https://blacknerdproblems.com/the-champions-hike-review/
Since 2018, any time you have seen me get on this site and mention Craig of the Creek, you know I’m about to tell you bout an episode where they not only understood the assignment but handed in extra credit as well. ‘The Champion’s Hike’ is another notch in the belt for Craig of the Creek as an episode that does not miss. What I’ve always loved about Craig of the Creek is the long game they play. The show focuses on character development extremely well. We also see a rotation of which kid from the creek gets highlighted. This episode is no different as we get a closer look at the former Champions of King Xavier. Aggie, Keun-sup, and Maya sit at the center of the episode, but it’s Jackie who steals it entirely.
An interesting thing about Craig of the Creek is how characters are handled when they become someone else. We saw this with Omar no longer having to dawn the Green Poncho. He is now just Omar but letting go of the routine of the Green Poncho wasn’t easy, but he has. We’ve seen glimpses of the former champions of the king post-capture the flag war. This is the first time we’re seeing all the champions hanging out together as former champions now. We get to explore who these characters are outside of their old roles.
Enter Jackie formerly known as “The Arm.”
“The Champion’s Hike” episode centers around Craig trying to fit in among his former enemies turned friends and Maya being the one to let him know that it’s okay to just be himself. The other portion of this story is how we get to see African American Sign language on screen via Jackie who is deaf. We see Jackie’s father communicating with him prior to the group leaving. We also see Keun-Sup signing communicating to Jackie with ASL as well. Not only do we get to see African American Sign Language, but this episode gives us sign language conversation between two characters of color. We also see Craig learning more ASL and remembering what he’s learned prior from Keun in order to interact with Jackie. Craig of the Creek really be out here thinking of everything man.
There is an artist touch used here as well where we know what is being said of the conversation only by how Keun reacts verbally to what Jackie is saying. We viewers who aren’t versed in ASL won’t understand what’s being said (like the conversation between Jackie and his father) However, that’s fine because it’s not for us. There was an issue of Hawkeye (Hawkeye #19 [2014]). The issue had Hawkeye, Clint Barton, receiving an injury that made him deaf again. We see his brother Barney signing to him, but there is no caption for those not familiar with ASL, which was an intended choice. I appreciate the creators “The Champion’s Hike” episode making the same choice for their audience as well. There’s something that makes it even more authentic.
I’ve been saying this since 2018, but you’re going to love what them creek kids are getting up to over at Craig of the Creek. They’re putting up new episodes along with top tier substance. It’s really not getting any better than this MVP cartoon over on Cartoon Network.
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The post ‘The Champion’s Hike’ Brings African American Sign Language to ‘Craig of the Creek’ appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Since 2018, any time you have seen me get on this site and mention Craig of the Creek, you know I’m about to tell you bout an episode where they not only understood the assignment but handed in extra credit as well. ‘The Champion’s Hike’ is another notch in the belt for Craig of the Creek as an episode that does not miss. What I’ve always loved about Craig of the Creek is the long game they play. The show focuses on character development extremely well. We also see a rotation of which kid from the creek gets highlighted. This episode is no different as we get a closer look at the former Champions of King Xavier. Aggie, Keun-sup, and Maya sit at the center of the episode, but it’s Jackie who steals it entirely.
An interesting thing about Craig of the Creek is how characters are handled when they become someone else. We saw this with Omar no longer having to dawn the Green Poncho. He is now just Omar but letting go of the routine of the Green Poncho wasn’t easy, but he has. We’ve seen glimpses of the former champions of the king post-capture the flag war. This is the first time we’re seeing all the champions hanging out together as former champions now. We get to explore who these characters are outside of their old roles.
Enter Jackie formerly known as “The Arm.”
“The Champion’s Hike” episode centers around Craig trying to fit in among his former enemies turned friends and Maya being the one to let him know that it’s okay to just be himself. The other portion of this story is how we get to see African American Sign language on screen via Jackie who is deaf. We see Jackie’s father communicating with him prior to the group leaving. We also see Keun-Sup signing communicating to Jackie with ASL as well. Not only do we get to see African American Sign Language, but this episode gives us sign language conversation between two characters of color. We also see Craig learning more ASL and remembering what he’s learned prior from Keun in order to interact with Jackie. Craig of the Creek really be out here thinking of everything man.
There is an artist touch used here as well where we know what is being said of the conversation only by how Keun reacts verbally to what Jackie is saying. We viewers who aren’t versed in ASL won’t understand what’s being said (like the conversation between Jackie and his father) However, that’s fine because it’s not for us. There was an issue of Hawkeye (Hawkeye #19 [2014]). The issue had Hawkeye, Clint Barton, receiving an injury that made him deaf again. We see his brother Barney signing to him, but there is no caption for those not familiar with ASL, which was an intended choice. I appreciate the creators “The Champion’s Hike” episode making the same choice for their audience as well. There’s something that makes it even more authentic.
I’ve been saying this since 2018, but you’re going to love what them creek kids are getting up to over at Craig of the Creek. They’re putting up new episodes along with top tier substance. It’s really not getting any better than this MVP cartoon over on Cartoon Network.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post ‘The Champion’s Hike’ Brings African American Sign Language to ‘Craig of the Creek’ appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
Greetings to our longstanding and loyal listenership! it's certainly that time, AGAIN! Check out a new episode of Afronerd Radio's The Grindhouse broadcast, airing every Sunday at 6 p.m. eastern on the BTalk 100 internet radio platform. Join your Nanda Parbat-trained AFROnerdist hosts as they decipher the following issues: yet another business succumbs under the financial weight of the COVID-19 crises, the beloved Black-owned, Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse, located in Philadelphia, PA, and owned by entrepreneur, Ariell Johnson will be closing its doors after a 7-year run; Controversial Youtuber/Libertarian/Comic Creator, Eric July's Rippaverse continues to cause a stir with an increasing investment tally of 2.3M;
Thor: Love and Thunder dips to a frightful 68% in box-office revenue for its 2nd week release; more Wakanda Forever news-noted actor, Daniel Kaluuya, has opted out of the Black Panther sequel and a recent plot leak for the film does not bode well for fans who were hoping for a #recastTchalla framework:
Our thoughts about the live and in-person return of SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) starting up next week; perhaps like a phoenix, The Black News Channel, too, may also return, this time under the tutelage of media mogul, Byron Allen, and lastly, our impressions concerning the proposed reboot of the Stargate franchise starring much of the original movie cast.
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify, and, IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!
Australia-based BlackMilk Clothing is one of those brands that I’ve seen around for years, but I never actually got around to purchasing anything from them. It’s not that their stuff hasn’t been cute, I just didn’t necessarily see myself in their pieces – and as a certified THICCCums, shopping for clothes on the internet can sometimes be a frustrating experience.
But then BlackMilk went and released an Avatar: The Last Airbender collection and sent over a few pieces. Firstly – y’all know how heavily I fucks with Avatar (check the BNP YouTube playlists and enjoy). Also, nerd clothing for the freeeee? Yes. Absolutely – this is the dream! This is healing for my inner child! But while items from this collection are gifted, please trust that my review of them is 100% honest and the opinions shared here are my own. I also got to ask the BlackMilk Clothing team some questions about this collection, so we’ll get into that interview, too.
The first piece I wore out into the real world was the Avatar Aang Giant Tee, which GLOWS IN THE DARK! I was pretty surprised at the quality of the material because I was expecting it to feel like the average tee: kinda thin, etc etc. Instead, the material was pretty heavy without being too hot and felt like quality, so I opted to wear it at this year’s Anime Expo (Avatar counts idc idc idc). I paired it with the Avatar State Satchel Backpack (on which Aang’s arrow also glows) and it! Was! Perfect! It’s slightly larger than the popular mini backpacks that are making their rounds in nerd communities but still smaller than a regular backpack, so I felt cute while being Batman-level ready with my convention essentials (you’ll never catch me slipping at a con, ever).
The Jasmine Dragon Tea House Short Overalls.. fam. First of all, if it has anything to do with THE Dragon of the West, That Boy Uncle Iroh? I want it. Again, I was surprised at the quality of these overalls. I’m not gonna try to be clever and attempt to name the material they used, but it’s thick and a little stretchy and they used two layers of it. It made the overalls extremely comfortable to wear while still (gonna be super technical here) holding things down. Which is to say, I normally don’t wear overalls, but these ones were extremely flattering! The fabric is also printed with teapots (with the symbols of the four nations), dragons, jasmine blossoms, and Pai Sho tiles but the BEST part? If you don’t want to wear the straps of the overalls, the backside of the front panel has a teapot printed upside down on it. It’s super cute, and I respect tf out of a clever design.
I haven’t worn the last two pieces they sent over out into the real world yet, but both of them are giving. The Earth Air Fire Water Sheer Midaxi Dress is definitely getting thrown into the rotation before this summer ends. I also really appreciate the detailed care instructions that they include since the dress uses a foil fabric to make all of the four nation symbols shiny and sparkly (which we love). If I was the modern Avatar I would definitely wear this dress to show that I’m fancy but still low-key and for the people (and for the record – I’d also be from the Water Tribe, gang gang).
And the Masters Robe?! Do y’all remember those button-down anime shirts of, like, 2001? I’m pretty sure they were bootleg? Rurouni Kenshin was my favorite (they didn’t make Sailor Moon designs), and I wore that thing oversized and with pride. I’m just saying, we’ve come a long way. This robe is giving that same big nerd energy, and it’s taking me back in the best of ways! If you’re a fan of the Fire Nation (no judgment), you’ll especially love Ran and Shaw, the original Firebending masters, illustrated on the back – they’re as terrifying and beautiful as they were in the only episode we saw them.
I really want y’all to get to know this brand better, so here’s that quick 7-question interview with BlackMilk’s team:
Describe this collection in five words.
Colourful, fun, elemental, varied, unique!
How did the designers let ATLA and LoK inspire this collection?
It was honestly a very natural process, because we love making gear that is bold, colourful and tells a story – which is everything that ATLA and LoK do best. We also took a lot of inspiration from the different bending elements and the four different nations in the Avatar universe – the symbols and motifs of these were perfect for creating some of our more subtle designs and our custom designer fabric pieces.
What would you say is the signature piece of this collection?
There are a lot of stand-out pieces, but the whole team – and our customers – really fell in love with the two robes: the Team Avatar Robe, and The Masters Robe. The artwork on these is so incredibly vibrant, and just unapologetically there for the fans.
Some of the illest pieces are also sold out – will the people get another chance to cop these?!
We never say never! There’s always a chance that we will bring back sold-out pieces in the future if demand is high enough.
The streets need a part 2 – will BlackMilk do another Avatar collab in the future?
We don’t have any current plans to do so, but we loved working with Nickelodeon and had a great response to this collection – so it’s always a possibility!
A lot of our audience is being exposed to BlackMilk for the first time, what should they know about your brand?
Once you get started, the BlackMilk addiction is real – sorry not sorry!
What future nerdy collaborations can we look forward to from BlackMilk?
There isn’t a lot we can give away at the moment, but we definitely have some brand new licensed collabs on the horizon…
And that’s it! All in all, I think that this collection – and this brand – are definitely worth your attention and your coin. The 30+ pieces for this collaboration cover a spectrum of styles and aesthetics and range from subtle nerdetry to BLATANT GEEKINESS, and I love it. I personally will be keeping my fingers crossed for a restock on the Kyoshi Warriors jacket and the Appa overalls, and I’m already hype for whatever collaboration BlackMilk Clothing will be releasing next.
Cop pieces from the collection for yourself: Here
See the Avatar x BlackMilk lookbook (it’s giving artsy):
And keep an eye on BNP social media – as well as my own (@tiffiestarchild) – because you’ll definitely see me in these pieces. Until next time, fam!
Cover image via BlackMilk Clothing site
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The post BlackMilk Clothing Collab with Avatar is Snatching Lewks appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.