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http://blacknerdproblems.com/breathless-1-review/
Writer: Pat Shand / Artist: Renzo Rodriguez / Black Mask Studios
”First question. Are you a privileged, entitled prick?
-Charlamagne tha God, to Martin Shkreli, Notorious Pharma-Bro
One of the recurring subplots in Modern American History is that of a particular pharmaceutical mogul who got the spotlight shined on him after he boosted the prices of HIV/AIDS medications by 5000% percent. He then purchased Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for 2 million dollars before it got confiscated when Martin Shkreli was arrested for… securities fraud.
Shand describes the catharsis behind the story better than I ever could: “In a society where it’s normal to go bankrupt in order to not die, does that change the way we understand humanity? Empathy?”
With that central idea in mind, Breathless opens with one of the most familiar scenes to most American citizens: the purchase of controlled pharmaceuticals that still require a co-pay even with insurance. As someone unfortunate enough to have firsthand experience in a healthcare-adjacent industry, I’m quick to empathize with Scout Turner.
Scout Turner is a Black woman freelance scientist, who goes from picking up her inhaler to surgically removing several organs from a truly monstrous Hisser before having to deal with “That One Officemate” incarnate in the form of Grace-Eisley Wellington Burke. She is exactly the type of person you’re imagining. Conversely, Scout Turner is the exact type of spiritual successor to a long list of pulp fiction action girls we need in 2018. She is portrayed as an expert in her field, and capable of being a lot more sympathetic to the folks surrounding her.
Breathless bypasses a lot of exposition and instead asks us to accept that this world is like our own, except the urban fauna is much more terrifying. Between Shand’s fasted paced dialog and Rodriguez’s absolutely stunning artwork, it becomes a very easy proposition to accept. The office talk banter is infused with just enough sci-fi jargon. The panels are vibrant and visceral and mildly distressing/horrific at times.
Shand and Rodriguez have a brilliant chemistry and all the essential elements: a diverse cast, a poignant premise, and monsters of all varieties. If you’re in the mood for more speculative fiction in your pull, make sure you add Breathless.
9 “Malfunctioning Inhalers” out of 10
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The post Breathless #1 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: Pat Shand / Artist: Renzo Rodriguez / Black Mask Studios
”First question. Are you a privileged, entitled prick?
-Charlamagne tha God, to Martin Shkreli, Notorious Pharma-Bro
One of the recurring subplots in Modern American History is that of a particular pharmaceutical mogul who got the spotlight shined on him after he boosted the prices of HIV/AIDS medications by 5000% percent. He then purchased Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for 2 million dollars before it got confiscated when Martin Shkreli was arrested for… securities fraud.
Shand describes the catharsis behind the story better than I ever could: “In a society where it’s normal to go bankrupt in order to not die, does that change the way we understand humanity? Empathy?”
With that central idea in mind, Breathless opens with one of the most familiar scenes to most American citizens: the purchase of controlled pharmaceuticals that still require a co-pay even with insurance. As someone unfortunate enough to have firsthand experience in a healthcare-adjacent industry, I’m quick to empathize with Scout Turner.
Scout Turner is a Black woman freelance scientist, who goes from picking up her inhaler to surgically removing several organs from a truly monstrous Hisser before having to deal with “That One Officemate” incarnate in the form of Grace-Eisley Wellington Burke. She is exactly the type of person you’re imagining. Conversely, Scout Turner is the exact type of spiritual successor to a long list of pulp fiction action girls we need in 2018. She is portrayed as an expert in her field, and capable of being a lot more sympathetic to the folks surrounding her.
Breathless bypasses a lot of exposition and instead asks us to accept that this world is like our own, except the urban fauna is much more terrifying. Between Shand’s fasted paced dialog and Rodriguez’s absolutely stunning artwork, it becomes a very easy proposition to accept. The office talk banter is infused with just enough sci-fi jargon. The panels are vibrant and visceral and mildly distressing/horrific at times.
Shand and Rodriguez have a brilliant chemistry and all the essential elements: a diverse cast, a poignant premise, and monsters of all varieties. If you’re in the mood for more speculative fiction in your pull, make sure you add Breathless.
9 “Malfunctioning Inhalers” out of 10
Are you following Black Nerd Problems on Twitter, Facebook,Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube or Google+?
The post Breathless #1 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Social media can be a great way to share your life and interests with the world, but it also forces us into a competition over who has the best-looking, curated life. Even celebrities who are professionals at being looked at can fall prey to that feeling. In an interview on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, Anna Faris reveals that she had mixed feelings about people referring to her relationship with Pratt as #goals:
“Chris and I did talk about…we got, like on the Twitter feed, ‘Love is dead’ and ‘Relationship goal.’ We obviously cultivated something and it was rewarding for a while. It was like ‘People seem to think we got all this shit all right.’ I had a little bit of a childish feeling of ‘Oh come on, fucking grow up’ — a little anger.”
However, she takes responsibility, saying that she definitely cultivated that image, but that ultimately social media is “a very hard forum to be genuine, and I think it does a disservice to people to not be.” (via Hello Giggles)
- Here’s a great essay from an Asian writer and Wes Anderson fan on some complicated feelings surrounding the portrayal of Japanese culture in Isle of Dogs. (via /Film)
- Linda Brown, who was the little girl at the center of the historic Brown vs. Board of Education case, which desegregated schools, passed away at the age of 76. (via Huffington Post)
- Amber Ruffin, who should really be hosting everything ever, will be hosting the Webby Awards on May 14th. (via Deadline Hollywood)
- Here is an example of why the UK’s The Sun is complete and total transphobic garbage. (via Twitter)
- Meet Calleigh Little, the trans woman who last year became the first woman to skateboard across the entire continental United States. (via Buzzfeed)
- An awesome piece making the case that Women’s History Month really needs to center black women, for once. (via Teen Vogue)
What have you seen today?
(image: screencap)
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