What's On Ben's Desk?

So as you guys may remember, Ben spent last week in the tropical paradise of Aruba on his Honeymoon, riding jet skis with laid back Jamaican men and playing beech volleyball until his skin boiled while doubtlessly stuffing some wicked spikes down the throats of various dweebs (Note: probably untrue). While it took the Morses a few extra days to get off the island thanks to some hi-larious airplane shenanigans, I'm assuming our fearless leader won't be back to his day job until at least Tuesday.

To that end, I figured I'd dust off a post that's been languishing in the blog editor since sometime last fall to remind Ben what he's missing during his Wrestlemainia catch up day day of well deserved rest. That's right, kids! It's time to play...What's On Ben's Desk?


Unlike Rickey's cube-a-rific workspace, Ben's Marvel.com outpost is inexplicably part of a swank corner office at Marvel HQ. Don't worry, his prime location along with Agent M and "The Cerilli" should not be construed as Ben having any real power at the House of Idea. It does, however, mean that I had to photograph his stuff a bit piecemeal what with the wraparoundy nature of his stuff.

Above, you see what I'm assuming Ben states at absent-mindedly when he's really tired of editing Kevin Mahadeo's copy: miniature toys! I know this photo turned out a little blurry and all, but I can't honestly figure out any real unifying theme for the figures under our boy's computer monitor other than "they're all tiny." Mostly it's a few Heroclix and some of those kiddie figurines whose official name I always forget and end up calling "preschool Hawkeye" or whatever. As far as I know, Ben doesn't play Heroclix or like children, so your guess is as good as mine here.


Now this? THIS is more like it, y'all! While it nowhere near rivals the ridiculously large collection of Flash figures that once adorned his Wizard desk, I was very happy to find a growing Nova collection at Ben's current home away from home. Does anybody know how many Nova action figures there are? Because I'm pretty sure Ben's damn close to all of them.

Watching over the Human Rockets is the only thing that could supplant them in Ben's heart of hearts: his lovely wife Megan (ain't she fierce?). And I can't be the only one take with the whole attempt at normalizing the workspace by placing some fake flowers in the Mar-Vell glass. I kind of love how Ben and I were both far too young to get those '70s Marvel collector's glasses whenever they were originally sold at Arby's or whatever but we both seem to know exactly what they are via some weird nerd osmosis. And it wouldn't really be Ben "I'm coming down with something" Morse's desk without some kind of antiseptic spray handy, would it? Punisher matchbook's a nice touch too, pal.


I'm fairly certain that the Nova bust over by Ben's phone is the second such statuette that our boy has owned in his lifetime as I vaguely recall him having one at Wizard where the red star brand on Rich Ryder's helmet kept falling off only to be lost one day (somewhat similar to the Flash maquette I broke and then replaced like an adult should when they break something).

Aside from the multiple Iron Man tchotchkes and the pen set his parents bought him when he graduated college, I think that's some kind of official Marvel Comics hacky sack on the table. Ben, if you've ever had to blow off some steam by going to the park and hackin it up for a while, you're a bigger hippie than I'll ever be.


You can't see it from the photos I have here, but the Marvel.com offices are actually choke full of some pretty impressive superhero costume replicas. But while Agent M and "The Cerilli" have rad numbers like an official Captain America shield and multiple life-sized Iron Man helmets, Ben has to make due with playing the part of Wal-Mart Hulk. Hey...don't laugh, you guys. Those hands made his company a shit load of cash.

Also: Ben, please don't tell me you went out of your way to own XFL merchandise.


While Rickey's window view allows him to see the life of a Children of the Corn-style soup spokesboy, Ben actually can't see out either of the window's to his immediate left. This is no big deal for two reasons: for one, I think across the street from Marvel Comics there's just a Lady Footlocker or something. For two, He has this rad Marvel Universe poster giving him a window into the early '80s glory of Jim Shooter's era as E-i-C. At least I think that's when this is from without googling it. Who drew this? John Buscema? One of you has to know.


We wrap our tour with Ben's corner of Misfit Marveldom. Aside from the dollar store Halloween Hulk bucket that in my mind doubles as an unwearable mask for the aforementioned Marvel.com office dress-up hour, we've got a pair of actin figures that Ben explained to me were given to him by officemates as a joke. Of particular note is the Ben Reilly dolly which Agent M went out of his way to put a sticky which read "Hey Ben – 'Enjoy' this 'awesome' Ben Reilly dolly." or some such. God, it must be so awful to be the Marvel Comics characters that Marvel Comics employees play pranks on each other with. Note to Ben Reilly fans: he's never going to be popular again because he was never popular to begin with. Give up.

See you next time!