On Endings and Penny Dreadful
In the latest video, I give a talk about what makes endings great and what works and doesn’t work about the Penny Dreadful finale, including the Apache Pinkerton race-fail.
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Wonder Woman on Gaza: What Would Diana Do?
Now that San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, the geekosphere is slowly recovering from yet another event-filled summer week of blockbuster teasers, secret announcements, and surprise reveals. The biggest news of the weekend was probably Zack Snyder surprising Hall H with an exclusive first look at Gal Gadot in full Wonder Woman regalia. DC’s new cinematic trinity — Gadot, Ben Affleck, and Henry Cavill — even joined Snyder on stage to tease actual footage from the movie.
The move made Batman v Superman the buzziest movie presentation to emerge out of San Diego by far. And to be honest, I think Gadot looks fantastic as Wonder Woman. Yeah, the internet’s got jokes, but I think the costume successfully threads the needle between comic book accurate and live action practical. For me, though, the thing that I find disconcerting about Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman isn’t how she looks, but what she believes.
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NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Battlefield Earth
Episode Eight: “The Terror Within”
Note from Julie: This week, I’m going to keep the recap brief in order to discuss Nickelodeon’s decision to pull The Legend of Korra off the air into online-only distribution, and to showcase some choice cosplay from San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend!
Korra is already metalbending like a champ, but Bolin has yet to bend any metal at all. Combine that with Opal leaving for the Northern Air Temple to train with Tenzin, and he is despondent, uttering lovesick schlock such as “Every time I eat raw kale, I’m gonna think of you.” Opal still is charmed by him, bless her heart.
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Previewing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Need to brush up on your Guardians knowledge? Watch my history of the Guardians of the Galaxy video to get you ready for the upcoming release. This is a detailed history and background on Guardians of the Galaxy, including a … Continue reading Previewing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
The Mega Ran Comic Con 2014 Experience Was Epic
Originally posted at Real Entertainment News
Now, I have been lucky enough to attend San Diego Comic-Con since 2007. I’ve seen this event, and nerd culture in general, undergo some huge changes since then. In 2007, the biggest news was the premiere of Iron Man, which has gone on to spawn three movies and a spinoff, The Avengers, which is now the highest grossing [comic book superhero] film EVER. Nowadays, it’s no big deal to bring up a comic book movie, or a video game, in discussion, even in a professional setting. People complain about this explosion of comic and game culture, but I can’t say it’s a bad thing, at least not yet.
Anyway, this is Mega Ran’s Comic Con 2014 experience.
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San Diego Comic-Con 2014 News Recap
In this episode, I recap all the big news and announcements from San Diego Comic-Con 2014. Topics include Avengers: Age of Ultron, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Arrow, Ant-Man, Fantastic Four, Marvel’s Axis, Gotham, and many more.
Also, Follow me today on twitter @ComixNCosplay as I’m posting all the best cosplay pics from Comic-Con.
NOC Reviews Storm #1
To be transparent: no Storm solo book would have met my incredibly high expectations. I’ve written before on how important the character was to me during my nascent nerd-dom. Anything that fell outside of my nostalgic high for the character would have no other option but to fall short. I just wasn’t prepared for how short this new Storm book fell.
What follows is my review process:
- I look at only the art. Without words, can I still glean the story?
- I read the words. Is the story creative, coherent, interesting, etc?
- I read the book to gauge the marriage of the aforementioned. Do the words and art work in concert, or are they in opposition? Are the worthy of each other?
Minor spoilers follow.
Telling Asian American Stories in Comics
Hey East Coasters! I know all the cool kids are going to be in San Diego this weekend, but if you couldn’t make the cross-country trip, folks in the DMV can get their comics fix by coming to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Washington, DC’s Chinatown this Sunday, July 27.
I’ll be joined by illustrator Jamie Noguchi (Yellow Peril) and NPR Code Switch’s Kat Chow to talk about the secret origins of Secret Identities and Shattered as well as Jamie’s Yellow Peril webcomic. We’ll also discuss why we have chosen the comics medium to tell Asian American stories in the first place. Check out details after the jump!
Find the Green Turtle at Comic-Con
by Gene Yang
Pro cosplayer Alvin Duong has graciously agreed to help us promote The Shadow Hero by cosplaying the Green Turtle at San Diego Comic-Con!
When I first talked to Alvin, I told him we could find a way around the Green Turtle’s bare-chestedness. Alvin wouldn’t hear of it — staying true to the source material is key for him. So here he is, embodying the Green Turtle in all his goofy Golden Age glory:
NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: I am the Son and the Air
Episode Seven: “Original Airbenders”
This episode showcased the rise of the new Air Nation. Tenzin is the master teacher of about a dozen new recruits, and in his typical way, is pedantic and tone-deaf to their needs. He drones on about the histories of various ancient monks, while his brother Bumi and the other recruits die of boredom.
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NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Sister, Sister
Episode Six: “Old Wounds”
There are some opportunities when my whole family sits down and enjoy a TV show, The Legend of Korra is one of them. This is episode really dives into the history of the Beifong family, sibling fighting and of course metal bending.
Beifong and team Avatar are in Metal City trying to recruit Opal who has now discovered she is an air bender. Beifong blew up at her when she tried to introduce herself and we start this episode at the breakfast table.
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Happy Batman Day
Today, comic shops and bookstores around the country are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Batman. Though Detective Comics #27 was originally published in May of 1939, the folks at Warner Brothers and DC Comics have deemed July 23 as Batman Day. I guess since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight movies always opened around this time, mid-July makes sense to officially honor the Dark Knight.
As you know, we here at The Nerds of Color are pretty involved Batfans. Hell, we just dedicated a whole week to the character at the end of June! If you want to browse through our coverage of the Caped Crusader, check out the Batman tag here.
Since Batman Day is also coinciding with San Diego Comic-Con this week, you can probably expect a bunch of news concerning our favorite superhero. In the meantime, check out some of the cool Bat stuff that’s already on the internet right now!
The Nerds of Cosplay
With San Diego Comic-Con fast approaching — and shows like HeroesCon and Anime Expo in the rear view — we are definitely in the thick of con season. One of the pillars of con-going is dressing up as your favorite character and hitting the floor in costume. So Hard N.O.C. Life returns with an episode dedicated to the art of cosplay!
Joining Keith on the panel is newest NOC contributor — and host of Comics and Cosplay on YouTube — Ian (@ComixNCosplay), NYC-based comics collector and enthusiast Jay Justice (@MsJayJustice), cosplayer and costuming tutor on Saturday Morning Cosplay Nel (@NelsRandomLife), and ComicsAlliance’s superhero sartorialist Betty Felon (@BettyFelon).
On Conflict in Brave and Orphan Black
In this week’s video, I talk about internal/external conflict and decision-making conflict vs. kill-all-the-bad-guys conflict using the BBC America science-fiction series Orphan Black and the Disney/Pixar film Brave as examples. Continue reading On Conflict in Brave and Orphan Black
Black Captain America vs. Black Jesus
Originally posted at BadAzz MoFo
Once again, I find myself on the slippery slope of pop culture commentary, in a position that requires full disclosure. Recently, I wrote a piece about Marvel’s announcement that Sam Wilson, a black man better known as Falcon, will be taking over as the new Captain America. I also admitted that I know writer Rick Remender, who will be chronicling the adventures of Black Captain America. With that in mind, it is only fair that I admit to knowing Aaron McGruder, creator of The Boondocks, as well as a new television series that is about to debut, Black Jesus.
My relationship with McGruder is far more complex than my relationship with Remender, to the extent that I’d say at one point Aaron and I could’ve been considered friends. We haven’t spoken in a long time, and based on his work as of late, I’d say that we exist in differing ideological universes. If that’s not the case, he is more than welcome to get in touch with me, as I’m sure he still has my number, and we can talk about how his work often makes me want to vomit in the corner.
Thor & Captain America: Real Diversity or Gimmick?
In this Episode Nel and I try having a Google Hangout in which we discuss whether or not the new black Captain America and female Thor are actual steps towards diversity in comics or simply a gimmick. And as always … Continue reading Thor & Captain America: Real Diversity or Gimmick?
Marvel & Diversity: Don’t Piss on My Head and Tell Me It’s Raining
Originally posted at BadAzz MoFo
Let me start by saying a few things. First, I’m trying to write less about companies like Marvel (Disney) and DC (Warner Brothers), because I’m not paid to do publicity for them. Second, although we are not close friends, I have known Rick Remender for more than a decade, and where I’m about to go is not meant to be an attack on him personally. Finally, it is no secret that if Marvel (or DC for that matter) called me tomorrow, I’d jump at the opportunity to work for them — which might make some of you view me as a hypocrite, and that’s fine with me.
All of that said, my undying childhood desire to write comics, my acquaintance with anyone who works for Marvel or DC, and my belief that both of these corporate-owned companies don’t need another bit of free publicity, does not change what I need to get off my chest.
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Model Minority Rage: Why the Hulk Should Be an Asian Guy
Originally posted at The Daily Beast
Whenever I take a clickbait quiz to determine which of The Avengers I would be, I always game the questions to aim for the Hulk. No question, the Hulk is my Avenger, hands down, and I will always be upset that of the Avengers his stand-alone movies have fared the worst, box-office and critical-opinion-wise.
The main reason, of course, is that they didn’t get the right actor to play Bruce Banner until The Avengers hit theaters.
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The New Captain America Faces Challenges From Within
by Arturo R. Garcia | Originally posted at Racialicious
The Falcon is going to be the new Captain America! Great! But then what? Oh, you expected this to stick? History says otherwise. But there’s a potential problem ahead.
SPOILERS under the cut
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What Avengers NOW Means for Marvel and Diversity
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few days, you’re probably aware that the folks at the House of Ideas have taken two huge steps in diversifying their roster of heroes. The publisher who famously put a black/Latino teen in the (Ultimate) Spider-Man tights and recast Ms. Marvel as a Pakistani American has taken to national TV to announce its latest foray in ensuring that superheroes actually look like the America they represent.
So faithful watchers of the daytime talker The View were treated to the announcement of a female Thor, and fans of the late night Colbert Report got tipped to Sam Wilson replacing Steve Rogers as Captain America. We might have our own thoughts on these developments later. In the meantime, our friend at ComicsAlliance Andrew Wheeler touches on a lot of things that came to mind for me.
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We Need More Than More Diversity
Originally posted at Super Justice Force
The recent death of celebrated author Walter Dean Myers has seemingly left a void in that corner of Young Adult literature that is aware of representation and diversity, and produces works of fiction populated with a rainbow coalition of characters. It seems like every week I’m reading something about the lack of diversity and representation in YA (as well as comics and films and whatever else you care to throw into the mix), much like this piece. And now that Myers is gone, he can join the list of authors frequently cited as those that did the most for those who are represented the least.
Unfortunately, while he was alive, a significant amount of what was written about the lack of diversity in YA failed to mention Myers and his work — which speaks to a problem almost as bad as the lack of diversity itself. That problem, of course, is the lack of dialog about those books and those writers who do put in the work to ensure diversity and representation.
What the Marvel Method Says about Cosplay
In this episode, I review the new Marvel YouTube series Marvel Method Cosplay and give my opinions on what image of cosplay the show portrays. Continue reading What the Marvel Method Says about Cosplay
On Backstory in Penny Dreadful and Breaking Bad
Last week, I started vlogging on YouTube. The first video is a brief talk about the process of editing my forthcoming Young Adult novel from Scholastic, Shadowshaper. In the latest video, I give a brief discussion on storycraft by discussing two … Continue reading On Backstory in Penny Dreadful and Breaking Bad