Saturday, December 06, 2008

SMASH HITS: VANILLA ICE


Vanilla Ice - Ninja Rap (1991)














Given the juggernaut of marketting that surrounded the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the eighties and early nineties, there's a very real chance many of you might still not realise they began irradiated-life in comics!

As a black and white parody of the growing trend of grim and gritty comics, the 1984 TMNT origin story shares much in common with stories (ie; Daredevil) by comics legend, Frank Miller. Ironic, given the fast-paced ascension of TMNT's creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who both are significant not only for their creation, but also the methods of crossmedia licensing it quickly came to entail.

After the success of the 1990 TMNT live-action feature film, a sequel quickly followed in 1991, and contributed one of the most infamous collaborations in comics licensing -- TMNT and Vanilla Ice!

Himself a product of the emerging heavy-handed marketting of eighties/nineties music, Ice was a manufactured star, complete with fictional biography released in the same year as Ninja Rap. Notorious for sampling popular songs without issuing credit, the contrived backstory of Vanilla Ice the character could make him comparable to a modern Eminem, for any youngsters grappling with the concept. Or, musically, a more creative Kanye West. Oh, yes! I said it!

You'll be able to learn a whole lot more about Vanilla Ice (and find like minded fans) on the Pandora Message Board! The "music genome project" gives users (in the US) the chance to tour the music landscape without the risk of ill-placed investment - more vital than ever in today's failing global economy!
The Pandora Message Board (and Infinite Wars: Smash Hits) are sponsored by Energizer Advanced Lithium!
Lighter, longer lasting, and perfect for portable devices! Booyah!

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