#J Michael Straczynksi

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[worldcomics51]

Disastro alla Marvel: Straczynksi torna a scrivere Spider-Man

A volte ritornano e nel mondo del fumetto Usa questa espressione ha il brutto vizio di confermarsi fin troppo spesso. Capita così di leggere, tra le anticipazioni delle uscite Marvel Comics di agosto 2024 che J. Michael Straczynski tornerà a scrivere l’Uomo Ragno in una miniserie di cinque numeri dal titolo Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood, ovvero L’Uomo Ragno: Abito Nero e Sangue. Per chi non lo…

[shadowen]

"Ask ten different scientists about the environment, population control, genetics, and you'll get ten different answers, but there's one thing every scientist on the planet agrees on. Whether it happens in a hundred years or a thousand years or a million years, eventually our Sun will grow cold and go out.

"When that happens, it won't just take us. It'll take Marilyn Monroe, and Lao-Tzu, and Einstein, and Morobuto, and Buddy Holly, and Aristophanes, and - all of this - all of this - was for nothing. Unless we go to the stars."

Babylon 5. Season 1, Episode 4: Infection. Written by J. Michael Straczynksi

[thanatophobia-thoughts]

I haven’t done a comic recommendation is a while, admittedly because I slowed down on reading them, but now that my library is in order and I can find things again, I’ve been reading them.

So today let’s talk about the comic Moth by J. Michael Straczynksi and Mike Choi.

It’s a part of a wider universe in which “The Resistance” comics are based – I may have to read those. The Resistance, and Moths, is based in a universe post-pandemic (sound familiar?) where people get superpowers. There are those called the Reborn who are like your typical superheroes, and then there’s Moths.

Moths can choose to activate their powers.

Once they do, they have six months to live.

Spoiler Alert: the main character, Emily, does not find her way out of this. Spoilers from this point forward.

Moths obviously addresses many things: Purpose, Mortality, and Empathy being the main ones.

Empathy arises because that is Emily’s power. She can feel. She make people feel, as well, and so the main use of her power has become making people feel what she feels. Making people feel loved. Making people feel warmth. Giving them moments of peace, and respite, and love. In her last grand show, she shows them the “ferocity of love”, and for 6 hours…there were no murders in the world. There were no enemies.

Everyone felt for one another. It’s so simple, and so shockingly well done – as is the aftermath, where some people just…move on from it, and don’t learn. So…well, typical.

But they hold on to that moment.

Then there is the purpose part – naturally, many ask Emily if she would do something different. If this is what she wanted. And for her, while she is afraid of death, she doesn’t think she would change anything. For six months, she’s been able to be who she truly wants to be, and she’s been able to show the world so much of what it means to feel.

She’s been able to remind people of joys. Happiness. Warmth and love.

And she’s not against suicide. She does help a friend decide to wait – but says it isn’t her choice. She isn’t there to stop her…only…tell her to wait. And I find that scene to be interesting, because the usual choice is to protest, that “of course” you’re there to stop them – it seems so much more understanding to be more neutral about it.

To let them know you care. You want them to stay. To wait. And try to help them see why they have a reason to wait.

To wait.

Not to never do it.

And then, of course, there’s mortality.

Because Emily dies at the end, in an explosion of power.

And we see Stacy, who has led other Moths through this at the end, bringing in another Moth for the reveal, with those same lines, “You’re beautiful”. Going through sorrow after sorrow, again and again, for the Moths.

And we see Emily becoming energy, because energy cannot be destroyed, awaiting to become a part of another Moth who awakens.

I love that message.

Moths becoming energy for each other. On and on and on, in a cycle. Still there, and living through new Moths, again, and again, and again.

It had no religious message. Just energy.

So yes, I can safely recommend this book to have your heartstrings pulled, to watch someone face death with confidence, and still promote love, peace, and caring, and want to be known for that.

To use their power not to cause violence, destruction – but to use it to make people happy.

We don’t see superheroes like that. And it’s a damn shame.  

[toliveanddieinstarlight]

Season 1, Other Thoughts

Has anyone examined the percentage of POC in the cast? It seems like there are more than I'd expect for 1994, but this is a very large cast and a lot of the actors playing aliens are probably still white as hell.

It was extremely important to me as a teen that Sinclair's demonstration of Earth religion (In The Parliament of Souls) began with an atheist. At a very young age, I expressed to my father disbelief in the existence of god; I don't remember what he had to say about this. Obviously, whatever he said made little difference, but religion hadn’t been a significant role in my life up to that point anyway, so he can't have been especially surprised. It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I started feeling comfortable actually calling myself an atheist, but B5 doing this was significant for me. It was also in reading about J Michael Straczynksi where I think I first learned the word "agnostic", and that was pretty important too, as it was the stepping stone I took to atheism.

7 episodes in and it's time to talk about hate groups and hate crimes. And not long after, oh look, an episode that ultimately prioritizes a blue-collar worker's union over military and force. 

Hell yeah an episode about death and grief. There are plenty of episodes that treat with religion so kindly, and TKO is very much one of them. As I came to understand atheism, there were a lot of voices screaming about how terrible and toxic religion is, the damage it does, and so on. And while they weren't necessarily wrong, I like to think that episodes like this helped temper how much I bought into those ideas. There are so many ways within so many religions for managing our incredibly complex emotions, and grieving rituals are one of them. And grief unmanaged can be such a terrible thing. 

The Quality of Mercy is another one with a lot going on. It sets up the procedure of the Mind Wipe, where a violent criminal has his entire personality wiped away. It returns in a season three episode, one of my favorites, one I found to be very powerful and featured an outstanding performance from Brad Dourif. The mind wipe is just a part of the main story, however, which focuses on Dr. Franklin's zealous, relentless drive to heal. The doctor with whom he butts heads, Dr. Rosen, lost her license due to a stimulant addiction. This is Franklin's path, although he manages to avoid coming to the same end. There have already been episodes in the season where we see the lengths Franklin will go to in order to practice his art, but The Quality of Mercy sets several things in motion that pay off. 

Not every show lets you check out the sex organs of one of the main characters. Not every show makes those sex organs fucking TENTACLES.

*edit: whoops, forgot to add tags to this. Sorry to anyone who got spoilered!

[uncomicmas]

Reseña de TELEPATHS #4 DE 6 ya a la venta por AWA ¿De qué viene? La nueva epopeya de las leyendas del cómic J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) y Steve Epting (Capitán América: The Winter Soldier). Una perturbación electromagnética provoca el repentino despertar de los poderes telepáticos en una décima parte de la población de la Tierra. En los momentos posteriores a que el mundo se dé cuenta de este desarrollo, la policía de Boston se encuentra enviada contra un prisionero condenado por error que se convierte en un héroe y líder de otros telépatas que intentan escapar de un mundo en el que sus poderes los convertirán en objetivos. Ambos son héroes de su propia historia, y el futuro puede depender de si se puede o no encontrar confianza entre ellos. Trama Miles tiene el control de Boston y se enfrenta a jack y su equipo de policías con poderes, las peleas son intensas mientras Jack se enfrenta a civiles inocentes controlados por Miles. Al mismo tiempo algunos empiezan a experimentar modificaciones de sus poderes, como telequinesis. Los gobiernos del planeta no sabe cómo tratar con esto y su solución es lo mas parecido a un holocausto. Espectacular cuarto capítulo lleno de suspenso y mucha acción. Arte Posee las secuencias más violentas de la saga y las disposición de los paneles dan una sensación de persecución genial. Resumen Miles tiene a Boston controlado y su plan es ambicioso, pero no cuenta con la fortaleza mental de Jack Calificación 5 de 5 Créditos: Fecha de lanzamiento: 22 de diciembre Escritor J Michael Straczynski Arte Steve Epting Colores Brian Reber Editorial AWA Artists Writers and Artisans Imprenta Upshot Studios #creatorowned #comics #art #indiecomics #makecomics #illustration #comicart #characterdesign #sequentialart #drawing #comicbooks #comix #comic #artistsoninstagram #indiecomicsart #manga #creatorownedcomics #imagecomics #character #originalcomic #comicbook #comicpage #conceptart #design #superheroes #artist #cartoon #createcomics #digitalart https://www.instagram.com/p/CX48LxMt1Vf/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Preview: Telepaths #3 (of 6)

Telepaths #3 preview. An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth's population #Comics #ComicBooks

Telepaths #3 (of 6) J. Michael Straczynski (A) Brian Reber (A/CA) Steve EptingIn Shops: Nov 10, 2021SRP: $3.99 The brand new epic from comic book legends J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) and Steve Epting (Captain America: The Winter Soldier). An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth’s population. In the…

[thecomicon]

J. Michael Straczynski And Steve Epting Presents A First Look At 'Telepaths' From AWA Upshot

@straczynski And @SteveEpting Presents A First Look At 'Telepaths' From @AWA_Studios

Writer J. Michael Straczynski (The Resistance) returns to AWA Upshot with his latest series, Telepaths, with Steve Epting (Captain America, Sara) on art. And a first look too: “The brand new epic from comic book legends J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) and Steve Epting (Captain America: The Winter Soldier). An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of…

[sense8blog]

Netflix’s Sense8 Cancellation makes headlines: Huffington Post UK

Why Everyone Should Rally Against Sense8’s Cancellation

If you are a user of any kind of social media, you might have heard a lot of buzz this week about popular sci-fi show Sense8’s cancellation. If you aren’t someone who has seen the show, the hashtags and outcries which were at one point trending worldwide may have passed you by without much concern. Well, I am here to tell you that you should be concerned (and that you should be so concerned, you sign the growing fan petition to bring the show back now!)

The cancellation of Sense8 represents something larger than just another series succumbing to a fate that eventually would have caught up with it anyway. No, Netflix’s shock decision to kill Sense8 while it is still in its’ infancy - being only two seasons young - represents something that impacts all of us in some way. It represents the removal of a series that provided important representation and visibility for anyone who has ever felt different or has been made to feel different.

For those uninitiated into the Sense8 world, it’s important for you to know that the show broke fresh ground by not focusing only on unimaginable fantasies or unrecognisable dystopian worlds, thereby bypassing the go-to writing formula for mainstream science-fiction writing. Rather, at the heart of every episode were divisive issues such as gender identity, mental health, politics, cultural differences, sexuality and much, much more. These are issues which shows rarely depict with much dimensionality or dignity but this is where the writers’ of Sense8 excelled, earning a GLAAD award and positive feedback from fans who related to the issues playing out on screen. For some of them, this was the only show that provided an accurate representation of who they were.

The beloved show was the brainchild of the Wachowski sisters and J. Michael Straczynksi and premiered in 2013 with much fanfare, being acclaimed by critics and accumulating recognition on the award show circuit for its’ progressive content and innovative approach to storytelling. The show centres on the story of eight strangers, each from a different part of the world, discovering they are ‘sensates’ - humans who have a mental and emotional link to each other, allowing them to communicate with each other despite the oceans, borders and languages that might otherwise separate them. An international cast was employed and filming for the show took place all over the world. The multi-lingual, multi-cultural nature of the show understandably pulled in an international fanbase and the show’s focus on timely issues only further cemented the loyalty it received from its diverse audience.

Frustratingly, this is not Netflix’s first strike at erasing a show which promoted diversity; Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Get Down’ was also axed last month. Variety’s Chief TV Critic Maureen Ryan reflected today that there is a troubling trend in cancellations this year, with most shows that were cancelled featuring non-white and/or non-male leads or ensemble casts. Some of these cancelled shows include Pitch (female black lead, strong feminist messages), “Sweet/Vicious” (bisexual, feminist female lead), Underground/The Get Down (both featured a black ensemble cast), Rosewood (black lead) and many more.

In our current socio-political climate where our policies are worryingly favouring closed borders and the promotion of fear of those who are different from us in anyway, I dare anyone to defy that the loss of a yet another show that fights those stereotypes and misappropriations is a good thing. Sense8’s focus on how empathy can resolve most problems caused by ignorance and fear is one the world could really use right now. And you know what? The representation of people of colour and people from diverse backgrounds on a major show could really touch someone feeling alienated by society. The fan petition might not bring the show back as fans would want, but we would be just as happy to gain an opportunity for the cast and crew to return for a one-off special that can provide some sort of closure to a series that means so much to so many for so many reasons.

Article link: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/maria-kane/why-everyone-should-rally_b_16964132.html

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Preview: Telepaths #2 (of 6)

Telepaths #2 preview. An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth's population. #Comics #ComicBooks

Telepaths #2 (of 6) J. Michael Straczynski (A/CA) Steve EptingIn Shops: Oct 13, 2021SRP: $3.99 The brand new epic from comic book legends J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) and Steve Epting(Captain America: The Winter Soldier). An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth’s population. In the moments after the…

[uncomicmas]

Reseña de TELEPATHS #2 a la venta el miercoles por AWA ¿De qué viene? La nueva epopeya de las leyendas del cómic J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) y Steve Epting (Capitán América: The Winter Soldier). Una perturbación electromagnética provoca el repentino despertar de los poderes telepáticos en una décima parte de la población de la Tierra. Trama El mundo entra en un caos total, la gente empieza a despertar 30 minutos después de este evento cósmico inesperado, el sargento de la policía Jack Kelly lidia con el sitio donde se estrelló un avión mientras escucha en su mente lo que piensan todos los que están a su alrededor. En una prisión, el convicto Miles aprende a controlar los poderes y se abre paso con un grupo de maleantes, sin ningún tipo de piedad. En el Air Force One, Kathy, una funcionaria cercana la Presidente de EE.UU desarrolla esta habilidad mientras el gobierno intenta controlar la histeria masiva y pide que todos los funcionarios con este poder se dirijan al MIT, donde los entrevista el Doctor Conroy, quien es testigo de los poderes y siente abrumado y aterrorizado por lo que pueden hacer. Este poder telepático ocurre de manera aleatoria y muchos se aprovechan y aprende como usarlo para su beneficio, mientras la histeria colectiva se apodera de las calles, este caos genera un cambio peligroso y radical en los estratos del poder. Arte Cada página asombra con sus detalles y el dinamismo que captura Epting en cada panel. Resumen El despertar de este nuevo poder ha generado un caos mientras el mundo intenta entender lo que ocurre los telépatas se aprovechan Calificación 5 de 5 Créditos: Fecha de lanzamiento: 13 de octubre Escritor J Michael Straczynski Arte Steve Epting Colores Brian Reber Fuente AWA Artists Writers and Artisans Imprenta Upshot Studios #creatorowned #comics #art #indiecomics #makecomics #illustration #characterdesign #comix #indiecomicsart #drawing #comicart #comicbooks #character #sequentialart #comicpage #originalcomic #design #webcomic #digitalart #indie #indiecreator #instacomic #superheroes #artoftheday #comic #comicmaker #comicsofinstagram #createcomics #creatorownedcomic https://www.instagram.com/p/CU9G97Gt6Ds/?utm_medium=tumblr

[uncomicmas]

Reseña exlusiva y adelantada de #TELEPATHS #1 a la venta el 1 de septiembre por AWA ¿De qué viene? La nueva epopeya de las leyendas del cómic J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) y Steve Epting (Capitán América: The Winter Soldier). Una perturbación electromagnética provoca el repentino despertar de los poderes telepáticos en una décima parte de la población de la Tierra. En los momentos posteriores a que el mundo se dé cuenta de este desarrollo, la policía de Boston se encuentra enviada contra un prisionero condenado por error que se convierte en un héroe y líder de otros telépatas que intentan escapar de un mundo en el que sus poderes los convertirán en objetivos. Ambos son héroes de su propia historia, y el futuro puede depender de si se puede o no encontrar confianza entre ellos. Trama Esta nueva historia comienza con la alarma mundial debido a poderosas explosiones solares, que pueden superar el evento de Carrington que sucedió en 1859 (investigar este fenómeno real y muy misterioso) Los expertos temen que los efectos de esta explosión sean mayores y difícil de medir, ya que cada una posee una cantidad de radiación diferente. Mientras tanto el Doctor Conroy en el MIT explica sus experimentos con el "GOD HELMET" que le permite analizar cómo se estimula cada parte del cerebro y cómo esas respuestas son diferentes, se empieza a comentar sobre el gen FOXP2 conocido como "el gen del lenguaje". La explosion solar llega la planeta y es catastrófica, todo los habitante pierden el conocimientos, se estrellan aviones, trenes, etc., y cuando recobran el conocimiento, algunos empiezan a escuchar lo que los demás piensan,m como el agente Jack de la policía que descubre de manera instantánea el amorío de su novia con su mejor amigo. Pero este poder no es fácil de llevar, ya que cuando se estrella un avión cerca de Jack el siente el dolor y desesperación de todos los tripulantes a la vez en su cabeza. El ritmo narrativo de este comic es muy rápido e intenso, es un deleite su lectura. Arte El nivel de detalle es impresionante, los ángulos atrevidos, las expresiones de los personajes te hace sentir todo lo que sucede en el comic. https://www.instagram.com/p/CSUwkBpHgqF/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Early Preview: Telepaths #1 (of 6)

Telepaths #1 early preview. An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth's population. #Comics #ComicBooks

Telepaths #1 (of 6) J. Michael Straczynski (A/CA) Steve EptingIn Shops: Sep 01, 2021SRP: $3.99 The brand new epic from comic book legends J. Michael Straczynksi (The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor) and Steve Epting(Captain America: The Winter Soldier). An electromagnetic disturbance results in the sudden awakening of telepathic powers in a tenth of the Earth’s population. In the moments after the…