Author: anthonycanton905

Another Goodbye To A Legend

You have to cherish things in a different way when you know the clock is ticking, you are under pressure.

None of us could’ve known the pressure Chadwick Boseman put on himself. He worked through a disease that would eventually take his life. That loss has been felt throughout all communities and lives that he’s touched. With Marvel Studios’ What If…? turning its attention to T’Challa this week, it’s going to be amazing but bittersweet.

It’s truly going to be a joy to hear Boseman’s T’Challa once more. The concept of this new Star-Lord story is a fascinating one. Comparing and contrasting the stories of Peter Quill and T’Challa will be thought provoking. The magnetism of Chadwick’s voice will be like an old friend coming back one more time to say goodbye. We should all enjoy the time we get to spend once more with this unique character.

With that being said, there’s a sadness writing these words. It still feels like we’ve been robbed as fans. Chadwick Boseman, as an artist, brought a fire and attention to detail in everything he did. Bringing Black Panther and the world of Wakanda to life was more than the simple words of live-action.

Black Panther is an inspiration to those who spent their childhood identifying with those stories. The positive energy around the movie is powerful to this day. The celebration was for black culture, and Chadwick was at the forefront of that. There’s representation in theory and actual representation in practice. If you remember Black Panther’s comic debut in the Fantastic Four it was surreal to see him debut in live-action film.

Make no mistake about it there will be laughs this coming week. There will be an enjoyment of welcoming back one of our favorite characters. It’s a fresh story that will be the talk of MCU community. In addition to that, there will be an overwhelming emotion that hits a lot of us. Whatever emotion that will be, thank you Chadwick Boseman. Thank you for inspiring us, and thank you for leaving your passion and grace in all of your work. We miss your presence and will never forget you. Rest In Peace.

August 16, 2021
A Burning ‘STARGIRL’
Season 2 of CW’s Stargirl begins in a much different place than when season 1 ended. Courtney Whitmore has a fix, and it’s to fight supervillains. The one problem with that though; there’s more to life than being a superhero.

“The JSA is not the only team that you’re a part of. Our family’s a team too, okay?” Stepdad and S.T.R.I.P.E. creator Pat reminds Courtney. Pat’s attempting to normalize Courtney’s life while she’s trying to find a fight that doesn’t exist, not yet anyway. The new JSA members are also feeling the lack of threats in their own way.

The season premiere deals with trauma as Yolanda is dealing with her role in Brainwave’s death. Beth is struggling with the loneliness of not only her parent’s pending divorce but also trying to get Chuck (the famous AI goggles) back online. Rick is struggling with the idea of being a hero yet not getting any accolades from it. The theme had weight. These heroes are so young and were so excited to get into this without thinking of the cost.

Examining how a hero deals with the silent moments when the mask isn’t on is something Stargirl excels at. Courtney can’t take the mask off, so Pat makes her for a couple of weeks till she can get her act together. Even young Mike wants to get involved in the crime-fighting business instead of going on vacation. Our young heroes wanted everything right now and they most certainly got it. Now they have to deal with the idea of living somewhat normal lives from time to time.

Here are three other quick hitters from the premiere.
1. Cindy (who we love to hate) is informing her own Injustice Gang with the help of Eclipso. One of the pictures she chooses is Courtney’s step brother Mike Dugan. Oh boy, this could get complicated.
2. Green Lantern’s daughter Jennie-Lynn Hayden, or better known as Jade, has arived. We get an explosive debut from her as she battles Courtney and grabs her father’s lantern. Courtney has quite the journey on her hands with Jade in the fold.
3. Is that Starman? In the pilot we think Sylvester Pemberton is dead, but it seems like he’s alive and well. We find him in a diner talking to Pat Dugan’s ex-wife. Will he be making an appearance soon and what does that mean for Courtney?
August 15, 2021
‘Superman and Lois’: How Clark Kent Puts The Man In Man of Steel

In many iterations of Superman, there have been stories that have shaped how he deals with complicated choices. Specifically, when it comes to remaining in control. In stories involving Red Kryptonite, we’ve seen the impact of those scenarios. Even Injustice, where the Joker influences him to kill Lois Lane is as far as the scope goes. In Superman & Lois‘ latest episode Clark has to deal with his own lack of control that is capable of destroying the world.

Regular human beings who have great wealth and power aren’t inclined to have control. They’re known to indulge and revel in the fruits of their labor. Superman has all the power someone can only dream of owning. Yet, he’s human enough to control it for the greater good, which isn’t easy. While he was under the influence of his brother Tal-Rho, there was a moment for Clark where it felt good to let go.

I’m not saying I want this to be true. I wish it wasn’t, but it felt good. It felt really, really good. That feeling worries me.

As Clark pleads with Lois that the kryptonite weapons should not be buried, this is the humanity that exists within the Kryptonian. Part of heroism is sacrifice, but an even bigger part is self-awareness. It’s easy to think that someone like Superman is infallible, and Lois Lane’s belief in her husband is admirable. In a way, it’s easy to get caught up in the praise and adulation that’s given to the Man of Tomorrow.

Yet, the greater power that Clark exhibits here, is one of understanding his own journey. Jonathan Kent taught Clark about controlling his gifts, knowing that one mistake could come at an unimaginable cost. Clark has lived with this for years upon years, yet with all of those lessons, there is no hubris.Eventually, Superman trusted John Henry Irons to hold onto the Kryptonite weapons after learning of his fate. In a parallel world, Superman was corrupted. He and other Kryptonians took over the world, including the horrifying act that led to the Man of Tomorrow killing Lois.

John showed up in this current world, wanting to make sure that the same thing wouldn’t happen again. Eventually, he was convinced that this Superman was different. It’s a credit to Clark for ignoring the praise and belief around him and doing the right thing. There is always a chance that someone or something could take control. In his vulnerability, Clark decided that a Superman could not. He put his trust into humanity, and it has made him the hero that he’s always been.

July 29, 2021
‘Loki’: Open Questions for Season 2
After a long six-week wait, Loki has come to an end. Luckily, it is just the beginning as a second season is already in the books. Even if it closed many questions, there are still quite a few questions left remaining. As we enter the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, it’s time to ask how the events of this first season will shape the second.
- Loki and Sylvie learn that free will is an illusion after meeting Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains. A season of running through time and introspection led them to a dissertation of horror. This leads to Sylvie’s dead-set thirst for vengeance being quenched, and Loki being left alone. The additional gut punch comes when even Mobius and B-15 don’t recognize him. We are left questioning what happened and if Loki will be able to trust again or fall back to his old ways.
- We know that Jonathan Majors will return as Kang the Conquerer in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He Who Remains made sure to warn Loki, Sylvie, and the audience with his chilling words in the finale. It does open the question if we will see any of those Variants before then, or will we just have to wait for the second season. The terror is foreboding, whether it’s Kang, Scarlet Centurion, or Rama Tut, all as we know is in grave danger.
- Ravonna still has faith in the TVA. She wants to know the truth and heads out on the search for free will. We know the comic book implications of Ravonna and Kang throughout history. Miss Minutes changed the notes Ravonna downloaded and she’s on her way to somewhere else in time. Whatever her goal is, it may redefine her own path moving forward.
- One has to wonder if He Who Remains knew that the kiss between Loki and Sylvie would be the Nexus event that breaks the timeline. As Sylvie chooses to breaks time as we know it, where does she go from here? She has spent her life believing that she deserved retribution. Consumed by it, now nothing will ever be the same. It’s quite the weight to carry. Will she find Loki and try to repair things? Maybe not immediately. It feels like there’s a new road for her to travel in light of the cataclysmic events.
There’s a lot to accomplish in the second season, as it continues to build upon the rules set in the first season. We don’t know what the Multiverse truly has in store with only inclinations for the Doctor Strange and Spider-Man sequels. We have no idea when the second season releases and how it ties into the overarching storyline set with future installments. Of course, the only question that truly matters at the end of the day is if Mobius finally gets to ride a jet ski next season.
July 18, 2021
Open Questions That Need Answering In the ‘Loki’ Finale
Loki has been an incredible series of character development and introspection through the first five episodes. We are only one episode away from finally finding out who the man in the high castle is. There have been quite a few comic-based hints that it is, in fact, Kang the Conquerer. Our very own Charles Murphy even noticed that one of his alter-egos, Scarlet Centurion, was hinted at through the hourglass designs in the TVA offices. Besides the man behind the curtain, some other questions are still open:
- It will be fascinating to learn more about the motivations of the TVA founder. Even knowing who it is, the real question remains: what exactly is their purpose? Audiences have been waiting for it all to make sense and find out why the organization exists n the first place?
- There’s one more major player of the TVA who seems to know more than she lets on. Yet, the latest episode seems to imply that she doesn’t know the true face behind the Time-Keepers in her conversation with B-15. Is she just a willing participant, or is she trying to figure out who’s hanging out in that castle? One thing for sure, Judge Renslayer is a lot more cunning than we give her credit.
- Mobius has a one-way ticket to letting everyone know the truth about the TVA and its dealings. There’s a world where we all want Mobius to ride off in the sunset on a jet ski, but this doesn’t seem like a show with happy endings or immediate ones. There needs to be one more conversation between Mobius and Ravonna if you consider their relationship. It opens the question of what the future holds for the TVA.
- Kid Loki decided to stay in the void, unlike Classic Loki. His connections with the Young Avengers would give him reason to escape this place. If that is the case, how does he leave the void? Jack Veal certailny gives his character a strong presence and moxie. It would be a waste not to build upon that.
Of course, the core of this story is about Loki and Sylvie. The connection between the two is undeniable. Loki’s story of introspection and character development has made this show a treat. Sophia Di Martino also made Sylvie compelling in so many ways. The next episode will give us the revelation we’ve been waiting for anxiously. No, not the man behind the curtain, but if their relationship will continue to flourish or find an abrupt end. Will they be conquerors or the conquered? It feels like one episode wouldn’t be enough to explain it all, but we most certainly shall see how it all turns out in the Loki finale.
July 11, 2021
Open Questions Ahead of ‘Loki’s Second Half
The first three episodes of Loki have been fascinating in their own right. Whether it’s the curiosity about the Time Variance Authority or a look into who Loki really is as a person. So far, it seems that we’re set up for quite the second half. Yet, people felt as if this episode was more filler and halted the overarching plot. I would wager it did the opposite. Here are four important questions moving forward in the series:
- Sylvie always seems to be ten steps ahead. We’ve seen the various steps of her plans unfold, especially with the manipulation of Hunter C-20’s mind early on in the episode. It creates a boding feeling as if you can’t trust anything. Throughout the episode, the two Loki Variants have plenty of back and forth conversations. They are bickering and even fighting while supposedly stranded on Lamentis-1. I would like to wager there is a chance this adventure is Sylvie simply bending their current predicament. Perhaps even Loki managed to reverse it on her?
- The big revelations surround the TVA agent’s true identity. They weren’t created by the Time-Keepers, but are Variants from the Sacred Timeline. Owen Wilson‘s Mobius truly believes in everything their work stands for. His words that “Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it,” reflect the way they almost are. religion. Now that the cat is out of the bag, will it shake the foundation of his beliefs? Most importantly, will it lead to him finally riding a jet ski?
- Ravonna Renslayer has some kind of connection to the Time-Keepers. Supposedly, they’ve even been keeping a close eye on Loki’s current antics. Yet, it opens the question of why they haven’t intervened. You would think that all-powerful beings could easily snap these Variants out of existence. Yet, why would they require the TVA in the first place then? Perhaps there is more to their existence and a bigger lie at play.
- There are quite a few hints at Kang the Conqueror having a hand in the events of this series, or perhaps even surrounding the TVA’s creation. In the comics, he spends most of his time motivated to save his love, Ravonna Renslyer. We know that he’ll appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. So, all roads seem to lead to him. Perhaps he is the mastermind pulling the strings behind the curtains?
There’s been a lot of time spent getting to know Loki in ways we never have before. The levels of introspection, what he thinks about existence, love, and so much more. Yet, he’s still a Variant at the end of the day. Is he going to be able to trick his way out of this to survive, or is he destined to be erased? It seems that he might end up as a pawn in a grander story, but the series never forget who is its protagonist. It would make one think that the amount of time spent with the character there’s more to this story past this season. There’s no doubt that either way, it’s going to be fascinating to watch.
June 27, 2021
The Introspection Of Loki: When a God Accepts He Is Powerless

In the series premiere of Loki, our titular character continues his journey post Avengers: Endgame. Well, technically, his story following the first Avengers film from a timeline perspective. It’s easy to get caught up in the exposition of the Time Variance Authority. The implications of the timeline, multiversal wars, and what it all means are captivating, no doubt. There was something else that stuck out in a way that was quite jarring. It was our protagonist with his ego and power stripped away. It was a god reduced to a man, a big fish reduced to a guppie in the grand scheme of it all.

Part of what makes storytelling impactful is when we get to know the why. Why is this story this way? What compels his actions? Owen Wilson‘s Agent Mobius interrogates Loki in a way that is more therapeutic than invasive. We know what happened in Avengers, but why? Loki has an obsession and a fixation on ruling and lording over. Yet, we never thought to ask why until now.

Forced to witness his life and its inevitability, Loki is held accountable for his actions. There are no tricks or escapes here. Well, there is that time twister escapade for some escape hi-jinx, but ultimately it’s just a diversion. After finding out that his words directly lead to Freya’s death, we saw a crack in the armor. Then Loki got a trip into his unknown future, a reconciliation with Thor and death at the hands of Thanos. He has a realization at that moment how insignificant he truly is in the grand scheme of things.

There’s a brilliance in the writing team headed by Michael Waldron that needed to get us to a place to care about Loki. Yes, as fans in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we will buy into any morsel of story. What is accomplished here surrounds the nuance of this once villainous character. Loki’s past and potential future is summed up perfectly by his brief monologue:

I don’t enjoy hurting people. I don’t enjoy it. I do it because I have to because I’ve had to. Because it’s part of the illusion. it’s the cruel elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.

NIs Loki turning into a good guy and starting a new hero’s journey? Probably not, as he isn’t the God of Mischief just for kicks. What sets this series off in a fascinating direction is the feeling that we know Loki in a way we didn’t before. Sometimes introspection leads us down the most fruitful doors.

June 13, 2021
Even Taking a Beating, Mark Grayson Lives Up To The Name ‘Invincible’

The definition of Invincible is “too powerful to be defeated or overcome.” In contrast, the show with the same title has a running gag that its titular character takes beatings on a regular basis. It makes you question the irony of Mark Grayson choosing that superhero name and what it means for his character. Could he truly be Invincible just not in the way we think?

In the finale, Mark is confronted with the cold truth. His father Nolan, or Omni-Man to the rest of the world, is an evil alien who wants to enslave Earth’s population. He speaks of Mark’s Mom in such degrading terms, even going so far as to refer to her as a pet. In this episode, Omni-Man is not Mark’s father, but an opponent that tests his will, and his life. During their fight, Nolan is a teacher with no remorse, no regret, and no regard.

Countless human lives are lost. Mark is forced to watch as Nolan uses him as a battering ram to kill a train full of innocents. The horror of that scene and the tension is palpable throughout the episode. Mark tried to save people from this fight but would continue to fail. Between all the death, and Omni-Man’s chilling words most would succumb. Mark Grayson did not.

Mark was willing to die to stop his father. As he takes each punch and loses each drop of blood, he does not give up. He is steady while staring death in the face. It’s perseverance that needs to be seen to be believed. As Nolan trash talks Mark as he’s getting beaten to a pulp, this exchange sticks the landing.

Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will you have after 500 years?!

With whatever energy Mark has left, he replies “You dad. I’ll still have you.” It is that unwavering empathy from Mark that makes him invincible. Nolan leaves the planet, and at that moment Mark had won the fight. However, the second season of Invincible will continue to establish Mark Grayson as a hero. We can wonder under what circumstances Nolan returns and how that conflict continues. Omni-Man will be back, and the Viltrumites will be ruthless in their conquest of earth. As for Mark, this season was trial by fire. He had to deal with countless beatings and betrayals. The juggling of being a hero and dealing with his father especially now is complicated. Despite all that, we’ve learned that Mark Grayson has lived up to his title. He truly was

May 3, 2021
‘Invincible’: Omni-Man and Control

Mark, we need to talk.

These four words by Nolan Grayson reveal a vulnerable side we’ve never witnessed from Omni-Man. This moment was the most vulnerable we’ve seen him in Invincible to this point. Yes, even more than after brutally killing the Guardians Of The Globe. Mark doesn’t realize is that his father lives a completely different life than him. It’s not only another planet, Viltrum, but it’s the world inside Nolan’s mind. Inside Nolan’s mind, it’s an insatiable need for control.

There are people we encounter in life every day that are control freaks. They can’t stand the idea of someone doing however they please. They also abhor a person who doesn’t have the same viewpoints as they do. It’s the person who wants the A on the project and you to thank them for it. When Nolan trains Mark, he expects the absolute best. Under the guise of fatherly love, he chides him for not showing the same discipline. When Nolan tells Mark not to help Titan in the fifth episode, he ends up being right on the surface. In reality, it’s a lack of empathy from Nolan’s perspective that was his concern. He finds the request “beneath” his son’s abilities. He talks about wanting to focus on the big picture. Omni-Man aims to conquer Earth.

Omni-Man is all about controlling the message and the narrative. When Debbie finds out that he killed the Guardians, Nolan doesn’t show remorse. He doesn’t even try to explain or give a justifiable reason for his actions. He attempts to use Debbie’s love for him against her, but what he doesn’t realize is that she and Cecil now understand who and what they’re dealing with. It’s only then that Nolan abandons the perfect mirage of a personality that he’s displayed.

Another example of having control and exerting that power and fear is Nolan with his tailor Art. He knows that Art discussed his extracurriculars with his wife. Nolan can easily kill him, but he casually has a beer with him and plays on his fear. He uses indirect threats to make Art understand his position:

One day it seems like you have all the time in the world, and the next it’s gone.

When Nolan rips through the government, it’s a loss of control at play. It’s in all of that death and destruction that we see a desperate, psychotic version of himself. The only thing holding him back from a complete loss is Mark. In his last gasp at being able to control his plan, his ideology, and most importantly, his son. One can assume that Mark won’t respond kindly to all of the horrors his father has inflicted. Great parenting happens when you start controlling yourself rather than your child. We can only fear that the only thing Nolan understands is control, but it’ll never be himself. In more ways than one, Mark will have to prove if he is Invincible or not.

April 29, 2021
‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’: Power Broker All Along

After the freshly minted Captain America and The Winter Soldier, we got many answers we were looking for. It gave us Sam Wilson becoming Captain America. Bucky Barnes finished his list and even checked it twice. On top of it all, we also get introduced to John Walker’s alter-ego US Agent. With that said, we now know that Sharon Carter was the Power Broker all along. Sharon found a way to slip right under our hero’s noses into a pardon. Now, what does this mean for the future? Let’s dive straight in.

With Sharon having the Rolodex of all government liaisons and contracts, she has access to so much more as the Power Broker. Her phone call with a mysterious stranger hints at her having access to more than she should. It seems likely she’ll appear in the freshly announced Captain America 4, but it also seems very likely she could show up in Armor Wars. Imagine a world where someone steals Tony Stark’s nanotechnology only for it to land in Sharon’s hands. Charles offered a closer look at this concept, which you can check out here. She’s more dangerous than ever. Her phone call may have hinted at a mysterious partner. Could that be the newly-introduced Val?

She was busy recruiting John Walker into her new team, it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that she could have her hands in multiple cookie jars. The Power Broker can have multiple faces. Their reach in Marvel comics was far beyond what one could imagine, as it grew beyond a single individual. Power Broker Inc was established by Curtiss Jackson and Dr. Karl Malus. They had plenty of clients. They supplied John Walker and Lemar Hoskins with their abilities in the comics. They used not only their intellect but their status to control everything.

We saw Sharon use Batroc to help Karli as a means to her ends. Sharon and Val could be a dynamic duo that none of our heroes even know about. It would be fascinating to see the two of them evolve together. Val could be forming a team that gets supplied by Sharon. Now that’s what you call cutting the check. They eventually could create an app similar to the Hench app in the comics. We’ve seen how well that worked for the Flag Smashers. So, they might just hijack that design for their own nefarious purposes.

Villains for Hire in a post blip world could be very lucrative. The bad guys have to pay rent too. As important as Sam Wilson’s positive effect on the world was, he may have inadvertently developed his biggest threat. Marvel Studios left enough threads vague through which they can develop in curious directions. Perhaps the fourth entry in the Captain America series also ties together with Armor Wars. It might just be the beginning of this new brand of villainy and what could be the most dangerous threat the Avengers ever faced.

April 25, 2021