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sineala · 5 years

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Iron Man: And Call My Killer... MODOK!

So if you're a Marvel Comics fan of any stripe, you're probably aware that Marvel has a longtime history of publishing what they call "prose novels" and what literally any other publisher would just call "novels." You know. Books with only words in them. As opposed to "graphic novels," which is I guess why Marvel needs to make the distinction.

You're probably also aware that a lot of these prose novels are, well... bad. Some of the current ones, the original ones with new stories, have been getting good reviews -- I've heard good things about the Black Widow and Squirrel Girl books -- but a lot of them are just things like "novelizations of Civil War" and those ones are not great. (The MCU Iron Man 1 novelization was pretty good, but I would say that that was one of the few exceptions, and that only because Peter David both can actually write and has also written comic books.)

But a few weeks ago @blossomsinthemist told me that there had been a line of paperback Marvel prose novels way way back in the late seventies, and I was immediately interested for two reasons. One, if it's not novelizing an existing story arc, it's less likely to be terrible. And two, I really like late-seventies Marvel comics. So if I get to read a brand-new (to me) late-seventies story, I'm going to be pretty excited.

(If you're looking for these for yourself, prices vary, because people seem to be really into just having them for collection value, but if you don't care about condition and are patient you can get them for $5 to $10 or so.)

Anyway. I'm starting here with the Iron Man one, And Call My Killer... MODOK! It's from 1979 and is by William Rotsler, who also appears to have written the Doctor Strange novel in this series, and according to Wikipedia, he won four Hugos for Best Fan Artist, though most of his prose work appears to have been SF novelizations, and, uh, he was involved in the making of over two dozen pornographic films? Thanks, Wikipedia!

Right. Okay. The actual book. We are talking about the actual book. So the plot, as you can guess from the title, involves a lot of AIM and MODOK -- and because this is vintage 1970s Iron Man, also a lot of Happy, Pepper and SHIELD. SHIELD here is a lot of Nick Fury and a lot -- hi, again, 1970s -- of Jasper Sitwell. (If you're only familiar with the MCU, 616 Jasper Sitwell is, like, the ultimate Boy Scout SHIELD agent, a giant nerdy stickler for protocol.) Basically, AIM is scheming to get the armor, and the basic plot itself is kind of fun in that respect -- Tony scheming right back, decoy fake plans, a fake auction of the armor, and of course Tony and Happy captured by AIM. There's the requisite fight with an armored villain, of course, and what feels like a very perfunctory showdown with MODOK. (It's not a long novel.)

But since we're in fandom, we're not reading these things for the actual plot content, and so I am happy to say that on a characterization level, if this is the Tony Stark characterization you like in this era of comics, this book is going to make you happy. Because he really is, just... peak, classic Tony Stark. This is established very early on, in what is actually my favorite section of the book. Tony addresses a roomful of students about ecology, and his plans for SI and for the future, and about how he's not actually in it for the money and he just wants to do the right thing and save the world and so on and so forth and he wants to hire some of these kids to help everyone and build space colonies and so on. Similarly, when we first see Tony at SI, there's a paragraph about how he knows his employees' names and values them as people and it's very much classic Tony characterization. I love it.

In terms of canon, I'm not quite sure if this is relying on any particular recent developments in canon. Pepper and Happy are still together, and there's a throwaway line, in the list of Things That Have Happened To Tony's Heart, about how he's had several surgeries and a new heart and at this point in his life he has to wear the chestplate some of the time but not all of the time. I think that whole "weak heart" era is the Michael O'Brien/second Guardsman stuff, but I'm not exactly sure; this is not an era of canon I'm 100% up on in order. That may be a little too early for this, as well. Sorry; I'm not the best at this part of this game.

There is, of course, some identity porn, since what would an Iron Man story be without some good identity porn? There's a section early on where Tony explains why he would never reveal his secret identity. (Literally, he wishes he could "come out of the closet," and, yes, they do put that phrase in quotation marks.) His rationale is that the media would never let him alone, and also there are "Iron Man groupies, publicity seekers, and other assorted crazies" who would make his life miserable.

The weird thing is, then he goes on a date with what seems to be an Iron Man groupie. Pepper sets him up on a date with a woman who is a bellydancer and auto mechanic trying to break into acting. (The even weirder thing is that she seems to be named after a woman the author has coauthored several novels with. I, uh... I hope she knew first?) Anyway, they go on a date and she starts asking him about what Iron Man is like. Now, in a book where the plot appears to be that the bad guys want Tony's armor, I would be a little suspicious of people who were curious about Iron Man. But apparently this woman is on the level and just really likes gossip about famous people, and then at the end of the book when Tony talks about maybe going on another date he seems excited to "give her an opportunity to know Tony Stark." Although, really, she seems to still think Iron Man is cooler, so I don't see this working out well.

(Also, in the course of the plot, he does end up unmasking in front of MODOK, and as cover he comes up with the excuse that he isn't the only Iron Man and that there are a group of them. Which, y'know, historically, isn't even untrue, for a certain view of Tony's behavior -- there have actually been multiple people in the suit before now. So I kind of like Tony's quick thinking there. Amusingly, as he's bluffing his way through this, one of the fake Iron Men he names is Captain America, which honestly I think would make a hell of a fanfiction plot.)

Another weird thing: since this is right before Demon in a Bottle, Tony still drinks. It's not even an issue. And obviously it's meant to show something about his affluent lifestyle (and how he considers alcohol a necessary part of that lifestyle) but it's interesting reading this in retrospect and thinking about all the character development that Tony is basically about to undergo but hasn't yet.

So, yeah, in terms of characterization, this is an interesting look at Tony Stark basically preserved in one of the more-well-regarded eras for him, so on that basis I think it's worth reading. Which is not to say that there aren't some downsides, and since this book is mainstream fiction from the 70s, I bet you can guess what the main one is: namely, there is a certain amount of casual sexism and racism. The first scene takes place on a college campus and there is a lot of, uh, dwelling on co-eds and their short skirts. There is also a retelling of Tony's origin story, and you probably already know that ToS #39 is racist as hell (especially if you have seen non-recolored versions in which Wong Chu is literally yellow in the art) but the prose retelling here manages to add in some racist epithets (many characters are referred to as "the Oriental") which is... disappointing. Neither of these things are really unexpected for a book from 1979. But, you know, there they are. Heads up.

It also makes some weird narrative choices. One is that it has a surprising number of extended flashbacks in which dialogue is taken directly from the comics. I understand that back in the day before trade paperbacks and Marvel Unlimited and back issues whenever you want them, you the Iron Man fan might not have been aware of a lot of Tony's history. So I get why you would want to spend some time going over the events of Tales of Suspense #39. And, okay, Happy is a pretty important character in the plot, so I get why you'd want a lot about their first meeting in Tales of Suspense #45. But then there's a whole flashback devoted to the whole body-horror extravaganza of how MODOK came to be, and that one... that one was just kind of weird, especially because Tony didn't even figure into it.

And that leads me to my final complaint about weird narrative choices, which is the author has chosen to write this book in 3rd person omniscient point of view. I mean, it's a valid POV choice, sure. But it's a little jarring coming from fandom, where we are all basically 3rd limited forever and ever (like, honestly, I'm not even sure I'd know how to write 3rd omni if I tried!), and it's even weirder to read Tony in the middle of one of his inspiring speeches while a female student is thinking about how sexy he is even if he is an "older man." Yeah.

Also, the narration calls him Tony when he's out of the suit and Iron Man when he's in the suit. Consistently. Even when he's thinking about himself. I am pretty sure fandom never does this, and it is weird as hell.

So, overall, I have to say that despite some reservations, I really enjoyed this, and if this is an era of Iron Man canon that you enjoy, you will probably like this if you can get your hands on it, because it's a lot like reading an Iron Man comic from 1979, and the plot shenanigans are amusing. I mean, it's not the best-written book ever, but it is a lot of fun, especially in terms of Tony's characterization.

#posts i actually wrote

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knotsinger51-blog · 6 years

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Choosing Your Wedding Photographer - Marriage ceremony Pictures Designs Described

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Keep to the guidelines and you are positive to have a memorable marriage working day with photos to match.

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jinnieboo-blog1 · 7 years

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Han Sanghyuk: Begin Again

Pairing: Han Sanghyuk (Hyuk) x Reader

Summary: Things didn’t end that well. But, if you were given the chance to try again, to make things right, would you take that chance?

Word count: 2,249

Genre: Fluff/romance

Warnings: None

A/N: Italicized parts indicate a flashback :)

Tired and lacking in energy from school and your part time job, you decided to visit your little place of recreation: a vintage bookstore. The smell of old, antique books somehow seemed to lift your spirit. You have always been a bookworm; books were like realities and alternate universes that you could escape to. As you browsed through the tall bookshelves, a particular book caught your attention. Its dull red cover was still in good condition, despite the pages being quite worn out. You pulled it out and ran your hand over the cover. A smile crept onto your lips as you read the title- it was one of your classic favorites. However, just as quickly as you smiled, that smile faded when you realized the memories that were associated with that book.

The sun was shining, but it didn’t stop you from sitting out on the bleachers, reading a book that was given to you by your grandmother. It was old, a bit tattered, but you loved the way it was written, thus becoming one of your favorites. “You’re out here again?” said a voice.

You looked up to see your boyfriend, Hyuk, grinning at you. “It’s a great day to stay outdoors.” you replied.

“Yeah.” he nodded before handing a sandwich to you, “Though I have a feeling you haven’t eaten.”

Chuckling, you took the sandwich from him, “Yeah, I forgot. Thank you.”

Hyuk took a seat next to you and poked your forehead. “You’re such a forgetful person.”

“I’m too absorbed in this book, sorry.” you smiled.

Hyuk casually lied down on your lap before flashing an innocent grin. “Can you read it to me?”

“You big baby.” you laugh, but give in to his request anyway.

And from then on, reading that book together sort of became your thing. There would be times where Hyuk would just lay on your lap as you read a few pages to him. Sometimes, you would lean on his shoulder as he read it to you. Then there were the precious moments wherein you would both be cuddled up on the couch, taking turns in reading it to each other. If you both were up to it, you would also re-enact certain scenes from the book. Luckily the book was quite long, which is why you both chose to take your time in reading it, maybe 1 chapter per day so as to make the most out of it.

But that was years ago. Many, years ago, in fact. You and Hyuk had begun dating during your junior year in high school, and you had a fairly great relationship until your senior year. That’s when things became rocky. You both started to get into more and more arguments and easily got annoyed with each other. The final straw was when he didn’t make much effort to see you anymore. Sure, you knew that he was maturing and growing up, so he needed time for his own life. But you thought that maybe he’d still make an effort to stay in touch. You were wrong. He rarely called, let alone texted. He was having the time of his life. You had friends and your own life, but Hyuk slowly drifted away from you. Eventually, it just ended with no closure whatsoever. That is, until you finally talked to him sometime around your college days. You weren’t classmates, and didn’t have any classes together, but you miraculously bumped into him one lunch time in the library. There, you talked about the relationship that fell apart back in highschool, to which Hyuk said that “maybe things weren’t meant to be.” You both left it at that. You both parted ways, never seeing each other again, treating each other as strangers every time you’d pass each other somewhere.

Shaking the negative memories away, you hastily put the book back in the shelf and left the store. You walked back to the café where you worked part-time and got back to taking orders. In all honesty, you liked your job here. Your co-workers became your friends, especially one of the baristas named Jaehwan. Thankfully, after hours of working, you seemed to have forgotten the little flashback that you had a while ago. It was short-lived, however, because Hyuk happily walked in the café with his friend, Hongbin. You both locked eyes, and for a minute, you thought he was going to walk over and do something drastic, but instead, he hinted a subtle smile before he turned away to look for a seat.

Your heart pumped faster. You couldn’t understand why, but it did. You felt frantic and wondered why. You were used to the random sight of Hyuk, especially at the campus, but you were used to just ignoring him and vice versa. Now, he subtly smiled at you? What was going on?

Throughout your shift and Hyuk’s stay, you were taking quick glances at him from time to time. His face had matured, that was sure. He was still handsome. Some things didn’t change: the way his eyes turned into lines everytime he laughed, his cute nose, his tall frame. You sighed and tried to focus on your work instead. Who’s to say that Hyuk wasn’t stealing glances either? He noticed how your hair had grown a few inches longer and how it was now a shade of copper. He noticed how you still liked to wear pink lipstick and how your eyes turned into crescents when you laughed. Some things didn’t change, or so you both thought.

The next few days, you and Hyuk didn’t bump into each other, nor did you even see each other. It was better that way, you thought, for the sake of your heart and sanity. Later that day, when all your classes had ended, you went back to the bookstore and browsed a different set of books. The bell at the door rang, and you were wondering who would be visiting this antique place. You didn’t pay attention when a tall person arrived at the aisle you were at, talking to someone at the phone. “What book did we need for class again? Yeah, I’m looking for it now. Alright, thanks.”

You knew that voice belonged to the person you were least expecting to be here. You looked to your side and confirmed that it was indeed Hyuk. “Oh…y/n.” he says, surprised. “Have you seen any book titled The Dream of Nine Clouds?”

You look away and shake your head, “Nope.” How was he acting so normal around you? It was as if nothing had happened in the past.

Hyuk sighs and searches the same bookshelf as you were. You then remembered that this was one of your favorite places to go to when you would be on date with him. An awkward silence filled the room, until Hyuk spoke up. “Oh I remember this.”

He pulls out a dark blue book, and when he reads the title out loud, you realize that it was another book that you used to read together. You ignore him and continue to look for nothing in particular, just an excuse to seem busy. More minutes of silence pass, with Hyuk occasionally glancing at you. Eventually, he makes a move. “Y/n.”

“Hyuk.” you sharply say.

“Listen, I know you’re still mad-”

You cut him off, “I’m not.”

You turn to face him and see that he seems exasperated at your interruption, his expression rather hard to decipher. You take a deep sigh. “Sorry, go on.”

Hyuk returns a book that he pulled out and continues, “I wanted to talk to you for a while, but I never really had the chance to.”

“Just like how you never had the chance to keep in touch anymore.” you muttered under your breath.

Ignoring your statement, he says, “Can you please listen?”

You roll your eyes and cross your arms and snappily answer him, “Why should I? You didn’t listen when I tried to talk you out of the whole break up thing But what did you do? You were quick to say ‘maybe we weren’t meant to be’ and you left it at that. You didn’t listen to what I wanted to say and just left me standing, dumbfounded.”

Before Hyuk could say anything, you huffed and turned on your heel, ready to leave him and everything he wanted to say behind. However, Hyuk’s persistent personality wouldn’t let you do that, so he firmly takes hold of your wrist and lightly pins you against the sturdy bookshelf. He holds you there, his eyes never leaving yours. You want to scream at him, kick him and just pour all the hurt he gave you, but you never get to do that because his lips are now on yours, kissing you feverishly. A part of you welcomes it, but another part of you wants to stop. Your eyes are half-closed and you almost wrap your arms around his neck, but you stop short at his shoulders and push him away. Your eyes are now filled with tears as you shakily speak up. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I miss you.” he says with no hesitation.

You scoff and pitifully smile, blinking a few tears away. “You can’t just waltz in back into my life, expecting to pick up where we left off. You left me, Hyuk.”

Unable to say anything, he let go of you, allowing you to make your exit. It was his turn to watch you walk out on him.

Two days later, you were at the café. The other workers had already gone home, and since this was your shift, you were making an inventory of the drinks and treats that were sold. The café was going to close in just a few minutes, so no one was expecting a young man to enter. “Sorry, but we’re going to clo-”

You never got to finish your sentence, because Hyuk stood there, a regretful expression on his face.

You looked back to see the store manager, Hakyeon, nodding. “I’ll give you a few minutes before we have to close up.”

Once he’d retreated to his office, you sighed and looked anywhere but his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Hyuk gulped and dared to take a step closer. “I want to make things right.”

Your tears threatened to spill out again, and you wanted to turn around and hide somewhere in the kitchen. Hyuk knew you would do that, so he gently held your hand and whispered, “Don’t make the same mistake as me. Please, listen, y/n.”

You were tense, but you nodded slowly. Hyuk continued to speak, “I know that what I did was wrong, and it was rude and stupid of me to do that. But I am sorry. I really am.”

Despite every effort to prevent it, you started to cry. Hyuk risked pulling you into a hug as you sobbed against his chest. “I hurt you, and I know you have every right to hate me for it. It was immature for me to say all those things. Please forgive me.”

All these years, you thought you were finally able to forget about him. You thought you finally moved on from him. You were wrong once again. No one would be able to make you feel the way you felt, except for Hyuk. Only he could do that. In reality, even if you wouldn’t admit it, you never moved on from him. You still loved him, no matter how painful it was for you. You couldn’t stop loving him or get over him that quickly.

Once you stopped crying, you looked up at meet Hyuk’s eyes and whisper. “I do. I don’t think we were both ready at that time. We didn’t know how to handle certain things.”

Hyuk hugged you tighter and brushed his thumb across your cheek. “I’m ready now. I’m ready to make things right and to make it better for you. Will you give me the chance to begin again with you?”

“I will.” you admit in a heartbeat, burying your face in his neck as he kisses the top of your head.

“You know…ever since we talked at the library, I couldn’t stop thinking about you? I realized that I still loved you? Until now, I still love you.” he whispers.

You reply with a small smile on your lips, “I never stopped loving you either, you idiot.”

“I’m your idiot baby. Right, genius?” Hyuk teases, causing you to giggle.

The moment was so tender and intimate, until Hakyeon cleared his throat. “You kids can be all lovey-dovey outside. I need to close the shop now.”

You and Hyuk release each other and blush. You sheepishly chuckle, “Sorry, sorry. Have a great evening, Mr. Hakyeon.”

Hakyeon smiles and waves at you both, “You too, kids.”

Outside, you and Hyuk walk back to the dorms, holding hands under the moonlight. You both knew that it could take time to pick up where you left of, but you both knew it was going to be worth it. Even if it meant that you had to begin again all the way from the start, you had no problem with that. You and Hyuk knew better now, and you both had each other. The evening breeze blew, and the moon was glowing a radiantly, just as radiant as the smiles you and Hyuk had because you both had the knowledge that there was hope for a new beginning.

#vixx #vixx hyuk #hyuk #han sanghyuk #sanghyuk #hyuk scenario #hyuk drabble #hyuk imagine #sanghyuk scenario #sanghyuk drabble #sanghyuk imagine #vixx scenario #vixx drabble #vixx imagine #scenario #drabble #imagine #hyuk x reader

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website20-blog1 · 6 years

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Road Trip USA

"Road Trip USA... takes you as close to the real America vital ever likely to get. " Here's a question for you. If you had the time and the money to undertake just one extensive trip by just road on any continent on the planet, which one would you decide, and where would you go? I ask this question considering that time and money seem to be the only things stopping many people from taking their ultimate dream vacation. Last year (March 2018), a good survey conducted by indicated that Aussies love to hit the road. In fact, the survey of 810 respondents, found a whopping 99 percent of Australians would go on a road trip because of the versatility and spontaneity it allows.

The Australian online automotive website Buse's Guide:

Not long after the Cars Instruction survey appeared, a Rand McNally survey (May 2018), examining American attitudes to long road journeys seen similar opinions to this form of vacation. According to the Rand McNally survey (of 2, 030 U. S. adults), two in four adults (75%) were at least somewhat required to take a road trip, and about three in ten (29%) talked about they were very likely.

Meanwhile, a recent article published in the online copy of the Wall Street Journal (May 2018), reported that the road trip was initially poised to make a comeback as the American summer travel months began, despite the lingering recession and rising fuel charges.

While the cost of fuel and accommodation were nominated given that the two biggest concerns both in Australia and America, it appears to be our respective love affairs for the open road simply likely to diminish any time soon.

Which brings me to Road Trip USA:

Jamie Jensen's best-selling guidebook, Road Trip the US: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways, (Fifth Type, Avalon Travel, 2009) takes you as close to the real USA as you are ever likely to get.

With 11 trips you could choose, covering classic American landscapes such as the Appalachian Trail, Atlantic Coast, Oregon Trail, and the famed Route 66, Journey USA steers intrepid road warriors through major towns and cities like San Francisco and Chicago as well as remote, but heartwarming all-American towns like Dyersville, Mississippi (where the martial arts field created for the Kevin Costner movie Field connected with Dreams attracts visitors from near and far); or even small blue-collar town of Seneca Falls, in Texas state (which saw the birth of the American can easily move in July 1848).

As you might expect, Jensen's channels also lead to popular destinations such as Disneyland, Yellowstone Nationalized Park, Niagara Falls, and the Statue of Liberty. Including local lore; oddball trivia (Memphis's gifts to U . s citizens culture - and the world's - include the supermarket, the very drive-in restaurant, the Holiday Inn, oh, and Elvis Presley). Filled with noteworthy details and roadside curiosities (a sign in Texas spelling out the command: "Rattlesnakes Exit Here"), Road Trip USA contains a wealth of recommendations on where to stop, what to look at, and where to eat and sleep. This is one instruction aimed at getting travelers off the freeway system, and gaining into the heart and soul of America.

Other features of this format include:

o A flexible network of route combinations, color-coded and extensively cross-referenced to allow for hundreds of possible itineraries More than 125 detailed driving map so Full-color insides with modern and vintage photos and illustrationsoccasions A road trip resources section with contact information for preferred hotel and motel chains, car rental companies, state travel-related boards, and road condition centers personal criteria for that good guidebook is that it should inform, enlighten, and occasionally even surprise, so I'm pleased to say that Journey the USA has no trouble being informative, enlightening, and absolutely yes, even surprising.

I have no hesitation in saying that when I undertake my own road trip across America, this will be the only real book I will have by my side at all times. What Missing? Unfortunately, Road Trip USA is almost entirely devoid of a link to online resources. In an age when almost every printed piece of paper has a website URL and an Email address on it somewhere; once so many modern electronic devices come Internet ready, this definitely seems to be a glaring omission. I can only assume this is a talk choice by the author and publisher. With thousands of places of interest detailed in the book, they may have taken the decision to try and lower the visual clutter associated with URLs, and make the subject matter more 'readable' by avoiding them altogether. While an individual doesn't expect a URL or Email address for every holiday location mentioned in Road Trip USA, surely major places of interest conduct warrant the inclusion of a web link (where available).

A quick look through other guidebooks on my bookshelf exposes that all those printed over the last five years or so, can include web addresses throughout, and future editions of Road Trip STATES would be well served to do the same. Before You, GoI thinks Road Trip USA would also benefit from a 'Before You Go' spot outlining basic information regarding preparations for the journey.

Important (online and offline) sources of information regarding trip treatments. Information about safety (personal, the vehicle breaks down, and other essential safety issues)o What to do in an emergency (breakdowns, damages, personal attack, etc)o A checklist of doable items to pack and prepare A checklist with pre-trip vehicle preparations (brakes, tire and engine lab tests, etc)

The chapter might cover such topics as:

Traveling with children and petsJourney USA does have a small Resources section at the end of the arrange, running to just eight and a half pages - four of which contain a Recommended Reading list. The others refer to organizations that come in some way with automobiles and highways; a short list of hotel/motel chains, and car rental companies; and a list of U. Beds. and Canadian agencies dealing with State Tourism and way conditions. And that's pretty much it. The good news is, the omissions known above do not detract in any way from the overall depth and even quality of the detailed information presented in Road Trip NORTH AMERICA. At just over 900 pages, I think it is fair in order to that Road Trip USA covers all the 'bases' and then certain. Indeed, I have no hesitation in saying that whenever I undertake my own road trip across America, Road Trip America will be the one book I will have by my facet at all times.

#short trips ideas

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eddiejpoplar · 7 years

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Rolex and Motorsports: Partners in Speed

LOS ANGELES, California — “Rolexes are indestructible,” says Hurley Haywood, one of America’s most successful endurance racers, as he stands on the terrace during a private reception at a mansion deep in the Hollywood Hills. Haywood pulls back his shirt cuff, gives a small smile—which, if you’ve spent any time with the laconic race car driver, you know a smile means high praise—and starts to tap on the watch’s sapphire crystal as lights from the Sunset Strip below cast a pinkish glow on his grin. “I’m rough on a watch. It’s got to withstand all of the rigors of racing, all the tax I put it through.” Haywood should know about the watch’s durability—he owns nearly every model of Rolex Daytona ever made, most of them hard won from time in a race car.

Rolex employs official spokespeople to talk up the brand, including Formula 1 champion Jackie Stewart and nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, but Haywood, crooked grin and all, isn’t on the watchmaker’s payroll. He’s a genuine fan, converted from the moment in 1970 when he bought his first Rolex for $260 at a U.S. Army post exchange while stationed in Vietnam. “Since then, I always had Rolexes. It’s just the watch I want to wear.”

Haywood isn’t the only race-car driver who has had a love affair with the brand, of course. Rolex and motorsports have been inextricably linked since British racer Malcolm Campbell wore a Rolex Oyster while breaking the 300-mph speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1935. Campbell is said to have mailed Rolex letters extolling the virtues of its products. But when you think of racing and watches, Rolex and the now iconic Daytona comes to mind. The relationship with Florida’s Daytona International Speedway predates the famous endurance race held at the track. It began when Rolex Watch U.S.A.’s then-president, Rene P. Dentan, forged a friendship with NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.

In 1964, Rolex started to award the chronograph to the winning drivers of the Daytona Continental—then an FIA-sanctioned, three-hour endurance race—and added the word “Daytona” to the dial, altering the watch world forever. (The race’s familiar 24-hour format made its debut in 1966.) “It’s all about the watch,” says Scott Pruett, the American racer who has won 15 Rolex watches, including five for overall wins at the Rolex 24, during a career that spans more than three decades. “Every one is sacred, and there are stories behind every one of these watches. It becomes more than a timepiece, it becomes an heirloom and even more so if it says ‘Winner of the Rolex 24’ on the back.”

Aside from its ties to American sports-car racing, Rolex is also the official timepiece of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula 1. Vintage racing is also high on its priority list—it is the title sponsor of the annual Monterey Motorsports Reunion and is also heavily involved with the U.K.’s Goodwood Revival.

Like a Porsche 911, the Rolex Daytona is instantly recognizable, and over the years the changes to both have been incremental rather than evolutionary. It’s these minor changes—and the obsessive nature of collectors of both products—that add to the lore and start to drive collectors crazy as they obsess over the smallest details. Although Rolex is tight-lipped about most of the changes, it’s not too hard to find a hardcore fan to opine about the tiny tweaks to the dial, bezels, pushers, and significantly, the movements.

“With the Daytona, you had this idea that you were going to market these things to people,” says Benjamin Clymer, founder of the watch website, Hodinkee. “Before, chronographs were really ‘tool’ watches for those in the racing industry, and that’s about it. And Rolex said, ‘OK, we’re going to make this the racer’s watch.’ There’s a history of these watches going on the wrists of great racers. And when you have these famous racers wearing this watch because they’ve actually won at Daytona, it creates a secondary level of appreciation and understanding from the motorsports community.”

A paul Newman Daytona sold at Christie’s for $1.1 million. Not too shabby an investment for a watch that cost only $210 in 1963.

If the racing world wasn’t enamored with the Daytona before, it certainly was after Paul Newman, who was just starting his professional racing career, wore a Reference 6239 on his wrist in 1972. Given to him as a gift by his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, these Daytonas are set apart by subtle but important differences, such as an art-deco font for the numerals on the subdials and small squares at the end of the hash marks.

Although never officially named after the actor, the “Paul Newman” Daytona is one of the rarest and most sought-out variants of the timepiece. You can pick one up in good condition starting around $75,000 and, depending on the year, the prices can skyrocket from there. In May, 2017 at Philips Geneva Watch Auction, a Daytona Ref 6263 dubbed “The Legend” and one of three known yellow gold Paul Newman Daytonas sold for $3,717,906. In 2013, a 1969 stainless-steel Paul Newman Daytona sold at Christie’s for $1.1 million. Not too shabby an investment for a watch that cost only $210 in 1963.

“I never really gravitated to the Daytona, and I passed on many when they were ‘cheap,’ but I’ve learned to appreciate them and like them aesthetically,” says Matt Hranek, author of the new book, “A Man and His Watch” (see page 105). In the book, Hranek weaves the stories of 70 one-of-a-kind timepieces from the men who’ve owned these watches via personal anecdotes.

This steel Daytona belongs to Automobile contributor Andy Pilgrim, awarded for his overall win at the 2004 24 Hours of Daytona.

“Rolex makes real tool watches, and I love the fact that they specialize,” Hranek says. “The Submariner for divers, the GMT for pilots. It’s hard not to love the Daytona in terms of its design and because of its iconic status. A lot of that is due to the famous owners. When I visited Mario Andretti for my book, he pulled out every watch he had ever owned and placed them all on a big table. In the middle was an older Daytona, and I said to him, ‘Wow, look at the Daytona,’ and Mario looked at me, shrugged, and said, ‘Yeah, I did win that race a couple times.’ I just sighed and said, ‘Oh yeah, of course you did.’”

Rolex introduced a new Daytona with a black ceramic bezel during the 2016 edition of Baselworld, the watch industry’s top expo, and the news excited even the most jaded watch insiders. The New York Times called it the hottest watch money can’t buy. a waiting list, if you don’t know the right people, can stretch into a yearslong proposition. A few months after its release, we asked Haywood if he had one. “Not yet,” he says. “But I’m working on it.”

The first precision certificate ever issued for a wristwatch, commissioned by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf.

Rolex SA, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, was founded in London in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis. Wilsdorf reportedly chose the Rolex name because it was short enough to fit on the face of a watch, consisted of symmetrical letters of the same size, and was easy to pronounce in many languages. Today it is the largest luxury watch brand by volume, producing some 2,000 watches a day. Forbes in 2016 ranked the company the 64th most valuable brand in the world with $4.7 billion in sales.

A classic Rolex Daytona Reference 6239 “Paul Newman” sits next to a brand-new, black-over- black Daytona with the very desirable ceramic bezel, courtesy of BobsWatches.com.

For a brand that revolves so much around wealth, Rolex is hesitant to talk about money. Sponsorship terms are not disclosed to the public, and company executives do not do interviews.

Ariel Adams, founder of seminal watch website aBlogtoWatch.com, says Rolex is secretive in most areas, including money matters. “It spends more than any other watch brand on marketing,” he says, “and it’s a key reason for the brand’s success. I’m not comfortable speculating an amount it spends since I have no idea, but I do know its strategy is to sponsor the top-tier events in each sport and to ensure no other watch brands take its place.”

At left, a trademark document for the Rolex name was signed by Wilsdorf himself in 1946.

Rolex in 2015 extended its title-sponsor contract for Daytona’s 24-hour race with IMSA, signing up through 2025. At the same time, Daytona International Speedway began an ambitious, $400 million remodel and expansion of a towering complex. Rolex announced itself as a partner in the undertaking and now has its name on the new luxury lounge along the front stretch. When asked about financial details on the Rolex partnership, a spokesperson for Daytona International Speedway declined to reveal the deal’s value. But it is not difficult to imagine the sums required to keep the brand front and center of a global audience. In 2012, when Rolex succeeded Hublot as the official timekeeper and official timepiece of F1, it was speculated to cost at least $20 million per year.

Rolex signage is inescapable at modern motorsports events. Look for branded clocks, hats, lanyards, advertisements, banners, and flags at the biggest circuits in the world.

Despite Rolex’s significant involvement in the world of motorsports, a spokesperson for the watchmaker told us that its timepieces have never been used to time the races, and the timing in early F1 years was done with Heuer chronographs. So why do so many get so excited about Rolex and its relationship with racing? You could say the connection is symbolic. A Rolex spokeswoman said, “Rolex is very much about individual achievement. We sponsor people, not teams. Think of a race-car driver. Sure, there is a team involved, but it’s just that one person out there on the track.”

Haywood sees a connection to velocity. “They’re really at the top of the line of motorsports,” he says, “but they also do a lot of other sports—tennis, riding, sports that involve speed and timing. So I think they like to have that identification.”

In addition to its connections with sports, Rolex actively supports music, culture, the arts, and scientific achievement with its Enterprise Awards. So what is the return on investment for all those sponsorship dollars? By some measures, Rolex is considered the most powerful luxury brand in the world, with a cachet no one else in the business has been able to replicate. What can’t be measured in dollars, however, can perhaps be measured in influence and the number of watches you see on the wrists of race fans and automotive enthusiasts alike.

“A Rolex is kind of like a Porsche,” says Haywood, who knows firsthand after spending so many years racing and winning for the German car manufacturer. “It’s a brand that’s got a great history to it. I like simplicity, and I like engineering. And that’s what I like about a Rolex. You look at it, and you know what time it is.”

The post Rolex and Motorsports: Partners in Speed appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jesusvasser · 7 years