noticed someone there that I haven’t yet spoken about…besides Wonder Woman. The Furies and Granny  notwithstanding, they also provide another plot point worth exploring…

The Love Story

So, I’m kind of a Barda fanatic. And my kinda I mean that I have a tattoo of her on my arm. Why? Because she kicks ass and takes names, that’s why! That clip alone proves it. In the comics, Barda was leader of The Female Furies, loyal to Darkseid and Granny. However, when she breaks up a gathering of resistors, she meets Scott and he slowly begins to change her mind towards her devotion to Darkseid and the role she plays on Apokolips. Eventually, they fall in love and she follows him to Earth. What’s great about their relationship is that they are the typical married couple who just happen to be immortal gods, so to speak. When he’s not fighting crime or stopping inter-planetary conflicts, Scott’s always trying to improve his skills as an escape artist, much to the chagrin of Barda who worries that he’s constantly looking for ways to get himself killed. Barda herself is a no-nonsense type of woman, so she’s quick to confront and express herself versus playing games. She’s also hot-tempered, which puts Scott in the position of playing peacekeeper when his wife gets upset at whatever. It’s a give and take relationship, but a loving and equal one. Kirby based their relationship on his own marriage, so it gives you some insight into the man himself.

Now, you can play with this story a little bit to fit the plot. Maybe Barda isn’t a fanatic like the other Female Furies, but more questioning of her life, which makes it easier for Scott to convince her to resist Darkseid and Granny since the seeds of discontent were already there. Barda, then, becomes a double agent. She helps Scott by feeding him intel, but eventually has a forced confrontation with Granny, the Furies, Darkseid, or all of them where she has to declare her loyalty. And along the way, she and Scott fall in love. Or you can at least get them to a point where it makes sense that she’d follow him to Earth.

And with the young lovers fleeing to Earth, they might require the help of…

The Justice League

See how this could all fit together in a roundabout, sort of non-linear fashion type way? Scott and Barda escape Apokolips. Maybe they go to Earth, maybe they end up on New Genesis with the help of Orion and some members of the resistence. With all of that Mother Box/Father Box technology lying a round, someone’s bound to use a boom tube at some point. Either way, they have knowledge of Darkseid’s continuing search for the Anti-Life Equation. At this point, he’s probably killed some people on other planets. Lika ya do. Perhaps he’s even received information that the Anti-Life Equation is, in fact, ON EARTH!!! Dun-dun-duhhhh! Anyway, they have information, Darkseid’s on the move, probably in violation of the treaty with Highfather, but the people of New Genesis alone cannot stop him.

If only there was a group of heroes who could help them. But where would they find such a group?

Huh! Oh, well, guess we’ll just have to find someone else.

Nah, just kidding. But you see where I’m going with this? Not only do you get a mostly standalone story, but it addresses the need for The Justice League prior to an actual team-up. It also expands the DC Universe, leaving it wide open for more alien conflicts in the future. Think of this as the Reverse Thanos – which may or may not be a manueuver mentioned in polite company.

To top it all off, there’s so much you can do with the design and style of New Genesis and Apokolips. Granted, we’ve seen a lot of bad CG when it comes to superhero movies, but Kirby’s drawings just lend themselves to being brought to life on the big screen. It’s kinetic, crazy, and fun. Kirby drew larger than life and a movie about the Fourth World could certainly be larger than life…in a good way…hopefully.

So, just a thought, Hollywood. Not saying you have to. Just saying it might be something worth looking into.

But what about you, the superhero movie going public? Would a Fourth World movie work? And, if not a movie, how should The Fourth World characters be utilized? Let me know!

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Jack Kirby’s Grandchild Wants You to Do Something on August 28th

Aug. 14 Comic Books, News, Press Release no comments

Even though he’s been dead for 20 years, Jack Kirby’s influence in the comic book industry is still felt to this day. Alongside Stan Lee, Jack Kirby created the iconic characters in Marvel Comics’ catalog. Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Mighty Thor, and the X-Men are but a few of his iconic creations. His influence is so great that even his youngest grandchild, who was not born when Jack passed, is moved by his legacy.

 

On August 28, what would have been Jack Kirby’s 95th birthday, Jillian Kirby wants your help to honor her grandfather by donating money to Kirby4Heroes. If you live in California or close to Midtown Comics in Manhattan, you are encouraged to go to your local comic book shop and donate in special donation boxes. If you live in the other states, you will need go online or to the address below to donate. All donations will be given to the Hero Initiative.

The Hero Initiative provides to comic book writers and artists in dire financial and medical straits the money they need to get them through it. Or in the case of the late Robert Washington III, the money to pay for a funeral. Comic book writing is a wholly freelance profession and sometimes medical expenses wipe out even the best funded retirement accounts.

Send your donations to:

Kirby4Heroes Campaign
c/o The Hero Initiative
11301 Olympic Blvd., #587
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Online Donations are at Heroinitiative.org. Remember to type in Kirby4Heroes where it asks for special instructions.

Video Explaining Project is located Here

 

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Movie Review: The Avengers

May. 06 Movies, Reviews no comments

About The Avengers, a friend said, ”First time ever I’ve gone to a movie with ridiculously high expectations and not only had them met, but exceeded.” Let me say, that I fully agree with this statement. You see, I saw this movie not because I had read the comics, but as a fan of comic book movies. I knew just enough about the characters from those films to make me care about them and want to see how they all fit together, this group of exceptional people, The Avengers, brought together by Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We are thrown head-first into the action from minute one, where we see the plot begin to take shape. Loki, Norse god and brother of Thor, is back for revenge and the sibling rivalry helps drive the action between these two characters. Loki has rightly gone mad, his thirst for power and the acceptance from Odin that he never received causes him to seek an alliance with beings outside of both Earth and Asgaard. This alliance, coupled with Loki’s hunger for domination, brings the fight onto the doorstep of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. But will they actually step up to the plate? What is it that they are fighting for? Each member of the team has to look deep down, and that is an element that Sir Joss Whedon brought to this film. If there is something that Joss Whedon can do, it is create a strong character, and a strong ensemble. He did it with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he did it with Firefly, and he has done it with The Avengers.

 

Photo courtesy of All Movie Photo

Diehard comic book fans and casual movie-goers alike will not be disappointed with this movie, especially the after-credits scene. As a lover of comic book movies and of Joss Whedon, I was extremely satisfied. The dialogue was purely Joss and quips were delivered by all characters flawlessly. Not only was the dialogue great, the action did not miss a beat. The movie really builds up to an amazing climax and the finale nearly makes your heart stop. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and if your theater was like mine, then everyone was reacting with a mixture of cheering, clapping, guffawing, and even maybe tearing up a little. One of the many things that Joss is good at is playing with my emotions and there was no shortage of that in The Avengers. The dialogue did not seem forced, everything was so natural and the witty banter was so true to form for Joss. You really did not have to have see the other films to get the jokes that were thrown in. I was just amazed at the way Joss was able to use his source material from Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. It was great!

 

Photo courtesy of All Movie Photo

As for the cast, I think that Tom Hiddleston really outdid himself with his performance as Loki. He is an actor that I have come to greatly admire and his range has been spectacular. It was nice to see all of the familiar faces from other films come together for The Avengers. It was almost surreal to have the entire team together. We have been waiting for five years for this film and it was so amazing to see how everything culminated and to think of where it can all go from here. Mark Ruffalo was outstanding and he played Bruce Banner so well with great depth. Even “The Other Guy” got a great line in there. Chris Evans will always have my heart as Captain America. His character is just so daggone wholesome, I could not stop smiling every time I saw him. Jeremy Renner, whom I have not familiarized myself too much, was highly enjoyable. Heck, the whole cast was great. Major props to Clark Gregg for his performance as Agent Coulson, who has consistently been one of my favorite characters, and actors really, I loved him on the New Adventures of Old Christine.

The only criticism I have of the 3D is the post-production. Honestly, I did not think that the 3D affects added much to the film. I also do not recall Captain Steve Rogers ever saying, “Avengers Assemble!” which I would have loved. So really, the negatives were so inconsequential. I just absolutely loved this movie. I will definitely see it again in theaters, but probably not in 3D, I will stick to 2D from here on out.

Like I said, I am not a huge comic book reader and I have said for a long time that I am going to start reading. However, The Avengers is the first comic book movie that has made me want to run out and get the original comics so I can go back and get myself up to speed. It is that good. Go see it! Now we just have to wait until The Hulk movie comes out (as I understand that Mark Ruffalo has signed a 6 picture deal), Nick Fury’s movie comes out, and we get a Black Widow/Hawkeye origin story. Oh, and Captain America 2, Thor 2, and Iron Man 3… gosh I cannot wait!

5/5 Stars!

This review was originally posted on Kentucky Geek Girl on May 5, 2012.

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Avengers Boot Camp: Nick Fury

Apr. 27 Comic Books, Features, Movies 1 comment

One of the most anticipated films of 2012, The Avengers brings together a gaggle of super-heroes introduced (or re-introduced) to audiences over the last three years in their own movies.  There is a lot to keep track of, so we are continuing our “boot camp” with the ultimate super-hero wrangler Nick Fury.

The Comics

Like Black Widow and Hawkeye, we don’t have much to go on in the Avengers film series for Nick Fury. So we shall take a look back at his comic book history.  Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in 1963, Nicholas Joseph Fury is born in Clinton, New York to a World War I pilot father.  Nick Fury follows in his father’s footsteps, becoming a legendary Word War II hero. He leads a racially and ethnically integrated special force dubbed the “Howling Commandos” who occasionally work alongside Captain America and his friend Bucky.  A grenade damages Fury’s eye, and with no medicine to treat the wound, his eye is permanently damaged. When Fury is wounded in a landmine explosion, he is “rescued” by Professor Bethrold Sternberg.  Sternberg uses Fury as a test subject for his “Infinity Formula,” retarding Fury’s aging process.  However, this means Fury must inject himself regularly with the serum to stay alive. Sternberg eventually spends several decades extorting Fury for money in exchange for the formula.

During the last years of the war, Fury joins the CIA precursor Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and is selected by Tony Stark to be the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (stay tuned for an upcoming boot camp on that organization). Fury recruits numerous former Howlers to the S.H.I.E.L.D. team and Captain America is taken out of suspended animation and he and Fury revive their friendship.

At some point a few years after Fury’s introduction, he underwent a transition to a more James Bond like “super spy” appearance.

What would a comic book hero be without a death?  A brainwashed Punisher who believes Fury is responsible for the murder of his family, kills Fury.  Then the “is this a soap opera or a comic book” twist- wait for it- it wasn’t Fury that Punisher killed, it was an advanced Life Model Decoy android. The real Fury soon discovers S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over from the inside with other Life Model Androids who have also taken the identities of his friends and allies.  Now Fury has had his ups and he has had his downs. He’s gone underground from disgrace, but when it came to saving S.H.I.E.L.D., he has made it clear the organization and its purpose are his only priority.

Fury allows S.H.I.E.L.D. to disband, eventually rebuilding it as a smaller unit he can closely monitor and partners with super-heroes he can trust.  Fury grows S.H.I.E.L.D. into a powerful organization that reaches into national governments and has allegiances with several super-hero groups including the Avengers.  Fury also becomes the middleman when super-heroes need government information.

Fury is the only “33rd-degree” S.H.I.E.L.D. agent; he is the only member to know the existence of all 28 covert global bases, secretly providing the Anti-Registration super-hero faction in the superhuman civil war with bases where they can band together without worrying about the Pro-Registration discovering them.

In a very brief nutshell for a drawn out Thor/Fury storyline- Captain America summons Fury and his Avengers to help Thor during the Siege of Asgard.  Loki actually attempts to help Fury but Loki is killed.

Like all super-heroes, as the times change and new writers come and go, there is an origin story change.  Ultimate Nick Fury comes on the radar and he is modeled after Samuel L. Jackson, prior to his acceptance of any role in the Marvel Avengers’ film series.  Depending on what you read, either Jackson pre-approved this or it was a surprise and the impetus for him to seek the role of Nick Fury.

Ultimate Nick Fury was still in World War II, but he and a few comrades were looting a house when American military police arrived to arrest them. Fury was imprisoned in an unknown location along with other African American men.  Fury was elected to be the next text subject for Project Rebirth.  Fury was injected with a serum that gave him super-strength. He used the strength to free himself and the other prisoners and they all escaped.  The scientists let him escape deciding they had all the information they needed at the time.

Fury is assigned to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Weapon X program in the original Gulf War. He is with the team transporting Wolverine and he and the mutant are the only survivors of an ambush.  Fury and Wolverine develope a bond after the experience.   Fury is summarily promoted to General and resumes the duties of the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and alternately with Captain America, leads his super-hero teams into battle.

Fury is no nonsense, persistent man.  He is a hero and his work and country mean everything to him.

Random tidbits:

  • Nick Fury lost his right arm in a battle against the Liberators and it is claimed he replaced it with a bionic one.
  • Some storylines/incarnations have had Fury’s eye patch over the right eye.
  •  Without Mary Jane’s interference, he could have wreaked havoc on Peter Parker’s spidey powers, taking them away.
  •  Fury’s own brother is the villain Scorpio.  Later, Mikel, Fury’s son, uses the Scorpio identity too.
  •  There is an upcoming Nick Fury movie in the works. Samuel Jackson is apparently under contract to play the character in nine movies.

The Movie

You. Don’t. Mess. With. Samuel. L. Jackson. Super-heroes are not my favorite comic book fodder and I was not 100% up on Nick Fury, but I knew enough to get chills when he showed up at the end of the first Iron Man movie. The Nick Fury role has become Jackson and not the other way around.  It is like Fury was not around until Samuel embodied the character. Kudos to the casting on this one.

I honestly cannot think of another actor who could believably try to wrangle Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and The Hulk on the big screen.  Jackson plays a stern Fury, playing his cards close to the vest.  And he excels at a demeanor that reads “I could be joking with you or I could be about to end your world right now.” It would also seem that he knows the weakness of each super-hero, resulting in the right threat or vague put down or flattery to get them motivated to fight his fight.

I expect the same cryptic cajoling from Nick Fury in The Avengers but I am also expecting Fury to get a chance to physically join in the fight at some point.

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Avengers Boot Camp: Thor

Apr. 26 Comic Books, Features, Movies no comments

One of the most anticipated films of 2012, The Avengers brings together a gaggle of super-heroes introduced (or re-introduced) to audiences over the last three years in their own movies.  There is a lot to keep track of, so we are continuing our “boot camp” with Thor!

The Comics

First appearing in August of 1962 in the title Journey into Mystery, Thor arrived in the same era (known as The Silver Age) and was created by the same team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as both Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.  As a Norse god the character, sometimes called The Mighty Thor, walks the line between fantasy, science fiction and traditional super-hero comics.

In the original arc, Thor is sent to Earth by his father and ruler of Asgard, Odin, to learn humility.  He is given a traditional alter-ego, Donald Blake, and after discovering the hammer, Mjolnir, and the special powers that come with it, he takes on the role of super-hero. After meeting nurseJane Foster he also takes on a romance.  In the Ultimate Universe, Thor has no alter-ego, although he is still a Norse deity, this time re-born on Earth.

While a prominent member of The Avengers, Thor also fights many battles on Asgard, most of which involve his adoptive brother, Loki, the god of mischief.  While they sometimes find themselves on the same side, more often than not Thor is forced to fight against the brother he loves.   He has a circle of warrior friends with whom he does battle in that realm as well.  His regular and extended absences from the the Avengers are a source of tension for the team.  When Tony Stark creates Clone Thor to fight in his place, for example, Thor is particularly peeved.

Thor’s love story with Jane Foster transcends both worlds, as does the struggle with his father.  When Odin finally forces Thor to return to Asgard and hence separates him from Jane, Thor begins a romantic entanglement with Lady Sif.   After Odin’s death, Thor becomes leader of Asgard for a time.

Powers and abilities

As portrayed in Marvel comics, Thor is the strongest of the Asgardians, has extended life based on consumption of Golden Apples, and tremendous stamina and speed.  He is also resistant to some magic.  It is by using Mjolnir that Thor can focus his powers to summon weather forces, lightning and thunder being the most iconic.  There is even a plot point in which Doctor Strange binds Thor’s soul to the hammer, thus ensuring that any damage done to it will also damage Thor himself.

Finally, Thor can enter into a state of “Warrior’s Madness” in which his strength is amplified,  but his ability to exercise judgment and caution are proportionally diminished.  It will be interesting to see if that element is added to the character in the films.

Speaking of which.

The Movie

Out of necessity for Avengers prep, there will be spoilers.  If you want to read a spoiler-free review, you can check out this one.

Released in 2011, directed by Kenneth Branagh and staring Chris Hemsworth in the titular role, Thor begins with Thor being struck by a van driven by physicist Jane Foster, Doctor Selvig, and their assistant Darcy Lewis in the middle of the New Mexico desert, where the three Earth-folk have come to study strange behavior in the aurora phenomena.  Quickly, the film shifts via flashback to Asgard where Thor is cast out by father Odin after arrogantly marching into Jotunheim, the home of the Frost Giants, seeking revenge for their disruption of what was to be Thor’s coronation in their attempt to steal (or take back, depending on perspective) the Casket of Ancient Winters and regain the power taken by Asgardian warriors in a previous war which left the Frost Giants devastated.

The action of the film oscillates between Asgard and Earth, much like the comics (sans the alter-ego thread), with the primary villains on Asgard being the Frost Giants, lead by Laufey, magnificently played by Colm Feore, and the villain on Earth eventually revealed to be Loki, equally well played by Tom Hiddleston, who seeks to prevent Thor’s return to Asgard where Loki has taken over leadership after Odin falls ill.  It is important to note that in the film, Loki is revealed to be the son of Laufey.  This fact is revealed to Loki by Odin after a battle with the Frost Giants in which Loki’s body responds in decidedly surprising ways to an attack.  It is this revelation that seems to push him from generally wanting to mess with Thor out of relatively normal jealousy to maniacal desire to see Thor destroyed.

On Earth, Thor develops friendships with Eric Selvig and Darcy Lewis, and of course some romantic feelings for Jane Foster.   He is pursued by Agent Coulson and the S.H.I.E.L.D. team and ends up fighting with them when Loki unleashes his big bad for the film, The Destroyer.  Having been forced to live as a mortal and an outcast, and having been (temporarily) devastated by the (false) news from Loki that Odin has died, Thor is a more humble and empathetic man than he was on his failed coronation day.  It is also clear that while he loves his brother deeply, he will fight to help protect the people on Earth, Jane most of all.

By the end of the film, and hence where The Avengers will have to in some way pick up, Thor is stranded back on Asgard, the rainbow bridge between his world and Earth destroyed in his attempt to end Loki’s threat.  Loki has disappeared into space, but shows up after the credits, either possessing or imitating Doctor Selvig as he is shown a mysterious blue box for which he has great interest and, presumably, great plans.

Powers

It is less clear in the movie version whether Thor is a god or an alien, whether Asgard is another realm of existence in which magic exists, or other planet in which science runs the world.  The film seems to combine technology and magic on Asgard as well as in Thor’s costume and powers.  Both in Asgard and on Earth, Mjolnir is the key to his ability to control the weather as well as super strength, ability to fly, speed, etc.  It is as of yet unclear if he will have regenerating abilities whenever he is in possession of the hammer, but so far,  he seems resistant to damage when he has it.

One of the trailers from 2011:

 

 

Avengers speculation

In Thor, Hemsworth demonstrates he is more than just beefcake in the role by becoming steadily more likable, charming, and sympathetic as the events in his life change him.  The character of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) sums it up nicely when telling his superiors they better decide quickly whether or not he should take a shot at Thor because, “I’m starting to root for this guy.”  Yet, even from the brief clips revealed in the trailers for the film, it looks as though Thor will be fighting against his team-mates before (or perhaps after) agreeing to come on board with Fury and friends.  The fact that the villain of the film is Thor’s brother, the menacing, petulant, but vaguely sympathetic Loki, could account for some of the tension.  Really, though, it’s anybody’s guess.  All of the characters given origin movies have been damaged emotionally or physically (or both).  They also each have potentially devastating powers.  It is unlikely Joss Whedon will miss the opportunity to raise the stakes for this team with some deep divisions to overcome.

Something tells me he's not comin' in for a hug.

How Thor gets back to Earth, what becomes of Jane, and whether Lady Sif and the Warriors Three join him in the battle all remain to be seen, no hints as to their answers having been given in the trailers so far.   I suspect that the reason we have seen so little of Thor in the promos by way of dialogue may be due to the fact that to show too much would reveal something pivotal that Whedon would like to keep a surprise.  And good for him, I say.

Blu-ray extras

Commentary by Kenneth Branagh – Best known for his work both acting in and directing Shakespearean dramas like Henry V and Hamlet, it should come as no surprise that Branagh spends a good deal of time talking about his actors, their performances, and the ways in which he hopes his work and the work of his team helped to facilitate the process for them.  Somehow he manages to be fascinating and charming, even when going on about set design.  His commentary only serves to bolster my already high opinion of the film.  Worth a listen.

Deleted and extended scenes.  Generally, I am not a fan of deleted scenes, but I thought most of the nearly half an hour of them included here were kind of awesome.  It was nice to see some actors who do not get much screen time in the movie, including Rene Russo, get a little more attention.  I was also particularly pleased with a scene between Loki and Thor in which Loki shows a bit of good-natured (?) mischief.

Featurettes – There are six featurettes on the Blu-ray, the longest of which is From Asgard to Earth.  Detailing the creation of both realms, this featurette is particularly worth watching if you are interested in gaining a new appreciation for Branagh’s overall vision for the film and the ways in which he brings it all to fruition.  I love this kind of stuff, but it isn’t for everybody.  The other featurettes include Our Fearless Leader, a discussion of Branagh as a director, Assembling the Troupe, taking us through the casting process, Hammer Time, and Creating Laufey, discussing the creation of Mjolnir and Colm Feore’s make-up respectively,  Music of the Gods, discussing the score, and A Conversation with Stan Lee, in which the creator talks about his impressions of the film having seen the script and been on set for his cameo.

Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant  - a three-minute conversation with Agent Coulson and another S.H.I.E.L.D agent in a coffee shop that primarily serves as a set-up to show the Stark cameo in The Incredible Hulk.  It’s fun, I suppose.

Road to the Avengers – the by now widely seen 3-minute teaser pulling together clips of the origin movies leading up to the release of The Avengers May 4th.

Trailers – includes a full trailer, a teaser, and a trailer for the Avengers animated series.

 

That’s it for this installment of Avengers Boot Camp!  Stay tuned for Captain America, Nick Fury and more!

Want to read a review from a lucky staff member in the UK a full week before the US release?  Click here.  Be warned: a few mild spoilers. 

 

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With Great Power: Stan Lee Story / Live Chat / Contest

Apr. 24 Comic Books, Movies no comments

If you are like the rest of us here at Word of the Nerd, you have been keeping tabs on all the wonderful comic book promoting festivities that are taking place to celebrate The Avengers, in theaters this May.  We have been keeping you updated here about the EPIX and Marvel Heroes Weekend coming April 27-29th on the EPIX channel. The weekend, hosted by the legendary Stan Lee, will also feature the EPIX Original Documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story.

We have shared clips from the documentary – like when Stan Lee tells the story of how his wife saved him from quitting the comic book business (see it here), and a clip on diversity (see it here).  Now we have got two more clips courtesy of EPIX and two great announcements.

First - Stan Lee Streaming Q&A: Today, Tuesday, April 27 – a streaming 30 minute Q&A with the man himself will be available on Facebook, UStream and YouTube.  Fans will get to ask Stan all their burning questions. Here is the preview with Stan here, and here is the link to USTREAM.

Second-Want to win a Stan Lee signed poster or comic book?  How about get a shout out from Stan himself when you win?  Each day at @EPIXHD, they will be asking trivia questions to fans that will put them in the running for daily prizes and one grand prize. Head over to Twitter and don’t miss your opportunity to participate.

And as a special treat for you today, you get TWO video clips to tide you over until the EPIX Superheroes Weekend.

Stan Lee discusses Jack Kirby’s talent to bring Stan’s creations to life.

 

And what artist documentary is complete without a peek into their personal life? Here, Joan Lee discusses their quick courtship and marriage

 

Stan Lee has been around for decades, is the first person mainstream America thinks of when they hear the phrase “Super hero” or “comic book” and he has spoken about his creations, comic books, and made random appearances in movies and TV.  But this documentary will certainly shed light on new aspects of Stan Lee that we haven’t seen; striking a good balance between the personal and the professional.  Something tells me he still has a few surprises left in his bag.

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