The Human Fly: Two Stunts And A Comic Book Series

[@chrisw6164]

The Human Fly. Gracing every flea market comic book stack since 1977.

[@navy0287]

I used to collect that series. I had a few issues of Man from Atlantis too.

[@danielg.w5733]

The fact that he is canadian makes this even better somehow

[@PeterParker-nc5ke]

I love his costume!

[@anthonywheeler2082]

The worst part of dreams is they disappear once you wake up.

[@mrmicro22]

The sequins did not come across in the comic books. Probably for the best. Never meet your heroes, kids.

[@Cervando]

So despite all the initial buzz, he didn't fly.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

7:01 that's an epic concept for a hero. someone who tried to be a hero, and died but inspired one of the people he or she saved and that one took the mantle. and so on and so on.

[@Hayamaneko]

I finally understand the origin of that one joke from the Simpsons

[@cultofj3777]

Breaking the world's speed record in a boat .. in the Bermuda Triangle! This guy is awesome!!

[@mullins666]

There was a 2018 movie called Santa Jaws where the main characters favorite superhero was the Human Fly. He had posters up in his room and everything. At the end of the movie we find out that his love interests favorite hero is also the Human Fly. Kinda weird.

[@maryfrancess93]

I love this dude. I have a fair amount of his comics at my shop and no one seems to believe me when I tell his story. I think it's great and terrible at the same time.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

I cannot agree more. I am fascinated by the Human Fly. It's a highly unusual story that just intrigues me.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

This guy inspires me to write a short 6-issue comic book story about "The worst hero you have never heard of". A comedy about a superhero wannabe that wants to become a hero either out of a genuiene sense of wanting to help or wanting to become rich and famous but in a underdog type of motivation like "wanting to earn money to help his local town" or something. And fails miserably. BUT slowly ends up becoming better at being a hero and a better person, with last issue would be the guy managing to save the day, at the cost of dying and he being forgotten by everything and everyone something that mixes Booster Gold from DC Comis, Mumen Rider from One Punch Man, and give or take some touches of X-Men Worst X-Man and Great Lakes Avengers

[@ghostman7768]

He may not have achieved fame and fortune in real life but he most certainly and without a shadow of a doubt achieved fame and fortune in the world of comic books! And they are still a goldmine today as they are still in high demand !😀👍🏻

[@michaelnemo7629]

I LOVED THIS COMIC!!!

[@rexmundi3108]

I remember the stunts and the comic book. Don't remember having any idea how sad and contrived the whole thing was. Then again, I had the Evil Kenevil toys and remember breathlessly watching his bogus canyon jump attempt, so I guess I was more into entertainment as a child that the reality of the entertainment industry.

[@KayVeeEye]

Man, I used to read this, and had NO idea about this!

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Kind of wild, right?

[@chrisdragnet722]

I still have the Ghost Rider Team-up issue I got from the newsstand as a kid.

[@dansmith3085]

How about covering Marvel's stabs at Godzilla and The Shogun Warrriors?

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Both are a definite maybe.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

@@StrangeBrainParts It's not like we're holding a shogun to your head.

[@quesoblanco444]

I would vote for that as well

[@jonmankuta8741]

Would love to see those as well

[@panskii3632]

I'd be there for that

[@1971thedoctor]

I do wish someone would put out a comic today based on the Human Fly, they could start it with the failure of the stunts, but then continue the series with the character overcoming his fears and doubts.

[@unrulysimian3897]

Ah. 1976. I remember it well. Making popcorn. Wow - if there is such a thing as negative charisma - this guy has it. Bless his heart.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Amen to that. I would also thank him and the management team for their, well, pretty unrealistic expectations. Big dream. Small budget. And no perceptible skill.

[@staplegenius]

I remember getting back issues of this in the 90s as a kid and I never believed he was real until now...

[@citizensguard3433]

*In his head:* he’s the worlds best stunt man and all around bad ass... *In real life:* knocked out by rain drops...

[@samuraijacques952]

Great covers on those comics though

[@chrisw6164]

Maybe a retrospective on Marvel (and DC, what the heck) movie or toy tie-in comics. I remember Marvel would put fantastic Sienkiewicz covers on them, even junk like Starriors. I’m assuming those tie-ins made money, because they published a ton between 1985-1985.

[@nativeamerica9254]

How marvel never included the human fly in a marvel team up or marvel two in one issue I can't understand. Also what became.if Roger Rojett the human fly?

[@StrangeBrainParts]

There's possibly two reasons: The Human Fly wasn't popular enough and the licensing agreement might have restricted the character's use. I've no idea what happened to the guy in the suit. Disappeared well into obscurity, I guess.

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

The Human Fly received many more issues from Marvel than Pope John Paul II, due to his relative importance to world culture at the time.

[@i.m.evilhomer5084]

It's kinda remarkable that he sounds just like the Human Fly from The Simpsons that was upstaged by The Be Sharps. "Hello! Human Fly here. Come on! I stayed up all night dyeing my underwear."

[@kevinpillar6934]

Nice costume

[@maryfrancess93]

I have shared this video with so many people at this point. Tbh. I find it socialogically fascinating.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Thank you for sharing it around! I agree...it's quite a fascinating topic and I wish there was more information available.

[@johnmahaffey9578]

Sad. I read the comic and saw the Human Fly on That's Incredible as a kid. I thought the back story of recovering from a terrible accident was true. It's depressing to find out someone you thought was a bonafide hero was actually a fraud.

[@davidhanson4909]

I vaguely remember the character, but I had no idea it was a licensed property OF AN ACTUAL REAL-WORLD HUMAN BEING. Or at least a Canadian. Just thought he was a one-and-done guest star in some book or other.

[@robsyers8647]

HEY! Thanks for doing this one. I have a single issue of the Marvel Human Fly that I bought off the rack in the 70's, and for some reason, I think about it once in a while.

[@geofosgaminghellhole5440]

i could have sworn you'd already done a video on this, is this like a Berenstain Bears thing or

[@StrangeBrainParts]

This is a combination of two very, very old videos I had previously made. One for the comics. Another about the career. The bulk of the video is new material, though. So, you aren't experiencing the Mandela effect. :)

[@geofosgaminghellhole5440]

@@StrangeBrainParts Haha, thanks for the clarification. i love your content btw!

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Hey, no problem. And thanks for watching!

[@WarholSuperstar]

Fascinating. Excellent work, as always!

[@dfcsons]

I remember getting all excited about this character when I saw it advertised, and then reading it was like 'ummm, huh?' Years later I remember seeing this character as an entry in 'the 50 worst comics of all time'. Great costume and colour scheme though. Happy Holidays from one Canadian to another!

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Always liked this guy.😄 great pick. Merry Christmas.

[@tlocalgary]

Wow. I remember the Montreal bus jump and the comic book. I always wondered what happened after the cancellation and the accident.

[@RarebitFiends]

Awesome video! I knew the comic existed, and I knew it was based on a real stuntman, but that is where my knowledge ended, at least before this. Thanks for doing all the research!

[@briangoguen8547]

Strangley enough despite Marvel not really wanting to go through with a comic series,announced shortly after announcing plans to shoot a Guardian of the Galaxy movie that the Human Fly film was in the works.We're still waiting.

[@dinkydotzero]

Fun fact if you look at the letters pages it starts off with one or two flys on it, and over the run of the book every issue would have more and more flys on it, Ralph Macchio said at the time it was his way of burying that turd. And in truth, the whole thing was pretty much a scam that the fly team tried to cash in on

[@noman6041]

I know i'm in the minority, but i loved the Human Fly series from Marvel, and i collected each issue with great excitement and enthusiasm. I thought it was one of the best written books at the time [but hated Frank Robbins' art] and when the book got cancelled, i was dejected and heartbroken. I remember the Fly's public appearances, and being a Knievel fan, i always wished the two of them would do a stunt together. Finding out the real Fly was just a con man and a 'tool', really disappointed me. I still like the comics though and i re-read them every once in awhile to relive the GOOD memories.

[@Frogviolin]

Great video merry christmas

[@KalleVilenius]

The Human Fly. Was there anything Bill Mantlo wouldn't agree to write?

[@themeanhornet1070]

The only Human Flies I remember was a 1-time villain of Spider-Man in a Hostess Twinkle commercial page and a Human Fly in another comic book company.

[@sambaply]

It felt weird not having the usual intro and theme, almost like a phantom pain. I've developed almost a behavioral response to it, a positive one

[@quesoblanco444]

Very entertaining and well done vid.

[@TheSnapdad]

Thanks for the content. I was a young kid when the Evel Knievel thing was at its apex. I do not remember the irl Human Fly.

[@StrangeBrainParts]

I always wondered if he was a regional, flash in the pan. Like, how well known was he outside of Canada? It doesn't seem like he had much of an impact.

[@domnikon1540]

Wow never knew he was real! Thanks for the content love it,

[@lamptown3748]

Very cool story here

[@jacob_ian_decoursey_the_author]

People in the 70s really were a different kind of animal.

[@bvarsho1]

I remember this on the spinner rack, but I had no idea it was based on a real guy.

[@armoredvistitor2197]

there actually was a new comic with him called the new adventures of the human fly

[@jamesedwardclard]

merry Christmas

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

MCU cameo written all over this. Hope She-Hulk defends him.

[@orcwarchiefreviews]

So are you just kind of proving to us that you're Canadian eh

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Yup. Just providing affirmation. Ha ha ha.

[@orcwarchiefreviews]

@@StrangeBrainParts well you're definitely older than me that's for sure I barely knew of the human fly I was around the time when they created that kid with the magic wheelchair

[@bryandonahue5446]

First real life super hero . Something like that . I remember , I was 9yrs old .This was a time when you believed you could be anything you put your mind to . I salute The Human Fly . Like to see someone else do what he did , the commentator sure doesn't have much enthusiasm compared to the kids who saw him let me tell you .

[@allowableman2]

5:34 he didn’t beat the record

[@terskatti4994]

This is still better than 90% of the SJW stuff marvel produces nowadays

[@pablom.g-m]

4:10 lol he actually said he'd jump the channel Human Fly's Manager: I've got something lined up for The Human Fly next week that I think is very much more up his street. Interviewer: What's that? Manager: The Human Fly is going to eat Chichester Cathedral.

[@EastwoodDC]

I think I still have issue #1 of the comic, but I had no idea there was any sort of human counterpart.

[@jasonguinn6075]

He's the original Super Dave

[@rolandkatsuragi]

Captain Canuck he is not

[@BIGM-gg9ln]

had the first comix!!!!!!!!!!

[@jefferysteen1041]

I had issue #1...don't remember it much

[@markshulusky6680]

I was ten years old when this was all happening and even at that age I thought it was pathetic. The air plane stunt was a non-event; pale, weak and wreathed in the smell of desperation. I was embarrassed for him.

[@TheChrisHype]

Sure, the Human Fly might be cool... But he’ll never be “Be Sharps Reunited on Top of Moe’s Roof” cool.

[@nazishhussain2712]

He like cyborg mixed with ant man and spider man

[@ivane5110]

Yeah, it wasn't a great comic, but the guest-stars were some of the top characters at time (Ghost Rider, White Tiger, etc.). Better than all that though for us each month was the idea that somewhere out there was a real Human Fly. We kept hoping he'd stop at least 1 crime. Oh well.

[@citizensguard3433]

I swear I thought you were still talking about the actual guy at the beginning when you started telling us about the car crash that killed his wife and all that. I had assumed the panels on screen were autobiographical, and you were telling the real life story while the comic book version of those events were showing on screen... Until you said the words “after 38 operations that replaced 60% of his body with steel.” Lol. For half a second I’m trying to right this in my head, as if there might be some logical reason behind it. Lol

[@orcwarchiefreviews]

Lol I wonder if the rights to the human fly are open right now?

[@kylecarter1599]

How the hell did they let someone ride the back of a passenger jet?

[@alexthompson3447]

Assume from the timing that this guy inspired The Cramps single: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravest_Hits

[@alexthompson3447]

www.discogs.com/The-Cramps-Human-Fly/master/264543

[@flyingningahero5961]

Human fly fell so kamen rider could soar

[@jimig399]

I wanted to give you a like but you have exactly 666 likes and felt it would be presumptuous of me to put you off such a coveted number as ... the mark of the beast. 😊

[@StrangeBrainParts]

Ha ha ha! I'm good with that. :)

[@ericw8478]

What are the odds somebody tries to re-imagine him for this younger generation?

[@grimmgrinner7069]

Human Fly but a Tik Tok star

[@StrangeBrainParts]

That needs to happen.

[@ericw8478]

@@grimmgrinner7069 or Only Fans