Comic Years |
- 4400 Series Premiere: Missing Man Formation
- Fortnite Shutting Down In China After Three-Year Run
- Who Is Cyclone? A Look At The Characters In DC’s Upcoming Black Adam Movie
- Netflix’s Live Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Casting Call For Iroh, Azula
- Who Is Atom Smasher? A Look At The Characters In DC’s Upcoming Black Adam Movie
| 4400 Series Premiere: Missing Man Formation Posted: 03 Nov 2021 09:38 AM PDT As much guff as I give Hollywood for its love of endless reboots, I don’t actually mind it that much. I don’t want nothin’ but reboots, but they’re not all bad. (I say, controversially.) Really, I think of them like song covers. The best of them can illuminate the original material, making you connect with it in a way you didn’t before. (See also: Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt.” Or Jimi Hendrix doing “All Along the Watchtower.”) And even if they don’t reach those heights, they can still be entertaining. So with that in mind, I checked out the series premiere of 4400. Then I checked out another episode, just to be sure. 4400 Is…So Many PeopleAs I just alluded, 4400 (airing on The CW) is a reboot (of the USA series The 4400). However, I was and am still only vaguely aware of the original series. Basically, all I know is missing people came back. Is it aliens? Government stuff? A massive time travel cult? Don’t know. What I do know, though, is that’s exactly the framework with which we begin this reboot. The show first introduces us to Shanice Murray (Brittany Adebumola), an attorney living in 2005. She’s just going back to work after maternity leave when she goes missing. And she’s literally going back to work when she goes missing–she’s in her car when she sees a bright green flash.  image via The CW The next thing Shanice knows, she’s at Belle Isle, a park in Detroit, with 4399 other people. All of them are confused about where they are and how they got there. Unlike Shanice, many of them aren’t from Detroit. And all of them are from different points in time. Almost immediately, the government rolls in and scoops them all up. Corralling them at a hotel, the government agents (and especially the guards) treat the group as hostile. At the very least, they’re acting as if this is a massive security threat. And maybe it is, because no one, including the returned, knows what the heck happened. What they do know, however, is that some of them have come back with some fancy new powers. Mildred (Autumn Best), for instance, is now telekinetic. Claudette (Jaye Ladymore) heals almost instantly. And Noah (Theo Germaine) can influence people with song. Strangely enough, his power doesn’t work on the rest of the 4400–only us boring people who didn’t go unstuck in time. 4400 Series PremiereFor the purposes of evaluation, I watched the first two episodes, “Past Is Prologue” and “All Things Are Possible.” Sometimes, with things like the Chucky TV show premiere, it’s easy to get the gist from one episode. He’s a doll, he kills people. However, with a show like this, obviously the narrative is a bit more complicated. So once I watched the pilot, I didn’t feel as if I had enough information yet. We had just barely begun to dig into the story, after all. In fact, in the pilot, we mostly get Shanice’s story, with brief glimpses of others. Watching the second episode, though, it’s clear that the show intends to parcel out information about other characters, both the missing and the not, as it goes. This includes social worker Jharrel Mateo (Joseph David-Jones). The returned draw his interest not only as a social worker, but as a person, because his brother has also gone missing. Jharrel’s brother isn’t part of the 4400, but there are hints that at least one or more of them had or have some contact with him.  image via The CW And that mystery is the kind of thing that will keep me coming back. So is the social aspect, for that matter. It’s no coincidence that so many of the 4400 are folks who didn’t exactly have the easiest path during their lives and times. It’ll be interesting to see what has gotten better for them in 2021 and what hasn’t. On that note, let’s talk about some of the weaker aspects of the first two episodes. The dialogue, for example, can be a little unnatural. Further, I struggled with the super-aggression of the guards. It both seems realistic, as I’ve seen how police react to certain kinds of protests, and a little cartoonish. Again, though, I’ve seen only two episodes, so there’s still time for the show to really find its groove. It’s pretty good so far, but I can’t wait to see where the future takes it. 4400 is now airing on The CW on Monday nights.Did you check out the 4400 series premiere? Tell us what you thought on our social media or in these comments. featured image via The CW 4400 Series Premiere: Missing Man Formation  |
| Fortnite Shutting Down In China After Three-Year Run Posted: 03 Nov 2021 06:39 AM PDT Before even becoming a full version of itself, Fortnite is a no-go for China. The game Fortnite China was an abbreviated experience in line with China’s video game policies and media standards. Epic Games doesn’t always like having to abide by others’ rules and expectations, but China is too big of a market to ignore. While the country is gearing up to really crack down on new orders against gaming, as well as continued bans on microtransactions. For more on the story, here’s what you need to know about Fortnite shutting down in China and what it means for the game’s growth. Why is Fortnite Shutting Down in China? Image Credit: Epic Games Per Fortnite China‘s website, the Chinese version of the game will shut down on November 15. Epic Games originally launched a Chinese version of the battle royale megahit in 2018. To assist with Chinese media standards, developer Tencent, whose game Genshin Impact earns daily revenue near $6 million a day, partnered with the company to bring Fortnite to China. The decision is ostensibly two-fold. Firstly, China is set to start enforcing restrictions on how many hours minors can play video games. Fortnite has many fans, but they tend to skew younger, which harms the game’s chances in China. Secondly, and more importantly, Fortnite is a free-to-play game that earns its revenue on microtransactions. China’s rules against microtransactions feature heavy stipulations that forbade Fortnite China from charging anything in-game to players. An Epic spokesperson had little to offer in their statement, explaining “thank you to all the Fortnite China players who have ridden the Battle Bus with us by participating in the Beta.” With 350 million registered players, a Chinese market could have meant continued growth for the game and Epic Games as a company. Instead, the multiplayer shooter will need to continue efforts in other parts of the world. The developer really made strides to fit into China’s game standards for this specific version. Things like the removal of skulls in-game offered minor attempts to appease national guidelines. The largest change, however, impacted the entire lore of Fortnite. In the game, it’s canon that the battle royale actually takes place in a simulation. This means that you’re not actually “dying” when you die. Rather, your hologram is eliminated from the training ground. This shift was an attempt to make the game less violent for Chinese markets. Fortnite Chugs Along Elsewhere in Season 8 Image Credit: Epic Games In places where you can play the game, Fortnite Season 8 keeps moving forward. The season’s focus on alien cubes that spread darkness across the map is a fairly solid concept. The inclusion of a new area, The Sideways, helped expand the game without a major overhaul. And, of course, pop-up events in the game like The Universal Monsters continue to expand the game’s pop culture reach. If you’re still playing Fortnite and have thoughts on the game shutting down in China, then let us know in the comments! Thanks for reading Comic Years for all things gaming, comics, and pop culture. Featured Image Credit: Epic Games Fortnite Shutting Down In China After Three-Year Run  |
| Who Is Cyclone? A Look At The Characters In DC’s Upcoming Black Adam Movie Posted: 03 Nov 2021 03:41 AM PDT Last year's DC Fandome introduced viewers to the Black Adam panel, something that Dwayne Johnson has been working with DC and Warner Bros. on for more than a decade. The movie was originally supposed to come out later this year, but thanks to several delays, it's now coming out summer of next year. Well, we can now legitimately feel excited because this year's DC Fandome not only gave us a glimpse of the actors and actresses involved in the movie, but we also got to see the first look teaser trailer! It looks amazing, but it also left me wondering…who are these new DC characters? In this series of posts, I'll be looking at these obscure DC characters, although it's likely they'll soon become household names. So first off, who is Cyclone? Who Is Cyclone And What Are Her Powers?Cyclone (alias Maxine Hunkel) will be played by non-binary actor Quintessa Swindell. She is the granddaughter of Abigail "Ma" Hunkel, the original Red Tornado, as well as a member of the Justice Society. Side note: Abigail “Ma” Hunkel was actually a superhero parody and the first cross-dressing heroine, so it’s ver cool that Swindell is playing her granddaughter. Maxine’s Cyclone received her powers after being kidnapped by T.O. Morrow, a mad scientist who actually created the android version of Red Tornado. Morrow infects Maxine with "nanobytes" that are the source of her powers, which includes wind manipulation and the ability to mentally summon cyclones and whirlwinds. She can project powerful bursts of air and fly by riding on wind currents. She can also control sound current, mainly by gathering and sending sound waves. The Beginnings of Cyclone Abigail “Ma” Hunkel and Cyclone/Image via DC Comics Cyclone was created by Mark Waid, Alex Ross, Geoff Johns, and Dale Eaglesham, and an iteration of her first appeared in Kingdom Come #2 (published in 1996). She was actually not known as Maxine Hunkel until Justice Society of America #1, which was actually published a decade later. Johns and Ross had talked amongst themselves and decided that the Maxine character from Justice Society of America #1 would be the younger version of the Kingdom Come #2 version. Maxine Hunkel sounds like an overall awesome person though (I'd love to be her friend!). She's cheerful, bubbly, and very smart (4.0 GPA and 1300 SAT score, holla!), and is obsessed with The Wizard of Oz and all related works, such as the musical Wicked. Unfortunately, many didn't appreciate her amazingness and Hunkel was often ostracized, which resulted in atypical depression. As she reaches adulthood, her powers start to appear and she eventually gets to join the Justice Society. The Cyclone character also appeared as an alternate reality version of herself in the Trinity series, where she's a member of the time-altered Justice Society International. Cyclone and Black Adam don't actually appear to have storylines together, but given that Black Adam is going to introduce the Justice Society to fans, it makes sense that she would be part of the movie. In case you haven't seen the teaser for Black Adam from DC Fandome, check it out below: Black Adam is coming to theaters July 29, 2022 thanks to Dwayne Johnson's Instagram. What do you think of Cyclone as a character and what do you think her relationship to Black Adam will be like? Let us know in the comments below! Featured image via DC Comics Who Is Cyclone? A Look At The Characters In DC's Upcoming Black Adam Movie  |
| Netflix’s Live Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Casting Call For Iroh, Azula Posted: 03 Nov 2021 12:09 AM PDT When Netflix first announced that they were working on a live action reboot of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans met the news with some trepidation. After all, we were still trying to recover from the awful nightmare that was M. Night Shyamalan’s live action version. Netflix assured everyone that the show would remain true to the cartoon and they were even going to work with the original directors and creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Unfortunately, that fell through, but Netflix still powered on. They announced the main cast this past August and…it actually looks pretty good. The actors playing Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko are all of various Asian backgrounds and they’re pretty close to the actually ages of the characters. Now, it seems like the live action Avatar casting call is out, this time for important supporting roles such as Iroh and Azula. What’s The Latest Update On The Live Action Avatar Casting Call?According to “rumor” blog The Illuminerdi, Netflix is currently looking for six additional roles. They listed a bunch of descriptions, which you can see below: Casting For Uncle Iroh?
There’s a call for an East Asian male actor in his 50s or 60s who is believed to be Zuko’s Uncle Iroh. According to the character description, he is a former top athletics coach who is now retired and “takes the time to smell the roses and taste the pleasures in life.” Casting For Fire Lord Ozai?
Another character casting call sounds like Zuko’s father, Firelord Ozai. The description calls for an East Asian man in his 40s, who is described as the intense CEO of a major corporation with perfectionist standards that he believes everyone around him should live up to. He is also known for being willing to sacrifice everything for power, including his marriage, while grooming his children to adopt his ruthless personality and views on the world. Casting For Princess Azula?
A third casting description is looking for a 15 to 16-year-old actress of East Asian heritage who is believed to be Princess Azula. The character description taps her as a single-minded and ambitious young woman, who has been training her entire life to live up to her father’s legacy. The character is also known for exerting her ruthlessness toward anyone she sees as competition, including members of her own family. Other roles in the process of being cast include an East Asian man in his 60s, who will serve as a recurring guest star and could be the character Gyatso or maybe Roku; an East Asian man in his 40s who will portray a recurring guest star (please be the Cabbage Man!); and a series regular character that is appropriate for a man in his 30s of East Asian heritage and is described as having first enlisted in the Navy when he was a teenager. This could potentially be Fire Nation Navy officer Admiral Zhao. There’s no release date for the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender, but you can watch the entire series on Netflix.What do you think of the live action Avatar casting call, especially for characters like Iroh and Azula? Let us know in the comments below! Featured image via Nickelodeon Netflix’s Live Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Casting Call For Iroh, Azula  |
| Who Is Atom Smasher? A Look At The Characters In DC’s Upcoming Black Adam Movie Posted: 02 Nov 2021 01:46 PM PDT Last year's DC Fandome introduced viewers to the Black Adam panel, something that Dwayne Johnson has been working with DC and Warner Bros. on for more than a decade. The movie was originally supposed to come out later this year, but thanks to several delays, it's now coming out summer of next year. Well, we can now legitimately feel excited because this year's DC Fandome not only gave us a glimpse of the actors and actresses involved in the movie, but we also got to see the first look teaser trailer! It looks amazing, but it also left me wondering…who are these new DC characters? In this series of posts, I'll be looking at these obscure DC characters, although it's likely they'll soon become household names. So first off, who is Atom Smasher? Who Is Atom Smasher And What Are His Powers?Atom Smasher (alias Albert Rothstein) will be played by Noah Centineo (of To All The Boys I Loved Before fame and future He-Man). He is the godson of Al Pratt, the Atom from the Golden Age of Comics, and gained his superpowers from his grandfather, who was a reluctant supervillain known as Cyclotron. He actually first started out as the superhero Nuklon but later changed his name to Atom Smasher after joining the Justice Society. He has super strength and is able to grow to extreme heights thanks to his ability to manipulate his molecules. He's already a pretty big guy (7 feet, 6 inches, although some iterations have him at more normal size), and his strength and density increase proportionally to whatever size he chooses. In JSA #75, it was explained that his muscles and bones break and reform as they grow so he can reach these extreme heights. While there isn't an exact limit to how big Atom Smasher can get, the DC Encyclopedia says that he can reach up to 60 feet. In his normal human form, Rothstein is a skilled pilot and mechanic, and would often be seen manning the Justice Society's jet, the Steel Eagle. The Beginnings of Atom Smasher Atom Smasher in Justice League Unlimited/Image via Warner Bros. Television Atom Smasher was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, and first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 (published in September 1983). His original name was Nuklon and he was a member of Infinity, Inc., which is a team of superheroes mainly made up of the children and heirs of the Justice Society. Later, Nuklon was accepted into the Justice Society and decided to change his name to Atom Smasher. Atom Smasher first encounters Black Adam in the Justice Society and they develop a rivalry because Rothstein doesn't believe Black Adam has actually reformed himself. Eventually they develop a friendship and end up quitting the Justice Society together because of what they believe are questionable moral boundaries within the group. They end up dishing out their version of "justice" across the Middle East; later Atom Smasher rejoins the Justice Society after Black Adam goes on a murderous rampage, although in the end, he can't condemn his friend. Their relationship sounds complicated, but I'm excited to see how it'll play out in Black Adam. In case you haven't seen the teaser for Black Adam from DC Fandome, check it out below: Black Adam is coming to theaters July 29, 2022 thanks to Dwayne Johnson's Instagram. What do you think of Atom Smasher as a character? Let us know in the comments below! Featured image via DC Comics Who Is Atom Smasher? A Look At The Characters In DC's Upcoming Black Adam Movie  |
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