Get Ready for Harold & Kumar: The Animated Series
by Phil Yu | Originally posted at Angry Asian Man
It’s on, my friends. The Harold and Kumar animated series is on. We’ve known that an animated series based on the comedy trilogy was in the works, with John Cho and Kal Penn returning to provide the voices for the titular stoner duo. This week, the cast reportedly reunited for the show’s first table read.
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Casting for Big Hero 6 Goes Big on Diversity
Back in May, I wrote about Marvel and Disney getting ready to start a big promotional push for the upcoming animated movie Big Hero 6 later this year. At that time only a few names had been announced for the voice actors: Jamie Chung as Go Go Tamago and T.J. Miller as Fred. Maya Rudolph was announced as part of the cast but was tied to an unnamed role. Today, Disney finally announced the actors for the rest of the voice cast.
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Comics and Cosplay Reviews Batgirl’s New Costume Design
In this episode, I give my thoughts on DC Comics’ new Batgirl costume design by artists Babs Tarr and Cameron Stewart, including what it will mean for cosplayers. Continue reading Comics and Cosplay Reviews Batgirl’s New Costume Design
NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Sister From Another Mister
Episode Five: “The Metal Clan”
Team Avatar and Lin Beifong are taking a break in an idyllic valley. Naga is in full retriever mode, wanting Lin to play fetch with her. Lin responds thusly:
The team is headed to Zao Fu, the home of the Metal Clan, as there are reports of a new airbender there. Lin doesn’t want to go, because apparently, she doesn’t want to do anything. Lin, you know I love you, but remind me not to travel with you!
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NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Sparky Sparky Boom… Woman?
Episode Four: “In Harm’s Way”
Kai has been kidnapped to be part of the Earth Queen’s new Air Bender Army. Mako and Bolin rediscovered family. The league of super evil benders is forming. Korra and Tenzin are trying to figure out where are all the air benders in Ba Sing Se.
Yeah, a lot happens in this episode.
Continue reading “NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Sparky Sparky Boom… Woman?”
With Batgirl, Is DC Comics Finally Getting It Right?
I have made no bones about my dislike of the direction DC Comics has taken in the last several years. From the sameness of the “DC House Style” aesthetics to the many narrative and PR missteps along the way, the New 52 has been divisive to say the least. While I’m not a fan of the overall strategy, I will admit that it hasn’t been all terrible. Most of Scott Snyder’s Bat books, Greg Pak on the Superman books, Cliff Chiang on Wonder Woman, and Bernard Chang on Green Lantern Corps were highlights, for sure1.
As a longtime DC fanboy, it’s always pained me to hop on the DC Comics bashwagon, but sometimes it was hard to root for the publisher that let this and this and this and this happen. Over the last several days, though, news of DC’s plans for the last quarter of 2014 and beyond are proving that maybe on my world, the DC logo means hope, too.
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The Disney Triple Crown: Why Ming-Na Needs to Be in Star Wars
UPDATE: November 4, 2019
Vanity Fair has an exclusive first look at Ming-Na in The Mandalorian! She has the Disney Triple Crown, y’all!!
Earlier this week, Lucasfilm announced the addition of two more actors to the cast of Star Wars Episode VII. We do not yet know who the two relatively unknown actors — Pip Anderson, who’s British, and Crystal Clarke, who’s African American — will play in the movie, but I’m guessing their roles must be substantial enough to warrant a press release about their casting. If their characters are indeed prominent, Clarke will join John Boyega and Lupita Nyong’o in making this “the blackest Star Wars ever.”
Still, every time breaking Star Wars casting news comes across my feed, there’s always one name that I hope to see in the headlines: Ming-Na Wen.
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Thoughts on the Call to Cosplay Premiere
In this episode, I review the relatively unknown cosplay reality TV series Call to Cosplay featured on MyxTV and Crunchyroll. Continue reading Thoughts on the Call to Cosplay Premiere
Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist: This Hadoken Is Finally a K.O.
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. That means something to millions of a certain age range. It is a deity on the pantheon of video games and keeps evolving to the present day. It isn’t the primary reason I got into training in the martial arts, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it was one of them.
After years of playing Street Fighter II — hell, I remember playing the elusive Street Fighter in the arcade in Brazil — Hollywood and Capcom were ready with their big feature film in 1994 with Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile. And… it was shit. Stinky, smelly, nasty, horrible shit. Perhaps the greatest actor ever to come from Puerto Rico — Raúl Julia, who played Bison — passed away shortly after the film’s release, making Street Fighter his final film. I couldn’t help wanting to erase it from his filmography just to let it end in acting gold with The Burning Season. In 2009, there was another Hollywood Street Fighter film featuring Kristin Kreuk as Chun Li. Haven’t seen it; I’m told not to see it.
A year later in 2010, a fan film called Street Fighter Legacy popped up online. No real budget, quite short, plenty of things that could be better (those eyebrows yikes!), but there was an essence that finally someone had gotten it right.
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NOC Reviews Snowpiercer: An Endorsement
This is actually not a review. This is an endorsement of the new South Korean/American science-fiction film Snowpiercer, currently in theaters.
Bong Joon-ho is a director to watch. From The Host in 2006 and Mother in 2009, I’ve been checking for his work for years. He has such a solid visual storytelling style that he elevates even the most middling of scripts. I really cannot wait to see what he does next. If you have yet to see the aforementioned films, you need to handle that as soon as you can.
Why People Hate Heroes of Cosplay
In this episode I dive into the root causes for why so many people hate the SyFy series Heroes of Cosplay. The episode also takes on this article discussing the Wizard World costume contest in New Orleans. Continue reading Why People Hate Heroes of Cosplay
The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff + Super Mario Bros.
I know this has been shared a million times on the internet already, so what’s one more share?
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NYAFF Poster Art Show: The Wrap-Up
by Jerry Ma | Originally posted at Epic Proportions
So the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) has come to an end, at least for me. This year, I helped put together the poster show which was a LOT of work. More than I expected, to be perfectly honest. But it was worth every sore muscle and second that was put into it.
As usual Goran, Rufus, Samuel, James, and Grady put on an amazing event. It was just so much fun to be a part of. I’m just going to let these pictures do the talking for me.
Fixing Online Ticket Sales
Here’s the final installment of my Comics and Cosplay series called Con Week where I discuss various topics surrounding comics and anime conventions. In this episode: how cons can fix or improve their online ticket sales? Continue reading Fixing Online Ticket Sales
Summer Blockbuster Showdown: Transformers Age of Extinction
Originally posted at You Offend Me You Offend My Family
Select Offenders will be reviewing this summer’s crop of Hollywood tentpole films with a scientifically tested set of criteria that was vetted, nurtured, dissected, and regurgitated through the pop-culture gadflies who have nothing better to do than annoy other productive people in the YOMYOMF office. So, we channeled their nitpicks of the incessant reboots, remakes and rehashes that are part and parcel with Hollywood summer movies into this ongoing summer blog series called the Summer Blockbuster Showdown. You can read previous roundtable reviews, which are all archived here.
In this edition, we tackle Michael Mr. Stage Fright Bay’s latest masturbatory opus, Transformers: Age of Extinction! BTW, this roundtable review is chock full of spoilers. You’ve been warned!
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Are Convention Ticket Prices Too High?
Con Week, where I discuss the various topics surrounding comic and anime conventions, continues on Comics and Cosplay. In this episode: the increasing costs of convention ticket prices. Continue reading Are Convention Ticket Prices Too High?
Sidekickism Part 2: What a Difference Race Makes
Originally posted at BadAzz MoFo
After the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I wrote a piece about the supporting character Falcon and something called “sidekickism.” Race and racial ideology was at the heart and soul of what I wrote about, which of course rubbed some people the wrong way. Fortunately, I’ve never cared about how my observations about race and racism may or may not upset people who wander through life with blinders on, convincing themselves that it’s all good when it comes to issues of race.
And though it was never my intention to revisit sidekickism, there is more to be said. Because some people still don’t fully comprehend the impact of racial ideology, and how it affects everything — including things as innocuous as pop culture — I wanted to take a look at sidekickism through a very narrow and specific lens. This leads us to today’s topic: Felix Leiter, sidekick to James Bond.
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Are There Too Many Cons?
On Comics and Cosplay, I’m hosting a new series called Con Week where I discuss various topics surrounding comics and anime conventions. In this episode: the number of conventions every year. Continue reading Are There Too Many Cons?
Things I Learned While Making the ‘Brave New Souls’ Documentary
Brave New Souls is a documentary I wrote, produced, and directed that explores the thoughts, goals, and inspirations of a new generation of Black creators in graphic novels, television, cinema, literature, and digital media. It was a very tough shoot as I did the camera work, sound recording, lighting, and directing ALL BY MYSELF! While the movie will be released on DVD in two weeks — on July 15 — for those that want to watch it via their smartphones, tablets, laptops, and home PCs, you can stream or download it as a high-quality, digital video right now at Gumroad for $7.99!
I wanted to take a moment to thank all the creators I worked with during the production of the documentary and share a few things I learned:
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Why Did I Watch the New Transformers Movie?
I’m out of town, and there’s a movie theater a block from my hotel. As a father, I don’t get to the moviehouse often unless it’s a kid’s movie. So over the weekend, I figured I’d treat myself to a movie. What’s the worst that can happen? The answer to that question: the theater is only showing Transformers: Age of Extinction.
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Do Cons Need Cosplay Dress Codes?
[Ed. note: We are happy to bring you Ian’s “Comics and Cosplay” series of video reviews and tutorials on The Nerds of Color! We’re kicking off this week with Ian’s first installment in a week long series of Con Week … Continue reading Do Cons Need Cosplay Dress Codes?
NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: We Are Family
Episode Three: “The Earth Queen”
We begin with a sparring session between Uncle Bumi and Kai, led by Jinora. Uncle Bumi’s stance is all old-school fisticuffs, and Kai makes easy work of him. Jinora’s crush on Kai grows deeper, and Kai starts the charm offensive on her.
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NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Gotta Catch ’em All!
Episode Two: “Rebirth”
Team Avatar (minus Mako the Brooding Teenager) is ready to set off for Operation Air Nation. Pema, Kya, Ikki, and Meelo are staying on Air Temple Island in order to receive any potential pilgrims. But first, two words: HOLY AIRSHIP.
Continue reading “NOC Recaps The Legend of Korra: Gotta Catch ’em All!”