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Posts tagged as ““Justice League””

‘Black Panther,’ 'Black Lightning,' ‘Luke Cage’ Highlight Rise of Black Superheroes

Image via variety.com

by Daniel Holloway via variety.com
Diversity is on the uptick in comics-inspired TV and film. When “Luke Cage” exec producer Cheo Hodari Coker declared at his show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel last year, “The world is ready for a bulletproof black man,” the crowd erupted in cheers. So did the internet. “Right before I said it, I knew what I was feeling,” Coker later told Variety. “I had said variations of it during the day. It was coming from an emotional place, but I didn’t think it was going to reverberate the way that it did. But I’m glad that it did.”
The “Luke Cage” panel came in July on the heels of widespread protests sparked by the killings of unarmed black men by white police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota. When the show premiered in September, it became the first live-action series about a black superhero since 1994’s “MANTIS.” Now it’s getting some company. Next season the CW will premiere “Black Lightning,” based on the DC Comics superhero. And next year Marvel will debut “Black Panther,” the studio’s first feature with a black hero in the lead.
Social, political and business trends have converged to put black superheroes at the centers of burgeoning television and film franchises after years of being relegated to supporting status. Dan Evans, VP of creative affairs at DC Entertainment, cites the emergence of black superheroes on-screen as part of a larger trend in television and film. “There’s so many examples now, from ‘24’ to ‘The Fast and the Furious’ to ‘Creed,’” says Evans, whose office door features an oversize image of Cyborg, the black teen hero who will play a key role in the upcoming “Justice League” movie. “We’ve seen again and again that if you tell a good story with these characters, people will come.”
In superhero comics, the first appeals to underserved minority audiences came with the debuts of Black Panther (1966), Luke Cage (1972), Black Lightning (1977) and others. “These black superheroes emerge parallel to the changes in American race relations in the late 1960s with the emergence of the Black Power movement,” says Adilifu Nama, author of “Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes.” The movement’s push for equality and representation rippled through popular culture. “It wouldn’t be very sensible to think that these demands for diversity would only be in the realm of lunch counters and bus transportation.”
To read full article, go to: ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Luke Cage’ Highlight Rise of Black Superheroes | Variety

CW Network Announces Animated Black DC Comics Heroine "Vixen" Series

The CW network has enjoyed major success with the hit show “Arrow” and the spin-off series “The Flash.” “Vixen” will take place in this same DC Comics universe, which differs from what can be found in the comic books. The announcement for the show was made earlier this month at the Television Critic’s Association press tour. Arrow producer Mark Guggenheim will serve as the executive producer for the series.
The story centers on Mari Jiwe McCabe, a descendant of an African warrior named Tantu. Tantu asked Anansi the Spider to create a totem that would grant the powers of the animal kingdom to whoever wore it. The powers were to only be used to protect those in need and Tantu became a hero. The totem was passed down his family line until it reaches Vixen.
McCabe grew up in a small village in the fictional African nation of Zambesi, M’Changa province. After her family was killed by her uncle as a result of the Tantu Totem, McCabe moved to America to become a model in New York. After becoming a popular star, McCabe returned to Africa and took back the Tantu Totem from her uncle and thus became the Vixen. The character debuted in 1981, and she has been a part of the Justice League and the rouge Suicide Squad.
The Vixen series will are on the CW’s Seed offshoot, which is the online portion of the network. Appearances from the Arrow and the Flash are expected according to a promo shot. There has not been an announcement on which actress will voice the character.
article by D.L. Chandler via blackamericaweb.com

"Game Of Thrones" Actor Jason Momoa to Play Aquaman in "Batman V. Superman" And "Justice League"

Last year’s “Man Of Steel” kicked off Warner Bros. current iteration of the DC-verse, but it’s 2016’s “Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice” that will really kick off the studio’s answer to Marvel’s wildly successful pictures. The movie looks to be the first in a run of as many as three movies a year, and aside from Henry Cavill‘s Superman, will also introduce Ben Affleck‘s Batman, Gal Gadot‘s Wonder Woman, and Cyborg, played by Ray Fisher.
“Game Of Thrones” actor Jason Momoa is now expected to appear in the movie as DC hero Aquaman.
The character perhaps is most famous as having been played by Vincent Chase in a long-running plotline on HBO’s “Entourage,” in a movie directed by James Cameron. There’s no word as to what kind of backstory the character will have here, but reportedly director Zack Snyder has already finalized the design of the character so he can appear in a cameo in ‘Batman V. Superman.’ And given Momoa’s size, it seems clear they’re adopting the more modern version of Aquaman (see the photo), who’s a buff king from Atlantis skeptical of humans moreso than traditional orange-suit wearing super hero.
article by Oliver Lyttleton via blogs.indiewire.com