Gearing up

New collector car auction drives into Dallas with hot rods, pickups, and memorabilia galore

A 1932 Ford Roadster is one of dozens of vehicles on the auction block when Maple Brothers Auctions comes to Dallas Market Hall.

Courtesy of Maple Brothers Auctions

Car collectors, start your engines. A new automobile auction is heading to town: Maple Brothers Auctions will host its inaugural Dallas auction November 18-19 at Dallas Market Hall, with reserve and non-reserve vehicles available.

Bidders and car-loving spectators can expect a range of collectible cars and memorabilia to be on view at the two-day event.

After holding auctions in Oklahoma City and Kansas City earlier in 2022, the company is geared up to bring a collectors event to Dallas for the first time.

"Our team has diligently worked for several months to consign a variety of collector and classic cars that will have a broad appeal to any car enthusiast," says Maple Brothers Auctions marketing director Jennifer Tetley. "You can expect to see customs and hot rods, sports and muscle cars, pickups, classics, and more."

The vehicles range from a 1928 Packard Model 526 to a 2023 Corvette Stingray, with makes and models from every decade in between.

"This is the perfect event to see automotive history under one roof," Tetley says.

Named for its managing partner's grandchildren, Maple Brothers Auctions also prides itself on hosting family-oriented events.

"Not only do we have vehicles to auction, we have a nice variety of memorabilia that consists of clocks, neons, car signage – anything that would fit into the perfect man cave," Tetley says.

For decades, Leake Auction Company was the name Dallas car fanatics recognized for their auction events at Market Hall. The company closed its operations in 2020. Ty Young, former consignment specialist of the shuttered company, formed Maple Brothers Auctions with Bill Hanks and his daughter and son-in law, Ryan and Richard Maple. Tetley, Leake's former marketing director, has also joined the Tulsa company's leadership team.

"We are thrilled to bring a live, collector car event back to Dallas Market Hall," Tetley says, noting that it's been several years since the last one in Dallas.

For those ready to part with their own collector cars, consignments will be accepted up until the event day. Consignors can check in their vehicles between 10 am and 5 pm Wednesday, November 16 and from 9 am to 5 pm Thursday, November 17.

Auction doors will open at 9 am on Friday and Saturday, with the memorabilia auction beginning at 10 am and the car auction at 10:45 am. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors, and the event is free for military, first responders, and children under 12.

Bidders can pre-register for in-person or phone bidding. A $100 bidder fee includes two guest passes, reserved seating, and complimentary drink tickets.

For more information, visit the Maple Brothers Auctions website, call 918-236-9556 or email office@MapleBrothersAuction.

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Movie Review

Spider-Man: Brand New Day sets a new standard for comic book movies

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Ever since Spider-Man became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the character’s stand-alone movies have been notable for maintaining their own vision despite having to service the larger MCU storyline. The emotionality of the series reached its high point in No Way Home by bringing back two former Spider-Mans - Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield - to assist Tom Holland in a multiversal storyline.

The heart displayed in that film is superseded by Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in which Peter Parker (Holland) is now alone in the world following the events of the previous film. For years, he has done his best to stay busy by stopping in-progress crimes and checking in with Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas), but the twin traumas of losing Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and forcing girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batolon) to forget him still weigh heavily on him.

Almost simultaneously, Peter starts experiencing a change in his physiology and is challenged by a new threat who has a power he does not know how to defeat. As he struggles with both of those things, he asks for help from a variety of sources, including Professor Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Frank Castle, aka The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), and - despite not knowing who he is - MJ and Ned, who are now roommates in New York following their college years at MIT.

Directed by Dustin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who have written each of the Holland Spider-Man films), the movie has a near-perfect blend of comic book spectacle and small-scale intimacy. Spider-Man’s ability to swing through New York’s urban landscape with ease provides plenty of opportunities for great action sequences, but the character’s focus on keeping the streets safe and finding a way back to his friends makes the story still feel manageable.

This is aided by the decision to not go overboard with the MCU connections. Bruce Banner/Hulk and a member of the New Avengers show up, but in relatively small roles. The Punisher makes the leap from TV to the movies, and the interaction between him and Spider-Man feels organic. So too does the super-secret villain, whose impact is felt well before they ever show up on screen thanks to a power that is as mysterious as it is effective.

While the action is abundant in the film, the filmmakers lean on emotion much more than most other comic book movies. Peter’s journey back to a semblance of a normal life is well-earned, with his reconnection with MJ and Ned slow-walked in an admirably subtle way. And in the final act, when CGI battles typically take over, the interior lives of Peter and other characters play as much a role in what happens as anything they do physically.

Holland, who tends to take criticism for non-Spider-Man roles, remains the ideal actor for the role. His open-heartedness makes him relatable, his athleticism makes him believable, and he crushes the heavier moments. He and Zendaya, who are now married in real life, work tremendously well together, and Batalon is a fun third wheel. Other standouts include Bernthal, Colón-Zayas, Trammell Tillman, and Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink.

From beginning to end, Spider-Man: Brand New Day now owns the title as best movie in the current Spider-Man universe. By maintaining connections to past movies, solidly incorporating new characters, and pointing to the future without making it the whole story, it demonstrates a model for how comic book movies should be done.

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens in theaters on July 31.

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