Tag: Comics

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Summer of Superman

You guys see that? Up in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No, It’s SUPERMAN. 

This summer marks the return of Superman in his first solo film since 2013’s Man of Steel. And, judging by the previews, optimism, humor, and f***ing color is coming with him. Love him or not, Superman has been the quintessential superhero for nearly 90 years; A symbol of hope; hero of the downtrodden. There’s nothing quite as iconic (or American) as Superman. Whose signature “S” shield is universally recognized by people of all ages. The new film lands July 11th and with that comes a promotional celebration of the Man of Steel in the form of good ‘ol American consumerism. Although promotional tie-ins have become scarce, it makes sense that a character like Superman would bring back this form of marketing in such a “super” way; if only for a couple months. 

So, in the spirit of my Halloween Daily Blogs, I’m going to be sharing the ways I’ll be celebrating one of my favorite superheroes all the way up to his return to the silver screen come July 11th. Return to this post every now and then to see what adventures I’ll be having during the Summer of Superman! Up, up and away!

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August 17th

FINALLY. When my wife was downstate, I was able to fly by a local Dairy Queen and try the Superman Blizzard! Shhhhhhh….don’t let her know. It was fantastic. Inhaled it in about 6 minutes with no brain freeze. I was headed home after a looong walk (11.6 miles) and a small Dairy Queen was directly in my path. I’ve only been to a Dairy Queen once prior but was aware of this Superman movie promotion. The poster advertising the “Superman Blizzard” was in the window so I took it as a sign…literally I guess.

It was a standard vanilla cookie dough blizzard/shake/thing but was blue with red and yellow sprinkles. It even came in a cool Superman cup (wax paper unfortunately)! I miss the days of promotional tie-ins such as these. What would’ve been perfect is if the cups were plastic and collectable; perhaps featuring multiple characters from the movie. But I’ll take what I can get nowadays. I’m glad I didn’t miss it!

August 13th

Today was a job for Superman indeed. I volunteered as Superman at a local library to read to kids and parents about the origin of the character and the importance of doing the right thing and seeing the good in everyone.

I’m a veteran to events like these, so I know most kids zone out after about 2-3 minutes into these stories. But I think the parents appreciated the message I was reading at least. I purchased a copy of “I Am Superman” written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Chris Eliopoulos. I read through 4 children’s books on Superman and this one was by far the best. Filled with charming art and nostalgic nods, it really shows the heart of the character in a book you can read in about 6 minutes.

Did the kids get the message? Maybe. But the point is that “Superman” flew in and gave it to them. And, of course, plenty of pictures and fist bumps. Always time well spent in my book!

July 11th

Well, here it is. Superman Returns! Well…not that movie. I mean Superman returns to theaters today! I was able to catch a 4 o’clock showing on the mega screen of my local theater and it was indeed pure escapism. As it should be. Unapologetically comic book-sci-fi;breakneck speed. Not perfect by any means…but it understood the values of Superman and (hopefully) it’s the beginning of a well loved franchise. 

I read from a lot of fans online that it felt like a long episode of Superman The Animated Series. And when you watch it with that mindset; it certainly does. Which isn’t a bad thing…as that is probably my favorite rendition of Superman in movies/television. The cast all had great dynamic. Lex Luthor was just nasty. Lois Lane was smart and confident. Jimmy was charming and funny. Superman was strong and likeable. I would’ve liked more Clark Kent. More of Ma and Pa. I wish the main cast had some more time together and the film breathed a little better. The entire two hour runtime is a frantic chase to save the world. It moves faster than a speeding bullet indeed. But this is the pace needed for the current generation I suppose. The film needed a more of “show don’t tell”. 

All in all, Superman is back and I couldn’t be happier. David Corenswet’s Superman is kind and enduring with a great smile. Sure, he got his ass kicked 90% of the movie yet he came out on top. And I hope Superman comes out on top at the box office and the character can soar to new heights within pop culture. 

PS: Mr. Terrific was the real MVP. 

PPS: Summer ain’t over. I still have some Superman experience to share!

June 22nd

I saw a giant Superman billboard while driving on the expressway today towards the Chicago suburbs. I know being advertised to isn’t anything to write on your blog about, but the sight of this not only brought a smile but a bit of a realization: I can’t think of the last time I saw a highway billboard for a movie. Movies since COVID have been on such a tailspin that promotional efforts are nearly nonexistent by modern standards. And the superhero movie genre has become so tired and diluted in the past 15 years. Movies simply are not the moneymakers they used to be. 

I’m not going to grandly proclaim that Superman is the start of the tide turning but I am hoping that it becomes a pop cultural event like the Barbie movie from 2 summers back. It has the makings for it: pure colorful dazzling escapism concerning a character everyone and their grandparents know. I’ve read articles on how it’s set to make total bank and how Superman posters are even being stolen from bus stops. But, again this is all just speculation and we won’t know until July 11th. 

The most interesting aspect of this billboard was how the words “It Begins” have been added. Which I haven’t seen on any of the previously released Superman posters. Clearly stating that this is planned to be part of a franchise. It’s no surprise, of course, to want Superman to be an ongoing franchise. But your movie has to be good and a success first. It’s always ignorant when Hollywood crowns a “winner” before the race is even over. We all want Superman here to stay afterall.   

June 14

Saturday I attended the annual Superman Celebration held in Superman’s adopted hometown of Metropolis Illinois. Christened as the hometown of the Man of Steel in 1972 ; the “Superman Celebration” has been happening in the second week of June since 1979. This was my second one I’ve personally attended and it is a true experience in Americana. It’s part comic convention and part small town fun fair. With the hub being the 15 foot statue of Superman in front of the town’s courthouse. The street is lined with food and craft vendors; local fundraisers and comic book dealers; the stores are open later offering their wares. And, of course, there’s the Superman Museum and gift shop; boasting the largest collection of Superman merchandise, props, and memorabilia under one roof.  

It’s heartwarming seeing so many salt-of-the-earth people dressed in their “S” symbols (or dressed as Superman himself!) walking the streets and having a great time. I met locals who have been attending the celebration since they were toddlers. A good chunk of visitors (mostly from the midwest) “fly” in as well. With live music, a new Superman “drone” show, and different comic/superhero related programs throughout the day there’s enough to keep busy. The new “Kingdom Come” style Superman shield was worn by so many attendees that day, young and old alike, it made me hope this new Superman movie really propels the Man of Steel into the front of the line of pop culture relevance. 

My wife and I took plenty of pictures, toured the Super Museum, found some Kryptonite, and ate some great burgers at Fat Ed’s down the street. Heck, even Spider-man showed up to pay his respects to the Man of Steel. Besides seeing the new film itself, I’m sure this will be the highlight of my Summer of Superman. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every type of person; every color, size, and age come together with smiles to celebrate this iconic character (and probably for the foot long corndogs). And that’s how it should be. Superman is your friend after all.  No matter where you come from.   

June 11th

Long story short: I’ve been trying to put a Superman costume together to wear for my charity group. One that fits and presents well with a classic bright undeniable look. It seems simple enough, right? It’s “just” tights and a cape. But nothing worth doing is easy! It’s been a lot of troubleshooting, returning, reordering and customizing (since January!) But I think we’re finally finishing it up. I’m waiting on one more component before assembling everything and unfortunately I don’t believe it will be ready by the date I was aiming for but that is okay. 

Superman is a symbol of hope and optimism. One of the most recognizable characters in all of pop culture. Most importantly, he’s a friend. And I’m hoping the new film makes an impact with the new generation ushering the Man of Steel into a new golden because we can use him today more than ever. Once completed, I’ll be posting pictures and results here. I definitely think it will be done before the movie’s release. And (finally) Superman will be visiting some children’s hospitals handing out gifts and bringing a better tomorrow. As he’s always been meant to do! 

June 7th

Today I made a quick stop into a Walmart on the way back from doing an event downstate. Besides getting some mundane adult things, I decided to see if there was anything new for Superman this summer. Their toy aisle was fully stocked with what is currently available. I decided to pick up the 12 inch Superman as I was impressed with how well done he was. I never go for these larger figures as they’re usually too basic but this one seemed different. Plus it was under $10. I also stumbled upon Superman Keebler fudge striped cookies which was a surprise. There looks to be a TON of junk food that’s going to be tied in Superman, and this was the first I saw in person. I loved these cookies as a kid, and it was really neat to see them with a Superman overlay. I’d pick up a package but I’m not into eating this stuff anymore; But I appreciate the creativity. 

I also ended my evening by reading the first issue of Mr. Terrific: Year One. It’s a six issue series that is serving as a prequel to Mr. Terrific’s appearance in the Superman movie. It grabbed my attention so I’ll definitely be keeping up with the limited series. I like a character that doesn’t have much “back reading” that you can just jump into. And I really love Mr. Terrific’s look. That’s what originally drew me in. I realized it was a day where I ogled cookies, bought an action figure, and read a comic book. But there’s always plenty of adult nonsense in between those things. So I appreciate the escape. 

June 2nd

This is my humble Super-Shrine displayed on our living room bookshelf. It consists of a DC Direct Golden Age Era Superman Statue circa 1999, an encased glowing Kryptonite crystal, Phantom Zone die cast projector (it projects Superman’s logo up to five feet!), and a 3D printed bottle city of Kandor I glued into a bell jar. Subtle yet super, I always think less is more when it comes to collectible displays. Although with the Summer of Superman upon us I am open to adding some more artifacts in time. Who knows, it’s possible that this will grow from the corner and take up an entire shelf space. Like Parasite absorbing his latest victim.  

May 30th

I stopped into a random Target on my way back from the library as I was tipped off about a pretty cool Superman tie-in comic that recently hit the magazine racks.I spotted it within seconds of entering the store and also picked up some neat new action figures of Superman and Mr. Terrific! It was interesting to note that the figures already looked picked over; hopefully signaling that Superman’s return is long awaited by the public. 

The magazine consists of 3 single issues pulling from All Star Superman, Superman: For All Seasons, and Lex Luthor: Man of Steel with the cover claiming these are the “Official Comic Book Stories That Inspired The New Movie!”. Which I’m hoping is true. 

This first little bundle of new Superman merchandise reminds me of when I used my paycheck on a similar “haul” for Superman Returns at a local Target during the summer of 2006. Like Supes, time sure does fly. Hopefully this film ends up with much better results.  

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What A Tangled Web We Weave…

Spider-man’s iconic black suit not only began as fan-fiction; but was created in my own backyard… 

It goes without saying, but Spider-man is one of the most recognizable and popular fictional characters of modern times. Aside from the practical life lessons Spider-man’s tales teach us, he simply has one of best designed costumes of any superhero. The classic costume was designed by co-creator Steve Ditko back in 1962 and, for decades, has had minimal changes. That is until 1984, when Marvel comics unleashed the Saga of the Alien Costume detailing Spidey’s new look, powers, and  “responsibilities” that came with it. The jet black costume with the large white spider “hugging” Spidey’s torso is considered iconic by today’s standards. But, once again proving the world of fandom hasn’t changed, his new threads were met with major fan backlash.

Despite the bed wetting, Marvel comics truly embraced Spider-man’s new look. Going as far as rebranding their own corporate logos, letterheads, and marketing materials featuring Spider-man solely wearing his fresh black and white duds. Signifying the era of red and blue was over. The dark minimalist modern look is Spider-man as we know him. A move as bold as the costume itself! But why change something already iconic? Why fix what isn’t broken? Well, to simply shake up the Spider-verse. The higher the stakes of the story, the more attention it gets, the more copies sold. Spider-man trading his iconic costume for a new one is daring. But just how and why is it happening? 

Marvel UK’s Spider-Man #632 (1985) – cover art by John Stokes

There are two ways to explain this: one involving interplanetary war, alien technology, and super powers. And a second that’s far more personal and interesting. 

From a fictional perspective, Spider-man went to Beyonder’s Battleworld during Secret Wars, picked up the black symbiote from a machine he thought would fix his damaged suit, and had Mr. Fantastic remove it once he discovered it was sentient and taking control of his body. Then-editor-in-chief Jim Shooter felt like stirring the proverbial spider-pot. And the Saga of the Alien Costume involved some heavy hitting comic talents of the day; with names like Tom DeFalco and John Byrne absorbed by the symbiotic goop. Spidey went on wearing the black suit for the next 4 years of publication. 

The symbiotic alien costume became one of Spider-man’s most legendary looks and eventually led to an entire symbiote saga spawned (heh) by Todd Mcfarlane. During Mcfarlane’s rise to industry superstardom, he created the super villain Venom who went on to become Spider-man’s most popular adversary and a comic book all star in his own right. Decades later the symbiotes have become not only a staple of Spider-man but the Marvel Comic universe. 

And It All Started With a Piece of Fan Mail…

Jim Shooter’s Response Letter to buy Randy Schueller’s “black suit” idea for $220!

Lets fast forward to early 2007, Sam Raimi’s third blockbuster Spider-man film looked to be adapting the saga of the symbiote suit; by this time considered an iconic storyline. Suddenly the “symbiote saga” became as relevant as ever within popular culture. The massive hype surrounding Spider-man 3 shattered the quiet demeanor of humble Spider-fan Randy Schueller. A fan letter response circa 1982 had been circulating online concerning the black suit saga. Comic Book Resource managed to contact Randy Schueller, the fan in question, and published a response directly from him: 

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There’s been some discussion in the fan press recently about the original idea for Spidey’s black costume coming from an anonymous fan. Well it’s true and I am that fan. Here’s my story…

Back in the early 80s, Marvel ran a competition for aspiring writers and artists. Being a lifelong Spidey fan with delusions of comic grandeur, I took a stab at a story idea.

I thought it would be cool if Spidey needed to upgrade his powers and his look, so I came up with this idea that Reed Richards had made a new costume for Spidey using the same unstable molecules that the FF costumes are made of. The unstable molecules would flow into Peter’s pores and allow him to cling to walls better.

I saw the new suit as a stealth version of the original costume – jet black so he could blend in with the shadows. At best, all you could see of him was the blood red spider emblem, emblazoned on his chest. (Yeah, in my design the spider was red, not white. I also gave him underarm webbing like in the original Ditko design.)

Oh yeah, and I stole an idea from Iron Man and made his web shooters work using the same cybernetic technology that Tony Stark used to control his armor. Peter just had to mentally imagine the kind of web line he wanted to shoot and the suit would do it for him. (Keep in mind, this was 25 years before Civil War and “Iron Spidey”!)

A few months after submitting the story I received a letter from Jim Shooter saying he liked the idea and wanted to buy it for $220. I was thrilled! But the best part – they offered me a chance to write the story. How cool is that?

I ended up submitting a second version and even had a follow-up phone call or two with Tom DeFalco to discuss the script. Wow! Me on the phone with a real live Marvel editor. I still can’t believe this happened !In the end, the whole scripting thing just didn’t work out for me – I don’t remember the exact reasons. I submitted another version of the story, they didn’t like it, I stopped sending in letters. The whole thing just kind of fell apart. Regardless, I had no regrets. As a true blue Spidey fan, this was a very cool moment in my life.

A year or so later, when Secret Wars came out and I saw my costume idea executed in a completely different way than I had envisioned it, I was simultaneously thrilled and saddened. And when the idea of the black costume caught on, I was even more thrilled. And then when VENOM was created I was…disturbed. I was never a fan of the costume-turned-villain idea. Venom just never really seemed to work for me. But I digress…

Now, fast-forward to 2007. I see that the black costume (MY black costume, sort of) is making it’s way to Spider-Man 3. Wow! I couldn’t stand it anymore – I had to come out of the closet and tell my friends and coworkers about my contribution to this year’s BIGGEST blockbuster. And I had all the documents to prove it even if Marvel never mentioned my name.

Since Marvel paid me for the story, I have no real gripe, but I do feel bad that they didn’t give me any kind of acknowledgment in the comics. You know, something like, “costume concept by Randy Schueller” or “Thanks to Randy Schueller for inspiration,” or “Randy Schueller, you Spidey fan-boy stud, you rock!” But no, I got nothin’! That’s my one disappointment in this whole story.

I’ve written to Tom Defalco before, but I’ve gotten no response. Maybe Marvel is afraid I’ll sue them or something, but that’s not the case at all! I don’t want any money, I don’t want any legal rights to the Venom character. All I want is this: a mention in the letters column of Amazing Spider-Man recognizing me as the nameless fan who sparked the idea for the black suit which eventually led to the idea for Venom which eventually became the basis for this freakin’ monster movie we call Spider-Man 3. That’s all I want.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Randy Schueller

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Since this story broke back in 2007, Randy has been credited in a few articles and wiki pages concerning Spider-man’s black suit. But he has yet to receive any official credit or nod from Marvel Comics. Randy also did not detail if the black suit would give Peter Parker emo hair and cringey dance moves. 

Jim Shooter’s response letter is dated August 3rd, 1982.  

The Black Suit concept published in the October 1983 Issue of Comics Journal (Notice the red spider!)

Going back, news of the costume change hit the October 1983 issue of Comics Journal. It included a full character illustration in profile (The image, like the rest of the magazine’s interiors, was in black and white, but the accompanying article notes that Spider-Man will be “trading in his costume for a black-and-red one…“). This is the first proof of Randy Schueller’s idea surfacing publicly. Complete with the red spider Randy mentioned in his 2007 response. And, finally, a few months later on January 31st, 1984 Amazing Spider-Man #252 was released: the first published story featuring Spider-Man’s black costume. With the torso spider now inexplicably white. By this time, As Randy mentioned, the story was out of his hands and he was ghosted by Marvel Comics. 

The 1st published appearance of the black suit: Amazing Spider-Man #252; January 31st, 1984

Randy Schueller’s concept led to one of the most iconic story arcs in Spider-man history that’s relevant to this very day. Yet he simply brushed greatness…with no credit received. 

This tale is nothing new if you’re familiar with the industry of comic books. Theft and appropriate credit is something that the comic book industry has had trouble with since its inception and still has till this very day. Growing up, you may not be aware of the shadiness of it all. Instead you’re swept away through the escapades of Spider-man’s adventures, oblivious to the tangled web weaved behind-the-scenes. But, hopefully, if anything…if this article can inform just one person about this case in particular…it’s worth writing. 

Now Let’s Bring This All Back Home…Literally

If you know me, you know Spider-man is a character that means entirely too much to me. His stories have helped me through personal hardships and I’ve used him as a beacon to help others through their own peaks and valleys. Being a lifelong fan, I’ve followed this particular “comic book urban legend” as it broke back in 2007 and took note. Complete with Randy Schueller’s letter saved on my computer. Because what was most surprising about all of this was Randy’s address typed on the response letter. He lived in my old neighborhood.

Only a couple miles from my own home. A building I’ve passed possibly hundreds of times. The apartment where he wrote his “black suit” idea was on the block of the K-Mart I frequented. The very K-Mart where my Spider-man action figures, pajamas, and comic books were purchased from. Deeper you say? I distinctly remember buying the black suit Spider-man and Venom action figures there. Just a stone’s throw away from where the original idea bubbled up! Of course, I had no idea at the time. Who the hell would?   

To go even deeper, the apartment building is located off Harlem Avenue…behind, what is now,  a deli. But that deli used to be two businesses: an auto parts store and a used video game retailer. In high school, I used to regularly walk to that video game store to buy and sell many games, among them being several Spider-man video games ranging from awful (Return of the Sinister Six) to excellent (Activision’s Spider-man). Being a peak comic geek in my high school days, I’d often (proudly) wear my black symbiote Spider-man shirt. All while directly behind me were the humble beginnings of one of Spider-man’s most legendary storylines. Like J. Jonah Jameson realizing Peter Parker is Spider-man…it was completely unbeknownst to me. 

Realizing this back in 2007, it’s safe to say my little nerd world was rocked. I immediately took a walk to the address just because I had to see it for myself. And I decided to visit it again for this very article! Might as well celebrate many anniversaries: 44 years since Randy Schueller sent in that fateful letter to Marvel…40 years since the published debut of the black costume…even the 18th anniversary of me finding all this shit out. I stood, once more, where Spider-man’s black suit was inexplicably conjured. It wasn’t some space asteroid or Battleworld. Not even the Marvel bullpen. Instead it was 4319 N. Neva Ave of Norridge, Illinois. There isn’t a 12 foot bronze statue or “Birthplace of Spider-man’s Black Suit” plaque, or even a pile of old Spider-man action figures surrounded by used candles. There’s nothing. Just another unremarkable block of dated Chicago apartment buildings. The K-mart’s gone. The video game store is gone. And I’d bet you a fun size 3 Musketeers that Randy Schueller hasn’t lived here in ages ( if he happens to read this I bet he thinks I’m weird). 

But like the black symbiote suit itself, it holds many past memories. It’s really cool to unweave a bit of Spider-man’s treasured tangled webs leading to your own backyard. And I knew I was in the right spot…because I’m pretty sure my spidersense did indeed tingle. 

Until next time, True Believers. 

Excelsior and all that stuff. 

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Batman Zero: 17 Years Later

With yet another big budget reimagining of The Batman hitting theaters soon, it got me to thinkin’ about my history with the character. The file cabinet that is my mind popped out an idea I had at least 17 years ago. Reimagining characters is a favorite pastime of mine, and I recall furiously drawing a version of Batman in my downtime back in high school. 

The idea being a Batman with no money. Hence my title Batman: Zero. If you take away the riches, does Bruce Wayne still become Batman? And how?

Here’s what all the text says in the pic:

The Waynes were mere paupers, like many of Gotham’s citizens, when they were murdered behind the Monarch theater. Their son, Bruce, was spared from the attack. In the time it took for the police to arrive, Bruce was left alone at the scene. The faint sounds of the “Dracula” film echoing through the theater’s brick walls. The guilt washing over the boy.  His persistence of seeing “Dracula” on the big screen despite his father’s warnings. The realization that his father was right as fear began to overtake young Bruce when seeing Dracula transform into a vampire bat. Which led to Bruce begging to leave. Taking the back exit. And now being here. Alone. 

The silent vow Bruce made in that alleyway as the police tried to comfort him. That this will not happen to anyone else. That the fear and helplessness he feels will no longer be for the innocent. That the guilty shall feel it too. And he shall inflict it. 

Being raised by his Uncle Al in his auto garage, Bruce learns through strict discipline and determination that his war on Gotham’s crime will never end. And, now as a young man, he claims the night as the very symbol of fear that changed his life all those years ago. His intention being that cowardly criminals, like the one that stole his parents, will now share his fear as well. 

The core of the character is the same but the path is sorta flip flopped upside down. What I love about Batman is he’s, essentially, crazy. This young adult was violently orphaned and traumatized in his youth. Stuck in this hopeless crime ridden city. Being raised by his “Uncle” Al in his auto garage. Learning the tools of the trade. And wandering through life aimless. Using Gotham to learn what he can. But not knowing what he’s building to. Crudely cobbling together a suit inspired by the “Dracula” film that haunts him. Popping in vampire fangs to make criminals believe he’s something “more”. Constructing a “Batmobile” out of spare parts. And turning out to be a dark symbol of hope.

Maybe this is why I didn’t get dates back then. 

The irony of all this is, back then, it was a pipe dream I’d simply do for fun. These “reimagining”. And it’s been sooo long since I’ve revisited this idea, after doing some research, I found out that many Batman stories similar to his have been written in those 17 years. One even called Batman: Year Zero. So I mainly did this for posterity. To cement this idea I daydreamed about when I was a kid in study hall. But it’s nice to know that, even at that age, my mind was on the right track.