Читать книгу The Rise of Comic Book Movies - Benny Potter - Страница 7

But really, thank you, Dad. Because despite being scared to death of Batman for a few weeks, I eventually grew to love the Caped Crusader. I have no clue if it’s because of that inflatable toy, but that is definitely my earliest and most impactful memory involving a comic book character.

Cut to a few years later, and I’m obsessed with the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, even the third and fourth one. I’d often imitate a drunken Richard Pryor, fumbling to hack into a computer: “Both keys at the same time? Oh ho!” I can recall Nuclear Man’s silver fingernails scaring me. Don’t ask me why. Those things were horrifying. My parents still tell people about how I used to run around the house with my underwear on outside my pants, and a bath towel tied around my neck. As far as I was concerned, I was Superman, dammit.

Soon, I became aware of The Incredible Hulk starring Bill Bixby, and tore through the house, flexing my boney arms like Lou Ferrigno. I crawled face-first down the steps like Nicholas Hammond in The Amazing Spider-Man, and instructed my sisters in the proper way to beatbox the show’s funky 70’s bass-line.

“Stop laughing!” I commanded my family while watching Adam West in the satirical Batman. As a five year-old, I was convinced that program was high art. But when Michael Keaton came on the scene, I pretty much lost it. From then on, Batman was officially my life. Batman Returns was always my favorite. I loved Michelle Pfieffer as Catwoman, for reasons I probably didn’t yet understand. I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the scene in which she gave herself a “bath.” Nothing at all…8 Superheroes have played a large role in my life, and not just for entertainment. I grew out of my shell thanks to those movies. It gave me something to talk

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