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https://nerdist.com/article/best-x-men-costumes-and-suits-from-marvel-comics-that-should-appear-in-the-mcu-movies-storm-wolverine-rogue-and-more/

It’s official; after 23 years, Hugh Jackman will finally wear his comic-accurate costume in Deadpool 3. Although they made a snarky remark about yellow spandex in the first X-Men back in the day, fans have waited forever to see Logan in the world-famous outfit. But with news of Jennifer Garner’s Elektra joining the cast as well, it seems likely that the Marvel Mutliverse rumors about Deadpool 3 are true. We can’t confirm anything, but we would not be shocked if several of the Fox-era X-Men appear in this film alongside Logan. And if they do, they deserve comic book-style costume upgrades too. But which comic costumes? And just how accurate are we talking? Here’s who we’d love to see, and what we’d love to see them wear.

Cyclops (Scott Summers)

Scott Summers, whom you may know as Cyclops, has had literally dozens of costumes in the comics. While we love his ‘70s/’80s blue costume, with the skullcap and the pirate boots, we believe it would be a hard one to pull off on screen. For many, his most iconic costume is his ‘90s Jim Lee-designed one, used in X-Men: The Animated Series. We almost got a version of this costume, as they teased it for a moment at the end of X-Men: Apocalypse. Of course, by the time of the next film, Dark Phoenix, Cyclops was wearing yet another suit. If James Marsden shows up in Deadpool 3 or Secret Wars, we think a proper version of the ‘90s costume is in order. Although with a more accurate color scheme than the X-Men: Apocalypse one that Tye Sheridan wore. That’s a good place to start.

Storm (Ororo Munroe)

For all of the major diversions costume-wise in the first X-Men movie, the outfit worn by Halle Berry as Storm is pretty close to what the comics presented. (That first wig, though? That’s another story). While we are partial to Ororo Munroe’s original costume designed by Dave Cockrum, we do think it would be hard to justify the headpiece, leather swimwear, and thigh-high boots in live-action. But Storm’s ‘90s look, designed by Jim Lee, is perfect to wear on screen. It’s very similar to the first X-Men movie costume, only this time we would want the yellow accents and the red X symbol on the shoulders. Sometimes in the comics this costume looks like black leather, sometimes it’s all white. We’d happily take either one.

Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr)

Magneto has one of the best costumes in comics. When Jack Kirby nailed a design, he really nailed it. That’s why Mags had so few costume changes over the interceding decades. But the movies always shied away from going full comics look when it came to the Master of Magnetism’s costume. The closest we ever got was the very end of X-Men: First Class, where Michael Fassbender’s Magneto sported the classic comics helmet and his purple and maroon color scheme. But that was all done away with in the next film, X-Men: Days of Future Past. If Ian McKellen or Michael Fassbender do return in Deadpool 3, then let’s go full Kirby. Okay, maybe without the trunks. But the rest of it? Let’s go.

Rogue

Anna Paquin’s Rogue was perhaps the most different characterization from her comic book counterpart. She was very shy and unsure of her powers, a far cry from the version most fans knew from the ‘90s cartoon series. We’ve heard that version described as “Dolly Parton, with the powers of Superman.” And that’s accurate. Rogue has had many costumes in the comics, most of them green and white. But If Paquin returns, now all grown up, we’d love to see her in the Jim Lee-designed costume from X-Men #1, later made famous by the animated show. It’s really Rogue’s best costume, and the bomber jacket just works so well with this look. This one is easily translatable to the screen with very few tweaks. We’re ready to see this Rogue costume in live-action, sugah.

Colossus (Piotr Rasputin)

Piotr Rasputin, the X-Men’s Russian metal man Colossus, has been a key figure in the Deadpool movies, and is confirmed to return for the third film. As much as we love Stefan Kapičić in the role, that black and red costume is just not very Colossus to us. In the comics, he wore a red and yellow costume for much of the ‘70s and ‘80s, with big shoulder flares and thigh-high boots. That was later streamlined by Jim Lee in the ‘90s. Maybe the best version of the Colossus costume was from the Astonishing X-Men series of the 2000s. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine costume seems inspired by Astonishing, so why not Colossus’ outfit? We just know it’s time for Piotr to wear the red and yellow. We’d probably give the big lug some pants, though.

Phoenix (Jean Grey)

Jean Grey has been an X-Man since the very first issue in 1963, and has had dozens of costumes since then. Some are iconic, others are fashion nightmares. But while we’ve lobbied hard for the Jim Lee ‘90s designs for any possible returning X-Men, Jean Grey’s outfit from this era is not a favorite. The shoulder pad armor, the headpiece, the padding on the legs? It’s all too busy. Maybe they could pull off a version that works. But we’d prefer something that evokes Jean as Phoenix.

Of course, that means the classic firebird emblem, in yellow and green. We realize the classic Phoenix costume might be hard to pull off in live-action. It would be hard to justify those opera gloves, thigh-high boots, and gold sash. But in the mid-2000s, Jean wore a more practical version of the Phoenix red and green, which could work on screen. With two movies dedicated to Jean Grey not being able to control the Phoenix Force, it would be fun to see Famke Janssen totally in control of her powers, and wearing something resembling her New X-Men era costume.

Mystique (Raven Darkholme)

Mystique has been an iconic part of the X-Men film franchise since the very first film in 2000. She’s been played by Rebecca Romijn, and later, Jennifer Lawrence. But we think if Magneto returns, then Mystique should be right by his side. And if it’s Ian McKellen’s Magneto, then the original Mystique, Rebecca Romijn, should join him. Rebecca Romijn is currently killing it as Number One on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. And while we think at this point in her career, she probably doesn’t want to spend hours in the makeup chair being painted head-to-toe blue, she doesn’t need to. Because comics Mystique wore clothes. We’d love to see her iconic white costume from the comics, with the tiny gold skulls. We got a tease of this look in X-Men: Apocalypse, but the later movies never delivered. This one’s long overdue.

The post The Other Comics Accurate Costumes We Want to See in DEADPOOL 3 appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/anthony-mackie-stars-in-the-live-action-series-twisted-metal/

Twisted Metal, a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, is a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and written by Michael Jonathan Smith, about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

The series stars: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, with Will Arnett and Joe Seanoa 

All ten episodes premiere exclusively on Peacock on July 27, 2023 

https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-when-crack-was-king-a-history-of-a-misunderstood-era/

There are reasons why teachers usually provide their students with firsthand accounts when teaching historical events and issues such as the Holocaust or slavery. When Crack Was King, importantly, follows in that vein, showcasing the material impact of various policies, or lack thereof, as well as the impact of drugs themselves.

Donovan X. Ramsey is a journalist and author on issues of race, politics, and how power manifests itself in America. He’s been an integral voice for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NewsOne, theGrio, and more.

In 2015, Ramsey decided to take a deep-dive into the crack epidemic: what it was, where it came from, and how it spread. He wanted to understand why one community would be so deeply affected by it, while others were not. His intention was never to write a book, but I’m so glad that he did.

Ramsey takes us on a journey from the development of crack from freebase, its spread across America, policy responses to the crack epidemic, the fear mongering about crack, and how the crack epidemic essentially resolved itself. On one hand, Ramsey’s book is a history lesson; on the other, it’s an account of four people during the epidemic — an addict, two dealers, and a politician.

What I appreciate is the combination of reporting and history, as well as the personal stories of those who survived to tell about it. This is a book that needs to be required reading for college or upper-level high school classes. It is clear and concise, and it has emotional impact.

In the 1970s, there was a sentiment that the Black American could do anything if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, many were not given that opportunity. According to Ramsey, “Unbridled ambition requires a vehicle. Without one, it can torture those who have it, perverting their judgment until ambition meets opportunity and is finally satisfied. It seems that’s what happened for many young Blacks in the late 1970s determined to let ‘nothin’, nothin’’ stand in their way. Cocaine seemed tailor-made for the moment.” 

I was a teenager when the “Just Say No” campaign was launched. Police officers came to my school to deliver an anti-drug message and played a video clip with Nancy Reagan. They gave us posters of a K-9 police dog sniffing for drugs and shared their experiences of what they dealt with on the street. They arrived in a car that had DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) on its side. I remember their message being vague and sugar-coated. What was clear was that the majority of us were Black, and we knew that drugs either made your brain fry like that egg in the skillet or die.

From the perspective of white America, Reagan’s message looked much worse — frightening, damaging, and a child-friendly way to justify and perpetuate the “war on drugs” with racially and economically disproportional targets. The “Just Say No” plead fails miserably in comparison to the opioid epidemic today.

Cocaine, or crack after the crackling sound it makes while cooking, spread through urban America in the 1970s, relieving the pain of those who could get it. As with so much in our culture, cocaine was taken both too seriously and not seriously enough. Black America was seen by white America as pathetic and degenerate, while white America refused to take any of the blame onto themselves for decades of systematic racism.

Ramsey seamlessly integrates the history of “the war on drugs” with personal accounts in the narrative. Instead of just reading the facts from a distance, we can experience with heart-wrenching clarity why people used cocaine. The narratives helped this book of over 350 pages become more readable rather than just being a non-fiction attack that would be difficult to digest. The narratives were much needed after such political chapters with Iran-Contra, Nixon, Reagan (War on Drugs), and now Biden.

I also appreciated the way in which Ramsey sympathizes with the plight of those caught up in the crack epidemic while remaining crystal clear about what crack did and how it affected people, families, and communities. He does well at scrutinizing the crack epidemic in terms of the post-industrialization of American urban areas and the heavy-handed response against Black liberation movements of the 1970s. He discusses the belief that crack flooded the cities because of CIA actions; he concludes it was not a deliberate policy but something the government was more than happy to look past even while they demonized and criminalized those who used crack. He provides us with conclusions for each of the four people, and how the next generation avoided crack after seeing what it had done to those who had come before them.

If I had any nitpick with this book it has to do with the four people who were chosen. It should be noted that Ramsey treats all four with the utmost respect. But there are three men and just one woman who happens to be the addict. This is not necessarily a problem, and her story, because of who she becomes, is vitally important. I would have just liked to see another non-addict female voice to balance out the male voices. I do love the fact that Ramsey included a politician; that provides a unique use of the narratives because we are getting different perspectives from all sides of the issue.

The truth is, our criminal justice system continues to fail Black Americans. When Crack Was King is an important read so that we as a society can learn from mistakes to better conquer the current opioid crisis and actually make a difference. The last chapter gives uplifting statistics regarding crime, but there is still much work to be done. 

I give the book a 5/5 stars and recommend it to anyone interested in the politics of addiction and crime, as well as the history of how cocaine impacted Black America.

When Crack Was King is available July 11, 2023, on Amazon.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/affirmative-action-overturned-what-comes-next-for-black-and-brown-students/

In a decision that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson calls “unmoored from critical real-life circumstances,” the United States Supreme Court has ruled that race can no longer be considered as a factor in university admissions. It overturns admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), the nation’s oldest private and public colleges, respectively.

This decision, similar to last year’s abortion ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, marks the realization of a long conservative goal, this time finding that race-conscious admissions plans violate the Constitution and another law that applies to colleges that receive federal funding, as most of them do. These schools will be forced to revamp their admissions practices, especially top schools that are more likely to consider the race of applicants.

What this means is that prospective students can discuss their race on the application, as part of their identity, experience, or personal journey, but it will no longer be considered as an actual factor for admission. This is confusing when you think about the actual process for admission.

I believe those who have always argued against affirmative action, as well as those making decisions about it, don’t really understand what it is. It’s not as if you begin with race and then form a separate branch where a student can then get in. A student is otherwise qualified and considered for a position in the school and has met all the required criteria. Then there are also other considerations such as being a veteran, or a legacy student, or an athlete, or playing an instrument, among other things.

The ruling is devastating, and yet, not surprising that this is what Republicans have wanted for a very long time. Instead of growth and change, we as a nation are unsurprisingly stuck with more of the same. The student population of elite campuses will become whiter, while Black and Brown students will diminish.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the numbers tell an interesting story. At Harvard University, 34 percent of students are white; 43 percent of those students are either legacies, children of faculty members, kin of donors, or a recruited athlete. In order words, many of them would not have gotten in if not for special status. So, what are we really talking about?

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy created the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. A Black lawyer by the name of Hobart Taylor Jr. wrote the words “affirmative action” in the margin of a draft of Kennedy’s executive order. Initially, affirmative action encouraged employers to hire marginalized people. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon both passed executive orders to end race discrimination in hiring.

Soon after these executive orders were set within the workplace, colleges voluntarily adopted similar policies to combat racial discrimination. In 1969, many elite universities admitted more than twice as many Black students as they had the year before. This change was directly linked to the civil rights movement.

Justice Clarence Thomas’ accused Justice Brown Jackson of having a “race-infused world view.” The truth is, Thomas is ignoring the facts, as usual.

Thomas is the longest-serving justice on the Supreme Court and strictly conservative. More than thirty years ago, he made his opposition of affirmative action known. It’s interesting that he’s such a critic of it, knowing that he benefited from it himself. For so long, Justice Thomas has been the only Black voice we’ve had on the Supreme Court that has been able to bring issues such as affirmative action, the 14th Amendment, and our constitutional rights as Black people in this country to the forefront. Well, it hasn’t been good. To be honest, he hasn’t been good since 1991.

Now, we have Justice Jackson who has brought competing views to the table, especially regarding the 14th Amendment. She has the ability to speak both about the history as well as the contemporary reality of race in this country. The majority of the Supreme Court, including Justice Thomas, plant themselves in these ideals of what they hope this country will one day be. What they have failed to do is actually see the work that has already been done or honor the fact that opportunity is supposed to be for all.

President Barack Obama said in a statement that affirmative action “allowed generations of students like Michelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it’s up to all of us to give young people the opportunities they deserve — and help students everywhere benefit from new perspectives.”

Affirmative action is essential so that students can understand what it means to be with other students who have different experiences, who are also qualified to make it in the same school, what’s different in the admissions process depending on skin color, and how much they have to learn that is not rolled into an SAT score.

In the attempt to create healthy diversity and equity on college campuses, this is not the first time a setback has happened. California banned affirmative action in 1996. University of California (UC) leaders said that decades of outreach programs to low-income students and revised admissions policies just couldn’t be sustained. California’s Proposition 209 was the nation’s first initiative to ban consideration of race and gender in public education, and it drastically reduced diversity at UC’s most competitive campuses. By 1998, the number of Black and Latino first-year students drastically declined by nearly half at both University of California Los Angeles and University of California Berkeley.

Affirmative action has always been a complicated policy for many situations because of the prejudices on which America has been built, as well as the effects it have on students of color in the college application process. Due to foundational racism and discriminatory laws targeting people of color in the past, many minority families have only recently been given the chance to send their kids to college. Affirmative action has offered these families a higher chance of being able to send their children to get the education they were deprived of.

The truth is, nothing can fully substitute for affirmative action policies that allow universities to have a diverse student body. If we, as a country, are going to start making needed changes that will allow students to not have to find loopholes in their admission applications to get into select colleges, we need to have honest conversations about our broken educational system and the people we aren’t seeing in the spaces around us.