While Wolverine has been known as a loner and a drifter, the fact is that he lived for a very long time, and one does not walk through as much time and space as he did without fathering multitudes of children. Now, some of his kids have become heroes in their own right, joining teams such as X-Men and Avengers, but a select few managed to prove that Logan’s healing factor, his metallic skeleton, and his adamantium claws still have room for improvement.
Of course, each of these characters has their own unique powers and compelling backstories, and the upcoming season of X-Men ’97 could explore some of these characters, add depth to Logan’s narrative within the show, and expand its emotional stakes. Here are the six children of Wolverine we want to see in X-Men ’97.
Torrent
Though most fans recognize Jean Grey as Wolverine’s main love interest, die-hard fans of X-Men and Wolverine know that Logan had several love interests at different times and in different continuities. One of those love interests is Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm. Though most of their relationships across different continuities were short-lived, Marvel’s What If…? universe introduced us to Kendall Logan, better known as Torrent, who inherited her mutations from her parents — weather manipulation from Storm and a healing factor and heightened senses from Logan.
Raze Darkhölme
Another character from an alternate reality, Raze, is the child of Wolverine and Mystique and possesses all the powers of his father — including the claws — and his mother’s shapeshifting abilities. Just imagine a less-pleasant Wolverine (yes, that exists) with blue skin, red hair, and claws. Sadly, he didn’t use his powers for good. Instead, he became affiliated with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and hatched a master plan to right the world by eradicating humans so that mutants can finally thrive in a world that’s free from persecution. Perhaps Magneto was right all along…
Daken
Daken, also known as Akihiro, is the son of Wolverine and Itsu and features his father’s powers, including the retractable claws, as well as heightened senses. However, he wasn’t raised by his parents; the Winter Soldier killed Itsu, and Daken was kidnapped by Romulus, who raised Daken to become a cold-blooded killer.
He’s also incredibly manipulative and intelligent and has the ability to manipulate the emotions of those around him through pheromone control. Daken hates Wolverine and strives to destroy his father’s heroic legacy — he even led a criminal empire while masquerading as the Wolverine.
Laura Kinney
Laura Kinney is a mutant who has been genetically engineered from Logan’s DNA, and her origin story implied that she was a direct clone and therefore could and should be regarded as Wolverine’s daughter. Her primary mutant power is an accelerated healing factor that allows her to regrow entire limbs or simply reattach them.
Unlike Wolverine, who has three claws, Laura only has two in her arms and one claw in each foot, which she can extend and retract at will. Her claws are, much like Wolverine’s, coated with adamantium as a result of experimentation. She even assumed the mantle of Wolverine in certain timelines.
Reine du Rien
Rien is Wolverine’s sorceress daughter, born to Wolverine and Sylvie D’Arqueness. She was purposefully conceived so that the clan her mother belonged to could have a member who, next to possessing vast magical abilities, would also possess Logan’s healing factor, which would allowed Rien to fight and slaughter powerful demons. Apart from magic abilities and Logan’s healing, she also inherited his retractable bone claws, and ever since she took down a major demon known as the Truth, Rien has been on a path to form a close relationship with her father.
James Hudson, Jr.
James Hudson is the son of Wolverine and Magneto’s ex-wife, the Witch — also known as Magda Lensherr, the mother of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Jimmy is very reminiscent of his father, primarily because he’s just as wild and reckless. He also boasts Wolverine’s retractable claws and regenerative healing abilities.
However, he possesses the innate ability to coat his claws, entire skeleton, and even his teeth in adamantium, making his claws stronger than Wolverine’s. Over time, James developed the ability to adapt his physiology to counteract poisons, gained control over reshaping his claws, and acquired the ability to crawl on walls, much like Spider-Man.
Honorable Mention: Rina Logan
Rina Logan is one of the best female versions of Wolverine. As the daughter of Logan and the deadly assassin Elektra, she inherits all her father’s powers — except for the bone claws, which are curiously absent. Instead, she wields a set of psychic claws that she manifests through sheer focus, solidifying them to cut through most conventional materials. These claws also allow her to “slice” into the minds of others, though not in the purely physical sense that Wolverine would.
Final Thoughts
Each of these characters adds depth to Wolverine’s backstory and reflects both his best and worst traits, as children often do. Introducing any of them in Season 2 of X-Men ’97, either as allies or adversaries, could bring even more emotional weight and thrilling action to a series already brimming with emotionally charged moments. So, why not introduce one of his children, especially now, when he’s wounded and possibly on a collision course to meet hand and claw with golden adamantium — perhaps the truest form of Logan’s metal?
The post 6 Children of Wolverine We Want to See in ‘X-Men ’97’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
“No man is ever truly good. No man is ever truly evil.
I do the things you never could… and we won’t ever be equal”– Incendiary & CFO$
The biggest fear everyone had with Daredevil moving from Netflix to Disney+ was that the show wouldn’t have the gritty, noir, dark elements that make Matt Murdock and Daredevil the characters that they are. These are the elements that revitalized the franchise in the 80s under Frank Miller. With the MCU announcing Daredevil: Born Again, the consensus was that we may be moving the character into a lighter light. Aye, look me in my eyes when I tell you this: you ain’t gotta worry bout none of that. Someone at the House of Mouse said, “if you can’t stand the heat, then get out of Hell’s Kitchen cause we ain’t changing a thing!”
Daredevil: Born Again feels like we got the gang back together again. You can tell when a show tries to recapture the formula of a previous iteration vs maintaining the vibes. Not only was the vibe check passed, it was done while creating a new adventure for these characters that we’ve become so familiar with. Seeing Charlie Cox reprise the role of Matt Murdock is one thing, but seeing Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) is an entirely different thing. Honestly, it feels like the creators of Daredevil: Born Again – Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, and Chris Ord – were in the offices of Disney+ and told them, “y’all know what to do. Dismissed.”
Daredevil: Born Again, So We Ballin’ Again
The mark of a good comic adaptation is being able to take characters with a heavy history for an on-screen adventure that will keep an audience engaged. Now, I have been a Daredevil fan since I was a kid. I collected the Frank Miller “Man Without Fear” comic run, then the Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev comic run back in ’01. I saw the Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck in 2003, died on the hill defending that movie (it was a B+ movie) and franchise for twelve years till the Netflix show dropped and changed the fucking game. I say all that to say this: I have been a fan of Daredevil’s world for more than half of my life.
In the first episode of the series, I could not believe what I was seeing. I mean that in the best way possible. I know this character in and out and I was shocked. That’s how you adapt a comic book series. That’s how you elevate the natural progression of the characters. What I love about the show is seeing character’s from the Netflix series now interacting with characters from the comics making their debut.
Seeing Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) from the Mark Waid/Paolo Rivera Vol 3 run of the Daredevil comic was a pleasant surprise. However, with the insertion of original characters such as Cherry (Clark Johnson), I thought I knew where the show was going to go alongside the show. Man, color me Jon Snow tho, because I knew nothing. Something that was a pleasant surprise and that I had been hopeful for was a specific call back to the Netflix series; someone that was a very important and connected character. We see them honored through the portrayal of Genneya Walton’s character BB [redacted last name]. I was very excited to see her character; it felt like a baton pass in a way.
The initial episode sets the tone for what’s to come for the entirety of the season. Folks talk about the MCU not taking risks, well Daredevil: Born Again brought out the board game for the critics.
Situation, Speculation, Everybody, Litigation
As exciting as it is to have Charlie Cox hitting the streets as Daredevil, an underrated joy is seeing him back in the court of law because being a lawyer is a big part of Matt Murdock’s identity. The Netflix series did a good job of mediating Matt’s life between being a lawyer and a vigilante, especially in his early years, but as the show went on the vigilante aspect took over a majority of the show. Daredevil: Born Again, on the other hand, doesn’t shy away from Matt’s career and all that it entails. One of the biggest cases Matt Murdock has involves The White Tiger, Hector Ayala, portrayed by Kamar de los Reyes.
For those that don’t know, White Tiger debuted back in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 in 1975. He’s credited with being the first Latinx superhero as well (Puerto Rico stand up). Kamar de los Reyes is a scene stealer as Hector – every time he appears you want to see more of him. This man wastes no time on-screen and truly brought this legendary character to life. It’s wild to remember reading this storyline as a teenager in the Bendis/Maleev comic run and now see it happening in live action.
This storyline is an important one in Daredevil’s lore and what’s amazing is the way the creators and writers blended it into a different storylines to weave together a tapestry of the bigger picture that’s being told over the season.
Violins and Violence
The show runners understood that the essence of the Daredevil franchise is the duality of Matt Murdock. This man has the most gifted hands (no Ben Carson) Marvel 616 has ever seen. The struggle of Matt trying to keep his composure and violence contained is what truly makes him such a compelling character. No one understands that composure better than his nemesis, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio portray Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk as two men wrestling with violence that found themselves at opposing sides of the law.
Two victims of circumstances that led to different paths, which makes their conversation with one another so compelling considering their history in the comics as well as the show. These are two men tryin’ to suppress who they truly are for a more acceptable version of themselves for society. However, all they need is an excuse to let their true selves out. They are that excuse for one another.
Throw in the appearance of Punisher (Jon Bernthal), whose relation to violence is much more brutal and savage then Murdock and Fisk. Bernthal lets you not only see that in his portrayal of Punisher but he lets you hear it as well. D’Onofrio’s Fisk calmly releases his violence like an animal walking out of a cage. Cox’s Daredevil has his violence escape from him like a prison break whenever he does his yell. Bernthal’s Punisher has a visceral and primal violence. Every time he fights, he sounds like a wounded animal backed into a corner.
Now when we look at the more defined villains of the series like the newcomer Muse (who debuted in the Charles Soule/Ron Garney Daredevil run) his violence is artistic. Expressive. Then we got Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye. Woooooo-wheeeeeeeeee. There is no spectrum with this man. The violence is simply an extension of himself – it’s as natural as breathing.
Speaking of violence. I’m reminded of a story staff member Nicole Homer (who is a brilliant writer) told me. She was in a martial arts class, and the instructor told her that she had to be even more brutal. “Don’t compromise the violence.” I thought that Daredevil: Born Again was going to compromise the violence and I was prepared for a milder type of fight choreography for a watered-down Daredevil. It. Was. Not.
My god, I never thought I’d live to see the day when the House of Mouse would air Matt Murdock breaking bones and filling more hospital beds in Harlem than Loaded Lux, or seeing The Punisher [redacted]. Disney+ went full on Triple H and let Daredevil be Daredevil because “that’s what’s best for business”. Now, yes – violence is a part of Daredevil, but it’s not all that he is. We see these characters cursing and having real reactions of frustration and anger and it makes the series feel so much more authentic. Matt drops an F bomb later on in the series that came straight from the soul.
Hood Politics
You know a show is good when they can make politics and the things that go into the operation of a city interesting. Daredevil: Born Again was out here looking like The Wire and Ozark for a couple episodes. As much as I love how Daredevil lore can delve into the occult and mystical, I’m always going to be a fan of the street level happenings. The show captures all the things going on in the city and the temperament of the citizens of MCU New Yorkers perfectly. There’s so much to check in on in the series from the crime, the people, the villains, and heroes, as well as the city itself, but there is such a perfect balance this time set as a foundation for this show. Another thing the show does is not only make the law an interesting character as well, but it also shows how fickle that law itself can be.
We always say that art imitates life. The suspension of disbelief can only hold so much. What I like about this go-round with Daredevil is that even these folks who defend the law feel as if the system is rigged. What’s believed to be wrong or right changes from certain perspectives being switched. Especially when it comes to cases that aren’t so major or grand in scale.
Matt Murdock is a lawyer that defends the little guy – we get to see and critique that help this time around. Sometimes the best case scenario isn’t actually helping when the system got the dice rigged, which is something I appreciate. Don’t tell me that in this world the law is black and white when we know it’s the same color as prime era Loaded Lux’s hoodie. I appreciate the element of realism this incarnation of Daredevil achieved for this season. Again, seeing this character get to be his full self and real rap rap on Disney+ is insane to me. Never thought I’d live to see the day but we here now, baby.
Daredevil: Born Again is streaming right now on Disney+. The first two episodes aired as of March 4th. COME DOWN TO HELL’S KITCHEN AND SEE MATT MURDOCK GOIN CRAZY ON THE WOK AND STOVE TOP!
“Next time you in the hood and see an ol’ G
You ask about me, The young boy don’t back down.”
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Somehow, it’s three months into 2025, and the year is really getting started. Here are some entertainment news tidbits that dropped in March. (You can check out February’s round-up here)
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil Movie Coming Fall 2026, Lands at Sony
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot is heading home to Sony Pictures and producer PlayStation Productions. The Resident Evil cinematic franchise has long been under Sony’s purview, but to keep it, the studio had to participate in quite the bidding war. Nevertheless, Sony prevailed and will bring us the next Resident Evil movie, which is helmed by Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger.
The release date for the next Resident Evil movie is September 18, 2026.
Robert Pattinson Says He’s Going to Be “A F**cking Old Batman” in The Batman—Part II
The Batman—Part II has had some delays. Rumor has it that it will begin filming soon(ish), and one person who hopes so is Robert Pattinson. He shares, “I fucking hope so,” when asked if he’ll return to Batman’s world soon, “I started out as young Batman, and I’m going to be fucking old Batman by the sequel. I’m 38, I’m old.” Oop, well, we also love an old Batman.
YouTube Offering Less Expensive Premium Tier, YouTube Premium Lite
Are all the ads on YouTube making you batty? Well, now you can take advantage of the perks of YouTube’s Premium tier, namely an ad-free experience, in a less expensive way. YouTube is now offering YouTube Premium Light. YouTube Premium Lite will cost $7.99 per month vs. $13.99 per month, the cost of premium. That’s a pretty steep reduction. YouTube Premium Lite will make “most videos” on YouTube ad-free for subscribers, including gaming, fashion, news, and beauty videos. Music content and shorts will remain full of ads, however. And YouTube Premium Lite will not allow video downloads or background play. Still, for those wanting less ads in their lives, YouTube Premium Lite seems like a good choice.
The post New RESIDENT EVIL Movie Coming in Fall 2026, RPatz Says He’s ‘A F**cking Old Batman, and Other News appeared first on Nerdist.
The trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag immediately caught my eye. There was something very enthralling about its sleek restraint and its overwhelming sexiness, delivered more in the twinkle of Cate Blanchett’s eye and the polished repression of Michael Fassbender’s rigid spine than in any kind of baring of skin. And it is exactly this energy, a blend of actors with crackling chemistry, a polished, minimalist aesthetic, and an at once smoothly jazzy and thrummingly percussive soundtrack, that makes the movie an enjoyable 90-minute experience. Although the specific details of Black Bag‘s plot are largely indiscernible throughout the film, it doesn’t matter that much because the movie’s purpose is more to mediate on manipulation and relationships than to worry too much about the logistics of spycraft.
Black Bag offers a new entry into an increasingly popular genre of fiction, which includes the likes of the Knives Out movies and The White Lotus series. In this genre, a collection of truly terrible people, played by truly magnificent actors, suck you into the dramas and interpersonal relationships of their world as a mystery of a kind plays out. Watching these creations leaves you feeling disgusted, enthralled, and totally captivated. In my opinion, there cannot be enough of this on-screen energy out there—one part gossipy, one part thriller, one part romance, shaken altogether and poured into a tall glass.
But Black Bag‘s offering ups the ante. The players are far more competent than in the usual fare, elevating the conceit. In Black Bag, the main characters are smart, master manipulators. They have a certain elegance which promises violence in a heady way that carries throughout the movie. And so, their deceptions and alliances are that much more striking.
Black Bag is steeped in a more grown-up kind of sexiness and relational dynamic than what we usually see on our screens. The idea that there’s nothing more attractive than someone committing to something, be it a profession, a romance, or a personal ethos, drives the allure of the story. This facet is clearest in the intoxicating tangle between Cate Blanchett’s Kathryn St. Jean and Michael Fassbender’s George Woodhouse. They are two of the best agents in the business and are both agonizingly good at what they do. The only thing more important to them than the work is one another… but what if doubt enters that equation? Well, then, sparks will truly fly.
Surrounding the pair, and appearing as both friends and enemies at once, are a whole cabal of sociopaths. These include Tom Burke’s philandering Freddie, Marisa Abela’s Clarissa, a seemingly brash and naive cyber comms expert who is Freddie’s current girlfriend, Naomie Harris’ Dr. Zoe, a psychologist among spies, and Regé-Jean Page’s James, a rising star with a devilish smile. Black Bag weaves an intricate and tangled web between the six figures (and the three couples) that is the film’s true heart. Not a one of them is less devious than the next. Somehow, all present their amorality in totally differing, and yet incredibly attractive ways.
For me, second to Blanchett, Abela’s Clarissa truly steals the show, offering a masterclass on developing a character and unfurling unexpected depths. Of course, I am always a fan of any performance that Regé-Jean Page delivers. This role allows him to flex a new kind of acting muscle. He offers a shrewder and colder performance than we’ve seen in his other major turns.
As important as the characters is Black Bag‘s very specific aesthetic. The movie paints us an incredibly minimalistic backdrop, perfectly highlighting the close-to-the-chest game its main actors are playing. Everything feels very austere and angular, often empty, and sharp-edged, to be sure. But every so often, the jazzy slide of David Holmes’ soundtrack comes in to offer lushness around the edges, hinting at hidden secrets leaking out. Steven Soderbergh, of course, serves as cinematographer and editor, in addition to director. And his deft hand crafts the movie with incredible certainty. Finally, we would be remiss not to also mention costume designer Ellen Mirojnick. The extensive, immaculate array of turtlenecks, leather jackets, watches, and glasses that parade through this movie, all in a tasteful palate of neutrals, were key to that efficient erotic energy Black Bags exudes—quiet luxury on high.
Less critical to the movie is its plot. Ostensibly, the whole film hinges on the theft of a cyber-program called Severus, which we eventually learn can destabilize nuclear reactors. But this part of the movie is fairly difficult to understand fully and to really keep track of. It almost seems like Black Bag isn’t that interested in explaining to you the intricacies of spy work and international tensions at play here. More so, the movie seems to hope that you can just come aboard to the idea that something important has gone missing and bad things could happen because of it. Isn’t that enough? If the movie had been any longer or less well acted, no. In this case, we’ll give it a pass. Cate Blanchett’s half-smile will have us agreeing to just about anything.
Black Bag pulled us into a world of erotic menace and masterful manipulation. Though the movie didn’t care too much about every detail, the ones it chose to focus on were delivered with breathless precision. It knew exactly how to deliver on its strengths and left us wondering how we would fare in a world full of so many sharks. We may never know, but we can enjoy a brief foray into the fray with Black Bag.
Black Bag releases in theaters on March 14, 2025.
(3.5 of 5)
The post BLACK BAG Is a Sexy Mediation on Manipulation and Love (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
Attention, all of you giant monster aficionados out there. While we eagerly await news of the latest Godzilla x Kong continuation on the big screen, the world of the Titans will continue to expand in other media. Titan Comics and Legendary Comics are expanding the Monsterverse later this year in Return to Skull Island, a brand-new comic book series set in Legendary’s Skull Island: The Animated Series universe, currently streaming on Netflix. The first Issue will arrive in comic shops later this summer. It showcases a gorgeous cover by artist Inhyuk Lee, featuring our favorite giant ape in battle with a sea creature. You can check out the cover, as well as several interior pages from issue one, in our gallery down below:
Here’s the official description from Titans Comics and Legendary Comics on Return to Skull Island:
Set against a backdrop of giant monsters and deadly intrigue, the comic follows a group of survivors stranded on the perilous island in the South Pacific. As they uncover its dark secrets, they face life-threatening challenges and fight for survival in a land where every creature is a threat—including Kong himself. The series is written by Simon Furman (Transformers) and illustrated by Christopher Jones (Doctor Who: Once Upon a Time Lord).
So where exactly does the new Return to Skull Island comic book series fall in the overall Monsterverse timeline? At this point, there have been five live-action films in this saga, starting with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla in 2014. Not to mention an animated show, as well as the series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Fortunately, we have a handy infographic that shows exactly where Return to Skull Island takes place, which you can see above. This comic is a ’90s flashback, set in 1993, right after the events of the animated show. So we say put your earbuds in, and read along while listening to some TLC or Nirvana tunes.
The first action-packed issue of Return to Skull Island hits comic book shops on June 4, 2025.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks
The post The Monsterverse Continues in Comic Book Form in RETURN TO SKULL ISLAND This Summer appeared first on Nerdist.
For better or worse, the Enola Gay is a hugely important part of American military history. Unfortunately, that history may now be inadvertently erased thanks to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whose anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives mistakenly flagged references to the aircraft for removal simply because it contains the word “gay.”
The potential elimination of Enola Gay’s imagery is just one of thousands of examples of pictures and other archival records being flagged for removal because of Donald Trump’s executive order to wipe out what he and his ardent followers deem to be DEI-related content. Hegseth is in charge of the project at the Pentagon, and so far, over 26,000 images have been tagged for elimination. That number is expected to rise to more than 100,000, including written posts.
Dungeon Master for Dropout’s Dimension 20, Brennan Lee Mulligan, recently participated in WIRED’s Tech Support series. He answered everyone’s burning questions on Dungeons & Dragons, effectively becoming D&D Support. Mulligan goes through over 30 of the internet’s most burning questions, from interesting D&D lore to how to play as a newbie. You can watch the video in its entirety below.
Have you ever wondered what D&D‘s most iconic monster is? In Mulligan’s opinion, it has to be a mimic, a monster disguised as a treasure chest because of how many adventurers are fooled by its appearance, hoping for loot instead of instead of a scary mouth. However, this is in opposition to Mulligan’s favorite monster, which is the Owlbear. “Why would you mix an owl and a bear together? Bears are more dangerous than owls. Just have a regular bear, but no, we made them half-owl,” joked Mulligan.
Also interesting is a Reddit user asking what pop culture representation of D&D has been best in movies or TV. Mulligan shouted out Stranger Things as one of them for showing people how D&D is “inherently social.” Additionally, the video game series, Baldur’s Gate, that takes place in the Forgotten Realms D&D campaign was a big eye-opener to those who don’t play the table top RPG on the nature of the game. Of course, no discussion of D&D pop culture is finished without mentioning Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which Mulligan says was good at highlighting the more goofy nature of a real D&D game.
Another question highlight: What is the golden rule for D&D or any TTRPG? Mulligan’s answer: “You’re playing with other human beings at the table. Stay tapped into what their experience is. Are they having fun? Are you all telling a story together? That is the measure of a great tabletop game.” I would have to agree and say that that advice extends past TTRPGs to all games you play with others.
Mulligan answers a variety of other questions in the video that he explains in depth, for example, the difference between a critical roll and nat 20. He also shouts out his new Dimension 20 show, Dungeons and Drag Queens, which recently concluded its second season. For more of Mulligan, check out his new series premiering April 2, Dimension 20: Titan Takedown, where four WWE wrestlers play a campaign with Mulligan at the helm.
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“No man is ever truly good. No man is ever truly evil.
I do the things you never could… and we won’t ever be equal”– Incendiary & CFO$
The biggest fear everyone had with Daredevil moving from Netflix to Disney+ was that the show wouldn’t have the gritty, noir, dark elements that make Matt Murdock and Daredevil the characters that they are. These are the elements that revitalized the franchise in the 80s under Frank Miller. With the MCU announcing Daredevil: Born Again, the consensus was that we may be moving the character into a lighter light. Aye, look me in my eyes when I tell you this: you ain’t gotta worry bout none of that. Someone at the House of Mouse said, “if you can’t stand the heat, then get out of Hell’s Kitchen cause we ain’t changing a thing!”
Daredevil: Born Again feels like we got the gang back together again. You can tell when a show tries to recapture the formula of a previous iteration vs maintaining the vibes. Not only was the vibe check passed, it was done while creating a new adventure for these characters that we’ve become so familiar with. Seeing Charlie Cox reprise the role of Matt Murdock is one thing, but seeing Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) is an entirely different thing. Honestly, it feels like the creators of Daredevil: Born Again – Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, and Chris Ord – were in the offices of Disney+ and told them, “y’all know what to do. Dismissed.”
Daredevil: Born Again, So We Ballin’ Again
The mark of a good comic adaptation is being able to take characters with a heavy history for an on-screen adventure that will keep an audience engaged. Now, I have been a Daredevil fan since I was a kid. I collected the Frank Miller “Man Without Fear” comic run, then the Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev comic run back in ’01. I saw the Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck in 2003, died on the hill defending that movie (it was a B+ movie) and franchise for twelve years till the Netflix show dropped and changed the fucking game. I say all that to say this: I have been a fan of Daredevil’s world for more than half of my life.
In the first episode of the series, I could not believe what I was seeing. I mean that in the best way possible. I know this character in and out and I was shocked. That’s how you adapt a comic book series. That’s how you elevate the natural progression of the characters. What I love about the show is seeing character’s from the Netflix series now interacting with characters from the comics making their debut.
Seeing Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) from the Mark Waid/Paolo Rivera Vol 3 run of the Daredevil comic was a pleasant surprise. However, with the insertion of original characters such as Cherry (Clark Johnson), I thought I knew where the show was going to go alongside the show. Man, color me Jon Snow tho, because I knew nothing. Something that was a pleasant surprise and that I had been hopeful for was a specific call back to the Netflix series; someone that was a very important and connected character. We see them honored through the portrayal of Genneya Walton’s character BB [redacted last name]. I was very excited to see her character; it felt like a baton pass in a way.
The initial episode sets the tone for what’s to come for the entirety of the season. Folks talk about the MCU not taking risks, well Daredevil: Born Again brought out the board game for the critics.
Situation, Speculation, Everybody, Litigation
As exciting as it is to have Charlie Cox hitting the streets as Daredevil, an underrated joy is seeing him back in the court of law because being a lawyer is a big part of Matt Murdock’s identity. The Netflix series did a good job of mediating Matt’s life between being a lawyer and a vigilante, especially in his early years, but as the show went on the vigilante aspect took over a majority of the show. Daredevil: Born Again, on the other hand, doesn’t shy away from Matt’s career and all that it entails. One of the biggest cases Matt Murdock has involves The White Tiger, Hector Ayala, portrayed by Kamar de los Reyes.
For those that don’t know, White Tiger debuted back in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 in 1975. He’s credited with being the first Latinx superhero as well (Puerto Rico stand up). Kamar de los Reyes is a scene stealer as Hector – every time he appears you want to see more of him. This man wastes no time on-screen and truly brought this legendary character to life. It’s wild to remember reading this storyline as a teenager in the Bendis/Maleev comic run and now see it happening in live action.
This storyline is an important one in Daredevil’s lore and what’s amazing is the way the creators and writers blended it into a different storylines to weave together a tapestry of the bigger picture that’s being told over the season.
Violins and Violence
The show runners understood that the essence of the Daredevil franchise is the duality of Matt Murdock. This man has the most gifted hands (no Ben Carson) Marvel 616 has ever seen. The struggle of Matt trying to keep his composure and violence contained is what truly makes him such a compelling character. No one understands that composure better than his nemesis, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio portray Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk as two men wrestling with violence that found themselves at opposing sides of the law.
Two victims of circumstances that led to different paths, which makes their conversation with one another so compelling considering their history in the comics as well as the show. These are two men tryin’ to suppress who they truly are for a more acceptable version of themselves for society. However, all they need is an excuse to let their true selves out. They are that excuse for one another.
Throw in the appearance of Punisher (Jon Bernthal), whose relation to violence is much more brutal and savage then Murdock and Fisk. Bernthal lets you not only see that in his portrayal of Punisher but he lets you hear it as well. D’Onofrio’s Fisk calmly releases his violence like an animal walking out of a cage. Cox’s Daredevil has his violence escape from him like a prison break whenever he does his yell. Bernthal’s Punisher has a visceral and primal violence. Every time he fights, he sounds like a wounded animal backed into a corner.
Now when we look at the more defined villains of the series like the newcomer Muse (who debuted in the Charles Soule/Ron Garney Daredevil run) his violence is artistic. Expressive. Then we got Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye. Woooooo-wheeeeeeeeee. There is no spectrum with this man. The violence is simply an extension of himself – it’s as natural as breathing.
Speaking of violence. I’m reminded of a story staff member Nicole Homer (who is a brilliant writer) told me. She was in a martial arts class, and the instructor told her that she had to be even more brutal. “Don’t compromise the violence.” I thought that Daredevil: Born Again was going to compromise the violence and I was prepared for a milder type of fight choreography for a watered-down Daredevil. It. Was. Not.
My god, I never thought I’d live to see the day when the House of Mouse would air Matt Murdock breaking bones and filling more hospital beds in Harlem than Loaded Lux, or seeing The Punisher [redacted]. Disney+ went full on Triple H and let Daredevil be Daredevil because “that’s what’s best for business”. Now, yes – violence is a part of Daredevil, but it’s not all that he is. We see these characters cursing and having real reactions of frustration and anger and it makes the series feel so much more authentic. Matt drops an F bomb later on in the series that came straight from the soul.
Hood Politics
You know a show is good when they can make politics and the things that go into the operation of a city interesting. Daredevil: Born Again was out here looking like The Wire and Ozark for a couple episodes. As much as I love how Daredevil lore can delve into the occult and mystical, I’m always going to be a fan of the street level happenings. The show captures all the things going on in the city and the temperament of the citizens of MCU New Yorkers perfectly. There’s so much to check in on in the series from the crime, the people, the villains, and heroes, as well as the city itself, but there is such a perfect balance this time set as a foundation for this show. Another thing the show does is not only make the law an interesting character as well, but it also shows how fickle that law itself can be.
We always say that art imitates life. The suspension of disbelief can only hold so much. What I like about this go-round with Daredevil is that even these folks who defend the law feel as if the system is rigged. What’s believed to be wrong or right changes from certain perspectives being switched. Especially when it comes to cases that aren’t so major or grand in scale.
Matt Murdock is a lawyer that defends the little guy – we get to see and critique that help this time around. Sometimes the best case scenario isn’t actually helping when the system got the dice rigged, which is something I appreciate. Don’t tell me that in this world the law is black and white when we know it’s the same color as prime era Loaded Lux’s hoodie. I appreciate the element of realism this incarnation of Daredevil achieved for this season. Again, seeing this character get to be his full self and real rap rap on Disney+ is insane to me. Never thought I’d live to see the day but we here now, baby.
Daredevil: Born Again is streaming right now on Disney+. The first two episodes aired as of March 4th. COME DOWN TO HELL’S KITCHEN AND SEE MATT MURDOCK GOIN CRAZY ON THE WOK AND STOVE TOP!
“Next time you in the hood and see an ol’ G
You ask about me, The young boy don’t back down.”
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The post Daredevil: Born Again Doesn’t Compromise A Damn Thing appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
After seven long years, Daredevil is back, in the Disney+ revival series Daredevil: Born Again. Many of the main players from the original series have returned, although for some, it’s not for very long. Here’s everything that went down in the first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again.
Revelations From Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 1, “Heaven’s Half Hour”
R.I.P Foggy Nelson, and Farewell Nelson, Murdock, & Page
The episode opens some years after we left our heroes at the end of the original Daredevil show. We have no clear idea how much time has transpired since then. We also don’t know if any of them got Thanos-snapped for instance. But enough time has passed for Foggy Nelson to get quite a glow-up. We see our trio from the original series out for a few post-workday drinks at Josie’s Bar in Hell’s Kitchen. Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), Foggy Nelson (Eldon Henson), and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Wohl) are at a retirement party for their cop friend Cherry (Clark Johnson). After Foggy awkwardly flirts with Assistant D.A. Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James), he gets a frantic phone call from a client. He goes outside to talk to him, and Matt senses something is up. Foggy isn’t outside for more than a few moments before a sniper’s bullet hits him in the chest.
That bullet turns out to be from Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, a.k.a. the assassin Bullseye (Wilson Bethel). He kills two more people and takes aim at Karen, before Daredevil steps in and the two have an epic brawl in the bar. As Daredevil and Bullseye fight inside of Josie’s Bar, and then on the roof, Foggy lies dying on the pavement outside. Matt can hear his heart slow down, and when he knows that his best friend has died, he breaks his “no killing” rule. He promptly throws Bullseye off the building. Bullseye survives the fall. We assume it’s due to his enhancements received at the end of the original show. But there may be more to it. In just the first fifteen minutes of the series, Matt Murdock’s life comes crashing down on him. And it’s brutal.
“One Year Later” – Matt’s New Life, and Is NYC Better Without Daredevil?
After the credits roll, we then pick up one year later, in Matt’s new swanky apartment. He still looks very sad, and they’re letting us know Foggy’s death still weighs heavily on him. We then watch some street interviews with locals on an online show called The BB Report. The titular BB is BB Urich, niece of reporter Ben Urich from season one, played by Genneya Walton. Seems she’s following in her uncle’s footsteps. From these candid interviews, we learn Daredevil retired and things are not any better. Career-wise, Matt is doing great though, as he and Kirsten are now partners. Soon after, Matt gives a very emotional testimony during Bullseye’s trial, and Karen Page also appears for the sentencing. The judge sentences Poindexter to life in prison on 11 counts of first-degree murder.
The Kingpin Goes Legit. Maybe?
We are soon reintroduced to Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), eating a fancy meal as if his time served in prison never happened. As his estranged wife Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) has a secret meeting with the heads of the Five Crime Families, he walks into the room. Just like that, everything comes to a stop. Vanessa has been keeping his criminal enterprises thriving while he’s been gone. But Fisk soon informs her he now wants to go “legit.” We’ll soon find out exactly what he means by that.
Awkward Reunions, and What Happened to Matt and Karen in the Missing Year?
Karen and Matt have an awkward conversation in the courthouse after, where Karen reveals she’s living in San Francisco. It seems the trauma around the events a year ago means she’s not ready to renew a close friendship with Matt. It’s all still too fresh and painful. Matt simply reminds her of Foggy and their practice together. Before she goes, she gives Matt a broken-off horn from his Daredevil costume, realizing he might just need the push. Does she want him to become Daredevil again, or keep his vow to not go the vigilante route again? It’s unclear what Karen is hoping for here. That night, Matt learns that his old nemesis Wilson Fisk is running for Mayor of New York City. And he’s not very happy about it at all.
Matt Has Two Awkward Coffee Dates
After we see Fisk meeting with his campaign staff, including his Gen-Z representation Daniel Blake (Michael Gandolfini), we return to the offices of Murdock & McDuffie. Kristen sends Matt on a client meeting with a woman named Heather Glenn, an old friend of hers who is a therapist. What she didn’t tell Matt (or Heather) was that it was actually a blind date. Although Both Matt and Heather are mad at Kirsten for the ambush, the two do hit it off, and a romance begins. Soon after, Matt’s ex-cop buddy Cherry reveals he’s not discovered anything dirty on Fisk’s campaign. At least nothing he can use against him in his upcoming mayoral run. This doesn’t make Matt very happy, and then he says “Maybe New York is getting the mayor it deserves.” Ouch.
Then we get to the pièce de résistance for episode one. Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk meet up in a diner and exchange some tense pleasantries. It’s clear the two have not seen each other face to face since the events of Daredevil, several years back. Matt makes a few verbal jabs, reminding Fisk that his protégé Echo shot him in the face. Although Fisk assures Matt that he had nothing to do with Foggy’s death, keeping his promise to leave them alone (Matt would know if he was lying). Both men remind the other that if they “step out of line” there will be consequences, with Fisk threatening Matt should he ever put on the Daredevil costume again. We’d say the first coffee date went better than this one.
New York Votes for a Convicted Criminal as Its Mayor
Later, while on a proper date with Heather, Matt learns that Fisk has won the race. The former Kingpin is now Mayor of New York City. After his victory, Fisk confronts his wife Vanessa over an affair she had with someone named Adam, after which she calmly pleads with him not to kill him. Fisk says “I’m not that man anymore.” But we kind of doubt that. Are we meant to know who this “Adam” is? Is he a character we’re meant to have any familiarity with? It’s unclear.
Revelations From Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 2, “Optics”
Mayor Fisk Lays Down the Law on Masked Vigilantes
Episode two of Born Again, “Optics,” begins right after Fisk’s recall election on New Year’s Eve, where he assures New York City that he won’t tolerate any costumed vigilantes running around, like the guys wearing skulls on their shirts or men dressed as spiders (Hey, we know them!). We then cut to a man heading to a (mostly) empty subway platform, who tries to break up two men beating down another man. He kicks their butts, but one of the men falls on the subway line and is creamed by a train. The guy they beat up runs away, and the good Samaritan is arrested, as the surviving assaulter is a cop.
Fisk starts his job as Mayor pontificating on how old his desk is, not very interested in the mundane minutia of his job. Later, Matt Murdock is down at the Police Precinct, when he overhears the cops threatening the subway Samaritan, whose name is Hector Ayala. Matt offers to represent him in court, knowing thanks to his handy-dandy hearing powers he’s not lying about what took place. Although he immediately knows Victor is holding something back. Back at his office, Matt and Kirsten realize that vindicating Ayala is going to be an uphill battle, as he killed a police officer, and the only witness he saved ran away.
BB Urich Meets Mayor Fisk, But Does She Know He Killed Her Uncle?
Daniel Blake introduces BB Urich to Mayor Fisk for an interview. Fisk realizes her coverage of his campaign actually helped his election efforts. It’s unclear whether or not BB realized that Fisk murdered her uncle in cold blood, but she doesn’t seem to like him much. Interestingly, she doesn’t really ask him a question despite getting permission to try and get a soundbite out of him. What exactly was the point of this meeting?
Heather Glenn is hosting a reading/signing for her newest book, when an awkward young man approaches her about getting some help. Next, Fisk’s right-hand man Buck Cashman approaches Heather with a different offer. At the funeral for the cop who died on the subway platform, Fisk confronts Police Commissioner Gallo. He’s trying not to get him to quit in protest, as he knows many cops will follow his lead. But Commissioner Gallo knows the true criminal Fisk is and wants no part of him. He tells him “You’re not a mayor who loves this city. You’re just a whiny kid who wants everyone to love him.” This insult is not one Fisk will soon forget.
Surprise! Our Subway Hero Is Actually Marvel Comics Hero White Tiger
At Hector Ayala’s apartment, Cherry discovers that Hector is actually operating as the vigilante White Tiger. This obviously throws a huge wrinkle at Murdock & McDuffie’s case. When the Police chief goes to Fisk’s office and tries to resign, Fisk essentially threatens him to stay on the job, or he’ll expose that he has a son with another woman (presumably not his wife). Pressured, the comish stays on the force, but tells Fisk “Be careful what you wish for.” Matt and Kirsten get the judge to not allow Ayala’s masked identity to be brought up in trial. They argue that since he wasn’t in costume or using his mystical amulet during the incident, it shouldn’t factor in.
The next scene shows us Wilson and Vanessa Fisk in couples therapy. It seems that older voters don’t like seeing estranged married couples as the Mayor and First Lady of New York. And, as it turns out, Heather Glenn is their therapist. Seems Fisk’s guy recruited her at her book signing. They skirt around the criminality of their marital issues, but it’s clear Vanessa was happier without Wilson around.
Matt Murdock Lets the Devil Out (But Did He Kill Again?)
Matt eventually discovers the young man that Hector Ayala saved, hiding out in his apartment. Turns out his name is Nicki Torres. Matt learns that he was a police informant who the cops were roughing up. Matt goes to his apartment to get him to testify in Hector’s case, but the cops are also on their way to kill him. Nicky escapes through the window, and when the cops try to kill Matt instead, he unleashes holy hell on them, letting the ol’ Devil of Hell’s Kitchen out to play. It doesn’t appear he killed them, but it’s actually unclear. As the episode ends, Matt Murdock screams into the night. But we’re not sure if it was a howl of pain, or a howl of victory. On some level, Matt enjoyed letting his rage out. As they said in the original series, “the Murdock boys have the Devil inside them.”
And that is our recap of the first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season one. Join us next week as we continue our return to Hell’s Kitchen and the ongoing struggle between Matt Murdock and his “darker half.”
More revelations and questions in Daredevil: Born Again next week.
The post DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, Season 1, Episode 1 and 2 Recap, New Revelations and Questions from ‘Heaven’s Half Hour’ and ‘Optics’ appeared first on Nerdist.
We’re back on our nonsense as Yellowjackets returns to our screens with season three. Last season, we had a blast tracking the cannibalism that occurred in season two. And now, we’re back to keep track of what devious acts of eating take place in Yellowjackets season three. After all, cannibalism is the great “Will they or won’t they?” in this surreal series. As with last time, we’ll be keeping track of all things people eating on Yellowjackets. That includes whether cannibalism has happened in Yellowjackets season three, how likely more cannibalism is to happen, and who might be on the menu.
So, has cannibalism happened yet in Yellowjackets season three? Let’s sit down to dinner together and find out.
Yellowjackets Season 3, Episodes 1 & 2: No Cannibalism in Sight, Just Nibbles
After a very cannibalistic season two finale, Yellowjackets season three brought us a diet a little lighter on human flesh. Although Shauna did bite right into Mari, no actual consumption was involved. We’ll call that just a playful (or, in this case, scornful) nibble. Although, we do feel that this could foreshadow future Yellowjackets season three cannibalism that could see Shauna biting into Mari for real.
At the moment, though, it’s largely a diet of bunny rabbits and deer for our favorite team lost in the wilderness. Mari even tells Coach Ben, “We don’t do that anymore.” on the subject of cannibalism. Will such a pronouncement stand? Doubtful. But it’s nice they believe it for now.
Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 3: We Eat Bats But No Humans
So far, the team is sticking to their guns on the no eating people thing. There’s not a whiff of cannibalism on Yellowjackets season three, episode three. Mari and Coach Ben to unadvisedly eat bats, but we guess you have to eat what you can eat when you can eat in on Yellowjackets… but for now, that’s not people.
Yellowjackets Season 3, Episode 4: Cannibalism Is Still Off the Table
There’s certainly a lot of spiritual cannibalism happening on Yellowjackets season three, episode four, as the team turns on one another trying to decide whether Coach Ben is innocent of attempted murder or not in the past timeline. But, for now, there’s no actual eating of people happening. In the present day, murder is on the hearts and minds of all the women, especially Tai and Van, and that could have led to some good old-fashioned Yellowjackets cannibalism. But no killing actually comes to pass.
More Cannibalism to Come on Yellowjackets Season 3
We bet there are many dubious dinners to come on Yellowjackets season three. It’s a crazy fairy tale, after all. And it turns out many fae fantasies involve some kind of consumption. It’s only a matter of time before (human) meat is back on the menu. And we are still waiting to see some cannibalism happen in Yellowjackets‘ present timeline. Well, will they? Or won’t they? We’ll keep you posted on how the cannibalism of Yellowjackets season three plays out.
Originally published on February 14, 2025.
The post YELLOWJACKETS Cannibalism Tracker: Who Gets Eaten in Season 3? appeared first on Nerdist.
LEGO announced a plethora of new sets for April, including a stunning recreation of the Beauty and the Beast Castle with everyone’s favorite characters as ten different minifigures and buildable characters. The set is quite large at 2,916 pieces. The LEGO Disney Beauty and the Beast Castle goes by set number 43263. LEGO has been doing big things recently, which for me includes things like announcing the upcoming release of official Bluey sets.
The castle is based on the animated version of Beauty and the Beast from 1991. I would say sorry Emma Watson, but she has too many minifigures as Hermoine Granger anyway. The LEGO rendition of the castle has four stories filled with different scenes from the movie. Iconic locations like the “Tale as Old as Time” ballroom and the mysterious west wing of the castle where the enchanted rose lies.
The set is chock-full of intricate details, such as the Beast‘s claw marks on a painting of himself as a prince like seen in the film. Additionally, in the dining room, the tablecloth rotates so new dishes can be delivered to Belle. Just like we see in the “Be Our Guest” musical number.
Of the 11 characters included in the set, five are minifigures, and the other six are buildable characters. Belle, the Beast, Gaston, LeFou, and Maurice are minifigures. Whereas Lumière, Fifi, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, and the dog Sultan are buildable figures.
LEGO Insiders will be able to buy the set before the general public from April 1 to April 3. A LEGO Insiders account is free, so make sure to create one for early access to this and other sets. The castle’s general release date is April 4, retailing for a steep $279.99. Expensive LEGO sets? That really is the tale as old as time.
The post New LEGO BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Castle Set Arriving April appeared first on Nerdist.
From Netflix’s Glen Powell-led Hit Man to Keanu Reeves’s John Wick franchise, the “hitman genre” has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. Now, a newcomer is in town: Old Guy, the latest from action-comedy veteran Simon West.
On the surface, Old Guy may sound like your run-of-the-mill heist flick. A contract killer finds himself the reluctant mentor of a much younger, bright-eyed protégé. Along the way, they develop an odd couple dynamic, defeat the bad guys, and boom—roll credits. But right off the bat, Old Guy is doing something a bit different.
If you, like me, missed the celebration of Cat Day in Japan this past Caturday Saturday, February 22–then you probably also missed the news about the newest trailer for Nyaight of the Living Cat.
I vaguely remember reading the first volume of the manga series that this anime adaptation is based off–a series created during the (real life) pandemic and thinking that an anime series would bring this unique and hilarious premise to the audiences that deserve it, in an animated form.
Stories about apocalypses–zombie apocalypses–are always in style, truly. Here in this anime adapataion of the manga based on the manga of the same name by Hawkman and Mecha-Roots, cats are the key factor in the cat-tastrophe of the end of the world!
What Do We Know So Far?
Title: Nyaight of the Living Cat
When: July 2025 (exact date TBA)
Where: Streaming only on Crunchyroll worldwide excluding Asia; with Sony Pictures Entertainment distributing in Asia and Japan
Synopsis: Run! The adorable cats are here. In 20XX, the world is dominated by cats. A virus which turns anyone who touches a cat into a cat has spread into a worldwide nyandemic. Cats rub against people, turning them into cats. Can humanity fight their urge to pet cats to survive in this cat-ridden world?
–PRODUCTION STAFF
Original Work: Based on the manga Night of the Living Cat written by Hawkman and illustrated by Mecha-Roots
Executive Director: Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer; Audition; 13 Assassins)
Director: Tomohiro Kamitani (MIX MEISEI STORY Season 2)
Screenplay: Shingo Irie (Orb: On the Movements of the Earth; Golden Kamuy Season 1)
Character Designer: Takao Maki (Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls)
Music: Koji Endo (13 Assassins; Audition; the live-action JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable)
Animation Studio: OLM (Pokémon; The Apothecary Diaries)
–JAPANESE VOICE CAST
Masaaki Mizunaka (Ryuen Kakeru in Classroom of the Elite) as Kunagi, a cat cafe employee with amnesia whose identity is shrouded in mystery. He loves cats and has superhuman physical abilities.
Reina Ueda (Cha Hae-in in Solo Leveling) as Kaoru, a high school student attending Sabion High School. She loves cats. She works as a shop assistant at the cat cafe “Megokoro Nekome” run by her brother.
Reiji Kawashima (Fushi in To Your Eternity) as Arata, a former track and field athlete, and ninja-obsessed university student. He loves cats. He was saved by Kunagi just before turning into a cat, and he came to adore him and call him “Aniki” (“older brother”)
Yu Serizawa (Mini Yaemori in Rent-A-Girlfriend) as Tsutsumi, she attends the same Sabioto High School as Kaoru. She loves cats, but is allergic to them, although this sometimes opens up unexpected paths for her.
Subaru Kimura (Aoi Todo in JUJUTSU KAISEN) as Len Ward, the eldest son of the Ward family. He loves cats. This legendary family is said to have defended their base from cats for three days and three nights without sleep. He is a physically strong man with a bold personality.
Yoshiki Nakajima (Yo Uei in Dr. STONE) as Masaki Ward, the second son of the Ward family. He loves cats. He is part of a legendary family that once defended their base from cats without sleep for three days and three nights. He is smart and popular.
Hiroki Yasumoto (Elfman Strauss in Fairy Tail) as Tanishi, a regular at the cat cafe where Kunagi works. He loves cats. He works with Kunagi and Kaoru in a world ruled by cats, but…
Ryota Takeuchi (Elias Ainsworth in The Ancient Magus’ Bride) as Gaku, the owner of the cat cafe “Megokoro Nekome” and Kaoru’s older brother. He loves cats. He hires Kunagi who has lost his memory.
What to Expect This Summer?
A new horror/comedy anime series about adorable threats in a post-apocalyptic world!
Look, we’re already living in actual apocalypse
, here’s an actual fictional one that won’t do me any more harm and will be entertaining off jump.
A virus spreads across the world, transforming all of humankind into cats. Those few survivors who remain human take refuge as they fight back against the feline horde. Kunagi, a man with no memory of his past yet a deep knowledge of cats, struggles to hold on with only his wits (barely) and a will to survive. Yet, the virus transmits merely through cuddles, and Kunagi finds all the newfound kitties so very hard to resist!
Beloved, I’m not going to lie: Nyaight of the Living Cat sounds silly as hell. Like Silly turned up to one hundred, and everyone knows that I am a silly person. I am looking forward to some silliness, some true comedy, and this upcoming anime that just might unite all the horror and cats fans across fandoms! I LOVE that OLM, the animation studio behind bringing the anime adaptation of my favorite The Apothecary Diaries is handling this project! The End is Nyaigh!
Love anime? So do we! See what else we have to offer on the site via anime here!
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The post New Trailer for ‘Nyaight of the Living Cat’ Has Us Welcoming the Cutest Apocalypse This Summer appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Walt Disney Animation Studios has officially scrapped the animated Tiana series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series was to follow Princess Tiana from Disney’s 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. This decision is part of a broader shift away from producing long-form content exclusively for the streaming platform. We were looking forward to a Tiana series, as she is one of our all-time favorite Disney princesses, so we’re sad to hear it’s been canceled.
Disney canceled more than just the Tiana series. The studio also shelved a feature-length animated film that would go straight to Disney+. As The Hollywood Reporter stated, Disney’s Vancouver studio expects layoffs due to the shift away from streaming-specific content. The rush for streaming exclusive content began during the pandemic. Then-CEO Bob Chapek pushed for original content from Disney’s various studios.
Disney announced the Tiana series back in December 2020. Its original concept was to be a musical, with Anika Noni Rose reprising her role as the titular character. Sources close to Disney+ revealed that despite multiple changes in the creative team, the show could not surmount the estimated production costs.
Despite the Tiana series’ cancellation, a The Princess and the Frog-inspired special is currently in development at Disney. Currently though we know few details about this project. However, the special will supposedly feature an all-new story based on the original The Princess and the Frog film, with Joyce Sherri directing and Steve Anderson writing the story.
This isn’t unexpected for Disney, as last year, the company announced that Pixar would no longer prioritize developing long-form episodic content for Disney+. We learned this news after the release of Dream Productions and Win or Lose. However, Disney Animation is reportedly still aiming for one theatrical release every year in addition to other smaller projects.
The post Disney+ Tiana Series Officially Canceled appeared first on Nerdist.
You may already know that Latin America is decorated with Afro-culture. Afro-Brazilians invented dynamic and eye-catching dance moves with the creation of Capoeira and Samba. Afro-Cubans gave the world flavorful music and dance by creating Rumba, Son, and Salsa. Let’s not forget the Afro-Colombians who rebelled to create the first free town in the Americas.
Throughout the history of Latin America, Afro-Latinos have been a crucial part of Black history. The Afro-descendants in Nicaragua are no different. Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America, is known as the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes. Within its dynamic landscape, this country nestled between Honduras and Costa Rica has a rich history involving an overlooked culture. Here are some things you should know about Afro-Nicaraguans.
Demographics of Afro-Nicaraguans
There are approximately 500,000 Afro-Nicaraguans, who make up about 9% of the total population. The majority live in the Región Autónoma del Caribe Sur (RACS) and Región Autónoma Caribe Norte, which are twice the size of Maryland. Although large and filled with white beaches, geographically these regions have been isolated compared to the Central and Pacific regions of the country.
Because these regions have been separated from the main areas, some Nicaraguans view Afro-Nicaraguans as outsiders, and unfortunately, their traditions and culture are often perceived as “un-Nicaraguan.” Despite the negative opinions, Afro-Nicaraguans are embedded within the fabric of the nation.
History of Afro-Nicaraguans
One of the key components of Afro-Nicaraguan history is their activism for social change. A crucial point for Afro-Nicaraguans came after the Sandinista victory in 1979. The Sandinista victory refers to the successful overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) on July 19, 1979.
Afro-Nicaraguan activists, intellectuals, and local leaders pushed for greater recognition of their culture and rights. June Gloria Beer, an Afro-Nicaraguan artist and activist, was known as a leader among many Afro-Nicaraguans. Her efforts were instrumental in pushing the Nicaraguan government to recognize regional languages, such as Creole and Indigenous languages, as co-official languages, helping to preserve cultural heritage. As an artist, she used her platform to raise awareness about the struggles faced by Afro-Nicaraguans, promoting social change and community empowerment. Beer’s legacy continues to inspire contemporary movements for racial and cultural equality in Nicaragua and beyond.
Even though progress was made, tensions between the Sandinista government and Afro-Indigenous groups simmered. Afro-Nicaraguans and Indigenous groups wanted their autonomy, traditions, and land rights to be respected. Yet, the ruling government forces wanted to expand into Afro-Nicaraguan areas. This ignited a resistance movement, and some groups, particularly among the Miskito people, aligned with the U.S.-backed Contra rebels, leading to violent clashes.
As a result, the Sandinistas forced thousands of Miskito people to relocate in 1981 and 1982, which led to international accusations of human rights violations. Victory was finally claimed in 1987 when the Sandinista government introduced autonomy statutes, granting the Caribbean coast greater self-governance. This was a victory for Afro-Nicaraguans, allowing them to have more control over their education, land rights, and cultural preservation.
Unfortunately economic disparities and social challenges persist in the region today. Yet Afro-Nicaraguans continue to make their impact on society.
Key Elements of Afro-Nicaraguan Culture
Many languages are exchanged within Afro-Nicaraguan culture. The the two main languages are Spanish, which is the official language of Nicaragua. There’s also Creole English, which is influenced by British English and African languages. Miskito and Garifuna are some of the Indigenous languages also spoken within the region.
Dance and Music
Like Black people around the world, music and dance are pillars of the culture. Blending African drumming, reggae, and calypso, popular dances like Palo de Mayo have emerged. This dance and music style consists of energetic movements and rhythmic footwork performed to traditional instruments such as the marimbas and drums. The dance often includes movements that mimic the gestures of planting and harvesting, reflecting the agricultural roots of the celebration. Dancers often wear vibrant costumes decorated with flowers to symbolize fertility and the beauty of nature.
Palo de Mayo is not just a performance but an inclusive event that involves the entire community, with people of all ages participating in the dances and celebrations. This fosters a sense of unity and collective identity among Afro-Nicaraguans.
Food
Coconut is a staple ingredient in Afro-Nicaraguan cuisine. Many popular dishes include a rich coconut-based seafood stew and pan de coco, a traditional coconut bread. Seafood, plantains, and cassava are often key elements in the region’s gastronomy.
Afro-Nicaraguans, like many across the African diaspora, have endured discrimination and hatred. Despite the circumstances they’ve faced, this vibrant group continues to celebrate and preserve their traditions. Through festivals, storytelling, music, and activism, they ensure that their rich cultural identity remains an integral part of Nicaragua’s diverse heritage.
The post Here’s What You Need to Learn about Afro-Nicaraguans appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
The old saying states that behind every successful man is a woman, but we’d like to adjust that saying to better fit modern times by saying that next to every successful man is a successful, unwavering woman. Rachel Robinson, who just recently turned 102, is far more than just the widow of a successful man — the baseball legend Jackie Robinson — she is a trailblazer in her own right whose life is defined by her own extraordinary contributions to the field of medicine, racial equality, and philanthropic work.
By being born in Los Angeles, California, in 1922, Rachel Robinson, born Rachel Isum, came to a world that’s very different from today’s — it was a time when opportunities for women, particularly Black women, were severely limited. Yet, that didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in nursing. She attended Manual Arts High School and the University of California (UCLA), where she met the baseball legend Jackie Robinson in 1941 before his baseball eligibility at the university ran out.
In 1945, Rachel graduated from UCLA with a degree in nursing, which is an impressive feat. Back then, societal norms greatly stifled women’s academic and professional ambitions, and things were even harder for women of color, as they also had to fight systemic racism. However, Rachel’s determination allowed her to shatter all the limitations imposed upon her by said societal norms. Following her graduation, Rachel married Jackie Robinson in 1946, one year before he broke into the big leagues as the first Black baseball player to play in the MLB.
She and Jackie had three children, Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David, the latter of whom now has ten kids of his own. After Jackie Robinson — portrayed masterfully by Chadwick Boseman in the movie 42 — retired from professional baseball in 1956, Rachel, having established herself as a capable nurse, decided to pursue her education even further. She went on to earn a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from New York University (NYU) in 1959. This not only enhanced her professional credentials but also expanded her understanding of the human condition.
Her advanced studies laid solid groundwork for her future contributions to the field of mental health and a place at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she worked as a researcher and clinician at the College’s Department of Social and Community Psychiatry. After spending five years there, she became an assistant professor at the Yale School of Nursing and later the director of nursing at Connecticut Mental Health Center. Her work was based on the belief in the importance of treating the whole person, both physically and psychically — a belief that continues to influence modern practices to this day.
Yet, perhaps one of Rachel’s most enduring legacies are her roles as a civil rights activist and philanthropist. Beginning in 1963, Rachel and Jackie Robinson would regularly host legendary jazz concerts at their come in Connecticut. These events served as fundraisers for jailed civil rights activists who tirelessly fought against racial discrimination. She contributed to the fight against racial inequalities in her own way, though she didn’t just protest against injustice. Her approach to activism was about creating lasting structures that would support minority communities, which is something she later realized through her philanthropic work.
Following the premature death of Jackie Robinson due to a heart attack in 1972 (just 53 years old), Rachel Robinson incorporated the Jackie Robinson Development Corporation. This real estate development company focused on funding and developing housing for low- to moderate-income families. A year later, in 1973, she also founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships and leadership opportunities to Black students, with a clear mission to tear down barriers that hinder their academic and professional success.
Over the decades, the Jackie Robinson Foundation has supported over a thousand minority students, boasting an impressive 97% graduation rate among its scholars. This foundation allowed Rachel Robinson, who has been an ardent crusader for opportunity through education, to invest in the future of countless young individuals coming from communities that have historically been marginalized. However, it’s also important to recognize that Rachel Robinson’s contributions go well beyond her professional and descriptive titles of a nurse, an activist, and a philanthropist.
Her contributions to our society have resonated through the decades and continue to resonate still, illustrating the amount of impact a single individual can have on a society. So, while history often casts her into the shadows of her husband’s monumental achievements on the baseball field, it’s clear that Rachel’s own achievements are equally if not even more important. Now, at 102 years old, Rachel remains a living testament that the true measure of success or a life well-lived often isn’t found in accolades and public recognition but in the countless lives that have been influenced by our own actions.
The post Let’s Take a Moment to Celebrate Jackie Robinson’s Wife, Rachel Robinson, Who Just Turned 102 appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
It had all the makings of a great Gundam series between epic fights…
Political commentary…
And opening and ending themes that’d make you cry every time and also tear your hair out at the implications of the imagery.
It was also hella and unapologetically gay in the best way possible. It was very much baked into the text from the pilot, and it was one of the many ways that distinguished Witch from Mercury from its predecessors.
Now, my first exposure to the Gundam franchise was actually the least Gundam of all: Mobile Fighter G Gundam that bares more resemblances to a stock shonen anime than the complex spatial political drama that it takes its iconic mecha design from, but I still in fact loved it.
And up until February 26th, I only ever had passing knowledge of the Universal Century timeline outside of enjoying the Hathaway movie on Netflix. I knew some things like the difference between Zakus and Gundams, Minovsky particles, the concept of Newtypes and the ubiquity of the character archetype that originated with Char.
I bring all of this up because what the trailer for Gundam GQuuuuuuX neglected to mention a very key bit of information: it takes place in an alternate timeline.
When I went to the special early IMAX showing of GQuuuuuuX (pronounced G-Quacks if you were wondering), I was expecting about three episodes worth of content, and I did in fact get that. It just so happened that the first episode’s worth of anime was a brilliantly streamlined revision of the story.
I had to look this up, but in the original series, Amuro Ray became a Gundam pilot after getting into the mecha to defend his home from Zakus sent on the order of one Char Aznable. In the world of GQuuuuuuX though, Char personally investigates this mysterious Gundam, and things spiral from there. The opening episode is drawn in a style that perfectly replicates the original 1980’s animation style to a T. Even without a complete knowledge, the episode, which is essentially a prologue, moves swiftly and efficiently and conveys all of the key plots with ease. We see how the world is shaped by Char’s actions. We see the consequences of war. We set the stage for the series I was actually expecting to watch.
GQuuuuuuX proper is the story about Amate (who later goes by Machu), our red-headed protagonist, who was simply going about her day before being trampled by a random passerby and then gets implicated in an underground fight ring, Clan Battles. I don’t want to spoil much past that because in lieu of watching the series on an IMAX, the best thing you can do is watch the series fresh.
Everything about the series works. The character designs pop. The mecha designs are cool. The animation is phenomenal. The music is ethereal. The opening theme gets you hyped (by the by, Kenshi Yonezu, having a very good year in terms of anime OPs, since he’s also responsible for Bow and Arrow for Medalist.).
This collaboration with Sunrise (the company that owns Gundam) and Studio Khara (the minds behind Neon Genesis Evangelion) is yet another breath of fresh air, and not just for the Gundam franchise. In a media landscape that constantly attempts to use “What Ifs” to extend the longevity of the franchise, we get a series of mixed results whether it is the soft reboot of Digimon Adventures and Code Geass (which are in fact examples of mixed results). GQuuuuuuX is a shining example of an alternate reality story that is just unequivocally good. A simple change that results in a cascade of consequences that is contained within an episode’s worth of run time that perfectly sets up a new story that is accessible to all. Old fans get to bask in call backs and easter eggs. New fans get to enjoy the ride without having to watch several hours of content to have a baseline understanding.
I was excited from the moment the trailer dropped, and I am chomping at the bit for the rest of the series after that preview. This is everything I love about Gundam: political drama in space and giant robots. Is it as unabashedly gay as its direct predecessor? To be determined. It gives bi-energy if nothing else. But if this is the only time you hear me gush about this series, it’s because I have voluntarily put my critic hat away so I can keep my happy fan cap on because I adore what I have.
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The post ‘Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX’ – The Hype is in Fact Porportional to the Number of Us in GQuuuuuuX appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Renowned interior designer Brigette Romanek is launching her first collection with Crate & Barrel—a 54-piece line that blends glamour and ease, bringing a sophisticated yet relaxed touch to the beloved home goods retailer.
After showcasing her interior design expertise with celebrity clients like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Kelly Rowland, Crate & Barrel tapped Romanek to create a collection that embodies her signature playful, California-inspired aesthetic.
“We’re all so busy in our day-to-day lives that through my design approach, I want people to pause and exhale when entering any room,” Romanek told Home Accents Today. “In collaborating, Crate & Barrel and myself both share a genuine passion for encouraging beautiful moments through design, and everything from the furniture to decor pieces in this collection are meant to support this calming lifestyle.”
Celebrated for seamlessly blending aesthetics with functionality, Romanek’s Crate & Barrel collection is rooted in timeless design with visually pleasing surprises and thoughtfully crafted to bring tranquility and versatility to any space. Her expertise in blending diverse materials shines through in rich layers of travertine, antique brass, and bleached woods.
“The process of collaborating with Brigette was so inspiring, and we were honored to bring her unique vision, bold creativity and artfully curated style to our customers,” said Sebastian Brauer, Crate & Barrel senior vice president of product design. “This collection feels glamorous and relaxed, combining modern, clean lines with natural and luxurious materials.”
Crate & Barrel expressed its excitement when announcing the collection on Instagram on Feb. 20.
“Confession: We’ve been keeping this a secret for a year, and today’s the day! 
The @brigetteromanek x @crateandbarrel collection is here!” The retailer captioned its post.
“This is NOT your average collab. Think bold and vibey—just like the amazing star designer herself. We love how she’s all about ditching design rules and creating a home that feels super personal: “Coming home should feel like an exhale. Like stepping into your own sanctuary.”
From plush chocolate velvet couches priced between $2,499 and $2,899 to oak wood credenzas ($1,999) and dressers ($2,699), the Brigette Romanek for Crate & Barrel collection adds a touch of luxury to any space. Shop the collection at Crate & Barrel while supplies last.
RELATED CONTENT: Peep This Art Decor That Celebrates Black Women
Lizzy Caplan, a star of the canceled Marvel project Gambit, revealed new details on what the film would have been if made. Magic Mike star Channing Tatum would have played the title role of Gambit, which, of course, we all knew. But what we didn’t know was that Marvel’s Gambit was going to be a 1930s-style screwball romantic comedy with Tatum in the middle of it all, according to Caplan. However, Tatum finally got to play his beloved character in Deadpool & Wolverine—and that was kind of a screwball romantic comedy, so at least we have that.
Caplan shared, “”They wanted to do, like, a ’30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun.” And honestly, we know Tatum can do charming, romantic comedy lead, so that plus superhero would have been extra amazing.
Gambit started ideation in 2014, staying in development hell until 2019, when Disney shelved the Channing Tatum project indefinitely. Caplan’s role in the film is unknown, but she revealed the film had progressed significantly until Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Originally, people thought the film never made it past script development, but Caplan revealed that it went much further. She shared
IIt was a really cool idea. It’s kind of odd that it got scrapped. Those movies don’t seem to ever get scrapped, but it did. We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it. I think there was a start date. I had had meetings with Channing, and there were a couple different…we had a director, then we didn’t, but I had multiple meetings with Channing and the other producers.
Tatum has also expressed sadness over the cancellation of the film. Honestly, sadness is an understatement. Due to his love for Gambit, Tatum stopped watching Marvel films. Simon Kinberg, a producer for the film, echoed Caplan’s thoughts about the movie’s genre, saying it would have a “romantic or sex comedy vibe” in a quote to IGN. Screenwriter Reid Carolin previously described the project as “mutant Goodfellas.” Just give us (and Channing Tatum) the Gambit movie already, you cowards!
After Tatum’s appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, Disney is reportedly very happy with his performance. Ryan Reynolds stated, “I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role.” Hopefully, it’s a precursor of what’s to come, and a Gambit movie will be back on the cards soon. Having proven himself in the role already, maybe Disney will be more inclined to make a Gambit film come to life these days.
The post GAMBIT Star Reveals New Information About the Canceled Marvel Movie appeared first on Nerdist.
Back in 2002, the writer/artist duo of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee rocked the world of the Dark Knight with their 12-issue storyline called Hush. It has since become a modern Batman classic. Not only did it introduce a new iconic member of the rogues’ gallery in the titular Hush, but it featured nearly every major Bat villain and ally in one epic mystery. It originally ran in the pages of Batman (vol.1) #608-619, and was one of superstar artist Jim Lee’s first ongoing Batman projects. Now, two decades later, the same creative team of Loeb and Lee is reuniting for the long-awaited sequel, Hush 2 (or H2SH). DC has even released a trailer, showcasing both creators, and animating some of Lee’s art for the project.
You can watch it right here:
This six-part story begins in the pages of DC Comics’ Batman #158 in March. Loeb and Lee, with collaborators Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair, and Richard Starkings, are keeping story details under tight wraps. but have revealed an inked preview page from Batman #158 to give fans a taste. You can check it out below, along with Lee’s cover for Batman #159, showcasing Jason Todd/Red Hood:
Batman #158, written by Jeph Loeb with art and main cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, will feature variant covers by J. Scott Campbell, Gabriele Dell’otto, Dan Mora, Lee Bermejo, Simone Di Meo, Tony S. Daniel, and Sean Gordon Murphy, in addition to several new variant covers by Lee, Williams and Sinclair. You can check them all out in our gallery below:
Batman #158 H2SH Variant Covers
DC will also publish a series of Hush-themed variant covers throughout the month of February by artists Mitch Gerads, Kaare Andrews, Dustin Nguyen, Leirix, Jorge Fornés, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Tyler Kirkham. These celebrate the original Hush storyline from back in the day. These variants will feature in issues of Batman, Detective Comics, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Superman, Nightwing, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. You can preview those right here:
Hush Homage DC Comics Variant Covers
Batman #158 will be available at retail for $4.99 US (40 pages), and will also feature a foil variant cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, a “Courtside” card stock variant cover by Tony S. Daniel, and a blank sketch variant cover. Card stock variants will retail for $5.99 US, foil variants will retail for $7.99 US, and the connecting card stock gatefold will retail for $7.99 US. DC will also offer a foil wraparound DC Showcase variant by Sean Gordon Murphy (below), available from local comic book shops and online retailers, limited to 2500 copies for $24.99 US.
Batman #158 goes on sale at comic book shops and digital retailers Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Originally published on December 18, 2024.
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Yellowjackets episode four ended with quite the explosive revelation. Throughout the episode, we watched the trial of Coach Ben in the Wilderness where Shauna used her best bullying powers to find him guilty of burning down the cabin. We hate to see what his punishment/likely death will be. In the present day, Shauna and Jeff are trying to rebalance their karma by doing good and volunteering with the elderly. And honestly, who knows what the hell Van and Tai are doing at this point. But, Yellowjackets ended this episode with a truly shocking revelation that Lottie is now dead.
The death of Lottie in Yellowjackets is quite the wild turn of events, especially considering we didn’t see very much of her in this episode at all. In one scene, she stands alone and practices an apology, seemingly meant for Shauna after their big argument last episode. We also see her leaving the bank and having a very brief phone call with Tai, who asks Lottie what she meant by saying that she and Van will see about whether It was pleased or not. Lottie says she doesn’t remember and rushes Tai off the phone to catch a ride.
At the very end of the episode, Misty is on the Citizen Detective board when she gets a message from Walter asking if she’s okay. He says he heard about Lottie, Misty clicks on a photo, and it shows a dead Lottie on a floor. We go to the crime scene, which appears to be at the bottom of basement stairs. She’s surrounded by burnt out candles and there’s blood coming from her head. The death of Lottie and her body are the sad last images of this episode of Yellowjackets.
It isn’t impossible that Lottie could have decided to take her own life. She’s been living with frightening visions most of her life and is probably going through a lot after losing her community and her Yellowjacket friends. Maybe she decided that It wants her, after all. Or, Lottie’s death could be a murder. There’s someone clearly messing with Shauna and targeting the group once again.
Either way, it is wild that Lottie, who almost seemed like Yellowjackets’ most invincible character, is now dead. We will see how it all shakes out as the season progresses.
The post YELLOWJACKETS Delivers a Shocking Major Death That Changes Everything appeared first on Nerdist.
Black History Month is coming to a close, but Black folks can continue celebrating and getting all the feels that come with historical Blackness.
While the month of February signifies a celebration of all things Black, so does Black life. Together, we collectively acknowledge the African American experience—dating back to 1619 when the first enslaved African pressed his feet onto American soil. It is only right to pay homage to our ancestors’ malleability, Black excellence, and those who have impacted our history as well as the culture. It is also a good time to soak up all the unknown stories and marvels of our heritage. Plenty is surfacing online via social media. However, Black books are the ultimate source of immersing ourselves in the resilience and wonderment of Blackness, past and present.
16 Best Black Books for Black History Month
1. Incidents in the Life Of A Slave Girl
This slave narrative by Harriet Ann Jacobs was originally published in 1861, just as the American Civil War began. Jacobs fictionalized her own story on the horrors of slave life as a young girl, specifically one having to deal with the sexual harassment projected by her slaveholder and the physical violence of his jealous wife.
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Incidents in the Life Of A Slave Girl, Thayer & Eldridge
2. The Marrow of Tradition
Charles W. Chesnutt was a prolific Black writer who could very well pass for white but refused to. This historical text, published at the turn of the century, depicts the Wilmington Race Riots in 1898. It focuses on racial politics, violence, and blackface during Reconstruction and, sadly, echoes events happening today.
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The Marrow of Tradition, Haughton, Mifflin, and Company
3. The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man
James Weldon Johnson, the creator of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” shares the story of being raised by a Black mother but also believing that he was as white as his school-age peers due to his biracial heritage. His loss of innocence comes as he is discriminated against by his teacher. Throughout the text, Johnson gives firsthand accounts and observations of occupying two racial spaces, fitting into neither, yet being forced to choose one.
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The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man, Sherman, French & Co.
4. Mules and Men
Zora Neale Hurston flexes her anthropology chops in this book that was published in 1935. She gathers and documents cultural information from her native Florida and New Orleans and brings forth the beauty of common folk: their voice, their diction, their living, their way.
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Mules and Men, Harper Collins
5. Invisible Man
This existential text tells the story of a lone, nameless Black man navigating a white world, and eventually, we find him so isolated from society to align and protect himself from the powers that be. It is an allegory for the entire Black race, which is mistreated, objectified, commodified, and cast aside in such a way that it may as well be invisible.
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The Invisible Man, Random House
6. Go Tell It On The Mountain
Christianity has close ties to the Black American experience, and in many instances, it is inextricable. James Baldwin puts the beauty and the problematic on the page by way of a young man attempting to negotiate being Black, religious, unloved, and possibly gay. Go Tell It On The Mountain is an exploration of identity and migration.
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Go Tell It On The Mountain, Knopf
7. The Autobiography of Malcolm X
We are blessed to have this book in the world. Alex Haley documented X’s life-changing story for two years prior to his assassination. The book was posthumously published in 1965.
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(@bookchanging)The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Ballantine Books
8. Dopefiend
Long before the crack era of the 1980s, heroine wreaked havoc on Black communities. Donald Goines, a brilliant writer of street literature, captures the pain of addiction perfectly.
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Dopefiend, Holloway House
9. Roots
Alex Haley’s family tree is the context for Roots. It tells the story of his matriarchal forefather’s journey from Africa through the middle passage and through chattel slavery and is carried on by his descendants. The text was integral to African Americans wanting to know their family roots and sparking interest in genealogy.
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Roots, Doubleday
10. For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Ntozake Shange took the Black Arts movement by storm when her collection of choreopoems hit theaters. These monologues are rooted in Black feminism and speak specifically to the intersectionality of race and sexism Black women experience.
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For colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf, Bantam Books
11. Song of Solomon
This Nobel Prize-winning book traces the history of a Black family and shows the nuance and complexity of Black community rarely highlighted in mainstream literature through Morrison’s remarkable storytelling and beautiful words.
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Song of Solomon, Alfred Knopf
12. The Color Purple
If there has ever been a story told about Black trauma, toxic masculinity, and survival, The Color Purple by Alice Walker will likely come up. The Pulitzer Prize-winning book made it to the big screen three years after its 1982 publishing date and was later made into a Broadway musical and film.
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The Color Purple, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
13. The Coldest Winter Ever
The cold, harsh reality of drug culture bleeds off these pages. It effectively captures the allure of the game while serving its consequences as well.
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The Coldest Winter Ever, Simon & Schuster
14. The New Jim Crow
Mass incarceration has long plagued the Black community. While representing just 13% of the nation’s population, Black people make up 40% of the prison population. Michelle Alexander links this disparity to the war on drugs created to militarize police and fracture Black communities but also exposes its lasting effect as well as its ongoing nature.
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The New Jim Crow, The New Press
15. The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an actual railroad when growing up; don’t feel ashamed. Colson Whitehead puts that perspective in play in this Pulitzer Prize-winning historical text. It is a refreshing fictional look at slavery.
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The Underground Railroad, Doubleday
16. Heavy: An American Memoir
This is the story of a life filled with contradictions, tragedy, and resilience. Kiese Laymon lays out parts of his life in intricate detail, taking the reader through observations of a range of violence committed against Black folk and a range of violence committed by them as well. This memoir is a reckoning of the internal and external conflict with, in, and around Blackness.
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(@thesolreader)Heavy: An American Memoir, Simon & Schuster
Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on February 14, 2019.
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Some news stories are so absurd they feel like a bad action-comedy plot. Think of a villain with a fake mustache sneaking past security in a terrible disguise. Well, reality just outdid fiction because a man in Colombia was caught smuggling cocaine under his wig. Yes, really.
According to the Colombian National Police, a 40-year-old man traveling from Cartagena, Colombia, to Amsterdam was caught attempting to smuggle cocaine under his wig, yes, you read that right. Colombian authorities arrested the suspect after discovering 19 capsules of cocaine, valued at over $10,000, hidden beneath his fake hair. This wasn’t just a bad disguise; it was an absolute disaster of a smuggling attempt.
The best sci-fi show on the air currently is Apple TV+’s Severance. Created by Dan Erickson, the series (which is directed by Ben Stiller) throws us into the world of Lumon. And each week, we’re left on the edge of our seats.
The show itself is interesting because it is meant to premiere on Friday’s on Apple TV+ and air weekly. The issue is that the episodes actually drop the night before. So if you’re trying to be ready at your television the minute the episode drops, it might get a little confusing for you.
How Bioshock’s Storytelling Still Resonates in Chaotic Times
The world is on fire, but I needed to find some water. Between inflation, elections, and the general audacity of the world, I needed a mental break. When everything feels like it’s unraveling at the seams, sometimes the best thing to do is return to something familiar—something that once brought you joy. So, in these trying times, I decided to revisit Bioshock, one of my favorite games of all time.
Outside feels like Rapture post-Andrew Ryan, and I needed to go back to where the madness at least made sense. There’s something oddly comforting about a world where the dystopia is so well-crafted, so intentionally chaotic, that you can’t help but be captivated by its beauty and horror. Bioshock ain’t just a game—it’s a philosophy class wrapped in horror and gunfire.
The Art of Intelligent Storytelling
Every time I replay it, I find something new—like rewatching The Wire and catching a bar that flew over my head the first time. Bioshock is proof that video games, when done right, are Black Auntie-level storytellers—they know how to weave history, life lessons, and drama into something unforgettable. This game was ahead of its time, like a preacher dropping gems in the pulpit before the congregation even realizes they needed the message.
It starts with a plane crash, a desperate swim through flaming wreckage, and a lighthouse standing ominously in the middle of the ocean. From the moment you step inside and the doors close behind you, Bioshock does something few games can: it tells a story not just through dialogue, but through the environment itself. The descent into Rapture is baptismal, literally and metaphorically. As the bathysphere sinks below the waves, you’re met with the voice of Andrew Ryan—Rapture’s architect, dictator, and chief gaslighter—delivering his infamous monologue:
“Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? ‘No!’ says the man in Washington, ‘It belongs to the poor.’ ‘No!’ says the man in the Vatican, ‘It belongs to God.’ ‘No!’ says the man in Moscow, ‘It belongs to everyone.’ I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. I chose… Rapture.”
And just like that, you’re in it. You’re locked into a world where the ideology of unchecked ambition has rotted into a nightmare.
From its political themes of unfettered capitalism to the illusion of free will, Bioshock delivers a layered narrative that still hits in 2025. The first time I played I was just trying to survive the Splicers, dodging their crazed rants, and swinging wrenches like my life depended on it (because it did). But replaying it now, with a different lens, I see so much more.
The entire game plays with agency and control—who really has power? Who is manipulating who? And of course, the game’s most famous twist: You were never free. Every action you took was under someone else’s command. “Would you kindly?” was never just a polite request. It was a leash.
And that? That’s why Bioshock is different. This ain’t just “bad guys versus good guys.” It’s about ideology, manipulation, and how easy it is to believe we’re in control when, in reality, we’re just following the script someone else wrote.
The Details: A Love Letter to the Little Things
The first time you enter Rapture you’re greeted by the remains of what was once an opulent utopia. The grand marble floors are cracked, the neon signs flicker with half-dead light, and water leaks through every crevice—reminders that this city, no matter how ambitious, was never built to last. Posters litter the walls, advertising Plasmids with the enthusiasm of ‘50s cigarette commercials. Statues of Andrew Ryan stand tall, cracked and crumbling under the weight of his own hubris.
But the real magic of Bioshock is in its storytelling beyond the main plot. You don’t just see Rapture’s decline—you hear it. Through scattered audio logs, the ghosts of Rapture’s past whisper their regrets, their warnings, their madness. You hear a mother crying over her baby, only to realize she’s holding a revolver. You hear a man descend into insanity as he realizes his fortune means nothing in a world with no structure.
Then there are the Splicers themselves—the terrifying, mask-wearing addicts of Adam, the genetic drug that destroyed Rapture. These aren’t just mindless enemies; they used to be people. If you listen closely, you’ll hear them muttering pieces of their past lives—scraps of old conversations, echoes of their former selves. A woman singing to a baby carriage that holds only a revolver. A man rehearsing a speech for a party that will never happen.
The way this game was crafted you know the devs weren’t just making a shooter—they were cooking.
And the Easter eggs? Next level. Did you know if you check Sander Cohen’s apartment after killing him you’ll find him watching a recording of you fighting him—because in his mind, you were just another piece of his “art”? Did you know there’s a secret room with the names of the developers hidden inside? This is the kind of detail that makes a game timeless.
There’s world-building, and then there’s this.
Netflix, Please Don’t Fumble This Bag
Of course, with great games come great Hollywood adaptations, and that’s where my anxiety kicks in. Netflix better put some respect on Bioshock’s name, because if they fumble this like they did Cowboy Bebop (Which I didn’t think was god-awful, but it wasn’t great), I’m writing a formal complaint.
(Editor’s Note: A BioShock movie from director Francis Lawrence was announced in February 2022, but very few updates have emerged since as reported by Collider back in 2023. A recent update from the director this year mentions “that although the budget for the film had been reduced due to restructuring at the company — it would get made.“)
I have one request: Would you kindly not mess this up? If this adaptation turns out bad, I’m packing my bags and heading to Rapture myself. They better not give us a “Budget Halloween City Big Daddy,” or I will riot. And I swear, if they turn this into some half-baked, “inspired by” nonsense with actors who look like they just showed up for the check, I will lose it. This better be a Lupita-in-Us-level performance, not some “I’m just happy to be here” acting.
Bioshock deserves better.
Returning to Rapture, Finding Joy
As I navigate this revisit to Bioshock, I realize it’s more than nostalgia—it’s a reminder of what great storytelling can do. It’s proof that games can be more than mindless entertainment. They can be philosophy, art, history, and warning signs all at once.
For now, I’ll keep revisiting Rapture where, even amidst chaos, there’s at least a sense of intention—something the real world could learn from, especially the powers that be. In a time when control, corruption, and uncertainty feel all too familiar, escaping to a city beneath the sea almost feels…grounding.
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The post A World on Fire, A City Beneath the Sea: Revisiting ‘Bioshock’ and Its Enduring Storytelling appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
A woman was harassed, mocked, threatened with pepper spray, and violently dragged across the floor of a Republican town hall meeting by a group of men because she spoke during Rep. Ron Mendive’s address.
The horrific altercation is just one of many disturbing instances of violations of free speech since Donald Trump took office. To name a few incidents, the Department of Justice contacted Rep. Robert Garcia because he spoke out against Elon Musk and called him a “d*ck” during a DOGE subcommittee meeting. Meanwhile, former NFL player Chris Kluwe was arrested for giving an anti-Trump speech at a city council meeting in California to peacefully protest the dedication of a plaque to Trump at a public library. Days after Trump’s inauguration, a meteorologist was fired for criticizing Musk on her personal Instagram page. The president of the NYU chapter of College Republicans was also forced to resign because she didn’t embellish Barron Trump’s college experience.