New Mutants, Old Problems

Will New Mutants save the X-Men franchise?

Finally, after a 2 year delay, Fox's last vision of its former X-Men property has an official release date for the long awaited superhero adventure New Mutants. Based on the popular comic series of the same name, the film will serve as a superhero coming of age, and horror mashup. However, judging from the delays and reshoots many fear that the film will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor Dark Phoenix, doomed before ever hitting theaters. With so much already set against it, will New Mutants be a successful film or will it be the final nail in the coffin for the franchise?

Originally set to have debuted in 2018, the film fell into development hell when Fox wasn't happy with the first trailer released, leading to massive reshoots. Things seemed to be back on track until Fox's acquisition by Disney which furthur delayed the movie release. As with Dark Phoenix before it, the constant delays makes audiences skeptical that the movie is even worth seeing, increasing the odds that the it will fare better on DVD than in actual theaters. There's also the obstacle of the film's casting. Ever since the casting decisions were announced, fans of the New Mutants comic were quick to voice their disappointment with the casting of the character Sunspot, who will be portrayed by actor Henry Zaga. Along with the casting of Alice Braga as Cecelia Reyes, both casting decisions raising legitimate claims of whitewashing. 

If the producers hadn't noticed racism tends to turn audiences away however, there still remains the possibility the film will be a critical success. Thanks to the Fox and Disney merger, New Mutants will be a part of the MCU. The potential for an explanation for how mutants will be introduced and incorporated into the universe may be enough to get theater seats filled. If the movie does well it may be the start of a new series of films eventually leading up the the young mutants making their way to the ranks of the X-Men. And then there's the character Magik who has has been a fan favorite in comics ever since her introduction, so fans are excited to finally see the live action debut. Most notably, featuring a powerful character like Magik can also contribute to further building this new universe. The new mutants can lead to the introduction of the X-Men, and Magik being a frequent collaborator of Dr. Strange can branch the team fully into the MCU.

New Mutants hits theaters April 13. Enjoy the trailer below and let me know what you think.

Hasbro vs DC The Fight of the Bumblebee

Hasbro is suing DC over the use of the name Bumblebee, leaving comic fans and the rest of the world puzzled and collectively scratching their heads. The toy company Hasbro has filed a lawsuit to block the sales of toys featuring the DC super hero Bumblebee who is currently a prominently featured character on DC's Superhero Girls animated series. On the surface it seems as if the case revolved solely around money but there may be other factors driving the lawsuit. The Transformers franchise has soared thanks a successful movie line prominently featuring Optimus Prime as the central character. However, as DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures prepare for the release of a spin-off series featuring Bumblebee as the protagonist conflict arises over usage of the moniker.

Aside from the name being most commonly being associated with an animal/insect, the lawsuit is highly peculiar being that the DC universe version debuted in 1976, as DC's first female African American hero.

 In contrast to Hasbro's Bumblebee which first appeared in 1986 being published by none other than Marvel Comics. In the DC universe Bumblebee is a character who has severed as a notable member of the Teen Titans. She has the ability of flight thanks to a solar powered suit, and can shrink to a microscopic size. The character was brought to life onscreen in the animated version of Teen Titans, eventually becoming leader of a second branch of the team. Currently the character can be seen in the animated Super hero girls (which success has branched into various spinoffs).

Maybe the lawsuit is all about money instead of trying to eliminate competition. After all, aside from the Bumblebee spin-off Marvel will also soon release Ant-Man and Wasp the sequel to 2015s Ant-Man featuring the shrinking, flying female version of Ant-Man ( sorry Wasp, but basically). Surely Marvel isn't thinking ahead and wants to their Wasp to be the lone size altering female. It's not like there is a live action Teen Titans being developed with chances of Bumblebee appearing on the small screen (oh wait there is).

While on the surface the lawsuit reflects the greed many companies exhibit when it comes to sales and profits, there is a bigger price at stake, and that is the erasure of one of the few prominent African American comic heroes that exists. While comic inspired movies and live action television shows continue to rise in number little of the characters are African American let alone women of color. Here's hoping that Hasbro drops the lawsuit, before losing on the grounds that either they can't patent the name Bumblebee, their character is younger, or for simply being a silly case. Until we know the verdict, fingers crossed that Bumblebee makes her live action debut sooner than later and that this  unreasonable lawsuit vanishes never to be heard of again.

Luke Cage: The Unlikely, Uncanny, Cultural Icon

It has been twelve years since Marvel  last produced a superhero interpretation featuring an African American lead, and with the arrival of Luke Cage many of us can stop holding our breaths and rejoice ‘it’s about time.’ Starring Mike Coulter, Luke Cage arrives on Netflix as the premier superhero for hire and in an age of Black Lives Matter protest and rampant police brutality throughout the nation Luke Cage definitely resonates a lot with today’s modern issues. Yet, undeniably the hero has always signified the struggles persons of color, particularly men, have faced living in America throughout the years.

            First created and introduced by Marvel in 1972 during the Blaxploitation era, the initial character of Luke Cage was at first a stereotypical, comic relief character. Today (thankfully) that isn’t so much the case. One thing that sets Luke apart from other heroes is the origin of his powers. The backdrop to his origin is that Luke, real name Carl Lucas, is sent to prison after being framed for possessing drugs. This parallels with real life events and the corrupt American  justice system which disproportionately gives harsher sentences to African Americans for crimes than it does white peers who commit the same offenses. There are some who would argue against this but look at the case of Brock Turner as compared to that of Cory Batey.

It is in prison that Luke selected by a scientist to be used for experimentation. This too parallels the troubles African Americans have faced throughout the years as it is an allusion to the Tuskegee syphilis experiments that were enacted on African American men who were tricked into believing they were receiving health care when indeed they were being injected with the disease. In the comics, Luke is enlisted as a volunteer, for money purposes, yet is never disclosed the true intent of the experiment. Due to interference from a sadistic guard, who enjoys torturing Luke, the experiment goes awry and Luke gains his enhanced strength and unbreakable skin allowing him to escape prison and return home to Harlem where he would eventually become the hero Power Man.

As a hero, Luke is definitely unconventional. Drifting from the Marvel moniker “with great power comes great responsibility,” Luke adopts the identity Power Man and becomes a hero for hire. This may seem outrageous in comparison to his heroic peers, but unlike those same peers, because Cage doesn’t traditionally “look” like a hero no one will take him serious as a one. This addresses the real life struggles countless African Americans have faced throughout the years; being just as qualified to perform a job duty, yet being overlooked simply because of skin color. Cage, however, does not let this deter him, and in the comics purposely creates a flashy outlandish costume to distinguish himself and draw attention to himself as a new bonafide hero to whoever can afford him. He in turns uses his powers for good, but more importantly maintains a way to support himself in a world not very supportive of black men.

Ultimately the greatest cultural significance of Luke Cage is his super durable and impenetrable skin. In an age of Black Lives Matter and rampant police brutality throughout the country, it’s no secret how handy having bulletproof skin can be, especially for a black man living in America. As Marvels first mainstream televised black superhero, Luke Cage proudly (and effortlessly) pays homage to the many lives lost to police brutality from the recent killing of Keith L. Scott to Trayvon Marton, who inspires the hero’s live version signature hoodie. While Marvel’s previously explored heroes are no strangers to taking on crime filled cities and corrupt police officers and politicians, Luke Cage is the first to do so while alluding to real-world scenarios and issues helping to solidify the character’s cultural appeal and impact.

*The first season of Luke Cage premiered on Netflix September 30, ’16 and within the first weekend caused the streaming service to crash.*