mikeymagee

[mikeymagee]

Spoilers for Thunderbolts under the cut

So, when Sam Wilson (a Black man) saves the day by reminding the villain of their humanity, it's stupid and unrealistic

But when a group of white people do the same thing, it's revolutionary and important.

Is...is that what ya'll are trying to tell me?

[mikeymagee]

So, just to recap the year so far...

Sam Wilson as Captain America

Beyonce winning Album of the Year with Cowboy Carter

Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl performance

and Ryan Coogler's Sinners making bank and starting conversations.

[mikeymagee]

It's my 12 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

[mikeymagee]

Does anyone else think it's kind of cute that they made Danny's Joaquin Torres come from Miami because Anthony's Sam Wilson comes from Louisiana?

The director was very direct about this, he wanted to Danny Ramirez's character to have the same roots that the actor had, so they made it MCU canon for Joaquin to come from Miami, and this was done because during Captain America: Winter Soldier, the director decided to made Sam's Louisiana origins a nod to Anthony Mackie's origins.

It's kind of cute that Danny Ramirez is not only Anthony's heir apparent for the Falcon mantel, he's also Anthony's heir apparent as an MCU performer, and Ramirez even said he took many cues from Mackie when it came to taking on a mantel.

I've loved the Joaquin Torres character since his first appearance and its really cool to see Danny Ramirez bring him to life right along side Anthony Mackie.

I dunno, I just think that's kind of a neat detail.

[mikeymagee]

Captain America as an aspirational figure (Cap 4 spoilers)

Don't believe the anti-hype, this is an enjoyable film that has something to say. If you want my no spoilers review, click here.

Spoilers after the jump.

As I say in the no spoilers view, it became clearer to me after watching the film why Disney chose to rename Cap 4 from New World Order to Brave New World. It wasn't a craven sensitivity to conspiracy theorists. Maybe it started that way, I don't pretend to know, but this is a title that better fits the film that was made because despite the dystopian allusion, this film ends on a hopeful note. The dystopian reference is subverted because unlike Secret Invasion, the Marvel world ends just a teensy bit more just than it started.

Which I think is appropriate for a Captain America film. There are ahem quite a few reasons that people might be down on America, the country, institutions, and people at this moment in time and there will be new, different reasons by the time I wake up tomorrow and there probably will be in ten years, twenty. Countries tend to be deeply flawed places, some are just better at keeping their messiness out of the international eye and flawed is a thing that exists on a spectrum of course.

But the United States is a place that has also very intentionally centered a narrative of continual improvement. Long arcs of history bending towards justice are in our mythological DNA. The US is a place that believes or believed at least that the future will always be better, fairer, more prosperous etc. but there is a certain irony in that we celebrate our successes at overcoming our worse natures: the Civil War, the end of Jim Crow etc. but struggle to recognize when the work is only half done.

Isaiah Bradley is a great symbol of this. He fought for his country and was rewarded for it by being unpersoned, imprisoned, experimented on, tortured, but ultimately released and eventually Sam Wilson is able to persuade him that change has come and the country that did these things to Bradley is no more. We can quibble with the accuracy of this in the broader sense: the secretive forces in play in Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Secret Invasion are manifestations of a system still riddled with people who believe virtue is a luxury and blow back is a thing to be managed rather than anticipated and avoided through prudence.

But thanks to Sam's intervention, Isaiah comes out of the shadows and is embraced as the forgotten Captain America. A missing link in the chain of succession and someone who embodied not just the supersoldier serum but embodied the virtues of Captain America in his willingness to defy orders to save his team in Korea.

And this is ultimately what it comes back to: Captain America works with the state but he isn't a representation of the state. Captain America represents who we aspire to be.

In Bucky's own words, this is why Steve passed the mantle to Sam. Superhumans like Steve and Bucky can fight for people, but Sam puts his life on the line in a much more fundamental way every time he suits up. He is an embodiment of courage and conviction in a way that Steve and Bucky aspire to be, but ultimately they are gods among men. When everyday people face hard choices, it is easy to tell yourself that you don't have to be the best version of yourself if the avatars of courage and conviction are "enhanced" but if Sam can and will dedicate himself to doing his best despite the personal risks and consequences, where are your excuses now?

So what values does Sam represent as Captain America, as expressed in this film?

People over Things

In a subtle nod to the sort of principled rebelliousness that got Bradley thrown into a black site, Sam refuses to prioritize chasing the Macguffin over saving hostages. Sam also doesn't simply slaughter every bad guy he comes across. At various points he uses nonlethal force such as when his drones flank and disable hostage takers. This scene might be worth rewatching because it may be that some of the mercenaries presumed dead might have merely sustained grievous but not immediately lethal wounds.

Redemption is Possible

While telegraphed as a startling and authoritarian turn, the election of "Thunderbolt" Ross, the Hulk Hunter, to the Presidency is not what it seems. This is a much older Ross, chastened by a near death experience and the fallout of his authoritarian instincts. This Ross is introspective and genuinely trying to find a way to reconcile what I would assume is a reflexive fear and suspicion of enhanced humans with the recognition over a long career that these are people, many of them are good, and you should have them on your side if you can. He appears genuinely troubled by having thrown Sam et al. in the Raft.

Not apologetic, I think Ross understands his motives and what he knew about the situation in the "Civil War" era and sees it as a mistake to be remedied rather than something that no decent person would have done. As I've discussed a few times in the past, the way you organize a society that contains superhumans and how you regulate the use of powers in a fair and equitable way quickly leads to a lot of troubling places once you take these exercises out of the sterility of the Platonic realm and apply them to a chaotic world where impulsive decisions need to be made in conditions of limited knowledge.

What matters here is that Ross IS reflective and wants to use the powers of the Presidency to try to approach world affairs in a less might makes right fashion. Ultimately, whether he really believes it or not, Sam - lacking any better options - uses Ross' desire to reconcile with his daughter and become more humane to de-Hulk him.

Later when Sam visits Ross on The Raft, you'd probably forgive him for being extra petty. After all, the irony is thick: Ross is in the prison he built, the prison he tried to lock Sam away in. Yet Sam chooses to let Ross acknowledge the poetic justice and praises Ross for his honorable approach to the aftermath of his rampage: namely resigning the Presidency and allowing himself to be incarcerated.

Sam Wilson might have wanted to rub salt in Ross' wounds, but it wouldn't be becoming of a Captain America.

Captain America represents the self discipline of living virtuously. Indulging the instinct for pettiness is a luxury for other people with lighter responsibilities, and ideally his example challenges even them to reconsider whether a tongue lashing is restorative justice or if its just punitive.

Restorative Justice

Sam's relationship with Isaiah Bradley is in many ways a metaphor for justice. Bradley is someone who specifically was wrongfully imprisoned and more broadly can stand in for the legacy of prejudice. Sam can't go back in time and undo the injustices and cruelties that happened to Isaiah but he can use his influence to change Isaiah's contemporary life: bringing him out of the shadows and ensuring both his achievements and struggles are known.

We have to know about and acknowledge acts of immorality in order to prevent them. Sam does not ask anyone to forget about or look upon Steve Rogers differently, Sam does not view glory and respect in zero sum terms. Adding another name to the legacy of Captain America adds to the mythos and strengthens it by challenging it rather than undermining it by adding a tragic chapter to the story.

Sam ensuring Bradley is invited to the White House does not erase the dishonorable stain of what the US government did to him and Bradley is content to be a self made man when it comes to dignity: he's lived a long time in anonymity and has only suffered from attention. What Sam wants is for other people to see Isaiah as he does and to be afforded to be seen as worthy of recognition and dignity. This is also a coy reference to the tendency to find precedents for our modern "firsts" in history. Sam may be the first official Black Captain America but Bradley was Captain America in all but name and embodied not just the power but the ideals.

Power, Presentation, Accountability

We see Sam working with the US government in this film. He continues to seem to be a sort of independent security contractor rather than firmly embedded in the chain of command. So he is simultaneously acknowledging that there is a blurry grey zone between being a fully autonomous actor and placing oneself fully under someone else's control.

There was a lot of what I think was unfair flak thrown at the X-Men Animated Series Steve for seeming to stand in Rogue's way and approaching justice for Genosha in a more methodical and legalistic way. Working within institutions is a choice with tradeoffs, not the only legitimate way to be a person of conscience acting in the world, but it is important to understand what Cap gains and what Cap loses by working inside the state and what Rogue gains and loses by going rogue. Ba dum tiss.

Personally I think Sam's relationship with institutional power makes sense here. Working with the US government but not in the chain of command means that he gains access to the resources of the government, legally he is not a vigilante, but at the same time he does not have to allow them to make him violate his conscience. This is best reflected in his choice to save the hostages in the opening sequence rather than chase after the Macguffin.

In the context of a world with superheroes, working with the state can be viewed in transactional terms. It solves a lot of problems but of course it also creates new ones. Critically, it is a performance of accountability. In a world where people wield godlike power, working with the state at least creates the pretense that people without powers are not fully and completely living in a might makes right world.

On the other hand, supers who work outside the institutions like the X-Men or Cap's faction of the Avengers post Civil War, invite confusion between who is a superhero and who is a supervillain. The people of Harlem might be forgiven if they hadn't been entirely sure who they were supposed to be rooting for when Hulk and Abomination came to blows.

Sabra, Real World Grief, and Changing the Subject

There's probably a lot to say about rewriting Sabra. It was a safe choice and its one I sympathize with. At this point the Marvel Cinematic Universe is probably not creatively fit enough to tackle the character with any amount of nuance and there would be an incredible amount of pressure to present her as an uncomplicated hero or an unsympathetic villain.

Its probably for the best that Captain America focuses on America because that's where the audience at least is familiar enough with the history and symbolism that maybe, just maybe the film can avoid being accused of excessively flattening the American history and symbolism it plays with.

The rumored cuts and rewrites have resulted in a relatively coherent movie with a fairly uncomplicated moral message without feeling too shallow or naive, whereas a more comic accurate Sabra would inevitably wind up being a bumper sticker representing either Disney's craven selling out to avoid courting controversy or Disney's craven selling out to avoid courting controversy.

The result was also a forgettable character who probably could have just been cut and have her parts re-assigned to Xosha Roquemore's Leila Taylor who winds up not having a whole lot to do in this cut of the film. Which is unfortunate, I do wonder if there was a longer runtime cut with a meatier part for Tayor but I wouldn't necessarily want a longer film, I just think Disney needs to learn to work better within the constraints of a shorter run time and realizing when one character is better than two is part of that: to the gnashing teeth and consternation of every book fan who has seen their beloved novel(s) adapted for TV and film....

Action!

The one place where the film stumbles is that I find the action sequences where Mackie is fully suited up to be kind of tedious. The way he manhandles non-enhanced humans establishes just how skilled he is but the physics of the shield - as it was with Steve - are pretty chaotic and nonsensical. The suit itself also seems to cross over into Ironman territory with how much abuse it allows Sam to handle. The kinetic energy absorbing wings help handwave away some of the obvious problems with what Sam's body is experiencing in the film but it also feels like a copout in a film that otherwise emphasizes that he doesn't have superpowers. Ironman didn't have superpowers either, but he did have power suits and at that point, it feels like splitting a hair.

The most interesting sequence for me was Mackie and Esposito going to hand to hand to axe. That felt like it had real stakes, although the kevlar t-shirt reveal later on again seemed to slightly undermine the idea that Sam is way more vulnerable than Steve ever was while admittedly being necessary for him to be ready to fight later in the film without a long hospital stay and physical therapy. Those sorts of consequences are for Joaquin, playing the role of Sam's robin. The character who can be credibly threatened because the audience knows he doesn't have a multi-picture deal.

I kid, I kid. I know better than to expect real stakes from Marvel and I was surprised that this film did at times feel like it had real stakes. So kudos to that.

All in all, it makes me feel more intrigued and confident about whatever comes next for the MCU. I think its finding its footing and rumors of reshoots and uninspired test audience responses should be celebrated not fretted over, because it seems like the powers that be have lost some of their hubris and are retooling for the better.

[mikeymagee]

Sam Wilson: Double Consciousness

One thing I love about Black superheroes is that they all (in their own ways) celebrate different aspects of the Black experience.

T'challa, in the first Black Panther film represented Afro-futurism and Pan-Africanism.

Shuri, in Wakanda Forever, represented Black grief and the pain of loss.

Luke Cage represented African American pride and resilience

Tyrone from Cloak and Dagger represented the fear of living as a Black person in a white dominated space.

Miles Morales in Into the Spider-Verse, represented the creation of an individual identity (he even uses his graffiti skills to paint his own Spiderman suit). Each hero represented a specific aspect of the Black experience.

But Sam Wilson has always occupied a specific space that (until this moment) had yet to be filled. Sam Wilson, as an African American man, and as an African American Captain America, represents double consciousness.

(Potential Spoilers after the cut)

Double Consciousness, in this context, is a term that was coined by WEB Du Bois in his book The Souls of Black Folk in which he states that:

"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife – this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He does not wish to Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa. He wouldn't bleach his Negro blood in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows that Negro blood has a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face"

In essence, to be a Black American is to be a creature of two warring worlds, and it also means that the Black American must be ever aware at the fact that every move we make is not only going to be used to judge our character, but also the character of every other Black American. And Sam Wilson is aware of that fact.

In both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam brings up the fact that he knows the world is watching him and hating him simply for being a Black man who represents the United States. When Sam is juxtaposed against Isaiah Bradley, another Black Captain America who the country abandoned, Sam is reminded of how this country has always treated Black men and women.

And, sadly enough, Sam could also be looking at his own future. During Brave New World, Sam is ever honorable, ever compassionate and ever empathetic to everyone around him (even when their actions do not warrant Sam's kindness). Because, once again, Sam is aware that his actions (whether negative or positive) will have a greater impact on more than just himself. And that kind of pressure can lead to bitterness. It can wear a body down.

Sam states:

"Because if I’m not on point, I feel like I’ve let down everyone who is fighting for a seat at that table.”

Isaiah Bradley has always had a rocky relationship with the US, just like all African Americans have, So it makes sense to me that Sam Wilson may also be thinking about Isaiah each time he picks up the shield. When African Americans create something (be it a movie, or a tv show, or a play) that centers on the Black experience, there is an added pressure to overperform to prove the validity of the project and the validity of Black narratives. When The Wiz, a film that was originally going to be seen as "The First Black Classic" bombed in 1978, many Hollywood producers and film historians credited that film's failure as the reason why Black-led franchises are/were seen as box office poison for so long. Even with the success of 2018's Black Panther film, there are still people who're gun shy about centering Black narratives in the mainstream. So, if Sam Wilson were to fail as being Captain America, or if Sam Wilson were to represent himself in a way that is less admirable, it would have an effect on Isaiah's legacy, it would have an effect on Joaquin, it would have an effect on (potentially) Isaiah's grandson.

And even still, during the prison scenes in BNW, when Isaiah is locked away and Sam comes to visit him, Isaiah states:

"The last thing I want is for any of this ugliness to touch you."

Within the MCU Isaiah and Sam's stories are linked. Not just through the fact that Sam brought Isaiah's story out into the light, but also because they are both Black men who have held the mantel of Captain America, and whether they like it or not, their destinies with that legacy are intertwined. One will affect the other. They are each other's keeper.

Sam Wilson, rather through happenstance or fate, is the embodiment of Double Consciousness. Luke Cage, in both his comic book series and his Netflix show, was free to exist as a person outside of the white gaze. He could be angry, sad, fearful, etc, and not have to worry about how his actions would affect the larger community outside of Harlem. Sam Wilson does not have the luxury. So, when Sam is faced with a microaggression (such as being called "Son" by Ross), he is forced to hold his tongue. Sam Wilson is expected to react with kindness and decorum in the midst danger or disrespect, not because he can't fight back, but because he knows how the weight of his actions will affect those who look like him.

And Sam Wilson, a Black man without the soldier serum, is still expected to do everything that Steve Rogers (and to a lesser extent John Walker) do. Sam Wilson must do twice as much work with half as many resources. And if that's not the embodiment of the African American experience, I'm not sure what is. Many African American genres of music were created out of necessity and transferring what knowledge we could salvage onto new instruments. In short, African Americans had to improvise with the tools they were already given and create something new. Jazz and Blues was created because Black slaves were not allowed to use drums, so those rhythmic patterns were transposed onto guitars and horns.

Sam is expected to carry a large amount of physical labor (simply fighting as a human being without the serum clearly takes a toll). But he's also expected to do a lot of emotional labor as well. Through BNW Sam acts more as an ambassador for the US than a soldier. It is canon that in the MCU Sam speaks English, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese and he uses those skills to extend diplomacy to other nations and other people. In BNW, it was Sam who was responsible for deescalating international tensions with Japan, and it was Sam who managed to avoid a war through peaceful negotiation rather than war mongering (as Ross wanted to do). Even during the fight with Red Hulk, Sam had to resort to other means to achieve results (something that Steve or John Walker would've just brute forced their way through). Even while Sam was being shot at in the air, he never lost his cool because (like many African Americans) he is not afforded that privilege. John Walker, in TFATWS is allowed to murder and stain the shield with blood, but no one would ever say that white men like Walker are the problem with America. Yet Sam (and Isaiah) are far too familiar with the fact that a Black man screwing up will result in the judgement of everything that is associated with Blackness and Black people. So, they must find solutions without the use of violence. Sam must be diplomatic when the easier solution would be violence. Sam must be able to communicate with others on their own turf or in their own language during tense situations (like when he spoke Japanese to the fighter pilots).

Sam Wilson does not have the serum, but he does have wings. So, he adapted. Sam Wilson does not have the super strength needed to work the shield the same way Steve does, so Sam adapted and improvised. Just like Jazz music, Sam Wilson turned a perceived fault into a creative strength. He had to use his linguistic skills, his counseling skills, his flight capabilities, psychology and his boundless optimism to do the impossible.

A very hurting thing for Black Americans - to feel that we can't love our enemies. People forget what a great tradition we have as African-Americans in the practice of forgiveness and compassion. And if we neglect that tradition, we suffer.

-Bell Hooks

The fact of the matter remains, Sam Wilson embodies so many aspects of the African American experience, even when he doesn't mean to. Compassion. Improvisation. And the constant idea that this country can choose its better angels. In a way, Sam Wilson occupies a space that Luke Cage, T'challa, Shuri, and even Erik Killmonger cannot. It is a piece of the African American experience that takes a slug in the face and still gets right back up. The Black American tradition of making the impossible a reality through nothing but sheer force of will. Steve Rogers might have been the one to say the words "I can do this all day," but Sam Wilson lives them.

And he comes from a centuries old tradition of people who have been living them.

[mikeymagee]

Legacy of The Falcon

Here's the thing about the Falcon mantel that a lot of people might be overlooking. Sam Wilson, The Falcon, was created out of solidarity for the Civil Rights movement. It's not by accident that the first African American superhero (and note, I said "African American", not Black) was created to be partners with Captain America.

The creators of Sam Wilson wanted to fight back against the idea that African Americans, who at the time were fighting for Civil Rights, were just as much a part of the fabric of the United States as white people.

During the Civil Rights Movement, so many critics of pushed the rhetoric that Black Americans were ungrateful and did not belong in this country. Sam Wilson was created to prove them wrong.

And now, we have another Falcon who is of Mexican descent. He is an undocumented immigrant that exists in a time when all immigrants (whether documented or not) have a target on their backs. He exists during a time when Mexicans/Latino communities are under threat.

And he soars with Captain America. And just like his predecessor, Joaquin exists to show that immigrants belong in this country.

The Falcon isn't simply a mantel, it's a symbol of the fight against American bigotry and hatred. The Falcon, when he's partnered with his Captain, shows Americans of all backgrounds what our country is made up of. And I've loved seeing Joaquin and Sam fight together since their first comic appearance. And I loved seeing their relationship in BNW.

Sam Wilson fights for an America that extends humanity to everyone, and to see a Black man fight for that ideal while also having a Mexican man stand by his side is the perfect continuation of the message that Marvel created back in the 60's.

This country is for everyone.

[mikeymagee]

Finally got a chance to watch this! And, does anyone here think Anthony set Danny up? Like, Anthony's a big jokester and he knows a lot about his co-stars and he loves to screw with them!

Anthony's been on the show before, and he knows how the game is played/what the rules are, etc and he probably watches his co-stars interviews (because he's supportive like that!)

Anyway, Danny had an interview with Men's health where he said he has a sensitive palate and can't really handle spicy food. And every question Anthony gave Danny just seemed tailormade to put the screws to his costar (I mean, that Hurricanes vs Seminoles question was just plain evil).

And then there was the fishing segment at the end where they have a nice boat/set-up and Anthony using Danny's instagram post to get him to crack. I love Anthony but you can't tell me this wasn't some pre-planned trap on Danny!

Hell, maybe the Anthony meme's are true. Maybe he does know shit about people.

[mikeymagee]

Captain America Brave New World potential spoilers

possible spoilers under the cut

Isaiah, when he first was introduced in TFATWS was very much a loner and the only person he had in his life was his grandson. But pos Brave New World, Isaiah is training Sam Wilson, he's visiting Joaquin in the hospital. He pretty much has two new boys to watch after, along with his grandson, Eli.

It's. So. Cute.

He's got an entire family that he can watch over, and that can watch over him. He's got Sam to help him with his PTSD, he's got Eli Bradley to look after him while he's at home, and he's got Joaquin to help brighten his day when things get too hectic. And he even has Bucky to pop in from time to time too!

Isaiah's got an entire support system. And since Isaiah's pretty much got an entire group of sons/grandsons, can we call them The Sons of Liberty? Because that would be awesome!

[mikeymagee]

I'm old enough to remember when people used to say that Sam Wilson was a secret HYDRA agent...and now look where we are.

[mikeymagee]

We Gonna Be Alright - Chapter 1 - mikeymagee - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

Here's a fanfic that I haven't thought about in years. But I think it's pretty on theme.

Black Fanfiction Writers, post your Masterlists for Black History Month! Give the community good stuff to read!

Add your Masterlist of stories centering Black Characters! Please share with your writing mutuals! I'll start with mine!

[mikeymagee]

Black Witches.

Anybody want a show where Evita and Chantelle (Voodoo) from Cloak and Dagger, Jennifer Kale (Rootwork) from Agatha All Along, Tllda Johnson (Obeah) from Luke Cage and Claire Temple (Santeria) also Luke Cage, just get together and discuss sorcery within the Black diaspora?

I know Claire doesn't actually practice Santeria, but it seems to move through her (bringing her near all of these different superheroes who need her help)

It'd be really interesting to see all these different women discussing mysticism within their own specific diasporas.

[mikeymagee]

Yeah...Nerdrotic ain't someone who's opinion I hold in high regard. Or in any regard actually.

Star Trek fans just REFUSE to give Star Trek Discovery it's flowers.

Fuck, Star Trek actually released a vid that said, BLATANTLY, that the reason we're in a new Golden era of Trek is because of DISCO

A show with a Black female lead and wonderful LGBTQIA inclusion, and most comments seem to be HELL BENT on throwing shade. And it's been that way for years now.

So...can Star Trek fans stop acting like they're so above other fandoms when it comes to inclusion and diversity, because every time I read any of their comments, I get Iris West/Candace Patton flashbacks.

[mikeymagee]

Star Trek fans just REFUSE to give Star Trek Discovery it's flowers.

Fuck, Star Trek actually released a vid that said, BLATANTLY, that the reason we're in a new Golden era of Trek is because of DISCO

A show with a Black female lead and wonderful LGBTQIA inclusion, and most comments seem to be HELL BENT on throwing shade. And it's been that way for years now.

So...can Star Trek fans stop acting like they're so above other fandoms when it comes to inclusion and diversity, because every time I read any of their comments, I get Iris West/Candace Patton flashbacks.

[mikeymagee]

Quick question

Is anyone else's Youtube recommendation vids seem a little...Far right? Because it keeps recommending me Anti-trans, anti-BLM, anti immigration, Pro-Trump/right wing content creators.

Is anyone else having this problem?

[mikeymagee]

Frankly, I hope those asholes don’t watch They Cloned Tyrone, because I’m not about to roll through these tags and see Nixon as their new “Bad Boy King” or whatever BS crap they say to justify stanning white supremacist, genocidal dicks. 

Those mother fuckers can stay the FUCK away from They Cloned Tyrone. 

@meanmisscharles reblogged Why is it so hard to let ppl enjoy John Boyega? and added:

White fans really don't like shit that doesn't center whites. We know this, but they don't care we know this about them.

Yeah, I mean, there's only a couple of those spam posts under Netflix's Barbie tweets so

[mikeymagee]

I feel like Black cinema is having a moment...

First I saw The Little Mermaid 2023 in theaters

Then I saw Across the Spiderverse the week after

And now I just came back from watching The Blackening 

And I’m probably going to watch They Cloned Tyrone when it premiers on Netflix. 

I love the fact that we’re seeing so much Black representation across so many different genres. Shit, it wasn’t that long ago when studios wouldn’t even make Red Tails because there were too many Black people in it...