Spider-Man in Denmark

Image via WikipediaHE'S AN urban hero, Spider-Man. Does well in built-up environments where there are plenty of street lights, tall buildings and other paraphernalia which help him when it comes to locomotion. Thwipping web strands from lamp-post to lamp-post makes for easy transport.

Driving through the light fog this morning, I eyed the lamp-posts running the length of the central reservation on my beloved E55 motorway and I got an image of Spider-Man swinging from one to another. It occurred to me that Peter Parker's be-webbed alter ego wouldn't have much joy out in the countryside.

Put him in a field. There may be a tree or two. He could climb them. But I could climb them too. If luck was on his side, there might be a farmhouse and a barn. Perhaps he could spin a web between the two and halt a fleeing yokel who's nicked a tractor. I can run faster than a tractor. Probably. I suppose he could jump around a bit better than me, and use his enhanced strength to gain something of an advantage, but I can't really see outside of an urban environment how he'd be that much better than you or me.

Flat countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium (that's flat, isn't it?) don't figure that much in superhero comic book literature (do they? I'm no expert so you'll just have to trust me). That said, in Spider-Man's 40-year plus history, I feel pretty sure he's not confined himself solely to Manhattan.

If anyone can furnish me with the issues where he comes to the Danish countryside, I'd be in your debt.

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Iron Man - he's a small, family hatchback

AS I was driving into work the other morning, hurtling behind me on the E55 towards Helsingør, I saw what I first thought to be Iron Man. Closer inspection of my rear view mirror revealed the pursuing object not to be Tony Stark tooled up, but in fact a Toyota Yaris.

Ok, so it's early Iron Man but I am sure you can see the similarities: the Toyota logo and the uni-beam projector in the middle of both "machines", those shiny shoulder pads of Marvel's hero reminded me of the front wings on the Yaris, then add the fact that both are made of, er, metal (I think), and you have something. Or not.

It got me thinking about how so many other cars actually resemble fantasy figures. Just go and look and you'll see what I mean.

Take my own car, a Colt. It is a dead ringer for feathered do-gooder Hawk from Buck Rogers.





Now I have started thinking of car names that don't exist, but should. May I present the Toyota Magentis, Volkswagen Jebbe (pronounced Yebber, and I know it's a bit like the Jetta but I like mine more), Mitsubishi Sline, Hyundai Ritz, BMW Egg series.

That's enough now.