Top 5 List: Favorite MCU movies

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Espionage, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and several of the best fight scenes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe make this a classic. What puts Winter Soldier above the rest is its rewatch ability. After 11 years, Captain America’s coming out party is still a classic that commands attention whenever it’s on. And it doesn’t hurt that it features Mr. Marvel and GI favorite Chris Evans as Cap and also-favorite Sebastian Stan as the titular Winter Soldier.

Black Panther (2018)
The best origin story to ever come out of the MCU belongs to T’Challa and the Wakandans. A movie showcasing technologically advanced Black folks doing awesome things will always be top notch in our book. Add in perfectly paced action, good humor and a gorgeous cast and you have a strong contender for best MCU movie ever.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)
You knew this was going to be on this list. As the crowning glory for the Infinity Saga, Endgame had everything we wanted: Plot threads wrapped up, callbacks to the earlier films, every hero that we loved in some form and an ending fight scene that brought joy, laughter and tears all at once. And ending Steve Rogers’ and Tony Stark’s stories were the icing on the cake. We’ll even forgive the Fat Thor jokes slightly for the surrounding material.

Thor: Ragnarök (2017)
Solo Thor films are hit and miss, but this one was a hit all the way through. We’ve loved Chris Hemsworth since the original Avengers (forgive us, we saw Thor’s first solo outing later) and we loved the way he brought us into Thor’s world. Throw in the excellent humor, fun cast and infinitely quotable lines (“We should do ‘Get Help.'” “We’re not doing ‘Get Help.'”), and you have a great solo outing for the lovable Mjolnir-swinging meathead. And any movie where Tom Hiddleston’s Loki features, we love it instantly.

The Avengers (2012)
The first outing for the Big 6 is the best of the bunch; yes, that includes a universe where Avengers: Infinity War exists. The original Avengers has so much good in it: An excellent scene-stealing villain in Loki, the surprise reveal of Thanos at the end, group dynamics that make sense, great pacing and secondary characters that we care about and hilarious banter. It’s still watchable after 13 years, and it set the stage for a lot of what we now know about the MCU. What a fantastic ensemble movie.

Posted in Top 5 list | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Top 5 List: Favorite MCU movies

Strip Talk #42: Here’s hoping RDJ holds off doom with MCU return

I’m fully prepared to admit that I am wrong when the time comes, but right now count me among the naysayers of this idea of Robert Downey Jr. coming back to the MCU as Dr. Doom.

Yes, I cried when Tony Stark bit the big one at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It was 2019 and we had to say goodbye to an old friend. The world hadn’t yet descended into the madness that was and is COVID times, and it was the end of the MCU we’d all come to know and love. I let Tony Stark go, I let RDJ go, I let forever bae Christopher Robert Jamal Irving Evans III go (kind of …). I was ready to move forward and embrace whatever Lord Kevin Feige had cooking. So, count me as one of the shocked when RDJ was unveiled as Doom at the most recent Avengers: Doomsday event. I was absolutely shook at the announcement, but with some time and thought, I ultimately was not surprised.

For context, I’m a Marvel Puzzle Quest enthusiast, a massive one with both feet firmly planted in what is referred to as 5-Star land in the MPQ community. This means that my roster is nice and well put together. And a part of that nice roster is a character known as Doctor Doom (Infamous Iron Man). This variant of Doom is Iron Man in his timeline, and this is where I think this storyline could be going. Now, given that this is the MCU and is its own designated timeline (Earth-199999), the reverse could happen and instead of Doom becoming Iron Man, Iron Man becomes Doom. It would explain why the Doom of that timeline looks a lot like Tony Stark. Also, lost in all this sauce of the RDJ return announcement is the note that Chris Evans is tied to it. This could be easily explained that he’s showing up as a different character in this universe – Hydra Supreme Cap anyone? Because that’s a thing also.

I’m joyful to see RDJ, no doubt, but I have some hesitation in my joy. There’s no easy way to say this delicately: This was shock value. Marvel knows this is what folks have been waiting for since 2019 when the credits rolled and the mysterious iron tolling rang in the ending that we never thought would come. And let’s be honest: Marvel has not enjoyed the success that it once had in the previous phases. It might be business as usual, but this ploy is indicative of the panic setting in. The Russo Bros. and one of the writers of Endgame have been brought in to right the flagging ship and RDJ casted as Doom screams “We need help.”

As a massive Marvel head, I want to enjoy the excess of those heady times when we got Marvel movies that made history, told a good story to the cheap seats and the elites and everyone was happy watching RDJ be RDJ and Christopher Robert Jamal Irving Evans III be, well, Mr. Marvel. But I don’t know if RDJ as Doom is the halcyon we’re hoping it will be. Maybe the time has come to admit that the old winning formula is gone. I hope I’m proven wrong and this column ages like spoiled milk on a hot July day in Columbia, S.C. Let’s hope that this girl F.R.I.D.A.Y works out and isn’t a further slide into Dirty D territory. And “that’s on Chawls.”

Lyndsey Beatty is editor-in-chief of Gaming Insurrection. She can be reached by email at lyndseyb@gaminginsurrection.com

Posted in Strip Talk | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Strip Talk #42: Here’s hoping RDJ holds off doom with MCU return

Property Review: Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation

Photos courtesy of IMDB.com

Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation
Group TAC, 2000

Street Fighter Alpha anime the beta of fighting game franchise

Chances are, if you’re a fan of Street Fighter in general, you’ve probably already seen the Street Fighter Alpha anime. There was a time when this was required viewing for anyone who picked up a joystick and possibly enjoyed anime. Nearly 30 years after its release, it still fascinates but it’s iffy on whether or not it’s still required viewing.

The story begins with introducing the main crew: Chun-Li, Ken and Ryu. Following the story of the first game, Ken and Ryu are best friends who are like-minded in their pursuit of martial arts training. Ken gets the bright idea to enter a shady tournament and wants to drag along Ryu. Ryu, meanwhile, had to contend with a brother he never knew – Shun – popping up in his life, a new fan in Sakura and the Satsui no Hado threatening to take over his body and soul. All roads converge with the tournament, where a mysterious puppet string-pulling organizer collects data from familiar faces, such as Zangief and Birdie, and the crew.

There’s a lot to love about Alpha. The animation looks great for 1996 and it’s an interesting take on the now-established Alpha storyline. We know how it ends now but at the time, it was unheard of that Ryu might have family members we didn’t know about or Akuma actually talking instead of straight up killing folks. But that’s the charm of Alpha. It’s got the anime aesthetic we’re looking for from a licensed property, and it tries to add to the series’ lore with information that could be canon if we squint hard enough.


The most important part, however, is how does it hold up in the Street Fighter media juggernaut? It’s arguably fine. It’s much better than Street Fighter: The Movie, even without all of the cast showing up; it’s also slightly better than Street Fighter II V, an already solid property that also takes liberties with the lore. However, it isn’t better than the Street Fighter II anime. It doesn’t quite reach that level of legendary, but it’s almost there.

If you care at all about Street Fighter and want an entertaining set of fights, good voice acting and interesting what-if additions to the franchise lore, the Alpha anime is worth a watch and a gander at what a good Street Fighter property looks like.

HOW WE GRADE
We score the properties in three categories: Casting (or voice acting in cases of animated), plot and similarities to its source material. Each category receives points out of the maximum of 10 per category and 30 overall. The percentage is the final score.

Like the games: 8.5
Voice acting: 10
Story: 9
Total: 27.5/30 or 9.2

Posted in Property review | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Property Review: Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation

Otaku Corner: Ghost of Yotei exposing worst of fandom

When GI acquired our PlayStation 4, we bought games that were perfect for it. Among those games was the critically acclaimed Ghosts of Tsushima, developed by Sony’s Sucker Punch Productions. Although we don’t have a lot of time to continue playing (life’s gonna life), the visuals, story and detail to authenticity of Ghost of Tsushima earned Lyndsey and I’s respect as a game that deserves its place among samurai masterpieces in video games.

When I heard that sequel Ghost of Yotei was in development, I began to consider plans to acquire a PS5 while praying to the video game gods that Sucker Punch would allow a version for PS4. This will be a glorious turn of events except that a troubling sector of geekdom aka Sons of Gamergate has risen their heads to attack the game, solely for the main character and its voice actor. This might spoil what is otherwise a joyous occasion.
When Ghost of Tsushima’s directors Nate Fox and Jason Connell announced that Yotei was in development in September 2024, I was psyched. A game inspired by the works of film director Akira Kurosawa that is half movie, half game, I felt that Ghost of Tsushima grabbed my attention and kept it with solid gameplay and style. I was also sold that Erika Ishii was chosen to play the main character, Atsu. However, when Ishii was announced, neckbeards, gamerbros and other moronic elements cried foul and began their uncoordinated, scattered plans to shoot down one of Ishii’s biggest moments in the limelight.

Ishii, known for their roles in Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, Mortal Kombat One, Young

Erika Ishii, courtesy of IMDB.com

Justice: Phantoms and the Crisis on Infinite Earths trilogy, took preemptive action, blocking their personal social media accounts and refocusing their attention on other projects. The alliance of Sons of Gamergate continues their negative campaign urging other gamers and geeks to boycott projects that Ishii is involved or was previously involved in and made statements calling them a “DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) hire,” “snowflake,” and “social justice warrior.” When this foolishness arises, I’ve no choice but to have a fireside chat with these “individuals.” Sons of Gamergate, sit your unwashed, uncultured, unseasoned food-eating asses down.
First, Ghost of Tsushima is a franchise that can stand on its own. Ishii, like other actors, auditioned for the part and was chosen by the directors for their talent. Second, unlike you morons, she has various skills for acting that includes dialect speech and was trained in song and various instruments.

Second, you neckbeards love Call of Duty, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Halo Infinite and Mortal Kombat One right? Ishii has made their impact in each franchise because of their knowledge of various combat arts including boxing and swordplay. As you try to run to your hate-filled, incel-approved bunkers, I enjoy informing you that Ishii has ventured into Marvel and DC territory with voice acting and as a presenter who interviewed Simu Liu and Taika Waititi at Marvel premieres, resulting in big wins for them. It also created other opportunities through other companies coming to them to have projects shine.

Third, while you huddle among your con-crud, no hygiene selves and try to play Dungeons & Dragons, Ishii’s got that on lock as well, being a seasoned tabletop veteran. They have also been a Dungeon Master, and presenter-producer on shows like Critical Role and Geek and Sundry. Also, I preemptively confiscated your waifu/husbando pillows of various Gundam models and characters such as Char Aznable because Ishii has stated her love of Gundam is so strong that she would live in a Gundam. Sorry not sorry, lads. As for the claims of Ishii being labeled the previously mentioned insults, they, like you knuckleheads, have the right to free speech in this country if they were not encouraging physical harm to others. In 2020, they like many other Americans were shocked to their core with the murder of George Floyd by police combined with discrimination against Asian-Americans and other minorities. Ishii used (and still uses their platform) to speak for those who are harmed by social injustice.

Sons of Gamergate, your attempts at stopping Ghost of Yotei and Erika Ishii are absolutely pathetic. I must also inform you and your band of brothers that many geeks do not condone your foolishness and will oppose you; GI is amongst this majority. As you leave this chat (Hudson Thames, I’m looking at you), shut the hell up about “Your friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” not being DEI and woke. You were given a golden opportunity to voice an iconic character that other respected talent, such as Christopher Daniel Barnes, Josh Keaton and Yuri Lowenthal, had to audition heavy for. Zip it and put respect on Marvel’s and your fellow colleagues’ names. I make this statement on Charles Xavier and Stan Lee. Excelsior!

Brandon Beatty is editor-at-large of Gaming Insurrection. He can be reached by email at brandonb@gaminginsurrection.com

Posted in Otaku Corner | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Otaku Corner: Ghost of Yotei exposing worst of fandom

Marvel Character Highlight #40: Thor

Name: Thor Odinson

Alias: Donald Blake, Jake Olson, Eric Masterson, Unworthy Thor, Thor: God of Thunder, Mighty Thor, Thor: Son of Asgard, Astonishing Thor, The Golden Avenger, Hammer Thrower, The Scion of All Asgard

Affiliation: Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor Corps, Avengers (founding member), Heralds of Galactus, Avengers’ Shi’ar delegation (during Operation Galactic Storm), Hydra’s Avengers, Thor Corps (Earth-15513), New Avengers, Avengers Unity Division, Axis, Avengers, Avengers of 1000 AD, League of Realms, God Squad, Council of Godheads, Queen’s Vengeance, Circus of Crime, Godpack (member and ally), ally of the First Line

Special abilities: Godly strength, virtual invulnerability and immunity to toxins and poisons, superhuman speed, godly stamina, superhuman agility, superhuman reflexes, energy manipulation (weather control), superhuman longevity, superhuman tissue density, superhuman senses, healing factor, super breath, flight, superhuman vocal cords, telepathy, Odin-Force access, cosmic pyrokinesis, geokinesis, master combatant, gifted intelligence, telepathic immunity, power restraint

Background: Thor was born to Asgard All Father Odin and the goddess Gaea with Odin’s wife Frigga assuming the role of his mother. Thor was raised alongside his brother Loki, who was adopted after Loki’s father Laufey was killed in battle. Loki’s jealousy and bitterness created a fractious relationship between the brothers and led to Loki attempting to kill Thor for many centuries. Thor received his most prized possession, the mystically enchanted Mjolnir, at age 16 after venturing on a quest to learn how to be truly worthy of wielding the weapon. He has since been worshipped by the Vikings on Earth and joined with other superheroes to start the Avengers to stop the Incredible Hulk from rampaging.

Relationships: Lady Sif, on-again off-again paramour; Loki Odinson, brother; Lady Frigga, adoptive mother; Gaea, birth mother; All Father Odin, father; Hela, Goddess of Death, sister (MCU only); Lady Jane Foster (Mighty Thor), on-again off-again paramour; Valkyrie, love interest; She-Hulk, love interest; Enchantress, love interest

First Versus appearance: Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (assist only), Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (playable character)

Appearances in other media:
Television: The Marvel Super Heroes, Spider-Man, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, The Incredible Hulk Returns, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men: The Animated Series, The Super Hero Squad Show, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled, Guardians of the Galaxy, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Guardians of the Galaxy: The Thanos Threat, Marvel Super Hero Adventures, Marvel Future Avengers, Marvel Battleworld: Mystery of the Thanostones, Spider-Man (2017), What If…?

Animated film: Ultimate Avengers, Ultimate Avengers 2, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Hulk vs. Thor, Planet Hulk, Thor: Tales of Asgard, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher, Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Black Panther: Trouble in Wakanda, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Climate Conundrum, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Loki in Training, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Time Twisted, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Mission Demolition

Live-action film: Thor (2011), Thor: Tales of Asgard (2011), Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarök (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Doctor Strange (2016; cameo)

Video games: Avengers in Galactic Storm, Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (cameo), Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Marvel Super Hero Squad, Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Thor: God of Thunder, Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, LittleBigPlanet (costume), Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat, Marvel Pinball, Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Marvel Avengers Alliance Tactics, Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, Marvel Heroes, Thor: The Dark World, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel: Contest of Champions, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes, Disney Infinity 3.0, Marvel Avengers Academy, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Marvel Powers United VR, Marvel Battle Lines, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Marvel Dimension of Heroes, Marvel’s Avengers, Fortnite Battle Royale, Marvel Future Revolution, Marvel Rivals

Posted in Marvel character highlight | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Marvel Character Highlight #40: Thor

Anime Lounge: My Hero Academia Season 3

Series: My Hero Academia/Boku No Hero Academia

Episodes: Season 3 Episodes 1-25

Premise: In the third season of My Hero Academia, the UA students attend a training camp in the forest where they team up to hone their quirks over the summer. However, during the height of training, they are attacked by the League of Villains and Bakugo is kidnapped. After Bakugo is rescued, All Might and All For One have their final major fight with All Might coming out victorious and All For One arrested and locked up in the super prison Tartarus.

Is it worth watching?: Yes. Season 3 isn’t on the same level as Season 2, but it’s still good. Character development and the passing of the mantle for Midoriya from All Might makes this still a good show. Also, it’s worth it just to get into Odd Future, the first intro theme of the season, by GI favorite Uverworld.

Breakout character: All Might. Yes, he’s bombastic and at the forefront in Season 1, but the now-retired No. 1 Pro Hero went out on top and his personality shone.

Where it’s going?: Season 4 will be interesting with the introduction of Overhaul, more of the cooler members of the League of Villains and the start of the war with Shigaraki and All For One.

Posted in anime lounge | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anime Lounge: My Hero Academia Season 3

Top 5 List: Marvel Puzzle Quest characters edition

1. Shang-Chi (Origin)
Pound for pound, Shang-Chi is the best offensive character in the game. With River of Blows going and someone to give him continuous red and purple AP (Valkyrie or Agent May are top choices), Shang-Chi hits like a truck and self-heals easily. By himself, he can easily take down entire Shield Level 10 node teams before he’s at Champion level. Prioritize championing him as soon as you get him. He’s worth the resources and time invested immediately.


2. Thor (Mighty Thor)
With auto abilities that immediately benefit her team and great synergy with other top-tier characters, Mighty Thor is a top choice to champion quickly. All her abilities work well with other top tiers, and she’s powerful once built up. Plus, she can tank with the best of them. And, when she is paired with Polaris, arguably the best all-around character in the game, she is unstoppable.


3. Polaris (Lorna Dane)
Polaris is quite possibly the best character in the game. Her best move – Electromagnetic Resonance – can and will overwhelm the toughest teams in the game. And given her synergy with nearly every other character in the game – she is known for being part of several winfinite teams and is a fixture in PvE – she is the 4-star character that you champion first and ascend first.


4. Aunt May (Golden Oldie)
Deceptively strong offensively, Aunt May’s 5-star version is on par with Shang-Chi in terms of damage. Her red ability, Cosmic Wrath, hits hard for little cost. Pairing her with damage-boosting partners such as 3-star or 5-star Emma Frost or 5-star Agatha Harkness is a sure win because Aunt May will do all the damage possible.


5. Okoye (Warrior General)
A classic powerhouse 5-star character, Okoye is best suited as a tank to let her abilities shine. With her in front, she maintains Team Up AP. For every Team Up point, she increases friendly ability damage by 1,471 points. This means everyone starts hitting like Shang-Chi. That’s a win on any level. She also can truly self-heal. Pairing her with someone who boosts damage further while letting her lead helps her move into the upper echelons of the best character in the game conversation.

Posted in Top 5 list | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Top 5 List: Marvel Puzzle Quest characters edition

Otaku Corner: Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner

Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner steals hearts

In a previous issue of GI, I reviewed Black Lagoon, a manga series about the Lagoon Company, a group that specializes in delivering questionable goods if you don’t mind a little chaos along the way. In this issue, I’m focusing on the originator of the gang of thieves, Lupin the 3rd. Ever since his manga debut in 1967, Lupin along with his crew Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko and his archnemesis/comedic foil Inspector Zenigata have been traveling the world for the next big score while indirectly fighting nefarious forces. Their latest animated adventure was released a few months back, and I was able to enjoy Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner.

In this latest adventure, Zenigata is accused by INTERPOL of being an accomplice in Lupin’s recent heist. To prove his critics wrong and clear Zenigata’s name, Lupin announces that he will be stealing the Time Crystal, a special diamond that can power a quantum supercomputer that allows its user to obtain absolute power. Meanwhile, a British pianist with ties to Jigen’s past is kidnapped, forcing a chain of events that could spell global chaos. Once again, it’s up to Lupin and company to stop a pending crisis while at the same time attempt a successful heist that could pay off for them.

As a fan of Lupin, I have enjoyed the series ever since its appearance on Adult Swim in 2003. While the animation was done in a ’60s style, the dubs focused on current pop culture making Lupin a noteworthy old-school classic. After Lupin was introduced to English-speaking audiences, various anime companies obtained licenses from TMS Entertainment to dub episodes and movies in other languages, which expanded Lupin’s adventures beyond its manga stories. TMS continued using this same formula in Lupin Part 6 where he and his cohorts partnered with a computer hacker to rip-off a tech genius/criminal with a grudge against him. I appreciated that the characters kept up with modern advances such as the internet and social media, but did not slow down on the action sequences. As the story goes on, the main villain reveals themself to be a formidable foe for Lupin. However, in the end, our favorite master thief comes up on top, proving that he’s the greatest thief of all time.

I also like that director Jun Kawagoe and writers Furi Kosaka and Takehiko Hata used actual organizations such as INTERPOL and NATO to sell the chaos of the main villain’s brief victory over the U.S. government or anyone else who could oppose him. Kosaka and Hata also gave nods to former CIA agent Edward Snowden and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

TMS Entertainment USA and Bang Zoom! Entertainment delivered without fail in the English dub. Laura Stahl’s English adaption and Yuki Uraka’s translation were excellent, ensuring that while current events were included, the elements that make Lupin the 3rd were not sacrificed. TMS and Bang Zoom were wise to keep Tony Oliver, Michelle Ruff, Richard Epcar, and Lex Lang as Lupin, Fujiko, Jigen and Goemon, and Doug Erholtz as Zenigata. Armen Taylor’s role as villain Roy Forest sold the character’s maniacal ambitions without being overboard.

I also give Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry kudos for supporting the English dub through their JLOD subsidy grant, which allowed Lupin fans stateside and elsewhere to enjoy the latest adventures of anime’s master thief. The English dub was temporary available on TMS’ official YouTube channel but can be streamed for free on Tubi and can be brought on Amazon, YouTube TV, and Apple TV Plus.

Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner is a fresh and vivid chapter in anime’s notorious and comedic thief’s latest adventures. While GI doesn’t advise readers to commit theft, if you want a masterclass in anime thievery, Lupin the 3rd is the go-to authority.

Brandon Beatty is editor-at-large of Gaming Insurrection. He can be reached by email at brandonb@gaminginsurrection.com

Posted in Otaku Corner | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Otaku Corner: Lupin the 3rd: Goodbye Partner

Property Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Photos courtesy of IMDB.com

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Marvel Studios, 2020

Shang-Chi rings in new standard

Perfectly imperfect. That’s what Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings represents. Yes, it’s formulaic and yes, it’s a by-the-numbers origin story at a time when Marvel needed to continue swinging for the fences in the MCU. But it’s a not bad by any means formula-driven origin story, and it’s exciting and beautiful to watch.

Shang-Chi comes into the MCU at the point when all the main fighting is well and done and no one knows what the next threat is going to be. The Avengers Initiative is in rest and recovery mode after the Battle of Earth with Thanos in 2023, Tony Stark is dead and most of the squad is occupied elsewhere. The remaining guardians are folks like Wong and Dr. Strange, who keep an eye on threats and work to find other like-minded individuals to join the Avengers. Shang-Chi has been living another life away from this hoopla but his father, better known as the real Mandarin, is bound and determined to drag him back in. It’s obvious that Shang-Chi will join the Avengers at some point, and that’s not a problem because going into this it should be apparent that it’s the direction the story should go. So, in this case it’s the journey that’s more important, and it’s a good one.

Simu Liu, whose star is rightfully shining, is fantastic as Shang-Chi. He brings depth to a character who starts out the reluctant hero raised in abusive trauma to a strong hero ready to make the moves he needs to help and save lives. Awkwafina, who is normally not the funniest, is a boon here as Katy, Shang-Chi’s sidekick and voice of reason. She’s funny here and the softening of the story, which desperately needs it given the themes of child abuse and death. Liu and Awkwafina have great chemistry, and it’s a joy to see them onscreen together constantly. Liu also has great chemistry with Meng’er Zhang, who plays his sister Xialing. That bond is essential to what the film is about: Family and the bonds that strengthen or weaken it.


And then we get to the brightest stars of the show: Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. Leung is an absolute silent scene-stealer as Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and the ancient but current wielder of the Ten Rings. He speaks, he acts and then the impact hits and it’s strong. Wenwu is a man of action, devoted to his family but also a man of cruelty and retribution. There are so many layers to Wenwu that contradict each other and yet, he’s surprisingly simple. He loves, yet he kills, sometimes in the same breath. But with Leung’s deft touch, you sympathize with Wenwu, which is the mark of an excellent character and actor. Michelle Yeoh is exactly what we need from her: The voice of reason and the voice of strength. Yeoh’s character is gentle, yet firm and strong and is what the film needs to bring everything together in the right balance. She is the bridge between the gap for Shang-Chi’s maternal and paternal lines and the glue that holds everything together right as it falls apart.

Shang-Chi isn’t a masterpiece, but with breathtaking action and a solid cast, this is a must-watch in the MCU origin story lineup of its future heroes. Throw in some recognizable cameos in the obligatory post-credit scene and Shang-Chi does a great job of getting us acquainted with a newly recruited Avenger and setting the scene for a new class of heroes to pick up the mantle of saving the MCU. Welcome aboard, Shang-Chi.

Like the comics: 9
Acting: 8
Story: 8
Total: 25/30 or 8.3

HOW WE GRADE
We score the properties in three categories: Casting (or voice acting in cases of animated), plot and similarities to its source material. Each category receives points out of the maximum of 10 per category and 30 overall. The percentage is the final score.

Posted in Property review | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Property Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Strip Talk #41: You can never have too many Captain America T-shirts

It really began with Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

It was 2014 and my favorite Marvel movie had just been released in theaters when I found a Captain America shield shirt at Old Navy. Old Navy, my first retailer credit card in 2003, has long been my go-to when it comes to pop culture T-shirts, and the Cap shirt – that portrayer and longtime object of my immense affection Christopher Robert Jamal “Mr. Marvel” Evans III has rocked – called out to me. So, I bought one for myself. But, as luck would have it, my purchase was eyed hungrily. My then-boyfriend, Mr. Brandon, thought he should get in on the Cap action as well, because who doesn’t love a cute Captain America shirt when you behave most of the time like a real-life variant of the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan?

So, off we went to acquire another shirt for the boyfriend. For those keeping track, there were now two Cap shirts in the Hicks-Beatty household. And then years pass, and our story takes a turn. We move in together and get engaged in 2015. At some point, after living together for at least three years, we decided we wanted to wear our shirts together for an event and we realized that his shirt is missing. Mine was just fine because I tended to do the laundry and put up my clothes as soon as the load finished. Mr. Brandon did not. It’s one of those things you just come to learn and love about your favorite person, but I digress.

The point is, one of the Cap shirts is missing and we couldn’t find it. We tore up the house looking for it, but we didn’t find it. It’s as if the shirt disappeared off the face of the Earth. My million other Marvel shirts? Cool. They’re accounted for. My TMNT shirt, Mario shirts, Nine Inch Nails, Super Metroid and circa 2004 Linkin Park shirts? Just fine and folded neatly in the usual place. My work shirts that I never wear out in the street? Unwrinkled and ready to wear at a moment’s notice. So, it’s just the Cap shirt and his shirt only, specifically. We gave up at this point. We figured there was no way that shirt was ever going to be found, so we went to Old Navy and bought the same shirt for the third time. And now everyone has a Captain America shirt again and everyone is happy. Right? Right, or maybe not.

So, about two months ago, this ever-cleaning editor/wife took inventory of the shirts in the house and decided to do some Fall cleaning. I instructed Mr. Brandon to clean in his shirt drawers while I worked on mine. I’m sure at this point you can see where this is going. In the middle of cleaning, I hear a yelp and then “Babe, you’re never going to believe what I just found.”

Y’all, it was the long-missing second Cap shirt.

The shirt that had been missing for at least six years was finally located. Apparently, the shirt had fallen out of the back of the drawer and wasn’t visible when Mr. Brandon was cleaning during any of the previous six years of searching.

Color me not shocked but annoyed for several reasons. First, that means we now have three Captain America shirts in the house. There are only two living people here and while I absolutely adore Cap, I don’t need three shirts. And, second, these shenanigans tell me that someone wasn’t looking all that hard when we were tearing up the house trying to find the shirt. I’m annoyed because what exactly were we doing all this time?

And, to add insult to injury, because my husband is my best friend and we share a lot of things, guess who is trying to claim ALL the Cap shirts now? Yes, after losing a shirt and gaining it back, my erstwhile fellow Cap-loving spouse has attempted to commandeer MY Cap shirt as his own, which would give him three Cap shirts. Absolutely not. As the main Cap stan and the resident Marvel doctoral degree holder in this Beatty branch, I will not allow my prized Cap shirt to be stolen from my grasp. I love my husband, but he will never take my Cap shirt. No matter how much he may try, he’s not taking my shield.

Lyndsey Beatty is editor-in-chief of Gaming Insurrection. She can be reached by email at lyndseyb@gaminginsurrection.com

Posted in Strip Talk | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Strip Talk #41: You can never have too many Captain America T-shirts