Jonah Weiland
Lobbying Superman
If you ever get the chance to stop by the DC Comics offices in Manhattan, you’ll be greeted by an impressive Superman statue in the lobby. But that’s not the only place you’ll find Supes at DC. More tomorrow.
Kevin Smith at the Orpheum
Kevin Smith held court this past Saturday at the gorgeous Opheum Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Great fun.
Lindelof signs at Golden Apple
The q&a with Damon Lindelof went great and we should have that video on CBR soon. Here’s a shot of Damon signing for fans right now at Golden Apple, downstairs from CBR’s offices.
Allie & McGovern at GA
Dark Horse editor Scott Allie and EXURBIA artist Kevin McGovern signing at Golden Apple Comics right now!
They Arrive …
This MASSIVE building sized billboard for the return of “V” to television (one of my favorite shows as a kid), seen on Highland traveling north in Hollywood, really pleased me. While some networks (AKA NBC) shy away from scripted drama, here’s a massive show of support from ABC for the new series. Impressive.
The Big Bang Theory Flashes You
Seen outside the Warner Studios in Burbank, California. A little Flash love.
Waid actually answered …
… 56 questions in 50 minutes. Really fun panel. Best panel I’ve ever moderated.
Mark Waid @ LBCC
At the beginning of the 50 questions in 50 minutes with Mark Waid panel, from the moderator’s (that’s me) perspective.
The Archaia Panel
I’m about to sit down to moderate the 50 Questions in 50 Minutes with Mark Waid panel, but I snuck in to the end of the Archaia panel for a short break.
Found In The Closet – Marvel Mania Hollywood Menu!
More than ten years ago, the restaurant industry went nuts with themed restaurants. The success and expansion of the Hard Rock Cafe franchise led to the launch of many more themed restaurants, most of which didn’t survive more than five years. One of those theme restaurants was the Marvel Mania restaurant in Hollywood, California — well, actually, it was located in Universal City outside Universal Studios, which is a short drive over the Cahuenga pass from Hollywood into the San Fernando Valley.
The restaurant was a lot of fun, although the food wasn’t spectacular. Truly the best part of the restaurant was the bar, which had a great selection of martinis. Where the restaurant itself was geared towards families with super bright colors and massive murals featuring Marvel’s greatest heroes, the bar area was dimly lit mostly with black lights and the walls were covered with Marvel’s most dastardly villains. The bar was truly a very cool place to visit if you were a comic fan and if I recall correctly, Los Angeles’ alt-weekly newspaper LA Weekly named it one of the Ten Best Bars in town the year it opened. Or best bar for martinis. It was the best of something, I know that much. The “Monstrous Martini’s” had names like “Negative Zone,” “Asgard” and “Savage Land.” There were also alcoholic beverages served under headings like “Curious Concotions” with drinks called “Journey Into Mystery” and “Dead of Night” or the “Web-Shooters” which were served in a small souvenir take-home beaker. Drinks like “Clobberin’ Time,” “Gamma Slamma” or the “Dimension Distorter” could be ordered.
Recently I was going through my second room at home and found the menu for Marvel Mania Hollywood in a box. Now, yes, clearly I’m a criminal — I snuck the menu out of the restaurant as a keep sake. I’m certain I’m not the only one, but who could blame me? It featured fantastic art from Mark Bagley, inked by Jesse Delperdang with colorists Paul Mounts and Bongotone. Cross Grain Coneptual Design and fishbrain…graphic design pulled all that art together and created this fabulous menu.
Food items all had names that were similarly comic themed. “Astonishing Appetizers” such as “Namor’s Calamari” or “Gambit’s Ragin’ Cajun Quesadillas” could be found on the menu, as well as salads with questionable names like “The Marvel House of Ideas Salad.” There were plenty of “Super Hero Burgers” and “Stanwiches” to choose from, all served with “Fantastic Fries.”
But truly some of the best names for food were stuff like “Archangel Hair Pasta,” “Luke Cage Linguini with Mighty Meat Sauce,” “Mutants ‘N Cheese” which featured X-Men pasta, “Doc Ock’s Wok” stir fry and “Sub-Mariner’s Sesame Salmon.”
Then of course there was the “Stellar Sweets” deserts section which featured “The Galactus.” Here’s the description:
“You’ll need to be the devourer of worlds to tackle this titan. Twelve scoops of ice cream topped with marshmallow, hot fudge, raspberry and caramel sauce; nuts, cherries and whipped cream. A titanic treat, perfect for any party or Super Hero family.”
“The Galactus” could have been yours for only $34.95.
Sadly, Marvel Mania Hollywood had a very short life span. According to <a href=”http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/attractions/food_marvelmania.shtml”>this site</a> it opened on February 18th, 1998 and closed up shop September 10th, 1999 for “financial reasons.”
In the mean time, enjoy these camera phone photos of the menu. One day, if I can find an oversized scanner to borrow, I’ll prep proper scans of this menu. It really is a beauty.
With the success of the Marvel brand in the mainstream today, you have to wonder if Marvel Mania restaurants could succeed today? The food would have to be a lot better, but I think it’s a possibility.
The Marvel Expanding Universe Wall Chart
Earlier today we here at CBR Conglomerated Industries were hanging out in the office when the mail arrived with an unusual package — The Marvel Expanding Universe Wall Chart. Check this thing out. To begin with, it looks like just another oversized coffee table book, but then you open it and it becomes quickly apparent this is definitely not a book. Here’s some photos of CBR Senior Editor Stephen Gerding taking a look at the chart. We got a tad frightened when we started to pull it out that we’d never get it put back properly again — much like those AAA maps of yesteryear.
Used bookstores with Graphic Novels rule!
The Illiad Book Store in North Hollywood, one of the best used book stores in Los Angeles, has opened up their new extension which includes an entire aisle of used graphic novels. I’m picking up a copy of the Daredevil Vol. 2 hard cover by Bendis and Maleev.
The Flash comic seen on LOST
You may remember this propr from season one of LOST on display in the LOST booth at D23 in Anaheim.
The Raffling!
Golden Apple’s Ryan Liebowitz and Jonathan Hickman begin the raffle which raised over $400 for the Hero Initiative!
