Okay, so there was this library in Illinois that got the idea to build a 9-foot tall statue of The Hulk out front. As you do. In order to accomplish this, The Northlake Public Library, led by mastermind librarian Tom Mukite, started an Indiegogo campaign to raise the cash. They sought $30,000 but have only raised a little less than $4000.
They tried and they fell short, right? But you gotta have dreams.
WELL. It turns out there is a dude in Cali who just happens to have a 9-foot tall statue of the Hulk sitting around.
Steve Williams, owner of L.A. Boxing in Orange City, California has a fiberglass Hulk that was created five years ago as a movie theater lobby decration for the Edward Norton Hulk film. He’d been using it to promote his boxing gym, “I had (a Hulk statue) for the last five years,” Williams told the Franklin Park Sun Time. “I was looking to sell it to a collector who had an interest in a giant superhero.”
While you’d think this would include just about everyone, the locals did not care for the large statue—the city claimed it violated codes of some sort, and when the statue was moved to a parking lot, the landlord—to be played by Marc Strong in the movie version of this story—complained. Complained! As if anyone would not like a giant statue of the Hulk dressed in boxing gloves entertaining the children.
Williams was Googling around when he found the Northlake Library’s Hulk dream, and the rest, as they say, may be history—if a way to ship the 150 pound statue can be found. And luckily a shipping company may donate the costs.
So against all odds, The Northlake Public Library is getting its Hulk, which will be displayed inside near the graphic novel collection.
Dare to dream, my friends. Dare to dream.
This is great…and congrats to the Library for dreaming big and for Steve Williams for making this happen for them.
I do have one important question though….why did they want a statue of the Hulk in the first place? I understand they were promoting comics and reading for youngsters and so on, but why the Hulk? Was there some sort of Hulk/Illinois connection I don’t remember or know about?
I’m just curious…why not Spidey…or Batman, or Superman, or Mighty Mouse or whomever…I just don’t know why they were set on the Hulk in the first place…
Any thoughts?
Did anyone stop to think the tremendous lack of support for the idea maybe indicated most people didn’t want a tacky looking piece of crap in front of the library?
Sorry: IN the library.
Patrick, its the Midwest, who KNOWS why they do what they do?!? :-p
@ Patrick
When was the last time you heard ANYONE support ANYTHING for a library? Answer? Never. Libraries are notoriously underfunded, understaffed, and under-appreciated.
I think this is a great idea. Anything that inspires kids to read should not be considered a bad thing. And I feel bad that people want to insult a library for actively try to promote reading to kids.
And it’s not like this is some hickville in the middle of a cornfield. It’s a suburb of Chicago, just a stones throw south of O’Hare, and about 10 minutes from where Wizard World Chicago is held every year.
Dare I hope that this monstrosity will be in front of the *children’s half* of the graphic novel collection, and not used to introduce the general public to Cages, Gemma Bovary, David Boring, La Perdida, Fun Home, R. Crumb et. al.?
Patrick Ford- You say lack of support but when we look we see a town that everyone from old ladies to 8 year old kids donated and tried to help. A library that the graphic novel circulation increased over 100% during the project. Just because the town doesn’t have a lot of disposable income to financially support it doesn’t mean it wasn’t supported.
Thomas Wayne- We liked the idea that the Hulk has two sides one the nerdy Bruce Banner side that shows the normal idea of a library and the Hulk side that shows the more fun side of the library. Plus, he’s a little more impressive then the other characters due to his size.
Yay! Imagination and hope triumph again!
Hey, when I think libraries, I automatically think rage, unbridled ID, radiation poisoning and armored tanks sailing through the air.
The giant figurine is exceptionally ugly and I would hate to think of having to look at it every time I took my children to the library. I’d recommend a fish tank.
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