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We are living in a world where people are moving around the earth almost as fast as information. Most of us will not be buried in the soil of our birth. We move for different reasons: safety, opportunities, whims. What is gained and lost from these migrations? Black Freedom Beyond Borders: A Wakanda Immigration Anthology […]

Writer: Eric M. Esquivel / Artists: Ramon Villalobos and Tamra Bonvillain / Vertigo Comics

Hormones and Horrors

In pop culture, paranormal stories with adolescent protagonists conjure up a mental checklist of tropes. Familiarity can breed a wearying predictability. “Here are some teens, in a town with a sinister secret,” a typical summary of this genre might say. “Together, they’ll struggle through adolescence and against supernatural forces. ‘Hormones and Horrors’ premieres this fall! ”

Confronted with an echo chamber of similarity, the only way for genre stories to stand out is to be a statement rather than an imitation. Then again, that’s the risk; isn’t it? Tales about characters pulled between mysterious activity and pre-adulthood thrive because of their enduring theme: encountering something out of the ordinary in a time of societal pressure to fit in.

Conformity guarantees community. To define yourself, to be about something, risks isolation. So from the first panel of the first page to the final reveal of the issue, Border Town #1 knows exactly what it is. It is a risk, but in the broadening era of prestige television and long-form serialized narrative it’s also a gift not to be underestimated.

Devils In The Details

“The American Dream is dead. Viva the American Nightmare.”

Perhaps a lesser creative team might give cause for concern approaching such subject matter. By opening on a self-appointed white American border patrol on the hunt for migrants crossing from Mexico, even Border Town’s first words come out swinging. From the outset, however, the lineup of Eric M. Esquivel, Ramon Villalobos, and Tamra Bonvillain assure the reader they’re in good hands.

To put Villalobos among artists like Frank Quietly, Geof Darrow, or Paul Pope would be appropriate for his skill on display here. His figures carry a weight to their actions as they move through their world. In some cases, even the onomatopoeia expresses this — in the cursive-scrawled whiff of a missed punch, or forming the point of contact when a dropped gun clatters to the ground.

Simultaneously, Villalobos doesn’t sacrifice motion for the high level of detail in his artwork. Half the fun is hunting for what he’s smuggled into the visuals: one of the border militiamen bears an eerie similarity to a certain C. Kent, for example (by contrast, the place where the Superman logo DOES show up in the story is truly well-chosen). The cumulative effect in his comic panels is as though he simply opened a window between this reality and the next, leaning through to take pictures of the startled residents on the other side.

Colorist Tamra Bonvillain lights Villalobos’ pages in further service to the composite illusion that we’re looking in on a world adjacent to ours. ‘Lights’ is the operative word in what Bonvillain brings to the book. Her touch is dynamic but never distracting, the forms on each page given further depth through her palette. This is necessary for when the book takes its first of many gruesome turns.

Eerie, Arizona

The crossing of paths for la migra and a family on foot struggling across the border intersect at the darkest point of ‘what’ and ‘the f***’, where a creature dressed like Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s worst nightmare has been waiting on them. The warm haze of the following day dawns on a rental truck, obliviously passing the aftermath of carnage from the previous night. Inside the vehicle, half-Mexican teenager Francisco (though he prefers “Frank”) and his family head to their new home in Devil’s Fork, Arizona.

When his mother tries to cut the tension between Frank and her boyfriend by turning on the radio, Frank experiences some powerful weirdness that leaves him with a nosebleed. His first day at school doesn’t go much better. Despite starting on an act of kindness to fellow student Quinteh and fist-bumping a possible new friend, Frank is challenged to ‘prove you’re not racist’ by a pair of girls curious about ‘the new kid’.

Aimi & Julietta inform their classmate about Blake, and how the guy Frank just met is a notorious Neo-Nazi. Refuting their claim by loudly affirming his racial identity puts Frank in Blake’s crosshairs. All the while, the thing in the desert responsible for the opening slaughter draws ever closer to Devil’s Fork…

On The Line

There has been little mention of Eric M. Esquivel’s writing so far, and that’s because of its deceptively effortless presence. When the language calls attention to itself in confrontations, it absolutely means to do just that (letterer Deron Bennett’s shifting between English and Spanish for those who speak it in the story underscores this decision).

Otherwise, the earnest speed and ease to the characters’ interactions smoothly join Villalobos’ panels throughout the book. The world of Border Town seems less drawn and written than it was observed and recorded. Indeed, special props must be given to the line “the world’s shittiest centaur”. That quote, and the context in which it was used, will be part of the deciding factor for many on this series.

It absolutely bears repeating: Border Town is a story that knows what it’s about. To know yourself, to define who you are, is to set up a border of what you will and won’t tolerate. It can push people away, but a border is also just a line. Lines can meet, and intersect. What defines you can draw you towards a belonging greater than being rejected from conformity.

This is a comic that includes a chupacabra disguised as a cop getting taken down by a teenage luchador in a Superman t-shirt alongside an undocumented Afro-Latina immigrant with a gun. All that happens before an ancient Mexican God of Death enters to curse out the chupacabra for its failure. Odds are you already know what side of the line you’re on after sentences like that.

For those waiting to return to the Upside Down or left their hearts in Gravity Falls, find your way to Border Town. As is tradition in stories like these, there’s supernatural and man-made horror within the city limits of Devil’s Fork. As Frank and his (real) friends try to survive both, maybe you’ll find yourself here, too.

10 out of 10 Lucha Masks

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The post Border Town From Vertigo Takes All The Right Risks appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

By Marrista Stubbs

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes has been transformed from a young adult novel into an intriguing horror drama on Facebook Watch. Sacred Lies follows the tale of Minnow Bly, a young woman who has escaped a cult in modern-day Montana. After getting into some trouble with the police, everyone is eager to unravel the mystery surrounding Minnow, the cult, and how they connect to dead bodies found in the woods. This series is not quite what it seems and gives just enough information to keep viewers coming back for more.

Elena Kampouris, who stars as Paris in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, does a stellar job of bringing life to the curious and guarded protagonist. Kampouris is cast as Minnow Bly, the show’s main character. Her talent for balancing childlike inquisitiveness with adult themes, like death and betrayal, helps to make Sacred Lies an addicting series to watch.

Some of Sacred Lies’ success also lies with its diverse and seasoned cast and crew. Starring alongside Elena is Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Blindspotting) as Dr. Wilson; a forensic scientist assigned to Minnow’s case. Producer Raelle Tucker (True Blood, Jessica Jones) uses her real-world experiences growing up in a cult to bring believability and a personal touch to this dark world of truth and lies.

A couple of Sacred Lies’ biggest strengths are its character growth and attention to detail. Though this review only covers the first five “chapters” of the Facebook Watch horror drama there is great character development between Minnow and Dr. Wilson. We see the accomplished Kevin Carroll bring complexity and gravitas to the forensic psychologist who must decide how dedicated he is to solving Minnow’s case and how deep down the rabbit hole he will go. Carroll turns what easily could have been a two dimensional “broken doctor” character into one with depth and emotion. It’s exciting to come back to each episode and see what mysteries are uncovered.

While some of the special effects need fine-tuning, the storytelling is meticulous and well thought out. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Boy is based on the Brothers Grimm tale The Handless Maiden and very early on it is revealed that Minnow’s hands have been cut off. There are some scenes where Kampouris interacted with her props and surroundings which briefly compromised her handless illusion.

Just about every detail of the show holds some clue that progresses the story and the use of flashbacks flow well with the pace of the story. Sacred Lies will have viewers go from head-scratching confusion to Aha! moments of clarity. If you love shows like Grimm and Hemlock Grove, Sacred Lies will be right up your alley.

The writers use a unique blend of dark fairytales and equally dark real-world issues to unwind Minnow’s twisted tale. The show teaches the dangers of blind faith and the importance of educating oneself academically and practically. In every chapter, situations arise that cause Minnow to question her deeply held beliefs and prejudices while learning about the world outside of her cult. Sacred Lies is one of the few shows I have watched that openly and actively tries to battle the fear of the unknown.

These fears are directly manifested through Minnow’s experiences and what many of us face in our own lives. Racism, the unfair treatment of people with disabilities, and mental and emotional abuse are the main struggles that viewers will encounter in this series. Angel, played by Kiana Madeira (Giant Little Ones), is Minnow’s cellmate in juvenile detention and the closest thing she has to a friend. Angel becomes something akin to a tough older sister to Minnow. She teaches Minnow the unspoken rules of her new home and helps her overcome her personal struggles. Not every battle is one that Angel can relate to on a personal level, though.

Dr. Wilson approaches the case from the angle of understanding why people join cults. In part, his role in this story dives deep into the history of cult leaders and those who follow them. His search for answers changes from completely analytical to somewhat personal the longer he explores this topic with Minnow. His own life becomes entangled in the mystery of the cult and it becomes clear that there could be a steep cost if he continues the search for truth.

I’ve enjoyed Sacred Lies so far and look forward to solving the rest of the mysteries in this intriguing story. While the lengthy exposition may not be to everyone’s liking, the twists add entertainment and surprises keep the show’s pace up and interesting. If you enjoy a show that challenges traditional beliefs and inspires deeper thought into our motivations as humans, this is it.

Sacred Lies airs on Facebook Watch Fridays at 7pm.

The post BGN TV Review: ‘Sacred Lies’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Jeff Goldblum is the gift that keeps on giving—especially so after he revealed his delighted interest in the Grandmaster’s fan-generated romantic adventures.

In Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, Goldblum plays the powerful Grandmaster with a pitch-perfect mix of camp and unhinged menace. When Thor arrives on the Grandmaster’s candy-colored world of Sakaar, he’s surprised to find that his brother Loki has already been there for several weeks. Unlike Thor, who is made to wear an obedience disc and forced into gladiatorial matches, Loki has gained the Grandmaster’s favor and is left to his own devices. Loki swans into VIP suites around Sakaar like nobody’s business.

There’s a pivotal blink-and-you-miss-it scene where it can be read that Loki and the Grandmaster know each other rather well, that has been forever immortalized in GIF form. From the movie’s subtext sprang the fan pairing of Loki/Grandmaster, or “Frostmaster,” as it is often called, with a nod to Loki’s Frost Giant origins.

At the recent GQ Awards, Jeff Goldblum—wearing the snazziest of gold suits—gave the ship one hell of a boost. While some actors and creatives avoid talking about fandom or revealing whether they’ve explored it, Jeff Goldblum dove right in. After receiving the Haig Club Icon Award from none other than Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, Goldblum told the crowd:

Thank you so much, Tom Hiddleston, the great Tom Hiddleston. You know we were in that movie Thor: Ragnarok and we played Loki and Grandmaster respectively. And now when I go on too pathetically and obsessively my “hashtag jeff goldblum” tag on Instagram account, I see many, many—I don’t know if you’ve seen these, Tom—many sketches and renderings and cartoons of our characters involved in what seems to be a deeply romantic and wildly sexual relationship.

I tell you this, I cherish every single one of those, and I will for the rest of my life. Tom Hiddleston, ladies and gentlemen … a very, very tender lover. I’m sure. I’m positive.

Goldblum delivers this information with obvious joy and relish, and it’s the kind of attention and approval from an actor that most fandoms could only dream about. So there you have it, kids: Jeff Goldblum cherishes Frostmaster, and Tom Hiddleston is likely a very, very tender lover. I think I need to go lie down.

The rest of Goldblum’s speech makes for great watching, too. We are truly blessed to have him.

(via YouTube, image: Marvel Studios)

• The more I see from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the more I am psyched for its October 26th debut:
  

  Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina is coming — KEY ART: pic.twitter.com/LzGFKRdsvM

  — See What’s Next (@seewhatsnext) September 12, 2018

• In other TV witch news, the Charmed reboot is set to explore Latinx witchcraft. (via Comicbook.com)
• Should we feel guilty or not if we enjoyed Buffy season six? (via Syfy)
• Reddit has finally banned the QAnon subreddit. Unfortunately, there’s still no way to ban idiocy. (via The Verge)
• As the Carolinas brace for Hurricane Florence, word comes that the Trump Administration transferred $9.8 million from FEMA, the agency that responds to emergencies and disasters, in order to fund ICE deportations. Because absolutely every single thing that they do is terrible. (via NPR)

So what did you see today, darling Mary Suevians?

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