Peter Parker's Leica M3

Peter Parker's Leica M3
(1967)

Peter Parker, photographer for the New York Daily Bugle and eponmymous hero of Ralph Bakshi's cartoon series Spiderman (1967), is shown in the opening credits sporting a Leica M3 with a softie release.

After 37 years, the complete 52-episode collection of the original Spiderman series was released in 2004 as a 6 DVD set Spiderman - The '67 Collection. Back in the late 60's, Spidey's one-liners and witty trash talk make him way more hip than the rather square incarnations of Superman and Batman of the time. (Similarly, the incessantly bickering, dysfunctional Fantastic Four were 60's era creations.) However, fans of Raimi's impressive realization of the webbed-wonder will undoubtedly find the '67 version visually quite minimalist.

Peter Parker's Alma Mater

Willem Dafoe, Tobey Maguire and James Franco in stills from Raimi's Spiderman (2002) filmed at my Alma Mater, Columbia College. My sophomore dorm, John Jay, is visible behind Dafoe's head, and Butler Library behind Maguire. (Parker appears to have matriculated into Columbia by the time of Spiderman 2, as spends much of the middle portion of the film on the Van-Am Quad.) Such nostalgia presaged my own rematriculation for a 3rd degree from Columbia.
-rei

Roar, Lion, Roar!

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