Thursday, January 18, 2018

Entering into the Arts of Theater Superhero's


Kip Magee………………………………………….

Dr. Joshua Webster

INT 339

December 4, 2017

Entering into the Arts of Theater Superhero’s

In discussing the rhetoric of what brings around the fans of superheroes and literally costume fanatics I looked into the performing arts in the theater and galleries. Creator of “Marvel Universe Live, by “Feld Entertainment Group producer of the show, and also Disney on Ice, Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and various monster truck events.” (The Guardian).

 Marvel Universe Live! Looks to young boys & girls and comic book enthusiast. Traditionally it is important when telling a story about Marvel Comics adventures. The story on stage performance introduce the Cosmic Cube which is introduce in The Avengers Movie.  Which was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the Golden Era of comics in 1966 it tells of a cosmic cube powerful energy.  

The Marvel Universe Live thrilling story line began with Dr. Strange alerting the Avengers about the forces of evil trying to take over the universe. The story enters with Thor the god of thunder destroying the Comic Cube which can be the only way to save the universe. Thor with Mjolnir smashes the cube into four pieces. The god of Asgard skater the pieces to the four corners of the Earth.

Loki, the God of Mischief finds one piece of the Comic Cube, and with that piece plans to take over the Earth. Loki intent on cloning the mutant ability by sucking the life out of their body. This is where the stage performance takes off. Tony Stark is still the playboy billionaire taking on the mission to save the X-men from Loki. The stage sitting is located in New York City at the Avenger head quarter.      

Tony is operating one of his drones as Pepper giving Tony orders to what to do. Incomes Peter Parker who admits being Spiderman which have just “skateboard into a Fifty feet window.” (Marvel Universe LIVE). Enter into the stage setting which has marvelous aerobatics and gymnastics.  To save the X-men from Loki who has his claws on Wolverine, Cyclops, and Storm in a machine about to drain the life out of them. Accompany with Iron man is Spiderman, where they take on Loki and his henchman. Examining the drama in the fight scene; there are flips and high wire feats performance by Spiderman which was thrilling. Feld Entertainment really out did themselves, “This all new show unites some of Marvel’s greatest Super Heroes including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Hulk, and Black Widow against some of the most threatening villains.” (Feld Entertainment.)  

 

Nick Fury and Shield finds after beginning capture by Loki that the DNA from the X-Men feeds the clones in the machine. Ironman arrives on a high wire with Spiderman to take on the villains with light blasting rays and Spiderman gymnastics. Ironman manage to save wolverine but Loki ran off with Captured Storm and Cyclops. The public news media is panicking the people about Loki and his intent to take over the world. The Avengers assemble the mightiest super heroes Bruce Banner the Hulk, Black widow, Hawkeye, the Falcon, Ms. Marvel, Thor, Captain America, and Iron man, plus Wolverine. “The only way to stop Loki is to assemble the fragments of the original Cosmic Cube. ‘Thor’ disagree and the Avengers agree to do it together.” (Marvel Universe Live.). The heroes break up into groups Wolverine and the Hulk on motorcycles being the rebellious ones, and three other target teams.

A.I.M. the criminal organization has one of the Cube which they intend on making super-soldiers. Team one with Ms. Marvel take on A.I.M with their super heating ability. A.I.M has the heating body skeleton structure taking on Ms. Marvel in a high wire fight act. Villains are falling twenty feet to a safety mat, and Iron man using his laser blaster kicks and punch A.I.M.’s henchmen at the same time requesting Jarvis to disable AIM security system. A.I.M leader heats up his body skeleton suit and take on Ironman, in a real ball of fire walking on the stage.

 

There is a safety crew waiting in costume to extinguish the actor. In traditional Hawkeye from his is playing the protector and shadows Ms. Marvel and Ironman until they retrieve the cube piece. A.I.M. is design in the costume that is traditionally like the comic books, protective head gear and jump suits. Ironman still have the puns and quirk phrases when he is fighting A.I.M. The red lighting affect is the protected field that Jarvis eventually disarmed. The sound stage is full of drama music and drum beats.

Team Two target is the Green Goblin and his crime syndicate the Sinister Six the Rhino and Doc Octopus and The Lizard. The Green Goblin plans to make a worldwide crime syndicate to control and take over the entire world. The scene takes place at the Statute of Liberty.  Spiderman webs down while the Goblin is ranting with the cube and says, “I hate to be a fly on your wall!” (Marvel Universe Live). And takes the cube. This is a high wire rope act and the whole time of fighting it was in the air! Thor the God of thunder comes down the ramp and engage into combat with Rhino and the Lizard. One punch from the Rhino and the Thunder God goes down. On a floating platform the Green Goblin flees with the cube and Spiderman pulls the Goblin onto the Statue of Liberty. The Black Cat show’s up and introduce herself as the world greatest cat bulger…and runs off with the cube.

A customer said in a review, “Great Show. My 4.5 year old loved it! We had front row tickets on the right side of the stage. Tons of characters and action, Great for the kids. Adults will also enjoy it.” (Yelp)  Eventually Spidey web the Black Cat for trying to run off with the cube. “Calamity struck, and it was a real life (albeit small) calamity- not some tedious, confusing tripe involving a pretty girl dangling from a skyscraper and supervillains laying sieges to Manhattan. And not the more general and seriously depressing disaster that was the sum of the mismatched parts that had been assembled onstage.” (The New York Times). The Goblin drops Spidey from a twenty foot fall into an air mat. I must say watching this video is a great gift in my story because it is full of excitement. Daring stunts and great thrills scenes, “Now in its third generation of Feld leadership, Feld Entertainment continues its phenomenal success and acclaim. The family upholds the long-standing tradition of bringing spectacular live entertainment to audiences across the globe. As the recognized world leader in presenting celebrated shows that uplift and inspire, the unwavering Feld philosophy invests passion, innovation and meticulous attention to detail in astonishing productions that enthrall more than 30 million people in 75 countries on six continents, with as many as 5,000 shows each year.”(Feld Entertainment)

 

Back to the scene of Thor saying, “It’s hammer time!”(Marvel Universe Live). Waving Mjolnir around pounding the Rhino and the Lizard. I must say that the villains are having good fights and winning but this is a show for team support. Thor loss his fight to the two villains and the Goblin hovers off and pinned underneath the Goblin craft is Spiderman. The Goblin says “it looks like there some garbage under my shoe.”(Marvel Universe Live). Dangling above the arena the two fly off, and Thor takes revenge on the two “foul beast!” (Marvel Universe Live) and clobbers them. Spiderman flips the Goblin off his hover board and he falls 10 feet into an air mat. Spidey takes the cosmic cube and meets with Thor.

We cut to Wolverine and the Hulk climbing the rock formation wishing the Hulk don’t get stress. Back where Captain America is about to take on Red Skull and Hydra. The scene is stage in camouflage colors and motorcycles. Red Skull is saluting his troops and claiming he will have world domination. Captain America intervenes Hydra speech and the fight commonest again. Capt. chases the skull and its daring fining stunts on motorcycles, off ramps and edges.  With loud explosion and daring music and motorcycles throttling the excitement just keep on coming.

Red Skull tries to escape with the cube and Capt. Goes after him and Hydra shoots with loud explosions.  The Falcon flies over the arena and help’s Capt. Who is in a tough spot against Hydra, and the chase begins again. Black Widow and the henchwoman of the Skull are in a great fight. Black Widow says how about a “women bounding.” (Marvel Universe Live). With Black widow in trouble she tells Capt. to save yourself and get the cube. Of course Capt. choose team before mission, and saves Black Widow. Capt. says “Thanks but I’m not the one to leave a team mate behind.”(Marvel Universe Live). The Red Skull tries to escape in a fly craft but Capt. Flings his shield and brings it down.

The Hulk and Wolverine finally make it up the mountain and finds the machine holding Cyclops and Storm. Wolverine with his claws is just animated taking on Loki clones. One after another he strikes them and kicking taking them down. He manage to free Cyclops and Storm from the machine and then they engaged with Loki. The rest of the teams show up but last was Captain America.

They all have the cosmic cube pieces expect Captain America piece. But Loki is planning on taking those and summon the Sinister Six and Red Skull with Hydra to do battle. Thor is the first to take on Loki, but he is to strong with the power of the cube. Iron Man is taking on a cable wheeling guy with flames and all the Avenger and X-men are in battle. A.I.M is battling with Thor and Spider man.

Loki creates doubles of himself and make them offer to join him. Each one of the Marvels  decline Loki offer and battle on finally the Hulk shows up and Loki tries to take over his mind. Loki says the Hulk “power should be worship!”(Manchester). Hulk gets anger and battles the Marvel who could not stop him. Loki power was too much and they all fell powerless, except for Iron man. Who used his elector link and broke free then freed the rest of his team. Then the Avenger Assembled and the Hulk return and for course Loki tried to control him but the Hulk was to powerful and mash Loki. After the battle Thor took Loki back to an Asgard prison. Nick Fury and Shield took the remaining pieces of the cosmic cube for safe keeping. It ends with Spiderman turning down Ironman offer to join the Avengers. A great theatrical show it would inspire youths of all ages to become super-heroes and fight villains. I might add the caution of fighting crime and introduce the confession of a superhero and “Experience: I fell 30ft dressed as Spider-Man.” (Christopher Tierney), as a young man Christopher always was a Spiderman fan waring the “Spidey Pyjamas, my faced painted, being held up by a spider-man impersonator in the local shopping centre.” (Christopher Tierney). Getting a call to work in theater stage performance “Spider-Man: ‘Turn off the Dark,’” would of have been the thrill of his life time. Spider-man main act was saving Mary Jane for the Green Goblin in New York. In reconstructing his incident a wire was supposed to have tension on a bridge scene. When Chris reached for the wire it fell “below it was an open pit through which props and actors entered and exited the stage. The combined drop was over 30ft. Knowing I wasn’t going to be able to stop, I reached down, praying there would be something I could grab. There was nothing.”(Christopher Tierney).  This is Christopher having been as very frightening experience for the actor. He was so sure that everything just worked and so assure that the equipment is adequate to your survival. Christopher would be out of performance for 4 months with broken ribs and bruised lung and couple of other things, but he came back to the theater and performance art.

 I am excited taking the course with superheroes and action comics. Las Vegas created the Marvel Avenger S.T.A.T.I.O.N.  Which is and marvelous gallery. It has life size replica of Iron man suits the Avenger training simulation were families can walk through experience of being on the actual set of the Avengers. “Emma Victoria Basc, We love Avengers, we are in Las Vegas on holidays from Australia. We enjoyed the ‘training’ and looking at the movie props and the interactive display but it [is].” (October 16, 2017) Facebook.com

“This is a great attraction for anyone who enjoys the marvel universe. The attraction features character bios, photos, videos and awesome props.” (Marvel Avenger S.T.A.T.I.O.N.)

What I have learn in this course is that whether you like the comics are movies, the action is there with the thrills. I’ve learned diversity in the new age of comics with the example of Ms. Marvel in “No Normal.” By Wilson Alphona. And I still see the playboy in Iron Man in Extremis, but they all tell the modern age of comics. Stan Lee comment that “we are a reflection of the world right outside that widow. We will never change is the way we tell are stories of heroism. Marvel has room of everyone regardless of their race, gender, religion, or the color of their skin. The only thing we don’t have room for is hatred and bigotry that man next to you is your brother and the lady next to you is your sister. He may have the strength of a spider. [You] are part of the marvel universe [forever excelsior].” (Marvel Entertainment)

We researched the Extremis in Iron man that dealt with transhumanist value that alter of the body in away using chemicals. “It promotes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and evaluation the opportunities for enhancing the human condition and the human organism opened up by the advancement of technology.” (Nick Bostrom) In Marvel Universe Loki wanted to create the clones of X-men Mutants and make a change in the world and the universe. Creators of animated series have the desires to find super-human strength in the transhumanist perception. So like to be a creator that shock the world with its story line. Comic Code use to keep all the intent managed. “To make a positive contribution to contemporary life, the industry must seek new areas for developing sound, wholesome entertainment. The people responsible for writing, drawing, printing, publishing, and selling comic books have done a commendable job in the past, and have been striving toward this goal.”(Comic Code of 1954). Code of the Comics Magizine Association of America, Inc. Adopted October 26, 1954,


 

Work Cited

The Guardian. “Marvel Universe Live is a fun show for kids, but a nightmare for Parents.” August 16, 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/aug/16/marvel-universe-live-brooklyn

 

(Marvel Universe LIVE (Full Show) Manchester arena 29/01/17) YouTube. Website December 13,2017.

 

Feld Entertainment. “Marvel Universe Live.” Website December 13, 2017.

https://www.feldentertainment.com/shows/marveluniverse/.

(Yelp) https://www.yelp.com/biz/marvel-universe-live-jacksonville

 

Ben Brantley, “Good vs. Evil Hanging by a Thread.” The New York Times. Theater Reviews. Website 11/21/2017

 

Marvel Universe Live- Home Facebook. Https://www.facebook.com/ MarvelOnTour/

 

Nick Bostrom. “Transhumanist Value.” Oxford Universite. Center Press 2003. Vol 4, May 2005

Christopher Tierney “Experience: I fell 30ft dressed as Spider-Man” The Guardian. 


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