Alex Grand
@alexgrand
Author UNDERSTANDING SUPERHERO COMIC BOOKS. Host LEGO ART SPIDER-MAN. Russo Bros SLUGFEST, CNN, BBC, NPR, WSJ, NY Times & TODAY. My book
This is the Marvel promotional costume for Doctor #Doom as the company went full steam head for the original #SecretWars 1984.
Marie Severin kisses the new #Hulk costume Marvel used for promotional activities in 1983.
Very excited to say that my book has stayed in Amazon’s comic history top ten even a few years later. It’s written to be evergreen, and always relevant. Thank you to all for your support and interest!
Adam West and Burt Ward on set during 1960s Batman. Interesting to get some insight into what his hair was doing under that mask.
Legends of #Superheros (NBC, 1979) is said to have been a pilot of sorts to start off a campy Justice League TV show. Was this a missed opportunity?
Dr. Strange (CBS, 1978) didn't reach the innovative adventures laid out by Steve Ditko. But with the technology of the time, what would be a fair rating from 1-10 for this made for tv film?
The Greatest #American Heroine (NBC, 1986) was a pilot for a continuation series from The Greatest American Hero. William Katt didnt want to continue the role, but was in this episode, passing the costume to a worthy wearer. the network decided against continuing the storyline.
Did The #Marvel Super Heroes of the 1960s do these comic characters justice? And why is the hulk to short
Walter Hill’s Streets of Fire feels like a neon rock & roll comic, w/ Diane Lane, Willem Dafoe, Rick Moranis, Bill Paxton & the same director as The Warriors. Diane Lane is a live-action bridge between Dazzler, Lila Cheney & Jem and the Holograms, a pop star with grit and danger.
Casualties of #War (1989) is a harsh, haunting Vietnam film by Brian De Palma that focuses on conscience and moral breakdown. Beyond the powerful leads, it’s really something to see future standouts like John Leguizamo, Ving Rhames, and John C. Reilly early in their careers.
Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995) is a stylish #crime film with dark humor and a neo-noir edge. Christopher Walken and Christopher Lloyd lock into their roles so fully it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing them.
Manhattan Melodrama (1934) blends crime, politics, friendship, and tragedy into one of the great #MGM dramas of the 1930s. Clark Gable and William Powell play off each other beautifully, while Myrna Loy adds real charm to the film.
Sex and the Single Girl (1964) is a glossy, fast-moving studio comedy that captures the playful battle-of-the-sexes energy of mid-’60s Hollywood. Natalie Wood is charmingly beautiful and has great chemistry with Tony Curtis.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1967) is pure farce, packed with chaos, double takes, and shameless comedy. Zero Mostel is penetratingly hilarious, and the film feels like a fitting precursor to Mel Brooks’ History of the World, Part I.
Silverado captures the spirit of the classic Hollywood western without feeling like an imitation. The cast chemistry, humor, action, and wide-open sense of adventure make it one of the entertaining #westerns of the 1980s. A movie that genuinely loves the genre.
Richard Pryor in true story as 1st Black NASCAR racer, Wendell Scott brings so much charm and drive to Greased Lightning that the whole 1977 movie blasts off from start to finish. Funny, inspiring, and rooted in real American grit, it’s one of the most underrated racing films of the ‘70s.
Richard Pryor in Blue Collar (1978) is electric, funny, raw, dangerous, and painfully real. The way the humor collides with working-class frustration gives the film a grit that still hits hard today. One of the great ‘70s crime dramas.
Just caught 3 movies that secretly birthed Austin Powers (1997): Frankie Avalon’s Bikini Beach (1964) gap-toothed Brit singer, Potato Bug rocking a phony accent and suit, Thunderball (1965) Bond plot & villain, plus Avalon’s Dr. Goldfoot’s (1965) fembot army. Mind blown. Yeah baby!
I spoke at Stanford University’s Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages on The Platinum Age of Comics talking about how the art form, medium and industry got established. Stanford is a respected institution that my family and I have adored since we first immigrated to the Bay Area in 1979.
Love this Steve Ditko depiction on the cover of Fantastic Giants #24 (1966) featuring the Spidey co-creator’s monsters Konga and Gorgo.
MOKF 48 1976 double page approaches a crescendo that mixes Gulacy's illustrative and cinematic approach, Moench's elegant descriptions and Abel & Marcos' inking that brings together visuals that are very difficult to capture in any other medium. #ShangChi kicking a$$ like usual.
May 11, NYC. Invite to “Jack Kirby Way” on Essex & Delancey, honors the Marvel co-creator. Ceremony at 12 pm with the Kirby family, city officials, & comics greats. #Kirby grew up here and now his name returns to the street. info: jackkirbyway.com
Love that #SpiderMan Brand New Day is back to street level Spidey and classic cover homages. This one is a 1974 throwback.
Bertram Fitzgerald self-published Fast Willie Jackson in 1976, drawn by Archie artist Gus Lemoine. Gus had tried introducing characters of color to Archie but was rejected. This series was well-received, but killed by poor distribution and advertising.
I just finished watching #MadMen (2007–2015), which I enjoyed. It explores identity, creativity, and the cost of corporate success in the 1960s advertising world. Bert Cooper led me to watch what almost feels like a prequel: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, starring the same actor.