13 January,2011 08:59 AM IST | | Agencies
This weekend, excited fanboys and curious movie buffs alike will head to the theatre to check out the newest superhero extravaganza, The Green Hornet.
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For most of us, though, there's just one little question nagging at the back of our mind: What the heck is a green hornet, anyway?
How did 'The Green Hornet' start? Despite the fact that 'The Green Hornet' appears to be another comic-book movie, the character didn't debut in comics at all.
In fact, 'The Green Hornet' began as a radio show in 1936, two full years before Superman became the first costumed comic book superhero.
The radio program quickly became a national sensation, leading to serials, pulps, TV shows and, yes, eventualy even comic books.
Who is the Green Hornet? Underneath his stylish domino mask, the Green Hornet is actually millionaire newspaper publisher Britt Reid.
This time around, Reid (played by Seth Rogen) is less of a noble journalistic crusader, though, and more of a lazy trust fund baby who suddenly develops a sense of purpose after his father is murdered.
Who is Kato? In the original radio stories, Kato became the Green Hornet's valet and sidekick after Britt Reid saved his life during a fateful adventure in Asia.
That doesn't happen in the movie, though; instead, Kato (played by Chinese pop star Jay Chou) is an employee of Britt's dad who agrees to help Reid fight crime in order to avenge his boss's death.
What are Green Hornet's powers? Actually, he doesn't have any; no magic ring or flying or super strength or any of that nonsense.
Likeu00a0 Batman, The Green Hornet is an expert detective and master of the martial arts who also happens to be rich enough to afford a bunch of high-tech gadgets and gizmos including his own souped up version of a Batmobile, known as Black Beauty.
