Spie a Fumetti Tra Vecchio E Nuovo Millennio

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Spie a Fumetti Tra Vecchio E Nuovo Millennio FUMETTO Spie a fumetti tra vecchio e nuovo millennio GIUSEPPE POLLICELLI A sinistra, primo numero della miniserie The Men in Black (1990); locandina del film Men in Black , diretto nel 1997 da Barry Sonnenfeld. Sotto, edizione italiana di Insiders pubblicato nel 2018 da Editoriale Aurea. bbiamo già incontrato gli Uomini in Nero – immaginari agenti del governo ame - Negli Stati Uniti d’America, dagli anni Novanta, ricano con il compito di occultare con qualsiasi mezzo, compreso l’omicidio, tutti si accresce notevolmente il numero delle case editrici i casi di avvistamenti alieni o di contatti con extraterrestri da parte di esseri indipendenti (alternative alle major DC Comics A umani – sul secondo numero del 2016 di « GNOSIS », occupandoci di Martin Mystère , il De - e Marvel) e questo fa sì che aumenti l’offerta di fumetti nel suo complesso. tective dell’Impossibile edito dalla Bonelli. Ebbene, nel 1990 lo sceneggiatore statunitense Ad ampliarsi sarà anche la quantità di opere Lowell Cunningham e il disegnatore canadese Sandy Carruthers hanno pubblicato per di genere spionistico, la più nota delle quali l’etichetta Aircel Comics di Ottawa (in seguito rilevata dalla Malibu Comics, a sua volta è The Men in Black , miniserie creata nel 1990 assorbita dalla Marvel) i tre numeri della miniserie The Men in Black , alla quale seguirà da Lowell Cunningham e Sandy Carruthers l’anno successivo una seconda, sempre di tre numeri, ottenendo un successo tanto inat - per una piccola etichetta canadese poi rilevata teso quanto vasto. Successo destinato a divenire planetario quando, nel 1997, il regista dalla Marvel. Da questa saga saranno tratti Barry Sonnenfeld ha tratto dal fumetto un film che si rivelerà campione d’incassi ai bot - tre film, interpretati dalla coppia Tommy Lee Jones teghini di tutto il mondo. Rispetto alla versione a fumetti, quella filmica preferisce un e Will Smith, capaci di ottenere risultati eccezionali registro decisamente brillante, focalizzandosi sulle imprese degli agenti K e J. Quest’ul - al botteghino in ogni parte del mondo. I fumetti incentrati sul mondo dell’intelligence, timo è poi trasformato da caucasico in afroamericano (è, infatti, interpretato da Will comunque, evidenziano un buono stato di salute Smith, mentre a vestire i panni di K è Tommy Lee Jones) e i testimoni scomodi non ven - anche al di qua dell’oceano, come provano, gono uccisi ma è soltanto cancellata loro la memoria. L’obiettivo dei Men in Black cine - tra le altre, le serie Insiders e Lady S., uscite matografici, inoltre, non è la manipolazione delle menti ma il mantenimento di una in Francia rispettivamente nel 2002 e nel 2004. situazione di pace sul pianeta Terra. Al primo film hanno fatto seguito, rispettivamente 234 GNOSIS 4/2018 RIVISTA ITALIANA DI INTELLIGENCE 235 FUMETTO GIUSEPPE POLLICELLI SPIE A FUMETTI TRA VECCHIO E NUOVO MILLENNIO Da sinistra, Young Justice: The Secret , edito nel 1998 dalla DC Comics; p rimo numero di Danger Girl , edito nel 1998; Human Target , edito nel 1999. della DC Comics – Human Target , dal nome bia di quando in quando identità e, senza di un personaggio nato negli anni Settanta conservare memoria della metamorfosi, si Da sinistra, locandine di Men in Black II , diretto nel 2002 da Barry Sonnenfeld e Men in Black 3 , diretto all’interno della saga di Superman e dive - trasforma suo malgrado in un agente se - nel 2012 sempre dallo stesso regista. nuto protagonista, nel 1992, di una serie greto, esperto in arti marziali e dotato di televisiva. Nella prima incarnazione fumet - sofisticati strumenti tecnologici. SpyBoy è nel 2002 e nel 2012, due sequel, a cui vanno Extranormali (un’agenzia governativa ap - tistica, Human Target ha come vero nome supportato nelle sue missioni dal padre e aggiunti una serie animata, un videogioco partenente all’universo della DC), viene Fred Venable, mentre nella seconda, quella dal nonno nonché da una bella ragazza e, a partire dal 1997, diversi albi a fumetti fatta evadere da Robin, Superboy e Im - di Wein e Infantino (che genererà una se - chiamata Bombshell. Entriamo così nel pubblicati dalla Marvel con nuove storie di - pulso, tre membri di un gruppo composto conda serie tv, composta da due stagioni terzo millennio, che nel 2002 ha visto uscire rettamente ispirate alle situazioni e ai per - solo da supereroi giovani, la Young Justice, realizzate nel 2010 e nel 2011), si chiama Insiders , serie francese scritta da Jean- sonaggi della saga cinematografica. di cui anche Secret entrerà a far parte. Christopher Chance. Esperto di sicurezza, è Claude Bartoll e disegnata da Renaud Gar - Nel 1998 Todd Dezago, per i testi, e Todd Sempre nel 1998 lo sceneggiatore Jeffery in grado, con la collaborazione di un ex po - reta, di cui sono stati editi, a oggi, dieci epi - Nauck, ai disegni, hanno dato vita, all’in - Scott Campbell e il disegnatore Andy Hart- liziotto di nome Wiston, di penetrare nella sodi (l’ultimo, African Connection , è del 2014). terno dell’albo singolo Young Justice: The Secret nell hanno pubblicato per l’editrice Idw vita dei propri clienti (persone minacciate Najah, la protagonista, è un’ex terrorista (edito dalla DC Comics), al personaggio di Publishing la serie Danger Girl , di cui a oggi di morte per le attività spionistiche o ille - cecena che, dopo essere entrata a far parte Secret, il cui vero nome è Greta Hayes. sono usciti sette numeri. Il titolo del fu - gali svolte) fino a sostituirsi a essi come di una cellula occulta dei Servizi segreti Dopo che il fratellastro William ha tentato metto corrisponde a quello di un gruppo obiettivo dei killer. Nel 1999 lo scrittore statunitensi, si infiltra in un’organizzazione di ucciderla (trasformandosi – in seguito a di agenti donne guidate da Deuce (ex di - Peter David ha creato, per la Dark Horse, criminale che agisce a livello planetario uno scellerato accordo con il demone Buzz pendente del Servizio segreto britannico), SpyBoy , disegnato dal thailandese Pop con l’incarico di ucciderne il capo. Del 2002 – in un essere malvagio chiamato Harm), coinvolte in vicende avventurose che ri - Mhan con la collaborazione di Norman Lee. è pure la fantascientifica miniserie in sei Greta rimane sospesa tra la vita e la morte, chiamano tanto le atmosfere di James Protagonista di questo fumetto dai toni albi S.C.I.-Spy , pubblicata dalla Vertigo, per poi diventare una supereroina capace di Bond quanto quelle delle Charlie’s Angels. leggeri è un problematico adolescente di scritta da Doug Moench, che vi immette smaterializzarsi. Tenuta per diverso tempo Nel 1999 Len Wein e Carmine Infantino nome Alex Fleming (tra l’altro, orfano di più di una spruzzata di umorismo, e dise - prigioniera nel Dipartimento di Operazioni hanno rielaborato – per l’etichetta Vertigo madre e vittima di bullismo), il quale cam - gnata da Paul Gulacy. Racconta di una 236 GNOSIS 4/2018 RIVISTA ITALIANA DI INTELLIGENCE 237 FUMETTO GIUSEPPE POLLICELLI SPIE A FUMETTI TRA VECCHIO E NUOVO MILLENNIO Nel 2004 sono usciti negli Usa, per la DC Una serie tv è stata effettivamente dedi - Comics, anche i tre numeri di Reload , un cata a Middleman nel 2008, per un totale adrenalinico thriller scritto da Warren Ellis di dodici episodi, ma senza riscuotere e disegnato da Paul Gulacy in cui un’avve - molto successo. nente assassina uccide il presidente degli Nel 2006 un trio di autori, formato dallo Stati Uniti. Sulle tracce della donna si sceneggiatore statunitense Matt Fraction pone un agente federale di nome Chris e dalla coppia di disegnatori brasiliani, i Royal, che tenta in ogni modo di arrestarla fratelli Gabriel Bá e Fábio Moon, ha dato prima che faccia fuori anche tutti i compo - vita per l’editrice Image Comics (che ce - nenti dello staff presidenziale. derà poi il personaggio alla divisione Icon Inizialmente pensato dallo sceneggiatore della Marvel) a Casanova Quinn , agente se - portoricano Javier Grillo-Marxuach come greto con la vocazione del playboy (come episodio pilota di una serie televisiva, The il nome e l’aspetto, simile a quello di Mick Da sinistra, primo albo di SpyBoy (1999); edizione italiana di The Losers pubblicato nel 2017 da RW Lion; primo numero di Sleeper, edito nel 2003 dalla DC Comics. Middleman è diventato nel 2005 un fumetto Jagger, lasciano intuire). edito dalla Viper Comics e disegnato da Quinn lavora per l’E.M.P.I.R.E., una task Les McClaine. force internazionale guidata dal padre Guerra fredda interplanetaria durante la baker ha creato per la Wildstorm, etichetta I Middlemen sono agenti segreti impegnati Cornelius (e della quale fa parte anche Ze - quale due agenti segreti, Sebastian Star - della DC Comics, l’agente sotto copertura a combattere il male in tutte le sue forme, phyr, l’infida sorella gemella), che ha la child e Isis Nile, tentano di sventare l’apo - Holden Carver, infiltrato contro la propria che eseguono gli ordini impartiti tramite missione di contrastare tutto ciò che può calisse. La breve saga è stata non a caso volontà dal suo diretto superiore, John l’androide Ida dalla misteriosissima O2Sst, compromettere la situazione geopolitica definita un mix tra James Bond e Guerre Lynch, nella più efferata organizzazione cri - sigla che sta per Organization Too Secret To mondiale. Tra ricatti, doppiogiochismo e Stellari . Rielaborando e ammodernando un minale del mondo, quella guidata dallo Know «Organizzazione troppo segreta per identità inesplicabilmente mutevoli, i di - manipolo di personaggi (si tratta di soldati spietato e intelligentissimo Tao. essere conosciuta», denominazione ironica ciotto numeri di Casanova sono caratte - della Seconda guerra mondiale), che lo Intitolato Sleeper e disegnato sia da Sean e fittizia dovuta al fatto che neppure Ida rizzati da sperimentalismi narrativi e un sceneggiatore Robert Kanigher e il dise - Phillips che da Jim Lee, il fumetto scritto può sapere quale ne sia il nome autentico.
Recommended publications
  • Check All That Apply)
    Form Version: February 2001 EFFECTIVE TERM: Fall 2003 PALOMAR COLLEGE COURSE OUTLINE OF RECORD FOR DEGREE CREDIT COURSE X Transfer Course X A.A. Degree applicable course (check all that apply) COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: ENG 290 -- Comic Books As Literature UNIT VALUE: 3 MINIMUM NUMBER OF SEMESTER HOURS: 48 BASIC SKILLS REQUIREMENTS: Appropriate Language Skills ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS PREREQUISITE: Eligibility for ENG 100 COREQUISITE: NONE RECOMMENDED PREPARATION: NONE SCOPE OF COURSE: An analysis of the comic book in terms of its unique poetics (the complicated interplay of word and image); the themes that are suggested in various works; the history and development of the form and its subgenres; and the expectations of comic book readers. Examines the influence of history, culture, and economics on comic book artists and writers. Explores definitions of “literature,” how these definitions apply to comic books, and the tensions that arise from such applications. SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES: The successful student will: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the unique poetics of comic books and how that poetics differs from other media, such as prose and film. 2. Analyze representative works in order to interpret their styles, themes, and audience expectations, and compare and contrast the styles, themes, and audience expectations of works by several different artists/writers. 3. Demonstrate knowledge about the history and development of the comic book as an artistic, narrative form. 4. Demonstrate knowledge about the characteristics of and developments in the various subgenres of comic books (e.g., war comics, horror comics, superhero comics, underground comics). 5. Identify important historical, cultural, and economic factors that have influenced comic book artists/writers.
    [Show full text]
  • HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Monday, June 17, 2019
    HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Monday, June 17, 2019 VOL. 100 | NO. 168 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 An Edition Of The Sun Road names to change at HRMC Changes to come with roundabout By PHIL ATTINGER “Sebring Parkway,” since have what other parts — to “Highlands Avenue,” STAFF WRITER the road is contiguous of the Parkway will soon since that name will be with the existing Parkway have: A roundabout. available. SEBRING — Motorists north of Youth Care Lane. The roundabout is Under Highlands heading south on Sebring Once work is complet- planned for the northern County road-naming Parkway toward U.S. 27 ed on that section of the entrance of the HRMC standards, any roads that at Highlands Regional Parkway — Phase 2 — campus, better known as are directly connected Medical Center may sometime in the next two Medical Center Drive. throughout their length notice some changes years, it will be identical A section of Medical need to have the same soon on road signs. to the existing Parkway. Center Drive will get name, to make them eas- COURTESY PHOTO/HIGHLANDS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS County commissioners Not only will it have a renamed as it reaches ier to navigate for law en- have approved changes to divided four-lane road into the property — a forcement, fire and emer- Sebring Parkway Phase 2A will install four lanes from Youth road signs on that stretch with a grass median and change approved by the gency medical personnel. Care Lane to DeSoto Road, improving the intersection there of road, to change “South extended turn lanes at Highlands County Board with extra stacking room for right and left turn lanes both on Highlands Avenue” to intersections, it will also of County Commission ROAD | 2A the Parkway and on the cross-streets.
    [Show full text]
  • Autobiographies: Psychoanalysis and the Graphic Novel
    AUTOBIOGRAPHIES: PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE GRAPHIC NOVEL PARASKEVI LYKOU PHD THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND RELATED LITERATURE JANUARY 2014 ABSTRACT This thesis explores the conjunction of the graphic novel with life- writing using psychoanalytic concepts, primarily Freudian and post- Freudian psychoanalysis, to show how the graphic medium is used to produce a narrative which reconstructs the function of the unconscious through language. The visual language is rich in meaning, with high representational potential which results in a vivid representation of the unconscious, a more or less raw depiction of the function of the psychoanalytic principles. In this project I research how life-writing utilises the unique representational features of the medium to uncover dimensions of the internal-self, the unconscious and the psyche. I use the tools and principles of psychoanalysis as this has been formed from Freud on and through the modern era, to propose that the visual language of the graphic medium renders the unconscious more accessible presenting the unconscious functionality in a uniquely transparent way, so that to some extent we can see parts of the process of the construction of self identity. The key texts comprise a sample of internationally published, contemporary autobiographical and biographical accounts presented in the form of the graphic novel. The major criterion for including each of the novels in my thesis is that they all are, in one way or another, stories of growing up stigmatised by a significant trauma, caused by the immediate familial and/or social environment. Thus they all are examples of individuals incorporating the trauma in order to overcome it, and all are narrations of constructing a personal identity through and because of this procedure.
    [Show full text]
  • ARCHIE COMICS Random House Adult Blue Omni, Summer 2012
    ARCHIE COMICS Random House Adult Blue Omni, Summer 2012 Archie Comics Archie Meets KISS Summary: A highly unexpected pairing leads to a very Alex Segura, Dan Parent fun title that everyone’s talking about. Designed for both 9781936975044 KISS’s and Archie’s legions of fans and backed by Pub Date: 5/1/12 (US, Can.), On Sale Date: 5/1 massive publicity including promotion involving KISS $12.99/$14.99 Can. cofounders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, Archie 112 pages expects this title to be a breakout success. Paperback / softback / Trade paperback (US) Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy From the the company that’s sold over 1 billion comic books Ctn Qty: 0 and the band that’s sold over 100 million albums and DVDs 0.8lb Wt comes this monumental crossover hit! Immortal rock icons 363g Wt KISS join forces ... Author Bio: Alex Segura is a comic book writer, novelist and musician. Alex has worked in comics for over a decade. Before coming to Archie, Alex served as Publicity Manager at DC Comics. Alex has also worked at Wizard Magazine, The Miami Herald, Newsarama.com and various other outlets and websites. Author Residence: New York, NY Random House Adult Blue Omni, Summer 2012 Archie Comics Archie Meets KISS: Collector's Edition Summary: A highly unexpected pairing leads to a very Alex Segura, Dan Parent, Gene Simmons fun title that everyone’s talking about. Designed for both 9781936975143 KISS’s and Archie’s legions of fans and backed by Pub Date: 5/1/12 (US, Can.), On Sale Date: 5/1 massive publicity including promotion involving KISS $29.99/$34.00 Can.
    [Show full text]
  • Graphic Narrative in Contemporary Literature & Art: Evolution of Comic Book to Graphic Novel
    An Elective Course for Undergraduate and Graduate Students of any discipline and for English Language Students GRAPHIC NARRATIVE IN CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE & ART: EVOLUTION OF COMIC BOOK TO GRAPHIC NOVEL ✓ Basic Requirements: Appropriate language skills required by the University. ➢ This course should be of interest to anyone concerned with verbal & visual communications, popular forms, mass culture, history and its representation, colonialism, politics, journalism, writing, philosophy, religion, mythology, mysticism, metaphysics, cultural exchanges, aesthetics, post-modernism, theatre, film, comic art, collections, popular art & culture, literature, fine arts, etc. ➢ This course may have a specific appeal to fans and/or to those who are curious about this vastly influential, widely popular, most complex and thought-provoking work of contemporary literature and art form, the ‘Comics’; however it does not presume a prior familiarity with graphic novels and/or comics, just an overall enthusiasm to learn new things from a new angle and an open mind. ✓ Prerequisites: ➢ FA489: ‘By consent’ selection of students. ➢ FA490: Upon successful completion of FA489. ✓ Co-requisites: ➢ FA489: Freshmen who graduated from a high school with an English curriculum or passed BU proficiency test with an A; & sophomore, junior, senior students. ➢ FA490: Successful completion of FA 489. ✓ No requisites: FA49V. ✓ Recommended Preparation: Reading all of the required readings and as many from the suggested reading list. Idea Description: Is ‘comics’ a form of both literature and art? Certainly the answer is “yes” but there are many people who reject the idea, yet many other people call those people old-school intellectuals. However, in recent years, many scholars, critics and faculty alike have accepted ‘comics’, often dubbed by many publishers as ‘graphic novel’, as a respected form of both literature and art.
    [Show full text]
  • File 770 #132
    September 1999 1 2 File 770:132 The Last Diagnostician: I met James White at Intersection James White in 1995. We shared hot dogs in the SECC food court and talked 1928-1999 about what he might do as next year's Worldcon guest of honor. Tor Books was taking over publishing his Sector General series. They issued The Galactic Gourmet to coincide with We all look up to James here, and not just L.A.con III. Final Diagnosis and Mind Changer followed, and because he is about 6 1/2 feet tall. -- Walt Willis Double Contact is in the pipeline. All were edited by Teresa Nielsen Hayden, who did a wonderful interview of James James White died August 23 in Norn Iron, the day after during our Friday night GoH programming. suffering a stroke. His son, Martin, told Geri Sullivan that so far The committee fell completely under his charm. Gary Louie as he knew it was over very quickly. White was 71. spent countless hours compiling a “concordance” of terms and Looking around the obituaries and medical reports in this ideas from White’s science fiction (as yet unfinished). Fans issue makes me believe there must be an epidemic rampaging invented strange “alien food” to display and serve at a book among the nicest and sweetest people in fandom. And if charm, launch party in the Fan Lounge. Bruce Pelz issued t-shirts for a rich sense of humor and a gracious interest in everyone they “The White Company.” He also had about 15 “Diagnostician” met were the chief traits of the victims, none were more at risk badge ribbons printed, given to James to present to fans he than three Irish fans who made SLANT among the finest found especially helpful.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rewriting Ethos of the Vertigo Imprint: Critical Perspectives on Memory-Making and Canon Formation in the American Comics Field
    Comicalités La bande dessinée : un « art sans mémoire » ? ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Christophe Dony The rewriting ethos of the Vertigo imprint: critical perspectives on memory-making and canon formation in the American comics field ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Avertissement Le contenu de ce site relève de la législation française sur la propriété intellectuelle et est la propriété exclusive de l'éditeur. Les œuvres figurant sur ce site peuvent être consultées et reproduites sur un support papier ou numérique sous réserve qu'elles soient strictement réservées à un usage soit personnel, soit scientifique ou pédagogique excluant toute exploitation commerciale. La reproduction devra obligatoirement mentionner l'éditeur, le nom de la revue, l'auteur et la référence du document. Toute autre reproduction est interdite sauf accord préalable de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Revues.org est un portail de revues en sciences humaines et sociales développé par le Cléo, Centre pour l'édition
    [Show full text]
  • Heroes and Superheroes V1.Indb
    MASTER LIST OF CONTENTS Volume 1 Contents ...................................................................... v Concrete .................................................................. 187 Publisher’s Note .........................................................xi Cosmic Odyssey ...................................................... 192 Introduction ..............................................................xiii Criminal .................................................................. 197 Contributors ............................................................xvii Crisis on Infinite Earths .......................................... 202 100% ........................................................................... 1 Daredevil ................................................................. 207 100 Bullets .................................................................. 5 Daredevil: Born Again ............................................ 213 Alias .......................................................................... 10 Daredevil: The Man Without Fear .......................... 217 All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder ........... 15 Death of Captain America, The .............................. 221 All-Star Superman ..................................................... 20 Death of Captain Marvel, The ................................ 226 Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, The ................. 25 Death: The High Cost of Living .............................. 229 American Flagg! ......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • DVD Profiler
    101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Animation Family Comedy2003 74 minG Coll.# 1 C Barry Bostwick, Jason Alexander, The endearing tale of Disney's animated classic '101 Dalmatians' continues in the delightful, all-new movie, '101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London A Martin Short, Bobby Lockwood, Adventure'. It's a fun-filled adventure fresh with irresistible original music and loveable new characters, voiced by Jason Alexander, Martin Short and S Susan Blakeslee, Samuel West, Barry Bostwick. Maurice LaMarche, Jeff Bennett, T D.Jim Kammerud P. Carolyn Bates C. W. Garrett K. SchiffM. Geoff Foster 102 Dalmatians Family 2000 100 min G Coll.# 2 C Eric Idle, Glenn Close, Gerard Get ready for outrageous fun in Disney's '102 Dalmatians'. It's a brand-new, hilarious adventure, starring the audacious Oddball, the spotless A Depardieu, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Dalmatian puppy on a search for her rightful spots, and Waddlesworth, the wisecracking, delusional macaw who thinks he's a Rottweiler. Barking S Evans, Tim McInnerny, Ben mad, this unlikely duo leads a posse of puppies on a mission to outfox the wildly wicked, ever-scheming Cruella De Vil. Filled with chases, close Crompton, Carol MacReady, Ian calls, hilarious antics and thrilling escapes all the way from London through the streets of Paris - and a Parisian bakery - this adventure-packed tale T D.Kevin Lima P. Edward S. Feldman C. Adrian BiddleW. Dodie SmithM. David Newman 16 Blocks: Widescreen Edition Action Suspense/Thriller Drama 2005 102 min PG-13 Coll.# 390 C Bruce Willis, Mos Def, David From 'Lethal Weapon' director Richard Donner comes "a hard-to-beat thriller" (Gene Shalit, 'Today'/NBC-TV).
    [Show full text]
  • 4.2 on the Political Economy of the Contemporary (Superhero) Blockbuster Series
    4.2 On the Political Economy of the Contemporary (Superhero) Blockbuster Series BY FELIX BRINKER A decade and a half into cinema’s second century, Hollywood’s top-of-the- line products—the special effects-heavy, PG-13 (or less) rated, big-budget blockbuster movies that dominate the summer and holiday seasons— attest to the renewed centrality of serialization practices in contemporary film production. At the time of writing, all entries of 2014’s top ten of the highest-grossing films for the American domestic market are serial in one way or another: four are superhero movies (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro), three are entries in ongoing film series (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, 22 Jump Street), one is a franchise reboot (Godzilla), one a live- action “reimagining” of an animated movie (Maleficent), and one a movie spin-off of an existing entertainment franchise (The Lego Movie) (“2014 Domestic”). Sequels, prequels, adaptations, and reboots of established film series seem to enjoy an oft-lamented but indisputable popularity, if box-office grosses are any indication.[1] While original content has not disappeared from theaters, the major studios’ release rosters are Felix Brinker nowadays built around a handful of increasingly expensive, immensely profitable “tentpole” movies that repeat and vary the elements of a preceding source text in order to tell them again, but differently (Balio 25-33; Eco, “Innovation” 167; Kelleter, “Einführung” 27). Furthermore, as part of transmedial entertainment franchises that expand beyond cinema, the films listed above are indicative of contemporary cinema’s repositioning vis-à-vis other media, and they function in conjunction with a variety of related serial texts from other medial contexts rather than on their own—by connecting to superhero comic books, live-action and animated television programming, or digital games, for example.
    [Show full text]
  • Untitled Approximate Original Scheduled (Eight Pages) On-Sale Date: July 11, 1978
    TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Acknowledgements ....................................................... 5 Prologue. 7 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: Early 1976 ................................................ 10 Part 1: Pre-Explosion (1976-1978) ........................................................ 11 Interlude: Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New ............................................ 23 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: Early 1977 ................................................ 31 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: Early 1978 (Pre-DC Explosion) .............................. 52 Part 2: Explosion (1978) ................................................................. 53 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: June, July and August 1978 (The DC Explosion) ............... 66 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: June, July and August 1978 (Unpublished) .................... 66 Part 3: Implosion (1978-1980) ............................................................ 67 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: Early 1979 (Post-DC Implosion) ............................. 76 Bonus Gallery ....................................................................... 79 Interlude: Cancelled Comic Cavalcade: The Index ........................................ 90 Interlude: Whatever Happened to –? ................................................... 98 DC Comics’ Lineup of Titles: June, July and August 1980 ................................ 117 Cancellations by Month of Publication ................................................... 127 Afterword ...........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Human Target: Chance Meetings Free
    FREE HUMAN TARGET: CHANCE MEETINGS PDF Edvin Biukovic,Javier Pulido,Peter Milligan | 200 pages | 19 Jan 2010 | DC Comics | 9781401226664 | English | United States Christopher Chance | Human Target Wiki | Fandom Christopher Chance is a private contractor and security expert, hired to protect individuals who seek his unique services when they are not able to turn to official authorities. Technically a two-man operation, but always there in the crunch, there was also Guerrero. Chance is a highly skilled marksman, expert in martial arts and hand-to-hand combat, and is fluent in a number of foreign languages - starting with Japanese. While he tends to rely on others for technical expertise, Chance has shown a high aptitude for physics and engineering, as well as a sharp facility to learn the specifics about various professions to quickly assimilate himself into a client's life. Chance's history is dark and muddled. When Chance was "young, angry, alone", he was taken into the employ of a man referred to as the Old Mana surrogate father-figure who assembled a team of mercenaries and assassins for nefarious purposes. The Old Man trained Chance and the two formed a close bond with Chance becoming his right-hand man and coming to be referred to as "Junior". Junior was given the task of training new members of this team, including a master assassin named Baptiste. During his last mission for the Old Man, Junior was sent to kill a woman named Katherine Waltersan administrator for the Port of San Francisco who attempted to help a man named Bruner who had been shot.
    [Show full text]