Review: Prime Video's "CANDY CANE LANE" is an Unexpected Delight

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 52 of 2023 (No. 1941) by Leroy Douresseaux

Candy Cane Lane (2023)

Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)

MPA – PG for language throughout and some suggestive references

DIRECTOR: Reginald Hudlin

WRITER:  Kelly Younger

PRODUCERS:  Brian Grazer, Charisse M. Hewitt, Karen Lunder, and Eddie Murphy

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Newton Thomas Sigel (ASC)

EDITORS:  Kenny G. Krauss and Jim May

COMPOSER:  Marcus Miller

COMEDY/FANTASY

Starring:  Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Madison Thomas, Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, Robin Thede, David Alan Grier, Ken Marino, Timothy Simons, Danielle Pinnock, and D.C. Young Fly

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

• I watched “Candy Cane Lane” on a lark, and I did not expect much from it.  Boy, am I surprised. It is so shockingly charming and endearing that this must be some kind of Christmas magic.

• Eddie Murphy is quite good in family-oriented films, and even his fans who don't ordinarily like Murphy's family films will probably find something to like in “Candy Cane Lane”

• The story is ridiculous at times, but “Candy Cane Lane” is the best Christmas movie I have seen in a long time.  I recommend it without reservation.

Candy Cane Lane is a 2023 comedy, fantasy, and Christmas film directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Eddie Murphy.  The film is an Amazon “Prime Original” that began streaming December 1, 2023.  Candy Cane Lane focuses on a man who is so determined to win the neighborhood's annual Christmas decorating contest that he makes an unwise pact with a rogue elf.

Candy Cane Lane introduces Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy), a husband and father who crafts his own hand-carved Christmas decorations.  Every year, a local television station hosts the “Candy Cane Lane Spectacular,” a contest to judge the best decorated house.  Chris has never won, and he is jealous of his neighbor, Bruce (Ken Marino), who has won several times.

Shortly before Christmas, Chris' employer, the industrial plastics firm, Sydel Twain, lays him off.  When Chris learns that this year's Candy Cane Lane prize is $100,000, he becomes desperate to win the money for his family, although he wife, Carol Carver (Tracee Ellis Ross), has a very good job.  Chris is also oblivious to the lives of his two older children, Joy (Genneya Walton), a high school senior and track star, and Nick (Thaddeus J. Mixson), a tuba player and budding musician.

Looking for Christmas decorations and supplies, Chris and his youngest child, daughter Holly (Madison Thomas), stumble across “Kringle's,” a mysterious Christmas shop filled with all kinds of beautiful decorations, including model buildings, ceramic figures, and a strange Christmas tree.  Chris is so enchanted by all that he sees, believing that these decorations could help him win Candy Cane Lane.  He unwarily signs a deal with Kringle's eccentric shopkeeper, Pepper (Jillian Bell).  However, Pepper is more than she seems, and so is the receipt Chris signs.  Soon, he will need all the help he can get from his family and from a trio of diminutive new friends in order to keep himself out of Pepper's clutches.  And he also has some Christmas lessons to learn.

Audiences first came to know and love Eddie Murphy from his stand-up comedy career; his stint as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” (1980-84); and his R-rated comedy films, such as 48 Hrs (1982), Trading Places (1983), and Beverly Hills Cop (1983).  Much to the chagrin of the those fans, Murphy's film career as an A-list star eventually led him to make innocuous family-friends films, especially Dr. Doolittle (1998), Shrek (2001), and Daddy Day Care (2003).

Those fans will not be pleased with Candy Cane Lane.  It is a family movie, an absurd fantasy film, and a Christmas movie full of holiday lessons to learn.  For me, Candy Cane Lane is one of the best absurd movies that I have ever seen.  Its concepts and ideas are as imaginative and as inventive as they are ridiculous and preposterous, yet I find the film endlessly lovable.  Every time I tried to dismiss it, I found myself drawn ever deeper into its delicious, addictive fluffiness.  Candy Cane Lane is a true feel-good movie.  It shouldn't work, yet it works to perfection.  Considering director Reginald Hudlin's past directorial efforts, I was (and still am) shocked that he could pull of this kind of Christmas movie, which is, for the most part, a warm cup of cocoa.  If anything, Candy Cane Lane suggests that screenwriter Kelly Younger is certainly inventive.

Nick Offerman, Chris Redd, and Robin Thede are a delight in their voice roles, and David Alan Grier is sly and smooth in his surprise role.  Jillian Bell is nearly perfect as Pepper, except for a few moments that are too over the top.  I think Madison Thomas needed more screen time as Holly Carver, and Timothy Simons and Danielle Pinnock are a winning pair as TV co-hosts, Emerson and Kit.

Eddie Murphy barely breaks a sweat as Chris Carver, and neither does Tracee Ellis Ross as Carol Carver.  Still, they work well together as a screen couple at the center of this delightful family fare.  Despite what some fans may think, Eddie Murphy has the magic touch when it comes to family films.  Murphy passes on the lessons that Chris has to learn with a knowing wink and a nudge, and I was willing to buy it all.  I think I'll be watching Candy Cane Lane again, if only because, for two hours, it made me believe in that Hollywood bullshit called “Christmas magic.”

B+

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, December 10, 2023

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------------------

-----------------------------------

Review: Original "HOUSE PARTY" is Still Letting the Mutha Burn

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 of 2023 (No. 1892) by Leroy Douresseaux

House Party (1990)

Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)

MPAA – R

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Reginald Hudlin

PRODUCER:  Warrington Hudlin

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Peter Deming (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Earl Watson

COMPOSERS: Marcus Miller and Lenny White

COMEDY/MUSIC

Starring:  “Kid 'n Play”: Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin; Robin Harris, Martin Lawrence; “Full Force”: “Paul Anthony” George, Lucien “Bow-Legged Lou” George, Jr., and Brian “B-Fine” George; Tisha Campbell, A.J. Johnson; “Grove B. Chill: Gene “Groove” Allen and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell; Kelly Jo Minter, John Witherspoon, BeBe Drake, Clifton Powell, J. Jay Saunders, Barry Diamond, Michael Pniewski, and George Clinton

House Party is a 1990 comedy film from writer-director Reginald Hudlin.  The film stars the then popular hip duo, “Kid 'n Play,” and is based on Hudlin's 1983 student short film, which he made while attending Harvard University.  House Party focuses on music, romance, and the unpredictable at school night house party.

House Party also features supporting performances by three members of “Full Force,” a hip hop and R&B musical group known for singing, songwriting, and producing.  There are also two members of the hip hop duo, “Groove B. Chill,” and a cameo by noted funk musician, George Clinton.  The film also stars the late comedian Robin Harras (1953-90), who died nine days after the film's release.

House Party introduces aspiring rapper, Christopher Robinson, Jr. a.ka. “Kid” (Christopher “Kid” Reid).  He is looking forward to a house party thrown by one of his best friends, Peter Martin a.k.a “Play”(Christopher “Play” Martin).  However, while at high school, Kid has a lunchroom altercation with a bully, Stab (“Paul Anthony” George), and his two associates, Pee-Wee (Lucien “Bow-Legged Lou” George, Jr.) and Zilla (Brian “B-Fine” George).

Kid goes home and convinces his father, Christopher Robinson, Sr. a.k.a. “Pops” (Robin Harris), to let him attend the party, although it is on a school night.  After he receives a note from Kid's school about the lunchroom fight, Pops forbids Kid from attending the party as punishment.  Kid sneaks out and attends the party anyway, but his father isn't the only one he has to avoid.  Stab and the boys are ready to deliver a beat-down as soon as they find Kid.  Will Kid avoid his tormentors long enough to enjoy the party?  Which girl will Kid choose:  Sydney (Tisha Campbell) or Sharane (A.J. Johnson)?  Will Play stop annoying Bilal (Martin Lawrence), the DJ at his party?  And who will win the battle of rhymes – Kid or Play?

The National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress recently made House Party one of its 2022 selections to the  “National Film Registry.”  Films that make the registry are considered to be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

House Party certainly fits that description, perhaps on all levels.  House Party was the first African-American teen comedy to receive mainstream success, both theatrically and in home entertainment.  As a “hood movie” (a film set in an inner city, predominantly African-American neighborhood), it shares elements with other other hood films:  police harassment, school violence, “the projects,” single-parent homes, working class homes, poverty, etc.  However, House Party is straight comedy, and what other “hood movies” treat as high drama or as teary melodrama, House Party plays for humor.  For instance, the character Sharane is “from the projects,” but she lives in an apartment in a nicely appointed Section 8 complex with her quiet, extended family.  Also, the two white police officers that vex Kid and Stab, Pee-Wee and Zilla are mostly harmless, although the film does suggest that they do physically abuse some of the characters off-camera.

Despite the fact that the film was released almost 33 years ago and was likely filmed almost 34 years ago, House Party still seems fresh.  Perhaps, that is because the film is filled with authentic examples of the African-American pop culture of the time.  The fashions, hairstyles, dancing, music, and dialogue are more treasures (sans the edginess) from a time capsule than than they are remnants from a bygone era.

This recent viewing was the first time in about 30 years that I had watched the film in its entirety, and I discovered that I still love the cast today as much as I did then.  Some, like Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, and Darryl “Chill” Mitchell, have had long careers in television.  Others, like Kid 'n Play, left their heyday behind decades ago, which is a shame.  As “Kid 'n Play,” Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin were personable and had excellent chemistry together.  I think media companies never really tapped into their potential as media stars.  It is also a little sad to wonder what would have been with Robin Harris in regards to the House Party sequels.

At that time, however, the entire cast came together and worked like a well-oiled machine.  House Party's infectious and exuberant soundtrack provides the perfect backdrop to writer-director Reginald Hudlin's lighthearted, but energetic comic romp.  The plot is fairly routine, but the execution is what makes this film really work.  Maybe, what makes House Party “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” is that it was and still is a fresh look at Black teens who party hard and squabble often without anyone getting a cap popped in his or her ass.  House Party still seems unique, and I can attest that it is still a blast to watch.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, January 12, 2023

NOTES:

2022 National Film Preservation Board:  1 win:  “National Film Registry”

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-----------------------------------

------------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 17th to 23rd, 2022 - Update #17

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SDCC - From Variety: "John Wick 4" has a new trailer and a release date, March 24, 2023.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Jordan Peele's latest film, "Nope," grosses 6.4 million dollars in Thursday night preview sales.  The film opens wide today (Fri., July 22nd).

SDCC - From Deadline:  What to expect at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, including a list of panels.

CELEBRITY - From Variety:  A look at movie star salaries - from Tom Cruise's one million plus payday for "Top Gun: Maverick" to 20 million to Joaquin Phoenix for "Joker 2."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  The sequel to the 2021 "Mortal Kombat" film (a reboot of the 1990s film series) is moving forward.  Director Simon McQuiod is returning for the sequel.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Paramount Pictures unveils first looks at actors in costumes for "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."

SCANDAL - From Variety:  The attorney for Oscar-winning director, Roman Polanski, has indicated that he will try to resolve the director's rape case (involving a then 13-year-old girl) that has dogged Polanski for 45 years.

MOVIES - From Variety:  The character, "John Wick," was originally supposed to be 75 years old ... then, came Keanu.

MOVIES - From Variety:  "Dune: Part Two" has begun filming.  Warner Bros. and Legendary have also released a synopsis and full cast list.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Eddie Murphy will star in and Reginald Hudlin will direct the holiday comedy, "Candy Cane Lane."

BREAKING - From Deadline:  A crew member for the NBC series, "Law & Order: Organized Crime" was shot and killed early this morning (Tues., 7/19).

MOVIES - From LATimes:  Actor Sylvester Stallone tells the producers of his  Oscar-winning film, "Rocky," that he wants "what's left of my rights back."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/15 to 7/17/2022 weekend box office is Marvel Studios' "Thor: Love and Thunder" with an estimated take of 46 million dollars.

From Here:  Negromancer's review of "Thor: Love and Thunder."

MOVIES - From THR:  The July 15th, 2022 issue of "The Hollywood Reporter" has a cover profile of Oscar-winning actor, Daniel Kaluuya.

------------------

BRITTNEY GRINER:

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple.

UVALDE, TEXAS MASS SHOOTING:

From YahooAP:  An 18-year-old gunman slaughtered 19 children and two teachers on Tues., May 24th, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas.  All 21 victims were in the same 4th grade classroom at Robb Elementary.

From TexasTribune:  The Texas House of Representatives has released its "Robb Elementary Investigative Committee Report," concerning the massacre of 19 children at two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. They found that the "systematic failures" went far beyond the local police.

From RSN:  At a school board meeting, parents in Uvalde Texas demanded better school security and also demanded that Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo be fired.

From TheDailyBeast:  Texas's top law enforcement official, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McGraw, has said that the school shooter in Uvalde, Texas could have been taken down in three minutes.

From TheDailyBeast:  Police officers responding to last month’s mass shooting at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school never even tried to open the door to the classroom where young children were trapped with the gunman, according to a new report. 

From Jacobin:  "The Uvalde Massacre has exposed the lies that once justified police militarization" by Branko Marcetic

From Truthout:  We don’t need more evidence that police can’t be trusted.

From Truthout:   44 percent of GOP voters view mass shootings as part of living in “Free Society”

From ABCNews:  Arnulfo Reyes, a teacher who survived the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, calls the local police "cowards" because of slow response to an active shooter at his school, Robb Elementary.  All of 11 students in his class were killed.

From DallasNews:  Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of the two teachers killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, has died of a heart attack two days after the murder of his wife.  They had been married for 24 years and had been high school sweethearts.

From Axios:  Texas gubernatorial candidate, Beto O'Rourke, interrupted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's gaslighting press conference on the Uvalde elementary school mass shooting.

From USAToday:  Beto O'Rourke's outburst at Gov. Greg Abbott's Uvalde news conference shows the spine Democrats need.

From BostonGlobe:  Steve Kerr, head coach of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, asks "When are we going to do something?"

From NBCNews:  A Robb Elementary teacher describes "the longest 35 minutes of my life" and the terror she now feels.

From NBCNews:  The Uvalde school district had an extensive safety plan, but 19 children were killed at Robb Elementary anyway.  Even security plans that appear to be up to the latest research-based standards may have gaps and fall short of preventing the worst-case scenario, experts said.

From MSN:  Angeli Rose Gomez, the mother who was handcuffed outside Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, was able to get inside the school and rescue her two children.

From YahooNews:   Daniel Defense, the maker of the rifles used by the Uvalde massacre killer, has used "incendiary ads" in the past, including one in which a toddler holds one of its rifles.

From TheIntercept:  The police aren't obligated to protect anyone NOT in their custody, as the Supreme Court has ruled twice.

From RollingStone:  Right wing lies about the Second Amendment and why they tell them are killing America's childrne.

From Vice:  The law enforcement personnel in Texas that arrived at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on Tues., May 24th did the opposite of what their own training documentary videos show.

From Vox:  Uvalde police keep changing their story.

From TheDailyBeast:  The families in Uvalde, Texas who lost loved one in the Robb Elementary massacre say that the cops there are "Nothing more than cowards" and that they need to pay for doing nothing while a gunman rampaged through the school last Tues, May 24th.

From TheNewYorker:  Thoughts and prayers, Uvalde, Texas. This is the America that Republicans and the right wing have being thinking about and praying for all these decades.

From ABC:  Sources say that Uvalde police and school district no longer cooperating with Texas probe of shooting of the May 24th massacre of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.

From GuardianUK:  Canada plans to freeze all handgun ownership.

From RSNWashPost:  Is it time to show the true horror of mass shooting - in pictures?

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mother who rescued her two children from the Robb Elementary shooting massacre, says that a police officer threatened to arrest her if she did not stop telling her story.

From RSNTheAtlantic:  The Uvalde police chose dishonor. Where was there courage?

From RSNWashPost:  Brenda Bell:  I hid from the Texas Tower sniper (Charles Joseph Whitman) in 1966. His successors have found us all.

From RSNTheIntercept:  "AR-15s Were Made to Explode Human Bodies. In Uvalde, the Bodies Belonged to Children" by Murtaza Hussain

From RSNNPR:  The tragic history of police responding too late to active shooters.

From VICE:  There is likely bodycam footage of the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, but the public may never see it.

BLM-BUFFALO:

From ABCNews:  A 18-year-old white MAN shot 13 people, killing 10 at a Buffalo, New York Tops Friendly Markets supermarket on Saturday, May 14, 2021.

From RSNAP:  The white male suspect in the Buffalo Tops Supermarket shooting, Payton Gendron, was charged with federal hate crimes on Wed., June 15th and could face the death penalty if convicted.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo at the Tops Friendly supermarket was crafted to terrorize us.  We can fight back, and here’s how we fight back.

From WGRZ:  Who are the victims of the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets grocery store shooting. This comes from local station WGRZ Channel 2 and includes video and some victim photos.

From BuffaloNews:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Katherine "Kat" Massey.  She was a leader in her community and civil rights activist and advocate for education.

From NewYorkPost:  One of the 10 Black murder victims of the Buffalo massacre was Andre Mackniel. He was at TOPS Supermaket to pick up a birthday cake for his son.

From Truthout:  The racist attack in Buffalo, NY at the Tops supermarket was crafted to terrorize us, so here is how we fight back.

From CNN:  What is known about the 18-year-old MAN, Payton Gendron.

From NPR:  198 mass shooting this year ... so far.

From Truthout:  White supremacist massacre of 10 people in Buffalo, NY shows that the “Alt-Right” ideology leads to murder.

From RollingStone:  Buffalo rampage killing is "Straight Up Racially Motivated Hate Crime."

From InformedComment:  Rene Binet, the originator the "great replacement" was a French Nazi, and he saw all American as "Negroes," an "impure mestizo 'race'."

From WashPost:  Only 22 people saw the live-stream of a white terrorist kill Black shoppers at the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets supermarket, but millions have seen it since...

From GuardianUK:  Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shooter may have been motivated by "eco-fascism," a focus on overpopulation and environmental degradation.

From RSN:  "What Lessons Have We Learned From the Buffalo Shooting?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

From Truthout:  “Innocent” White People Are Also Complicit in the Anti-Black Murders in Buffalo by George Yancy.

From Truthout:  "Black Lives Matter" cofounder discovered that Alicia Garza has learned that her name is mentioned in the Buffalo Tops supermarket killer's manifesto.

From GuardianUK:   Cornell West says, "Trump isn't out there with a gun, but he's enabled this war against Black people.

From Slate:  From the Tulsa Race Massacre to the Buffalo Tops Friendly Markets shootings: the legacy of anti-Black violence.

From Truthout:  After mass shootings, Republicans shield white supremacists from scrutiny

From MSN:  Angeli Gomez, the Uvalde mom who rescued her children from the school shooting at Robb Elementary, says that local police have threatened to have her arrested if she does not stop telling her story.

Comics Review: "STATIC SEASON ONE #1: is a Return of the Cool

STATIC (SEASON ONE) #1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/Milestone Media

STORY: Vita Ayala
LAYOUTS: ChrisCross
FINISHES: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
COLORS: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Chris Conroy
PRODUCERS: Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan for Milestone Media
COVER: Khary Randolph with Emilio Lopez
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Shawn Martinbrough with Chris Sotomayor; Nikolas Draper-Ivey; Denys Cowan with Brad Anderson; Olivier Coipel with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S., (August 2021)

Rating: 13+

Milestone and Static created by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle

Episode One: Trial by Fire

Milestone Comics was the publishing division of Milestone Media, and its comic book titles were published and distributed by DC Comics.  Milestone was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, consisting of Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle.  Milestone Media's founders believed that minorities were severely underrepresented in American comic books and wished to address this.  In 1993, Milestone Media launched its first four titles Icon, Blood Syndicate, Static, and Hardware, but DC Comics ceased publication of all Milestone Comics titles in 1997.

Static, Milestone's most popular superhero character, first appeared in Static #1 (cover dated: June 1993).  Static is Virgil Ovid Hawkins, an African-American teenage boy who is a member of a subspecies of humans with superhuman abilities known as “metahumans.”  Static's origin has changed since he first debuted, and now, he has gained his powers after an incident exposed him to a radioactive chemical, making Virgil capable of electromagnetic control and generation.

Both Milestone and Static are back with the launch of the new comic books series, Static (Season One), also known as Static: Season One.  The series is written by Vita Ayala; drawn by ChrisCross (layouts) and Nikolas Draper-Ivey (finishes); colored by Draper-Ivey; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The new comic book focuses on a bullied nerd who gains super-powers, only to discover that his enemy has also gained powers.

Static: Season One #1 (“Trial by Fire”) opens in Dakota City, USA in the aftermath of the “Big Bang.”  That incident happened at a “Black Lives Matter” rally that turned insane when the police released an experimental tear gas on the protesters.  Some people were maimed or died; others gained  stunning new abilities and powers.  Bullied nerd, 16-year-old Virgil Hawkins, gained powers.

Virgil has power inside him now, real power that he constantly hears and feels buzzing inside him.  He has the ability to channel and manipulate electromagnetic fields, but Virgil also has anger burning inside him.  One of his classmates, the bully Francis Stone, has already felt Virgil's power.  But Francis, who calls himself “Hotstreak,” also has power inside him, and he is ready for some payback.

THE LOWDOWN:  In the original 1990s Static, Virgil Ovid Hawkins was essentially a 1990s, African-American version of the early 1960s teenage Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Like that classic character, Virgil/Static struggled at becoming a superhero and had to deal with what it did to his life.

Writer Vita Ayala and artists ChrisCross Nikolas Draper-Ivey present a Virgil Hawkins who is a Black teenager coming of age in this era of protests that was launched by the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, (May 25, 2020), murdered by the hands (and knee) of a White police officer.

Ayala presents Virgil as an African-American teen who may be bullied, but does not even understand the idea that he should defer, know his place, or be a second class citizen.  Will he fight back against those who attack him or turn the other cheek … or is there an entirely different path that others have not imagined?  After reading this first issue, I feel that Ayala is going to take us, dear readers, on a journey of questions and answers, but one also filled with superhero action.

The compositions and colors by Nikolas Draper-Ivey remind me of the quirky animation of the 2018 film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, crackling with eye-popping colors and striking graphics.  It is as if Nikolas wants us to feeling the shimmering, crackling, and buzzing inside Virgil.  ChrisCross (layouts) and Draper-Ivey move the story through this issue like an electric charge running along a line, and for the final page, Cross/Nikolas gives us a … static shock.  The drama, tension, and conflict practically bleed off the page.

I thought that I would like Static: Season One #1, but I am surprised by how much I like it.  By the end, I could have read another forty pages.  If Milestone fans were unsure about moving on, this first issue will make them happy for this re-imagining of a Black superhero for the BLM generation.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Milestone Comics will want Static Season One.

A

[This comic book has a tribute from Denys Cowan and Chris Conroy to the late comic book artist, John Paul Leon (1972-2021), who drew the first Static comic book.  This comic book also includes a “DC Nation” “Spotlight On” interview with Joshua Williamson about Infinite Frontier #1.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/definitelyvita
https://twitter.com/chryslus
https://twitter.com/NikDraperIvey
https://twitter.com/DakotaUniverse
http://milestone.media/
https://www.instagram.com/milestone.media/
https://www.dccomics.com/
https://twitter.com/DCComics
https://www.facebook.com/dccomics
https://www.youtube.com/user/DCEntertainmentTV
https://www.pinterest.com/dccomics/
https://www.periscope.tv/DCComics/1ZkKzezXwZdxv


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

--------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "MILESTONE RETURNS: Infinite Edition #0

MILESTONE RETURNS: INFINITE EDITION 0
DC COMICS/Milestone Media

COVER: Denys Cowan with Chris Sotomayor
EDITORS: Chris Conroy; Mark Doyle and Jim Chadwick
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S., (July 2021)

Rating: 13+

Milestone created by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle

Milestone Comics was the publishing division of Milestone Media, and its comic book titles were published and distributed by DC Comics.  Milestone was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, consisting of Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle.  Milestone Media's founders believed that minorities were severely underrepresented in American comic books and wished to address this.  In 1993, Milestone Media launched its first four titles Icon, Blood Syndicate, Static, and Hardware.  DC Comics ceased publication of all Milestone Comics titles in 1997.

There have been rumors, even press releases, saying that Milestone Comics was returning, especially the past several years.  Finally, Milestone returned in Milestone Returns: Fandome Preview, a 17-page, online digital comic that was a primer story.  It was released September 12, 2021 during one of DC's “FanDome” events.  DC Comics recently combined the contents in Milestone Returns: Fandome Preview with a new 24-page story, “The Big Bang,” to create the one-shot comic book, Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition 0 (or Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition Zero).  I'll review the two sections separately.

“The Big Bang”
STORY: Reginald Hudlin
LAYOUTS: Denys Cown
PENCILS: Denys Cowan; ChrisCross
FINISHES: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
INKS: Bill Sienkiewicz; Juan Castro
COLORS: Nikolas Draper-Ivey; Chris Sotomayor; Wil Quintana
LETTERS: Andworld Design

Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition 0 opens with “The Big Bang.”  It is a retelling or re-imagining of “the Big Bang,” the event in which the superheroes of the Milestone Comics' “Dakota Universe” received their powers.

It begins with a “Black Lives Matter” protest in the city of Dakota.  It ends when the police shot canisters filled with an untested chemical at the protesters.  Bullied teen, Virgil Ovid Hawkins, is one of the BLM protesters exposed to the chemicals, and now he has strange powers.  Virgil isn't the only one with strange new powers, and some of those other kids are his bullies.

Meanwhile, Curtis “Curt” Metcalf, a famed scientist at Alva Industries prepares to take the blame for the use of those chemicals, so he will go on the run – as the super-weapon, Hardware.  Elsewhere, an alien stranded on Earth meets the ambitious young woman who will transform his life.  Together, they become the superhero duo, “Icon and Rocket.”  Plus, a leader steps forward.

THE LOWDOWN:  Beginning this month (June 2021), DC Comics will launch three six-issue Milestone titles, Static: Season One, Icon and Rocket: Season One; Hardware: Season One.  “The Big Bang” introduces the events of the Big Bang: the police-brutality protest gone wrong that changes the face of the city of Dakota forever by unleashing a wave of superpowers across its population.

The only original Milestone Comics titles that I read on a monthly basis were Hardware and Static.  At the time, Static read like something relevant and of the moment.  That was the opposite of the contemporary mainstream, superhero comic books that DC Comics was then publishing, which seemed focused on continuity and internal fictional mythology of the “DC Universe.”  Dakota, the setting of Static, seemed like a real city where people lived real, day to day struggles.  Even with the introduction of superheroes, Dakota felt less like fantasy and more like contemporary urban world.

“The Big Bang” doesn't feel as gritty and real as the original Static.  Still, the year 2020 was marked by the “Black Lives Matter,” anti-police violence, civil rights, and human rights protests that took off in the wake of the death of George Floyd (May 25, 2020), an African-American man murdered by a white police officer.  “The Big Bang” uses the protests of 2020 as its launching point, and that includes the protests of the police-killing of a black woman, Breonna Taylor (March 13, 2020), in her apartment.  So rather than feel real world, “The Big Bang” is connected to the real world, which I think makes its superhero fantasy relevant.

“Milestone Returns: Fandome Preview”

STORY: Reginald Hudlin
PENCILS: Jim Lee; Ryan Benjamin; Denys Cowan; Khoi Pham
INKS: Jim Lee; Ryan Benjamin; Jimmy Palmiotti; Don Ho, Bill Sienkiewicz; Scott Hanna
COLORS: Alex Sinclair; Hi-Fi; Chris Sotomayor
LETTERS: Andworld Design

The second half of Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition Zero reprints the contents of “Milestone Returns: Fandome Preview,” the digital FanDome comic.  “Fandome Preview” is comprised of six vignette segments that act as origin stories or introductions to what will be the core titles of the new Milestone:  Static, Icon and Rocket, and Hardware.

THE LOWDOWN:  Overall, I can say that if you, dear readers, are previously familiar with Milestone Comics, “Milestone Returns: Fandome Preview” will make sense to you, to one extent or another.  That is also the case with “The Big Bang” story.  I did find myself clueless about several aspects of both stories and some characters.  I like the art in both sections, especially anything drawn by the great Denys Cowan, as well as ChrisCross and Ryan Benjamin.

I am ecstatic that Milestone Comics is back.  So you might want to take the following recommendation with a proverbial grain of salt:  buy Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition Zero.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Milestone Comics will want Milestone Returns: Infinite Edition 0.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/DakotaUniverse
http://milestone.media/
https://www.instagram.com/milestone.media/
https://www.dccomics.com/
https://twitter.com/DCComics
https://www.facebook.com/dccomics
https://www.youtube.com/user/DCEntertainmentTV
https://www.pinterest.com/dccomics/
https://www.periscope.tv/DCComics/1ZkKzezXwZdxv


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------

#28DaysofBlack Review: Heroes Abound in "MARSHALL"

[The year after he first played Marvel Comics superhero, Black Panther, the late Chadwick Boseman played real-life hero, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, early in his career when he was a defense attorney defending oppressed African-Americans.  There is something about playing both Thurgood Marshall and the Black Panther that makes an actor special.  That is why some of us both mourn Boseman's passing and celebrate his work.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 of 2021 (No. 1753) by Leroy Douresseaux

Marshall (2017)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hours, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexuality, violence and some strong language
DIRECTOR:  Reginald Hudlin
WRITERS:  Michael Koskoff and Jacob Koskoff
PRODUCERS:  Reginald Hudlin, Jonathan Sanger, and Paula Wagner
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Newton Thomas Sigel (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Tom McArdle
COMPOSER:  Marcus Miller
Academy Award nominee

BIOPIC/DRAMA/HISTORICAL/THRILLER

Starring:  Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, James Cromwell, Sterling K. Brown, Keesha Sharp, John Magaro, Roger Guenveur Smith, Ahna O'Reilly, Jeremy Bobb, Derrick Baskin, Jeffrey DeMunn, Andra Day, Sophia Bush, Jussie Smollett, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas

Marshall is a 2017 biographical film, period drama, and legal thriller directed by Reginald Hudlin.  The film's lead character is Thurgood Marshall (1908 to 1993), the first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.  Marshall the film focuses on one of the first cases of his career, the State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell, which concerns an African-American chauffeur accused of raping a white woman in 1940.

Marshall opens in 1941.  Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) is an attorney for the “NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund,” which he founded.  Marshall travels the country defending people who are accused of crimes solely because of their race.  Upon his return to his New York office, Marshall finds more work waiting for him.  Walter Francis White (Roger Guenveur Smith), Executive Secretary of the NAACP, sends Marshall to Bridgeport, Connecticut.  There, he will defend Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), a chauffeur accused of rape by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson), in a case that has gripped the newspapers.

In Bridgeport, insurance lawyer, Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), is assigned by his brother, Irwin Friedman (John Magaro), to get Marshall admitted to the local bar, against Sam's will.  At the hearing for Spell, Judge Carl Foster (James Cromwell), a friend of the father of prosecutor Lorin Willis (Dan Stevens), agrees to admit Marshall, but forbids Marshall from speaking during the trial, forcing Friedman to be Spell's lead counsel.  Now, Marshall must guide Friedman through the trial via notes, but is this case a lost cause when Thurgood and Sam discover that it is rife with lies – on both sides.

Marshall is technically a biographical film, focusing on a specific period in the life and career of future Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall.  Early in the film, however, it is obvious that director Reginald Hudlin has his mind on making Marshall a film that resembles a 1940s film noir with elements of a legal drama and a crime thriller.  The audience can hear that in Marcus Miller's lovely film score and in the way Hudlin stages the action, uses space, and places the actors.

In one of the film's early moments, when Marshall has his back to the camera and is ironing a shirt, I immediately thought of my favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart, and one of his most famous roles, that of Sam Space in director John Huston's The Maltese Falcon (1941).  From that point, there is hardly a setting in which Marshall's life does not seem to be in danger.  Hudlin races his audience through a movie that seems to be shorter than its almost two hours of run time.  Is Marshall a courtroom drama?  Yes, and it is also a courtroom thriller with a mystery at its center.

I do wish the father-son screenwriting team of Michael Koskoff and Jacob Koskoff had given the script  more depth, as the narrative is mostly style and genre.  There is also a lack of depth in the  characterization, and the characters are a bit shallow.  As hard as actor Sterling K. Brown tries, he can't seem to really draw anything from the well of defendant Joseph Spell's soul.  Spell comes across as more of a stand-in than an actual portrait of a man whose life is on the line.

The very talented Josh Gad is able to give a lot of color to Sam Friedman, playing as a subtly wily man who is able to navigate his way between conflicting sides.  Kate Hudson, mostly known for romantic comedies, shows some serious dramatic chops as the trapped suburban wife and alleged victim, Eleanor Strubing.  As usual, Roger Guenveur Smith is spry, this time as the real-life Walter Francis Wright.

Of course, in the wake of his 2020 death to complications of colon cancer, Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall will be the center of attention in the film, Marshall, going forward.  Despite a lack of characterization in the film's script, Boseman turns Marshall into a relentless paladin, traveling the countryside fighting the forces of white bigotry and racism.  His field of battle is the courtroom, and black men falsely accused because they are black are the people he defends.  Boseman makes me believe that he is a stubborn attorney and hero in an old-fashioned courtroom drama.  He also makes me believe that he is a superhero, almost a year before he became the beloved Black Panther of Disney/Marvel Studios' Oscar-winning film, Black Panther.

Marshall convinces me that Thurgood Marshall was both a heroic lawyer and a superhero.  The film also convinces me that Boseman was the best at bringing the most famous African-American men to life on the big screen.  Plus, Marshall is a really good movie.

8 of 10
A

Monday, February 15, 2021


NOTES:
2018 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures-Original Song” (Common and Diane Warren for song “Stand Up for Something”)

2018 Black Reel Awards:  7 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Jonathan Sanger, Paula Wagner, and Reginald Hudlin), “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (Chadwick Boseman), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture” (Reginald Hudlin), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Victoria Thomas-Casting Director), “Outstanding Score” (Marcus Miller-Composer), “Outstanding Original Song” (Andra Day-Performer, Common-Performer, Writer, and Diane Warren-Writer for the song “Stand Up for Something”), and “Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male” (Sterling K. Brown)

2018 Image Awards (NAACP):  5 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Chadwick Boseman), “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Sterling K. Brown), “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Keesha Sharp), “and  “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture” (Reginald Hudlin)

The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

---------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 8th to 14th, 2020 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 and Hollywood and Beyond:

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From Variety:  Universal Pictures has stopped production on all its live-action films due to the coronavirus.

From YahooEntertainment:  Tom Hanks, who is quarantined in a hospital with his wife Rita Wilson, posted a positive message about have coronavirus COVID-19.  "There is no crying in baseball," he says in reference to his film, "A League of Their Own."

From YahooSports:  The IOC and Japan's Olympics minister insist that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is still happening, Friday, July 24th to Sunday, August 9th.

From Deadline:  The National Basketball Association (NBA) suspends its current 2019-2020 season during to coronavirus fears.

TOM HANKS - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and producer Rita Wilson, who are also a Hollywood power couple, have tested positive for the coronavirus, COVID-19, while in Australia working on Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

########################

DISNEY - From Variety:  Disney shuts down production on most of its live-action films, including Marvel's "Shang-Chi" and Ridley Scott's "The Last Duel."

----------
SPORTS-CRIME - From BET:  Back in July 1993, James Jordan, Jr. was murdered.  He was the father of NBA champion and pro basketball legend, Michael Jordan.  One of the two men who were sentenced to life for the crime, Larry Demery, is up for parole.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  The horror film franchise, Scream, is getting a reboot, and the directors of the cult horror film, "Ready or Not" (2019), will helm the film.

----------
SCANDAL - From Deadline:  Former Hollywood mogul and Oscar-winning film producer ("Shakespeare in Love") Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison by New York Supreme Court Judge James Burke.  Judge Burke also ordered Weinstein to register as a sex offender.

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Shout! Factory has struck a distribution deal with Stephen J. Cannell Productions for its extensive catalog which is comprised of 900 hours of TV series and movies.  Shout! will distribute the library to broadcast and streaming platforms across territories.

----------
POLITICS - From TheWrap:  Actress Rosario Dawson says that she voted for Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary election the same day that her boyfriend, Senator Cory Booker, endorsed Sanders' rival, Vice-President Joe Biden.

----------
SCANDAL - From Variety:  Harvey Weinstein once emailed a reporter that "Jennifer Aniston should be killed" after a false report that Weinstein had sexually assaulted the actress.

----------
MOVIES - From BlackFilm:  Director Reginald Hudlin talks about celebrating the 30th anniversary of his classic film, "House Party," which his brother, Warrington Hudline, produced.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway" is the latest film to have its release dates, domestic and international, altered due to fears of the coronavirus, "COVID-19."

----------
SPORTS - From Deadline:  Tom Brady enters the Hollywood content game by launching "199 Productions," a multi-platform content company.  Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 3/6 to 3/8/2020 weekend box office is Pixar's "Onward" with an estimated total of 40 million dollars.

From Variety:  The Oscar-winning South Korean film, "Parasite," is now the high-grossing foreign language film in the United Kingdom, grossing 11.5 million pounds since its release there.

From Deadline:  At the specialty (art house) box office, the film "First Cow" led the pack with an estimated take of $96,059.

----------
JAMES BOND - From THR:  MGM to take a loss of $30 million because it has moved the next Bond film, "No Time to Die," from an April release to November over coronavirus fears.

----------
STREAMING - From Variety:  Luke Evans and Josh Gad will return for a prequel series to Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast," which will stream on Disney+.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:   Director James Wan ("Aquaman") is working on a movie "inspired" by Universal Pictures' "Universal Monsters" legacy.   Wan will produce, but there are few other details.

TRAILER:

From YouTube:  This is the first official trailer for Disney/Pixar's "Soul" (March 12, 2020), which is due in theaters, June 19th.

OBITS:

From Variety:  The actor R.D. Call has died at the age of 70, Tuesday, March 10, 2020.  Call appeared in several films that either starred Sean Penn or were directed by him, including "At Close Range" (1986) and "Colors" (1988) to "Into the Wild" (2007).  He also appeared in such TV series as "Walker, Texas Ranger," "The X-Files," and "Castle."

From Variety:  The Swedish-born actor, Max von Sydow, has died at the age of 90, Sunday, March 8, 2020.  Sydow is best known for the 11 films he made with legendary Swedish director, Ingmar Bergman, in particularly, "The Seventh Seal," in which von Sydow portrayed a knight playing chess against Death.  He also appeared in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."  Von Sydow received two Oscar nominations for his work in the films, "Pelle the Conqueror" (Best Actor) and "Extremely  Loud & Incredibly Close" (Best Supporting Actor).

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 3, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

NOV170908    ASTONISHING X-MEN #7 LEG    $3.99
NOV170991    BLACK BOLT #9 LEG    $3.99
OCT171002    BLACK PANTHER ADVENTURES DIGEST TP    $9.99
OCT170998    BLACK PANTHER BY HUDLIN TP VOL 02 COMPLETE COLLECTION    $39.99
NOV170938    CAPTAIN AMERICA #697 LEG WW    $3.99
OCT171001    COLOR YOUR OWN BLACK PANTHER TP    $9.99
JUL171192    DEADPOOL & CO OMNIBUS HC    $125.00
JUL171190    DEADPOOL WORLDS GREATEST HC VOL 03    $34.99
OCT170816    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY LH #150 LEG    $4.99
NOV170979    HAWKEYE #14 LEG    $3.99
NOV171008    ICEMAN #9 LEG    $3.99
OCT171015    INHUMANS BEWARE THE INHUMANS TP    $34.99
NOV170969    IRON FIST #76 LEG    $3.99
JUL171193    MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE GUIDEBOOK ALL CONNECTED HC    $24.99
NOV170889    PHOENIX RESURRECTION RETURN JEAN GREY #2 (OF 5) HUGO CONNECT    $3.99
NOV170891    PHOENIX RESURRECTION RETURN JEAN GREY #2 (OF 5) LEE JEAN GRE    $3.99
NOV170888    PHOENIX RESURRECTION RETURN JEAN GREY #2 (OF 5) LEG    $3.99
NOV170915    RISE OF BLACK PANTHER #1 (OF 6) LEG    $3.99
NOV170920    RISE OF BLACK PANTHER #1 (OF 6) MOVIE VAR LEG    $3.99
NOV170932    ROGUE & GAMBIT #1 (OF 5) LEG    $3.99
JUL171191    SPIDER-GWEN HC VOL 02    $34.99
NOV170960    SPIDER-MAN #236 LEG    $3.99
OCT171005    SPIDER-MAN DEADPOOL TP VOL 04 SERIOUS BUSINESS    $15.99
NOV171027    STAR WARS #41    $3.99
NOV170996    X-MEN GOLD #19 LEG    $3.99
NOV171016    X-MEN GRAND DESIGN #2 (OF 2)    $5.99
NOV171017    X-MEN GRAND DESIGN #2 (OF 2) PISKOR CHARACTER VAR    $5.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 1, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

SEP170958    ASTONISHING X-MEN #5    $3.99
SEP170900    AVENGERS #673 LEG    $3.99
AUG171036    AVENGERS BY BENDIS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 03    $39.99
SEP170951    BLACK BOLT #7    $3.99
AUG171042    BLACK PANTHER BY HUDLIN TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION    $39.99
SEP170802    CAPTAIN AMERICA #695 LEG    $3.99
MAY170937    DEADPOOL AND X-FORCE OMNIBUS HC    $100.00
AUG171017    DEADPOOL WORLDS GREATEST TP VOL 10 SECRET EMPIRE    $17.99
AUG171032    GENERATION X TP VOL 01 NATURAL SELECTION    $17.99
SEP170868    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #146 LEG    $3.99
SEP170934    ICEMAN #7 LEG    $3.99
SEP170952    INHUMANS ONCE FUTURE KINGS #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
SEP170953    INHUMANS ONCE FUTURE KINGS #4 (OF 5) NOTO CHARACTER VAR    $3.99
SEP170916    IRON FIST #74 LEG    $3.99
AUG178500    LEGACY FREE NOVEMBER PREVIEWS SPOTLIGHT (BUNDLES OF 25) (NET    $5.00
JUL171194    MARVELS THOR RAGNAROK ART OF MOVIE SLIPCASE HC    $50.00
SEP170962    OLD MAN LOGAN #30    $3.99
SEP170946    PETER PARKER SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #6    $3.99
SEP170891    POWER PACK #63 CHRISTOPHER TRADING CARD VAR LEG    $3.99
SEP170889    POWER PACK #63 LEG    $3.99
AUG178699    SPIDER-GWEN #24 2ND PTG RODRIGUEZ VAR    $3.99
SEP170809    SPIDER-MAN #234 LEG    $3.99
MAY170936    SPIDER-MAN CLONE SAGA OMNIBUS HC VOL 02    $125.00
SEP170973    STAR WARS DARTH VADER #7    $3.99
MAY170940    UNCANNY INHUMANS HC VOL 02    $34.99

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 18th to 24th, 2017 - Update #23

Support Leroy on Patreon.

TELEVISION - From Grist:  As John Oliver predicted, a coal tycoon is suing him.

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  SPOILER - A familiar face from "Transformers" movies past makes a cameo in "Transformers: The Last Knight."

----------
BLM - From TIME:  Jay Z on How the bail system exploits black and brown people.

----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports:  The inside story of how Lonzo Ball became a Los Angeles Lakers.

----------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  As a baby, Henry J. Deutschendorf II along with his twin brother, William, played the role of "Baby Oscar" in "Ghostbusters II" (1989).  Last week, Henry took his own life.

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooMovies:  In his new memoir, actor Curtis Armstrong ("Booger" from "Revenge of the Nerds") talks about his wild summer with Tom Cruise in 1982 while filming 1983's "Risky Business."

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooNews:  2 holdouts on the jury prevented guilty verdicts for Bill Cosby.

-----------
STAR WARS - From Variety:  Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were fired from "young Han Solo" film because they clashed with Lucasfilm boss, Kathleen Kennedy, among others.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  One of the most famous American comic books of all time, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's "Watchmen," became one of the worst films ever based on a comic book.  Now, HBO wants to turn it into a TV series.

----------
OBIT - From YahooMusic:  Albert Johnson a.k.a. "Prodigy" of the beloved rap/Hip-Hop duo, Mobb Deep, has died at the age of 42, Tuesday, June 20, 2017.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Three-time Oscar winning actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, has announced through his spokeswoman that he is retiring from acting.  He has one film left to be released, a film by Paul Thomas Anderson, due for December 2017.

----------
BLM - From StLouisPostDispatch:  The family of Mike Brown, the unarmed Black teen killed by a policeman in Ferguson, Missouri, are close to a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit their attorney filed against the city and elements within the police department.

----------
MUSIC - From BET:  Jay-Z may be changing his name again.

TELEVISION - From Variety:  The team behind the Emmy-winning BBC series, "Sherlock" (starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman) are developing a new take on "Dracula."

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Leaked emails reveal Johnny Depp's dire financial situation.

----------
MOVIES - From Collider:  Synopsis and cast of "Godzilla 2" revealed, as filming begins in Atlanta.

----------
STAR WARS - From Popsugar:  Carrie Fisher, known to fans as "Leia Organa," had multiple drugs in her system when she died last December at the age of 60.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the Father's Day weekend (6/16 to 6/18/2017) box office is Pixar's "Cars 3" with an estimated take of $53.5 million.

From YahooMovies:  "Cars 3" knocks "Wonder Woman" out of first place at the weekend box office, and Tupac Shakur biopic has a strong start.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  Reginald Hudlin has announced that he will direct and film adaptation of the Valiant Entertainment comic book, "Shadowman."

-----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Leonardo DiCaprio surrendered a Picasso painting, a Basquiat collage, a Diane Arbus photograph, and the Oscar Marlon Brando won for his performance in “On the Waterfront," to the U.S. Justice Department as part of a Malaysian money laundering probe.

----------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Ben Kingsley will play Nazi Adolf Eichmann and Oscar Isaac will play the man who eventually captured him, Peter Malkin, in the MGM film "Operation Finale," from director Chris Weitz.

----------
OBIT - From THR:  Actor Stephen Furst died at the age of 63, Friday, June 16, 2017.  His breakout film role was in the film, "Animal House" (1978), and he starred on the NBC medical drama, "St. Elsewhere" (1982-1988).

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Apparently, Beyonce and Jay-Z have welcomed twins babies into the world.

I Reads You Comics Review: Black Panther #1

BLACK PANTHER No. 1 (2005)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Reginald Hudlin
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Klaus Janson
COLORS: Dean White
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
COVER:  John Romita, Jr. and Klaus Janson with Dean White
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S., $4.25 CAN (April 2005)

“Who is the Black Panther?” Part One

The Black Panther, also known as T’Challa, is a Marvel Comics character and was the first black superhero to appear in mainstream American comics.  Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the Black Panther first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated:  July 1966).

On occasion, I have come across some Black Panther comic books that I have liked, and Black Panther has appeared as a guest or co-star in other comic book series that I find memorable, such as in Fantastic Four #241, during John Byrne's incredible run as writer-artist during the early to mid-1980s.

Still, the Black Panther comic book that I have loved the most did not arrive until early 2005.  That year, Marvel Comics launched a new Black Panther series under the “Marvel Knights” (MK) banner.  It was written by Reginald Hudlin, a movie director and producer, who was best known, at the time, for directing House Party (1990) and Boomerang (1992).  He would go on to earn a best picture Oscar nomination as one of the producers of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012).  This Black Panther comic book was drawn by John Romita, Jr. (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Dean White; and lettered by Chris Eliopoulos.

Black Panther #1 (“Who is the Black Panther?” Part One) opens in the Black Panther home land, the central African nation of Wakanda, during the 5th century A.D.  The story also visits Wakanda during the 19th century.  It seems that these are two moments in Wakandan history when the mysterious nation ably defended itself from outside raiders.  In the early 21st century, however, outside forces seek to penetrate the defenses and veil of Wakanda, this time successfully.

Within the last year, Marvel Studios has announced that it is producing a Black Panther feature film; has cast an actor to play Black Panther/T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman); and has selected a director for the film (Ryan Coogler).  So I decided to re-read 2005 Black Panther #1 again, which I had not read since it was first published.  It would be a start to rereading as much of that series as I could before Black Panther makes his first feature film appearance in the upcoming film, Captain America: Civil War.  Another reason for me to revisit this series is the anticipation of author, journalist, and political and cultural commentator, Ta-Nehisi Coates' upcoming work on the character.

I think what I like about Black Panther #1 is that it makes Wakanda and the legacy that is Black Panther so bad-ass.  Of course, Reginald Hudlin delivers a stellar script, full of enthralling action and mystery.  John Romita, Jr.'s pencils are some of his most stylish art, and Klaus Janson's stellar inking strengthens the compositions and storytelling.  Dean White's colors make the story seem as if it is on fire, almost too hot to handle for the imagination.  The Ohio Players said Fi-Ya!

However, it is the sense that the Black Panther mythos is as powerful as any other Marvel superhero mythos or world, and that makes this comic book so cool.  Black Panther is not a token, and he is more than historical.  His is a world within the larger world of the Marvel Universe with which others will have to reckon.  This is the gift that Reginald Hudlin gave to Black Panther.  Hudlin picked up on the strong work that Christopher Priest began in his 1998 Black Panther, which was the first step in making Black Panther a major character, for reals, and Hudlin kept it too-real for some readers slash haters.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, I hope you can make the Panther's claws sharper than ever.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------

Third Wave of 2016 Oscar Presenters Announced; Daisy Ridley Among New Names

STARS TO LIGHT UP OSCAR NIGHT

Six Oscar Winners Join Presenter Line Up

Oscars producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today a third slate of presenters for the 88th Oscars telecast. The Oscars, hosted by Chris Rock, will air live Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016 on ABC. 

The presenters, including several Oscar winners, are:

Patricia Arquette

Abraham Attah

Cate Blanchett

Emily Blunt

Louis C.K.

Common

Russell Crowe

Chris Evans

Jennifer Garner

Louis Gossett, Jr.

Michael B. Jordan

Rachel McAdams

Dev Patel

Eddie Redmayne

Daisy Ridley

Sarah Silverman

Sofia Vergara

"Through their work, these artists have shown us the unique, transformative power of cinema,” said Hill and Hudlin. “We are delighted they will be joining us on the Oscars stage this year.”   

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.    

---------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 13th to 19th, 2015 - Update #21

Support Leroy on Patreon.

NEWS:

From TheWrap:  The Tom Hanks biopic, "Sully" will be released in September 2016.

---------------
From RSN:  The difference between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" could have a 100+ million opening day when adding in the $57 million from Thursday night.

---------------
From YahooMusic:  N.W.A. is a 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee - along with Steve Miller, Cheap Trick, Chicago, and Deep Purple.

---------------
From Polygon:  Justin Lin is ignoring "Star Trek Into Darkness" for the making of the third film, "Star Trek Beyond."

From Deadline:  Chadwick Boseman to star as Thurgood Marshall for Reginald Hudlin's "Marshall."

---------------
From FlickeringMyth:  Vin Diesel announces that Samuel L. Jackson will return for "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage."

---------------
From THR:  Spielberg and Jeff Skoll talk about their partnership.

---------------
From Variety:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" premieres in three Hollywood theaters.

---------------
From YahooSports:  Serena Williams is Sports Illustrated's "Sportsperson of the Year."

---------------
From YahooSports:  NBA referee Bill Kennedy announces that he is gay, after NBA player, Rajon Rondo, was suspended for using a gay slur to attack Kennedy.

---------------
From Deadline:  2015 screenplay "Black List" has been announced.

---------------
From BoxOfficeMojo:  "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" wins the 12/11 to 12/13/2015 weekend box office, after Ron Howard's "In the Heart of the Sea" under-performs. This is the fourth straight week at #1 for this final film (for now) in "The Hunger Games" franchise.

---------------
From TVLine:  This may be the last season for CBS sitcom, "Mike & Molly."

---------------
From Vulture:  So once again, it seems that Beyonce will be in that "A Star is Born" remake.  Bradley Cooper will reportedly direct and star as the male lead.


COMICS - Movies and Books:

From YahooMovies:  Ben Affleck's Batman is frustrated and anger.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Ben Affleck posts photo of cool Batman armor from "Batman v. Superman."


TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The official trailer for "Ice Age: Collision Course."

---------------
From YouTube:  "Star Trek Beyond" trailer.

---------------
From YouTube:  First trailer for "Independence Day: Resurgence," which is due next year.  Trailer looks good; makes me want to see this movie (cause I was NOT interested).

---------------
From YouTube:  First "Captain America: Civil War" trailer.


OBITS:

From Deadline:  The actress Rose Siggins has died (Saturday, December 12, 2015).  She played "Legless Suzi" on "American Horror Story: Freak Show."

Chris Rock to Host 88th Academy Awards Ceremony in Feb. 2016

Chris Rock Returns To Host The Oscars®

Multi-hyphenate artist and filmmaker Chris Rock will return to host the Oscars® for a second time, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today.  The 88th Academy Awards® will be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016, on the ABC Television Network.  Rock previously hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005.

“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all.  He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”

“I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It's great to be back.”

“We share David and Reggie’s excitement in welcoming Chris, whose comedic voice has really defined a generation,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “He is certain to bring his amazing array of talents to this year’s show.”

“Chris may be best known as a stand-up comic, but we think of him as a creative innovator in many other ways. He is unafraid in his artistry,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back to the Oscars.”

"Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” said Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group.

With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO.  In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.”

Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director.  His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty.  His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.”  In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play.  In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood.  He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993.

Known internationally for his groundbreaking stand-up comedy, Rock has won four Emmy® Awards for his comedy series and specials, including “Chris Rock – Kill the Messenger,” “The Chris Rock Show” and “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain,” and has achieved record audience numbers around the world.  He also has earned three Grammy® Awards for his comedy albums Never Scared, Bigger and Blacker and Roll with the New.

The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

---------------------