Season: 4 / Episode: 1

There’s something to be said for how My Hero Academia handles it’s welcome back / season premiere episodes. I always thought that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood does it the best, but MHA handles the re-introduction in a way that is satisfying, when you have no expectation of the story moving forward.

Admittedly, there’s a lot to digest from the end of season 3. First and foremost is the retirement of All Might and everyone with a TV witnessing that the symbol of peace is abruptly cut short. His withering body on that night is similar to the general sentiment of the public. If the greatest hero ever has had the fight go out of them, then what comes next?

Someone looking to answer that very specifically is investigative reporter Tokuda, who gains access to the school hoping to discover who, if any, All Might has determined as a successor. This provides a good opportunity to recap what we know so far, but mostly to re-acquaint us with the young heroes of Class 1A, quirks and all. Bakugo still pissed off for no good reason. Minoru still a proto-pervert. Deku back doing drills in the yard, with the off-season workout trapezoids muscles poppin’ off. Everything is where it should be.

There isn’t a lot of drama in the investigation as Tokuda suspects Midori from the beginning and confirms as much in their first conversation. What is at the heart of this show and is on display even in basically a recap episode, is how endearing the characters are with one another. Tonado will do most things for a scoop, but his personal connection to All Might (watching his father be saved) has led him to find the successor for his own source of hope and not necessarily for a good story.

This is another re-inforcement that Deku is the future and that secret likely won’t stay a secret for long. But this season may signal that Deku is ready to embrace and actually surpass All Might at some point. With a new threat looming, only time will tell.

Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here!
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

The post My Hero Academia Recap: “The Scoop on U.A. Class 1-A” appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

BGN Politics is running for senate with Qasim Rashid this week!

We’re excited to bring to you this brand new podcast focused on the issues that impact our lives and the well-being of our families.

In this episode, Jamie Broadnax chats with author, human rights activist and attorney Qasim Rashid who is running as a Democratic Party candidate for the Virginia Senate District 28. Qasim is vying to become the first Muslim state senator — by challenging incumbent Republican state Sen. Richard Stuart, who has run unopposed since 2007. The last time a Democrat was elected in Virginia’s 28th state Senate district was 1975, over 40 years ago so Qasim definitely has some challenges here, but he’s up for it.

The Virginia Senate District 28 represents parts of Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, and Westmoreland Counties. In Virginia, all 140 seats are up for grabs on the Nov. 5 ballot. Republicans hold a slim majority in both the House of Delegates and Senate, so voters will determine who controls both chambers.

We discuss issues important to both Virginians and Americans like healthcare, gun control, and voter suppression.

For more info on Qasim Rashid, you can visit his website: rashidforva.com/

Music by: FilmStro filmstro.com/music
Support our podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/blackgirlnerds
For 10% off Better Help go to betterhelp.com/bgn

The post PODCAST: Running For Senate with Qasim Rashid appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Long before #MeToo went viral in 2017, there was the ‘me too.’ Movement. In fact, Tarana Burke, veteran organizer, activist, and movement builder, began this work in 2006 in order to help survivors of sexual violence—particularly Black women and girls—find ways to heal.

When #MeToo took off on Twitter, many survivors used it as a means to help tell their stories, thus breaking the stigma of silence most survivors of sexual violence are forced to carry. It has been two years since Burke and her epic movement were thrust into the spotlight—a place Burke tells ESSENCE she never wanted to be in.

“I recognize the need for me to stay visible in a particular type of way in order for people to talk about the movement. So I’ve embraced the visibility a little bit more now. I still don’t think there’s a need for a celebrity in this work, but I think that a person who is visible and vocal and consistent is definitely necessary,” Burke told ESSENCE.

And Burke has embraced her role in her own movement, realizing that it’s up to her to keep the momentum going. “Two years later, we have this amazing, global platform now to talk about sexual violence, to deal with sexual violence and to galvanize survivors. I’m excited about where we are. I wish we were a little further, culturally. I wish that the conversation around what the ‘me too.’ movement is, was different,” Tarana Burke shared.

Hearing the hashtag, and the movement, transformed into a verb in pop culture, i.e., “Me Too-ed,” is upsetting for Burke. She says that it makes the movement about taking men down, which is not what’s happening, nor is it her intention. She said, “It’s so diminishing to the people who have labored to come forward to even say, ‘me too.'”

Check out the video above to see what Tarana Burke hopes for the movement going forward and what advice she’d like to offer Black men.

The post Two-Year Anniversary Of #MeToo: What’s Next For The ‘me too.’ Movement? appeared first on Essence.

Etan Comics presents Jember and Hawi which tells the beautiful tales from the African diaspora.

While perusing the aisles at one of the summer conventions I attended, I ran across an unassuming gentleman. What caught my eye was a magnificent Black female superhero that adorned his booth and that some of his titles were not in English. While you occasionally run across a title here and there in Spanish, Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia) is not that frequent. The title available was Jember. It was created and written by Bererat Debebe, with the art done by Stanley Obende. There were two issues available at the table, so I took a chance.

It seems like our knowledge of the continent, not country, of Africa comes from the dictator-led violence on the news, the endless safaris on the nature channels, the focus on the grand ancient civilization in the northeast corner of the continent, or the fanciful portrayal of a fictional technologically advanced nation. While the major publishers tend to reinforce the stereotypes of Africa through titles like Jungle Action, which held the first solo story featuring the Black Panther, the routine life of people on the continent are normally ignored. There was an attempt at normal people for a time at DC Comics with the Batwing series in 2011, but the hero’s time in Africa was quickly ended as the character immigrates to Gotham City and another rises to take his place.

What I liked most about Jember was that it went through the day of a normal man, Amanuel Tilahun, who happens to be in Addis Ababa, the capital of the country of Ethiopia. After a day of job hunting, he is playing football (soccer in America) with his friends. He scores, and the ball (as they tend to do without a net) goes off into a ditch. Everyone else calls it a day, but Aman does not. He retrieves the ball, but the ground disappears beneath his feel and he discovers something that changes his life forever.

The second issue is a great way for the newly minted hero, Jember, to find out about his new abilities. The cohesiveness of Debebe, Obende, and the colorist Akanni Akorede enhances the storytelling. There is a page in the first issue where the character is playing football that really makes you feel the action. With two issues in, there is a reasonably likable character who gets powers, explores them, and has to use them to clean up a situation he created — think Greatest American Hero or the more recent Shazam movie. The source of the abilities, an ancient civilization that existed partially in Ethiopia and Eritrea, is hinted at but not really explored or explained. Also at this point, Jember seems to want to do good, but his motivations still remain unclear. I gave my issues to my brother and his comment was, “Black Panther without all the royal stuff.” I can’t argue with that, so I will just leave it there.

Although not head-over-heels with Jember, I remembered the magnificent Black female superhero and wondered about the status of the release of that title. I was in luck. It was available on the Etan Comics website and the Kickstarter was active. The hero is Hawi, and it is also by Debebe and Obende. The first issue starts with the early life of Ement Legesse and the mysterious death of her father in Ankober, Ethiopia. Not willing to raise her child in Ethiopia, her mother moves her family to the United States. A relative’s death leads Ement back home to Ethiopia, where she discovers her father, her friends, and several mysteries. Unlike Jember, Hawi seems to establish the conflict up front with the mysterious death of her father rather than focus on the supernatural abilities. I also found the ending compelling as we, like Hawi, have a WTF moment after she takes a literal leap of faith without any thought for the consequences and ends far from where she ever imagined.

There is something for everyone in the Etan Comics Universe, but the one I constantly watch the website for updates is Hawi. The Kickstarter is doing well, with them working on the stretch goals as they are at four times their goal the last time I checked. So if it is not clear, take a chance and support the Kickstarter or purchase either at the Etan Comics website. Of all the Black indy titles I read, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hawi is the one we see one day on the screen.

E.Angel is an engineer and holds a BS in electrical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. In her spare time, she works at her comic book store — Brainstorm Comics and Gaming — when she is not writing. She’s a real nerd who loves all things Star Wars and Star Trek, and is an avid gamer. E.Angel can be reached at e9of10@gmail.com or on either game platform as Bunnehs Sister.

The post BGN Explores Etan Comics: ‘Jember’ and ‘Hawi’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.