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newstfionline · 4 years ago

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Headlines

Juneteenth takes on new meaning amid push for racial justice (AP) Protesters marched over the Brooklyn Bridge, chanted “We want justice now!” near St. Louis’ Gateway Arch, stopped work at West Coast ports and paused for a moment of silence at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, as Americans marked Juneteenth with new urgency Friday amid a nationwide push for racial justice. The holiday, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, is usually celebrated with parades and festivals but became a day of protest this year in the wake of demonstrations set off by George Floyd’s killing at the hands of Minneapolis police. In addition to traditional cookouts and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation—the Civil War-era order that declared all enslaved people free in Confederate territory—Americans of all backgrounds were marching, holding sit-ins or taking part in car caravan protests. Thousands gathered at a religious rally in Atlanta. Hundreds marched from St. Louis’ Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case partially played out, a pivotal one that denied citizenship to African Americans but galvanized the anti-slavery movement. Protesters and revelers held signs in Dallas, danced to a marching band in Chicago and registered people to vote in Detroit.

Law enforcement families face harassment, vandalism, and threats at home (Washington Examiner) Law enforcement officers say they and their families face harassment and bullying by strangers and neighbors as a result of a nationwide crackdown on law enforcement following protests around the death of George Floyd. One former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, faces a charge of second-degree murder over the 46-year-old black man’s death. The episode triggered nationwide protests over police practices and some violence and looting. At the same time, police officers around the nation, facing scrutiny by local, state, and federal officials, say morale is down in local departments. Budgets have been cut, and overtime pay for shifts during protests has been slashed. And the homes of police officers have been vandalized while anti-law enforcement activists have watched them from outside. Paul Chabot, a retired deputy sheriff reserve out of San Bernardino County, California, who runs a website that helps officers relocate to police friendly municipalities, told the Washington Examiner that officers and their wives who reach out to him reveal their children are targeted as well. “It’s not the same like it was even just two weeks ago, three weeks ago, just because they’re a law enforcement family now. Their kids are being targeted by people in the neighborhood.”

The battle over masks in a pandemic: An all-American story (Washington Post) In this sprawling, heterogeneous country, the pandemic has become yet another thing on which Americans are divided. Mask-wearing for some people is an identifier of broader beliefs and political leanings. Like so many issues rooted in science and medicine, the pandemic is now fully entangled with ideological tribalism. This has played out before: helmets for motorcyclists, seat belts in cars, smoking bans in restaurants. All of those measures provoked battles over personal liberty. Now it’s masks and the coronavirus, with face coverings emerging as an emblem for what cleaves the nation. A flurry of recent studies supports wearing cloth face coverings as a means to limit transmission of the novel coronavirus, which causes the illness covid-19. To many people, masks represent adherence to civic duty and a willingness to make individual sacrifices for the greater good of public health. To others, masks symbolize government overreach and a violation of personal liberty.

U.S. Watched George Floyd Protests in 15 Cities Using Aerial Surveillance (NYT) The Department of Homeland Security deployed helicopters, airplanes and drones over 15 cities where demonstrators gathered to protest the death of George Floyd, logging at least 270 hours of surveillance, far more than previously revealed, according to Customs and Border Protection data. The department’s dispatching of unmanned aircraft over protests in Minneapolis last month sparked a congressional inquiry and widespread accusations that the federal agency had infringed on the privacy rights of demonstrators. But that was just one piece of a nationwide operation that deployed resources usually used to patrol the U.S. border for smugglers and illegal crossings. Aircraft filmed demonstrations in Dayton, Ohio; New York City; Buffalo and Philadelphia, among other cities, sending video footage in real time to control centers managed by Air and Marine Operations, a branch of Customs and Border Protection. The footage was then fed into a digital network managed by the Homeland Security Department, called “Big Pipe,” which can be accessed by other federal agencies and local police departments for use in future investigations, according to senior officials with Air and Marine Operations.

Barber offers hope in Peruvian barrios devastated by virus (AP) Once a week, barber Josué Yacahuanca makes his way up the dusty hills of Peru’s capital, heading into its poorest neighborhoods carrying a treasured golden briefcase that holds his life’s passion—five clipper blades, 20 combs, four scissors and a bottle with alcohol. Yacahuanca seeks out clients devastated by a coronavirus lockdown that has gone on for nearly 100 days in an attempt to stem the wave of new infections. He does it for free. “I want them to look in the mirror and see a bit of hope,” said Yacahuanca, who though just 21 years old is a veteran barber, having started cutting hair at age 13. Yacahuanca had a rocky start in life himself. Abandoned by his mother, he was raised by his godmother, Gloria Alvarez. Despite obstacles, he discovered a business savvy at a young age. He hustled at odd jobs, selling sweets, cleaning houses, working in outdoor markets and at a bus station.

Brazil tops 1 million cases as coronavirus spreads inland (AP) Brazil’s government confirmed on Friday that the country has risen above 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases, second only to the United States. Official data show a downward trend of the virus in Brazil’s north, including the hard-hit region of the Amazon, a plateau in cases and deaths in the countries’ biggest cities near the Atlantic coast, but a rising curve in the south. In the Brazilian countryside, which is much less prepared to handle a crisis, the pandemic is clearly growing. Many smaller cities have weaker health care systems and basic sanitation that’s insufficient to prevent contagion.

European powers refuse to back U.S. call for escalating Iran sanctions (Washington Post) France, Germany and Britain said they will not support reimposing sanctions on Iran if a U.N. arms embargo is not extended, but they urged Tehran to allow inspectors into sites where nuclear material may be stockpiled.

China unveils details of national security law for Hong Kong amid backlash (Reuters) Beijing unveiled details of its new national security law for Hong Kong on Saturday, paving the way for the most profound change to the city’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The much-anticipated legislation, which has provoked deep concerns in Washington and Europe, includes a national security office for Hong Kong to collect intelligence and handle crimes against national security, the official Xinhua news agency reported. It said Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam could also appoint specific judges to hear national security cases, a move likely to unnerve some investors, diplomats and business leaders in the global financial hub. China says the draft law is aimed at tackling separatist activity, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, but critics fear it will crush wide-ranging freedoms that are seen as key to Hong Kong’s status as a global financial centre.

Egyptian president says Libyan city Sirte a ‘red line’ (AP) Egypt’s president Saturday warned that an attempt by Turkey-backed forces in Libya to attack the strategic city of Sirte would cross a “red line” and trigger a direct Egyptian military intervention into the conflict. Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, in televised comments, said Egypt could intervene in neighboring Libya with the intention of protecting its western border with the oil-rich country, and to bring stability, including establishing conditions for a cease-fire, to Libya. El-Sissi warned that any attack on Sirte or the inland Jufra air base by forces loyal to the U.N.-supported but weak government in Tripoli would amount to crossing a “red line.” “Let’s stop at this (current) front line and start negotiations to reach a political solution to the Libyan crisis,” he said.

Ethiopia to fill disputed dam, deal or no deal (AP) It’s a clash over water usage that Egypt calls an existential threat and Ethiopia calls a lifeline for millions out of poverty. Just weeks remain before the filling of Africa’s most powerful hydroelectric dam might begin, and tense talks between the countries on its operation have yet to reach a deal. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew on Friday declared that his country will go ahead and start filling the $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam next month, even without an agreement. “For us it is not mandatory to reach an agreement before starting filling the dam, hence we will commence the filling process in the coming rainy season,” he said. “We are working hard to reach a deal, but still we will go ahead with our schedule whatever the outcome is. If we have to wait for others’ blessing, then the dam may remain idle for years, which we won’t allow to happen,” he said. He added that “we want to make it clear that Ethiopia will not beg Egypt and Sudan to use its own water resource for its development,” pointing out that Ethiopia is paying for the dam’s construction itself. He spoke after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan on the dam, the first since discussions broke down in February, failed to reach agreement.

Congo president’s chief of staff guilty in corruption trial (AP) A court in Congo on Saturday sentenced the president’s chief of staff, Vital Kamerhe, to 20 years of forced labor after he was found guilty of corruption and embezzlement of more than $50 million. His lawyers said they would appeal. Kamerhe, 61, has called the trial a political attack on himself and President Felix Tshisekedi, who has not commented on the case. The charges stem from what the court said was “unequivocal” participation in the embezzlement of money from projects undertaken by the president during his first 100 days in office last year.

#headlines #news

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thedcdunce · 6 years ago

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Arsenal

“Defending is one thing, annihilating an entire race is another.” - Arsenal

Real Name: Roy William Harper, Jr.

Aliases:

Red Arrow

Speedy

Lost Arrow

Deathstroke

Gender: Male

Height: 5′ 11″

Weight: 195 lbs (88 kg)

Eyes: Green

Hair: Red

Powers:

Cybernetic Enhancement

Abilities:

Archery

Equestrianism

Firearms

Martial Arts

Investigation

Music

Throwin

Weaponry

Leadership

Multilingualism

Weaknesses:

Drug Addiction

Equipment:

Electronic Pulse

Custom Bow

Trick Arrows

Universe:

Earth-One

New Earth

Base of Operations:

Mobile

JLA Watchtower

New York City

Titans Tower

Markovia

Citizenship: American

Parents: Roy Harper, Sr.; father

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Government Agent

First Appearance: Adventure Comics #246 (March, 1958)

Last Appearance: Titans Vol 2 #38 (October, 2011)

Powers

Cybernetic Enhancement

Abilities

Archery: Roy is a marksman of incredible accuracy. He is extremely adept at the use of the bow and arrow.

Equestrianism

Firearms: Roy is a master marksman and is highly skilled with firearms and various other ranged weapons.

Martial Arts: Roy has been trained in a variety of martial arts. Red Arrow has also been tutored in boxing.

Moo Gi Gong

Stick Fighting: Roy has shown to be skilled in stick fighting, as shown during his time as Arsenal, when he carried two eskrima sticks as one of his many weapons.

Investigation: Roy possesses keen analytic skills and deductive ability.

Music: Roy used to be drummer for the band Great Frog.

Throwing: Roy is highly skilled in the use of throwing weapons, and has used Bolas, balls, knives and other various weapons and hurled them with amazing accuracy.

Weaponry: Master of Moo Gi Gong. Roy is extremely proficient with a wide array of weaponry. He can take virtually any object and use it in combat as an effective weapon.

Leadership: Despite his occasional goofy nature, Roy has a serious side that has allowed him to lead teams in the past.

Multilingualism: Along with his native English, Roy can also speak also speak Navajo, Japanese and Russian.

Weaknesses

Drug Addiction: Roy has battled with drug addiction throughout his career. He originally became addicted to heroin but kicked the habit. Years later, Deathstroke secretly got the relapsed Roy addicted to a new high called Bliss via Cheshire when he joined Titans.

Equipment

Electronic Pulse: Red Arrow's suit is capable of emitting an electronic pulse.

Custom Bow: A carbon-copy of Green Arrow custom bow. While Oliver favors a more simple bow, Roy has constructed his own bow with more modern enhancements.

Trick Arrows

History

Arsenal is the current vigilante identity of Roy Harper, Green Arrow's ward and former sidekick. He has also been known as Speedy and Red Arrow during his long career. Though Arsenal has no superpowers, his accuracy with projectiles is equaled only by his mentor.

The boy who would become Arsenal was born Roy Harper, Jr.- the son of a forest ranger. Roy states that he "never knew his mother" and in fact does not even know her name. Roy Harper Sr. raised the child on his own for some time. Unfortunately, Roy, Sr. died while saving members of a Navajo reservation during a major fire when his son was barely two years old. The shaman of the reservation, Brave Bow, raised young Harper in gratitude for Roy, Sr.'s sacrifice. Under Brave Bow's care, Roy Harper was raised as a traditional Navajo and treated as a member of the 'Tachini' tribe.

Speedy

Brave Bow recognized in Harper an early talent for archery, and he was trained in that skill throughout his time on the reservation. With few friends and a lot of time on his hands, Harper practiced extensively, eventually developing the skill of someone twice his age.

After Green Arrow's public debut, Harper developed an immediate hero worship and followed the hero's exploits avidly. When Green Arrow visited the reservation in order to judge an archery contest Harper was participating in, eager Roy did his best to impress his hero, and succeeded in doing so. However, in the final elimination of the tournament Harper was given a magnetized arrow and missed his last shot. When he helped to stop a robber by quickly drawing and firing an arrow, Green Arrow noted that Harper had been "speedier" than he, and offered to take Roy in as his ward. Though publicly the two were known as Oliver Queen and Roy Harper, benefactor and foster child, in private Queen trained Harper to be his partner in crime-fighting. Roy Harper was extensively drilled in the use of both standard arrows and the trick arrows that Green Arrow had created for use in crime-fighting, and when Green Arrow judged him to be sufficiently skilled, he was presented with his own costume and the super-heroic identity of "Speedy", at the age of 13. Shortly afterward, Brave Bow died, and Oliver Queen became the only father figure in Roy Harper's life.

As Speedy, Harper assisted his mentor during many of his cases. Just as Green Arrow had become a member of the Justice League of America, so did Speedy find his own colleagues when he joined Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl to become the Teen Titans. While serving with the Titans, he and Wonder Girl began a semi-serious teenage relationship that later developed into a close friendship.

After his stint with the Titans, several events occurred that made Speedy feel increasingly rootless and abandoned. His relationship with Donna Troy failed to progress past the "teenage sweetheart" stage, the Teen Titans disbanded, and Ollie Queen, the closest thing Harper had to a father, lost much of his fortune and abandoned him to travel America with Hal Jordan and Queen's girlfriend, the Black Canary. Increasingly alone and extremely depressed, Harper developed a heroin addiction. When Green Arrow discovered his addiction, rather than give Harper support or comfort, Ollie punched him and kicked him out, leaving him homeless. He was later found by Jordan, and with the help of Black Canary and others, Harper quit cold turkey.

Though Harper quit drugs entirely, partly in order to prove his strength to Ollie Queen, the latter's actions had already driven a rift between the two that would take years to heal.

Harper worked as a counselor for teens with drug problems following his recovery, while continuing to pursue a solo career as Speedy. He also joined a re-formed Teen Titans for a time, but the team once again disbanded and Speedy was left on his own.

Government Agent

While counseling teenagers and working as a superhero, Harper's obvious skills as well as his personal connection to the drug underground attracted the attention of the Central Bureau of Investigations, a clandestine government agency largely concerned with drug trafficking and terrorism. The CBI, led by Sarge Steel, trained Harper in undercover work, as well as the use of firearms. Harper became an official CBI drug enforcement agent.

On one undercover assignment, Harper was tasked with the job of gaining the trust of the sociopathic mercenary Cheshire. Though Harper was meant to eventually turn Cheshire over to the authorities, the two fell in love and had an affair. Harper could not bring himself to turn Cheshire in, but he was concerned that his continued presence would endanger her. That worry combined with his growing misgivings over Cheshire's disregard for life caused Harper to abandon her, unaware that she was pregnant with his child.

When Harper eventually learned that he was the father of Cheshire's daughter, Lian, he teamed up with his old friend Nightwing to track down Cheshire and prevent her from assassinating a group of diplomats. Speedy was captured by Cheshire and poisoned but rescued by Nightwing. Cheshire escaped leaving little Lian behind, and Nightwing later brought the baby with him when he visited Roy, who was recovering in hospital, and Roy assumed the duties of a single father.

Arsenal

No longer a member of the CBI or the Titans, and still estranged from Oliver Queen, Harper struggled for some time to find his place in the world. For a time, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he attempted a career as a private investigator. Though he assisted the latest incarnation of the Titans on several occasions, he declined to rejoin as a full member. Eventually, he resumed his working relationship with the CBI and then its successor organization Checkmate.

During this time, Speedy's old friends in the Titans were going through a crisis of their own. After being hunted by the Wildebeest Society, led by Jericho, the team had been shattered and reformed. The Titans Tower, their headquarters, was destroyed, and the Titans were rootless and mistrusted by the American government. After making a deal with Harper's employer, Sarge Steel, to become officially supervised and sanctioned by the US Government, Nightwing voluntarily stepped down as leader. The obvious choice to fill the vacuum was Roy Harper, who had connections to both the Titans and the Federal government. Availing himself of Steve Dayton's technology, Harper decided at this point to abandon his identity as Speedy and become Arsenal. Now no longer simply using a bow and arrows, Arsenal's high-tech costume gave him several devices to use for crime-fighting. He would soon abandon his original Arsenal costume in favor of a more streamlined one, but retained his new codename and leadership of the Titans. Unfortunately, the team suffered from a lack of commitment from its various members, and was dissolved yet again.

Arsenal took this opportunity to re-open a dialog with his mentor, Green Arrow. The two managed to forgive one another and bury their past differences, but the reconciliation was short-lived, as Oliver Queen died in an airplane explosion shortly afterward.

Soon, yet another team of Teen Titans emerged. This group consisted of a teen-aged Atom and new heroes Argent, Risk, Joto, and Prysm. The team was funded by Loren Jupiter, once the benefactor of the original Teen Titans of which Harper had been a member.

Jupiter gathered together the original Titans to combat the threat of his bitter, super-powered son Jarrod Jupiter. New and old Titans joined forces to defeat Haze, but at a price; Joto apparently lost his life, and Arsenal felt responsible for his death. Arsenal remained with this new group of Titans for a time, but eventually left the group before it, too, disbanded.

Arsenal later came into conflict with Vandal Savage. Savage had discovered that both Roy Harper and his daughter Lian were his descendants, and thus, their organs were suitable for him to harvest to prolong his life.

Arsenal was able to save his daughter from Savage. After this ordeal, he adopted a new look to reflect his Navajo heritage. Shortly after, the original five Titans decided to form yet another incarnation of the team. Arsenal served as a full-time member on the team, and chose to reside at the new Titans Tower with his daughter, Lian. He hired Rose Wilson to be Lian's nanny, and also attempted an adult relationship with Donna Troy, but broke it off when it became clear that Troy was dealing with an identity crisis of her own. Arsenal, who by that point had established a reputation as something of a "ladies' man," went back to his philandering ways.

At roughly the same time, Oliver Queen reappeared, having been resurrected earlier by Hal Jordan. After Queen sorted out his own issues, he and Harper's friendship renewed.

Leader of the Outsiders and Red Arrow

When a mysterious conglomerate known as Optitron offered to sponsor the Titans and Young Justice, members of both teams encountered a cybernetic girl from the future at their complex. The android attacked both teams and disabled nearly half of the group. Those members who could team up to track down Indigo, but instead encountered a rogue Superman robot that Indigo had somehow reactivated. The Superman robot made quick work of Lilith, killing her by snapping her neck, and then killed Donna Troy with a heat vision blast to her chest. Though Indigo returned to shut down the Superman Android, the rest of the Titans and Young Justice were left to mourn their fallen friends. Once again, the Titans parted ways.

Arsenal took this opportunity to accept Optitron's offer and formed a new team: the Outsiders. Harper conceived the team as professional and proactive, with none of the "family" connections that seemed to doom various incarnations of the Titans. He began by buying a massive secret underground headquarters beneath New York City. Roy outfitted the shelter with state-of-the-art equipment and began recruiting members for the new team. He successfully coaxed the veteran Metamorpho, as well as Grace and Thunder into joining the team. He also decided to accept Indigo as a member. Even though she had been responsible for activating the Superman android, and ultimately for Lilith's and Donna Troy's deaths, her memory had been wiped clean, and she convinced Arsenal that she wanted to atone for what she had done.

Indigo's presence would prove to be a major sticking point for Arsenal's last recruit: Nightwing. The Titans' former leader was completely unwilling to renew his involvement in a team after such a devastating loss. Arsenal argued that the Outsiders were the next logical step for them beyond the Titans, and that perhaps a team of strangers would operate more efficiently than a team with so many emotional attachments. Nightwing, while still reluctant, agreed to join and became field leader of the Outsiders shortly after the team defeated Gorilla Grodd.

On a later mission, Arsenal was shot in the chest while attempting to stop Brother Blood from activating a global network of sleeper agents. He survived, but was sidelined for months. In the interim, he assigned the Huntress to be his replacement. He was hesitant to resume active duty, feeling afraid of his own limitations, but returned with encouragement from Nightwing.

Not long after his recovery, the Outsiders took on a case which involved a child-slaver and molester named Tanner. One of Tanner's informants recognized Harper from years prior, and led Tanner to Lian Harper. Lian's nanny was killed and the girl was branded with Tanner's mark. The Outsiders arrived just in time to save Lian and other children from being flown out of New York.

Oddly, Arsenal's near-death from gunshot wounds later saved his life when he met Deathstroke. The villain, Arsenal discovered, had been posing as Batman and feeding him information since the Outsiders began. Deathstroke and Arsenal fought, with Deathstroke intending to kill him, but when the mercenary discovered the bullet scars on Arsenal's chest, he figured Arsenal had suffered enough and gave him a "pass." About the same time, Arsenal was also kidnapped by Green Arrow's nemesis Constantine Drakon. Drakon was working with the Riddler, and slit Arsenal's throat so that he would have to apply constant pressure to the wound or die. The Outsiders helped search for Arsenal and rescued him.

During the period of turmoil known as the Infinite Crisis, Indigo was revealed to be a plant of Brainiac's, and almost succeeded in destroying the team. Later, Arsenal and the Outsiders were among the heroes gathered to defend Metropolis from an invasion by The Society. After the disappearance of Batman, Robin, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the Outsiders continued to operate, but found themselves handling low-level criminals and making little difference in the world. When Nightwing and Red Hood discovered that Black Lightning, former Outsider and father of Thunder, had been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, the Outsiders attempted a rescue. Ultimately, they failed in their attempt, and ended up believed dead by the outside world. Though the team saw this as an opportunity to operate covertly, Arsenal soon realized he was not made for the life of a cloak and dagger hero and left the team, returning full command to Nightwing.

Nearly a year later, after their return to active duty, the heroes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, decided to reform the Justice League of America, which had been disbanded during the Crisis. In a sign that he had finally "made it," Arsenal was asked by the three to join the latest incarnation of the team. In their first mission as teammates, Hal Jordan referred to Harper as "Red Arrow". Though Harper was surprised by this new nickname, he soon embraced the identity with the help of a new costume, given to him by his former mentor, Green Arrow. His new name and costume became symbolic of his "coming of age" and the end of his troubled relationship with Oliver Queen. Red Arrow continues to serve with the Justice League. Red Arrow later began an intimate relationship with Hawkgirl. The relationship later ended and Roy eventually left the Justice League.

A Cry for Justice and the Rise of Arsenal

Following Bruce Wayne's death in Final Crisis, Roy returned to the team after discovering that Ollie and his splinter Justice League have been hunting down and torturing criminals. After Ollie and Hal Jordan inform the JLA that the murderous supervillain Prometheus is planning a massive attack on the world's superheroes, the two Leagues agree to put aside their differences and join forces. Roy vouches for Batwoman's qualifications when she contacts the team, telling them that Dick has informed him of her skills. Roy briefly leaves to call Lian and Mia to wish them goodnight, only to return to the meeting room a few minutes later, savagely beaten and missing an arm. He collapses and goes into shock as the Leaguers desperately try to keep him alive. The person responsible is revealed to be Prometheus who then destroys Star City using a massive teleporter.

Roy manages to survive and is given a bionic arm and ultimately finds out that Lian had been killed by a teleporter, whereas Mia had survived. Roy suffers numerous emotional breakdowns and berates Mia for being unable to protect Lian. Roy begins to feel delusional after Lian's death and receiving his bionic arm. He begins to suffer hallucinations of his deceased drug buddy, Corey, who tempts him back into using heroin. After finding out that Green Arrow killed Prometheus, Roy is less than satisfied and states to Ollie that it should have been him to exact vengeance for Lian's death.

During Lian's funeral, Roy begins to hallucinate thumping noises in Lian's coffin. He runs away to take painkillers he stole from Doctor Mid-Nite's lab, only to be greeted by Ravager who attempts to comfort him. Roy then berates his friends and leaves stating he doesn't need their pity. At his home, Roy attempts to practice his archery but lacks his previous accuracy. While tending to his bandages, Cheshire ambushes him and states that Roy is a failure for being unable to protect their daughter. Roy then berates Cheshire on her parenting skills and throws her against a wall. Ultimately, Cheshire has an emotional breakdown and in a moment of comfort by Roy, they share a passionate moment and have sex. He then departs for the destroyed remains of Star City and, wearing his old Arsenal costume, beats up a group of men with knives.

While leaping off rooftops, he is haunted by Corey who continues to tempt him into his previous drug habits. Having run out of painkillers, Roy goes to a nearby alleyway and ultimately relapses. Roy drifts into a hallucinatory state where Lian is alive and well. The two of them are attacked by a gang of Prometheus's who Roy easily dispatches. Roy then looks up to find the Electrocutioner, and Roy is convinced he is trying to hurt Lian.

In reality, the Lian Roy was fawning over was actually a dead kitten and he had beaten down a gang of drug-addicts with the cat. Roy attacks Dick Grayson bent on protecting the Lian in his hallucination. Outclassed in every way he is beaten by Grayson, who places him in a rehabilitation center. Even in confinement, Roy mumbles to himself, speaking to his old friend Corey who taunts him about his slow descent back into addiction. Roy tries to resist, determined to reform himself, but is visited by a hallucinatory Lian saying "But I need you. Daddy, didn't you hear me crying for you?"

Deliberately injuring himself to alert some paramedics, Roy manages to escape the center, and sets off to break into the jail where the Electrocutioner, the accomplice of Prometheus who was directly responsible for Lian's death, is being held. Despite Green Arrow's intervention, Roy cruelly butchers Buchinsky with his knives, then burns away his house and all his possessions, becoming a dark, brooding vigilante enacting his brand of deadly justice on lowlifes and criminals, and re-taking the mantle of Arsenal. After Cheshire approaches him to help murder Deathstroke, Roy apparently double crosses her and joins Slade's new, villainous team of Titans, although Cheshire mentally congratulates him for his performance, revealing it to be a ruse. Upon returning to the labyrinth, Deathstroke reveals to them that his proceeding items were used to create a healing machine called "Methuselah" for his dying son, Jericho. After healing Jericho, Deathstroke claims the machine can also resurrect the dead, offering Roy and Cheshire the chance to revive Lian. Cheshire accepts, but Roy refuses, realizing that he had just been punishing himself for his daughter's death all this time, and that Lian is in a better place. Joined by Tattooed Man and Cinder, Roy fights the rest of the Titans in an attempt to destroy the Methuselah Device. The battle ends with Deathstroke escaping and Cheshire leaving, saying she wants nothing to do with Roy or the Titans anymore. Roy takes leadership of the Titans with Joey, and they both agree to restart the team and reform it together, taking it one day at a time.

Convergence

In Convergence, a year after Lian's passing, Roy has been living in Gotham, where he's been trapped in the dome over the city for the past year. Since the dome has been over the city, it has also deactivated all meta powers in the city, which included Roy's cybernetic arm. During the past year, he's also opened a children's home in Lian's honor, naming it Lian's home.

When the dome is opened and metapowers are reactivated, the city is attacked by Dreamslayer. Roy calls on the help of Donna Troy and Starfire, who have also gotten their powers back. When Roy gets his cybernetic arm back and joins them in battle, Dreamslayer presents him with an ultimatum: if Roy chooses to betray and kill Donna and Starfire, Dreamslayer would bring Lian back. Tricking Dreamslayer into thinking he'd do it, Roy destroys two poles which traps him, which gives him the chance to grab Lian before he has the chance to take her away.

Taking her back to his base, Roy learns that Dreamslayer grabbed Lian when she was at school, right before she died, meaning she has no memories of dying. Dreamslayer ambushes Roy in his cave, threatening to kill the Titans, who are now joined by Beast Boy and Cyborg if Roy doesn't take them out, Roy reveals that in the past year, he's weaponized Gotham in case something like this would happen, and he goes on to use his contingency plan to defeat Dreamslayer and his forces.

Later, the rest of the Titans reunite with Roy and Lian. Roy wants to continue to help with the battle, but Donna insists that he stays with Lian, and he watches them fly away as he hugs Lian.

Later, Roy is seen in the battle with the rest of the Titans against the Extremists and later Deimos.

Fun Facts

Harper has a Navajo tattoo band around his right bicep, as well as six bullet wound scars on his chest and a surgical scar running the length of his sternum.

Roy played in the band Great Frog.

Roy stated that he was twenty-two when Lian turned one. Lian's tombstone gives the dates 2004-2009. This would mean Roy was born in 1982 or 1983. Roy also states that he and Dick are the same age.

Roy mentioned that the part he enjoyed most about the holidays was volunteering at soup kitchen. It was here one year that he encountered a reformed Bromwell Stikk. He also noted that Cheshire would normally contact him before Christmas so she could spend it with Lian.

#arsenal #roy william harper jr.#roy william harper jr #roy harper jr #roy harper #Suicide Squad #Titans #justice league of america #jla #outsiders #Teen Titans #markovia #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce #red arrow #speedy #lost arrow #Deathstroke

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doomedandstoned · 2 years ago

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Ohio’s Maharaja Decry Addiction in Furious New Doomer, “Soulless”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

Artwork by Nicholas Schukay

I'll never forget seeing MAHARAJA at Ohio Doomed & Stoned Festival some years back. Though formed in 2013, I had not encountered the band's music until we put together our compilation Doomed & Stoned in Ohio in 2017. Their stage presence the following year was urgent and fierce, as the Gem City trio belted out powerful, lumbering chords and vigorous, entrancing rhythms.

A follow-up to their debut album, Kali Yuga, Maharaja now brings us the EP 'Aviarium' (2022). Its four tracks are bathed in a dark, hazy atmosphere. Savage, unhinged vocals intersected by hot, razor sharp riffage pulses hypnotically and sometimes stabs at you like a knife. Drums are wild and convulsive, often engrossingly tribalistic.

The cacophony of sound resembles to me the fluttering of feathered creatures, with guitar effects miming their chirps and cries (see the massive "Ballad of the Flightless Bird"). Lyrics bear witness to the slow deterioration of our social fabric as it is corroded away by isolation, depression, neglect, and a mélange of self-destructive behaviors. In short, the loss of meaning, dignity, and purpose.

Says the band:

This album is a definite move in our new direction towards a more aggressive sound. Lyrically and thematically, the album is about our home, Dayton, Ohio. Being inspired by real events as well as observational insight, the album converses drug addiction, murder, police violence, and the effects of living in a turbulent, depressing place. Sonically, we wanted to capture the weight and intensity of these elements: death, hysteria, tragedy, violence. Each song has its own story, terrible and true.

Before us is the first single from Maharaja's upcoming release, entitled "Soulless." Reverberating notes wake us up to a new reality. Drums dig in furiously as a barrage of fuzz surrounds us. Voices rail in pissed-off unison against this helpless hopeless hell sphere. Guitar feedback screeches with agitation, finally breaking into an array of rainy, dissonant chords, whilst bass and drums grind maniacally.

The song's meaning? Maharaja tells us:

"Soulless" is about drug addiction. It’s a song from the perspective of a person overdosing and dying. All the songs are inspired by where we live. Addiction is hitting everywhere real hard. As someone who has battled with addiction, I wanted to write a song that would harness what it feels like to chase death.

On a whole, the record is simply devastating. Maharaja's Aviarium drops December 9th in digital and vinyl formats via Seeing Red Records (pre-order here). Mix it with Conan, Torche, and Kurokuma on your next playlist, and stir in some Mr. Bungle just because.

This is the Doomed & Stoned World premiere of "Soulless."

Give ear...

Aviarium by Maharaja

LYRICS

Inversion. Bile out my mouth. Eyes rolling back. Grey matter pouring out. And then... It’s all over What have I done? Should I give in and die? Tame yourself. Your brain lies. Calm hands. I just want to fucking die. All my trembling insides pour out. And then... It’s all over Eyes wide, and then...

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#D&S Debuts #Maharaja #Dayton #Ohio #doom metal #sludge #post-doom #Seeing Red Records #D&S Reviews #Doomed and Stoned

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artjipson · 10 months ago

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Harmony Clash: Dayton's Sonic Showdown of the Bands

The 2024 Dayton, Ohio Battle of the Bands at The Brightside music and event venue (905 E 3rd St, Dayton, Ohio) marks a significant local cultural event that brings together diverse musical talents and showcases the vibrant local music scene. This annual contest has become a cornerstone for emerging artists, providing them with a platform to exhibit their skills, connect with the community, and…

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#Concerts #Dayton #Dayton Music #Dayton Music Scene #Dayton Ohio #Event #music #Music Contest #Music Events #Shows #Sound Valley #The Bightside

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popofventi · 4 years ago

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September Song 15: "Sunday Morning" by The Katawicks

"Sunday Morning" by The Katawicks

An Americana duo, The Katawicks from Springfield, Ohio won Dayton's Battle of the Bands in February and just released a new EP last week titled In The Pocket. “Sunday Morning” is song 3 on the 3 song EP. “Times are getting hard…oh lord, mama…times are getting hard,” lead singer Allison Justice sings. Lord, that’s true. I think there are only bigger and better things on the horizon for The Katawicks and their future.

Ventipop September 2020 Playlist

#Find New Music #Music Recommendations #New Indie Music #Katawicks

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artdjgblog · 4 years ago

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Innerview: Nathan Reusch / The Record Machine

October 2008

Art: DJG Design

Note: Interview for a series called "Where Are They Now?"

Over the years we have gotten to work with really great creative people. After doing this for five years we want to give you guys some more insight on who has helped be a part of this label and make it what it is today. First off we have an interview with Danny Gibson of DJG Design. Danny has always been behind the scenes at TRM. He has helped create almost all of our logos and helped us with a lot of art direction and design since the begining. He also designed our very first release for Jame Dean Trio. 01) Introduction I was at the historic first official meeting of The Record Machine held at McCoy’s in West Port of Kansas City, MO over half a decade ago. My say didn’t amount to much. I think my mouth was full as I was mostly positioned to eat free cheeseburgers. 02) How have you been spending your days? My days are spent. Creeping on the Crow’s Feet I find that time is more easily measured in flap jack format than ever before. Something big has always been beaming and beating and I find myself blind peeping to see how far back the dogs with prickly sticks in their mouths yip, kick and nip for my heels. I do beat the crickets up at 5 am Monday thru Saturday in order to pinch a bit back. Evenings and weekends find me down slide sliver squeezes as well. I engage in making things and find some peace through all the pieces with my maker in the act of doing so. The handful of women I share space with enlightenment my walk as well…kitties and wife. Walks are good too and Fall time is the best for comfortable living in Kansas City. 03) Where have you been spending your days or evenings? A bounty of selections from my basement is always on the menu. I’m easily entertained hunched over at my good ol’ door desk. In the mean time I appreciate the company of my wife, kitty hair on my clothes, celebrating all movies, well-tailored music that sometimes requires a third ear and high rise stacks of books and comics. For nourishment I scrape every pan and pot my wife cooks in. And I am the dishwasher. In the twilight occasion, a one scoop waffle cone of peanut butter ice cream at Miami Ice just down the street does me correctly. If I’m in need to see the stars or get away, the family farm isn’t too far off. 04) What has been in your ears? I love big chunks of ear wax. While rockin’ to the thunder that Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band brought at Sprint Center here in KC, I had a big chunk of ear gunk fall out and it was heavenly. I’m really tickled by the musical foundations a fellow basement dweller named Micah Buzan of Blue Springs, MO is cranking out. He is only 18 and one to watch. Other Kansas City area highlights include The Tambourine Club and The ACBs, who both not only crank out some great and fresh music, but are genuinely lovely lads and don’t boast at the art of playing “rock star”. Far out of this area…I’m excited to hear more from Empire of the Sun as the single “Walking on a Dream” is some of the best dance pop I’ve heard since Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album. Which, I’ve been rattling the rafters with that ’80s gold as well whenever I tire of the Samey So-So’s of most things current. Though, there are a few great new ones and “Evil Urges” by My Morning Jackets is my favorite album so far in 2008. And I can never get enough Bruce Springsteen in my diet. Every day and sometimes every minute of the day calls for a different selection from The Boss’s healthy catalogue. I’m also into the music of Suicide lately. Oh, and I’m quite convinced that Harry Nilsson is one of our finest song craftsmen as a handful of his albums have really been making sense to me and his range is all over the map. 05) What has been inspiring or refreshing to you lately? The work ethic, ideas, passion and output of singer-songwriters Harry Nilsson and Bruce Springsteen gets me going. I finished reading Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” for the second and one half times and it is gold. I like Michael Chabon’s writing and work ethic a lot too and am spending my second Fall in his books…the same with Flannery O’Connor. In terms of arts and crafts, Saul Steinberg, Henryk Tomaszewski, Eric Carle and Bill Traylor continue to get me to smiling. Oh, and I must hand out an exclamation to fellow maker Ben Chlapek of Neversleeping.com as he is involved with a lot of lovely creations. 06) Earliest Influences that you can think of? Farm Life / Giant Watermelon Patches / Giant Pumpkins / Grandaddy Long Legs / Dead Animals Under Bed / Homemade Stuffed Animals / Taxidermy / Seed Corn Packaging and Farm Implement Logos / Small Town Gas Stations / Uncle Ed’s Horse Drawing Skills / The Seasons / Fireworks / Animals Big and Little / Hunting / Dead Animal Backpack / Grandma Gibson’s Handmade Aesthetics, Checker skills, Sugar Cookies and Salmon Patties / Grandpa Gibson’s Burnt Pancakes and Old Western-Love Story Reading / The Sand Box / Tree Houses and Forts / Popping Asphalt Bubbles in Summertime / Snow Days / Hard Rains / Holidays / Fishing / Camping / Guns and War / Drawing WWII Battles with Dad / Raccoon Wall Paper / Puppets / Anything Jim Henson / Mad Magazine / Mad Balls / Garbage Pail Kids / Dr. Demento / Taping Music Off the Radio / “Live & Let Die” by Paul McCartney & Wings / Mom’s Record Pile / The Beatles / Oldies Music / ‘70s T.V. Theme Tunes / ‘80s Pop Music (Michael Jackson for sure) / Weird Al Yankovic / Ren & Stimpy / Pee-Wee’s Playhouse / Saturday Morning Cartoons / “Gummi Bears” / Comic Books / Tractor Pulls / Big Foot (Creature and Monster Truck) / “Star Wars” / “The Swiss Family Robinson” / “James Bond” / “Indiana Jones” / “Rambo” / “Commando” / “Batman” (Tim Burton) / Going to the Movies / Pizza and Tacos / Soda Pop / Flavored Frozen Pops / Kick Ball / Grandma Dayton’s Spaghetti / Racking Leaves and Riding to the Dump with Grandpa Dayton / Sports (Michael Jordan for sure) / Sports Team Mascots / Sports Stadiums / Collecting Sports Trading Cards / Skyscrapers / Cake and Ice Cream / Late Nights at Best Friend Ean’s Funeral Home House / “…red and yellow, black and white they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” / Being Alone / Cutting and Pasting / Falling Off a Slide, Hitting My Head and Blacking Out in Kindergarten 07) Best thing you have seen on a little or big screen in a while? P.T. Anderson’s “Punch-Drunk Love” is my favorite movie and I just took my 8th dip with it. My favorite 2008 movie and the best rockumentary ever so far is “Young @ Heart” and close behind for top of this year is “Be Kind Rewind” and “Son of Rambow”. This Fall and Winter look to boast one of the finest crops of films…I’m highly anticipating “The Road”, “The Wrestler”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “Synecdoche, NY”, “The Changeling” and many others. Other great watches of late (old and new) include “The Tin Drum”, “Hoop Dreams”, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “The Wicker Man” (1973), “Sorry, Haters”, “The Seven Year Itch”, “The Cars That Ate Paris”, “Don’t Look Now”, “Dark Days”, “Rat Catcher”, “The King of Kong”, “Alice”, “Dear Wendy” and “The Band’s Visit”. On the small screen, “Planet Earth” is mind-blowing worship that demands for me to invest in a projector for the future. In T.V. Land this summer I discovered and fell in love with “Beauty & The Geek”. I’m excited for the cool new sci-fi show with cool typography called “Fringe” and another season with the excellent “How I Met Your Mother”. Currently I’m backtracking through the entire series of “Sex & The City” and am absolutely loving it and can’t wait to get the movie! Oh, and the live Broadway production of “The Drowsy Chaperone” is gold genius and made me cry. 08) Last best show you have been to? Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band in Kansas City on August 24, 2008. It is the best show I’ve ever seen, even better than two previous Boss concerts. Sprint Center is now officially called Spring Center. I can’t wait for the Super Bowl half-time… 09) Any links to things you want to pass along? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYwhvD2-fYw 10) The Final Word? (one word only please) GRILLEDCHEESETOMATOSOUP -djg

#innerviews

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nuclearblastuk · 7 years ago

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NILE announce London show as part of 2018 European tour

The reigning Kings of technical, brutal and historically themed death metal Nile are pleased to announce their next tour in support of their latest studio album release ‘What Should Not Be Unearthed’.

In February and March 2018 Nile will embark on their ‘What Should Not Be Unearthed Part III Tour 2018’! The run will take the band throughout Europe -including one UK show in London at The Dome on 9thFebruary. The tour will also include appearances from special guests Terrorizer and Exarsis.

What Should Not Be Unearthed Part III Tour 2018

w. Terrorizer & Exarsis

06.02. DE Bad Oeynhausen - Druckerei

07.02. DE Essen - Turock

08.02. NL Tilburg - 013

09.02. UK London - The Dome

10.02. NL Leiden - Gebr. de Nobel

11.02. FR Arlon - L’Entrepôt

13.02. TBC

14.02. ES Bilbao - Sala Santana 27

15.02. PO Porto - Hard Club

16.02. PO Lisbon - RCA Club

17.02. ES Madrid - Copérnico

18.02. ES Barcelona - Razzmatazz 2

20.02. FR Marseille - Jas'Rod

21.02. FR Colmar - Le Grillen

22.02. CH Geneva - L’Usine

23.02. IT Brescia - Circolo Colony

24.02. CH Zug - Galvanik

25.02. IT San Dona di Piave - Revolver Club

27.02. SK Bratislava - Randal Club

28.02. HU Budapest - Dürer Kert

01.03. CZ Ostrava - Barrak

02.03. DE Annaberg-Buchholz - Alte Brauerei

03.03. DE Berlin - Columbia Theater

More on ‘What Should Not Be Unearthed’: 'Evil To Cast Out Evil' Official Lyric Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmX_lGwL1l4 'Call To Destruction' Official Lyric Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSVqclCr4fI You can purchase ‘What Should Not Be Unearthed’ physically HERE and digitally HERE.

Nile have some USA tour dates coming up with Soulfly in 2018 also: w/ SOULFLY 17.04. USA Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub and Billiards 18.04. USA Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live! 19.04. USA New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre 21.04. USA Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance 22.04. USA Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts 24.04. USA Greenville, SC - The Firmament 25.04. USA Tampa, FL - Orpheum 26.04. USA West Palm Beach, FL - Kelsey Theater 27.04. USA Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade 28.04. USA Knoxville, TN - The International 29.04. USA Wilmington, NC - The Muse 01.05. USA Pittsburgh, PA - Diesel Nightclub 02.05. USA Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall 03.05. USA Westland, MI - Token Lounge 04.05. USA Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom 05.05. USA Dayton, OH - Oddbody's 06.05. USA Joliet, IL - The Forge 07.05. USA Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall 08.05. USA Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze 09.05. USA Kansas City, MO - Riot Room 10.05. USA Denver, CO - Herman’s Hideaway 11.05. USA Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall 12.05. USA Jerome, ID - Diamondz Event Center 13.05. USA Seattle, WA - Studio Seven 14.05. USA Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre 16.05. USA Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre 17.05. USA West Hollywood, CA - Whiskey a Go Go 18.05. USA Anaheim, CA - City National Grove 19.05. USA Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre 20.05. USA Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Theater 22.05. USA Dallas, TX - Trees 23.05. USA San Antonio, TX - Rock Box 24.05. USA Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

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Nile were formed in 1993 on a shared on interest of Egyptian history, culture and lore alongside the ferocity of modern death metal. Using a symphonic approach to song writing and arrangement, Nile unleashed an uncompromising attack that fused technical death metal with organic Middle Eastern tones. Their unique lyrical bias was inspired by Karl Sander’s interpretation of ancient Egyptian inscriptions, temple carvings, papyri, hieroglyphics and tomb paintings depicting ancient battles, rituals and religious ceremonies.

The band have created numerous legendary technical death metal classics such as their 1996-debut ‘Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka’, the hugely successful follow-up ‘Black Seeds Of Vengeance’ and the 2002-release ‘In Their Darkened Shrines’. With critically acclaimed albums, EPs and several world tours under their belt, Nile have raised the bar for extreme metal bands musically, lyrically and conceptually.

More info:

www.nile-catacombs.net

www.facebook.com/nilecatacombs

www.twitter.com/nilecatacombs

#Nile #What Should Not Be Unearthed #Terrorizer #Exarsis

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glenngaylord · 7 years ago

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LITTLE MS. SUNSHINE - My Review of BATTLE OF THE SEXES (4 Stars)

I love the films of Hal Ashby, particularly his 1970s stretch which included HAROLD AND MAUDE, BEING THERE, SHAMPOO, COMING HOME, THE LAST DETAIL, and BOUND FOR GLORY. His best work felt so natural, yet you never thought you were watching a documentary. There was real art in his frames. I especially loved the sun-dappled quality of his images, how you believed his characters lived in their spaces.

Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, in only their third feature (!) since 2006’s LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, clearly have a love for Hal Ashby, and they expertly latch onto his aesthetic for the altogether wonderful, exhilarating BATTLE OF THE SEXES, one of my favorite movies of the year. Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) juggles a lot of balls in the air here and nearly sticks all of the landings. Set during the infamous 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, this goofy stunt of a game would somehow turn out to be a watershed moment in the women’s equality movement, and definitely one which paved the way for such highly paid and decorated stars as Serena Williams.

Of course, when you’re a hero, you don’t always recognize it right away. You’re just living your life. That’s when we meet a late 20s King (Emma Stone), who, as the world’s top tennis champion, gets interrupted at a function by her manager Gladys (a hilarious Sarah Silverman), who informs her that their current tennis tournament will yield the women players a small fraction of what the men get paid. In full activist stance, she takes her grievances to the head of the tennis commission (a feisty Bill Pullman), but he stands behind his sexist policies. In turn, Gladys and King break off from his association and start their own tournament.

Simultaneously, we meet Riggs (Steve Carell), former tennis champion, who at 55 has been reduced to working a dead end job with his father-in-law while hiding a secret gambling life from his wealthy wife (an assured Elizabeth Shue - welcome back!!). A man who lives for the hustle and a return to his glory days, Riggs zeroes in on King and challenges her to an exhibition match to prove that men are superior to women. What followed, as tacky and as silly as it could be, changed the paradigm. Ok, not completely. Sexism still rules and this film feels so current considering how an immensely qualified woman was treated by a boorish, racist, sexist pig in a certain high profile election. Regardless, Billy Jean King made history.

BATTLE OF THE SEXES takes its time getting to that match, like any good sports movie should, and delves into King and Riggs’ lives. On the surface, King was happily married to her handsome husband Larry (Austin Stowell in a beautifully understated performance), but a chance meeting with Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough, warm and perfect), a hairdresser, awakens sexual feelings in her, leading to a sweet, quiet affair. With so much at stake personally and career-wise, King feels the need to keep this relationship in the closet. Stone masterfully navigates the complexities of King’s circumstances while keeping her bold, brash, fearless and interesting despite the daunting situations. She fully inhabits King’s butch characteristics and I couldn’t help but be reminded of Jodie Foster. Stone nails this role. It’s a career best so far in her still young career and there’s no doubt she’ll get an Oscar nomination again this year for her stellar work.

Carell is equally mesmerizing and much more complex than the surface level buffoon he plays. He shares a beauty of a scene with Shue that makes you fall in love with this clown and the very perceptive wife who has had to put up with his nonsense. Carell’s funny-sad performance features comic highs such as his wonder of a speech at a Gambler’s Anonymous meeting and a beautifully shot scene at an escalator with his disapproving adult son, well-played by Lewis Pullman, Bill’s son.

In fact, this is one gorgeously shot movie. Linus Sandgren, who won the Oscar last year for LA LA LAND, also clearly worships at the altar of Hal Ashby. The film may be set in the 70s, but it’s not presenting itself in a campy manner. You feel the rhythms of hearts racing, every solar flare feels evocative of a time and place, especially in a great driving scene with Billie Jean and Marilyn, as their hair flies around with each gust of wind. Elton John’s “Rocket Man” plays on the radio, which, in the context of this week, gives it an odd meaning, but it works so well to evoke budding love and yearning in this moment. It’s one of those classic scenes along the lines of another Elton John moment, when everyone sings along to “Tiny Dancer” on that bus in ALMOST FAMOUS. A seduction scene in a disco as “Crimson And Clover” plays on the soundtrack has a trippy, woozy quality. I loved the use of an obscure Bach-inspired instrumental track called “Joy”, a long-forgotten early 70s hit and the images that accompany it. The film is shot with such energy. It has spirit. It’s alive.

Special mention must also go to Mary Zophres’ period perfect costumes and especially Judy Becker’s production design. She’s had practice with this era by way of AMERICAN HUSTLE, but I wanted to bow down to her simply for the coin-operated mini-TVs at the airport. We’ve come a long way baby!

The fact that BATTLE OF THE SEXES is a winning sports movie coupled with an astute look at sexuality and sexism, all told with a deceptively simple breeziness, adds up to one highly entertaining movie. Yes, it’s populist entertainment, but you feel for these people. Additionally, it has an incredible supporting cast. In addition to those I’ve mentioned, I loved Natalie Morales (PARKS AND RECREATION) as Rosie Casals, a wisecracking fellow tennis player who ends up playing a major part in the big match…complete with well-realized FORREST GUMP-like trick photography. Fred Armisen is distracting and slightly wasted in a thankless role as Riggs’ vitamin supplier, but it’s not a big deal.

Where the film goes very wrong is with Alan Cumming as the outfit designer for the women’s tour. Cumming plays a real life designer/tennis pro named Ted Tinling, who came across much more plain spoken than the BOYS IN THE BAND-level caricature Cumming brings to the role. It’s not that he’s bad. He’s actually commanding and memorable, but it feels a little unreal given the naturalness of everyone else’s performances in the film. Cumming also gets saddled with a terrible line towards the end of the film that almost sinks the whole soufflé. It’s horribly on the nose and hokey, especially considering it follows an extremely strong, wrenching scene of King alone in a locker room. Perhaps test audiences wanted a moment of catharsis for Billie Jean’s sexual struggles, but the reality, for me, proves far more interesting than the fantasy of a dumb summation line.

Luckily, it cannot spoil the good will this movie has in droves. Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs changed the world, and they did so with all the bravery and tackiness and show biz ridiculousness they could muster. King may have improvised her way through this part of her life, but the impact of her deeds still matters today. This joyous, wonderful film turns the silly into the sublime.

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blackkudos · 7 years ago

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Billy Strayhorn

William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, best known for his successful collaboration with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington, lasting nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take the 'A' Train", "Chelsea Bridge", "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing", and "Lush Life".

Early life

Strayhorn was born in Dayton, Ohio. His family soon moved to the Homewood section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. However, his mother's family was from Hillsborough, North Carolina, and she sent him there to protect him from his father's drunken sprees. Strayhorn spent many months of his childhood at his grandparents' house in Hillsborough. In an interview, Strayhorn said that his grandmother was his primary influence during the first ten years of his life. He first became interested in music while living with her, playing hymns on her piano, and playing records on her Victrola record player.

Return to Pittsburgh and meeting Ellington

Strayhorn returned to Pittsburgh, and attended Westinghouse High School, later attended by Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal. In Pittsburgh, he began his musical career, studying classical music for a time at the Pittsburgh Music Institute, writing a high school musical, forming a musical trio that played daily on a local radio station, and, while still in his teens, composing (with lyrics) the songs "Life Is Lonely" (later renamed "Lush Life"), "My Little Brown Book", and "Something to Live For". While still in grade school, he worked odd jobs to earn enough money to buy his first piano. While in high school, he played in the school band, and studied under the same teacher, Carl McVicker, who had also instructed jazz pianists Erroll Garner and Mary Lou Williams. By age 19, he was writing for a professional musical, Fantastic Rhythm.

Though classical music was Strayhorn’s first love, his ambition to become a classical composer was shot down by the harsh reality of a black man trying to make it in the classical world, which at that time was almost completely white. Strayhorn was then introduced to the music of pianists like Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson at age 19. These musicians guided him into the realm of jazz where he remained for the rest of his life. His first jazz exposure was in a combo called the Mad Hatters that played around Pittsburgh.

He met Duke Ellington in December 1938, after an Ellington performance in Pittsburgh (he had first seen Ellington play in Pittsburgh in 1933). Here he first told, and then showed, the band leader how he would have arranged one of Duke's own pieces. Ellington was impressed enough to invite other band members to hear Strayhorn. At the end of the visit, he arranged for Strayhorn to meet him when the band returned to New York. Strayhorn worked for Ellington for the next quarter century as an arranger, composer, occasional pianist and collaborator until his early death from cancer. As Ellington described him, "Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head, my brain waves in his head, and his in mine."

Working with Ellington

Strayhorn's relationship with Ellington was always difficult to pin down: Strayhorn was a gifted composer and arranger who seemed to flourish in Duke's shadow. Ellington was arguably a father figure and the band was affectionately protective of the diminutive, mild-mannered, unselfish Strayhorn, nicknamed by the band "Strays", "Weely", and "Swee' Pea". Ellington may have taken advantage of him, but not in the mercenary way that others had taken advantage of Ellington; instead, he used Strayhorn to complete his thoughts, while giving Strayhorn the freedom to write on his own and enjoy at least some of the credit he deserved. Though Duke Ellington took credit for much of Strayhorn’s work, he did not maliciously drown out his partner. Ellington would make jokes onstage like, "Strayhorn does a lot of the work but I get to take the bows!"

Strayhorn composed the band's best known theme, "Take the 'A' Train", and a number of other pieces that became part of the band’s repertoire. In some cases Strayhorn received attribution for his work such as "Lotus Blossom", "Chelsea Bridge", and "Rain Check", while others, such as "Day Dream" and "Something to Live For", were listed as collaborations with Ellington or, in the case of "Satin Doll" and "Sugar Hill Penthouse", were credited to Ellington alone. Strayhorn also arranged many of Ellington's band-within-band recordings and provided harmonic clarity, taste, and polish to Duke's compositions. On the other hand, Ellington gave Strayhorn full credit as his collaborator on later, larger works such as Such Sweet Thunder, A Drum Is a Woman, The Perfume Suite and The Far East Suite, where Strayhorn and Ellington worked closely together. Strayhorn also often sat in on the piano with the Ellington Orchestra, both live and in the studio.

Detroit Free Press music critic Mark Stryker concludes that the work of Strayhorn and Ellington in Anatomy of a Murder is "indispensable, [although] ... too sketchy to rank in the top echelon among Ellington-Strayhorn masterpiece suites like "Such Sweet Thunder" and "The Far East Suite", but its most inspired moments are their equal." Film historians have recognized the soundtrack "as a landmark -- the first significant Hollywood film music by African Americans comprising non-diegetic music, that is, music whose source is not visible or implied by action in the film, like an on-screen band." The score avoided the cultural stereotypes which previously characterized jazz scores and rejected a strict adherence to visuals in ways that presaged the New Wave cinema of the ’60s."

In 1960 the two collaborated on the album The Nutcracker Suite, recorded for the Columbia label and featuring jazz interpretations of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky, arranged by the two. The original album cover is notable for the inclusion of Strayhorn's name and picture along with Ellington's on the front.

Personal life

Shortly before going on his second European tour with his orchestra, from March to May 1939, Ellington announced to his sister Ruth and son Mercer Ellington that Strayhorn "is staying with us." Through Mercer, Strayhorn met his first partner, African-American musician Aaron Bridgers, with whom Strayhorn lived until Bridgers moved to Paris in 1947.

Strayhorn was openly gay. He participated in many civil rights causes. As a committed friend to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he arranged and conducted "King Fit the Battle of Alabama'" for the Ellington Orchestra in 1963 for the historical revue (and album) My People, dedicated to King.

Strayhorn's strong character left an impression on many people who met him. He had a major influence on the career of Lena Horne, who wanted to marry Strayhorn and considered him to have been the love of her life. Strayhorn used his classical background to improve Horne's singing technique. They eventually recorded songs together. In the 1950s, Strayhorn left his musical partner Duke Ellington for a few years to pursue a solo career of his own. He came out with a few solo albums and revues for the Copasetics (a New York show-business society), and took on theater productions with his friend Luther Henderson.

Illness and death

Strayhorn was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 1964, which eventually caused his death in 1967. Strayhorn finally succumbed in the early morning on May 31, 1967, in the company of his partner, Bill Grove, not in Lena Horne's arms as has often been falsely reported. By her own account, she was touring in Europe when she received the news of Strayhorn's death. His ashes were scattered in the Hudson River by a gathering of his closest friends.

While in the hospital, he had submitted his final composition to Ellington. "Blood Count" was used as the third track to Ellington's memorial album for Strayhorn, …And His Mother Called Him Bill, which was recorded several months after Strayhorn's death. The last track of the album is a spontaneous solo version of "Lotus Blossom" performed by Ellington, who sat at the piano and played for his friend while the band (who can be heard in the background) packed up after the formal end of the recording session.

Legacy

Strayhorn's arrangements had a tremendous impact on the Ellington band. Ellington always wrote for the personnel he had at the time, showcasing both the personalities and sound of soloists such as Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Ben Webster, Lawrence Brown and Jimmy Blanton, and drawing on the contrasts between players or sections to create a new sound for his band. Strayhorn brought a more linear, classically schooled ear to Ellington’s works, setting down in permanent form the sound and structures that Ellington sought.

Strayhorn’s own work, particularly his pieces written for Hodges on alto saxophone, often had a bittersweet, languorous flavor.

A Pennsylvania State Historical Marker highlighting Strayhorn's accomplishments was placed at Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh, from which he graduated. In North Carolina, a state historical marker honoring Strayhorn is located in downtown Hillsborough, near his "boyhood home".

The former Regent Theatre in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood was renamed the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in honor of Strayhorn and fellow Pittsburgher Gene Kelly in 2000. It is a community-based performing arts theater.

In 2015 Strayhorn was inducted into the Legacy Walk.

In his autobiography and in a spoken word passage in his Second Sacred Concert, Duke Ellington listed what he considered Strayhorn's "four major moral freedoms": "freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity (even through all the pain and bad news); freedom from fear of possibly doing something that might possibly help another more than it might himself and freedom from the kind of pride that might make a man think that he was better than his brother or his neighbor."

Discography

For albums where Strayhorn arranged or performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra see Duke Ellington discography

Great Times! (Mercer, 1950) - piano duets with Duke Ellington

Cue for Saxophone (Felsted, 1959) - Johnny Hodges small-group session released under Strayhorn's name

The Peaceful Side (United Artists, 1961) - Small group sessions recorded in Paris. This was the only Lp released by Strayhorn during his life where he had complete artistic control; other Lps released under Strayhorn's name while he was alive (such as "Cue for Saxophone" on the Felstead label and "Billy Strayhorn!!! Live!!!" on the Roulette label) were released under Strayhorn's name for contractual reasons.

Lush Life (Red Baron, 1992) - composed mostly of 1965 studio recordings of a small group featuring Strayhorn, Clark Terry, and Bob Wilber. The group had played these arrangements at a tribute concert on June 6, 1965 at the New School for Social Research in New York City which was organized by the Duke Ellington Society. The CD also has two Strayhorn-composed tracks recorded live in 1961 at a Duke Ellington show at the Basin Street East club in New York, and a handful of studio duets by Strayhorn and singer Ozzie Bailey and piano solos by Strayhorn.

As arranger

Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra (Verve, 1962)

As sideman

With Johnny Hodges

Castle Rock (Norgran, 1951 [1955])

Creamy (Norgran, 1955)

Ellingtonia '56 (Norgran, 1956)

Duke's in Bed (Verve, 1956)

The Big Sound (Verve, 1957)

Blues-a-Plenty (Verve, 1958)

Not So Dukish (Verve, 1958)

Wikipedia

#Billy Strayhorn #11-29 #05-31

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