**sigh** If Only I Had A Time-Machine

**sigh** If only I had a time machine.

At the end of 2000 and beginning of 2001 the comic book company Marvel's stock was hitting below $1.00 per share.

This was after the acclaimed release of the first X-Men movie.

I remember the late '70's early '80's live action Spider-Man and Captain America shows. This was when I thought Beast-Master was the most awesome movie I had ever seen, and yet I knew these shows were lacking. Spidey would crouch down with palm up, thumb out and middle 2 fingers clutched to his palm. The scene cut to the group of bad-guys standing all in a bunch, then a net would drop on 'em! When Spidey climbed the wall, you could see the rope pulling him up as he waved his arms and legs incongruously with the rate he was "climbing".
I saw the Cormen Fantastic Four ash-can bootleg.

So naturally, I thought: "C'mon, just keep doing what you're doing and stick to the print media. You want to branch out? Fine! Release some novels." 'Cause you know I was going to watch the movies no matter how bad I thought they would be. Any super-hero movie or TV show I have to watch! Call it a compulsion. Remember: I watched the hokey FF movie.

But they plowed ahead (they never listen to me) and for good reason: They're master story-teller's. Some of your favorite movies, in fact, may be comic-book creations and you might not know it, such as the Road to Perdition. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying they're all winners, but the hits definitely out-weigh the flops! In fact I would love to see a great writer and artist to storyboard, team up to redo the flops just to show that it can be done better. Just to say to the mainstream audiences that turn their noses up at comic book movies "Hey! This is what we do!"

Now other comics are making it to the big-screen too, but Marvel is leading the way with their sequels. Just look at what they've got coming: Spider-Man 3, FF 2 Rise of the Silver Surfer (honestly, I thought the first one was a little flat, so this surprises me) not to mention the success they had with the Blade and X-Men series. Also coming is Ghost Rider; and Iron Man, Luke Cage, Deathlok, Gargoyle, Magneto, Namor, Wolverine, Punisher 2, The Incredible Hulk (2008), Ant-Man (2009), Captain America (2009), Nick Fury (2010), Thor (2010), The Avengers (2011), Black Panther, Hawkeye, Shang-Chi, Cloak and Dagger, Power Pack and Iron Fist are all pre-production or otherwise in development stages. And did I mention Marvel's cutting out the middle-man and filming most of these movies themselves at Marvel Studios?

Movie technology has finally caught up to keep pace with the most creative of writers and directors, so with the right combination, there's nothing that can't be done!

Oh, and just in case you're interested, Marvel stock is now over $25 per share! **sigh** I wish I had a time machine.

Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer - June 15, 2007

Tim Story returns to direct Rise of the Silver Surfer with Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Julian McMahon and Kerry Washington reprising their roles. Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth) and Beau Garrett appear in the sequel as the Silver Surfer and Frankie Raye, respectively. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer has a target release date of June 15, 2007.



Synopsis:

Reed and Sue are married early in the film. The film's remaining story will center on the appearance of the Silver Surfer on Earth, as well as the return of Doctor Doom. The Silver Surfer does befriend Sue.

The teaser trailer shows the wedding of Reed and Sue interrupted by the arrival of Silver Surfer on Earth. Johnny Storm pursues the Surfer, but eventually is grabbed and pulled into the vacuum of orbital space, from where he is dropped back to Earth (presumably unconscious).

The traditional connection between the Surfer and Galactus seen in the early Fantastic Four comics has not been confirmed, but Tom Rothman, Chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment, has confirmed that Galactus will also appear in the film. Rothman also stated directly in an interview that "fans will not be disappointed".

Tim Story has confirmed that Doctor Doom, seen defeated and frozen in his metal form at the end of the first film, will make a dramatic return in this movie and "he will be back in full DOOM, not like we had him in the first film." Actor Ioan Gruffudd has confirmed that Julian McMahon will be back for the sequel. Doctor Doom will have three different designs during the course of the film. The film follows on from the first in real time, with Doctor Doom having spent two years trapped in a casket. Doom desires to take the Silver Surfer's powers.

Visit the Official Movie Site here.