Four Books I Hope Are Written About Marvel’s Black Panther Between Now and 2022

Attention, writers: three years is a long time to write these books:

  1. We need a serious media studies criticism book on the film phenomenon–how and why it happened, from both popular culture and propaganda-study perspectives, detailing Disney’s very detailed plan for worldwide mind control through eye-candy. The Disney-Sony dustup over Spidey would be an excellent coda.
  2. We need a book about the Africanisms of the film. Here’s where you would start.
  3. We need at least one more book about the history of the character in the comics: the 1988 miniseries, his leadership in and of The IlluminatiThe Ultimates, The New Avengers and, in 2018, The Avengers itself have yet to be explored. There is a brand-new ongoing Black Panther comic, just out tomorrow, where T’Challa forms his own SHIELD-like team. (Sadly, the team has a primate on it and Marvel’s answer to Tarzan, Ka-Zar; let’s hope Black Twitter is paying attention. 🙂 ) This is historic because it’s the first time T’Challa has had more than one ongoing comic.
  4. We need a book on the history of African superheroes/mythological heroes, those created by Africans versus those created by non-Africans.

A New Book I’m In About The “Black Panther” Movie

The official media material says:

Black Panther earns three Oscars. Since its inception Marvel Studios’ Black Panther has provoked and stoked a wide range of interest, and now that the blockbuster film is the recipient of three Oscars the film’s acclaim extends beyond the box office.
No, it didn’t get the top prize, but it was a barrier breaker as Ruth Carter was the first black woman to ever win in the Costume Design category; and another first for a black artist when Hannah Beachler took the trophy, which she shared with Set Decorator Jay Hart, in Production Design. Additional spice arrived when Ludwig Goransson earned an Oscar for the Best Score in a Motion Picture.
These awards and other nominations for Black Panther augurs well for populist cinema that is traditionally scorned when it comes to taking home the coveted awards, particularly an Oscar, which is Marvel’s first.
It’s a good bet the honors to Black Panther will not only boost the appreciation for populist cinema, it should also enhance the appeal of a number of products and projects such as Black Panther: A Paradigm Shift or Not? the forthcoming anthology at Third World Press, edited by Haki Madhubuti and Herb Boyd. “All of the celebration and awards for the film is nothing to thumb your nose at and we at Third World Press extend all our good wishes and hope we can do as well with our publication,” said Madhubuti, the press’s publisher and founder.
The anthology, which includes more than forty writers, film critics, scholars, and activists, has a timely appearance and should be able to reap some of the renewed media attention the film has sparked. Among the contributors are Nicole Mitchell Gantt, Jelani Cobb, Brent Staples, Abdul Alkalimat, Bobby Seale, Robyn Spencer, Diane Turner, Greg Tate, Maulana Karenga, Marita Golden, and Molefi Keta Asante, et al.
As may be discerned from the contributors the anthology is a compilation of mixed views and opinions―with both praise and a critique of the film. “The film has aroused a variety of conclusions, a wellspring of differences that we felt compelled to give them a forum,” said Boyd. “Like the film, the views expressed in the book are often very provocative.”

69-Word Review of “Doctor Strange”

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If you don’t care that you’ve seen this movie before (*cough* “Iron Man” *cough*, etc.), you will find it enjoyable and very funny. Marvel is sticking too close to its formula. This movie could have really delivered in a lot of ways, but chose to play it safe and instead color by (psychedelic) numbers. And I did enjoy the white female Ancient One, but I felt bad doing so.

So, With “Avengers: Age of Ultron” Checked Off, My Year Of Waiting Begins Anew For……..

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….”Captain America: Civil War,” which began filming earlier today!

Starring…well, almost everybody from “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron!” LOL! 🙂

And Watson from BBC/PBS “Sherlock?!?” WOW AND WTF?!?

And (SHUDDERS) Spider-Man?!? I repeat…..

Here’s the synopsis:

Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

WOW!!!! MAY 6th!!!!!!! Just 364 days left!!!!!!! 😉

Take that, “Dawn of Justice!” LOL! As they used to say in the comics, “Make Mine Marvel!” (Although, make no mistake: I will be there for the “Man of Steel” sequel as well 🙂 )

ADDENDUM: And then there’s THIS in 2018 and 2019! AAUUGGHHH!!!!!!!! 🙂

JUNE 3rd UPDATE: Enjoyed reading this, since it crossed over between Marvel and “Doctor Who.”