I had not planned to post any new bloggy things until April 1, but then this happened...
I don’t know if this is significant or not. I do know I haven’t had any of what I call “comic book dreams” since DC Comics kicked me to the curb last year and reduced Black Lightning to Batman’s support Negro. But I had one this morning just before waking.
I was a younger, more fit Tony Isabella. I was working on a super-hero movie in a world where super-heroes existed. My position with the production was ill-defined. I seemed to be there to do whatever was needed at the time. I did some writing. I did some production assistant stuff. I did some holding hands for actors in need of a friend or just someone to listen to them.
The movie was financed by Tony Stark. Some of the actors were super-heroes themselves. Peter Parker was playing a character not unlike Spider-Man. Starfire of the Teen Titans was playing herself, but she was a very angry young woman.
Donald Trump was the President of the United States with the same vileness of his administration as in our world. Because the public was fearful of super-heroes - Trump went after them with the same bigotry and racism he exhibits in office - the heroes kept things very low-key.
What I remember of the dream was that it unfolded like one of those great old Batman stories where Batman and Robin were in some weird adventure with a group of people from many walks of lives. All of them were dealing with problems of one sort or another. During the adventure, they came together and overcame their problems. In real life, I sort of wrote my take on that story - “The Desolation Run” in an issue of Ghost Rider - in tribute to Bill Finger.
I only recall bits and pieces of my interactions with the heroes. I was friendly with Peter Parker. I helped an older hero realize he still had value and, yes, I do realize the older hero might be some projection of my own situation in a comics industry that seems to have little use for me.
The most vivid memory is my talking down Starfire from a moment of anger that could have destroyed her and others. Someone wrote down my words to her and the scene was added to the movie. In fact, it was the climax of the movie and the last scene filmed.
As the actors, stars and others left the set to get ready for the wrap party, I lingered to contemplate what an amazing experience it had been for me. Peter walked over to me and suggested I visit him in New York. The older actor came over and said, if this did turn out to be is swan song, he was glad he got to know me.
The last person to come up to me - and I hadn’t even realized that he was on the set - was Tony Stark. He’d been watching him during the filming. He said I had a lot to offer the entertainment world and the world beyond it. He handed me a piece of stationery for a company called “Tony Isabella World Works” and told me that, when I decided what I wanted to do next, the funding and the staff was already in place for it.
That’s when I woke up.
I have missed these comic-book dreams. Maybe this particular one was a subconscious sign that I’m overcoming my depression over my recent setbacks in the comics industry. Maybe it means nothing. But, if I have more such dreams and recall them with the vividness with which I remember this one, I’ll share them with you.
Well, maybe not the one with Black Widow, Misty Knight, Tigra and Zatanna...
I was a younger, more fit Tony Isabella. I was working on a super-hero movie in a world where super-heroes existed. My position with the production was ill-defined. I seemed to be there to do whatever was needed at the time. I did some writing. I did some production assistant stuff. I did some holding hands for actors in need of a friend or just someone to listen to them.
The movie was financed by Tony Stark. Some of the actors were super-heroes themselves. Peter Parker was playing a character not unlike Spider-Man. Starfire of the Teen Titans was playing herself, but she was a very angry young woman.
Donald Trump was the President of the United States with the same vileness of his administration as in our world. Because the public was fearful of super-heroes - Trump went after them with the same bigotry and racism he exhibits in office - the heroes kept things very low-key.
What I remember of the dream was that it unfolded like one of those great old Batman stories where Batman and Robin were in some weird adventure with a group of people from many walks of lives. All of them were dealing with problems of one sort or another. During the adventure, they came together and overcame their problems. In real life, I sort of wrote my take on that story - “The Desolation Run” in an issue of Ghost Rider - in tribute to Bill Finger.
I only recall bits and pieces of my interactions with the heroes. I was friendly with Peter Parker. I helped an older hero realize he still had value and, yes, I do realize the older hero might be some projection of my own situation in a comics industry that seems to have little use for me.
The most vivid memory is my talking down Starfire from a moment of anger that could have destroyed her and others. Someone wrote down my words to her and the scene was added to the movie. In fact, it was the climax of the movie and the last scene filmed.
As the actors, stars and others left the set to get ready for the wrap party, I lingered to contemplate what an amazing experience it had been for me. Peter walked over to me and suggested I visit him in New York. The older actor came over and said, if this did turn out to be is swan song, he was glad he got to know me.
The last person to come up to me - and I hadn’t even realized that he was on the set - was Tony Stark. He’d been watching him during the filming. He said I had a lot to offer the entertainment world and the world beyond it. He handed me a piece of stationery for a company called “Tony Isabella World Works” and told me that, when I decided what I wanted to do next, the funding and the staff was already in place for it.
That’s when I woke up.
I have missed these comic-book dreams. Maybe this particular one was a subconscious sign that I’m overcoming my depression over my recent setbacks in the comics industry. Maybe it means nothing. But, if I have more such dreams and recall them with the vividness with which I remember this one, I’ll share them with you.
Well, maybe not the one with Black Widow, Misty Knight, Tigra and Zatanna...
© 2019 Tony Isabella
You just have to hope for the best, Tony! I'm going through some old comic boxes and started reading the 1970's Freedom Fighters. I noticed that the title improved immediately when you started editing. I think you have plenty to offer the super-hero world!
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