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https://blacknerdproblems.com/catch-me-pitching-villains-marvel-phase-4-and-beyond/

When’s the last time we’ve gone this long without an MCU film? Almost never. Since 2010 the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been running like clockwork. However, with the way things are going, it might just be another year before any of us can safely step into a theater.

Remember folks, wear a mask, make smart decisions.

What do we do in the meantime? Well, the future of the MCU is still one giant mystery. So, how about we have some fun in its absence and brainstorm a few villains for Phase 4 and beyond? For this game, we are going to only do films without confirmed villains and add in a few films that may be in the works.

Spider-Man 3 – Osborn/Kraven the Hunter

Let’s get started with my main boy, Spider-Man. Obviously, the third MCU Spidey film will follow the jaw-dropping moment Mysterio reveals to the world that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, which makes for some interesting possibilities. Peter just might have a bounty on his head. Spider-Man 3 might be the perfect way to introduce Norman Osborn, wave game, and all. The MCU could follow the Ultimate line of comics where old Stormin Norman created the spider that gave Peter his powers. Norman might want the secrets to Peter’s abilities, leading to him teaming up and hiring Kraven, the greatest hunter in the world, to capture Peter. This would be a fun way to build Norman’s obsession with recreating Peter’s accident and his eventual turn into the Green Goblin for future films.

Thor: Love and Thunder – Gorr

Little is known about Thor: Love and Thunder’s plot, aside from the fact that we’re getting Jane Foster’s Thor, Valkyrie’s getting a girlfriend and Christian Bale has been cast as the film’s main antagonist. So, here’s to hoping that the former dark knight plays Gorr the God Butcher. Personally, the Gorr the God Butcher arc is one of my favorite Thor arcs of all time and I’ll never stop saying it. What would make Gorr such an interesting villain for this film is his quest to kill gods. Taika Waititi really has a chance to explore different pantheons that exist in the MCU. With the visual work his team did in Thor: Ragnarok, they can really bring them to life in this next film. Gorr also makes for a great story about what it means to be a god and what it takes to be worthy of the power of Thor.

Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness – Beyonder

The next Dr. Strange film is set to be the biggest MCU film coming out of Phase 4. It’s the first MCU movie to be directly tied to one of Marvel’s Disney Plus shows – Wandavision. There is bound to be loads of multiversal mayhem and most likely from the Scarlet Witch herself. What if Strange and Wanda’s journey through the multiverse catches the eye of the master of the multiverse himself – The Beyonder. The multiverse is already a wild concept and having the Beyonder thrown into the mix would just make it all the more fun. Just imagine, a cosmic entity in all his jerry curled goodness, tossing Strange and Wanda from universe to universe just to mess with them. It could lead to great visuals and another fun and unorthodox villain, which Strange would have to find a creative way to beat.

Black Panther 2 – Namor

There were hints in Avengers: Endgame that off the coast of Wakanda a series of earthquakes was brewing beneath the ocean. It could be nothing, but when it comes to the oceans of the Marvel Universe, Namor the Submariner is the only villain that comes to mind. Now, as most comic readers know, over the last decade or so Namor and T’Challa have had a bit of an ongoing feud. Atlantis makes a great parallel to Wakanda. Two advanced kingdoms with kings who had to fight for their thrones. The biggest difference is ideologies between Namor and T’Challa. It would be fascinating to explore how the two rulers think. Namor’s hatred for the surface world contrasts greatly with T’Challa opening Wakanda’s doors to it. There is so much the MCU and Ryan Coogler could pull from a battle between these two.

Captain Marvel 2 – Korvac

Carol Danvers made a pretty big debut as Captain Marvel. Between her and Wanda Maximoff, them Infinity Girls stay winning. Space is Captain Marvel’s playground and it’s about time we explored that some more. What better way to see what Carol’s responsibilities in outer space look like than a good old galaxy-spanning mystery to investigate. Micheal Korvac not only makes a great antagonist but a tragic one at that.

For this, the film should take inspiration from the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes cartoon more than the comic books. The MCU could have Korvac be a man kidnapped and experimented on by the Kree, giving him unstable cosmic power. After he escapes to find his wife and return home, he leaves a trail of destroyed planets in his wake. This causes Captain Marvel to investigate the truth behind Korvac while fighting the Kree and every other major alien race to get to him first. They could have some cameos from the Guardians of the Galaxy and possibly tease other future films.

New Avengers – Kree/Skrull War

A new Avengers movie hasn’t been confirmed yet but we all know it’s going to happen. After Endgame, there is no going back to small Avengers films. The team is going to have a drastically different lineup and what better way to introduce them than throwing them in the middle of the Kree/Skrull war. With Captain Marvel’s ties to the Skrulls, she could make a return to Earth to ask the Avengers for help defeating the Kree. This large scale universal battle would establish the kind of threats the Avengers deal with now and possibly the introduction of S.W.O.R.D. It would also be a way to show off Dr. Strange, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel as the new leaders of the team.

Fantastic Four – Annihilus

We know nothing about what the MCU plans to do with the Fantastic Four. But, this is my own personal headcanon. So, of course, I already have it mapped out. Kevin Feige, pay attention. I expect my check in the mail. It’s real simple, you see, the Fantastic Four movie should take place in the ’60s, with the team as a crew of astronauts set to depart on their first mission. However, their trip into space gets them trapped in the Negative Zone, where they manifest their powers, having to find a way to escape, and survive an assault from its ruler Annihilus and his army. Let’s just say that when they leave the Negative Zone and make it back to Earth, they don’t return to the time they left.

X-Men – Mr. Sinister

Pitching anything X-Men related is pretty tricky. If there is one thing the MCU has established with their version of Spider-Man, it’s that they don’t like to reuse villains that have already appeared in movies they didn’t make. And whew, have Fox already sullied plenty of X-Men villains. We’re looking at you Phoenix, Apocalypse, and Weapon X. If the X-Men do already exist in the MCU, then mutants have been in hiding and Xavier hasn’t formed his school yet. What would bring them together is a series of kidnappings orchestrated by one Nathaniel Essex aka Mr. Sinister. The MCU could really dive into mutant history, how they’ve managed to be kept a secret for years and Mr. Sinister experimenting on them for decades.

Blade – Shadow Colonel

Okay, so Jason Aaron’s Avengers run is very ambitious and pulls from all corners of the Marvel Universe. He’s even gone so far as to add unorthodox members like Blade to the mix. With Blade, Aaron also played around with the Shadow Colonel, the son of Dracula. The Shadow Colonel arc has a lot to mine from. The MCU could introduce Mahershala Ali’s Blade in the middle of a vampire civil war. It’s an interesting concept that would force Blade to navigate how to stop both sides. The Shadow Colonel might even try to sway Blade to his side with the prospect of ending Dracula for good. It would make for a hell of a way to introduce Blade and the vampire world at large.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – High Evolutionary

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is another one that is a long way off. After Avengers: Endgame, there are a lot of avenues for James Gunn to explore. Rocket Raccoon and Nebula receiving the spotlight in Infinity War and Endgame was unexpectedly one of my favorite things from those films. Gunn could dive deeper into those characters by making the High Evolutionary the main villain and creating a whole new origin for Rocket, the same way he did for Star Lord in Vol. 2. In the comics, the High Evolutionary has a lot of experience messing with genetics and animals and would fit perfectly into Rocket’s origin. He could also tie into how Thanos augmented Nebula, leading to a deeper dive into her past.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Sequel – M.O.D.A.K and A.I.M

These days, it’s almost impossible to tell what direction Marvel is going to go with an Ant-Man movie but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give it a try. Remember that black-market dealer who wanted the Pym particles in Ant-Man and the Wasp? Yeah, I understand if you don’t but what if he worked for A.I.M? And what if A.I.M had a new leader in the form of M.O.D.A.K? It’s only a matter of time before the MCU gets this weird and what better franchise to do it in. After Avengers Endgame, the Pym particles are probably the most wanted substance in the universe. M.O.D.A.K could be looking for a way to access time travel or the Quantum realm. This gives the MCU to explore that pocket universe a little more, including that mysterious city we see in the background of the Quantum Realm when Hank saves Janet.

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All speculation, all good fun. It’s going to be an exciting time when Marvel movies come back to theaters. Do you think I got it wrong? How about you? What MCU villains do you think are coming to Phase 4 and beyond? Sound off and let us know.

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The post Catch Me Pitching Villains: Marvel Phase 4 and Beyond appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://www.themarysue.com/pandemic-surges-trump-abandons-containment/

As states across the country continue to reopen, America is seeing an all too predictable spike in coronavirus cases. According to Johns Hopkins, COVID-19 has killed at least 121,979 people and infected close to 2.4 million nationwide. Now, both Florida and Texas revealed a dismal new daily record: more than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases this past Tuesday.

Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, addressed the alarming rise in cases in Texas cities like Houston, which is seeing numbers that rival Brazil, saying “The big metro areas seem to be rising very quickly and some of the models are on the verge of being apocalyptic.”

The US just had its third-highest daily #COVID19 case count. Ever.

More than half the states have rising case counts.

And the stock market ‘tumbled’ as infections spread.

Politicians took the first round and failed.

Time to put public health in charge.

It’s our only chance. pic.twitter.com/W1SqdhBYW3

— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) June 24, 2020

He added, “That is really worrisome and as those numbers rise, we’re seeing commensurate increases in the number of hospitalizations and ICU admissions … You get to the point where you overwhelm ICUs and that’s when the mortality goes up.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have both been criticized for following the Trump playbook and pushing for a speedy reopening of the economy at the expense of human lives.

Finally, Abbott announced today that Texas would be pausing their reopening in light of the surge. The governor released a statement saying, “The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses, … This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread until we can safely enter the next phase of opening our state for business.”

And lest you think this is solely a red state problem, California reported a record high of over 7,000 new cases in a day. Though there is a statewide mandate to wear masks when in public, it is a difficult rule to enforce. And while California, Texas, and Florida are three of our most populous states, COVID-19 cases are rising in at least 23 other states as well.

There is no mystery: refusal to social distance, then opening up prematurely, w/o sufficient test-trace-isolate capacity in place, w/o any PPE (yes, masks) for people, w/o plans to help people through this process, has left us with virus raging thru many, many states. 2/

— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) June 24, 2020

It’s clear that Americans are “over” COVID-19 and want to return to normalcy, a feeling that is echoed by the Trump administration’s complete abandonment of daily COVID-19 press briefings, their relentless push to restart the economy, and the refusal of anyone in the White House to wear a face mask.

And now, in the midst of this massive spike, the Trump administration is ending support for 13 drive-thru coronavirus testing sites at the end of the month. Seven of those sites are in Texas, one of the hardest-hit states. Responsibility for these testing sites will now shift to state and local governments already overwhelmed with handling the pandemic largely on their own.

From the man who says “I don’t kid,” Trump just ended federal funding for testing sites in IL & states that need it most—on the same day our nation saw one of its biggest spikes in #COVID19 cases.

Testing saves lives, but that’s worth nothing to Trump if the numbers look bad. https://t.co/1T8iLlNqcC

— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) June 25, 2020

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said of the move, “It’s pretty clear to me, and I think it’s clear to all of us, that with the uptick of cases, now is not the time to retreat from our vigilance in testing … I believe that they need to extend that federal support in Texas, at least until we get this most recent uptick in cases addressed.”

But despite these rising concerns, Trump and his cronies continue to pat themselves on the back for a job well done. Not only are they congratulating themselves, but Trump continues to hold his signature indoor rallies sans masks or any sort of protection, despite his own staff contracting the virus.

It’s not just that Trump has criminally mishandled the COVID-19 crisis directly costing the lives of tens of thousands, causing the suffering of millions and devastating the economy. It is that he has done it again and again and again, compounding his errors and their huge cost.

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) June 25, 2020

As long as Trump is in power, he will continue to botch and mishandle the COVID-19 response. He has made it abundantly clear that he cares only about his re-election. How many more people will die before we vote him out of power? And how many more will die until his sycophants and fellow Republicans face reality and do something about the pandemic?

The election is in 130 days. Register to vote, get an absentee ballot, and make a plan.

(via CNN, image: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

http://www.afronerd.com/2020/06/afronerd-radios-mid-week-in-review.html

My, My, My, these days are just whizzing by....well just like Bob Frank (ok...that's an obscure reference-just look it up).  Listen to the latest edition of Afronerd Radio's Mid Week in Review (MWIR) airing this Wednesday at 8pm eastern, thanks to the good people at BTalk 100.  The issues to be unraveled this time are:  just as stock racer, Bubba Wallace's NASCAR star appears to be rising, he finds out that the noose he discovered is not a result of a racist attack-at least according FBI investigators; in what might turn out to be evidence that Warner/DC is righting the course of their nerd cinematic voyage, the original Tim Burton-verse Batman, Michael Keaton could be putting on that '89 cowl again;  and speaking of the Batman film universe-legendary director, Joel Schumacher passes at the age of 80;  and in the aftermath of the Warren Ellis allegations, just what is the #ComicsPledge?;  like what Daryll "The Uncanny" always says-"I believe it when I see it"-iconic POC/blerdcentric comic company, may be even closer to returning especially after this special DC comics Juneteenth acknowledgement; okay, there's just a litany of Karens Gone Wild (incl. males) stories; thoughts about Apple TV's new Foundation trailer:



Oh and then there's still further evidence that DC only gets it right in animation....introducing the Superman: Man of Tomorrow trailer:

 

comedian/talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel may even have more in common with close friend, Howard Stern as he, too, is getting that blackface retro treatment; online retailing giant, Amazon gets slammed for serving chicken and waffles to their black employees in celebration of Juneteenth;  a part of Rhode Island's official name may be removed due to the state's slavery connotations and is this just one of many comeuppances for name changes and statute removals going forward? more black athletes are leaving Liberty University over allegations of racial insensitivity and lastly, a new Oregon bill might be the answer to Dburt's prayers-black people being able to sue because of false 911 calls (yippee!).  Call LIVE at 508-645-0100.


AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!!


or This link below.....
function openPlayer(s){window.open("https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/"+escape(s),"Player","height=630,width=940,modal=yes,alwaysRaised=yes")}

https://www.essence.com/fashion/fear-of-god-collaborates-with-barton-perreira/

Luxury menswear brand Fear Of God and the iconic eyewear label Barton Perreira have teamed up to create a pair of opticals.

This is something new for Fear Of God as the label steps into accessory design. “I didn’t know much about Barton Perreira until I started wearing opticals and went on a hunt for what was going to be the best shape,” Fear Of God founder Jerry Lorenzo tells ESSENCE. While many of us do not get to work with brands we wear on a daily basis, Lorenzo, who has an extremely popular label was able to snag a collaboration that he was invested in even before the partnership came about. “I’ve been wearing Barton Perreira for at least like seven or eight years,” he exclaimed.

The Fear of God x Barton Perreira opticals are a classic rectangular acetate frame that comes in five different color ways: black, ecru, champagne, khaki, and linen. Using Lorenzo’s signature natural earth tone hues, the opticals include light gradient wash lenses and are available in two eye sizes.

“For this particular piece, we drew inspiration from the Barton Perreira optical frame that Jerry wears in his everyday design process,” said co-founder of Barton Perreira, Patty Perreira. “We focused on modernizing the classic rectangular shape by using Jerry’s signature natural earth tone hues with light gradient wash lenses,” Perreira concluded.

This launch comes after Fear Of God released the “GF” tee earlier this month in response to the wrongful death of George Floyd by the hands of the police. Fear Of God collaborated with Union Los Angeles, Noah NYC, Off-White, Awake, Just Don, Denim Tears, Pyer Moss and Melody Ehsani on a graphic tee in which all proceeds were donated to Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter.

The Fear of God x Barton Perreira capsule collection is available now online and in Barton Perreira retail stores.

The post Fear of God Collaborates With Barton Perreira On Opticals appeared first on Essence.