| Men in Black (franchise) | |
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Logo of the film series |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Malibu Comics |
| First appearance | The Men in Black #1 (January 1991) |
| Created by | Lowell Cunningham |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | New York |
| Member(s) | Chief Zed Agent J Agent K Frank the Pug |
The Men in Black are a fictional secret organization which monitors and suppresses paranormal activity on Earth, including aliens, demons and mutants, while keeping the public ignorant of such occurrences. They were created by Lowell Cunningham, which were based on the Men in Black myths surrounding UFOs, and first appeared in The Men in Black #1 (January 1991). The most notable agents in the organization are Zed, Jay and Kay who are the main protagonists in the series. Since the release of the comic books, they have been adapted into other media including a number of critically successful films, an animated television series as well as a video game.
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The original The Men in Black[1] comic books were published in 1991 and 1992. The Men in Black are a secret organization that monitors and suppresses paranormal activity on Earth (including aliens, demons and mutants), while keeping the populace ignorant of its happenings.
The series was adapted into a film in 1997, titled Men in Black, starring Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K and Will Smith as Agent J with Barry Sonnenfeld as director. The film went on to become a commercial success grossing US$587 million worldwide on a $90 million budget[2] as well as a critical success with a 91% rating on aggregate reviews site Rotten Tomatoes.[3] A sequel, Men in Black II, was released in 2002 which saw both Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith reprising their roles earning $441 million worldwide,[4] less than the first and it received average reviews from critics with a score of 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. [5] A third film is set to be released ten years after the second in 2012, Men in Black III, will be the first 3D film in the series and will see Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reunite once again with new actors such as Josh Brolin and Jemaine Clement joining the film.
An animated television series, Men in Black: The Series,[6] aired from 1997 to 2001. The show was based on the films, taking place after the events of the first film. There are a few changes, such as Agent K not having his memory erased.
The 2002 game Men in Black II: Alien Escape[7] was partially based on the second film. An upcoming video game published by Activision is planned for Spring 2012, around the time when the third movie will be released.[8] The game will share themes from the film but will have its own original story.[8]
The Men in Black are a secret organization devoted to policing and monitoring extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The Men in Black, founded in the U.S. in the mid-1950s, began as a small and poorly funded government organization devoted to making contact with extraterrestrial life known as the Baltians. They were initially seen as a joke, but did make contact on March 2, 1961, outside New York City.
It was decided to make Earth an apolitical zone for aliens without a planet, and the organization broke its government ties to become the Men in Black, which became the force to conceal and police the aliens that came to Earth, no longer answerable to the government and therefore not obligated to answer any questions or respond to outside demands. The founding members were the agents present at the landing, plus an amateur astronomer and a teenager who got lost going to see his girlfriend. This last became Kay, regarded as the agency's best agent, and one of the agents became his partner Dee. The MiB has continued since then, with Zed as its senior agent, to protect the normal citizens of Earth from alien threats and police extraterrestrial immigrants, with notable member including Bee, Jay, and Elle.
All MiB agents sever every tie with their former lives, but these lives may be restored upon retirement, wherein they are neuralyzed and their memories of MiB erased, although the agency also possess a 'deneuralzer' to restore retired agents' memories if the situation requires it. All agents dress in black business suits with Rayban sunglasses, specifically chosen to avoid creating an impression that would leave any lasting or distinctive impact on anyone who sees them, their fingerprints and other unique identifying features being removed, and have access to a wide array of alien technologies for their missions. Note that not every member is a human - several aliens are part of the staff (or are just hanging around in headquarters).
No longer receiving federal funding from the government, the MiB are supported by the patents they hold on various confiscated alien innovations, including liposuction and velcro. Their standard operating day is based on Centaurian time, which lasts 37 hours, 16 of which an agent must spend on duty. Their main base is located at 504 Battery Drive in New York City.
The Men in Black have bases in other locations, including one in the western United States (Zone 16), one mobile undersea base, and a Hollywood division (dubbed "The Agency"). The three other founding members became Agent T, H and Q. Alpha was the first chief of the MiB - after he went rogue, Zed stepped in as the leader.
Will Smith, who played J in the films, released two rap singles based on the films: "Men in Black"[9] (from Men in Black) and "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)"[10] (from Men in Black II).
The amusement park ride Men in Black: Alien Attack[11] at the Universal Studios Florida amusement park is based on the film Men in Black, as is the parody film Men in White[12].
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