Re:tro Re:view - Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors!

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors answers the question: What if Marvel films featured a team of young heroes and were actually fun?! In 2018, Marvel Rising #0, which had the first meeting of Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel, was available for free. This comic was by Devin Grayson and Marco Failla setting up the characters that would be in the Marvel Rising. Next were a series of shorts, Marvel Rising: Initiation before the film that aired on Disney Channel. The Marvel Animation project included a series of animation specials and comic books. Gwen Stacy, Ghost-Spider, played by Dove Cameron was introduced in the animation shorts. She appeared in the special, Chasing Ghosts (2019). Ironheart, Riri Williams, appeared in Heart of Iron (2019). She was voiced by Sofia Wylie. Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors is directed by Alfred Gimeno and written by Maighred Scott. It currently streams on Disney+.  

Secret Warriors debuted as a team in Secret Invasion #3 (2008). It is night in a quiet suburban neighborhood, a rustle in the bushes, as a shadowy person with a long scarf sneaks over to a house. At an open window, Ms. Marvel, trips over some covers and stumbles into bed! Her cat lamp crashes to the floor and Ms. Marvel cringes saying, “Don’t wake up.” She is voiced by Kathreen Khavari. The character was introduced anonlymously in Captain Marvel #14 (2013) and became Ms. Marvel in All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1.NOW (2014). Imani Vellani played Kamala Khan in the live action Ms. Marvel series (2022). The door to her room. It is morning and she is startled awake by her alarm.Kamala smashes the clock with her stretched arm as she wakes up still in costume. She hears the vaccum of her mother and then releases she is still in superhero uniform! 

Kamala quickly hides under her covers. Her mother, Kamala calls her Ammi (Meera Rohit Kumbhani) wants her up at 6 a.m. She has on a pink hajib and glasses. Ammi starts cleaning up her Captain Crunchy statue! Kamala says it is a limited edition Captain Marvel statue. She slips away her uniform in her backpack and then slips out of the room saying she just wants to hear she has done something right. Ammi is shocked she is wearing her pajamas outside. Kamala has changed into her regular clothes, colors like her uniform, as walks into Coles Academic High School. The students are following the teacher’s lecture about the New Deal, Kamala has her book up, and then falls on her desk with a loud snore! Her book falls and Kamala jumps up saluting Captain America! The class laughs at her. Kamala has her head down and then walks over to a wall. 

She hears a girl being bullied by two boys for being Inhuman. Now in Ms. Marvel uniform, tih rips and tears all over from her night battle, Kamala calls out the bullies. She enlarges her fist, but misses the bullies, and smashes her teacher’s car! The girl thanks Kamala. She runs down the street and then looks up at an alien ship. Kamala’s hero, Captain Marvel, flies into battle. We hear a part of the song, “Watch Me Rise” by Shair Short with Photronique. She takes video of Captain Marvel and says that Doreen wouldn’t believe she saw her hero. This pans back from the cell phone video in a park with Doreen Green, aka Squirrel Girl. The introduction of Squirrel Girl was in the anthology comic, Marvel Super-Heroes #8 (1992). She was created by Will Muray and Steve Ditko. 

W.E.B. profiles at Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, 2022, author’s photo.

Yes, the co-creator of Spider-Man created his last Marvel Comics hero with Squirrel Girl! Besides that connection, the live action show that was cancelled before airing, New Warriors, had Squirrel Girl played by Milana Vayntrub who voices her here! Doreen Green was one of the engineers of the WEB (Worldwide Engineering Brigade) in the Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure attraction at Disney’s California Adventure. Squirrel Girl is unbeatable! Their chat is interrupted by the whistle of the squirrel, Tippy-Toe, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. Tippy-Toe is one of the squirrels that partner with Squirrel Girl and wears a yellow ribbon. She first appeared in G.L.A. #4 (2005). Under the watchful eye of Tippy-Toe, the duo begin exercises, I like the two heroes training at the park. 

Doreen shows her fellow hero, the cellphone pic of themselves in uniform. Their conversation turns to the random Terrigen Mist that gave Ms. Marvel her stretching powers. This is the heart of the show, two girl heroes becoming super heroes. Tippy-Toe walks away with a chestunut. Squirrel Girl says that people don’t like Inhumans. Kamala says that she wants to show a different side to Inhumans transformed by the Terrigen Mists which was from the detonation of the Terrigen Bomb in Infinity #4 (2013). Then, they hear a cry for help and a hot dog vendor points out a thief running away. Kamala leaps up shrinking into her clothes and then flies out as Ms. Marvel!  Dorren tears apart her outfit to reveal her Squirrel Girl costume! S.G. as Kamala, who she calls Double-M, calls her gives out a temporary battle cry, “Let’s get nuts!” Very funny! 

As they are running in pursuit, Kamala asks her best friend if it is expensive ripping apart her clothes. Doreen answers her clothes have snaps, an idea from Tippey-Toe! The guy in the hoodie with glasses runs, he is Dante Pertuz (Tyler Posey) who debuted in Inhuman #1 (2014) created by Charles Soule and Joe Madureira. Ms. Marvel closes in on him in embiggen form, statue-tall with giant hands. Squirrel Girl is on her back shouting for him to stop. Ms. Marvel stumbles and crashes to the ground. Squirrel Girl leaps into action! Doreen leaps into the trees and then drops down in front of Dante. He falls back and there is another hilarious line from Squirrel Girl, “Guy covered in squirrels says what?” 

Squirrels including Tippy-Toe swarm Dante and he ends up falling down a hill to a dirt path to a tunnel! Dante startes to run when Ms. Marvel’s arm wraps around him and Dante falls again. Ms. Marvel tries to work out a catchphrase and make a citizen’s arrest. Dante admits he stole a hot dog! This makes me think of Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, who is jailed for life for stealing a loaf of bread. Dante warns them and Kamala calms down the situation. Closeup on her eyes and stern face, very cinematic. Dante is about to say something, but pauses and unleashes a blast of fire!, his superhero name is Inferno. Ms. Marvel pulls back S.G. who is angry that her tail is singed! Squirrel Girl charges after Dante, whose powers fade, until he finally sends out another flame blast! 

Double-M is in the way of the blast, but a man in a silver suit steps in the way of the torrent of flame! After the flames, he says his name is Viktor Kohl, voiced by BooBoo Stewart. He played Warpath in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Viktor faces Dante who flames his hands. Viktor forms a black-purple blade and shield. Their face-off ends with Viktor knocked back. He rushes Dante again who uses his flames to cut through a tree. Ms. Marvel’s stretching arms saves him. More flames from Dante same result with Ms. Marvel and Viktor. Squirrel Girl charges him and his flame blast hurtles S.G. back! Dante tries to apologize and then runs off to the forest. Viktor revives and asks about Dante. Kamala realizes that Viktor was searching for Dante. He says, “It’s Inhuman business.” Viktor says he was tracking Dante for weeks and says he burned down his house in Illinois. This happened during a battle in Inhuman #1. 

A S.H.I.E.L.D. flying car hovers above them, puts a spotlight on the group, and then enhanced-incident area.” It lands and Viktor watns Mrs. Marvel to leave, she refuses so he descends in a portal from what looks like the Darkforce dimension. Weapons and portals can be formed from them so Viktor is suspect! Daisy Johnson shows them her i.d. was a character created by Brian Michael Bendis and Gabriele Dell’Otto. This was in her debut in Secret War #2 (2004). In 2008, she joined the Secret Warriors. She featured in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020) portrayed by Chloe Bennet. Daisy was known as Skye and learns that her name is Daisy Johnson. Along with her is the junior agent, The Patriot, voiced by Kamil McFadden, he was in the Disney series, K.C. Undercover as Emie CooperRayshaun Lucas was the third version of the character., he was introduced in Captain America: Sam Wilson #18 (2017). Rayshaun’s shield can transform into a hoverboard!  

The earlier version of Patriot, was Eli Bradley, who first appeared in Young Avengers #1 (2005). He appeared in episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) played by Elijah Richardson. Doreen fan girls over Patriot whom she says is Captain America’s sidekick! She tries to explain what happened which brings two Inhumans to the incident. Daisy explains that it is a pattern with Inhumans disappearing after the events. Doreen and Kamala says they can team up to find Dante, but this is rejected by the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.  Doreen asks if they have powers. As Daisny pilots the black, flying car away, Rayshaun mentions Daisy’s quake gauntlets. 

The duo are left alone, but Tippy gives an inspiring speech about Captain Marvel never giving up. They walk away as a motorcyle passes them. The rider is America Chavez, later voiced by Cierra Ramirez, she starred in the teen drama,  The Secret Life of the American Teenager. This is to the theme song, “Born Ready” sung by Dove Cameron. The character first appeared in Vengeance #1 (2011). America Chavez was played by Sochitl Gomez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors has the chance to give the Marvel Cinematic Universe a fresh, young team made up of heroes across the Marvel films and television that could be its own series or movies! 

Five+ Hot Dogs out of Five! 

#MarvelRisingSecretWarriors, #AlfredGimeno, #MaighredScott, #MarvelRising, #DevinGrayson, #MarcoFailla, #MarvelRisingInitiation, #GhostSpider, #DoveCameron, #ChasingGhosts, #Ironheart, #HeartOfIron, #MsMarvel, #KathreenKhavari, #SquirrelGirl, #MilanaVyntrub, #TylerPosey, #BooBooStewart, #ChloeBennett, #KamilMcFadden, #CierraRamirez.  

Happy Birthday Jack Kirby!

Happy Birthday to the King of Comics! The best way to celebrate Jack Kirby’s birthday is to buy comics! There are currently facsimile edition, reprints that copy the style of the original comics, of Fantastic Four. This covers Fantastic Four #1, #4 the introduction of Sub-Mariner to the FF, #5 first appearance of Doctor Doom, and #48, “The Coming of Galactus!”There is also trade paperbacks, omnibus’, and maybe find that rare back issue! Also, watch (again) Fantastic Four: First Steps! To understand how comic books, superhero comics, the work and its appeal, you have to understand Jack Kirby. His extreme poses and action exploding out of the panels are the language of superhero comic books today. 

Jack Kirby’s U.S. Army uniform, Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity, Skirball Cultural Center, author’s photo. 

The King of Comics, started as an in-betweener at the Fleischer Studios working in animation. Then, he started work at the Eisner & Iger studio creating artwork working in many genres for Wild Boy Magazine. Kirby moved to Fox Feature Syndicate working with writer Joe Simon on the Blue Beetle comic strip. The duo worked together on Captain Marvel Adventures #1 (1941) for Fawcett Comics. They joined Timely Comics, which later became Marvel Comics, and created Captain America Comics #1 (1941). It sold out and became an iconic character for Timely/Marvel. Captain America was the subject of a movie serial in 1944, some movies in 1979 and  a film in 1990. 

Cap entered the MCU played by Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).The Simon and Kirby duo created romance comics with Young Romance #1 (1947). Kirby then worked for DC creating the Challengers of the Unknown, a quartet of explorers who survive a jet crash to investigate strange dangers in Showcase #6 (1957). In Challengers of the Unknown #3 (1958), written and drawn by Kirby, the group gets super powers including projecting flame and invisibility. He worked with Stan Lee introducing monsters like Groot in Tales to Astonish #13 (1960). The tree-creature was featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (2023). What launched the Marvel Age of Comics in the Silver Age was Fantastic Four #1 (1961). Jack Kirby and Stan Lee even cameo trying to crash the wedding of Sue Storm and Reed Richards in Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965)! 

Last year, Fantastic Four: First Steps, opened in theaters. It featured Marvel’s First Family, Silver Surfer, and Galactus besides many other cameos! The film is a love letter to Jack Kirby and his work. The creative duo turned a monster into a hero with The Incredible Hulk #1 (1962) who was in the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) series. Then, Thor first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (1962). The God of Thunder's latest solo film is Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Lee and Kirby co-created Ant-Man in Tales to Astonish #35 (1962) with Larry Leiber. Also, the Wasp in Tales to Astonish #44 (1963) with Ernie Hart. Their latest film is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Next, the team co-created Iron Man in Tales of Suspense #39 (1963). 2008's Iron Man started the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Lee and Kirby brought the heroes together in The Avengers #1 (1963). The blockbuster, Avengers: Endgame, featured the characters, and this year will have Avengers: Doomsday! They also created Black Panther in Fantastic Four #52 (1966).  The character was featured in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). The Lee and Kirby duo created the X-Men and villain Magneto in X-Men #1 (1963). Professor Xavier, leader of the X-Men, had a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. When Kirby went to DC Comics, he created the Fourth World drawing and writing New Gods #1 (1971) and also their nemesis Darkseid, who Kirby introduced in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #134 (1970). Darkseid appeared in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021).

Jack Kirby returned to Marvel and wrote and drew Captain America with issue #193 (1976). He also crafted Captain America #200 (1976) which was the also Bicentennial of America! Kirby created The Eternals in The Eternals #1 (1976). Their film was out in 2021. Kirby worked in animation reuniting with Stan Lee on The New Fantastic Four (1978) series. One of the most clever comics Kirby wrote and illustrated What If? #11 (1978) which had Stan Lee as Mr. Fantastic, Flo Steinberg as Invisible Girl, Sol Brodsky as Human Torch, and the character that was mirror to Kirby, The Thing. 

Kirby had some creative titles with Pacific Comics starting with Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers #1 (1981). The work of Kirby is found in issues of Jack Kirby Quarterly. Jack Kirby was pioneering in comic books, animation, he created film concept art that was used by the CIA seen in Argo (2012). On May 11th, the block of Essex Street renamed a corner Yancy Stree/Jack Kirby Way. Yancy Street was the home of Ben Grimm, The Thing! A plaque dedicated to Jack Kirby was dedicated today at Avengers Campus, Disney's California Adventure. He died in 1994, but his legacy will always be remembered by fans and audience members who love comic books on the screen, his art in museums, street corners, and theme parks! Happy Birthday Jack Kirby! 

#JackKirby, #JoeSimon, #CaptainMarvelAdventures, #CaptainAmericaComics, #CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger, #YoungRomance, #ChallengersOfTheUnknown, #Groot, #TalesToAstonish 

#GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3, #FantasticFour, #FantasticFourFirstSteps, #DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness, #IncredibleHulk, #SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw, #Thor, #JourneyIntoMystery, #ThorLoveAndThunder, #AntMan, #Wasp 

#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania, #TalesOfSuspense, #TheAvengers, #AvengersEndgame, #BlackPantherWakandaForever, #XMen, #FourthWorld, #NewGods, #Darkseid, #SupermansPalJimmyOlsen, #TheEternals, #TheNewFantasticFour, #WhatIf, #CaptainVictoryAndTheGalacticRangers, #JackKirbyQuarterly, #YancyStreet, #JackKirbyWay, #AvengersCampus, #DisneysCaliforniaAdventure. 

Propstore Petersen Auction Preview!

 Day 1 of the Propstore Petersen Auction is today, but last night was the preview. Check out their awesome auction items at: https://propstore.com/. The auction house for memorabilia was founded in 1988. The auction is a four day event from August 26 to the 29th. The tickets were free and the event took place at the Petersen Automotive Museum. I had looked around the museum in 2021 for 'Bond in Motion', an impressive exhibit and museum, https://geektruth.blogspot.com/2021/10/bond-in-motion-at-petersen-automotive.html. 

This event took place at the penthouse which had a fantastic view of the surrounding hills, city, and also the Academy Museum next door. Exiting the elevator, there was the costume of Black Adam (2022). Past the sign-in table, on a shelf was the “Cast-Autographed Ibanez Artcore AS73 Guitar from Back to the Future (1985). It’s estimate was $5,000-10,000! It actually felt like the memorabilia that I saw at Celebrity Authentics at CityWalk which also had a cast signed guitar, but likely not screen used. I saw a few Planet Hollywood items. These items were not listed in the Entertainment and Memorabilia Live Auction catalog so may be part of the regular Propstore auctions.

Mighty Joe Young stop-motion puppet, Propstore Petersen Auction Preview, author’s photo. 

Against a Propstore background was a photo op with the “Life-Size Light-Up Sideshow Collectibles Iron Man Mark III Figure Replica.” A short summary about the item in on the placard. Inside was the screen used “Light-Up Iron Man Mark 46 Upper Body Armor” from Captain America: Civil War (2016). Next to it was Brandon’s Routh’s complete Superman costume from Superman Returns (2006). There are details on the placard of the item itself including, “a blue texturized one-piece milliskin jumpsuit.” 

Next to it was Christopher Reeve’s “Screen and Photo-Matched Tunic and Replica Boots” from Superman III (1983)/Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987). Another iconic character, Spock, with a season three costume from Star Trek: The Original Series. Like a few costumes, this one is missing boots so it looks like Spock is on duty barefoot! A prop of the "Midgrade" Starfleet Type-2 Phaser was also on display. Next to it must be the highlight of this collection, the stop-motion puppet from Mighty Joe Young (1949). 

It has most of the "original latex skin and fur covering", plus the armature is still there discovered by X-ray scans! it is really the expression of Mighty Joe Young's face that gives it life, almost a sadness, like stop bothering me, I saw something like this with a gorilla at the National Zoo where school kids were banging on the window. I hope this piece of cinema history ends up in a public museum like the Academy Museum. Lot 190 was the "Screen-Matched Opening Scene Mosquito in Amber Fossil" from Jurassic Park (1993). The first time this prop was at a public auction. There was also next to the prop, a Dinosaur Handler Costume from the same movie. From Saturday Night Fever (1977) was the White Dancing Suit worn by John Travolta. 

Leeloo’s Multi-Pass prop from The Fifth Element (1997), photo by the author. 

Standing at the corner was the Frank the Rabbit suit from Donnie Darko (2001). So a note about the auction items, the room could only contain so many costumes and prop item so some are featured in the catalog. The Donnie Darko costume is bizarre, but nothing like the freaky Cat in the Hat costume from Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003). There were two glass cases, continuing from the far side of the room and one in the middle. So the far side cabinet had a number of items including the Batarang from The Batman (2022), a highlight must be "Screen-Matched Light-Up Multi Pass" from The Fifth Element (1997) used by Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), and really liked the headdress and the amethyst-like necklace worn by Meg Foster in Masters of the Universe (1987). 

The catalog also listed Michael Keaton's Batsuit from Batman Returns (1992) and Val Kilmer's Complete Sonar Batsuit from Batman Forever (1995). At the top shelf of the cabinet was the Sankara Stone prop from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Also a Xenomorph Warrior Head from Aliens (1986). Mid-shelf, also from the Planet Hollywood Collection was "State Prison Mugshot Slate" used by Laudnry Leonard in The Shwshank Redemption (1994). Plus the Monster Book of Monsters from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and the Golden Snith prop from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). At the end was a Joe Johnston Death Star storyboard from "Vader's P.O.V" of an X-Wing from Star Wars (1977). On the bottom shelf, I couldn't see the plaque well, but it had "Framed Set of Six Tarot Cards" used by Solitaire (Jane Seymour) in the James Bond film, Live and Let Die (1973). 

From the far wall cabinet, there was Blade Runner (1982) poster concept artwork by John Alvin. Also, a flight suit worn by Tom Cruise in a promotional photo for Top Gun (1986). Another costume was the screen used Nostromo jacket worn by Tom Skerritt in Alien (1979), A photo of the back of the jacket with Nostromo was in the catalog. I was impressed by the prop of the bow used by Robin Hood (Cary Elwes) in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), "Tight! tights!" Behind it was the room to video the auction. I also liked seeing the vest of The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) from Highlander (1986).One of the sci fi films, pre-Star Wars was Silent Running (1972) which featured Bruce Dern's astronaut, Freeman Lowell. His jump suit was displayed for auction. Another favorite costume, the "Waistcoat and Poet Shirt with Brooch" worn by Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) in Labyrinth (1986). 

Lone Ranger Hat worn by Clayton Moore at personal appearances, author’s photo.

There were so many highlights including from the Val Kilmer Collection, Doc Holliday's Inverness Coat from Tombstone (1993). Lot 304 was the boxing shorts of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) from Rocky II 1979). A costume from Predator (1987) had Arnold Scharzenegger's vest, shirt, and belt. Wait!, his character's name was Alan "Dutch" Schaefer? Costumes from Pulp Fiction (1994) included Uma Thurman's white shirt and black pants, and the Interrogation Suit worn by Samuel L. Jackson. 

There was a large painted cover by Drew Struzan of Indiana Jones and the Sky Pirates (1993). At another cabinet was the Lament Configuration Box from Hellraiser (1987). In a box was the "Promotional Mechanical Dragon Eggs" from Game of Thrones. On the upper shelf was teh headband worn by Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) in Karate Kid (1984). I also liked on the bottom shelf the animatronic puppet of Billina the Chicken from Return to Oz (1985). 

The center cabinet had from the Dick Smith Collection, his Personal Makeup Kit, he is a makeup legend. Next to it was the "Miniature Bronze Bust" of Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) from The Godfather (1972). Yet another highlight for me was the "Personal Appearance Lone Ranger Costume Hat" worn by Clayton Moore. This is from the Dawn Moore Collection and she was a special guest of the auction. 

I was able to talk to her about one of my favorite, all time heroes, the Lone Ranger. She mentioned that she has the original silver bullets from her father's holster! You can find her personal Instagram page about marketing and going around California at: mooreabout. Next to the hat was the "Distressed Wilson Volleyball" from Cast Away (2000). Then on the other side of the cabinet was the "Hero Morlock Mask" from The Time Machine (1960). The Morlock has a shaggy wig, but again the face sculpt, he has sad eyes, almost distorted wrinkles like the masks of the Twilight Zone episode with the masks, they look strange, but sad.  It was also displayed with the Stunt Axe used by Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining (1960). 

The Inverness Coat worn by Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) in Tombstone (1993), photo by the author. 

Below it was the "SFX Bloodletting Knife" used by Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall) also from that film. In the display case with the Mask of Loki worn by Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) in The Mask (1994). A gruesome prop was "Early Palmer-Thing Face-Splitting Mask" from The Thing (1982). There was a damaged Terminator replica from Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) and also the "Light-Up T-800 Endoskeleton Skull" from the attraction T2-3D: Battle Across Time (1996).  

I consider the last film of the trilogy since it involved Jim Cameron, Stan Winston, and the leads from Terminator 2. Plus, a cybernetic T-888 arm from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The "Wooden SFX Hoverboard" prop used by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) from Back to the Future Part II (1989)/Back to the Future Part III (1990). Another BttF prop was OUATIME license plate from Back to the Future (1985). In the catalog, there was the prop Bracelets of Submission worn by Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) in the first season of Wonder Woman. The Propstore Petersen Auction has an extensive collection of costumes and props from classic cinema to favorite films and tv shows!  

#PropstorePetersenAucionPreview, #Propstore, #PetersenAutomotiveMuseum, #BlackAdam, #BackToTheFuture, #PlanetHollywood, #CaptainAmericaCivilWar, #SupermanReturns, #BrandonRouth, #SupermanIII, ##SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace, 

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#Terminator2JudgementDay, #T23DBattleAcrossTime, #TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles, #BackToTheFuturePartII, #BackToTheFuturePartIII, #WonderWoman, #LyndaCarter  

The Chinese American Museum and Academy Museum!

Today was Free Museum Day and I spent the day at two museums! Free Museum Day is on the second Tuesday of every month. Please take advantage of going to great museumes like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the first Thursday at the Huntington Library! I highly recommend the Chinese American Museum and this is the first time (and not the last) that I’ve been to the museum! It is located at 425 North Los Angeles Street which is across from Union Station. The grand opening was on December 18, 2003. It is the historic Garnier Building, the oldest Chinese building in Southern California and the former part of Chinatown before it was moved. Check out: https://camla.org/. 

“Anna May Wong” by Rachel O’Donnell at the Chinese American Museum, author's photo.

It has a red brick courtyard and just turn to the left to open the door into a local treasure. I took the recommendation of taking the elevator to the second floor. This had the current exhibition, The Icon: Anna May Wong, it runs until August 30th so there is still time! I think I first realized Anna May Wong’s groundbreaking work from the PBS documentary series, Asian Americans, recommended! She is dubbed “The first Asian American Movie Star”, posters of her films are on the walls, including her crime film, Dangerous to Know (1938). I think she transcended the stereotypical roles. In Daughter of the Dragon (1931) that had the yellow face Fu Manchu, but also starred Sessue Hayakawa, Hollywood’s first sex symbol! 

We first see her, stunning, in her Princess Ling Moy outfit, and she says in perfect English, Wong was born in Los Angeles!, “Thank you Mr. Wentworth.” Then, lapses into broken English for wealthy guests. The films of Anna May Wong play on the side wall and the facing wall has a incredible painting of her by Rachel O’Donnell. There are also a cookbook and example of her writing. Her theatrical programs, 2009 stamp, and even Barbie doll! Movie actress, she starred in the first Asian television show, theater actress, fashion icon, writer, a phenomenon like the actress we will get to later. The museum had works of poetry and an art exhibition, Seasons in Cosmos: Works by Diana Shulu Wong. I highly recommend the museum for this art exhibit alone. I could see how Wong’s work had a touch Impressionism. 

Twelve Seasons Table by Diana Shulu Wong, photo by the author. 

I would stand back and just soak into the yellows of her summer painting and just let the images wash over me, several panels like snapshots of a season. Love the Twelve Seasons Table with the twelve months and twenty-four solar terms with the yin and yang symbol. I missed some of the first floor so I will definitely return. There was a firehouse next to the museum. Impressive engines and a photo of Blackie, the last fire horse (1902-1939). The Academy Museum was busy on Free Museum Day. More info, especially with The Horror Show exhibition that fills the entire fourth floor, stars on September 26th!, here: https://www.academymuseum.org/ The museum was busy, and one of the highlights was Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo. It began on February 14th of this year and runs to March 21st of next year. Again, this is reason enough to go and don’t wait until the last day, just go and have fun! 

I attended the Hayao Miyazki exhibit at the museum and at that time, no pictures were allowed, for Ponyo, please don’t take flash pictures. I asked and a museum worker told me that the artwork is in the collection of the museum. One of the text pieces, “Bringing The Movie to Life” explained the difference between hand-drawn to computer animation. Miyazaki said, hand-drawn art “gives the audience room for imagination.” Computer animation uses “perfectly uniform images.” There are numerous Studio Ghibli artists, “each displaying subtle differences” with Miyazki as director checking consistency with character and form. Disney returns to hand drawn animation with Gatto in 2027. I highly recommend Hayao Miyazaki’s book, Starting Point, 1979-1996 (2014) which goes from where do artists get their ideas and form them into stories and into a medium, in this case film.

Ponyo’s world, art board by Noboru Yoshida, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, author’s photo. 

There are long art boards by Noboru Yoshida on display in what looks like submarine portals. Across from it is a big photo op and activity where you can slide Ponyo across the waves. In the next room was a video of voice actors and following that long revised key animation drawings, it’s great to see sketches, detailed characters, character action and the flow of the film in these drawings. In the middle is a Studio Ghibli animation drawing desk, this was the one thing that I wanted to take a pic of with the Hayao Miyazaki exhibit. Though that exhibit had some tiny goat statues around the desk. There was a photo of Miyazaki with a exploding word balloon, “Get rid of straight lines. Use gently warped lines that allow the possiblity of magic to exist, liberating us from the curse of perspective drawing. A world where even the horizon swells, dips, and sways.” At that room there are Japanese theatrical release posters for the movies. 

Plus, a green pipe photo op! Another section had several galleries including the Bong Joon Ho exhibit. In the Identiy section are make-up and costumes. Here’s the trick with the central display, The costumes are set on a short black platform. It set off alarms, beep beep beep, almost constantly! Guests have to stand about a foot away from the platform or set off the alarms. There is not rope cordoning off that area. The museum worker had to keep reminding visitors about being careful. The end of the platform was the costumes of Elphaba with her broom and the sparkly costume of Glinda from Wicked (2024). You have to see Glinda’s dress in person to see the sparkly. Against the wall was a glass display of costumes including the costume of Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain (1952), a favorite musical. 

Marilyn Monroe’s White Subway Dress, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon exhibit, photo by the author. 

On the third floor was another highlight, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon. The exhibit started on May 31st and runs to February 28th next year. This exhibit is extensive with a hallway and five rooms. The hallway is filled with her movie posters. Many visitors point out things like experts, but there are close-up tours with museum experts. A hallway has displays of Marilyn’s dresses, on the right, her dress from her brief cameo in the Marx Brothers comedy, Love Happy (1949). On the other side, is Marilyn’s gold dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). There were two side galleries, one for the white subway dress from The Seven Year Itch (1955) with the marketing of that image. 

There is also  Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) which had design sketches and an unused costume after the release of her nude photos. The back wall has a hallway with her pin-up, personal, movie photos. Also, the calendars with her nude photos and Playboy magazine. The costume hallway also turns to a make-up display and then personal items like her 1942 University High School yearbook as Norma Jean Baker. The opposite wall has displays of her coats, hats, and dresses that she wore for appearances sometimes using the same outfit several times. Two Hollywood icons with Anna May Wong and Marilyn Monroe in one day! Free Museum Day allows visitors to experience many local museums. The Chinese American Museum had many artworks and history of L.A. and the Academy Museum's displays the best of movies with costumes and props! 

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