This picture says it all.
A couple nights ago my wife and I went on a double date with some friends to see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol at the local IMAX. The movie was stunning, fun and a successful transition for Brad Bird from animation to live action. He really knows how to build an action set piece that is clear and easy-to-follow and ratchets up the tension as it moves along. Amazing stuff.
The problem I’m having today is that we didn’t really see it in IMAX. We were charged the IMAX price and it was loud and it was marginally bigger than usual, but it wasn’t IMAX. IMAX is huge.
The fact is that most IMAX theaters are what has become known as LieMAX–a digital presentation that doesn’t come anywhere near the presentation of a true, 70mm IMAX. Fresno has LieMAX, and you could tell. The screen only got marginally bigger and a little bit clearer when the movie slipped into IMAX footage.
Don’t believe me? Check out this article on Slashfilm that explains the history behind this and why IMAX doesn’t bother telling anyone about the differences between their theaters. Also: a list of theaters that are actually IMAX.
I’m seriously considering driving to LA for The Dark Knight Rises. Sorry for bringing you out of the cave.
Really? This is a long chapter? Doesn’t feel like it since the story is moving along. Also, betcha Jerry didn’t count on the robot hitting Spy Gal. Or maybe he did, but that face does show at least some surprise. I’m really enjoying this chapter, but we know the story doesn’t end here. Things will go wrong for Jerry back in Valhalla where he somehow uses time powers to send Swifty through time. Yeah I still remember that.
I just had an EPIPHANY. Did you just have an epiphany? Maybe time traveling Swifty is a part of Jerry’s plan to? Jerry’s NEW plan to save Spy Gal from this particular strip? Just saying…
It’s a long chapter to me, Javier. But I’m enjoying every bit of it!
I don’t think time travelling Swifty is a part of Jerry’s plan. I think he was just trying to get rid of Swifty at that moment when everything it seems is falling apart. And yeah, I just checked the page count on this chapter. It is long, it just didn’t feel like it because the story is top notch. At no point does it sag in the middle.
That’s what I like to hear!
Wow, guys! Wow! Loving the character development that this will certainly bring about both in Jerry and Captain Spectacular. But, gotta admit that, although I said in an earlier comment that Spy Gal getting hurt would cause Jerry to reflect, I didn’t actually think you guys had the guts to do it! And I remember Brock saying that “one of their own” was going to not have such a great turn of events in this chapter. Could be Star Maiden or another though. Only time will tell before we see if this little swat only stuns our elderly superhero vixen or if she’s down for the count. But I should have known. “Always give them what they don’t want,” eh, Brock?
Gotta admit. What we don’t want is more interesting and fresher than most movies and stories out there.
Those detailed wires are awesome, by the way, Marc! There was something about the last strip that I didn’t much care for – the fire/smoke in the background, I think – but this one is killer! Great job, guys!
And thus, the failing of the Anti-Hero is shown.. An Anti-Hero does what he feels must be done, but once he becomes attached, he no longer can function as he did.
So intent on impressing Spygal, he is willing to put her in danger.. and here we see,,,, that the best laid plans of mice and men have gone to the dogs.
Poor Jerry. Amiright?
Quick, make a door and save her. Oh yeah, that’s why Cap didn’t think that power was sidekick worthy even.
Guys, Did any one else just now notice they only have three fingers? Because now that I’ve noticed, I can’t STOP Noticing. It’s irking Me all of a sudden. That last panel. . . Needs more fingers.
i had noticed that a few months ago, but immediately stopped noticing. i think because it’s what we’re all used to from animation, it’s easier to overlook, until it gets really pointed up in a scene like this.
Guys, there’s a definite reason for the three fingers, but I’ll admit that if I had known how much trouble it would give people over the years I probably wouldn’t have done it. Ah, well. We’re stuck now.
I’ve noticed the finger thing for a while but it does look a bit weird in the last panel but who care; the art is just so cool! Keep up the great work guys!
Thanks, Sam! Marc knocks my socks off.
Wow, all of Jerry’s plans have really fallen apart. One would think he would have had the Dr. program the robot to be a bit more specific in how it handles things.
Also, to finish SpyGal’s sentence: “If the robot falls… stand DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE UNDER IT!”
Marc is apparently aware of how much light pollution there is in Vegas. I suspect he spent a number of nights there, doing… ahhhem… research.
That said, OH NOES!!!! Hopefully Spy Gal’s dampened powers will return in time to save her.
Gee…. Jerry stick his hand in that things brain box and it ‘just happens’ to smack her off the top of its.. top. Hmmmmmm suspicious.
Does Jerry secretly HATE Spy Gal!?!?!?!?!???
Mind. Blown.
An interesting theory, boss….. It is very possible that at one point he harbored a deep animosity towards her as well, subconsciously, for not noticing him and acknowledging him as a man for all those years and decades. Not reciprocating his emotions and feelings. For still seeing him as just the sidekick and ‘little-brother’ type figure. BUT she DID turn around and sort of salve the wound when he professed his love for her, not completely disregarding them even when she chose to stick with her commitment to CS. And tho he was angry about being shot down again, I think he got some emotional closure off of it. It made it a bit easier for him to move on with his plan to destroy the Captain with a newly refreshed loathing. Her coming to join him after blowing off CS however threw him a bit, visibly. She came to HIS side even if he was acting under the false pretenses of trying to stop the robot he unleashed and appear the hero.
No, I don’t think that he hates her, and even if he did it’s over with. But he can’t have her seeing him manipulate the robot manually through that panel either so….. 2 + 2 MUST in the end equal ‘SWAT’. It had to be done, and I believe he’s banking on her strange luck to restore her powers with the same twist of fate that inspired her to make the robot blast her power dampener off. Spy Gal will be fine….. Jerry is trying to get a grasp on the reins of his plan again is all.
I discovered this strip 5 weeks ago and now I have finally caught up to real time! Now I have to wait like everybody else.
Just one big thing that bugs me—”sexy” Spygirl. After reading her origin I calculate she was born in 1929, so if this strip is real time she’s 82! And I’m figuring Jerry was around 10-14 when he joined up with Cap in 1954, and given the peace symbols and body paint when he’s told he’s going to college it looks like 1968 or 14 years later. 24-28 years old, about right for insisting he go to college. So it seems Jerry is 11-15 years younger than Spygirl.
My rambling point: 82 is waaaay too old for sexy. in fact, Star Maiden looks more like Spygirl should. And Jerry is demented to still bne fixated on her at his age with her age… but then, I suppose that is the point for Jerry. His whole plan is demented! Ok the “Jerry loves Spygirl” thing makes sense after all.
But Spygirl is still too old for sexy, even if she is not drawn as looking very old.
But I LOVE the comic!