Judd Apatow is one of the most successful producers in Hollywood. He got his start as writer on the highly successful series, The Larry Sanders Show and was able take the next step towards producing his own products. According to boxofficemojo.com, Mr. Apatow’s movies have grossed over 1.6 billion dollars over the course of his career. His movies are always going to feature some sort raunchy humor but they all seem to have some sort of depth to them. Trainwreck is no exception as it has plenty of raunch but actually has a surprising amount of depth to it as well. Amy Schumer’s wit and comedic timing add to this movie which results in Trainwreck being the best comedy of 2015. Let me break it down for you.
This movie starts with her father (Colin Quinn) drilling into a young Amy’s head that monogamy isn’t realistic. Amy grows up with that as her credo and lives a life that is full of promiscuity. As much as Amy is enjoying a life free of commitment, Amy is in a funk. While working on a writing assignment for her magazine she actually falls in love with a successful sports doctor played by Bill Hader. Amy has to decide if she is going to clean up her act or continue with her lifestyle.
I’m sure that most people are going to tell you that the funniest part of this movie is the fact that Amy Schumer is playing the typical guy role in a movie. The thing that stuck out the most to me was the very emotionally available guys that were in this movie. Bill Hader is sweet, sensitive, and goofy in his role. Hader seems poised after this to take that next step into leading man status.
Lebron James (who plays himself) is absolutely fantastic as Hader’s emotional friend. He spends chunks of the movie trying to get to the bottom of Amy’s intentions. I absolutely died when Lebron asked Amy, “Do you hear his name in the wind?” John Cena (who plays her body builder boyfriend) even kills it as the boyfriend who is crushed when she won’t be her “cross-fit queen.” Tilda Swinton plays Amy’s boss at the magazine she works at and she is sensational in the role. So many great casting choices were made in the planning of this film that it’s no wonder that this movie was such an enjoyable experience.
Don’t go into this movie expecting it to be all raunchy humor. Colin Quinn, who plays her father, becomes the emotional core in this movie. Amy Schumer herself has stated on the Howard Stern Show that Colin Quinn’s portrayal is semi auto-biographical based on her own struggles with her dad and his battle with MS. Don’t be surprised if you shed a few tears towards the end of the movie.
I think it can’t be stated enough that this movie was completely written by Amy Schumer. She has created a rom-com that dismantles the typical clichés that you see in these types of movies. It’s raunchy, unique, and absolutely fantastic. In a world where we see rehashed movies making it to the screen, it’s certainly refreshing to see something this wonderful come out in the theaters. Trainwreck is a movie that sticks with you and will have you laughing days after.
Could these two men actually deliver some of the funniest lines in this movie?
Though it probably won’t be the galactic mega box office hit that Guardians of the Galaxy was for Marvel Studios and Disney last summer, Ant-Man certainly has plenty going for it in terms of cleverness, charm, and fun to make it a above-average entry in this summer’s list of “event movies.” It has its flaws, too — lots of them — but what cast, crew, and director Peyton Reed get right here still outweighs what goes wrong. That, along with lots of seeds of things to come in future Marvel films, make Ant-Man must-see material for the fanboy faithful and an entertaining few hours at the movies for everyone else.
Perhaps more so than any other Marvel film that introduces audiences to a “new” hero, Ant-Man makes its ties to other Marvel properties very clear from the outset. In the late 80’s, Dr. Henry “Hank” Pym (Michael Douglas) pioneered miraculous new technologies that allowed the shrinking down of matter to the size of an insect via what he dubbed “Pym Particles”, as well as rudimentary means of communicating with various insects. Fearful of his technology being weaponized by S.H.I.E.L.D. and rival tech innovator Howard Stark (John Slattery), he hid it and the “Ant-Man” suit he designed that incorporated and utilized all of his innovations away from the world, turning his energies toward building his own tech company and bettering the world through research and design in other fields.
Thirty years later, Pym’s efforts to hide the Ant-Man technology are on the brink of being undone by his one-time research assistant, Darren Cross (Cory Stoll), who has succeeded in duplicating Pym’s work and hopes to mass produce and sell it to the highest bidder. Pym and his daughter, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) know that can’t be allowed to happen, but they differ strongly on how to stop Cross. Hope believes she can simply do it herself, but for reasons he keeps to himself Pym chooses to recruit Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a former thief and recent ex-con who’s finding that it’s tougher to go straight on the outside than he thought it would be.
Scott needs help establishing a legit life for himself so he can spend time with his young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson). Pym needs Scott and his non-legit skills to use the Ant-Man suit and make sure Cross’s plans don’t come to fruition. An uneasy partnership/apprenticeship is born, as Pym and Hope undertake training Scott to be the new Ant-Man and with him plan a heist unlike any Scott has ever undertaken, one that will hopefully protect the world from Cross’s invention and those who would pay him billions to exploit it.
As the 12th in the line of “Marvel Cinematic Universe” films brought to the big screen by Marvel Studios (as opposed to the Marvel superhero films produced by Sony and Fox), Ant-Man arrives with a great deal of fanboy trepidation and public skepticism. After all, despite being a character whose history dates back to the 60’s and the inception of the Avengers, Ant-Man is without question a B-List Marvel property whose very name tends to inspire snickers more often than “ooohs” and “ahhhs.” He’s Marvel’s equivalent of Aquaman — one gets laughed at for supposedly being useless out of water and talking to fish (he doesn’t, by the way), and the other gets laughed at for being tiny and talking to bugs. Well-read comic book readers know better and can argue to the contrary, but impressions such as these are hard to escape for those not in the know.
And then there’s all the controversy surrounding the high profile exit of writer-director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) from the project after spending more than two years adapting it for Marvel. Wright’s script and the talent were all in place when he apparently clashed with Marvel’s Kevin Feige over the tone of the film, and once he was gone the script got an overhaul from Rudd and frequent Will Ferrell collaborator Adam McKay. Wright’s replacement in the director’s chair, Peyton Reed, also did little to inspire confidence, as his directing resumé includes such noteworthy box office juggernauts as Yes Man and The Break Up. All that considered, it’s fair to say that if Marvel fans were nervous about Ant-Man, they had a right to be.
It’s also fair to say that the final product isn’t nearly the letdown the doomsayers expected it to be. Yes, it’s an uneven film, one that tries to be lighter in tone while still being consistent with Marvel’s style of character-driven storytelling and action. Like the more successful films in Marvel’s line of films, Ant-Man co-opts a different genre of film — the heist flick — and builds its story around that set of tropes while incorporating its superhero elements. The effort is only partly successful, and that’s due in part to the fact that heist films require very deft direction and a consistent flow and pace of storytelling. Stephen Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s Trilogy”, in particular the first film, Ocean’s Eleven, is arguably one of the best modern examples of the right blend of slick, innovative direction, smooth pacing, and comic relief in just the right amounts that needs to go in a successful heist flick. In comparison, Ant-Man‘s heist flick elements come off as ham-handed and forced due to rushed pacing in certain spots, harsh transitions between scenes and plot beats in others, and jokes that fall flat almost as often as they inspire a chuckle.
What does work in the film are its many visual effects, as Ant-Man does make creative use of the growing/shrinking powers of its title character to provide audiences with lots of views of different environments from “ant level” and to put fun spins on fights and chases. Casting for the most part works out well, too — Rudd is his usual likable, cheeky self, while Michael Douglas brings heft and credibility to his take on Pym, who was once an action hero himself and now has to take a supporting role in things due to age and wear and tear. Evangeline Lilly, while she doesn’t have all that much chemistry with Rudd in their shared scenes, benefits the film overall with her screen presence and physicality — she’s certainly someone that audiences could come away from Ant-Man looking forward to seeing in future Marvel projects. Stoll also delivers solid work as a villain that’s at first easy to hate, someone seemingly driven simply by amoral ambition, but whose motivations prove to be more emotional and complicated. Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and David Dastmalchian round things out as Scott’s de facto heist crew, who mainly support the production through comic relief — theirs are the humor beats that usually work. You’ll want to listen closely to some of the background music choices in the film, too, as there are a few insect-inspired tunes thrown in to cute effect.
So all that said, is Ant-Man worth a look this weekend if you’re not a die-hard fan of Marvel movies or superhero movies in general? It’s important to qualify the question because for the Marvelites this is a must, if for no other reason that Rudd and Scott Lang will be back in next year’s Captain America: Civil War and other films in Marvel’s Phase 3 slate. But for the casual moviegoer, yes, it’s worth it — again, it’s got enough “good” in it to entertain, and a great deal of its special effects will most likely be best appreciated on the big screen. It’s not perfect and Marvel has certainly cranked out far better, but in comparison, this summer in general has delivered far worse.
Ant-Man
Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Wood Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian and Michael Douglas. Directed by Peyton Reed.
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.
Reverse-Flash, the big bad of season 1 is, well you know. For those concerned about spoilers because you are still watching the Flash season 1, or planning on it, you might not want to read on. For those of you craving season 2 information, and have finished your season 1 helping, read on.
The Inquisitr reported that Reverse-Flash would be returning to DC Comics, and Tom Cavanagh would be returning for the Flash season 2. Coincidence? Well, it might not be the Eobard Thawne Reverse-Flash, it might be Zoom. Comicbook reports that Andrew Kreisberg let the cat out of the bag.
“He’s faster than the Reverse-Flash, faster than Flash and will be very hard to catch. He’s going to be terrifying and scary and fast, and it’s going to be all kinds of cool.”
The news could be correct, and this could very well be Zoom, as the Man in Yellow is said to be returning anyways. So, who would be Zoom? Certainly Tom Cavanagh, the original Reverse-Flash in season 1 and season 2 return cast member could be, but that might seem obvious to many people.
The Reverse-Flash Zoom edition could also be Eddie Thawne. Though it does not fit the original mold of the character, many have speculated that Eddie’s necklace in the Flash season 1 finale was the Reverse-Flash ring. Not to mention that the Flash season 2 will be operating within the multiverse and alternate timelines. Unfortunately for the Flash fans, this leaves far too much open to narrow much down.
Another theory is that this could be Cobalt Blue, another character from the comic books that some have suggested is who Eddie Thawne will return as for season 2. Malcom Thawn was actually Barry Allen’s brother, and the history gets more complicated from there.
Suffice it to say, it seems more opened ended, but two Reverse-Flash characters does sound like quite the quandary for the Scarlet Speedster.
Monkeys Fight Robots continues to follow the Flash season news cycle, as it develops.
So, what are your thoughts? Is Zoom the new villain? Cobalt Blue? Someone else?
So the Comic Con to end all Comic Cons has come and gone. It goes without saying that despite being the debutante; Star Wars won hands down with perhaps the best after-party that San Diego has seen in a long time. DC and Warner Bros arguably came a close second with a trailer for Batman v. Superman that converted many a naysayer. They also managed to wow crowds by giving us our first glimpse at footage from the Suicide Squad film. Although initially reluctant to release the trailer online, leaks forced DC’s hand as they are want to do. Having watched the trailer in all its HD glory, it seems like the perfect time to look at five things that we need to see in Suicide Squad in our latest Panels to Pictures.
1) Amanda Waller being a Bad-Ass
The DC animated universe has in many ways spoiled this generation of comic book and superhero fans. To say that many consider it the definitive version of theses characters is an understatement and it shouldn’t be hard to understand why given the dedication that Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s put into their work. They understood that Amanda Waller has to be imposing on an intellectual level. She is more than just a handler for Task Force X, she is a political powerhouse and a woman who puts even the toughest DC characters in their place. All it should take is her word to drive the fear of God into the hardest of criminals.The New 52 initiative made a grave mis-calculation in its approach to Waller. Much of what makes Waller great is that she isn’t physically imposing in the classic sense. She doesn’t look like someone you should be afraid of, she’s someone who is underestimated because of her size, stature and gender. She is the anti-thesis of what is expected of her. The Skinny Waller re-design turned her to an archetypal femme fatale with only the slightest of hints towards the true brilliance of her character. The purpose was to show that Waller could be an action heroine, but she doesn’t need to be, that’s somebody else’s job. That isn’t to say that Waller is afraid to take matters into her own hands when needs be, but as the puppet-master she shouldn’t have to. The casting of Viola Davis in the role is a big step into doing the character justice and what little we get of her in the trailer is certainly promising. All we need is a scene of her successfully staring down Batman and we should be good to go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5vbFgrV93A
2) The Harley Quinn/Joker Relationship
If purported leaks from the set are to be believed, then the film will see the Suicide Squad charged with taking down the Joker himself. Inevitably this will lead to a clash between the Clown Prince of Crime and his disciple(and occasional girlfriend), Harley Quinn. Their relationship is as classic as it is tragic. While Quinn as a young psychologist attempts to exploit the Joker to further her own careers, the tables are quickly turned as he lures her into chaotic web. Harley’s inability to break free from the Joker’s control, despite her best efforts, is central to who she is and its unfortunately an experience that many victims of domestic abuse are all to familiar with. The film-makers would do well to hint at the origin featured in “Mad Love”, but to focus on modern Harley’s almost bi-polar attitude towards the Joker. They must walk a fine line between ensuring that Harley is an agent in her own right, while also demonstrating the power that Mister Jay has over her. We must be both charmed and horrified by Harley in equal measure, that’s what makes her endearing.
3) Each member of the Squad has to have a purpose
While an ensemble movie is nothing new, the amount of characters set to feature in Suicide Squad is astounding. Squad members alone include Waller, Harley, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Katana, Rick Flag, Boomerang, El Diablo and Slipknot. With so many characters and a limited run-time, the risk of overlooking characters is high. In order to justify their presence on the Squad outside of cannon fodder duty, the film should structure itself like a heist movie with each member chosen for a specific tactical reason. This would allow us some insight into the Squad’s own back-stories while also fleshing out Waller’s character and demonstrating her sharp strategic mind. Additionally it would allow for each character to have their moment in the limelight.
4) Treat Deadshot with the respect he deserves
Those of you wise enough to have read Secret Six know that Deadshot aka Flyod Lawton has potential to be the breakout character of a film which arguably exists as a platform to launch Harley Quinn and the Joker into the DC Cinematic Universe. It is fair to say that his origin story has been retconed to death over the years, but at the heart of the character is father whose lifestyle has lead to him becoming estranged from his daughter. Deadshot takes pride in his skills, but sees them as a means to an end. His relationship with Batman is something that is worth exploring as Lawton finds himself subconsciously pulling his shots around the Dark Knight. It is no accident that Will Smith was cast in the role. While one of the most charismatic actors on the planet, Smith also has the ability to bring a lot of nuance and emotion to a character as evidenced by his role in the Pursuit of Happiness. Deadshot much like Deadpool is as witty as he is deadly, but he also cares deeply about providing for his family. This is something that Arrow’s version of the character (portray by Michael Rowe ) did this very well and the character became a fan favourite because of it. Director David Ayer would do well to take notes.
5) Someone shouldn’t be returning for the Sequel
The number of characters featured on team is ever changing. The nature of the missions they go demands that the stakes are high. In order to fully realise its potential and sell the concept, the Suicide Squad has to live up to its name and that means that one of the core cast members is going to have to be killed off. Be it as a power play by Waller or a stray bullet in a fire-fight, one of our villains is going to have to bite the dust. For it to have any meaning whatsoever, the character must be more than a stereotypical red-shirt, doomed to die. The death should take us by surprise, it should be one of the leads and we should care about them. By all means kill off an expendable character early on to raise the tension, but that won’t be enough. The courageous decision story-wise would be to kill off Will Smith’s Deadshot, but it would probably be a mistake from a business perspective which would make Boomerang the most suitable candidate for the chop. Regardless, if DC wants us to believe that this is a movie and franchise in which anything goes, this is what will be required.
For my money, the best possible Suicide Squad movie has already been made with the 2014 animated feature, Batman: Assault on Arkham. For those of you looking to brush up on your Suicide Squad knowledge, there is no finer starting point.
What do you think? What would you like to see in the Suicide Squad film? Let us know in the comments below.
For Father’s Day this year my wife, signed me up for the Marvel Collectors Corp Box, since I have been and will continue to be a mega comic-book movie fan. What was so very cool about the past month’s box is that it promoted the movie Ant-Man. I was super excited because it came with a shirt and I knew that I was going to be rocking that T-Shirt at the screening in the next week or so. I was literally counting down the days to the screening. Finally the day arrived and I was excited to be attending this screening with my wife. I turned to her and said “Marvel, does everything right on the money, this is going to be awesome!” So 117 minutes pass and I headed out the theater very deflated. Marvel, a company that has produced so many great films had finally slipped a little. Ant-Man is an average movie at best and is without question lacking in stature. Let me explain to you why that is the case.
This is a movie about Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and how he recruits the talents of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a thief who was just let out of prison. Lang becomes Ant-Man, trained by Pym, is fitted for a suit that allows him to shrink in size, have superpowers, and control an army of ants. Lang uses his suit to help defeat his nemesis Darren Cross (who becomes the Yellow Jacket).
Paul Rudd was a very good choice to take on the role of the Ant-Man, however, the director didn’t use him in the right way. Paul Rudd is a funny and talented actor who has that same kind of quick wit that Chris Pratt demonstrated in Guardians of the Galaxy. Much to my surprise, it seems as if the director Peyton Reed worked to temper his wit rather than use it to the movie’s advantage. When he was allowed to use his wit to his advantage, what you had was some of the very best scenes that were in the movie. However, these were few and what we did see was a very stiff adaptation of the Ant-Man.
Ant-Man seemed to be less about setting forth a story line involving one of the lesser known super heroes in the Marvel universe and more about it being a building block for future Marvel movies. It was Marvel’s decision to do this that took away greatly from the overall impact of the film. Guardians of the Galaxy still built towards future movies but not at the expense of the story line in the film. If you are going to do a stand-alone film then allow it to be a stand-alone film and not use one character to build towards an array of others. If Marvel is going to continue to do this why would I pay to see Black Panther or Dr. Strange when I know that I can get what I want out of the Avergers: Infinity War movie?
Ant-Man should have been an enjoyable experience for all theater goers. Instead, I found myself asking myself, “Did they just make a reference to another Marvel Character?” If the little inside dialogue is going over my head, I can’t imagine how it’s going to play to your average non Ant-Man shirt wearing crowd.
I’m not going to tell you that Ant-Man is a terrible movie. It’s not. Ant-Man is a very average movie but for Marvel that’s not high praise. Marvel, over the last 7 years, has produced movie after movie that was quality and had the audiences buzzing afterwards. Leaving the theater this time I had the sense of “whatever”. That’s not the type of stature I am accustomed to from Marvel.
Toshiaki Mishima and producer Masuya Makomu’s mishmash* project have posted their Aimee Isobe collaboration music video directed by Katabuchi Sunao’s (director on Black Lagoon and Mai Mai Miracle, assistant director on Kiki’s Delivery Service). Akiko Asaki (animator of Black Lagoon‘s opening, animation director on late episodes and OVA) was animation director and character designer with key animation from Taiki Imamura and Kanako Maru. Mappa handled the production.
The single, “How much longer will I have you with me?” will be released September 16th.
I hope he has an outfit to wear to all the awards shows he will have to attend this year.
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word brilliant as very intelligent or successful. Some people will throw that word around like it has little to no meaning. I remember being at Disney World with my family and hearing another dad looking at an ice cream cone that his wife had purchased on Main Street and he calling that “brilliant.” I remember thinking to myself at that moment,“Really, you are calling the fact your wife was able to successfully navigate the purchase of an ice cream cone as an example of her intelligence?” The point is that we shouldn’t just throw certain words around all the time because it takes away from the overall meaning of the word.That is why when I write these reviews, I make it a point to carefully choose the words that I want to use when describing these movies to you. With that in mind, I’m here to tell you today that Mr. Holmes is one of the most brilliant movies I’ve seen in 2015. Let me explain further.
Mr. Holmes (Ian Mckellen) is a new take on the world’s most famous detective.In 1947, an elderly Sherlock Holmes returns from a journey to Japan, where, in search of a rare plant, he witnessed the aftermath of Hiroshima.Now, Holmes faces the end of his life tending to bees, with only the company of his housekeeper and her son.Dealing with the dwindling powers of his mind, Holmes comes to need the help of the boy as he revisits the circumstances of his final case.
The story behind this movie is the performance of Ian Mckellen. He portrays the iconic character of Sherlock Holmes with such gravitas that you aren’t able take your eyes off of him from the beginning of the film to the end.He portrays Mr. Holmes with a sense of ego mixed with a tinge of vulnerability due to his diminished mental skills.He brings such heart to the role of Mr. Holmes that it’s without question one of the best acting performances that I’ve seen this year.I think it’s a shame that Mr. Holmes came out now and didn’t come out closer to awards season.Sometimes time can be the enemy of a movie during awards season.
Sadly, Mr. Holmes won’t get the wide play that it deserves.It’s a great movie with plenty examples of masterful moments of acting.Mr. Holmes is not the best film of the year in my opinion but it’s at least in my top 5.The story that will last the rest of the year will be Ian Mckellen and his performance as Mr. Holmes. Mckellan has had a distinguished acting career and will have a great chance at winning his first Oscar for this role. Remember, brilliance is always going to be recognized.
Batman: Arkham Knight has been out for a little less than a month, and the gamer world flooded with reviews, gameplay footage, complaints about the PC version, and controversy about the over zealous batmobile.
The game’s tagline should have been, “Be the Batmobile.”
But, overall, the game was received with a lot of positivity, and with good reason. It’s a fun game to play, with unique features that sets it apart from other games on the market. Definitely a fun game that was worth the price. And now that it has been nearly a month, WB Games is starting to release DLC for the game.
Six months worth of DLC, to be exact. And if one purchased the Arkham Knight season pass then one can download all the DLC early and with no additional charges. However, DLC is tricky, because sometimes it can add some amazing new features to a game, like the awesome Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. Or it can be disastrously pointless like Elder Scroll: Oblivion‘s Horse Armor.
Ah. The endless running joke.
The first DLC for Arkham Knight is an original prequel story called Batgirl: A Matter of Family. It’s an original prequel story that sees Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) and Robin fighting the Joker in an abandon amusement park. The clown prince of crime has kidnapped Commissioner Gordon on Valentine’s Day and wants Batgirl and Robin to try to save him. The Joker’s end goal is to kill the two sidekicks so Batman won’t be distracted by them anymore. Isn’t he considerate?
Showdown!
The game is a lot of fun, Batgirl controls great. She’s a like a smaller, faster Batman, but with more hacking abilities. For example, she can hack certain panels that can scare criminals, and then do fear take downs on them. The setting of being in an abandon amusement park is a perfect setting. The ability to “dual play” with Robin adds a fun element to the mix. And if you played Arkham Knight and hated using the Batmobile, well you’re in luck. There is no Batmobile here. In fact the game is actually very much back to basics. Stealth, combat, and puzzles are the focus; giving us some of the best versions of those game elements. And just like the Arkham Knight, the game looks gorgeous.
The Joker and Harley Quinn are brief villains, but they do a good job adding humor, and their own brand of crazy to the mix. Harley is in her original outfit, and Joker is sporting a very fun new top hat. You have to fight both of them at the end, as well as an army of their clown themed goons.
True love.
It’s definitely a lot of fun, but if there was something to complain about then it would be that the game is just too short. You can complete it in about an hour. Maybe an hour and a half if you want to explore everything. And there aren’t any Riddler trophies, so the replay factor is minimal. There is an island to explore afterwards, but there isn’t a lot to do except for find balloons and fight more bad guys. Which is a shame, because could have been more to throw in to extend it. Mini bosses, more devious puzzles, a detective element, and maybe a tad more of a challenging experience.
Perhaps the next game should be all about Batgirl… Or Robin… Or maybe a Batman game all about the sidekicks. Could be a lot of fun. Get on that WB Games!
But, back to the matter at hand, overall it’s a great purchase. If you did get the season pass then you probably already downloaded it, but if you don’t then go ahead and download it. You won’t regret it. The DLC releases for everyone, on July 21st.
Marvel announced yesterday they are releasing hip-hop variant covers this October. Each cover will pay tribute to an iconic album.
“For years, Marvel Comics and Hip-Hop culture have been engaged in an ongoing dialog,” Marvel EIC Axel Alonso said in a press release. “Beginning this October, we will shine a spotlight on the seamless relationship between those two unique forces.”
The hip-hop variants opens up a can of worms when it comes to diversity in the work place at Marvel. The comic publisher is creating a diverse line up of characters, but Marvel is lacking in hiring a diverse line up of creators.
Marvel editor Tom Brevoort was asked this question on his Tumblr page New Brevoort Formspring, and he didn’t handle it very well.
This was the first question: Can you explain why Marvel thinks that doing hip hop variants is a good idea, when absolutely no announced writers or artists on the new Marvel titles, as of now, are black? Wouldn’t correcting the latter be a much better idea than the former?
This was Brevoort’s answer: What does one have to do with the other, really?
Three hours later this question came through: How do you not see the connection between appropriating iconic Black American imagery the lack of Black American representation on Marvel’s creative teams?
Brevoort responded with a more thought out answer: Okay, fair cop, I spoke quickly and curtly and may have given the wrong impression. So I apologize for that.
I think that anybody who’s been reading this page for the past month or so should have a pretty good idea of where I stand on the issue of representation in our comics—and that goes for creators as well as characters. We can always do better, and we continue to work on it.
There are still plenty more titles to be announced as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel, and as they continue to roll out, I believe that you’ll see the evidence of our commitment to creator representation among the creative teams as well as our characters.
My point, such as it was, is that this isn’t an either-or situation. Doing the Hip-Hop covers (many of which were illustrated by creators of color) has no direct bearing on the state of African-American representation among our creative teams. What it does do, hopefully, is to showcase an appreciation for this respected artform, and by extension create an environment that’s maybe a little bit more welcoming to prospective creators.
From Breevort’s responses he doesn’t seem to understand the roots of hip-hop, if he did he probably wouldn’t have answered the question so quickly. Also, the conversation of diversity in work place and in the pages of the comic book does go hand and hand.
Actor Kellan Lutz phoned in to talk with us about the season finale of FOX’s Bullseye. Lutz also talked about his upcoming project “Extraction” with Bruce Willis, his goal to be in a super hero film, and his favorite charities.
During the interview Lutz almost slips up and lets us know what super hero film he will be in, but we do find out that he’a huge X-Men fan.
The season finale of Bullseye is Wednesday, July 15th on FOX.
Bonus track: Star Wars Slave Leia controversy in Philadelphia.
ABOUT KELLAN LUTZ
Kellan Lutz most recently starred in the feature films “The Expendables 3,” “The of Legend of Hercules” and in the worldwide phenomenon “The Twilight Saga” franchise. He will next be seen starring opposite Bruce Willis in the action feature “Extraction.” Lutz began his acting career as a series regular on the cable series “The Comeback,” opposite Lisa Kudrow. He was also seen in the network series “90210,” “Heroes,” “Summerland” and the award-winning cable mini-series “Generation Kill.” When not acting, Lutz is an avid enthusiast of extreme sports. Born and raised in North Dakota, Lutz had a simple upbringing but learned to live every day to the fullest. From sky diving to parasailing, from motor cross to white water rafting, he has always approached life as an adventure. Lutz also gives his time to three charities: PETA, the Royal Family Kids’ Camp, and the St. Bernard Project
