08.05.09 | George D. Allen | Staff NotesPrint this Post
Tags: comic book movies
Listen up, true believers!
When it comes to comic books (or comic book movies), is your motto “Make Mine Marvel”? If so, you may already know that the comics empire that brought the world such snappy, dazzlin', mighty men (and women) of fantasy such as Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Dr. Strange, and countless others just turned 70 years young. No doubt there's a bash to mark the occasion brewing at a comics shop near you.
Movie fans who aren't as steeped in the lore of Stan “the Man” Lee – but are at least familiar with Sam Raimi's stellar Spider-Man films and can probably still hum the tune to the beloved 1960s animated series—may not be aware of one of the more unusual iterations of everyone's favorite wall-crawler. Describing the contents of this program would only spoil all the fun. So, without further adieu, have a look at one of the super stories from this magnificently offbeat, Japanese-made Spidey series from 1978:
Sure, you can catch new episodes regularly on the Marvel website...but when, oh when, is this bizarro gem of a program going to be released in the States on DVD?
Excelsior!
I want to see the DVD of Japanese spiderman. YEAH !~
Hilarious! It bears resemblance to Spider-Man in the way the Twilight vamps do traditional Vampires. They took a little here and a little there and then changed what they wanted. Spider-Man can cling to walls and shoot "webs" but apparently isn't strong enough to help someone jump on board a train.
I *love* that in all the Japanese produced anime and Power Rangers, etc. where they have these powerful robots and vehicles, they never use them right off the bat. They are in mortal danger, but until they are challenged by someone else's giant robot it would be impolite to use your own. Lol.
But the best part for me (SPOILER ALERT IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH THE EPISODE YET) is how they have got to get to the airport to see what might be his son's plane or try to get there before he leaves... rather than seek medical attention and see him later. Good plan. Oh, and was that really the best painting of all the Japanese students?? Yikes.