Oh and Least We Forget.........As An Intermission Before The Shoppe Starts...Check Out Daryll B's Latest Blog Entry!

You know there comes a time when our thoughts in the Comic Shoppe fall in sync with each other despite our differences. So when I get to my links for hot stories after my mini-rant that follows you will see that in action, but before I do let me re-post here a portion of the response I put into the comments section of Chad Nevett's June 8, 2010 edition of Random Thoughts at Comic Book Resources:

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/06/08/random-thoughts-june-8-2010/

"Again, I would have liked to see Glover have a chance for the role....but what I am tired of is the whole "White Luke Cage", "White Shaft" or "White Black Panther" defense.... Guess what haters who use this? You ALREADY freaking have this... what was "Walking Tall" or "Death Wish" or "Rambo" or any of the freaking John Wayne movies then??? So then I hear the "make your own heroes defense"...um Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and a host of others did that....remind me how DC handled that? This is where part of me wished Blankman was made more seriously...but then it would have been ShadowHawk instead of a loving parody...... "

Now if you have read the blogs and listened to the show you all know that I am very passionate about this subject and it took another article for me to realize why. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give to you this article from Spinoff Online:

http://www.spinoffonline.com/2010/06/13/if-hes-not-spider-man-what-superhero-is-donald-glover/

Now the author is Graeme McMillian and he puts forth an innocent enough question: "If Mr. Glover can not play Spider-Man, what hero is he suited to play?" This is a speculative question which is intended to stir up debate and hopefully, intelligent responses about a myriad of heroes that Donald's personality type can fit from prior roles. Instead what do we get? Comments that range from intelligent to ignorant to just pure hate...on both sides of the issue. So I get it..I can't change minds about this but I have now realized something inherent about myself and the comic community:

I am a part of a group of ignorant people who, on the whole, have the imagination range of the head of a pin. In a medium where one's imagination is supposed to have no boundaries, when did we get pigeon-holed into these outdated thoughts? I realize some may consider me a hypocrite considering my stance regarding M. Night Shaymalan and the true Avatar movie but again let me state the difference:

Avatar is an animated series steeped heavily in Asian and Eastern Indian mythology and customs. So when the initial prospective cast comes out and it is 90% white with the only ethnic roles going to "bad guys" how the hell did you think Asians and Indians were going to react?

By contrast, Spider-Man has nothing to his character that says he should only be played by white males. The nature of the character is MEANT to be universal in tone. So in theory, ANY MALE could be under the mask and all Donald Glover was asking was for a chance to audition. Isn't the very denial of that the opposite of the American Dream? Also given the unique perspective that I am a black male living in Queens, NY, I often hear from fellow comic fans two words: "Why Not?"

This isn't supposed to be a backwards society anymore. This is supposed to be one in which if you work hard for something, you can have the chance to get it. Comic books and movies are supposed to be the epitome of this thinking. So once again, and for the final time since Mr.Glover was so gracious about this, I have to ask: "Why Not?"

Quick Links:

Dburt and I were on the same page with this story: http://blog.newsarama.com/2010/06/08/johns-and-fraction-want-a-green-lanterniron-man-crossover/ Now can someone get on the same page with Max and I and get that RageCat / Rocket Raccoon crossover in the works? I am sure we can get Art Baltazar and Chris Giarusso to do us a solid here.

http://blog.newsarama.com/2010/06/08/young-justice-vs-teen-titans/ I find this article by J. Caleb Mozzocco at Newsarama (connected to one by Ben Morse at the Cool Kids Table) fascinating. Only because of how quickly a symbol of fun at DC became a stigma for all that started to go wrong.

If Max sounds ultra-chipper on Tuesday, I bet I know why: http://blog.newsarama.com/2010/06/13/jaime-reyes-blue-beetle-coming-to-the-small-screen/

Ok I am totally loving Starz Network right now: http://www.spinoffonline.com/2010/06/07/torchwood-returns-next-summer/

9 Days until Futurama returns so here two bits of goodness. First a primer on the first 5 seasons for the uninitiated: http://www.spinoffonline.com/2010/06/14/missed-futurama-for-five-seasons-heres-your-chance-to-cram/ and check out this piece of awesome "mash-up" fan art by "GottaBeCarl" at deviant art: http://gottabecarl.deviantart.com/#/d2bmqaf How many can YOU get?

Finally, Robert Rodriguez and Deadpool Movie? Where do I sign up? http://www.spinoffonline.com/2010/06/14/robert-rodriguez-offered-deadpool/

Ok I out because I have to get more schoolwork done before World Cup action in the morning. Until next time Afronerd Readers, keep fantasizing!