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http://www.afronerd.com/2021/10/black-panther-legends-1-supes-coming.html

Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes

There's a lot to discuss and very little time to do it, citizens!  Listen to a new installment from Afronerd Radio's Mid Week in Review show airing every Wednesday at 8 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100.  Your technologically (Wakandan) advanced AFROnerdist hosts will wax about the following (mid) weekly subject matter:  a new comic just hit the scene this week, entitled Black Panther: Legends, and it appears to shed some light on T'Challa's youth and backstory.  Nevertheless, we will give you our impressions;  in more comic book news, another hero, this time the scion of Clark Kent is "coming out" as LGBTQ and, as expected, the announcement has led to a great deal of controversy-even stern words from Superman, himself, Dean Cain;       

Our thoughts about former Raiders coach, Jon Gruden's decades-old emails showcasing racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks done on a corporate level.  He has since been ousted but is this just par for the course?; Marvel "Cosmic" moves one step forward with the recent announcement that actor, Will Poulter (Detroit, The Revenant), is slated to portray the long-waited Adam Warlock in the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie; and something that is definitely worthy of analysis, hip hop legends, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-1 will be the next set of music icons to do a "faceoff" in the next Verzuz battle; More fallout from Netflix' Dave Chappelle special.  Netflix continues to support Chappelle, despite allegations of his special being labeled "transphobic." Now Netflix trans employees are purportedly staging a walkout protesting the special; legendary director, Ridley Scott isn't thinking highly of the proposed Alien TV series; Lastly, our thoughts about Captain Kirk aka William Shatner making history by becoming the oldest person to travel into space. 

Oh and then there's the new Blumhouse trailer for The Black Phone....whoa.  And Dburt definitely has to take a look at Squid Game on Netflix (beating Bridgerton.....for that distinction, alone)

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!

https://blacknerdproblems.com/hardware-season-one-2-review/

Writer: Brandon Thomas / Artists: Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Chris Sotomayor / DC Comics

Hardware is turning out to be an action thriller, and I truly love that for this book. 

After the first issue when it was revealed that Alva was going to frame Metcalf for the Big Bang, I should have known that this wasn’t going to be something that was swept under the rug. 

In Hardware Season One: #2, Thomas doubles down on taking away everything Metalf loves in order for him to have to muster up the strength to fight for what’s right. 

He’s already lost his job and his life. But now he’s lost the woman he loves to the feds who are implicating her in the falsehoods associated with the Big Bang. Things are slowly going against his favor. You want to root for him, but you don’t see a way out. 

Something I really liked in Hardware Season One: #2 was a B-Story of sorts that Thomas started to tell. It features a young boy who is a fan of superheroes and witnesses the aftermath of the crash in issue one. For about 90% of the issue, we don’t know why we keep jumping back to this boy’s perspective. It serves as a nice break from Metcalf’s dire stakes, but other than that, we just don’t know. 

However, that is all made clear later in the issue. The boy, named Deacon, comes crashing into the A-Story to provide Metcalf even more motivation and responsibility.

Comics are often about heroes having a bad day, and how they work through that to get to a good one. But Thomas is doing a fantastic job at giving Hardware one of the worst days that you could imagine. It makes for great reading. 

I keep having to pinch myself that the legend Denys Cowan is providing the art on this book. And on one of Milestone’s original characters. His unique style is pulsing with the lifeblood of what makes Dakota such a special universe. But on top of that, his action in this book, specifically when Hardware is in the suit, is some of the best art you could ask for. The linework is immaculate. 

10 Overworked Thrusters out of 10

Enjoying Hardware? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.

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The post Hardware Season One: #2 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://nerdist.com/article/batgirl-movie-everything-we-know/

It’s beyond time that we get a Batgirl solo movie. The DC Comics character hasn’t appeared on the big screen in years; her last film outing was Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin. Batgirl’s appeared in TV series, including the upcoming season of Titans. But it’s been far too long since we saw her shine. That’s changing, however, with DC Comics’ upcoming Batgirl solo movie. Batgirl has been in the works, in one form or another, since 2017. Here’s everything we know about the film so far.

Warner Bros.

Title

As far as we know, the title is simply Batgirl.

Batgirl‘s Plot

We learned the tiniest amount about Batgirl‘s plot at DC FanDome 2021. The main takeaway: this is, unsurprisingly, an origin story. Barbara Gordon is discovering Batgirl for the first time and exploring the duality in her personality. Yes, Barbara Gordon. Though several characters have worn the mantle of Batgirl, Barbara is the most well-known. We know this Batgirl will wear a cowl (not just a mask) and have Babs’ iconic red hair. You can see both in the above concept art, also revealed at DC FanDome.

Behind the Scenes

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys for Life) are directing the Batgirl solo film. Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey, The Flash) is writing the script.

Batgirl‘s Cast

Warner Bros.

Leslie Grace (In the Heights) will play Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. According to Deadline, Jacob Scipio (Bad Boys for Life) has reportedly joined the film, as has J.K. Simmons. The latter will reprise his role of Commission Gordon. If that’s true, it potentially means seeing more of Simmons as Gordon than we have in any other DC Comics film so far. We don’t have any details about Scipio’s role yet.

Batgirl‘s Release Date

Batgirl doesn’t have a release date yet, but we do know it will debut exclusively on HBO Max.

The post Everything We Know About the BATGIRL Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

http://nerdywithchildren.com/best-star-wars-toys-for-kids-by-age/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-star-wars-toys-for-kids-by-age

Whether they’re pretending to bounty hunt for Jabba the Hutt, dueling Darth Maul as Ahsoka Tano, or making the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, these are the best star wars toys for kids by age to help them create their own exciting legends!

Product tie-ins have long been a part of popular filmmaking, from Western hero Gene Autry promoting Red Ryder bb-guns to Shirley Temple dolls. But no film is more closely associated with its toy line than Star Wars. As anyone familiar with the creation of the movie knows, George Lucas made his fortune not off of Star Wars directly, but by withholding merchandising rights.

When the movie launched as a huge hit, kids immediately demanded a set of action figures to create their own versions of battles across the Death Star. In fact, so great was the desire for Star Wars toys that thousands of kids received for Christmas 1977 not plastic versions of Luke, Leia, and Han, but an empty cardboard box with pictures of the figures, along with the promise that the real toys would be coming soon. 

When they did arrive, the toys were a smash. Not only did Star Wars figures establish Kenner as one of the premier manufacturers in the business but made action figures a fixture in toy aisles. He-Man, Transformers, My Little Pony, and G.I. Joe all have Star Wars to thank for reigniting an interest in toys. 

In the years since, demand for Star Wars toys has only grown. Kids don’t want just the classic figures, which Kenner still manufactures, along with packaging reminiscent of that first late 70s run. Now, they snatch up Baby Yoda pop sockets, Clone Wars cars, and Chewbacca Play-Doh sets. Additionally, the figures have become more diverse and detailed than ever. 
That’s a lot of stuff to go through. But as always, Nerdy with Children has the answers. We’ve gone through the myriad Star Wars toys to find the best for each age. So, let us help you, Nerdy Parent. We’re your only hope.

Hit the hyperdrive, and check out our articles about Star Wars books for kids that dream of far away galaxies and Star Wars bedroom decor and ideas for kids for even more Star Wars related topics!

Ages 4 – 6

JOYIN LED Lightsaber with Sound

From the release of the first movie in 1977 to the latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch in 2021, every child who sees anything Star Wars comes away doing the same thing. They take a stick or a cardboard roll and wave it in the air, pretending that it’s a lightsaber. 

Obviously, kids today can’t have their own laser swords, so the JOYIN LED Lightsaber is the next best thing this side of the Dagobah System. Made of durable plastic (read: won’t break when your young padawan whacks it against the furniture), these toys come in the classic Jedi colors of green and blue. With handles modeled after the weapons featured in the films, the lightsabers have motion sensors, which means that your kids won’t need to make the “wah-wah” noises every time they wave it around. 

And the best part of all? JOYIN sells the lightsabers in pairs, which means that neither the light side nor the dark side will be unarmed in your house, bringing balance to the Force.

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi Rey Costume

One of the most inspirational moments in Star Wars history occurred at the end of Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. After hearing tales of the Jedis’ heroic deeds, a young stableboy reaches out his hand and uses the Force to draw his broom towards him, as if it were a lightsaber. The scene captures a feeling many kids feel when they watch Star Wars movies, the desire to dress up like a hero and get into the action. 

Where costume sets of yesteryear were often cheap vinyl aprons and ill-fitting masks, kids today can play dress-up with far more detailed outfits. That’s particularly true of this Rey costume, which allows children to be their favorite Jedi from Jakku. Based around a comfortable jumpsuit, the outfit includes the belts and armbands Rey wore when training under Luke Skywalker on the island of Ahch-To. 

When your child becomes Rey, they bring to life one of the most important lessons Luke tries to impart upon his pupil: you’re not bound by the old stories. You can make new stories, stories that matter to you.

Ages 7 – 9

Hot Wheels The Child Character Car

With over four decades behind it, Star Wars can certainly be considered a classic children’s franchise. But what’s even more classic? Hot Wheels. The toy line has been around since 1968 and has produced thousands of tiny diecast vehicles, from real-world sedans and minivans to outlandish cars like the Batmobile and the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. 

The Child car is among the oddest in the Hot Wheels collection. Although parts of it recall a VW Beetle and The Mandalorian’s Baby Yoda, it is not a direct recreation of either. Instead, the design mixes the two elements into something odd, but undeniably cute. With big eyes that double as a windshield and ears blown back like a spoiler, the Child car is built for adorable speed. 

Does the car make much sense? No! But will your kid love to make up stories about Baby Yoda racing through the cosmos? Absolutely.

General Grievous Action Figure

While the prequel trilogy failed to impress longtime Star Wars fans, Episodes I-III have become embraced by those who grew up with them. And although snobby older Star Wars fans hate to admit it, prequel boosters love those episodes for the same reasons that their predecessors loved the original trilogy. Both sets of movies offer high adventure, filled with unlikely heroes, fantastic planets, and cool robots. 

One of the standout characters from the prequel trilogy, General Grievous captured the imagination of moviegoers the first time he shrugged off his cloak to reveal a spindly, spider-like robot body. Wrapped around his waist was a belt filled with the lightsabers of the Jedi he defeated, four of which he grabs when going into battle – one for each of his hands. 

This General Grievous toy captures everything fans love about the character. He of course comes with all the points of articulation that one would expect, giving children plenty of options when twisting him into cool poses. But more importantly, the figure comes with four Jedi lightsabers, each of which can be put into his hands to engage in battles.

Ages 10 – 13

Star Wars Forces: Rey and BB-8 Adventure Set

For all the advances made by the original Kenner Star Wars toys, they were involved in a disappointing part of toy history. Working under the assumption that only boys liked sci-fi and action figures, marketers and storekeepers completely ignored female fans. Fortunately, those assumptions have fallen by the wayside and toymakers are coming to understand that everyone likes nerdy stuff, no matter what their gender. 

With that in mind, Hasbro created the Star Wars Forces line, a set of intricately designed action figures marketed toward girls. A nominee for the 2018 Toy of the Year awards, this Rey and BB-8 set is the standout of the line. When you squeeze the legs of this 11″ figure, she swings her included blue lightsaber, ready to take on the First Order. The set includes both an incredibly detailed and movie-accurate Rey figure, but also a lovable BB-8 figure, complete with a moving head. 

With toys of such high quality, the Star Wars Forces line begins to correct mistakes of the past. Now all fans of Star Wars receive recognition, and the toys to create their own stories from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

LEGO Star Wars: The Clone Wars Armored Assault Tank (AAT)

For decades now, Lego has been at the forefront of giving kids the tools to tell their own stories. Commitment to that mission has only increased since the company started acquiring licenses to hit franchises such as Marvel and DC Comics. 

With its Star Wars line, Lego gives kids cool minifigs based on all the heroes of the franchise, from Luke Skywalker to Ahsoka Tano to Rey of Jakku. But more importantly, it gives them bricks to build the ships and vehicles that have always been the center of the movies. 

Based on the hugely successful Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, this set lets kids build the awesome Armored Assault Tank used by the clone troopers. Custom-designed blocks capture the AAT’s sleek silver and blue design, and its two spring-loaded cannons make for more immersive play. When you add in the included minifigs of Ahsoka and her Clone Trooper, and two battle droids, then your child has everything they need to tell bricktastic adventure stories.

Ages 13+

Scum and Villainy 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

From the pre-production concept art of Ralph McQuarrie to the posters from the legendary Drew Struzan, Star Wars is as beloved for its imagery as it is its story and characters. George Lucas drew on his love of old adventure serials, giving every part of the movies a timeless and exciting feeling. 

This striking puzzle features some of the greatest villains from the Star Wars universe, dastardly bounty hunters including Bosk, IG-88, and Jango Fett. The dynamic design displays the titular scum in all their glory, with a strong composition and a warm-colored background. 

The puzzle continues the series’ history of evocative posters. And with 1000 pieces, kids will have plenty of time to examine every detail of this exquisite piece of art.

Black Series Carbonized Collection Boba Fett Figure

For years, toys were created to be disposable entertainment objects for young children. Cheaply made and lacking detail, they were designed to be ripped out of a package, thrown around for a while, and then abandoned in a sandbox. But today, toymakers make products for teens and even adults. Closer to models and even statues, these toys aren’t intended to be played with. Rather, these detailed, movie-perfect recreations are intended to be displayed and admired. 

For Star Wars fans, the Black Series from Hasbro is the epitome of high-quality collectible toys. This figure throws back to one of the original fan-favorite characters, the bounty hunter Boba Fett, as he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back. The figure’s many points of articulation allow it to be posed in hundreds of ways, all the better to show off its exquisite details. With a metallic paint job, accentuated with detailed carbon-scoring, a cloth cape, and an array of weaponry, the figure has everything a collector expects. 

Like the other entry in the Black Series line, the Boba Fett figure looks like it walked right off the screen.

The post Best Star Wars Toys for Kids by Age appeared first on Nerdy With Children.