When Michael Tried to Buy Marvel

Some of you may not know this but Marvel was courted by numerous buyers in the past, the oddest of which was Michael Jackson.  Yes, THE Michael Jackson.  And when I say “oddest” I don’t mean he was odd as a person, I meant the reason he wanted to buy Marvel was odd.

As most of you know (and if you don’t I’m stunned) Michael Jackson was a phenom for most of his life.  He started performing in his early childhood and was considered “The King of Pop” until the day he passed.

As you also know, Michael was famous for making interesting purchases and attempting to make interesting purchases.  For instance, you know that he had his own amusement park at his home and that he purchased the copyrights to The Beatles’ music catalogue.  You are also probably aware of the rumors of him offering to buy the “Elephant Man’s” bones.  What you may not know is that Michael wanted to buy Marvel as well, but for reasons that go a little beyond the ordinary.  Here’s what happened:

Although Michael was known for his popularity in the 80’s, he was also hugely popular in the 90’s.  During that time Batman was reigning in the cinemas and Marvel was struggling to make ends meet.  Frankly, Marvel was doing just about everything wrong.  In order to try for a few wins Marvel was trying to get the Spider-Man and X-Men movie projects underway.

For the Spider-Man movie, Marvel was talking to James Cameron.  Who they weren’t talking to was Michael Jackson, who desperately wanted to be cast as Spider-Man.  Yes, THE Michael Jackson wanted to be Spider-Man.  Can you picture that?  If not, here’s some help:

(Author’s note:  these pictures are NOT my handiwork...thankfully.)

As Michael knew this was NOT going to happen without him having some clout at Marvel, he decided to try to buy it.  After all, Marvel was facing bankruptcy at the time anyway, so why wouldn’t they consider him a potential suitor?  

As a quick aside, Michael’s rationale may not have been on target here.  You see, the owner of the company doesn’t get to make casting decisions, the Director and the studio get to do that.  Licensing the property to the studio does not a Casting Director make.  Perhaps he would buy Marvel and make himself the Director?  Who knows.

But I digress.

Michael decided to pursue the purchase and started to build a relationship with Stan Lee Media.

If you’re not familiar with Stan Lee Media’s origin, here’s a review.  Stan Lee Media was born out of an effort between Stan Lee and a business partner to buy Marvel outright.  This came from the fact that a new CEO has screwed Stan out of everything he negotiated with Marvel over the years.  This included a life-time salary in exchange for Lee not pursuing legal claims of ownership of the characters he created.  This is why Stan Lee Media (who Stan Lee no longer has any affiliation with) seems to think they can make legal claims to Stan’s characters.  They argue that Stan’s contract with Marvel was terminated, along with the stipulation that he couldn’t sew them for ownership.  I won’t go into any further detail because I either don’t know it or it’s too much extra content for this article (you decide).

Again, I digress.

Michael went to Stan hoping that Stan could throw his weight around and secure him, and his production company Kingdom Entertainment, the rights to produce a Spider-Man movie.  In fact, Michael secured a promise from Lee that if Michael purchased Marvel, Lee would help him run it.  In a further effort to get the ball rolling, Jackson hired a financial firm to help with the negotiations.

The problem was that Toy Biz CEO Ike Perlmutter (Toy Biz being the company that owned Marvel at the time) and Lee were not on the best of terms.  So, the fact that Lee was going to help run the company for potential owner Jackson, did not sit well with Ike.  To try to kibosh the deal Ike did what any vindictive owner would do, he raised the price to $1 billion (WAY more than Marvel was worth at the time).

Jackson decided to walk away.  The rest is history...Toy Biz sold to Disney for $4 billion (about 30% more than what the company was valued at at the time of the sale).

To add to the whole weird scenario it should be noted that Spider-Man wasn’t the only character for which Michael had lobbied.  He also wanted to play Professor X in the X-Men movie (eventually played by Patrick Stewart).  

(Author’s other note...this picture isn’t my handiwork either...thankfully.)

He also wanted to be “Agent M” in Men in Black 2.  As a consolation prize, Michael got a cameo  as himself in the MIB2.  Not quite what he had hoped for, but at least it was something.

Top 10 Best Dressed Comic Book Characters

I have often wondered how exactly a super hero character gets their outfit.  They often come out of nowhere just....dressed.  No nod to the tailor.  No credit given to the designer.  Nothing.  Oh, sure, you have your heroes like Iron Man who creates his own look and Spider-Man who designed his outfit initially and then had a symbiote design it for him.  But who designed Black Canary’s outfit or was it just that she only had fishnet stocking lying around along with a gymnastics outfit and she went with it?

There are some characters, though, that went to a designer.  They got decked out and really put things together to come up with a stylish look.  For men it’s a design that makes them look almost dapper and for women it’s one that doesn’t rely strictly on tight outfits and cleavage.

Here’s The Comic Whisperer’s Top 10 Best Dressed Comic Book Characters.  They are listed in no particular order.  They all look snappy.

10.)  Emma Frost:  Don’t get me wrong, I have seen some downright “Playboy-esque” drawings of Emma Frost, but I have also her drawn tastefully.  The all white look gives a VERY deceiving pure look, but I think it’s the cape that really pulls it together.  The suit allows her to run and be somewhat flexible, yet it’s airy and light for those times when it’s just too hot to fight bad guys.

9.)  Sebastian Shaw:  Another vaunted member of the Hellfire Club?  Yep, the Black King himself.  Sebastian always looks dapper, as do the other members of the Hellfire Club, with an outfit that commands respect.  As it turns out the white dangly thingy that hangs from his neck is also a great napkin for when Taco Bell forgets to put one in the bag.

8.)  The Phantom Stranger:  I’m not sure who dressed the Phantom Stranger but they did a bang-up job.  Where does one get an outfit in, well, wherever the Phantom Stranger goes?  The thing that sets him apart is that he is one of the few who wears such a stylish hat that matches the cape and outfit.  He also has the confidence to wear the white gloves and dookie rope necklace.  I think this leads to the age old question, “Does the Phantom Stranger suffer from hat head?”

7.)  The Joker:  Say what you will about his insanity and his need to kill any Robin that Batman can come up with, the guy can dress.  Check out the purple and green and red and how they tie together.  Stepping it up with a bowtie the Joker knows how to impress the ladies...or at least Harley Quinn.  My question was always, “Is he white all over?”.  Maybe he’s even hiding a tattoo.  If you really want to make a fortune you should look into being his cosmetics and hair dye salesperson.

6.)  Wonder Woman:  Say what you will about her outfit being revealing or tight but my focus is on the color combination and overall design.  The eagle, the blue with white stars, the yellow lasso, the red top, it’s all perfectly matched.  The boots are just high enough to guard against prickers and resist burrs, and yet they don’t cover the knees reducing flexibility.  She wears a beautiful tiara that pulls the outfit together and keeps her hair at a modest, yet playful, length.  When all the superheroes go to the pool after a hot day crimefighting all Diana needs to do is shed a couple of things and she’s ready for a swim!

5.)  Nick Fury:  Sporting all black, Nick Fury brings style to SHIELD.  Not only does he wear it well, but the black body-length leather jacket really give it that badass feel.  Not only does it give the look of a “cape” like a real superhero, but he could wear almost any accessory because anything goes with black.  The eyepatch adds a nice touch almost like a tiara that was too large and fell down his face crooked.  If he went to a formal affair I would suggest switching to a red eyepatch and adding a red cummerbund.

4.)  Zatanna:  Again, although I had seen many very revealing pictures of Zatanna, she is an extremely well dressed hero.  The fact that she is a stage performer probably accounts for the whole “tuxedo-esque” look.  Sporting the Black Canary fishnet stockings I would imagine this leaves her very flexible should a well placed kick be needed.  Also, if she should ever need to go to a formal occasion after banishing some demon to a nether realm all she needs to do is slip on black pants and she’s good to go.  My guess is that she doesn’t need a tailor, she just says the words, “ecin kool em ekaM”.  Wish I could do that.

3.)  Professor X:  9 times out of 10 Professor X is dressed very smart with a full suit and tie and sometimes even a vest that matches.  Even when he’s not wearing a suit he is still business casual.  I’m not sure how he does it every day.  Does someone dress him or does he do the old “Mental Dressing” trick when no one is looking.  One thing I can tell you is that men cannot pick their own ties so I’m thinking Moira did it for him.

2.)  Iron Man:  With armor for just about every occasion Iron Man is styling all the time.  This is a twofer as Tony Stark is also smiling and styling in every panel.  I’ve wondered how he cleans the inside of his armor after a sweaty battle or what happens if he vomits in his helmet after a high speed plunge.  Is there an “Armor Dry Cleaner” at Stark Industries?  I also have to ask how long his money will last.  Sure he’s rich, but 30 suits of armor, Jarvis constantly running, the huge tower,  Pepper’s constant shopping and his own bar bill has to put a dent in those billions.  I’ll never know.  I wonder if he has a missing son who looks like me?

1.)  Doctor Doom:  Could there be any doubt he’d make the list?  The Monarch of Latveria really knows how to dress.  I can’t help but think that Latveria has one heck of a tailor shop unless he just has the Doombots make stuff for him.  The silver of his armor and the maple leaf green cape with hood really go well together.  He really pulls off the large brown leather belt (which is strictly to hold his gun holster because it sure doesn’t hold his iron knickers up) with the enormous buckle.  It gives him a swashbuckler feel (no play on words intended) By the time you throw in the gold of the cape clip you have a Tryant dressed to the nines.  Who else wears a hood quite so majestically?   The only question I have is does he have a little trapdoor in the back for when he has to go potty?

Well, that ends the list.  Sure there are characters that probably could have made the list that didn’t.  It’s no surprise, however, that despite all of Hank Pym’s different outfits he still didn’t make the list.  He needs Janet to do his shopping for him.  However, seeing her outfits, she may need a persona shopper of her own.  Perhaps we will address the worst dressed characters in the future, I think that would be fun.

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Character Deaths That Made Quite An Impact

Whether a death makes an impact in the comic universe is questionable.  In this day and age you have characters that are dying and being reborn right and left.  Some have died multiple times.  Some are alive in this universe and not in another.  It gets very difficult to stay on top of it even for the most avid of fans.

All that being said, there are deaths that do make an impact.  The impact could be on one character, many characters, or on an entire universe of characters.  The deaths listed below are ones that are milestones in comic history.  They range from the bizarre to the shocking.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed researching it.

Here is The Comic Whisperer’s List of Character Deaths That Made Quite An Impact (next to each death I have a picture of the ne’er do well who did the heinous crime):

10.)  Alexandra DeWitt:  Who remembers Alexandra?  Anyone?  Anyone at all?  That’s correct!  She was Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend during the time when Hal Jordan was Parallax.  Remember, when Hal Jordan killed off the Green Lantern Corps Kyle Rayner was assigned as earth’s protector.  Despite some rocky roads it appeared that Kyle and Alexandra were finally on their way to having a good life together.  Then, one day, Major Force came looking for Kyle and found Alexandra instead.  He, very rudely, killed her and stuffed her in their refrigerator.  Unlike many of the characters who die Alexandra has not returned as of this writing.

9.)  Sue Dibney:  If you read “Identity Crisis” by Brad Meltzer you will find that Ralph and Sue are very happy and thriving on the fact that Sue if pregnant. During the story, however, she was given a fatal brain aneurism by The Atom’s ex-wife Jean Loring.  Now, as if things weren’t bad enough for poor Sue, she was eulogized by having it revealed that she was once raped by Dr. Light in the JLA satellite (I actually had to read that part twice because it just didn’t seem real).  The only other time we see Sue is with her then deceased husband Ralph as ghosts supposedly enjoying their bizarre afterlife.  Ralph never made it back into the New 52 and Sue hasn’t been resurrected as of this writing.

8.)  Lori Grimes:  Remember, we’re talking all comic books.  Lori is part of the now legendary Walking Dead comic series, or at least she was.  The reason this makes the list is that she is the wife of the main character, Rick, and her gruesome death.  I actually found her frightfully annoying in the TV show, but that’s just me.  The scene is that the Grimes are in their stronghold and the Governor, from another town, overruns their prison/home with Lori being killed in the action.  What made it so dreadful is how she died.  Rick, Lori and Carl (their son) were running for cover.  Lori had a baby in her arms (their daughter Judy) and Lori took a shotgun blast to the back killing her instantly.  Everyone else, including Judy, survived.  Her death warranted a full page to show the gory details.  The governor, eyepatch and all, is also pictured below.

7.)  Phoenix:  You knew she would be on this list didn’t you?  Yes, the infamous Phoenix from the X-Men.  Let’s set the scene, shall we?  In the final issue of “The Dark Phoenix Saga” the X-Men fought the Imperial Guard on the Blue Area of the moon (yes, our moon).  This was to prevent them from executing Phoenix who they thought was a danger to the universe.  Even though Professor X had installed some “circuit breakers” in Jean’s head to prevent her from becoming Dark Phoenix, everyone knew the writing was on the wall.  Professor X and the X-Men tried to stop Jean and Colossus had the opportunity to deliver a death blow...but couldn’t.  He did crack her in the jaw and that shook her up, but she ran and Cyclops followed.  Freezing Scott with her powers she took her own life with the help of a Kree laser cannon so she couldn’t be a danger to anyone.  This was a stunning moment for most who read this saga.  Jean did return 5 years later but the death will always be remembered.

6.)  Arthur Curry Jr.:  This one was a game changer as it was the death of a child.  Was a taboo broken here?  I don’t know, but it sure shook people up.  It wasn’t just the fact that a child died but it was also the way he died.  The short version is that Black Manta took the baby and put him in a device that eventually suffocated him.  Mera did her best to save him through extraordinary means, but she was too late.  Arthur Curry Jr’s death pointed out the fact that no one is safe, regardless of age.

 5.)  Barry Allen:  When he arrived it was the start of the Silver Age and when he died it was the start of the post-Crisis DCU.  Coming on the heels of the death of Supergirl, Barry Allen’s death was both graphic and shocking.  Barry’s death ushered in the age of Wally West as the Flash.  Until his recent return Barry Allen’s death stuck for almost 20 years.  This death of such an important character was truly a milestone in comic history.

4.)  Bucky Barnes:  Bucky is not the first sidekick to take a dirt nap, but he certainly stayed dead the longest out of almost any character.  If you remember, Bucky went down in flames during World War II.  We didn’t actually see it happen except in a flashback, but you know the story.   Captain America always made sure we didn’t forget about Bucky as he talked about him constantly.  Now, however, after many many moons Bucky is back as one of the coolest characters in the DC Universe, The Winter Soldier.  He looks cool, sounds cool, and has quite an impressive skill set.  Who else can catch Caps shield at full speed?  It’s apparent that Bucky is here to stay.  I hope so because he’s become, easily, one of my favorites.

3.)  Jor-El and Lara:  There is no mystery here as to who they were or how they died.  Nor is there a mystery as to their offspring.  The thing that gets them in this list is that they were created with the specific purpose of dying.  Where Arthur Curry Jr. lost his life, Jor-El and Lara gave their lives so their son could live.  In their all to brief existence they have made an impact that has lasted for the life of Superman comics.

2.)  Uncle Ben/Gwen Stacy:  This one is a twofer.  Let’s start with Uncle Ben.  His death wasn’t caused by an enemy,  it wasn’t self sacrifice, and it wasn’t designed to protect anyone, it was a death due to the inaction of a character.  This death also proved to be a lasting foundation of strength for this character and a reminder that with great power comes great responsibility.  Without Uncle Ben’s death the entire framework of Spider-Man’s psyche would be different.  It’s also ironic how Gwen Stacy died as a result of Spider-Man’s actions.  One death due to actions taken and another due to actions not taken and both critical in the life of Spider-Man.

1.)  Thomas and Martha Wayne:  Who else could it be?  75+ years ago the Dark Knight was born due to the death of his parents.  It touched on the fear of suddenly losing your parents, suddenly being alone, having a hatred for guns, and the overwhelming need to protect people without killing the bad guy.  This death, like Uncle Ben’s, served as an inspiration to fight crime, but in a different way.  This is what makes it such a defining moment.  A moment we are reminded of time and again throughout the Batman series.

Before we finish this up for the day let’s do a recap of the different deaths:

4 instances of bad guys killing a loved one:  Alexandra Dewitt, Sue Dibney, Arthur Curry Jr. and Lori Grimes.

4 instances of characters taking their own lives for altruistic reasons:  Jean Grey (Phoenix), Jor-El and Lara, and Barry Allen with Jean and Barry coming back to life.

1 instance of accidental death only to return as an entirely different persona:  Bucky Barnes and his return as the Winter Soldier.

2 instances of death caused by the same character, one due to action one due to inaction:  Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy who didn’t come back but served as the foundation for a belief system

2 instances of death due to a street robbery:  Thomas and Martha Wayne whose death created one of the most popular DC characters.

No matter how you look at the death of a character there is no doubt that it can be shocking.  This list represents events that defined a character, defined an era or even became a pop-culture milestone.  Death has, no doubt, become part of the comic universe the only question is will we see those people again?