The month of October is taking on new significance in Bermuda as the island nation celebrates its second annual Art Month.
BLACK ENTERPRISE received an exclusive introduction to the growing event, featuring art exhibitions, walking tours, Bacardi tastings, and sip-and-paint sessions inside a shimmering centuries-old cave. Launched in 2023, Bermuda Art Month: A Celebration of Culture, Creativity, and Connection features a diverse array of events that captures the essence of Bermuda’s vibrant artistic spirit.
Bermuda Tourism Authority curated a special itinerary of captivating art tours, thought-provoking panel discussions, elevated exhibits, and interactive art sessions in stunning Bermudian locations for the sole purpose of demonstrating how the island’s scenic venues serve as a canvas for creativity to thrive.
I had the pleasure of enjoying a pleasant three-night stay at Bermuda’s Hamilton Princess & Beach Club. For over a century, the iconic “Pink Palace” has welcomed elite travelers from around the world, earning its reputation for elegance, exceptional hospitality, and outstanding quality.
More than just a hotel, Hamilton Princess is also a stunning walking museum featuring a remarkable art collection displayed throughout its common areas, with works by renowned artists such as Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. Offering a self-guided art tour that showcases iconic names in modern art at every corner, the Hamilton Princess is the ideal place to stay during Bermuda Art Month.
My visit to the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda introduced me to its latest exhibit NOT ALL HAS TO BE AS I WAS, by the remarkable Bermudian artist Gherdai Hassell. This contemporary showcase tells Bermuda’s story through art, featuring Hassell’s captivating painted portraits blended with various materials. The exhibit also includes her collaborations with fellow Bermudian artists and selections from the Masterworks Permanent Collection. Addressing themes of gender, identity, and Bermudian heritage, the exhibition reflects on the island’s history of Spanish and British rule, as well as the diverse cultural backgrounds of descendants of slaves and early settlers.
Pieces in the exhibit from the museum’s permanent collection feature works by artists native to Bermuda or inspired by their time on the island. Highlights include Nude in a Garden (c. 1950s) by Bermudian artist Charles Lloyd Tucker (1913–1971), and an intimate drawing by renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986), who visited Bermuda in the springs of 1933 and 1934 while recovering from depression. A standout piece in the exhibit is Gherdai Hassell’s The Bermuda Onion, symbolizing the island’s history as a significant onion exporter and the metaphor of peeling back layers to reveal more profound meaning. A separate exhibit, The Descendants of Summer, features documentary-style photographs that beautifully capture the diverse essence of life in Bermuda.
Our next stop was the Bermuda National Gallery, where we toured the Bermuda Biennial Exhibition. Since its inception in 1994, this open call for Bermudian artists and island residents has been a cornerstone of Bermuda’s contemporary art scene. This year’s theme, “Places, Presence & Poetics: An Unpacking”, features 32 artworks by 25 artists showcasing various scales and mediums. The exhibition offers a powerful glimpse into the themes captivating artists today. Gherdai Hassell’s Organic Waters is among the featured artists, further underscoring her prominent role in Bermuda’s contemporary art landscape.
I had the pleasure of joining two walking tours led by Bermudian historian Kristin White, who provided an in-depth look at Bermuda’s art scene and how Black artists uplift and support one another in a country with a history of segregation. The tour explored the stories of the Gombey dancers, Sally Bassett and Mary Prince, who have inspired influential works by local Black artists. Bermuda also honors Mary Prince with a national holiday, making it the only country in the world to celebrate and recognize a Black woman with such a distinction on Mary Prince Day.
We also learned about the challenges many contemporary artists face when commissioned for public works. One such artist, Shanna Hollis, carefully considered her approach when asked to create a mural in the historic St. George’s town square. Inspired by her brother, fellow painter Nashon Hollis, Shanna embraced the opportunity to involve the community in her work. The resulting mural is a tribute to Bermuda’s rich history, spanning time.
Art is best enjoyed on a full stomach with a great drink, and Bermuda has visitors covered.
Art Month coincides with the Taste of Bermuda festival, held from September 30 to October 2, celebrating the island’s diverse eateries and showcasing local culinary talent. We enjoyed attending The Art of the Pour Bartending Competition at Bacardi Headquarters in Hamilton, where 15 of Bermuda’s top bars and restaurants competed for Bermuda’s Best Cocktail.
The Wild Herbs N Plants Foraging Tour with Doreen Williams offered an immersive and refreshing experience, introducing us to Bermuda’s edible wild plants and healing properties. We sampled fresh fennel, prickly pears, and grapes. Afterward, Ms. Doreen treated us to a beachside, all-vegan lunch. Her homemade spread included pumpkin spice donuts, shortbread cookies, fresh chips and salsa, and natural juice made by hand. We wrapped up the trip with well-deserved relaxation on the stunning Cooper’s Island beach.
Our final night was truly memorable as we went to Grotto Bay for a captivating Sip and Paint session inside a stunning, illuminated cave. While enjoying smooth R&B and reggae, we sipped white wine, snacked on sandwiches, and received expert guidance from Bermuda’s own Alshanté Foggo. Thanks to her help, I transformed my preschool-level painting into a piece I’d be proud to hang on my wall.
By sharing my personalized itinerary, I hope to remind you that Bermuda has so much more to offer than just pink sand beaches and Swizzles—though you can enjoy both while immersing yourself in the island’s vibrant art scene. Bermuda Art Month invites locals and international visitors to immerse themselves in the island’s spirited artistic culture and heritage. This month-long event fosters collaboration between local artists, galleries, and cultural institutions, all united by a shared passion for art, culture, and creativity. Attendees can deepen their appreciation of Bermuda’s culture through educational workshops, diverse exhibits, and connections with fellow art lovers. Plan your visit next October as the island establishes Art Month as a cherished annual tradition on its cultural calendar.
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Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images 
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks has been named the projected winer of Maryland’s U.S. Senate race against Republican Larry Hogan according to The Associated Press.
Her win makes her the first Black U.S. Senator in the state’s history.With a distinguished record of public service—including eight years as Prince George’s County State’s Attorney followed by two terms as County Executive—Alsobrooks is set to bring her deep-rooted experience to Congress, where she joins a small, historic cohort of Black women who have served in the Senate.
Alsobrooks’s campaign has carried historic weight, and her victory marks a new chapter for Maryland. “People like me don’t make it to the Senate, but we should,” Alsobrooks said during her address at the Democratic National Convention in August. She highlighted the systemic barriers that Black women face in reaching high political office. Reflecting on the experience, she told ESSENCE, “We’ve only elected two Black women to the Senate and only had three serve so far, so it was a joy to go out on that stage and represent so many people whose voices, I believe have been underrepresented in the Senate. And it was a great moment.
Alsobrooks shared that her inspiration for public service was partly sparked by Kamala Harris, who was then a district attorney in San Francisco. In 2009, Alsobrooks read an ESSENCE article about Harris’s innovative approach to justice. “I read a story in Essence magazine about a district attorney using new ideas to keep her community safe,” she recalled. Motivated, Alsobrooks began implementing restorative justice principles in her own work, working toward a reimagined justice system that broadens access to opportunity and reduces recidivism.
Looking ahead, Alsobrooks said determined to enact meaningful change on key issues, including economic opportunity and healthcare access. Her platform emphasizes expanding reproductive rights, improving healthcare access, and increasing educational resources for Marylanders. She has also voiced her support for comprehensive immigration reform, including arel="tag">Angela Alsobrooks Election 2024 Paint The Polls Black
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BET+ is set to light up the holiday season with the highly anticipated return of ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN for its fourth season, premiering on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Fans will be treated to a riveting double-episode premiere, setting the tone for what promises to be the most explosive season yet, with new episodes rolling out every week.
The hit series, starring Eva Marcille as the fierce and fearless Marilyn “Madam” DeVille, dives into deeper waters as she sets out on a relentless mission to take down those behind her father’s kidnapping. This season’s storyline guarantees a symphony of intrigue, betrayal, and unrelenting ambition as Madam fights tooth and nail to safeguard her empire and exact her revenge.
Returning to join Madam’s perilous quest are series regulars Skyh Alvester Black (Amp “Addiction” Anthony), Candace Maxwell (DJ Dime), and Racquel Palmer (Blue), among others, bringing more intensity and complex dynamics to the screen. With its signature blend of high-stakes drama and shocking twists, season four is poised to captivate audiences from start to finish.
For those eager to revisit or catch up on the gripping saga, seasons one through three are available to stream now, exclusively on BET+. With the return of ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN, the platform continues to solidify its place as a hub for powerful storytelling and Black excellence in entertainment.
Take a look at the trailer for ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN below.
TOPICS: All The Queens Men BET+ Eva MarcilleThe post ‘All The Queen’s Men’ Returns: Eva Marcille Leads a Thrilling New Season on BET+ appeared first on Essence.
Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images
In a surprise appearance, Vice President Kamala Harris joined Saturday Night Live on November 2, just three days before the 2024 Presidential election, for a playful cameo alongside Maya Rudolph, who’s been portraying her all season.
The night opened with a string of impersonations, featuring James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump, Dana Carvey as President Biden, and Andy Samberg as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. But the real spark came when Maya, as Harris, took a moment in front of a mirror and wished aloud for some relatable advice.
“I wish I could talk to someone who’s been in my shoes… a Black, South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area,” Rudolph said.
Enter Kamala Harris herself, dressed in a matching suit and greeted with thunderous applause from the audience. Sitting across from her SNL double, Harris smiled and said, “You and me both, sister. It is nice to see you, Kamala. I’m just here to remind you: You’ve got this. Because you can do something your opponent cannot do. You can open doors.”
The line was a cheeky jab at Donald Trump’s recent struggle with a garbage truck door, and the audience laughed as Harris chuckled through the sketch, as Rudolph mimicked the vice president. “I don’t really laugh like that do, I?” Harris asked. “A little bit,” Rudolph replied, adding a dramatic flourish.
The two Kamalas then riffed on Harris’ first name, which her opponent, Trump has repeatedly mispronounced.
“Kamala take my palm-ala,” Rudolph said as she grabbed Harris’ hand. “The American people want to stop the chaos and end the dram-ala with a cool new step-mamala. Kick back in our pajam-alas and watch a rom-com-ala.”
Harris suggested putting on “Legally Blond-ala.”
“Because what do we always say?” Harris said. Then she and Rudolph said in unison: “Keep Calm-ala and Carry On-ala.”
Together, they chanted,“Keep Calm-ala and Carry On-ala,” before finishing each other’s line: “We know each other so well we even finish each other’s… belief in the promise of America.”
They wrapped it up with a pitch for the vote. “I’m gonna vote for us,” Rudolph said, as Harris playfully replied, “Great! Any chance you’re registered in Pennsylvania?” Without missing a beat, Rudolph answered, “No, I am not.” Harris shrugged, “Well, it was worth a shot!”
With that, the duo delivered SNL’s classic sign-off: “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!”
TOPICS: 2024 Elections kamala harris Saturday Night LiveThe post ‘Keep Calm-ala’: Kamala Harris Makes Surprise ‘SNL’ Cameo Alongside Maya Rudolph Ahead Of Election Day appeared first on Essence.
One of the most iconic fantasy and sci-fi artists of all time, Greg Hildebrandt, has sadly passed away at age 85. We learned the news via the folks at Gizmodo. Together with his twin brother Tim, the prolific artist drew illustrations for the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Marvel and DC Comics, and a number of iconic movie posters. But he is perhaps most famous for the poster he did way back in 1977, for the original Star Wars. Although A New Hope had many posters, Fox licensed this one for merchandise all over the world. It eventually became synonymous with the film.
Back in 1977, Michigan-born artists Greg and Tim Hildebrandt were approached by 20th Century Fox to produce poster art for the UK release of Star Wars. The studio had already produced a poster in the US by artist Tom Jung, but Fox executives considered this poster artwork “too dark.” So with only 36 hours, brothers Greg and Tim had to produce a new image to promote the film. The poster art they came up with took great liberties with the actor’s appearances. Luke Skywalker had an open shirt revealing a buff physique, while Princess Leia posed in a provocative way. Neither version really resembled the actors, yet this image wound up on everything from bedsheets to t-shirts.
The brothers Hildebrandt did many illustrations together for decades. In the fantasy realm, they did a series of Lord of the Rings calendars and posters in the ’70s. They followed those up with Illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Harry Potter. They also illustrated a popular series of Marvel Masterworks trading cards in the ’90s. In later years, after his brother passed away in 2006, Greg did a series of Star Trek covers for IDW. And all that is just the tip of the iceberg. This means there are very few major sci-fi and fantasy properties he didn’t contribute to artistically in his lifetime. Greg Hildebrandt left an indelible mark on how we view heroic fantasy characters for all time.
The post Iconic STAR WARS Poster Artist and Fantasy Illustrator Greg Hildebrandt Dies, Age 85 appeared first on Nerdist.
I love pro wrestling. The moves, the wrestlers, the spectacle of it all coming together to tell a story. Stories are endless. They have a beginning and ending, but there’s always a new chapter. Much like a comic book. Which to me means, wrestling is comic books. You got people playing a larger-than-life hero (baby face) or villain (heel). There’s just something about watching folks get in that ring and put on a show. They’ve all got different reasons for doing it: money, fame, thrills. Then, there’s those with something to prove. Those that wrestling just calls to. That calling makes them wanna be the best at it. Invincible Fight Girl takes on the calling of a young, Black girl named Andy (Sydney Mikayla) that’s got dreams of becoming the best machine, the greatest of all time, the best wrestler alive.
“Suplex the K like Shane Douglas, brain busters, you can’t muster”
Invincible Fight Girl is set in a world where wrestling is everything. It’s literally the way of life. I knew I was hooked when they showed the globe, and the continents formed a flexing bicep. Andy’s story starts off 10 years ago earlier at a wrestling event with her parents. Now, her parents aren’t into it at all but this match changes Andy’s life, especially seeing the goat wrestler Quesa Poblana (Rolonda Watts). This is where Andy decides that she is going to be a professional wrestler.
However, the problem with Andy’s dream is that her parents don’t know about it and haven’t accounted for it because they’re counting on their daughter being an accountant like them. See, though wrestling is worldwide, Andy is from Accountant Isle. She’s in a land of no wrasslin’ or graps. We watch Andy struggle through Accountant Academy where everybody else is flourishing because they eat, sleep, and dream about crunching numbers. The problem for Andy is she’s more concerned with hitting brain busters. You already know how this goin’ go. Andy’s gotta find a way to follow her dream before accounting adds them up into a pile of shattered dreams.
“Owen Hart with the Pan. It’s all in the wrist, fork in the hand”
Invincible Fight Girl creator Juston Gordon-Montgomery clearly made the series as not only a love letter to fans of pro wrestling but as a gateway into wrestling that anyone can go through. “Wrestling is for everyone” is not only a line in the show but a line that’s been said in recent years to show how progressive wrestling has become. Every so often, fellow staff member Jordan Calhoun and I get into a back and forth about the popularity of wrestling. While Jordan sees wrestlers not being household names as they once were during the Attitude Era. I, on the other hand, believe that we’re currently in a renaissance of wrestling.
They’re playing wrestler’s theme songs at NBA games, current wrestlers are being cosplayed, and now that there’s alternatives to WWE, wrestling is way more accessible. The current landscape of pro wrestling makes this the perfect time for Invincible Fight Girl to drop as we’ve seen leaps and bounds in the treatment and packaging of Black wrestlers. Especially, Black women wrestlers.
I’m talking Willow Nightingale, Your Forever ROH Champ Athena, Naomi, Sasha Banks/Mercedes Mone, Bianca Bel Air, Mia Yim, Queen Aminata, Kiera Hogan, Jade Cargill. The 90s-2000s pioneers, Jacqueline Moore, Jazz, Awesome Kong, and Aja Kong, to Black women wrestlers that literally paved the way like Kathleen Wimbley, Ethel Johnson, and Ramona Isbel.
It’s impossible not to see the influence of all these women breaking down doors so that we now live in a time where Invincible Fight Girl stars a young, Black girl that loves wrestling. Not only that, Juston Gordon Montgomery’s show is bringing wrestling back to Toonami. Ultimate Muscle is the last wrestling show (that I can name) that Toonami aired. Dawg, Ultimate Muscle came out in 2002. That’s a 22-year gap in graps until now.
“I’m like Ted DiBiase – I win no matter what it cost me”
What I appreciate the most about the presentation of Invincible Fight Girl is that Andy isn’t trying to be the best female wrestler; she wants to be the best wrestler alive. Period. We see Andy fighting men, and there is no holding back whatsoever. Andy is taking hits, accumulating damage, and out her scrapping for real. There’s a flow to each fight but what stays consistent is that every hit taken has weight to it. I always appreciate how a show can have the animation be fun, goofy, and over the top then at the drop of a dime switch to up and convey a how dire the situation is. Invincible Fight girl does an amazing job of reeling in the audience to pull for Andy as a believable underdog.
Sydney Mikayla who voices Andy brings the finishing touch to the animation. Sydney’s voice acting portrays Andy as an eager young lion but also, we see who she is as a person and why she fights. There’s such a stark difference in Andy’s demeanor between her first and second fight. Even in her reasons for each fight, however, Sydney shows the growth of the character from each episode. Juston Gordon-Montgomery stressed how Andy’s style of wrestling will switch up for every fight based upon the opponent. What he didn’t mention, is that Sydney’s performance follows suit. Each fight brings out a different animal in Andy. Sydney conveys that notion flawlessly to make each fight stand out and on its own. My wrestler, I saw Andy throw a headbutt to block a punch… then smile. That’s what I’m talking about!
Sydney Mikayla’s voice acting blends so well into the animation seamlessly. When Andy’s down, we feel it. We get a great sense of her frustration, joy, and determination. Invincible Fight Girl at its heart is a story about being able to do what you love while striving to be the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. Andy’s journey will show her what it takes to have the wrestling game on Scorpion Deathlock. So, now yall got tickets to see Andy’s pro wrestling debut Nov 2 at midnight on Adult Swim (streaming next day on Max).
“Looky here – it’s just the way the cookie tear,
prepare to get hurt and mangled like Kurt Angle rookie year.”
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The post ‘Invincible Fight Girl’ Brings the Wrestling Tsunami Back to Toonami appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Lisa Blunt Rochester is no stranger to making history. Eight years ago, she became the first Black person and first woman elected to Congress from Delaware, as reported by the 19th. Now, she’s poised to do it again with her campaign to become the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the Senate.
The wind is at Blunt Rochester’s back, with current polls showing her leading her Republican opponent by 20 points in a state that has consistently elected Democrats to the Senate since 2000. Blunt Rochester has also scored key endorsements from President Joe Biden and the current incumbent, Sen. Tom Carper, whom she worked for as a constituent relations caseworker and is retiring.
But as a Black woman with the weight of history on her shoulders, she’s taking nothing for granted. In an interview with the 19th, she said, “I still, as a Black woman, can look at how much a donor gives me and how much they give my white counterpart and see a disparity. I still deal with the issues of people’s expectations, and that’s good expectations and bad expectations,” she continued “I also think that there’s a level for me of responsibility. I care about this pipeline. Maybe other folks don’t have to think that way, but I do.”
Only three Black women have served in the U.S. Senate in its 235-year history. The first was Carol Moseley Braun, elected in 1992 to represent Illinois. The second was Vice President Kamala Harris, who was elected to represent California in 2016. The third is Laphonza Butler, who currently represents California and was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to finish the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s term. Butler isn’t running to keep her seat.
If elected, Blunt Rochester and fellow Senate hopeful Prince George County, Maryland, Executive Angela Alsobrooks would become the first Black women senators to serve together. But while Blunt Rochester is aware of the historical significance of her campaign, that’s not her focus. In an ABC interview, she said, “I don’t really think about the history so much because, you know, my intention is to make a difference and to have an impact on people’s lives,” she added, “and should there be a history making moment, that’s great.”
Before deciding to run for Congress in 2016, Blunt Rochester was a recently-widowed 54 year old with no experience running for office. She said she was only able to afford to run because of the money she received from her late husband’s life insurance policy, but she overcame those odds to win her House seat. In an interview with ABC, she explained how her unique biography could serve both as an inspiration to others and as a roadmap of issues she wants to address:
“I think about the little girls, I think about those women who have been widowed or who are over 50,” she said. “For me to be able to represent and bring those lived experiences, the professional experiences, the policy issues. I mean, we know that Black women die from childbirth more than their white counterparts [and] have 43% more student loan debt than our white counterparts.”
Blunt Rochester also wants to tackle the concerns of all Delaware residents, including protecting healthcare access and the economy. In fact, she cites both of those issues as her motivation for wanting to run for Congress. Despite the country’s deep political polarization, Blunt Rochester believes in working across the aisle to get things done.
On November 5th, she could very well become Delaware’s first Black woman senator—but she doesn’t want to be the last. “I feel a deep responsibility to bridge the gap and build a pipeline to other women and underrepresented groups of people,” Blunt Rochester told the 19th. “For me, it’s about providing tangible, meaningful support to the next generation of leaders because it’s not enough to be a ‘first,’ it’s about giving back.”
TOPICS: 2024 Elections Lisa Blunt Rochester Paint The Polls BlackThe post Black Women In Politics: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester Poised To Make History In Delaware’s Senate Race appeared first on Essence.
Magic has long been a power held by some of Marvel’s mightiest heroes. At the center of heightened conversation at the moment is Agatha Harkness as she is the main subject of Disney+’s Agatha All Along. She was first introduced to us in WandaVision alongside Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch. With the two being the focus of fun and successful series, it’s important to note that Wanda and Agatha aren’t alone in the world of witches. They belong to an elite group of strong women that each have their unique qualities. Let’s take a look at some of the fierce witches of the Marvel Universe.
SATANA HELLSTROM
Considered to be the Devil’s daughter, Satana Hellstorm is a succubus who drains souls to survive with a preference for men. She eventually learns that the more souls she consumes, the more powerful she becomes, and she can enslave men by feeding on them. Satana was once a part of a trio known as the Witches that included Topaz and Jennifer Kale after Doctor Strange sent her back to Earth. She also has ties to Deadpool as she tapped him to assist her with locating her immortal soul (he later proposed to her and the two got married, only for her to leave him when her soul was found). Given her connection to Wade Wilson, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if Satana makes an appearance in a future MCU project. Although it was long overdue, Deadpool & Wolverine was Wilson’s introduction into the larger cinematic universe, so we can definitely expect to see more of him.
MAGIK
Illyana Rasputin, also known as Magik, grew up in Russia but was kidnapped and brought to America. She’s the little sister to Colossus, and her mutant powers allow her to travel through time and teleport to anywhere in the world. Illyana has been part of the X-Men as a highly skilled mystic as well as Professor Xavier’s group of young protégés, the New Mutants (she was portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy in a film adaptation that was poorly received). If her opponents are any indication of her power, she once defeated Doctor Strange in a battle of Sorcerers Supreme, a feat many have not achieved in their lifetime. Leaving readers shocked at how this was possible, New Mutants #25 explains how the loss occurred, detailing the laundry list of magical tomes Rasputin has collected from Belasco, the demon who once ruled the realm.
MORGAN LE FAY
Created by Stan Lee and Joe Maneely, Morgan le Fay is a magical enchantress with ties to King Arthur. She sought to merge the Dark Dimension with Earth and was once in love with Doctor Doom (could we see her as Robert Downey Jr.’s love interest in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday?). Noted as one of Marvel’s most powerful female villains, she can manipulate the environment and wreak havoc due to her training and faerie heritage. Elizabeth Hurley played the enchantress in Runaways, which ran from 2017 to 2019 on Hulu. The abilities she was born with are endless, from removing spirits from their bodies to being a master of the mystic arts to virtual immortality.
LORE
Lore is a variant of Wanda Maximoff who is incredibly sinister as she blocks the path back to the land of the living. She has the power to rise from the dead and did so herself to face the Scarlet Witch. Hailing from Earth-TRN 955, Lore feeds off of the energy from other worlds through her sorcery and absorbs the mystical power she comes across. Lore is the darkest version of Maximoff and quite the entertaining storyline to follow. This summer, we got a new solo series for Scarlet Witch written by Steve Orlando featuring art from Jacopo Camagni, in which Lore makes an appearance in the #3 issue. While there are a bunch of Marvel heroes who have said their goodbyes and most likely won’t reprise their roles, Elizabeth Olsen is not one of those. This leaves the opportunity for a Lore vs. Scarlet Witch face off to be on the table. The only question is who would make a solid casting choice for the dark counterpart?
NICO MINORU
Also known as Sister Grimm, Nico Minoru is part of the Runaways and wields the ability to fly as well as telekinesis. While powerful in her own right, she has little training and relies heavily on Staff of One, a weapon based on Gibborim technology that Minoru inherited. As one of the few American superheroes of Japanese descent, she was featured in Avengers Arena and Avengers Undercover and later joined Marvel’s first all-female Avengers team, A-Force (some other members include She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, and Medusa). One of the cooler powers she possesses is her ability to bend magic when she bleeds through the staff that emerges from her chest. While we haven’t gotten a feature film that features Nico, there was a series on Hulu appropriately titled The Runaways that featured Lyrica Okano in the role.
The post Agatha Isn’t All Alone: Witches of the Marvel Universe appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Pepsi/Noah Fecks
Law Roach is everywhere right now. And for good reason, the multi-hyphenate has entered an era where he’s shining brightly. His latest feat? A collaborative capsule with Pepsi that is currently available for pre-order online as of today. When the celebrity stylist and image architect is tasked with describing how he feels about being a part of the Pepsi lineage he shares he’s always had a connection with the brand. “I remember the excitement of seeing the outfits of the Pepsi delivery drivers and the joy of watching those commercials with my grandfather,” he shared in an email. These are all the reasons that the new collaboration comes naturally to Law.
“I’m thrilled to kick off this new wave with the brand, especially with this collection that is designed to celebrate individuality and capture the essence of a new Pepsi generation,” he adds. Let’s not forget stars who once co-signed Pepsi including the legends Michael Jackson and Beyoncé—now Law proudly joins that number.
Pepsi/Noah Fecks The capsule highlights a fusion of the brand’s classic appeal and Roach’s avant-gardesrc="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Credit-Pepsi-Noah-Fecks-2.jpeg" alt="Law Roach On The Capsule Collection He Designed With Pepsi Inspired By The ‘70s" width="400" height="225" />Pepsi/Noah Fecks
Law also shared that right now is the perfect moment for him to fully immerse himself in all of his creative outlets. This points to how this line embodies his ongoing expansive era. He shared that when collaborating with Pepsi on this fashion collection he wanted to craft pieces that celebrate the past and also resonate with the present. So basically he’s urging Gen Z to tap in with his latest endeavor.
“The Pepsi brand has been a cultural trendsetter for over 125 years, and design has always been an essential element of that journey,” said Jenny Danzi, Head of Pepsi Marketing. “Between the delicious, bold flavor and eye-popping design of our Pepsi Wild Cherry and PepsiZero SugarWild Cherry, it’s no surprise it’s one of our most craved colas.”
The Pepsi X Law Roach collection is available for pre-sale starting today on PepsibyLawRoach.com, with items ranging from $19-$199. Sizes span from XS-2XL and will ship in early 2025. Take a look at the pieces from the capsule below.
Pepsi/Noah Fecks
Pepsi/Noah Fecks
Pepsi/Noah FecksTOPICS: law roachThe post Law Roach On The Capsule Collection He Designed With Pepsi Inspired By The ‘70s appeared first on Essence.
The animated adaptation of perhaps one of legendary horror mangaka Junji Ito’s most beloved collections of macabre tales, Uzamaki finally arrived on Adult Swim this month. Uzumaki was initially going to release in 2020, yet production delays plagued this adaptation until finally a completed version met fans the end of September. The first episode gloriously arrived and here are my first impressions via a short review!
Spoilers Big and Small, Up Ahead!
The Vibes
The audience tuning in to watch Uzumaki will be quickly introduced to a place that is not quite right. The small town of Kurouzu-cho is home to both Shuichi Saito and Kirie Goshima who are students and children of families soon affected by the madness overtaking the town. The town has been…contaminated by a spiral–and an eerie feeling has been picked up by Shuichi, and he attempts to explain the wrongness of the place. Kirie, his girlfriend, doesn’t take him seriously when he says “Let’s leave this town together”, and as time passes she begins to understand the place is doomed.
In just a few minutes of this first episode of Uzumaki , the audience is awash in the ideal that this place ain’t right as spirals can be seen in a stream where students are walking, in the sky high in the sky and even with a well-timed burst of wind that interrupts a conversation. The tension is further amplified with the deterioration of a loved one and the introduction of an outsider with a dark agenda. The longer and longer I watched, the more I saw a place stuck in the middle of an outbreak of mania all dedicated to a spiral–and a town held prisoner to it.
Spiraling Out
The black and white color scheme for this animated adaptation here in Uzumaki adds to the overall, eerie tone of the project, for sure. (Flying Lotus, a long-time Adult Swim music collaborator, suggested it as mentioned here!) I love that this idea made it to the final version of what we finally were able to see as it brings us closer to the original manga pages where the story first was born. This visually aesthetic choice makes some of the manga’s most macabre scenes from the first half of Ito’s original work pop on screen brilliantly, turning up the drama and impact. This first episode of Uzamaki shows a myriad of emotions at play: madness, cruelty, disgust, pride, fear, infatuation, desire, and heartbreak.
Even big reveals that I once saw on the page on the manga by Junji Ito, now animated, still shook me and left me flinching away from the screen. I really enjoyed the addition of Colin Stetson to the creative team and his original score for the series. “I absolutely adored my time making this music and inhabiting the strange, gorgeous, horrifying, and spectacular spiral world that Ito-Sensei created” was a statement that he gave in an Instagram post earlier this summer.
Stetson, a composer perhaps best known to American audiences for his work on 2018’s Hereditary, adds a musical score that compliments the darkness and madness that fits Uzamaki like a glove. I especially felt that the music for the sequence where Kirire meets Shuichi’s father was a delightfully frightening sequence where the music played up the terror so well. The way it continued afterwards after she was gone to Shuichi’s scary encounter really connected the two teens in their moments of terror.
Last Thoughts on Episode One:
Uzamaki has finally arrived, and the first episode’s outing earns its stripes by way of it being a creepy, unsettling, and picturesque way that only a Ito manga can be. With a haunting original score, a black and white animation color scheme and voice acting talent not afraid to scream and sound off in distress, it was perfect to watch on a lone Sunday evening. The long-awaited adaptation of one of legendary horror mangaka Junji Ito’s most beloved works, means the second episode has a lot to live up to for older fans and newer fans alike. Hopefully, the series estimated to be four episodes manages to pull off the dire dread that the original work pulls off so effortlessly.
Uzumaki: The Animated Series premiered September 28 on Adult Swim, next day on Max. Based on the original graphic novel “UZUMAKI” by Junji ITO published by Shogakukan Inc. © Junji ITO , Shogakukan / Production I.G.,LLC
About Adult Swim:
Watch Adult Swim on Max, www.adultswim.com or by downloading the Adult Swim app. Binge marathons or watch selected episodes of many of your favorite shows including Rick and Morty, SMILING FRIENDS, The Boondocks, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and many more.
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The post ‘Uzumaki’ Anime Sets Out as an Unsettling and Darkly Picturesque Adaptation appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Adult Swim surprised many fans today at New York Comic Con this year by screening the full premiere episode of Lazarus, the new globe-trotting thriller from Shinichirō Watanabe. When we first got glimpses of the new series last year from San Diego Comic-Con, I was locked in seeing only a taste of a series that I knew that I wanted to watch.
Featuring a character being chased throughout that first short preview trailer from last year, one could see that the animation was smooth, sleek even, and worth re-watching for its short one minute and thirty-one second run time. There was enough Mirror’s Edge-like parkour to make me dizzy and a variety of characters on screen to keep me interested and speculating until we get more.
And we got more this week with a slightly longer clip of English-subtitled first look video of Lazarus this time around with Axel voiced by Mamoru Miyano–running and being parkour God once again.
Adult Swim describes the story:
The year is 2052 – an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity prevails across the globe. The reason for this: mankind has been freed from sickness and pain. Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Dr. Skinner has developed a miracle cure-all drug with no apparent drawbacks called Hapuna. Hapuna soon becomes ubiquitous… and essential. However, soon after Hapuna is officially introduced, Dr. Skinner vanishes.
Three years later, the world has moved on. But Dr. Skinner has returned – this time, as a harbinger of doom. Skinner announces that Hapuna has a short half-life. Everyone who has taken it will die approximately three years later. Death is coming for this sinful world – and coming soon.
As a response to this threat, a special task force of 5 agents is gathered from across the world to save humanity from Skinner’s plan. This group is called “Lazarus.” Can they find Skinner and develop a vaccine before time runs out?
I have really always loved the science fiction worlds in the anime projects that Watanabe has been involved in. He’s also had a great hand in collabs with musicians and artists that I love listening to. Last time around, I took a look at the cats involved and admitted that I was a little star-struck with some big names attached including Kamasi Washington, which made me know that the music was going to be on point.
According to Anime News Network: Senior vice president and head of anime and action series at Adult Swim Jason DeMarco confirmed that Watanabe is directing every episode. Chad Stahelski (John Wick stuntman and director) is designing the action sequences for the science-fiction action anime. The anime will feature a score by jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, and producers, DJs, and musicians Floating Points and Bonobo. Sola Entertainment is producing.
As reported by Gizmodo, here’s a run through of its Japanese voice cast and where you might’ve heard them before:
- Koichi Yamadera (Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop) as Dr. Skinner
- Megumi Hayashibara (Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop) as Hersch
- Mamoru Miyano (Chrollo Lucilfer from Hunter x Hunter) as Axel
- Maaya Uchida (Alluka Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter) as Chris
- Yuma Uchida (Megumi Fushiguro from Jujutsu Kaisen) as Leland
- Makoto Furukawa (Saitama from One Punch Man) as Doug
- Manaka Iwami (Akane Kurokawa from Oshi no Ko) as Eleina
- Akio Otsuka (Yujiro Hanma from Baki Hanma) as Abel
I am very much looking forward to Lazarus and this hella jazzy (electronic, house and perhaps all the genre mashing) soundtrack it will serve with it. I love sci-fiction, especially in the realms of anime and from the house that Shinichirō Watanabe builds. I love that we’re getting more and more glimpses of the series, even little by little to make us all anticipate this come 2025. I don’t know for certain what Axel’s backstory is or what he’ll bring to Team Lazarus but I enjoy seeing him evade cops, flip and parkour around and just be fun to watch run around on screen. I love how the collective of fans are feeling early 2000’s anime vibes (in a good, not great way) with this newer series which means most of all will be eagerly awaiting Adult Swim’s latest.
Lazarus is slated to premiere on Adult Swim in 2025.
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The post FIRST LOOK: ‘Lazarus’ Coming to Adult Swim in 2025 appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Since 1988’s Child’s Play, Don Mancini has been the driving creative force behind the long-running franchise. After the first installment, which he co-wrote with the film’s director Tom Holland (Fright Night) and writer John Lafia (who’d go on to direct Child’s Play 2), Mancini continued to pen every screenplay.
It wasn’t until Seed of Chucky that he made his directorial debut, which hit theaters on November 11, 2004. Unfortunately, it didn’t do well at the box office, making it the last Child’s Play movie to premiere in theaters. Some fans consider it the worst in the franchise, though others, especially the LGBTQ+ community, regard it as a campy cult classic.
With the 20th anniversary approaching and in honor of the unceremonious cancellation of the Chucky series, let’s look back at this polarizing film that the studio considered “too gay, too funny…” and had “too much Jennifer Tilly” (as if there’s ever such a thing).
Most, if not all, horror franchises run into the same problem after a few sequels — the slashers stop being scary. To avoid that, Mancini subverted expectations by steering the Child’s Play films in a more comedic, self-referential direction, beginning with 1998’s Bride of Chucky directed by Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason). There were still horror elements but it deviated from the story of Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent and Justin Whalin), the young protagonist central to Child’s Play 1–3. The film introduced Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) fabulously twisted ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Valentine, played to perfection by Jennifer Tilly.
After bribing and then killing a police officer to obtain Chucky’s remains, Tiffany stitches him together and recites the Damballa voodoo spell to resurrect her old lover. Tiffany spent a decade looking for Chucky, believing that he planned to marry her but he laughs in her face at the idea, so she locks him in a playpen, later taunting him with a bride doll. At this point, Chucky has come back from the dead four times; a measly cage doesn’t hold him for long. After killing her in a very cool Bride of Frankenstein-inspired death, Chucky traps Tiffany in the bride doll, which she gives a serious glow-up in a makeover montage.
To transfer their souls into humans, the doll couple needs the Heart of Damballa amulet, inconveniently located 6 feet under in Hackensack, New Jersey, with Charles Lee Ray’s corpse. Tiffany pays her neighbor Jesse (Nick Stabile) to deliver the dolls, and he brings along his girlfriend Jade (Katherine Heigl).
The two couples go on a wild road trip leaving several bodies in their wake. After witnessing Tiffany committing a gruesomely creative murder involving a waterbed, a mirror, and a Champagne bottle, Chucky finally puts a ring on it. But their violently rocky relationship hits a few speed bumps along the way, and by the end, they’re literally at each other’s throats in a cemetery. Tiffany tries to kill Chucky, but he stabs her instead, and then Jade shoots him to death. Before the credits roll, Tiffany briefly wakes up and gives birth to a slimy, sharp-toothed (kinda cute) baby doll.
Seed of Chucky picks up six years later and we learn that the screeching infant was found by a British guy named Psychs (Keith-Lee Castle), a cruel ventriloquist who forces the ghoulish-looking doll (voiced by Billy Boyd) that he dubbed Shitface to be the dummy in his act. The orphaned doll has a kind and gentle heart but is plagued by murderous nightmares.
Meanwhile, in Hollywood, actor Jennifer Tilly (played by Jennifer Tilly) is on the set of Chucky Goes Psycho, a horror film based on the legend of the dolls inhabited by the souls of serial killers. The last time we saw Chucky and Tiffany, they were burnt to a crisp and riddled with bullets, but they’ve since had a makeover. Luckily, their offspring sees them on TV with the same Made in Japan markings, then flees England and runs away to Los Angeles to find their family. Better yet, they have the amulet to bring them back to life.
While he’s mostly referred to as male, the character’s gender is ambiguous. Chucky wants a boy, Tiffany wants a girl, so their child is called Glen or Glenda (an homage to Ed Wood’s cult classic). Tiffany sets her sights on transferring her soul into Jennifer Tilly and Chucky’s into hip-hop superstar-turned-director Redman (playing himself). The plan is to impregnate Jennifer and whatever baby pops out is for Glen or Glenda.
Considering their brief but nightmarish introduction in Bride, this “Dickensian waif” who wets his pants when he’s nervous was not what fans expected. Instead of a natural-born killer with their parents’ same lust for murder, Glen/Glenda is firmly against killing, at least a part of them. As they struggle with their gender identity, they also confront their killer instincts.
Seed haters couldn’t get on board with the meta-Hollywood aspect. Jennifer Tilly playing a version of herself while still voicing Tiffany, and later playing Tiffany in the body of Jennifer Tilly, is a lot to wrap your head around. She pokes fun at herself by playing a washed-up actor, annoyed with doing horror when she wants the juicy parts given to Julia Roberts. She’s determined to land the role of the Virgin Mary in Redman’s “Bible epic.”
Many often critique the multiple plot points, believing there are too many things going on when all that should be happening is Chucky killing people. Still, the film has some pretty cool kills. Glen/Glenda takes out sleazy paparazzo Pete Peters (John Waters) with acid and sets Jennifer’s assistant Joan (Hannah Spearritt) on fire, both accidents. Tiffany disembowels Redman after he fires Jennifer for being pregnant (though Mary would indeed be pregnant).
The comedy is very much of the time back when people thought it was cool to hate Britney Spears and celebs like Martha Stewart and Anna Nicole Smith were frequently referenced. But there’s still some humor that holds up. Glen/Glenda knowing nothing about himself other than the Made in Japan manufacturer mark and informing his personality is just hilarious.
Seed is also very much about acceptance. Tiffany tries to fight what she sees as an addiction to killing and knows that she wants to be a mother first (with some murderous tendencies). Jennifer gives birth to twins, allowing Glen/Glenda to split their identities in two. Even Chucky finds self-acceptance. Since the beginning, his main motivation has been to transfer his soul into a human body for good. But here, he realizes that he would rather embrace his serial killing nature in doll form, declaring “I am Chucky, the killer doll. And I dig it!”
Seed of Chucky is not for everyone, namely anyone looking for something truly terrifying. Mancini took a big swing making a full-on comedy that plays into the absurdity of killer dolls while touching on poignant topics like gender identity, addiction, and acceptance. For those who can accept that Seed of Chucky is a meta off-the-rails comedy, it’s a gory, good time.
Seed of Chucky is available to rent on Prime Video and is streaming on Netflix through October 31, 2024.
The post Cult Classics: An Appreciation of Don Mancini’s Polarizing ‘Seed of Chucky’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
It’s time for a new generation of feminists to take up the torch. But where to begin? Should teens hit the ground running with The Feminine Mystique? Or maybe a fantasy novel about dismantling entrenched structures of power? Yes and yes. If you need suggestions, here are 10 feminist books for teens.
10. We Should All Be Feminists
We Should All Be Feminists is a long-form essay by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a New York Times best-selling author and leading light in postcolonial feminist thought. Adapted from her TEDx talk of the same name, We Should All Be Feminists is an eloquent and deeply personal piece of prose about the importance of embracing feminist thought, no matter who you are. Combining personal anecdotes with observations of society as a whole, the book is a call to action for feminist thinkers everywhere.
In the seventh episode of Agatha All Along, we finally reach a moment we knew was coming from all the teasers and trailers—our Westview coven dressed up as famous pop culture witches. This occurs within the portion of the Witches’ Road trial, the Tarot Trial, designed specifically for Patti Lupone’s divination witch Lilia. But why were each of these witches paired with those specific pop culture enchantresses? Each one has a very specific meaning, and reason for being paired with them.
Agatha Harkness/The Wicked Witch of the West
Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) enters the trial and transforms into a semblance of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. She seems amused by this, saying to Billy “She’s based on me, you know.” This implies that at some point, she met Oz author L. Frank Baum, no doubt left a horrible impression on him and he based his novel’s villain on her. Agatha seems to relish having the embodiment of the evil witch cliché based on herself. So it’s no wonder that became her appearance in the trial. Also, let’s not forget that Agatha killed the Maximoff family’s dog Sparky in WandaVision. This of course reminds us of Margaret Hamilton’s iconic Oz line “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!” Interestingly, this series is humanizing Agatha somewhat, just as the novel/play Wicked did for the original Wicked Witch.
Billy Maximoff/Maleficent
William Kaplan/Billy Maximoff’s witch was none other than Maleficent from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. We know from the glimpses into his bedroom posters in episode six that he’s a big fan of classic Disney animation. Let’s face it, of the great pop culture witches, Maleficent is the most diva-esque of all. So it’s no wonder that Billy (Joe Locke), a gay teen, would idolize her over the others. It also makes sense that he’s not just doing Maleficent drag, but it’s more like gender-bent cosplay. Maybe the biggest clue as to why Billy is Maleficent is that she famously has a secondary form as a giant dragon. Now, we doubt Billy is a dragon, but he was certainly adept at hiding his true self for several episodes. Luckily, Billy is better at dodging swords than Maleficent was in Sleeping Beauty.
Jennifer Kale/The Old Hag
Speaking of Disney witches, Jennifer Kale’s witch is actually the Old Hag persona of the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This makes total sense, of course, because the Evil Queen was obsessed with being the “fairest in the land.” Jennifer’s whole business was selling (bogus) age-defying beauty products to unsuspecting customers. Potions were also her specialty, and the Evil Queen mixes magical potions in the classic film. Jennifer didn’t manifest in her glamorous Queen persona in the Tarot Trial, probably because inside, she knows that she is far older than she looks. No doubt her biggest insecurity is that despite any appearances to the contrary, inside, she’s really a very old hag.
Lilia Calderu/Glinda the Good Witch
No one hates the representation of witches in pop culture more than Lilia Calderu (Patti Lupone). We learned this from her very first appearance in the show. So it makes sense that for her Tarot Trial, pop culture witches would be the theme. Lilia was transformed into a version of Glinda, the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Honestly, this is probably the witch stereotype that offends her the least. Given the nature of this episode, it also makes sense she would embody Glinda. In The Wizard of Oz, it was Glinda who revealed to Dorothy that she contained the answers within herself all along. In a sense, Lilia had the answers to her time leaps within her all this time too. She just didn’t know how to access it until the very end.
The post How AGATHA ALL ALONG Paired Pop Culture Witches with the Witches’ Road Coven appeared first on Nerdist.
I’m not a big Transformers guy like my friend Jive. He loves it. He had me front and center for Transformers One when it dropped. Even though, I only know a bit here and there about Transformers. Through all the different Transformer shows, reboots, and movies, the one thing that always peaked my interest is the backstory between Optimus Prime and Megatron. Who were they before they became the leaders of two warring factions (Autobots and Decepticons)? Transformers One answered this question for me in the best way by showing that before differing ideologies steered their paths. Megatron was a mining bot named D-16 that kept his head down, worked hard and followed the system. Optimus Prime was a mining bot named Orion Pax that kept dreaming big, breaking protocol, and pushing to do more. D-16 and Orion Pax were polar opposites, but they were friends.
Transformers One: A Story About Day Ones
Twenty-four years ago, I was sitting in math class when our teacher Mr. Rhymer introduced a new student. Beside him stood a dark-skinned Black kid that was entirely reserved. “This is Elvis.” Mr. Rhymer said, “are you serious?” A student shouted from the back of the class in disbelief of a Jamaican kid having that name. “Omar!”, Mr. Rhymer shouted, not in anger but as to say, at least try to act like you have some decorum. “Sorry!” I shouted back. Fast forward and a few days later Elvis joins the indoor track team and is the starting of our 4×400 relay. I was anchor leg. We had lost so many times before because we just couldn’t get or maintain a lead. I’m always prepared to lose but fight like hell to prevent it, and to this day I can still see Elvis coming around the corner hammering that baton in his hand running like hell. We won that race… and every relay race we ran together.
Elvis and I became fast friends (see what I did there). One day during practice Elvis was joking around with a thrower named Wesley just playfully talking shit. After practice when I entered the locker room, I saw Wesley towering over Elvis whose back was against the lockers (playfully) asking him about what he said before. Instinctually, I slowly walked up behind Wesley then suddenly felt a hand on my chest stopping me. The hand belonged to Clifton who was not only my senior, not only my pole vaulting teammate, but also Wesley’s best friend. Clifton said, “Ah-ahh-ahhhh. Hold on Omar. Where are you going?” I looked at Clifton, then Wesley, then Elvis and said, “Man, I’m going home. Elvis always be saying shit. He’s on his own.”
Elvis shot me the same look he gave me when I reacted to his name in class. “Omar! What the hell?!” he said as I walked away. I took two steps, turned around to see that both Clifton and Wesley took their eyes off me (as I expected). Clifton was now beside Wesley, and Elvis was trapped in a 2 on 1. I dropped my book bag, ran the fuck back, and jumped on Wesley back locking him in a sleeper hold while shouting at Elvis, “START SWINGING! START SWINGING! OH MY GOD, HE’S SO STRONG!” After the fight (which wasn’t really) when Elvis and I were walking back I asked him, “You thought I was going to leave you didn’t you?” I smiled and told him, “I had to make it look convincing.”
Twenty-four years later that man is still a best friend of mine. When I went to compete in poetry slams in New York and the transit back to NJ had stopped running, Elvis drove in and got me. When I had to go out of state, Elvis and Bri (his soon to be wife) looked after my mom. When she died, Elvis was beside me in the hospital room where the only thing I could say, was “she watched us grow up together” and when Bri and Elvis got married, the DJ was our teacher Mr. Rhymer who upon introducing me for the best man speech realized that Elvis and I had first met in his class.
Looking back now it’s funny how that’s something that came full circle. I’ve been friends with Elvis for almost 25 years. When you have a sibling, that’s a bond that’s given to you. When you make a friend, that’s a bond that you are choosing to maintain. Elvis and I don’t agree on everything but are core values, morals, and ethics are aligned. At our core, we know both know who the other is and trust that down the line, if we change, it won’t be for the worse.
Transformers One‘s depiction of D-16 and Orion Pax is about what happens when your best friend’s core changes and their value, morals, and ethics become unaligned with yours?
When They Reminisce Transform Over You
Orin Pax is the rebel with a cause. He is constantly searching for answers. What’s happening top side? What happened to the Matrix of Leadership? What can be done to help Sentinel Prime? Pax believes that he himself and his peers don’t have to be designated to pigeonholed to a role for the entirety of their lives. Whereas D-16 would have been perfectly fine living as a miner bot. D-16 had faith that Sentinel Prime was doing everything they could to find the Matrix of Leadership and make life better. D-16 took Sentinel Prime at his word because he idolized them. Whereas Orion Pax, had faith but knew something did not feel right.
This feeling is what drives Orion Pax and because D-16 is his friend, it often takes him out of his comfort zone as a miner bot but makes him better for it. These two bots have different approaches to how they live their life, but they are there for one another. Ever since they first met, they made a pact to watch each other’s backs.
When Orion tricked D-16 into participating in that grand race in order to show that even though miners couldn’t transform, they were just as good as the transformers. D-16 was mad, but then got into during the race but then was upset again afterwards when Sentinel Prime wanted an audience with them. Even during their adventure on the top surface of Cybertron, D-16 is taken from what he knows and thrust into the unknown. He is tentative to embrace all these new experiences and information, but Orion Pax has no issue taking it all in.
When what Orion has known to be true is challenged, he is able to deal with the reality of the situation. Orion is constantly able to adjust and go forward. D-16 moves forward while holding onto the past. This comes to ahead when Orion and D-16 learn of Sentinel Prime’s betrayal of the Primes, Cybertron, and his alliance with the Quintessons (their enemies.)
D-16 put so much faith into Sentinel Prime, he was praised by him, and now to see this person he believed in is actually a traitor? It breaks everything he knows. He even gets upset at Orion for taking him out of the mines and on this adventure. He’d have rather not known but that’s a lie. Finding out the truth doesn’t make you who you are, it’s the actions you take when you know the truth that comes to define you.
Now It’s Clear That I’m Here for a Real Reason
There’s something oddly poetic about knowing that there will be an inevitable divide. Some issue, some clash, some impasse that will make the time between two people, the last time as they are. I watched Transformers One with this in mind the entire time as I saw Orion Pax and D-16 start to grow apart. The divide was real, and it was raw. I said earlier the truth doesn’t make you who you are but the actions you take do. Power, however, has a way of revealing who a person truly is. Especially when you have the power to fight back.
D-16 and Orion Pax were powerless miner bots that were then granted the power to not only fight back against their oppressor in Sentinel Prime but to free their people. Orion Pax and D-16 were aligned on their people being free but when it came to Sentinel Prime? D-16 said, that bot had to go… When D-16 said go, he wasn’t talking Sentinel Prime going up north for a bid or on vacation. He meant a permanent trip from this plane of existence. He meant the scrap yard. He meant the recycling bin. He meant “the drastic change in production when cars were metal instead of plastic.” D-16 meant to dead that man bot. I mean, but is he really wrong to feel that way? Sentinel Prime not only lied to D-16 and the whole society of bots, betrayed the Primes, got in bed with their enemies, but took away the miner bots (and others) abilities to transform. Sentinel Prime a whole all-star war criminal. Jail ain’t good enough.
D-16’s dissent toward becoming Megatron may feel rushed but honestly, it be like that sometimes. When everything you known is a lie and the person you trusted most was perpetuating that lie and had hurt you unbeknownst to you for all your life? This was a breaking point for D-16, and when he was able to transform a gun onto his arm while fighting Star Scream, it felt like a choice had a change had taken place. Along with that change, a choice had been made.
The problem here is hurt people hurt people, right? Fighting to take down Sentinel Prime and his regime needed to happen. Violence was the answer there. I don’t say that meaning that it’s always needed to bring about change; however, to say that it is never the answer is a lie. When you are met with an person or a force that uses violence to do you harm, and knowingly continues to do you harm? Get your Duolingo sessions in because we bout to speak their language. There was no talking it out with Sentinel Prime (who wanted to keep up the lie). Which means this fight, this violence is what was needed to take this person doing harm out of power. We ain’t talking about revolution and people no longer being oppressed. That’s it.
Here’s the problem, deciding when violence is no longer the solution. Orion Pax had a better grip on this than D-16. I go by Kratos rules, the fight stops when the person is no longer a threat. D-16 was boxing with Sentinel Prime, he had Sentinel Prime defeated. Unarmed, down and out. If Sentinel Prime was fighting to the death, that’s an entirely different thing. He’d have been fighting to the death on a lie but it’d be understood. However, the reality is, Sentinel Prime was unarmed and surrendering. D-16 saw this… and was going to kill him. Though D-16 feelings were valid, the problem was the optics looked crazy. Orion Pax stopped him because he understood that. Orion Pax understood that the change they needed happened. Violence stopped being the answer once Sentinel Prime surrendered.
I never been a big fan of the “we gotta be better than our enemies” speech/trope. However, I understand where Orion was coming from here. The fight is over, killing an enemy that’s surrendering looks wild. We’ve won. Orion Pax was talking revolution, D-16 was talking revenge. Now don’t get me wrong, I think revenge can be a good thing. I love a story where revenge happens and a happily ever after follows. That wasn’t going to be the case with D-16 because he lost his trust in everyone else and only trusted himself. That only he had the right way forward.
That’s when D-16 became Megatron. It wasn’t when he took Megatronus’s transformer, it wasn’t when Orion Pax jumped in front of his kill shot on Sentinel Prime, or even when he let Orion fall to his doom. To me, it was the moment that he couldn’t bring himself to believe in anyone other them himself. To make matters worse, D-16 deads Sentinel Prime but it don’t do shit for him. The rage still there. If he deaded that bot then said, “Alright, let’s start rebuilding I guess.” this would be an entirely different discussion. It ain’t work out like that. So not only does revenge not satiate him, he then sees that Orion Pax has come back from the dead with the Matrix of Leadership.
The prime’s chose Orion Pax to be the new leader of Cybertron, to be inducted into their order, to be Optimus Prime. D-16 had to have seen and known that his way was wrong off the strength of this alone. He even said, “They chose you?” and the confusion, hurt, and wtf were so loud in his voice as he said it. D-16 and Orion Pax, now known as Megatron and Optimus Prime find themselves at a divide. This was the moment I had kept waiting for and knew was coming. This was an excellent retelling of the tale of two friends split on an ideology for their people. The harshest thing about this divide is that each person feels like the other is the one that betrayed them.
Megatron can’t understand why Optimus would let Sentinel Prime live, and Optimus is so hurt that Megatron can’t see how there’s a point where violence is a last resort and once it’s in use, there comes a point where it’s no longer the option. You heard it in Optimus’ voice, “we were supposed to rebuild Cybertron together.” That line hits so hard because losing a friend can feels like losing a sibling, a significant other, or a loved one. Friendship is a bond you are choosing to maintain. Optimus and Megatron were once great friends. Now, they are on opposing sides.
It’s heartbreaking to know where D-16 and Orion Pax started at and the events that lead them to become Megatron and Optimus Prime means that for them, things won’t be as they once were. They transformed into who they were meant to be, now there’s no going back.
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The post ‘Transformers One’: Considering Violence as the Answer appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Whether you’re voting early or voting on election day, your vote is your power to shape a future we desire.
Reverend Al Sharpton and community leaders Paint The Polls Black Town Hall, where we will discuss how to protect every vote this November. Our communities need all of us to show up for each other.
TOPICS: election election24 gbef News Paint The Polls Black Politics voteThe post WATCH: Paint The Polls Black: Election Protection appeared first on Essence.
Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images
In 2019, fluffy lash extensions were all the rave and became an explosive trend that dominated the lash business over the next few years. Wispy hybrids, classic sets, 35mm minks, and more, lash extensions provided a semi-permanent alternative to strip lashes and mascara. With this new technique, you could wake up and go with a fluttery eye look that lasted for several weeks. Extensions varied in >halt in beauty services altogether, which many professionals note across specialties. Due to these factors and the overall change in daily life, clients are opting for lower maintenance, at even lower costs. With the introduction of lash lifts, clients are able to achieve mascara-like results for an extended time.
Aesthetician Jas Imani, who specializes in and recommends lifts, breaks down the differences between the two services. “With lash lifts, there is no significant life>Jas Imani and Raven Roth advise lift clients to maintain proper moisturization such as using coconut oil, and underscore the importance of washing extensions daily to avoid permanent damage to the natural lashes.
Roth, who specializes in both extensions and lifts, still has consistent clients opting for both techniques, and believes that the decision lies in the occasion. For everyday wear, many clients prefer lash lifts, but for special occasion looks, they will elect extensions. “When it comes to lash extensions, most times [clients] also have their makeup and hair done, they’re getting married, going to a birthday—they’re more glammed up.
Sometimes lashes may be too heavy, depending on therel="tag">eyelash extension eyelash lift lash trends
The post Are Lash Lifts Replacing Lash Extensions? appeared first on Essence.
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Contrary to popular belief, the face ends at the chest. In other words, don’t forget to take care of your neck the way you do your canvas. More than holding up our head (the average adult head weighs up to 11 pounds), “the neck facilitates movement, breathing, chewing and laughing, which over time affects the quality of the skin,” esthetician, author and founder of Black Skin Directory Dija Ayodele tells ESSENCE. “Repetitive movement will eventually lead to loss of tone and the skin will show more fine lines and wrinkles.”
Here, Ayodele explains how to reverse the signs of aging on your neck––and the best neck care routine to support your skin.
Does the neck and décolletage age faster?Although anti-aging is all the buzz in the beauty industry, the neck and décolletage is often left out of the conversation. “So many people forget the neck is an extension of their face,” Ayodele says, reduced to an afterthought in targeted skincare routines––big mistake. Neck wrinkles actually tend to appear faster than on the face. “The skin on the neck is naturally thinner with less collagen, elastin and oil glands,” she says. “This degradation can show up quite fast––faster than the face.”
Early signs of neck aging“The early signs of neck aging are related to how the neck muscles weaken over time, causing vertical and horizontal lines to appear more prominently and deeply etched,” she says. “They can also be darker than surrounding skin.” “Muscle loss also means textural skin changes, development of jowls (sometimes unkindly called “turkey neck”) and weaker jawline definition,” she continues.
While neck aging may appear in the 20s for some, others may not notice aging until their 40s. Luckily, “Black skin is afforded the protection of melanin so this can sometimes mask any skin damage on the neck,” she says.
Can I reverse signs of neck aging?Though neck wrinkles are a normal sign of the aging process, which depends on factors such as genetics, skin quality and environment, prevention is much easier than reversal. “Whilst you cannot naturally reverse neck wrinkles you can do a few things to stave off or soften their appearance,” she says. From a neck care routine to professional rejuvenation treatments (try: microneedling, laser, microcurrent and radio frequency), using proven methods to stimulate collagen can tighten the skin.
“Skin-boosting injectables, like Profilo and Polynucleotides, improve skin quality; skin >neck care, which means using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerine and squalane are a must. That, and antioxidants, like vitamin C, to help prevent environmental damage from pollution and UV rays.
While sunscreen is an ingredient you should never forget in your routine, you may be surprised to learn perfume is a big no-no. “I know it’s an ingrained habit, but perfume should not be sprayed on the neck either,” Ayodele says. “The alcohols and essential oils can irritate and lead to pronounced areas of discoloration as well as weaken the integrity of the skin [which means] wrinkles.”
Do neck toning and massage techniques help?“Some people swear by facial yoga to help keep the muscles firm and toned which in turn improves the appearance of the skin,” she says. “In places like Japan, brands like Shiseido incorporate many massage techniques that are all about firming and tightening the skin.” With new tools on the market, like Isamaya Ffrench’s Sculpt 02 Body Tool and NuFace Toning Device, you can integrate toning and tightening techniques across the face, neck and body into your routine.
What should I avoid when caring for my neck?“People tend to unknowingly be harsh to their neck, pulling and dragging the skin, sometimes scrubbing with a body loofah,” she says. “The skin needs exfoliating, but you can use gentle acids, like lactic acid, to get this done.” She recommends using retinoids paired with sunscreen to preserve the skin quality or peptide-rich creams like Lancome Renergie HPN 300 Peptide Cream, SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair Cream, and Olay Collagen Peptide Max Moisturizing Cream.
TOPICS: anti aging neck care neck wrinkles skincareThe post Can I Reverse Signs Of Aging On My Neck? appeared first on Essence.
Christa Harris
Mitchell S. Jackson has lived through multiple >Bottega Veneta. Jackson, who currently lives in Arizona explains that he uses fashion as a way to key in on what he feels is invigorating >Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. I found my way to his writing through the stellar New York Times Magazine feature “Lonnie And Me.” The depth and intimacy that his writings bring forth is a breath of fresh air. And in comparison to his clothing choices, it aligns perfectly. All details are of the utmost importance, no stone is left unturned. His writing isn’t just impressive; it’s also deeply moving and almost as if you’re on a journey with him experiencing each word.
From his home in Arizona, he expresses that he believes his aesthetic principle is made up of how he’s unafraid to wear contrasting textures together. Slim-fitting trousers, laidback tees, and eccentric outerwear selections are what his wardrobe is partially >tunnel looks have skyrocketed into the fashion lexicon over the course of the past ten years or so, I ask Jackson what he thinks about them. He tells me that he is currently into the looks that the league’s stylish players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stefon Diggs, Odell Beckham Jr. wear ahead of games. He also isn’t remiss to note that Black women are stylists for many of these players.
“I think we’re getting really close to the apex of NBA fashion,” he says. Jackson notes that he feels the peak is swiftly approaching, and he can tell due to how the NBA is currently monetizing tunnel moments by investing in what the tunnel looks like. “For me, the fact that the NBA is putting that kind of emphasis on NBA fashion means that we’re well into this being co-opted by mass media and capitalism,” he notes.
“I think that if the NBA players want to continue to be stylish, or if they want to be stylish they’re going to have to predict where we’re going [with fashion],” Jackson adds.
Christa Harris We recently caught up with Mitchell Jackson to discuss his lifelong fascination with fashion, his thoughts on NBA tunnel outfits, and his latest offering Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion.
ESSENCE: For those who aren’t familiar, what’s the best way for them to catch up with the writing you’ve been working on for years?
Mitchell S. Jackson: It depends on how much they want to read. My debut novel is really about my beginning, it’s autobiographical. I have an essay collection that gets into who I am, where I come from. I’m from Portland, Oregon. The novel is called, The Residue Years, and the essay collection is called, Survival Math. If you’re a book person, it would be them. Then if you’re not, I write a column for Esquire, so there’s a lot of short stuff there.
How would you describe your relationship with fashion?
I’ve been a lifelong admirer of fashion. I mean, going back as far as I can remember, I just was looking for Easter pictures and checking out my old Easter suits from when I was seven. Then I had a cowboy phase, which is very on-trend right now. I was wearing cowboy hats and big belt buckles and boots. But I would say I spent a lot of time in my adulthood trying to figure out [and] refine mysrc="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GettyImages-1789957019-scaled.jpeg" alt="Mitchell S. Jackson’s Latest Book Is All About NBA Fashion" width="400" height="500" />Getty Images
Over the years fashion do you feel fashion has allowed you space to walk into numerous eras of your life as a Black man?
I went through lots of eras before settling on a palette, which is gray and black mostly. Then pop colors, a few of them, red, yellow, and some limes. Even the hair decoding="async" src="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GettyImages-966938112.jpeg" alt="Mitchell S. Jackson’s Latest Book Is All About NBA Fashion" width="400" height="600" />Getty Images
What are your thoughts on the Instagram pages that document tunnel looks?
I mean, I think the Instagram accounts might’ve influenced me to get them damn Rick Owens zipper pants that I spent too much money on and probably won’t wear again. So, I think they do serve their purpose. I really like the curatorial effect of those websites or those handles. I [also] like the commentary on a lot of them. NBA Fashion Fits and League Fits are my favorites. But also I go to Blitzfits, even though I’m not a big NFL fan.
Did Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion allow you to take a scholarly approach to dissecting our athletes and their fixation on fashion over the years?
Yeah, definitely. To me, the most fun era was the beginning of it. So, coming out of World War II, I really didn’t understand how many restrictions that they had in that era. You could only have one suit and you could only have a certain amount of wool, and you could only have one pair of shoes, and there was a limitation on rubber. If you think about all those restrictions, that really dictated what people wore and how they wore it. It ain’t no seven, eight, nine Armani suits. No, you’ve got one good suit, dude, you’ve got to make this work. I think learning about that era. And also because I didn’t know much about that era of NBA. I knew about my era, from when I was born, I was born in ’75. When we get to the eighties, I have memories of that era, but I have no memories of the seventies.
I have no memories of the ‘60s and NBA fashion, except for brief clips. So, to go back and look at those clips, to look at those pictures of guys like Wilt Chamberlain, you mentioned, he was fly. He was the first fly big man, and very different from the guys he was playing with or against. Bill Russell was not fly. Bill Russell was like a regular, “I wear suits,” very conservative. So, it was really interesting to see that era of NBA fashion and then to connect it to, why would the players be looking like this in this moment in history? That was a real question. In every chapter, I think there’s six chapters. My question was, why are they doing this in this time period?
What is the most significant notion or lesson you walked away with after writing Fly?
I think, and maybe the most crucial one I learned was that fashion is never just in the choices that an individual makes. Yes, you get up and you look in your closet and you say, “I’m going to wear this and that,” but there were so many decisions that were outside of your control that went into what’s in your closet. Import, export, who can you import from? What are your economics? What are the price points of these brands? All of those things, culturally, economically, socially, are decisions that other people are making that give you choices to make. So, I think that was really important because that helped me think about how to arrange the book. These guys were not just wearing what they wanted to wear, they were wearing what was available to them at any given moment, and what they thought was socially acceptable. Which again, that’s being created by someone else.
So, I thought that’s really important. I do think that, at least in America, we don’t have fashion without Black folks. We are the center, the folk room of fashion. What’s cool is what’s fashionable, and what’s cool in this country is dictated by Black people. So, I think, and that’s in any league, which is probably why baseball ain’t that fly because you’ve got the fewest amount of Black folks in it.
TOPICS:The post Mitchell S. Jackson’s Latest Book Is All About NBA Fashion appeared first on Essence.