https://www.thenerdelement.com/2024/07/22/hasbro-returns-to-2024-san-diego-comic-con-international/

HASBRO RETURNS TO 2024 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

WITH UNFORGETTABLE PRODUCT SHOWCASES AND BRAND EXPERIENCES IN A NEW IMMERSIVE SPACE

Fan-Favorite Brands, Including TRANSFORMERS, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, G.I. JOE and BEYBLADE, Join Premier Collaboration Brands of Star Wars and Marvel from the Walt Disney Company, to Be Featured with Signings, New Products, Experiences, Programming, Giveaways, and More at Hasbro Booth #3213

Convention Exclusives and Additional Limited Products Will be Available to Purchase at the Booth as Part of the Hasbro Pulse Toy Store

First-Ever Hasbro San Diego Comic-Con Fanstream Will Bring Fans Everywhere Front Row with Talent Interviews, Panel Recaps, Product Reveals, Franchise and Design Discussions, and More

PAWTUCKET, R.I. –– JULY 17, 2024 –– Hasbro, a leading toy and game company, announces an incredible lineup for this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International. Fan-favorite brands to appear include TRANSFORMERS, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, G.I. JOE and Beyblade, as well as products based on premier collaboration brands, Star Wars and Marvel fromThe Walt Disney Company.

This year, the Hasbro booth design has been updated to better engage fans and create a more immersive space. The Hasbro Pulse Toy Store is back, and this year’s design includes an impressive second story for live interviews. Designer Tom Whalen (@strongstuff) has tied the booth together by giving the Hasbro booth a fresh new appearance, with each brand rendered in his iconic style, representing our belief that at the heart of every brand is the HASBRO PULSE.

“We are thrilled to return to 2024 San Diego Comic-Con with an evolved booth design and even more exhilarating experiences for our fans,” said Tim Kilpin, President of Toys, Board Games, Licensing & Entertainment at Hasbro. “This year, we are particularly excited to celebrate our upcoming film, TRANSFORMERS ONE, and bring an immersive and interactive showcase that will truly spotlight the creativity and innovation behind our iconic brands. We can’t wait to reveal fan-favorite products from BEYBLADE, TRANSFORMERS, G.I JOE and more to create countless unforgettable memories alongside our dedicated fanbase.”

HASBRO BOOTH #3213

·       Hasbro Pulse Booth – A physical manifestation of HasbroPulse.com, where the world’s biggest brands interact and play. This hub is a place for all levels of fandom where fans can visit, explore, experience, and engage with the hottest Hasbro products. Fan-favorite characters and gigantic photo opportunities come to life in an immersive space created with the best of all worlds, connected as one universe under the Hasbro banner. Arcade1Up will also showcase their Marvel vs Capcom 2 X-Men ’97 Edition Deluxe Arcade Machine in the Hasbro booth and The Infinity Game Board in the Hasbro streaming studio. The board includes an ever-expanding library of games, including Hasbro games.

·       Fans can stop by the booth to pick up unique Hasbro pins; two different pins are given out each day!

·       Hasbro Pulse Toy Store – Physical product purchases return at Hasbro’s booth, offering the very best selection of toys and collectibles, including:

o   Convention Exclusives – Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the following Hasbro products: TRANSFORMERS LEGACY UNITED VOYAGER CLASS FRACTURED FRIENDSHIP 2-PACK, G.I. JOE CLASSIFIED SERIES #130, COBRA COMMANDER (ONCE A MAN), STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH MAUL & SITH SPEEDER figure and vehicle and MAGIC: THE GATHERING SECRET LAIR BURNING REVELATIONS. Additional product information and photos can be found here.

o   First To Market – Marvel’s MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES DEATH’S HEAD will make its debut at the Hasbro Pulse Toy Store.

■        Attendees can request a time slot to purchase Hasbro products at the Hasbro Booth (#3213) at the Hasbro Pulse Toy Store through the San Diego Comic-Con Exclusives Portal. Limited quantities will be available to order on HasbroPulse.com after the convention. While supplies last.

○        Select Hasbro Products: Purchase some of the hottest Hasbro products, including the TRANSFORMERS COLLABORATIVE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES X TRANSFORMERS PARTY WALLOP FIGURE, STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES SABINE ELECTRONIC HELMET, MAGIC: THE GATHERING SECRET LAIR: BURNING REVELATIONS, THE MAKING OF ORIGINAL DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: 1970-77 BOOK, and more.

·       Hasbro Booth Experiential Area – The Hasbro booth will feature an experiential area that will include fan-engagement opportunities and fun activities featuring fan-favorite Hasbro brands. This includes demos from Robosen and up-close product opportunities with Beyblade (Sunday) and the TRANSFORMERS ONE Power Flip Optimus Prime (Sunday). In addition, fans can create their own custom G.I. JOE file card and get airbrush tattoos of Hasbro brand logos to showcase their fandom.  Schedules will be published daily on Hasbro’s San Diego Comic-Con monitor and on Hasbro Pulse socials (@HasbroPulse on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube).

·       Hasbro Pulse Fanstreaming Studio – For the first time ever, Hasbro will be giving fans a front row seat to all the Hasbro SDCC action with exclusive video streaming from the booth. Hosted by Toy Hunter’s Jordan Hembrough, and available for fans 18+ on the Hasbro Pulse YouTube channel, studio content will feature interviews, panel recaps, product reveals, franchise and design discussions, and more. Fans can expect interviews and appearances by Arif S. Kinchen (Jazz) and Frank Todaro (Starscream), TRANSFORMERS G1 40^th Anniversary Voice Actors; Robert Kirkman, comic book writer, screenwriter, producer and Chairman of Skybound Entertainment; Mark Rosewater, Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering; Sgt. Slaughter, G.I. JOE icon; and more.

HASBRO BRAND AND PARTNER PANELS
Attendees are invited to learn more about Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE brands and MAGIC THE GATHERING’s Mark Rosewater and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS with premier collaboration brands, Star Wars and Marvel, through special panel experiences featuring new product reveals and major updates, along with other partner presentations.

Thursday, July 25

·       PARAMOUNT PICTURES: TRANSFORMERS ONE: July 25 at 11:45AM – 12:45PM | Hall H – Paramount Animation & HASBRO Entertainment bring a panel discussion and exclusive footage presentation to fans with talent Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Keegan-Michael Key, along with the Director, Academy Award® winner Josh Cooley, and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

·       Hasbro G.I. JOE Brand Panel: Thursday, July 25 at 5:00PM – 6:00PM | Room: 25ABC – Join the G.I. JOE development team for a LIVE launch of the new Classified Series HasLab! This behind-the-scenes look will also feature additional new product news, including never-before-heard stories, digital character renders, in-hand figure prototypes, pre-order launches, and maybe even a special guest.

Friday, July 26

·       Marvel Legends Panel with Hasbro: Friday, July 26, 12:30PM – 1:30PM | Room: 5AB – The Hasbro and Marvel product experts will discuss exciting news about Hasbro’s ever-popular Marvel Legends product line! Attendees will also get a sneak peek of upcoming, never-before-seen items, followed by a Q&A for your burning Marvel Legends questions.

·       Hasbro Star Wars Panel: Friday, July 26, 2:00PM – 3:00PM | Room: 7AB – Join members of the Hasbro Marketing & Design teams as they discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars line, including the Black Series and The Vintage Collection. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro’s latest action figure offerings from throughout the saga. Word on the Holonet is there may also be a few surprises. May the Force be with you!

·       Hasbro TRANSFORMERS Panel: Friday, July 26, 6:00PM – 7:00PM | Room: 25ABC – Join the Hasbro TRANSFORMERS Toy Development team as they take you behind the scenes to unveil the latest character figures from across the iconic brand. Plus, time permitting, there will also be a Q&A session filled with trivia and more!

·       Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Across the Morphin Grid: Friday, July 26, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM| Room 5AB – After 8 years and over 120 issues, BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers universe is coming to an end… but not without a few final surprises! Join Melissa Flores, writer of the climactic “Darkest Hour” event, alongside the iconic Ryan Parrott, the original Pink Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson, and the original Black Ranger, Walter Jones, for a behind-the-scenes peek at the final issues of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers… and an exclusive look ahead at what’s next. Moderated by Matt Hotson (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return).

·       TRANSFORMERS & G.I. JOE The Energon Universe is HERE: Friday, July 26, 4:30PM – 5:30PM | Room 5AB – WELCOME TO THE HOTTEST COMICS IN THE WORLD! TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, and Void Rivals from Skybound have taken over the comic book world and we’ve got the top secret reveals you can’t miss. Superstars Robert Kirkman (Void Rivals), Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS), Joshua Williamson (Duke, Cobra Commander), Tom Reilly (Duke), and Sean Mackiewicz (SVP/Publisher, Skybound) deliver the panel that will have everyone talking!  

Saturday, July 27

·       Celebrating 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday, July 27 at 10:00AM – 11:00AM | Room: 6DE – Dungeons & Dragons is celebrating 50 years! From countless hours of adventures and storytelling, new editions and book releases, to the rising tabletop entertainment and pop culture takeover. Come listen to industry experts as they share how Dungeons & Dragons has taken its place on top of the pop culture dungeon

·       Magic: The Gathering Panel, Blogatog Live: Saturday 6:30 pm -7:30 pm | Room 24ABC 

Magic head designer Mark Rosewater presents this one-man program in which he re-creates his daily blog, answering the audience’s questions about the making of the popular trading card game and revealing new, never-before-seen cards, mechanics, and more!

Sunday, July 28

·       Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern Panel: Sunday at 11:00AM | Room: 32AB

Taliesin Jaffe (Critical Role) moderates a panel about the hit off-Broadway theatrical experience             Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-Sided Tavern which includes co-creatorsDavid Carpenter           (producer, Puffs) and Sarah Davis Reynolds (game designer, Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-            Sided Tavern), Set/Costume/Prop Designer KC McGeorge (Dimension 20) and other special           guests. The panel will discuss the creation of the show from idea to page to stage and include a    Q&A session with the audience.

BLADES OF GLORY: BEYBLADE X COMIC-CON SHOWDOWN 2024 POP-UP EVENT

Bards and Cards will host a special BEYBLADE X event at Bards & Cards, located at in the heart of Downtown San Diego at 936 5th Ave, on Saturday, July 27, for one of three thrilling 8-person tournaments at 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm (for ages 13+). Attendees can look forward to an action-packed experience battling it out with an array of BEYBLADE X products. Attendance is free and open to the public. Follow @bardsandcards and visit https://bardsandcards.com for more event info and how you can sign up to participate in the tournaments.

SUPER7’S DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 50TH ANNIVERSARY POP-UP EVENT

Join Super7 for a special pop-up event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons at the Super7 San Diego Store, located at 701 8th Avenue, during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 for an immersive experience that no D&D fan will want to miss. A specially designed space brings the iconic fantasy universe to life that features exclusive Super7 x Dungeons & Dragons toys, apparel & accessories, and more. For more information, follow Super7 (@super7) and Dungeons & Dragons (@dndwizards) on social media.

About Hasbro

Hasbro is a leading toy and game company whose mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. Hasbro delivers play experiences for fans of all ages around the world, through toys, games, licensed consumer products, digital games and services, location-based entertainment, film, TV, and more. With a portfolio of over 1,800 iconic brands including MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, Hasbro Gaming, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PEPPA PIG, as well as premier partner brands, Hasbro brings fans together wherever they are, from tabletop to screen.

Hasbro is guided by our Purpose to create joy and community for all people around the world, one game, one toy, one story at a time. For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50. For more information, visit https://corporate.hasbro.com or @Hasbro on LinkedIn.

STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

The post HASBRO RETURNS TO 2024 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/the-cast-of-captain-america-brave-new-world-on-complex-villains-and-supporting-local-comic-shops/

BGN interviews the cast of the upcoming Marvel Studios film Captain America: Brave New World.

Featured in the interviews are: Anthony Mackie, Giancarlo Esposito, Harrison Ford, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America, finds himself in the middle of an international incident.

Interviewer: Jamie Broadnax

Videographer: Chalice Williams

Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax

Captain America: Brave New World lands in theaters nationwide Feb 14th 2025.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-artists-need-to-know-2024/

Music industry vet Ray Daniels shares his tips for emerging Black artists and professionals. 

There’s nothing more dangerous to America than a Black person who is equally as talented as an artist as they are in business. That’s something I’ve come to understand throughout my career. From sports to music, all white-dominated industries fear the intersection of raw talent and refined intelligence in Black figures. Where our culture is seen as a commodifiable source more than as our authentic stories, I’ve found it to be important for the future Jay-Z and Serena Williams’ of the next generation to understand more about how much power they can truly wield with the right strategy. 

As someone who still has to work through feeling helpless for the folks in my community (especially the younger kids coming on the scene), I wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned that would help fellow Black brothers and sisters on the come up, maintain their power and help make the world a better place for others like us. 

Money Buys You Time, But It Doesn’t Always Buy You Freedom 

Black people aren’t afforded the same luxuries of grace to make mistakes and learn. That’s why we’ve adopted “Black Magic” over the years, pulling out tricks from our as*es for generations to prove what we can do with the smallest window available to prove it. Knowing this, it’s important to understand that without an internal set of rules and structure, you can fall into traps and contracts that have those immediate dollar signs but can snatch your long-term freedom just as quickly. Never lose sight of your values and your sense of self. I’m fair game. I believe in capitalism, but I also love my people. I believe in doing right and making money rather than making more money by doing wrong. We don’t have to sell our souls to get to success. 

Investing in Your Community 

You gotta be willing to make the sacrifices that will take you to the next level. For example, if you keep your eyes focused on that new car, those new threads, you’re missing the mark. Investing in the Black community really starts with investing in yourself, your health, [your] mental well-being, and [your] environment. Focusing on the things we can’t see first, learning to see your brain as an important investment. Feeling good before looking good is what creates a long-term success for yourself, which in turn, inspires others in the community to follow in your lead. That’s influencing at its finest. If you have to pay for a mentor or [for] information that will help you win, [it] is just as vital [as] using that gold chain/fancy car to attract attention. When you open your mouth and people see you’re more than just talent, [it] will give you the upper hand in any environment where your talents will be shown. 

Owning Your Seat At The Table 

In our world, if you have talent, then you’re gonna get in the room. If you have the knowledge to protect the talent, you are told or at least made to feel like you have to stay the f*ck away. 

I used to feel like I was lucky to be in the room, thinking to myself, “Wow! They asked me a question.” But later, once I figured out that part, I spoke up more because when I was first welcomed in the room, I was just happy to be there. The same goes for you. If you’re in the room, it’s because they’re talking to an audience that listens from YOUR background, which means you have an understanding. Knowing your worth is important in these moments because it reminds you that you carry influence because of who you are. A lot of mistakes I see young artists make is when they sell themselves as an artist first when they should be selling themselves as influencers instead. Artists sell their music; influencers sell everything in them. You are more than the things you make, and it’s because of the voice behind the mic that people will come to listen. 

These are just a few big things I remind myself of in today’s world when it can feel helpless to make it a better, more inclusive place where Black men and women have other Black men and women in the room with them when they’re making important decisions. We need to look after each other, and a way that we can help is by calling out each other’s blind spots. Even as Black people, we have different perspectives and different vantage points. Let’s use that to help spread information. Because, like I said before, there’s nothing more unstoppable than someone who knows they have talent and knows they have intelligence, too. The bottom line is we have to trust each other and trust ourselves. If someone is talking to us that means their is a value there, learn your value and build yourself and your people.

RELATED CONTENT: How Sylvia Rhone’s Pioneering Career Broke Barriers And Shaped The Music Industry Landscape

https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-batman-caped-crusader-reimagines-the-hero-and-his-rogues-in-surprising-and-intriguing-ways/

When Warner Bros. approached Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm about doing a revival/continuation of the popular series, he wasn’t interested. But with J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Matt Reeves (The Batman) attached as executive producers, Timm and his producing partner James Tucker (Batman: The Brave and the Bold) came up with something completely different that blended film noir, Golden Age comics, classic horror films, and Universal monsters. 

Timm has made it clear that the series is a “remix … not a remake or reboot” of BTAS, beginning with the setting. Previous depictions of Gotham City leaned into the grittiness and timeless, whimsical aesthetic (Gotham, Batman Returns). However, the overall design (wardrobe, architecture, lack of technology) of Caped Crusader is heavily inspired by the 1940s. 

Set to composer Frederik Wiedmann’s (Batman: Hush, Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) haunting, epic score, the black-and-white opening title sequence is pure noir greatness. Some of the style and spirit of BTAS are there, enough that this take doesn’t feel radically different.

In Caped Crusader, Batman (Hamish Linklater) is a myth among Gotham City criminals and law enforcement alike. He’s not yet working with Commissioner Jim Gordon (Eric Morgan Stuart), and the GCPD see him as a menace, who isn’t so different from the masked criminals they come across. 

Unlike many portrayals of Bruce Wayne, this series doesn’t focus on his humanity. He has an obsessive need to take out criminals that plague Gotham. Although he’s dealing with obvious repressed trauma that he refuses to confront, he doesn’t really dwell on the murder of his parents. He doesn’t treat Alfred (Jason Watkins) as a father figure. In fact, he calls him Pennyworth a lot of the time. He wears his billionaire playboy mask in public, mostly to keep up appearances but masquerading as a normal person also comes in handy when he’s investigating. 

Batman’s rogues gallery is still populated by weirdos with a flair for the dramatic. Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Christina Ricci) is still flirty with Bruce and Batman, but she isn’t a broke antihero stealing to survive but a spoiled heiress addicted to luxury, jewels, and stray cats. Instead of her usual black leather catsuit, she throws together a getup more reminiscent of her Golden Age look — an impractical but stylish long purple dress with a high slit and green cape and heels.  

Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn (Jamie Chung) isn’t a lovesick henchwoman for the Clown Prince of Crime. She’s an intelligent, upbeat psychiatrist who’s friends with defense attorney Barbara Gordon (Krystal Joy Brown). In reverse to her origins, she’s a villainess utilizing her expertise in psychology for a different kind of torture. Chung infuses Quinzel with a less manic Harley energy and gives her a hint of the accent.

A couple of episodes are dedicated to the deeply psychological exploration of the arrogant and ambitious Harvey Dent’s (Diedrich Bader) transformation into Two-Face. Other notable villains, though less recognized in mainstream media, include Firebug (Tom Kenny) (not to be confused with Firefly), Gentleman Ghost (Toby Stephens), Onomatopoeia (Reid Scott), and a young Natalia Knight/Nocturna (Mckenna Grace).

The show goes into the origin of Clayface (Dan Donohue) aka Basil Karlo, one of the first iterations of the villain. Instead of an oversized, shapeshifting mud monster, Karlo is a B-movie actor limited by his unfortunately ghoulish face. His episode is an exciting Hollywood-esque mystery investigated by Detective Renee Montoya (Michelle C. Bonilla).

While many, if not most, fans never want their favorite characters and storylines messed with, the new direction makes it exciting. We expect a certain trajectory for characters like Dr. Harleen Quinzel’s evolution into Harley Quinn and Selina Kyle’s dark romance with Bruce/Batman, stories that we’ve seen play out several times before. 

Thanks to Season 1’s writer-producers — Ed Brubaker (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Greg Rucka (Harley Quinn), Jase Ricci (Merry Little Batman), Halley Wegryn Gross (Westworld), Adamma and Adanne Ebo (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), and Marc Bernardin (The Legend of Vox Machina) — the show strikes a tricky balance of keeping some familiar plot points and looks, while subverting expectations and not having their stories unfold exactly as they have before, adding a new element of fun and mystery. 

The show is already being compared to X-Men ‘97 but it’s much less serialized. The ten episodes have a mostly self-contained, villain-of-the-week structure with narrative throughlines. It’s a relatively quick, 5-hour binge but you’ll want to watch it more than once.

Batman: Caped Crusader gave Bruce Timm a chance to create the Batman he always wanted without the limitations of appealing to a young audience. The result is a noir-infused visual treat that reimagines the familiar mythology in surprising and intriguing ways.

Batman: Caped Crusader premieres all 10 episodes August 1, 2024, on Prime Video.