Let's talk about that trailer

You know I'm talking about that newly-released Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer! AND NOW I MUST DISCUSS IT!

Years ago, Marvel surreptitiously de-emphasized their Fantastic Four and X-Men lines in a roundabout attempt to regain the film rights to their wayward franchises. They stopped publishing Fantastic Four altogether for years, even though the Thing, the Human Torch and Dr. Doom showed up in titles like Uncanny Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel 2-in-1 and Infamous Iron Man. I knew the point of this embargo, but I still thought at the time that no single movie would be worth doing without the comics for so long. So, after seeing Marvel and Disney's new teaser trailer for this July's Fantastic Four movie, have I changed my mind?

NO! NEVER!

I'll never forgive them for it. That being said...boy, am I excited for this movie. I loved the trailer and I can't wait to see the whole thing later this year. It seems that the folks behind this movie finally learned the lessons about what didn't work with each of the previous versions.

There were a few things that stood out to me, and hey, this is my blog, so let's talk about them here.

I'm starting off with the Thing. You all knew this! Let's start by saying that I like it. It's a comic-accurate Thing with a thick brow and I can't wait to see him run through a wall. I know that sometimes studios will release a trailer before the visual effects are completely finished, so I wonder if this is the absolute final version of Ben Grimm for this film. If it is, it's pretty good, even if it's slightly more cartoony than I had expected.

I want to see this guy in blue trunks. I like the uniforms and I understand that the consistency among the four main characters is visually important. But give me this guy in the trunks. At some point. Do it.

I did think that the Thing's voice would be lowered a bit, but maybe Marvel wanted to do something more to distinguish this Ebon Moss-Bachrach version from the Michael Chiklis version.

H.E.R.B.I.E. looks...good? I don't know that they had to R2D2 the little guy's voice, and it's one of those tropes where people in the film can understand what he's saying while the audience doesn't. But we all know that the FF has translators sewn into their suits, so there's an in-universe explanation for it! Please send me my No-Prize.

Did they finally get the visual for Sue's powers right? You bet your buns they did. So glad to see (or not see) it!

TRENCHCOAT THING. Trenchcoat Thing!! This is a requirement for the movie to be good. I'm glad to see that they got my letters.

How much of an effect did Alex Ross's work, and the Marvels series in general, have on the look of the movie, including Johnny's powered-up form? Ross paints in that photo-realistic style, so maybe it's a coincidence. But the Torch here made me think of Ross's art more than anything else in the trailer.

There were several things in this trailer that made my heart beat faster, and this is one of them. These are versions of the Ben Cooper Thing Halloween costume. They're pretty much exact copies. I absolutely love this, and I really, really hope that some company makes and sells new versions of these again this year. Also make them in adult sizes and I will wear one. If they make them before July 25th, I'll buy one and wear it on opening night.

The Fantasticar should be a flying bathtub, but I will also accept this four-wheeled version. Maybe it flies? Splits up into four individual components? I'm excited to see it in action.

John Malcovich's appearance was the most out-of-place part of the trailer, but I guess if John Malcovich is in your movie, you should put him in the trailer. Maybe he'll be the Mole Man, hiding away on Monster Island? He kind of looks like one of the Council of Reeds here. I know that parts of the Hickman/Eaglesham "Solve Everything" storyline were adapted in the film. Who can say?

Others have said it, but it bears repeating: I'm glad they decided to use an apparently comic-accurate Galactus in this movie.

I'm buying the soundtrack the day it comes out. I assume you all figured as much. I was very happy when the choir's "Fantastic Four!" line was part of the theme music that played in the background. Thank goodness that the powers that be decided that it was time to lean into what makes the comic and the concept so wonderful. So Galactus looks like he has a bucket on his head. Who cares? So the team wears matching blue jumpsuits. Perfect! So the Thing and H.E.R.B.I.E. make dinner. Give me more of this!

It looks like they're going to make it fun, bright, and optimistic. Sign me up.

I'm hoping that there'll be a Super Bowl commercial for the movie - maybe even something different from this teaser. I'm also hoping to start seeing toys in stores before too long. Let's get some new Thing fists! It's been a long, long time coming for this movie. I'm going to enjoy it.

The Thing "Ben Cooper" Halloween Costume, Dustin Tokarski's goalie mask, Kickstarter(s) and more RANDOM NOTES!

It's been a while since we had some random notes here at blog central, and the masses have been clamoring.  I am, of course, but a humble servant, so here we are with more thoughts about a bunch of stuff, most of which is actually comic related.  And also Franks and Beans.  Away we go!

- Ben Cooper was a company that made popular Halloween costumes a few decades back, and for a while they had a licensing agreement with Marvel Comics to produce costumes based on some of their more popular characters.  One of those costumes happened to be of the ever-lovin' Thing, and I managed to land one of my favorite non-pornographic website in the world, eBay, for a great price.

The costume and box have some scuffs to them, but overall these are in nice shape and I'll be happy to wear this costume to every Halloween party until I die and also if I ever decide to start committing crimes.  I have a feeling, though, that if I would ever start to go down that dangerous path, the goodness and rightness of the Thing would pull me back before I was too far gone.

This costume is, of course, hideous (though the mask is surprisingly well done), but this is part of its charm.  Ben Cooper, as I said, made a number of costumes and all of them were embarrassingly simplistic and/or ugly, but this was the style of a kids Halloween costume in the 1960s, '70s and '80s and I love this find.  I appreciate the sticker on the box, as seen above, that tells you just how one is supposed to wear the costume.  Thanks, B.C.

- I've gotten a few pieces of art framed recently at the Wood Street Frame shop in Pittsburgh, and they've done a good job at what I've turned in so far.  The latest item is Jeff Lafferty's original Teddy and the Yeti art, which I'm relieved to say that I've finally got behind glass.  Much of what I have framed tends to be big and therefore a little cumbersome, but this here is small enough that I can close my hand around it, which should make finding a place for it much easier.

- If you're a fan of the NHL, then you're aware the city of Montreal exists in real life.  They have hockey there, and they speak French.  And also the goaltender for the Canadiens has the Tick on his goalie mask.

Dustin "Tic" Tokarski is enough a fan of his nickname and the popular '90s cartoon that he decided to emblazon his helmet with the big blue hero busting out of the side.

This isn't the first time he's done it, even.  He spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and put the Tick on that helmet as well.  If I had to choose, I'd say that the Lightning helmet is my favorite of the two, as the blue works better as part of the overall scheme.

Should I...should I send this guy a copy of the Free Comic Book Day issue?  Maybe we'll become fast friends.

- There are a couple new Kickstarter projects going on right now that feature work from friends of the blog.  First, Paul Tucker is teaming up with Tim (Hack/Slash) Seeley and others to work on a project called "Mini Comics Included", which takes its cues from those little comics that would be packaged with action figures most famously in the 1980s (He-Man springs to mind).  There are six tiny comics in all and Paul is drawing two of them!  The've got some great rewards up for grabs so check out the page and back it if you can: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1168046118/mini-comics-included-0

The other Kickstarter project I'm backing is a short film adaptation of FUBAR head honcho Jeff McComsey's "American Terror"!  I inquired about how much I would have to donate to play a role in the short of someone who gets killed, but alas, the film is in post-production and the fundraiser is just to get it over the hump.  Regardless, you can check out the American Terror page here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2097901631/american-terror-short-film

Everyone's buddy "Artboy_X" brought this one to my attention from Art Thibert, who might be best known for his work on a whole bunch of X-Men titles.  Thibert is Kickstarting his own title, Chrono Mechanics, about company that specializes in repairing problems in the timeline.  The CM Kickstarter page is here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1461073089/chrono-mechanics-potholes-in-the-cosmic-road?ref=home_location

- I bought an early issue of Marvel Team-Up a few months back with Spider-Man and Mr. Fantastic teaming up to, I don't know, battle evil or something.  I thought the first page credits were pretty funny - specifically the inking credit.  At first I thought that it was a charming reminder of the "seat of your pants" attitude that must have reigned at Marvel in those early days, but then I remembered that there are still plenty of books out there today that employ four or five (or more) inkers for a single story.

- Lastly, it's been a while since I've posted any new Franks and Beans.  So here's our 58th episode, "A Watched Pot"!  Enjoy!  Or just watch it.  Please.