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https://nerdist.com/article/important-x-men-the-animated-series-episodes-to-watch-before-x-men-97/

The trailer for X-Men ’97 was brief, but it gave us a glimpse of some important plot developments. Magneto inheriting the X-Mansion? A pregnant Jean Grey? Many of these things were actually set up in the original ’90s series. Here are some episodes of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series you may want to watch again before X-Men ’97 releases in March on Disney+.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2, “Night of the Sentinels”

In the trailer for X-Men ’97, we see the unmistakable hand of a Sentinel robot. The giant mutant-hunting machines are the embodiment of humanity’s hatred of homo superior. In many ways, they are the X-Men’s biggest enemy. We were first introduced to these Sentinels in the two-part opening episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, “Night of the Sentinels,” way back in 1992. They are responsible for killing the shapeshifting X-Man named Morph (he gets better), who will be a key player in the new series. Besides, what’s a better place to start getting ready for X-Men ’97 than with X-Men: The Animated Series very first episodes?

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episode 3, “Enter Magneto”

The trailer for X-Men ’97 also shows Magneto inheriting the X-Mansion, and, presumably, the fortune of Charles Xavier via his last will and testament. It shows that Charles Xavier believed in the good within his former friend turned enemy. The backstory of their complicated relationship is explored in Magneto’s first appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series, “Enter Magneto.” Given Magneto has such a big role in the new show, there’s no better time than now to go back and see how the friendship between Xavier and Magneto fractured. This X-Men: The Animated Series episode will surely come into play in X-Men ’97.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 1, Episodes 11 & 12, “Days of Future Past”

“Days of Future Past” is one of the most iconic X-Men stories of all time. It tells of a future where Sentinel robots have all but made the mutant race extinct. So, one of the future X-Men must go back in time to change history, preventing this apocalyptic future. The original ’80s comics had Kitty Pryde as the time-traveling X-Man, while the film adaptation used Wolverine. But in the two-part adaptation of the story for the cartoon, Lucas Bishop was the character to go back in time. Since Bishop is now a member of the “prime timeline” X-Men in X-Men ’97, the version of the story found in these episodes of The Animated Series may be one you wish to revisit.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 4, Episode 8, “Nightcrawler”

Although not seen in the trailer for X-Men ’97, Marvel Studios has confirmed that the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler will be a series regular. For the show, he’ll be voiced by Adrian Hough. Although a main member of the team since 1975 in the comics, X-Men: The Animated Series only used him twice. Still, the episode “Nightcrawler” was a great chapter in the series. It really summed up why the demonic-looking (yet devoutly religious) mutant is so amazing. This is one episode of X-Men: The Animated Series you might want to revisit to get to know Kurt Wagner better before his X-Men ’97 return.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 4, Episode 18, “Beyond Good and Evil Part 1”

Jean Grey and Scott Summers are the premiere X-Men couple. Although they attempted to get married in season two, their actual nuptials actually took place at the end of season four. Why does this matter? Because in the X-Men ’97 trailer, we see a very pregnant Jean Grey. But what if that’s not Jean, and Scott married someone else? Toy releases tied to X-Men ’97 show that Madelyne Pryor, Jean’s clone and Scott’s first wife in the comics, will play a big part in the show. These toys also show Maddy with a baby. That baby grows up to be the cyborg warrior Cable in the comics. Our theory is that they replaced the real Jean shortly before their wedding in Beyond Good and Evil. Therefore, Scott actually married her clone Maddy. Considering that, it might be a great time to revisit this famous wedding episode of X-Men: The Animated Series.

X-Men: The Animated Series Season 5, Episode 75, “Descent”

Marvel has already confirmed that Mister Sinister will be the main villain of X-Men ’97. The white and pasty-skinned mad scientist has a fixation with mutant bloodlines, and he experiments to create even more powerful mutants. But who is he really? In the final season, the episode “Descent” tells us the origin story of Nathaniel Essex, who used his gifts to give himself powers back in Victorian England. It also ties Sinister into the real-life legend of Jack the Ripper. Given his importance to the upcoming X-Men ’97 series, this episode of X-Men: The Animated Series feels like essential viewing.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series Season 2, Episodes 17 & 18, “The Mutant Agenda” and “Mutants’ Revenge”

You might be confused about these episodes being included, as they are part of the ‘90s Spider-Man animated series, not X-Men. But in the X-Men ’97 trailer, we see a copy of the Daily Bugle, with the headline “Is Spider-Man a Mutant?” This lets us know that Spidey is part of the X-Men: The Animated Series world. But we knew this already because the versions of the X-Men from the ‘90s cartoon appeared in a two-part episode of Spider-Man. It is possible that we might see that version of Peter Parker appear in X-Men ’97. How cool would it be to see these Marvel ‘90s icons meet once again? The ‘90s Spider-Man series is also on Disney+. So it’s worth rewatching the X-Men’s two-episode appearance, as it might actually matter to upcoming events in X-Men ’97.

The post 7 Important X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES Episodes to Watch Before X-MEN ’97 appeared first on Nerdist.

https://www.essence.com/beauty/5-makeup-setting-powders/

Shutterstock / PeopleImages.com – Yuri A. By India Espy-Jones ·Updated February 16, 2024

Light makeup beats may have been your go-to throughout the warmer months. But now that the weather is cold enough to not melt your makeup off, full-coverage beauty looks are back in full swing– especially during the holiday season. But of course, you can’t forget that setting your makeup with a great powder is the secret to making your look last throughout the day and night.

If you’re looking to update yours, the popular Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder should be at the top of your list. The fan-favorite loose powder is a key step to maintaining a melt-proof beat. If you like the luminous matte finish of Huda Beauty, but are still holding onto skin-first makeup trends, Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder will deliver the sheer, skin-like coverage you’re looking for. 

For extra-oily skin, ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder has 24-hour shine control. As for an mua-approved powder? Priscilla Ono loves the Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting & Blotting Powder, which offers a two-in-one blot and set solution for every look. And if you can’t decide which one’s best for you, you can’t go wrong with the classic Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, which will keep you picture-ready without the fuss.

Below, discover 5 fan-favorite makeup setting powders that will have your beat lasting all evening long.

01 01 Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder Available at hudabeauty.com 38Shop Now 02 02 Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting & Blotting Powder Available at fentybeauty.com 36Shop Now 03 03 Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder Available at www.patmcgrath.com 42Shop Now 04 04 ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder Available at www.sephora.com 34Shop Now 05 05 Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Available at www.sephora.com 43Shop Now

The post 5 Best Makeup Powders To Bake With appeared first on Essence.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/is-the-film-and-tv-industry-moving-in-the-direction-of-fair-representation-of-black-people-or-do-we-still-have-a-long-way-to-go/

While scrolling through social media, I came across an interview with the cast of American Fiction. It is a comedy-drama film directed by Cord Jefferson about a novelist named Monk who is frustrated with the entertainment industry and capitalizes on the offensive Black tropes. He ends up writing a book that showcases these issues but ends up going down a road of hypocrisy and confusion.

During the Around the Table interview by Entertainment Weekly, with Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Sterling K. Brown, and Erika Alexander, the cast discussed the movie and the importance of rewriting Black stereotypes. They shared personal stories of times when they had to endure or speak up against scripts that always assign offensive language to Black characters. 

They admitted during the interview that speaking out would often get them labeled as being difficult.

This interview got me thinking about the roles Black people have taken on over the years. As a result of my pondering, here is a second look at the progression of Black actors through film history. Let’s look at where Black actors have been, what they achieved, and how far they must go for accurate representation.

A Brief History of Black People’s Roles in Film and Television

Black people have long been a part of the TV and film industry. Ethel Waters was the first Black person on TV when she hosted her own show on NBC on June 14, 1939. Then, in 1950, Waters made history as the first African American to star in a TV show, Beulah. 

Waters played Beulah, the maid serving a white family, who always got the family out of trouble. Waters remained in the role for about one year. After she left the show, it continued with other Black actresses, such as Hattie McDaniel and Louise Beavers, who took her place. Since the servant-type role continued, it followed and perhaps haunted Black actors for future films and movies. 

Here are some other Black stereotypical roles that have been prominent in film and television over the years. 

The Domestic Role: Portrays Black people as the help, the maid, the domestic worker, the caretaker, or the mammy. It may seem innocent, but it continues the narrative that Black people belong in roles of servitude. 

The Thug Role: Perpetuates the stereotype that Black men are dangerous. This role portrays mainly Black men as drug dealers, pimps, con artists, or other law-breaking personalities. While these roles are fiction and don’t represent every Black man, it has contributed to the misconception that Black men should be feared.

The Magical Negro: A slightly better portrayal of Black men but still harmful. It is a role in which the Black men have special powers or abilities they use to help or save their white co-star. This type of role tells a story of a Black man potentially sacrificing himself to save his white friend. While some may see this as an honorary role, it gives into a slave mentality that Black people are only here to serve. It also dehumanizes Black people by making their suffering seem insignificant. 

The Black Best Friend: Mirrors the Magical Negro character. I noticed this role in The Queen’s Gambit. It’s a great movie, by the way. Still, when the main character (a talented but frail white woman) was in trouble, guess who was there to lend a helping hand and a good amount of cash? You guessed it: Jolene, the Black best friend, played by Moses Ingram. These stereotypes position Black women as the support system and showcase Black women putting their needs aside to help out those who refuse to help themselves.

The Angry Black Woman: One of the most consistent and inaccurate portrayals of Black women. Movies and TV shows often showcase Black women as loud, aggressive, ghetto, problematic, and the most dramatic, which can sometimes increase show ratings. Because of the repetitive nature of this role, Black women in real life often get labeled as difficult or problematic when they are sticking up for themselves or involved in everyday interactions. 

Identifying these stereotypes is not to say that Black people can never play these roles. If Black people hadn’t taken these roles, they might not have broken into the film industry. However, what is crucial is an evolution from these roles.

Empowering and Uplifting Roles Throughout the Years

Despite the previously mentioned stereotypes, roles have shifted throughout the years. One great example is Eartha Kitt, the singer and actor who played the well-known villain Catwoman in the 1960 series Batman. Kitt was the first Black entertainer to act in a comic-book-based role. 

NBC’s Saturday Night Live has played a crucial role in advancing the careers of Black comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Leslie Jones, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and many others. 

Living Single (also known as the original Friends) was one of the first shows to showcase positive representations of Black culture and people. The show helped pave the way for even more impactful shows, such as Insecure, Abbott Elementary, Pose, and many more. 

Even in the film industry, there have been significant changes, such as Disney having a Black princess, introducing Afro-Latinos in the movie Encanto, and, of course, a Black little mermaid. 

Outside of animation, I enjoyed seeing the first Black Captain America.

With more melanin on the TV and the big screen, one can not deny the progress of Black entertainers. However, it’s important to note that their progress must continue. Since there have been generations that grew up with these Black stereotypes, those ideas linger in many people’s perceptions. Thus, a few movies and shows with accurate representations can’t completely undo the damage of previous stereotypes. 

Something I’ve personally learned, having traveled to different countries, is that many cultures that don’t have interactions or experiences with Black people learn a lot about our culture through movies. More representation in the entertainment industry means communicating that Black people are multi-faceted. 

https://nerdist.com/article/youtooz-avatar-the-last-airbender-collection-includes-appa-momo-plushes-mugs/

Get ready to celebrate Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) with the help of its cutest creatures. Just in time for Netflix’s live-action series, Youtooz is releasing a brand new line of Avatar merchandise starring everyone’s favorite critters, Appa and Momo. This new ATLA release brings us an Appa mug and a fuzzy assortment of Appas and Momos you won’t be able to resist snuggling. After all, you can’t go on a quest without your best companions. The new Youtooz Avatar: The Last Airbender collection arrives on February 22. And we have an early look at what’s in store.

New Appa and Momo Plushes Arrive to Youtooz’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Collection

Youtooz’s new Avatar: The Last Airbender collection kicks off with what we all need in our lives, more Appa and Momo plushes. The Youtooz line offers us two new fluffy versions of the iconic creatures as part of their “shoulder riders” collection. That means these Appa and Momo plushes are perfectly designed, you guessed it, to sit on your shoulder. Momo naturally belongs on a shoulder. But Appa probably doesn’t get to ride around on others that much. So we’re glad he’ll get his time to relax in this Youtooz form.

A release from Youtooz shares more about these Avatar plushes, noting the Appa and Momo plushes are “made of a mixture of minky and faux fur materials, packed to the seams with the most huggable squishy 100% PP cotton, and come equipped with a magnetic disc to let them perch firmly atop your shoulder as the best accessory and a true testament to your love of the fandom!” As a note, Appa is six inches long, while Momo is six inches tall. There’s something really adorable about that in our eyes. We bet Momo has never felt more fearsome.

Appa and Momo Join Youtooz’s Magnetic Stickies Line

In addition to their shoulder rider plush form, Appa and Momo are also joining Youtooz’s line of magnetic stickies. What are magnetic stickies, you ask? Well, they’re small plushes that harness the power of four magnets to ensure you can stick your favorite fuzzy friends just about anywhere. And for creatures like Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s Appa and Momo, adding a magnetic element gives these plushes a fun infusion of life. The creative fan will definitely be able to rig these stickies up like they’re actually flying around. Appa isn’t a sitting bison, after all.

Youtooz will introduce four magnetic stickie plushes in their new Avatar line: two Appas and two Momos. As far as Appa goes, you can snag a normal Appa or an Appa with a tongue blep. I mean, we all need Appa doing a tongue blep; he’s just too cute. And he doesn’t come with any of the damp side effects that getting licked by the real Appa would leave you with. Win, win.

Meanwhile, on the Momo end of things, Youtooz is introducing a normal Momo and a Momo Cactus stickie plush into its Avatar: The Last Airbender collection. Yes, the adorable variant has Momo peeping out of a cactus at you. It really is incredibly cute. But we do have to hope that Momo hasn’t gotten secretly high on cactus juice. “The Desert” may not be one of our all-time favorite episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but it certainly is one of its most bizarre.

As mentioned, all of these Avatar Appa and Momo plushes “come with 4 sewn-in magnets, so you can stick them together or onto any magnetic surface.”

Sip From an Appa Mug

Do you want to feel happy every morning? The answer lies in starting your day sipping from Youtooz’s new Appa mug. We dare you to look this mug in the face and not smile back at its cheerful disposition. Making things so cute you have to grin back at them is Youtooz’s superpower. Appa is always darling, but his crinkled eyes and big snout melt the heart, here. Happily, he’s also microwave and dishwasher-safe. (Although he prefers to be hand-washed. Appa is a bit of a diva.) This new mug really completes the new Youtooz Avatar collection.

Youtooz’s New Avatar: The Last Airbender Products Release on February 22

All the Appas and Momos you could want will hit Youtooz on February 22, when the new Avatar: The Last Airbender collection drops. Coincidentally, or not so much, this is also the day Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action adaptation arrives on Netflix. It’s a true holiday for ATLA fans.

The post Appa and Momo Star in Fuzzy Youtooz AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Collection appeared first on Nerdist.