The Nerdz Lounge.

SilverSmith · Dec 5, 2015

The CW has released a new poster for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow which shows the heroes ready for battle.

The Dark King · Dec 5, 2015

SilverSmith said: ↑

The CW has released a new poster for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow which shows the heroes ready for battle.
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Still kind of eh about this

samson1701 · Dec 5, 2015

The Dark King said: ↑

Still kind of eh about this
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It could be good. But, with each show these guys do, the quality drops overall. When Flash debut, Arrow got sloppy. Now that Supergirl is on, Flash is getting sloppy, too.

Quality control becomes a real issue with multiple shows under the same roof for some producers.

archangel · Dec 5, 2015

The Dark King said: ↑

Still kind of eh about this
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I'm actually optimistic about this show.I have never watched any of the DC show's on WB except smallvile and that was just to see the ending of the show. I am in high hopes due to the team aspect. It means they can run several stories at once or concentrate on one character. It is the closes thing to dcau's Justice League or marvel's 90's x-men in live action. So we will see how this goes.

The Dark King · Dec 5, 2015

archangel said: ↑

I'm actually optimistic about this show.I have never watched any of the DC show's on WB except smallvile and that was just to see the ending of the show. I am in high hopes due to the team aspect. It means they can run several stories at once or concentrate on one character. It is the closes thing to dcau's Justice League or marvel's 90's x-men in live action. So we will see how this goes.
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Lol I can't with you man

The Dark King · Dec 5, 2015

samson1701 said: ↑

It could be good. But, with each show these guys do, the quality drops overall. When Flash debut, Arrow got sloppy. Now that Supergirl is on, Flash is getting sloppy, too.

Quality control becomes a real issue with multiple shows under the same roof for some producers.
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The last Flash Arrow crossover was dope as hell you gotta see it

andreboba · Dec 5, 2015

Ra said: ↑

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S INSULTING BLACK PANTHER COVER SHOWS THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

Article from Comicbook Resources.com.

You know Black Panther. I know Black Panther. But at this point, the average person out there in the world doesn't know Black Panther, even following actor Chadwick Boseman's brief live-action debut in the role in the recently released "Captain America: Civil War" trailer, which as of publication of this article has been viewed more than 40 million times on YouTube alone.

So landing on the cover of "Entertainment Weekly" -- which even in the waning days of print media reported a 1.8 million circulation in 2013, along with a robust online presence -- is a big deal for the hero. This week's EW cover, released online today, features Boseman, in costume between Chris Evans as Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (they're both unmasked, Boseman is not) promoting a cover story on "Civil War," which will introduce Black Panther to the Marvel Cinematic Universe before he goes on to star in a solo film set for 2018; the first Marvel film of the post-"Iron Man" era to star a Black superhero.

It all sounds pretty good until you take a closer look at the cover -- Black Panther has a "Meow" dialogue prompt above his head (Cap and Iron Man remain dialogue-free). This is the copy EW went with when introducing the first Black superhero in mainstream American comics to the world at large: "The biggest Marvel movie yet introduces Black Panther. He's tall, powerful -- and has claws that a Real Housewife would envy."

Yes, one of the most historically significant characters in comic book history has been reduced to a joke -- twice! -- on the magazine cover where potentially millions of people (don't forget the multitudes who will see this cover in our nation's grocery stores and doctor's offices) will see said character for the first time. It's not fair to Boseman, an acclaimed actor set for the highest-profile role of a career that's already included some rather major roles (playing Jackie Robinson in "42," playing James Brown in "Get On Up"). It's not fair to the comics fans to whom Black Panther means a great deal in terms of progress and representation. It's not fair to comics in general, as it's yet another reminder that for a large part of the population, the medium is and will remain something to not take seriously at all costs. (And do panthers even meow?)

Sure, Marvel has a lot of characters that invite having fun. "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Ant-Man" and even "The Avengers" have some inherent absurdity in their concepts, and the films reflect that. But specifically, Black Panther is a serious character -- he doesn't really crack jokes, and he's the super-smart, super-capable king of an African nation. As CBR columnist Joseph Illidge put it just this week in THE MISSION, "Black Panther exists in a unique category of heroes. That of the intellectual, wealthy ruler. He is a symbol of the Black male heritage, accomplishments, and aspirations. The Black Panther is the antithesis of the demonization of the American Black man, perpetuated by various parties in media and government institutions." Both jokes in EW's cover copy emasculate a character that represents Black success; the end result is problematic and oddly tone-deaf.

Jokey cover copy is a trademark of "Entertainment Weekly" -- I'm a subscriber and have been a reader since I was in elementary school. I don't think there was any negative intent on the magazine's part, and I'm sure the actual article pays the character due respect. But there's also a responsibility, here. This is the first Black superhero in American comics, and the first Black superhero to headline a film in the massively popular Marvel Cinematic Universe and this is the way that likely millions of people will see the character for the first time. Maybe save the jokes for the sequel?
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Black Panther was a minor Marvel character, albeit unique and one of the few Black superheroes.

But let's be honest, his whole narrative is kinda derivative and he really doesn't have any powers. Sort of a cross between Daredevil and Batman.

It's not like he had a hit comic book run either.

In the Marvel pantheon, he's on the level of Sub Mariner and maybe the Silver Surfer; known superhero entities but not among the leading lights in the Marvel universe.

For someone to say EW 'disrespected' the Black Panther to me is a little melodramatic.

Ra · Dec 5, 2015

andreboba said: ↑

Black Panther was a minor Marvel character, albeit unique and one of the few Black superheroes.

But let's be honest, his whole narrative is kinda derivative and he really doesn't have any powers. Sort of a cross between Daredevil and Batman.

It's not like he had a hit comic book run either.

In the Marvel pantheon, he's on the level of Sub Mariner and maybe the Silver Surfer; known superhero entities but not among the leading lights in the Marvel universe.

For someone to say EW 'disrespected' the Black Panther to me is a little melodramatic.
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I'm guessing you haven't read any comics since the 1980's era? Black Panther's profile and popularity in the Marvel Universe has gone waaaaaay up in the last 20 plus years. Especially in this current "All-New-All Different" Marvel Diversity era.

andreboba · Dec 5, 2015

Ra said: ↑

I'm guessing you haven't read any comics since the 1980's era? Black Panther's profile and popularity in the Marvel Universe has gone waaaaaay up in the last 20 plus years. Especially in this current "All-New-All Different" Marvel Diversity era.
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He's more prominent, sure.
But more popular?? I dunno.

If the Black Panther character was, he would be selling comic books, or would have, at some point.

What hurts his character IMO is that TBP doesn't have any real powers.
Like Captain America without the shield.

Anyway, this idea that a writer lightly mocking his claws is somehow disrespectful to the legacy of a comic book character is silly.

The line, "....we still have a long way to go," as if the ongoing struggle for racial equality and civil rights has been set back decades is really misguided.

TBP is on the cover of EW along with Captain America and Iron Man, and the Black Panther's name is clearly highlighted on the cover.
EW is promoting the crap out of a character most casual comic book movie fans have never heard of.

I'm all about maintaining a certain level reverence and authenticity to popular comic book heroes when translating them to film, but the writer basically went off because of a flippant line about TBP's claws.

It hurt TBP when Marvel decided not to give him powers, and I think it's going to be hard for the on screen version to stand out because many comic book movie fans IMO will feel like they've seen this character before.

Ra · Dec 5, 2015

andreboba said: ↑

He's more prominent, sure.
But more popular?? I dunno.

If the Black Panther character was, he would be selling comic books, or would have, at some point.

What hurts his character IMO is that TBP doesn't have any real powers.
Like Captain America without the shield.

Anyway, this idea that a writer lightly mocking his claws is somehow disrespectful to the legacy of a comic book character is silly.

The line, "....we still have a long way to go," as if the ongoing struggle for racial equality and civil rights has been set back decades is really misguided.

TBP is on the cover of EW along with Captain America and Iron Man, and the Black Panther's name is clearly highlighted on the cover.
EW is promoting the crap out of a character most casual comic book movie fans have never heard of.

I'm all about maintaining a certain level reverence and authenticity to popular comic book heroes when translating them to film, but the writer basically went off because of a flippant line about TBP's claws.

It hurt TBP when Marvel decided not to give him powers, and I think it's going to be hard for the on screen version to stand out because many comic book movie fans IMO will feel like they've seen this character before.
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And once again, based on this post, clearly you don't currently follow comics and haven't for awhile. Obviously you are not aware of the online buzz from comic fans when it comes to the Black Panther. Both black and non-black fans alike. I personally know more than a few white fanboys IRL geeked out about the character and have been fans of the character since the mid-late 90's when writer Christopher Priest upped his status as a character. That not having "powers" has been hurting him for a long while it seems.......

Shulz021 · Dec 8, 2015

'Bad Guys Have More Fun' In MARVEL's ILLUMINATI

With heroes fighting heroes coming up in Civil War II, that leaves a mighty big opening for Marvel's villains to step up. While the cat's away...
Next week's Illuminati #2 reconvenes the Hood's new gang of villains as they delve deep into Marvel's underground for one big score. But as writer Joshua Williamson and artist Shawn Crystal tell us, it's not going to be clean, but rather filled with "blood" and "Madness!" talked with the duo ahead of December 16's sophomore issue, delving into how bad guys have a bad wrap and the revival of a rivalry between Titania and Thor.
Newsarama: Joshua and Shawn, what drives such nice guys like you to create a comic book about such terrible people in Illuminati?
Joshua Williamson: Maybe I’m nice because I get out all my crazy evil feelings out in my books. That is a popular answer, but it’s because it’s true.
I’ve always found the characters who are a bit of a jerk, or on evil side, to be fascinating. The bad guys have more fun. And they can be unpredictable, which is a blast to write.
And you know… their side… especially at the level these characters are at is often unexplored.
Shawn Crystal: You’re making a false assumption here. I’m a terrible person. Sure, people love me, but I’m awful.
As a creator, I don’t think you can judge your characters. Once you do that, you can no longer feel empathy of sympathy towards them and they become one-dimensional. Sure, Titania is a criminal, but she’s motivated by love. I look for that in each character.
Nrama: All joking aside, the Hood has tried to assemble a conglomerate of villains before, and it did not go well. What’s different this time around?
Williamson: The Hood thinks he has learned from his past. Before he was greedy and trying to be the leader. This time around he’s just a guy with an offer and a plan. He’s not the leader. His goals are different. He wants to help his villains out so that they can have better lives.
At least that’s what he says are his reasons.
Crystal: Maybe it’s different this time, maybe it’s not. Let’s see where this goes.
Nrama: Titania is a classic Marvel character who is kind of perpetually stuck in the B-List. What makes her an ideal POV character for Illuminati?
Williamson: Because she’s on that b-list. It gives her a unique perspective on the lives of villains in the Marvel universe.
At first she wasn’t the POV character. It was going to be the Hood. But as I started to work on the book I started to build the story and her narrative sort of took over naturally. I liked telling the story of a villain the Marvel Universe trying to leave the life and having difficulties.
Nrama: In the first issue of Illuminati, we only just got a glimpse of the team aside from Titania and the Hood. What can you tell us about the rest of the team?
Williamson: One of the hardest challenges with doing a team book is making sure every character gets enough scene time. The focus is on the Hood and Titania a lot of the time, but that doesn’t mean the other characters are any less important.
Thunderball wants respect. He’s a genius and he knows it but he wants the world to know it.
Enchantress is a very complex character in a… unique stage of her life. Her story will build as we go on. She has a secret that she’s keeping from the team that will have major ramifications down the line.
Black Ant is a Life Model Decoy still and really not happy about it. So he’s acting out an unexpected ways.
Mad Thinker is a nut. Frustrated that he’s running out of ideas. He’s on the team because he is looking for a little bit of inspiration.
We haven’t had the time to spend with the characters personal lives but I have plans to.
Nrama: Titania started out Illuminati trying to walk the straight and narrow, but it seems she’s pretty quickly falling into old habits. Is there more to her story than meets the eye?
Williamson: Of course. Her story is a major part of the plan for the book. What path does she decide to go down? In her eyes this is her only choice right now. She was trying the crime free life and looked what happened? Luke Cage and Iron Fist didn’t believe her. She’s always going to have her past looming over her. So she has to work toward a change… or lean into that past. Double down on it. Can she use this opportunity to turn her life around?
But as you saw at the end of Illuminati #1… the Hood has been manipulating things. Does he have a greater reason for bringing her to his side?
Nrama: Shawn, you’ve got an incredibly energetic, somewhat lighthearted style. How do you balance that energy with a story about villains?
Crystal: I love contrast. Growing up, I fell in love with the films of Ralph Bakshi. There was one called Wizards. It was super cartoony but very violent and serious in tone. One character resonated with me, Necron 99, the world's greatest assassin. He had the word “peace” written across his saddle. A violent assassin working in the name of peace. It just hit me, from that moment on i was fascinated with contradictions and contrast in art. I always wanted to create cartoony art for dark stories.
Nrama: Without being too spoiler-y, what’s on your drawing board right now, Shawn?
Crystal: A rainbow bridge, a dark cavern, a crew of baddies, and a ton of eraser crumbs.
Nrama: In the first issue, we saw Titania take on Luke Cage and Iron Fist, and advance solicitations show that she’ll be going toe to toe with the new Thor. Which guest stars are the two of you looking forward to most?
Williamson: The Thor versus Titania fight is epic. I hate using that word, but it really does best describe the battle. They’ve kind of fought before. Not really. This time they really have a knockdown, drag-out fight.
There are a few minor villain cameos in issue two and three that have been a lot of fun, including Paste-Pot Pete… I mean the Trapster.
And there is an Absorbing Man story coming up that I’m really excited to share.
Nrama: Speaking of Titania vs. Thor, Titania was once officially the strongest woman in the Marvel Universe. Now that Jane Foster is Thor, will she give Titania a run for her money? Will that debate be settled when they clash?
Williamson: You’ll just have to wait and see! There is something going on with Titania’s strength levels and powers…
Nrama: Shawn, which of the team is your favorite to draw? Josh, who is your favorite to write?
Crystal: Black Ant. I love drawing his costume, but I just drew a scene of him out of costume, and I liked that even more. You’ll see why in Illuminati #3.
Williamson: I love them all, really. Each has their own quality that I like to dig into. My hope is that the series goes on long enough that I can really get into more than just Titania and the Hood. They each have a story we can tell.
Nrama: Last question: what can readers expect to see in Illuminati #2 and beyond?
Williamson: Blood.
Crystal: Madness!
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Great

Morning Star · Dec 8, 2015

samson1701 · Dec 8, 2015

Morning Star said: ↑

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Haven't caught up on this show, yet. But, I was sure that's who he was when his eyes flashed red towards the beginning of the series.

Oh, and speaking of Flash.
[YOUTUBE]VwcQY-d0I_g[/YOUTUBE]