Keith is back with Britney to review Thor: Love and Thunder and episode five of Ms. Marvel on this episode of Hard NOC Life. What’s #NerdPoppin: The Umbrella Acadmey on Netflix and Talkville, the Smallville rewatch podcast with Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum.
Tessa Thompson returns as King Valkyrie in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder. The film premieres in theaters on July 8.
Continue reading “‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Star Tessa Thompson on Representation and More”
Britney is joined by her Naomi Podcast co-host Nate Milton to break down episode 4 of Moon Knight and rank the Oscar Isaac series against other Marvel shows on Disney+.
Keith and Britney were going to discuss the most recent episode of Moon Knight, but Marvel just dropped the first teaser for Thor: Love and Thunder! After breaking that down, they turn back the skies to discuss Moon Knight and speculate what Discovery’s takeover of Warner Bros. means for the future of DC Films.
After much anticipation, the official teaser trailer and new poster for Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder are finally here! Directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Kevin Feige as well as Brad Winderbaum, the movie will reveal what’s next for the God of Thunder.
Continue reading “Check Out the New Teaser for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’”
Bestselling writer and producer Mark Millar (Jupiter’s Legacy, Kingsman: The Secret Service) makes a triumphant return with The Magic Order 2, expanding on the the magical world he created as a live-action Netflix series in this second volume of the comic book adaptation. Olivier Coipel (Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) was recruited to draw the first volume and delivered some of the best work of his career. This time around, legendary artist Stuart Immonen (Empress, Star Wars, New Avengers) will be in the chair of the highly-anticipated sequel. The Magic Order 2 #1 will launch this October from Image Comics.
Continue reading “Bestselling Writer and Producer Mark Millar to Release ‘The Magic Order’ Sequel”
Like most folk, I’m not too keen on reminders of my ever-increasing age. But this one, well, it’s not too bad of a milestone reminder.
Miles Morales, Marvel’s best Spider-Man, debuted nearly 10 years ago! You read that right, it’s been almost a decade since Miles inherited the Spidey title from Peter Parker and immediately one upped the kid from Queens.
Continue reading “Marvel Celebrates Miles Morales’ 10th Anniversary with Variant Covers”
I realize I’ve only seen two episodes, but as of this moment, Loki is absolutely already my favorite of the Marvel Studios shows so far. Don’t get me wrong. WandaVision is incredibly original and ambitious. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Captain America and the Winter Soldier was relevant and politically aware. But after the first two episodes of each, I found myself questioning whether or not I loved the shows as much as the films. Yes it’s great to give us time to explore these characters as more than just B-members of The Avengers, playing second fiddle to the original six. But was it really going to give me the same feelings I got whenever I’d walk out of the cinemas after another rousing $200M budgeted 2-3 hour installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
It’s almost here, guys.
Our favorite villain Loki has been with us for many years and through many films, so to celebrate National Streaming Day and his upcoming series on Disney+, Tom Hiddleston gave fans a 30 second recap of Loki’s full MCU backstory in an amusingly informative new featurette.
Continue reading “Loki’s MCU Recap as Told by ‘Loki’ Himself”
After a grueling week in San Diego, Dominic and Keith return to take stock of all of the bombshells that dropped during Marvel Studios’ lauded Hall H presentation. Plus, Keith speaks to A Wave Blue World VP of Sales and Marketing Lisa Wu and illustrator Steenz — who’s working on an upcoming anthology for AWBW this fall — live at the annual NOC Comic-Con meetup.
Continue reading “Hard NOC Life: Marvel’s Fantastic Phase Four”
With the premiere of the new Netflix original movie Rim of the World debuting this Memorial Day weekend, the film’s screenwriter Zack Stentz joins Hard NOC Life to talk about its origins and the current state of pop culture fandom.
Continue reading “Hard NOC Life: Zack Stentz at the ‘Rim of the World’”
After it demolished box office records around the globe, we finally talk about Avengers: Endgame! Though the film has been out for more than a week, you should be aware that the discussion will be filled with spoilers throughout.
Continue reading “Hard NOC Life: We’re in the ‘Endgame’ Now”
The epic conclusion to last year’s Avengers: Infinity War is finally here. Everything that you thought was going to happen in Endgame –throw that out. This film is nothing like you expected at all. Which does not mean that it is not good. It is actually really good and will have you going through many different emotions –good and bad.
Continue reading “‘Avengers: Endgame’ is an Emotional Journey of the Past 10 Years”
“We’re in the endgame now.” The ominous words of Doctor Strange rang in everyone’s ears almost one year ago today. After months of crazy anticipation, and intense speculation by fans, we’re finally going to get closure and see what those words truly mean.
Continue reading “The Avengers Assemble for the ‘Endgame’”
Keith invites his DC TV Classics co-host Britney Monae back to Hard NOC Life to break down the biggest movie in the universe: Avengers: Infinity War!
The Doctor Strange controversy — combined with the push to cast an Asian American actor as the title character Danny Rand aka Iron Fist — has been buzzing for the last couple months. With the release of the first official trailer for Doctor Strange, Marvel’s next would-be blockbuster movie after Captain America: Civil War, the controversy has reached an all time high. So much so that a Marvel spokesperson gave this statement to Mashable regarding the casting of Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange:
Marvel has a very strong record of diversity in its casting of films and regularly departs from stereotypes and source material to bring its MCU to life. The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast.
Is this statement true though? Has Marvel Studios really pushed diversity in their movies? Have they increased the visibility of marginalized peoples in their film franchise or television properties? Has Marvel Studios subverted stereotypes? Enough to supposedly excuse recent controversies surrounding Doctor Strange and Iron Fist?
Continue reading “How Diverse is the Marvel Cinematic Universe? The Movies: Phase One”
Every second Monday in October, many folks across the country get to enjoy the day off from school and/or work to celebrate Chris Columbus, the director whose filmography has grossed nearly $4 billion worldwide. Though, I’ve always found it odd that the federal government would name a holiday after a director who, despite the overwhelming box office of his films, isn’t the most innovative or important filmmaker in American cinema. I mean, shouldn’t Spielberg or Scorsese or Spike get a holiday before this guy1?
That said, it’s Columbus Day, and you’re already sitting at home. So why not fire up the blu-ray player and watch one — or all — of these nerd-friendly movies by the man most famous for teaching Macaulay Culkin how to shave. Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
Continue reading “Five Nerdy Movies to Celebrate Columbus Day”
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).
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?
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.
Continue reading “Marvel & Diversity: Don’t Piss on My Head and Tell Me It’s Raining”
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.
Continue reading “What Avengers NOW Means for Marvel and Diversity”
As of April 2013, The Avengers had grossed more than $600 million dollars in the US, a box office performance that has nearly tripled its (already bloated) production budget. It would be fair to say that if you’re a Hollywood movie producer, The Avengers makes you very, very, very happy. In fact, you’re hoping to make as many Avengers franchises as you possibly can.
Against this backdrop of undeniable success, it seems major Hollywood production companies are hoping to do just that. For the last few months, the Internet has been a-buzz with casting rumours for Man of Steel 2: first with news that Ben Affleck was being tapped to play an aging Batman, and last week with the announcement that virtually unknown actress Gal Gadot (of Fast and Furious franchise fame) was assuming the mantle of Wonder Woman. Although fans have long clamoured for a live-action Justice League adaptation, the fact that all three members of the heralded DC Trinity will be making an appearance in Man of Steel 2 — a movie that we all expected would be just another Superman solo vehicle — is clear indication that WB/DC has drawn inspiration from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is looking to fast-track the Justice League movie by rapidly introducing other characters to the silver screen. Fans have since speculated that while Gadot might make a minimal cameo in Man of Steel 2, it’s likely that she will subsequently headline her own Wonder Woman movie that would further stoke the fires for a full Justice League film.
Continue reading “How Avengers is Ruining the Superhero Movie”
Sometimes being a Nerd of Color is difficult. Often, the sci-fi you watch marries awesome next-gen splatterpunk visuals with horrid White Man’s Burden political sentiments, or the games you play offer wickedly fun three-dimensional gameplay with healthy servings of amoral misogyny and racial epithets. But often it’s pretty easy – each and every Wednesday new worlds reveal the secrets of earthbound metahumans and iron-masked despots and immortal ronin and sentient bacteria and techno-organic telepaths and rubber geniuses and fighter pilots with imagination rings. The comic industry may not accurately render tomorrow, but it can always take you somewhere you never thought you could go.
Continue reading “Stretching Spandex Over Melanin Won’t Make Comics More Diverse”