https://blacknerdproblems.com/chu-10-review/
Writer: John Layman / Artist: Dan Boultwood / Image
The finale of (She) Drunk History is exactly as bizarre as you expect from John Layman riffing off a time travel story. The cask of vineteporus that has taken Saffron to 19th century Paris has finally reached the end of its supply of shenanigans, and it’s time to wrap up the heist in properly convoluted heist fashion in Chu #10. There is no facet more convoluted than the fact that there are two Saffrons floating around the time period after the events of Chu #9.
Layman loves playing coy with the timeline. There’s a very laissez-faire attitude when it comes to the approach of multi-pronged grifts that get increasingly more complicated every page, but everything is so ridiculous that we’re conditioned to go along with Saffron’s mad dashes to her end goals much like her compatriots. This is Saffron at her finest, a smooth talker whose acquired skills make her dangerous, but whose originally gift of gab is still her bread and butter (food puns definitely intended). This is a Saffron who know that when the going gets rough, you fall back to the fundamentals. And it works because of the fast and loose narration and because as convoluted as the plans are, the plans have roots in familiar crime tropes that are easy to process and you appreciate the extra dramatic flair that was implemented in Chu.
Boultwood’s art continues to be a fantastic case of cartooning. The characters are vividly rendered, and the exaggerated emotional responses are a delight to look at. The set pieces are stunning and while there isn’t a lot of action in this particular issue compared to its predecessors, it’s still a thrilling read.
The more time we get to spend with Saffron and ruminate on the vector this series is going in, the more I appreciate it. Whereas her brother’s power was integral to every stage of the story, Saffron’s personality is the star the show, and Layman and Boultwood perfected the proportions of this comic’s recipe. I’m very excited for the prospect of a book three after finishing Chu #10.
9.3 “Portraits” out of 10
Enjoying Chu? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Chu #10 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: John Layman / Artist: Dan Boultwood / Image
The finale of (She) Drunk History is exactly as bizarre as you expect from John Layman riffing off a time travel story. The cask of vineteporus that has taken Saffron to 19th century Paris has finally reached the end of its supply of shenanigans, and it’s time to wrap up the heist in properly convoluted heist fashion in Chu #10. There is no facet more convoluted than the fact that there are two Saffrons floating around the time period after the events of Chu #9.
Layman loves playing coy with the timeline. There’s a very laissez-faire attitude when it comes to the approach of multi-pronged grifts that get increasingly more complicated every page, but everything is so ridiculous that we’re conditioned to go along with Saffron’s mad dashes to her end goals much like her compatriots. This is Saffron at her finest, a smooth talker whose acquired skills make her dangerous, but whose originally gift of gab is still her bread and butter (food puns definitely intended). This is a Saffron who know that when the going gets rough, you fall back to the fundamentals. And it works because of the fast and loose narration and because as convoluted as the plans are, the plans have roots in familiar crime tropes that are easy to process and you appreciate the extra dramatic flair that was implemented in Chu.
Boultwood’s art continues to be a fantastic case of cartooning. The characters are vividly rendered, and the exaggerated emotional responses are a delight to look at. The set pieces are stunning and while there isn’t a lot of action in this particular issue compared to its predecessors, it’s still a thrilling read.
The more time we get to spend with Saffron and ruminate on the vector this series is going in, the more I appreciate it. Whereas her brother’s power was integral to every stage of the story, Saffron’s personality is the star the show, and Layman and Boultwood perfected the proportions of this comic’s recipe. I’m very excited for the prospect of a book three after finishing Chu #10.
9.3 “Portraits” out of 10
Enjoying Chu? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post Chu #10 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
The CW Network announced today the all-new docu-series March, which celebrates the colorful, boisterous, and competitive world of HBCU band culture through the eyes of the experts—the band members and leaders themselves. Embedded inside the Prairie View A&M University Marching Band, The Marching Storm, this engaging eight-part series will capture the blood, sweat, and tears each member sheds to make it to the field while balancing their dynamic college life. March debuts on Monday, January 24 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), and then MARCH moves to Sundays starting February 27 (9:00-10:00 ET/PT), after All American and All American: Homecoming take over Monday nights.
March showcases the dedicated and energetic group of college students at Prairie View A&M University—from drum majors and dancers to the flag team and all the section players—as they navigate performing in one of the most prestigious HBCU marching bands along with tackling a rigorous academic schedule and maintaining a high grade point average. The series chronicles their pressure-filled journey to become the highest-ranked HBCU band in the land, including electrifying performances at homecoming, Texas A&M and Southern University. As March shares the personal and unique stories of individual members and staff of the over 300-person marching band, it also explores the legacy and culture of Prairie View A&M and highlights how the Marching Storm band is an integral part of that rich history.
From Stage 13, March is executive produced by Cheryl Horner McDonough, Jamail Shelton, Shari Scorca and Marcel Fuentes.
Prime Video’s series Harlem takes the age-old story of four friends living in a city and trekking through work, sex, and relationships, and centers it on the Black experience. Each woman has to deal with the struggle of juggling her career while trying to have and keep a relationship/situationship. In this day and age, that is not easy for anyone.
Each episode begins with Dr. Camille Parks (Meagan Good) teaching an anthropology class topic that happens to tie in with the title of the episode and what she and her three friends experience. The difference between the show and many others is that I can more than relate to the everyday experiences of Black women.
In a world where Black women are continuously overlooked and disregarded despite being the most educated and the blueprint to pop culture trends, it is a struggle to power through without the assistance of your friends. Camille is a published and popular professor at Columbia University and is working towards becoming tenured. Her love life, however, is less than stellar. A year after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Camille is struggling with his return and being awkwardly single.
Quinn Johnson (Grace Byers) can’t seem to be on track with her career or relationships. Being the daughter of monied parents who don’t support her latest business venture in fashion (which is struggling) is not easy. Let alone constantly going on dates with the wrong guy can be jarring.
Tye (Jerrie Johnson), a queen in the dating-app industry, has an immensely amazing app and company but her love life is a bit bumpy even though she would rarely admit it. Angie (Shoniqua Shandai) is the boisterous and talented singer/actor who lost her record deal years ago. While she crashes on Quinn’s couch, she hunts for her star moment once again.
The four women have a sisterhood that allows them to be honest, supportive, and secretive in a way that no one else could understand. If anything, these relationships are probably the healthiest. They encourage one another to be truthful about what they want and how to achieve it, as well as being mentally and physically healthy. The encouragement and love are endearing.
In every good show, there have to be obstacles, other than dating, and that comes in the form of blunt and disappointed mother Mrs. Johnson (the fabulous Jasmine Guy), unimpressed Dr. Elise Pruitt (Whoopi Goldberg), who doesn’t deserve the hate being of a strong Black woman.
Now, this isn’t just some show focused on the relationships that these women have. There are conversations that affect the daily lives of Black people. One is the gentrification of Harlem, a historically Black neighborhood, and the anger that comes from neighborhood favorites taken over by new owners. But what if those owners happen to give another Black person the opportunity to shine with their gifts?
Do you fight the cause or raise the person who is given the opportunity? One of the most significant moments is when Tye ends up in the hospital after trying so desperately to be a “strong black woman” and ignoring the pain that she is suffering. The white, male doctor brushes off her pain and refuses to give her medication, only for her to end up collapsing and returning to the hospital again. These situations may seem dramatic to non-Black people but for Black women, this is an ongoing matter what needs to be erected. If anything, it’s bringing to light the things that we have to deal with on a daily basis. I can get behind that.
While the series started off slow, I continued on to see where the storyline was heading. At first, I was questioning the basic relationship faux pas that the ladies were committing, but then I had to stop myself and think of each time that I have heard dating horror stories or even relive the several assumptions and mishaps that I’ve made in the current dating world. This world can be and is horrific. Just check Twitter. Halfway through the season, I was glued to my seat because I couldn’t wait to see what happened in the next episode.
I’ll admit that there are a few overly comedic and cringey moments, but these ladies were gifted with amazing writers who gave them perfect one-liners and inspiring monologues that I want posted on my walls. These talented four actors delivered for every moment that they had to react to microaggression and sexism. If anything, I wish that I was able to react the same way they did whenever racism rears its ugly head.
To me, this might be the show that we will be watching ten years from now — it will still hold its own. Hopefully, by then women will have changed the dating and relationship scene forever and Black women will be acknowledged, paid, and applauded for what they do in their respective careers and pop culture.
Harlem is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Happy Holidays to our longstanding and loyal Afronerd Radio listenership! Let's just get right to it, shall we? Welcome to the latest edition of Afronerd Radio's Grindhouse show, airing this (and every) Sunday at 6 p.m. eastern on the BTalk 100 cyber broadcasting platform. Listen to your "immortal" AFROnerdist hosts rhapsodize on the following topics: the other Spider-man (there are so many)..ahem, the one that has a penchant for Jordans, Miles Morales, is getting his second closeup, thanks to a new teaser trailer for 2022's Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One):
Black Conservative pundit and professional provocateur, Candace Owen, is back at it again with more performative vitriol asserting that "Black Americans are the most murderous group in America".....and so the clown show begins:
Dburt, as usual, somewhat "tripped" over an oft-looked over but important factoid denoting that there were at least 12 Black scientists involved in the making of America's first atomic bomb famously dubbed the Manhattan Project. One has to ask why isn't this better known?; a recent report exposed a type of virtual reality blackface involving white actors portraying Black characters in VR diversity training simulations (ahem...the irony!); TheRoot.com article highlighting a recent documentary about jazz-pop saxophonist, Kenny G reignites the debate about the artist's cultural relevance; what is that we're hearing about critics only being allowed to see only 40 minutes of the upcoming Spider-man: No Way Home film for fear of spoilers....we have some theories; And lastly, if time permits, there;s new revelations from the new printing of the Avengers #50 comic (slimmer She-Hulk), a Red Guardian MCU streaming series and a new book entitled Black Ivy: A Revolt in Style, showcasing bespoke Black men during the Civil Rights/Pro-Black eras who used style as an extension of protest and defiance.
Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes
One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF
Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!
Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify and, IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!