Between Books - Origins of Marvel Comics: The 50th Anniversary Edition

1974’s Origins of Marvel Comics has long been on my bucket list of to read. But other books got in the way or I would say it’s nearly 50 years old and going nowhere fast. I can get to it later. Then editor Chris Ryall pushed this classic volume to the top of the list by packaging the Stan Lee classic into a pretty package that reached out to my nostalgia and history-loving heart.

Origins of Marvel Comics: The 50th Anniversary Edition by Stan Lee and edited by Ryall repackages the Lee text for a contemporary reader. Ryall provides readers with the Fireside book including all of Lee’s original commentaries and the art to match the original, for example, a green Hulk seen in the 1974 book and not the gray Hulk from the original comic. The stories found in the book include reprints of the origins of the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange along with a later issue to show more developed versions of the beloved heroes. Along with the original book are essays that discuss the history and importance of the book. Today’s writers using the light of history also discuss Lee’s original remarks with some looking to provide credit to writers like Jack Kirby, who felt that Lee’s words diminished their efforts. But, this is not a Lee-bashing book with the inclusion of essays from Lee proponents like his brother Larry Leiber. Artist Alex Ross provides the hardcover’s dust jacket with a new homage cover, which he provides a step-by-step process for within the text. As we look back at much of the controversy of the creation of many of these heroes, the new 2024 edition is a very balanced approach, recognizing the efforts of both Lee and his partner artists.

Reading this today, I am really glad I waited and didn’t try to find a secondary market copy of the 1974 or other editions. My assessment of the Marvel creators is that much like Disney corporate history, everything worked best with dual genius leading the way (Walt/Roy or Michael/Frank). I think that the golden age of Marvel creation was pushed forward by Lee and Kirby, Ditko, and other artists. Lee’s original introductions balance this reality, with him calling out the King Jack Kirby and his partnership with the Fantastic Four. But he with Doctor Strange wrote an introduction that was full Marvel publicity machine with Lee highlighting his efforts and framing Ditko’s role as assigned artist not a key voice in the Strange creation. These introductions from Lee give you the two sides found in the Marvel media machine of the 70’s, an all-encompassing Stan Lee with nodes to important artists that made the funny pictures come alive.

The new essays are not going to change everything. For example, the Lieber interview does not fully address the known tension between the brothers. But I do feel like the Lieber discussion does help show how Lieber feels today, as the surviving brother who in many ways is cherishing the memory of a brother who while distant at times was also supportive and brought him into the Marvel family.

Origins of Marvel Comics by Lee was an important cultural moment in the popular acceptance of comic books. Fireside put Marvel stories in a bound book and placed the stories in bookstores. Ray Bradbury wrote a review of the book, included in the text, which demonstrated the important literary moment for comics with this publication. In the book, even Lee calls the comics strips, the more culturally accepted visual media of the time. There were no graphic novels. In fact, this may be one of the first models for a graphic novel. Bookstores were not being kept afloat with large sections fills with graphic novels and anime and all the toys and gear associated with these properties. Fireside with this book made reading a comic acceptable due to the bound nature of the book. This first offering led to other Lee and Fireside offerings in books like Son of Origins of Marvel Comics and Bring on the Bad Guys. And this reader hopes that Ryall is given the chance to repackage some of the other volumes for today. Especially since these hardbacks would look really great side-by-side.

Origins of Marvel Comics: The 50th Anniversary Edition by Stan Lee and edited by Chris Ryall is a must-read for Marvel Comics fans. Even those who have a vintage copy on their shelf, will want to grab the new edition. First, let’s be honest, we are collectors. Second, the new essays and Ross’ art add to the context of the entire project. Finally, for those who have not dipped their two in, this work is an important moment in not just Marvel but now Disney history and you may wish to check it out. Without Lee’s bigger-than-life personality, we would fail to have the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other Marvel stories in so many formats that exist today.  

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site

    

Cap's Comics - What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor

Lorenzo Pastrovicchio Cover

This summer we have been graced with Marvel comics that celebrated Disney classic characters with them taking the roles of Thanos and Wolverine. But summer has to end! Let’s end it with one last adventure.

“What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor” with plot by Steve Behling, script by Riccardo Secchi, and art by Giada Perissinotto gives us one more look at the 90-year-old duck taking up the mantle of a Marvel hero. In this one-shot comic, Donald Duck takes his nephews on a Norwegian vacation to an ancient archaeological Viking site so they can earn their Junior Woodchuck medal for Ancient Viking Relic Explorers. While scrounging for priceless Viking heirlooms, the Earth is invaded by the Stone Ducks of Saturn who land on this ancient site. Donald seeking shelter from the danger finds an old wooden cane which when knocked grants a worthy one, wow Donald look at you, the power of the ancient Norse God Thor. Equipped with these new abilities, the Mighty Donald is the only hero who can save us all! 

Phil Noto Donald Duck Thor Cover

Of the three Disney specials we got this summer, this one is the most all-ages and maybe a little bit more kid-focused than the rest. There is a little less inside adult humor to me, with this offering being more of a kids-friendly brawl and fight story. The biggest Easter Egg for adults is the story’s heavy parallels to the original Journey into Mystery #83 story “The Mighty Thor and the Stone Men from Saturn” which was Stan Lee’s, Larry Lieber’s, and Jack Kirby’s debut of their Norse hero in 1962. The story in many cases is beat-for-beat of the original Marvel classic. And maybe this is why it seems more kid-friendly, with it being a very 1960s plot at a time when comics were more kid-focused. I do like the changes, with movie star Korg’s Stone Men being turned into Stone Ducks, which fit the story well.

Donald Duck is a good uncle and a horrible archeologist! 

Peach Momoko Cover

Perissinotto has given us art for two of these stories now. The art here is very approachable and inviting. One of the changes you will notice here is the writing duties shared. The plot was provided by Behling who has written a handful of young reader books for Disney, many using Stitch. The script, just like you would see in a movie with the frame-by-frame and line-by-line framework for the artist, was developed by Secchi. Secchi does not have many comic credits, but he has written Disney classic characters with an issue of Disney Hero Squad: Ultrahumans served up to readers over a decade ago at Boom! Studios. It’s not uncommon to see plot and script duties separated. One of my favorite examples is DC’s Justice League International. But much of the vigorous debate in the Marvel world is that often Stan Lee provided plots while his artists like Jack Kirby really did the scripting at various levels of detail. Which at times, did not make it clear who was responsible for what among the old masters. Overall, the team does a nice job, as I think kids would appreciate this story which may seem familiar if they have seen any of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, I do wonder if the inclusion of an editor’s letter and some concept development pages in the end hint they may have been a little short in story? 

Walter Simonson Cover

“What If…? Donald Duck Became The Mighty Thor” with plot by Steve Behling, script by Riccardo Secchi, and art by Giada Perissinotto reminds us that summer always comes to an end! I have as a Disney and Marvel fan gotten a chuckle out of these one-shot comics. I have appreciated how on different levels there is something here for kids and adults, much like this issue. 

Skottie Young Cover

Turning the last page…wait, Minnie becomes Captain Marvel in November! Yes, please!

Between Books - Marvel Masterworks Presents Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, Volume 1

 

Sometimes I think it’s fashionable to question the writing skill of Stan Lee. Many want to credit him for his marketing and promotional skills, but not his writing. We all know that The Fantastic Four changed the comics industry. But often the credit goes to Lee’s co-creators and not Lee. But for me, I have often argued that Lee was someone who was creative and artistic and partnered with other fantastic creatives to make great things.

Marvel Masterworks Presents Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, Volume 1 collects the first thirteen issues of the 1960s comic written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers. The stories depict the fictional United States Army Commando Nick Fury and his band of seven Howling Commandos. They are sent on secret missions in the European Theater of Operations, once to the Pacific. The missions are generally the same, something fantastical for non-superheroes to complete. And generally, Fury and his Howlers win the day (okay there are more volumes) through teamwork and fierce dedication to duty.

The stories are as good as any military action movie not based on a true story. Lee deals head-on with issues of class and race which were prevalent in the discourse of the 1960s. He does not hide from it but instead gives a very traditional conservative military landscape for these issues to be played out. And in the heat of battle, as one would expect, right often wins out. And while Kirby may have framed the action, we cannot forget that these messages were scripted with words given by Lee and are very consistent with his other writings on social issues.

There is a reality to this writing. This is a war story, not a superhero one. And yes, Captain America and Bucky do make a co-starring appearance. Yes, Baron Strucker is a villain, but he is one on par with Sargent Fury, not Captain America or future Agent Nick Fury. This volume reminds us that while Marvel is known for superheroes, we cannot forget comics including multiple genres including military, horror, and romance, formats that Lee, Kirby, and Ayers were all familiar with. A constant complaint about comic stories is that they often lack weight. If you are not Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben, you can be killed and return again. But here, characters are killed, and we know they have passed. As a reader, you can feel the grief. Lee and his artists crafted tales they felt were real.

I have an unpopular opinion. Jack Kirby draws really ugly people. Often in comic books, this doesn’t work for me because superheroes are well pretty. Kirby’s art works perfectly here. This Fury is ugly. He is a dogface, unpretty, and not yet Marvel’s super spy. Dino Manelli, the pretty boy in the group and former actor, looks very different from the gruff squad leader. And of course fan favorite Dum Dum Dugan looks differently than both of them. Kirby’s art works perfectly for me, and Ayers when he picks it up matches pencil to pencil. They created a group of separate models that differ and do not merge.

I’d say don’t sleep on Marvel Masterworks Presents Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, Volume 1. I found a kindle version for less than a dollar. Kindle Marvel collections often are put on deep discounts. Lee, Kirby, and Ayers were all veterans of World War II and clearly were passionate about telling the story of Fury and his men, giving it more realism than one expects from a Marvel title. The collection also reminds us why Lee and Kirby really were the masters of their industry, especially when collaborating together.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site.

Between Books - Amazing Fantastic Incredible

Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir by Stan Lee, Peter David and Colleen Doran allows Stan Lee to narrate the story of his life through the literary style he revolutionized… comics.  Lee tells the tale of being a boy who loved to read and lose himself in the adventures of books.  The Lieber home, as Stan Lee was born Stanley Lieber, was one of contrasts as his mother believed Stanley could do and be anything while his father appeared to be constantly searching for success in supporting his family.   Stanley dreamed of growing up to be a writer thanks to his love of reading.  Lieber got his first serious break by becoming an assistant at Timely Comics where he worked with editor Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby.  Eventually publisher Martin Goodman would put Lieber over all comics, with Simon and Kirby leaving the company.  After military service in World War II, Lee would return to comics and find himself a wife in Joan Boocock.  Lee would find himself in the 1960’s dissatisfied with comics and with the encouragement of Joan would attempt to write one more story but in his own style, leading to the creation of The Fantastic Four with Jack Kirby.  His new story was under the name Stan Lee so he could use his real name for real writing.  This success would be followed by others as Lee created heroes with real problems like Spider-Man, the Hulk and even a God with Thor.  From here, Lee would publicize and grow comics and superhero stories, eventually leading to his numerous cinematic cameos.  

I found myself quite surprised with Amazing Fantastic Incredible.  Lee is a very positive and large personality in his public image.  And Lee in the memoir’s narrative is generally positive and large.  And while he does not forget to pat his own back, he also greatly praises the work of others including Jack Kirby who in the text and art is virtually made a saint.  Lee does not pull back from potential disagreements.  Well actually he does.  He notes and discusses disagreements with Kirby, Steve Dikto and even his brother Larry Lieber.  But while he acknowledges them, he neither attacks the other parties nor defends himself.  Again, while Jack Kirby before his death may have held resentment towards Lee for the credit he received publicly versus himself, Lee puts Kirby on a pedestal.  Another example of how he treats uncomfortable topics is the death of his second daughter.  Lee mentions it and then the comic format allows us to understand how the event made him feel.   And really it is interesting to see Lee’s life played out in comics.  It allows the read to be quick yet informative.  The format really worked much better than I thought.  And it was more than a hooray for Stan autobiography.    

 

I would suggest comic fans at least borrow Amazing Fantastic Incredible.  I did borrow as the $30 list price is to rich for my blood for the breezy read one gets.  While the memoir is far from groundbreaking or deep, it is fun and enjoyable.  In the end it is a nice use of the format without too much text and good use of images to help convey emotion and story.  

Between Books - X-Men: Children of the Atom

I have liked the concept of Essential format reprint books, providing a lot of comics for a respectable pennies per page.  But I have not liked how generally these collections have lacked color and relied on black and white to lower the price point.  So when Marvel announced their Epic Collection, reprinting past Marvel comics in collections hundreds of pages in length...and in color...I had to sample one of the volumes.  And since I have never read the original X-Men stories I knew exactly where I needed to go first!

X-Men: Children of the Atom collects X-Men issues 1 through 23 in a 509 plus page collection.  The volume starts as a new student Jean Grey joins  Professor Xavier's private school.  The four other students; Scott Summers, Hank McCoy, Warren Worthington, and Bobby Drake, like Xavier and Grey are mutants.  Mutants are extraordinary humans who have been born with genetic enhancements making them more than human.  Together the five students under Xavier's command form the team the X-Men.  The students have a number of challenges to face from evil mutants like Magneto and the Blob, changing public opinion, mutant hunting robots called Sentinels, and alien entities like the Stranger.  The Mutants must learn to harness their powers and work together if they are to survive this volume!

The opening stories are written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby.  I have discovered I am not always a fan of the King's art.  And I generally am not a fan of his work in this volume.  For me what stands out is Stan Lee's writing.  That is not to say that much of it is not corn, because it is corn.  But as Walt Disney would point out, corn sells.  What Lee did was construct five solid young people that teens could relate to even today.  The group has relationship problems and struggle with concerns about fitting in.  And even decades later these themes stand out.  And I found myself shocked by how X-Men standards like Magneto and the Sentinels appeared so early in Marvel history.  Lee is eventually replaced on the title by Roy Thomas, who wrote Marvel's original Star Wars comics. And one can sit back and see how Thomas was attempting to build on Lee's work, while being really really wordy.  And I think both of them really focused on giving Proffessor X very specfic time measurements.

I still am confused on whey these issues have multi-colored word balloons.  Seriously, it is not like the baloons are color coded! 

Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Ice-Man, the Angel and Professor Xavier have a long and storied comic history.  And the X-Men has always been one of my favorite super teams.  I loved this Epic Collection and found myself hungering for more.  I personally dove into every one and then washed it down with an episode of The Danger Room podcast, which I highly recommend, and was saddened when I ran out of issues in this collection to enjoy.  I look forward to future X-Men Epic Collections, and have already dove into another Epic Collection enthusiastically.

Between Books - Mondo Marvel Volume One November 1961-December 1962

Mondo Marvel Volume One November 1961-December 1962 by Paul Brian McCoy collects the author's thoughts on his experiment of reading all of Marvel's superhero titles in chronological order.  This volume takes readers from November 1961 and Fantastic Four #1 to Journey into Mystery #87 with McCoy providing very brief summaries and commentary on the early Marvel stories primarily written by Stan Lee with art by Jack Kirby.  Among the stories discussed are the early adventures of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Thor, Hulk and Ant-Man.

The bulk of the book is McCoy's observations about the issues.  They are blunt and realistic.  There are some light profanities in his commentary.  The commentaries remind me of the type of discussions often heard on podcasts and on blogs (which is where this project started).  The summaries of each story are very light with me at times questioning what the plot of the discussed issue was about, and that is with me having read some of these tales.  I will say that having sat down and read this that McCoy has helped uncover the trend Lee's writing relying on aliens and Communists.  And that in the first year of Marvel superheroes that the Marvel universe was very underdeveloped.

The book itself is a breezy easy read which a reader can jump in and out of.  I read it on several different devices during down times in my day.  If I had sat down to read it at once it would have likely taken me an hour to read.  This Kindle book sells for 99 cents.  And that is fairly priced for what it is, a light commentary on the first year of Marvel superheroes.  I myself read it for free in the Kindle Unlimited program, which is my preferred price point.

Mondo Marvel Volume One November 1961-December 1962 provides a window to one comic fan's thoughts on Marvel's earliest heroes.  The text is fun as McCoy gives his unfiltered opinions of some of the craziness in Lee and Kirby's early stories and all the aliens and Communists, and sometimes alien Communists, that the legends could dream of.

Between Books - Marvel Comics: 75 Years of Cover Art

Writer Alan Cowsill should add curator to his resume.  Marvel Comics: 75 Years of Comic Art is more than a book, it is a mobile art museum.  Between the book's two covers is a treasure chest of art developed by some of Marvel's finest artists from the Golden to the Modern age.

Marvel Comics: 75 Years of Comic Art by Alan Cowsill collects Marvel's finest covers in an over-sized 300 plus page book.  The text puts on displays hundreds of Marvel covers, with typically one or two covers being highlighted on a page.  Occasionally, 3 or more covers will share a page when linked by a theme or story arc.  Covers are organized by title and theme, so Avengers covers reside next to other Avengers covers.  Cowsill provides a brief caption highlighting the historical or artistic attributes of the cover.  The captions help explain historical trends such as the growth of variant and special covers.  On a few occasions, Cowsill offers a description of significant cover artists like Jack Kirby and John Byrne.  The book also explains how covers are developed using Nova #1 and Black Panther #1 as examples. The title is broken into four sections; The Golden Age, The Silver Age, The Bronze Age, and The Modern Age.  Despite being an art book with brief captions, readers will find they cannot rush through the pages but instead will spend hours enjoying the visuals.     

The book is designed to show off the included covers and the covers are the star.  The pages are large, giving the maximum space to display the art.  The captions are helpful but not overly wordy to only highlight not steal the focus from the covers.  The text comes with a sturdy slipcover to protect the book, though honestly, the book's front cover with a partial print of Marvel Comics #1 and the back cover with the fan chosen The Infinity Gauntlet #1 are eye-catching in their own right.  Every aspect of this book shows that the artists' reign in this large book, with writers as secondary contributors.  And as a bonus the publisher has included prints of Amazing Fantasy #15 and Iron Man #1 from the 2005 run that could be framed and displayed.  No one needs to worry about cutting up a copy to have prints for display.      

The text has really helped me to appreciate and find covers I had not been exposed to yet.  For example, I have enjoyed Jim Steranko's covers from Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and loved that issue #6 which I own is included. But I am now in love with his March 1969 Captain America 111 cover.  And I was thrilled that Cowsill included Dikto's original and unedited Amazing Fantasy #15.  I did question the inclusion of seven David Aja Hawkeye covers, but the Aja art is spectacular.  And this choice shows that Cowsill wanted to display strong and interesting art.     

I honestly can only provide two criticisms of Marvel Comics: 75 Years of Cover Art.  First, the book gives over half of its pages to The Modern Age, and personally I would like to have seen more covers from The Golden to Bronze Ages.  But I cannot argue with the choices of the curator as there have been many more covers produced in The Modern Age based solely on the number of titles, artists and variations printed. Second, I would love a short conclusion where Cowsill would have provided a concluding word on this large book for his readers.       

Marvel fans will love this book.  Disney fans who want a concise visual history of Marvel comics will appreciate the text and find the art to be enjoyable.  Marvel Comics: 75 Years of Cover Art by Alan Cowsill is a large, in-depth and artful text.  The biggest problem is the size of one's comic wish list after finishing the last page.  

Review Copy Provided by Publisher 

Between Books - Marvel Comics: The Untold Story

One of my best days as a Disney fan was the company's purchase of Marvel Comics.  I have often joked that all Marvel has to do after the LucasFilm addition is buy the Chicago Cubs and they have all of me.  To be fair, I would need them to buy a lacrosse team too!  The Marvel purchase has re-energized me in my love of comics, and loving history I have been seeking more and more about Marvel's past.  Needless to say, the over 450 pages in Marvel Comics: The Untold Story gave me plenty to think about.

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe is a history of Marvel Comics from it's creation amongst a world of magazines to the Disney purchase.  The story begins with Martin Goodman and his Timely Comics founded in 1939.  Goodman liked to change the names of his magazines, comics and companies often, which lead in 1961 to Goodman's comic arm becoming Marvel Comics.  It is also in 1961, when Marvel's fortunes were on the rocks that editor-in-chief Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby introduced The Fantastic Four to the public as Marvel's first real superhero comic.  With the success of this super team other new creations followed including Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Man, the Hulk and the super team Avengers.  But despite all of the success that this Marvel Age brought the company there were still squabbles over royalties, credit and artistic freedom in the halls of Marvel, which was far from Stan Lee's happy picture of the Marvel Bullpen.  With the fortunes of publishing often waning, Lee attempted to lead Marvel into Hollywood attempting to get Marvel characters on television and movies.  Due to poor creative and business choices, Marvel would become a target of other companies for purchase, eventually with Disney buying Marvel's impressive character catalog.

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is massive.  And I have noticed amongst my friends who have read it, no one read it fast.  It is dense and full of information, so do not expect to sprint through this very detailed and clear book.  This one will take some time, in fact I have been reading it slowly over a few months.

I have never seen Mad Men, but this is how I picture it would be.  As the company becomes a critical success in the 1960's men in ties work at drafting tables making heroes come alive.  However, there is a seedier darker side where creators vie for attention and struggle to get paid.  Some of the saddest portions of this text is reading of the relational damage these men did to each other as they fought to make a dollar as contractors and Marvel sought to stay profitable often by shorting the men who brought them stories.  This Mad Men was followed by the drug induced images of the 1970's as Marvel's office included many creators enjoying youth and available drugs to explore. 

Of course, one of the key players in all of this is Stan Lee.  Lee wrote the stories, mostly or kinda. He created the Marvel method where he provided artists with outlines, allowed them to draw and then added text afterwards.  And he hired and fired the staff.  I know that there is much debate about how creative Lee actually was during the Marvel Age and if he rode on the coattails of others like Kirby.  And it saddens me to read in these pages of the arguments between the two over creative credit.  So as one reads of Lee's move from New York to California to seek Marvel's Hollywood fortune, it comes as no surprise that he abandoned the world of monthly creators to go somewhere that isolated him from the office politics of the New York office.  I do feel that Howe portrays Lee correctly, as someone who is not a devil and may have mixed his facts sometimes.  But it also appears that he often attempted to give credit to his creative partners and was as upset as them if stories were too Lee-centric.  Another aspect I had not considered about Lee was the impact that the work for hire rules had on him.  While Marvel paid him well as the face of the company, he also had surrendered royalties to his greatest creations to the company while producing them for Marvel's titles. 

One aspect that I found intriguing was the long progression to get Marvel comics into film.  Lee efforted for years as Marvel stories were in development hell.  And he had become familiar with Marvel movies dying before they could enter production.  I think today we have become some used to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that we would not even think to consider that it did almost never happen.  

I did find myself laughing as one sales director is quoted as saying, "Marvel is not Disney (Howe, 385)."  They most definitely are now!  Over a decade later they would be.  Marvel in that late 90s began to experiment with harder edgier titles like Alias about Jessica Jones.  Creators amped up the violence and adult situations attempting to bring in adult paying audiences.  I have found it interesting in my own looks at Disney to consider that it is a family entertainment company where Marvel is based on the popularity of action violence.  And in many ways while Disney today attempts to use Marvel to bring in young boy audiences, it is the one arm of the company that appears to be able to provide the most edge.  

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story is a must have for Disney fans who want to know more about all arms of the company and Marvel fans.  The tales found within its pages are not as black and white as the color comics that Marvel produces.  But it is a story of intrigue and men under pressure that many will be able to enjoy. 

Mousey Movies - Fantastic Four

Before Pixar was founded, before The Incredibles was a glimmer in Brad Bird’s eyes, before Disney purchased Marvel, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the world to the Fantastic Four.  Debuting in 1961, Marvel comics brought us the first family of Superheroes.  After an accident in space during an experiment, four astronauts underwent physical transformations that made them truly super.  Dr. Reed Richards or Mr. Fantastic developed the ability to stretch and contort his body into multiple shapes, like Mrs. Incredible.  Susan Storm or Invisible Girl developed the ability to become invisible and project force fields, like Violet.  Richards’ best friend Ben Grimm’s body transformed into rock and became super strong taking the name The Thing, strength being shared with Mr. Incredible.  And Johnny Storm or the Human Torch could turn himself into fire and fly, kind of like an anti-Frozone.  Yes, there are a ton of similarities between the superhero families.  Luckily now that Pixar and Marvel are all part of the same family there is no fear of any legal entanglements! 

In 2005, Marvel and 20^th Century Fox brought the Fantastic Four to the big screen, in the movie Fantastic Four, providing both the origin of the team and showcasing their struggle against Doctor Doom.  I was really hopeful for this film.  The cast had my attention.  I had become a fan of Ioan Gruffudd in the Hortio Hornblower movies, movies that led me to read the entire book series.  And I had really enjoyed Julian McMahon (Doctor Doom) on Charmed, yeah I had watched Charmed!  And it was a superhero movie during a time when I pretty much went to any superhero movie.  And The Incredibles had just come out the year before making me open to the original family.  These things helped me overcome my lack of love for the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards has always been a character I was meh about.  Financially it fared well at the box office which led to the green light of a sequel. 

But for most fans the Fantastic Four was a miss.  I think there are a number of reasons for this result.  First, the Fantastic Four just did not have the fan base of other teams like the X-Men.  And though people came out to see the movie the performances were at times underwhelming.  There is a least one character (who’s indemnity I will protect) to me who seems to be sleep walking through the story. 

Yet, despite the fact that Marvel and Disney were not linked yet, there are still plenty of ties that make this a Mousey Movie:           

·         Cap:  Johnny Storm is pretty much a jerk and Ben Grimm is often a target of his pranks.  At one point he walks into a locker room and startles Grimm into attention by yelling, “Captain on the Deck.”  The irony of this line is that Johnny Storm is played by Chris Evans who would later play another Marvel superhero as the lead in Captain America: The First Avenger.  My guess, and I really mean certainty, is that with Evans ruling the box office in his Captain America projects and The Avengers that the future of this cast in any future Fantastic Four projects is non-existent. 

·         EXTREME:  Johnny along with being a jerk, also enjoys action sports.  He skies areas that have clearly not been cleared for tourists.  After Johnny’s powers manifest he decides to go out and blow off some steam.  Just like any other guy he grabs a motocross bike and performs some jumps at the X Games sponsored by Disney’s ESPN. 

·        Ordinary Hero: Actor Michael Chiklis has had a long relationship with Disney’s ABC.  His breakout roll was as the lead in ABC’s 1991 The Commish.  The Commish ended it’s run in 1996 the same year Disney purchased Capital Cities/ABC.  The show starring Chiklis allowed him to show his range delivering both comedy and drama.  He would later reach greater acclaim leading another police drama The Shield, for FX.   In 2010 having played Ben Grimm in two Fantastic Four movies, Chiklis returned to ABC and the concept of a superhero family in No Ordinary Family.  Chiklis instead of portraying the Frozone character as the buddy took his turn as the Mr. Incredible head of the family, matching super strength.  Sadly, the show failed to find an audience and was cancelled during its first season.  I say sadly, but I have to admit that the show failed to catch on in the Between Household.        

 

·         Lieutenant:  As noted early it was Gruffudd’s work in the Hortio Hornblower franchise that made me think I might really enjoy Fantastic Four.  He brought Hornblower alive from me playing the young British Royal Navy officer both smart and likeable.  Much of Gruffudd’s work, like Hornblower, is British film and television work with him not catching on in the United States as much as I would like.  He does have some Disney connections.  First, he is Harold Godfrey Lowe, the Fifth Officer, in James Cameron’s blockbuster Titanic, an officer lucky enough to survive and pull Rose out of the water.  Okay, the ties between Gruffudd and Avatarland are pretty tenuous.  His true Disney connection is 102 Dalmatians, where he plays Kevin Shepherd, the owner of an animal shelter setup by Cruella de Vil, played by Glenn Close, for the theft of Dalmatian puppies in another attempt to make a spotted coat.  Honestly, as much as I enjoy Gruffudd, I cannot remember if I have ever seen this movie!        

·         The Architect:  I have said it several times about the DC movie franchises, they need a Kevin Fiege.  As the President of Production for Marvel Studios he oversees the film projects and with the Avengers Initiative ensures the films weave a cohesive story.  As Christopher Nolan ends his stint on Batman and a new Superman movie releases summer 2013 some fans ask if the DC universe will mesh together in the same way the Marvel Cinematic Universe does, due to Fiege.  The answer for DC could easily be no as they consider rebooting Batman.  Though not part of the Avengers Initiative, Fiege executive produces this offering.     

With everything going for it, and against it, the Between Family enjoyed Fantastic Four, despite compared to The Avengers it is fairly bland and nowhere as funny.  The Between Wife is not a comic book fan, yet she has been known to ask to watch Fantastic Four on family movie nights.  So those saying they did not see Fantastic Four in the theater are likely lying.  In the end, who can resist a movie that has a Stan Lee cameo and mirrors in live action The Incredibles, even if the cast at times appears to be phoning it in.  If you enjoy this Mousey Movie, please feel no shame in consuming this mindless flick!