Posts

Forever the Maestro

Image
  “I’ve always felt that the cool thing about being a writer is that all you need is paper to do the job. The best thing to further what you do is write and read all you can. Read both stuff you like to see why its good and read bad to see how to fix. Doing that will help you see and solve problems in your own writing.  “But I think the biggest advice I can offer is don’t just pick one story and stop, write as much as you can, as many stories as you can. The best thing about being a writer is, a writer’s craft is nearly perfect because a writer can go anywhere and do his craft.” Dwayne McDuffie, writer, creator of worlds, legend. A creator. A genius. A dreamer.  An icon. An ideal. An inspiration. A collaborator. A colleague. An intellect. A friend. A son. A brother. A husband. The Maestro. Dwayne. I think of the many writers who inspired me to create my own stories, Mr. McDuffie remains the keystone to the creator I grew up to be. His works resonated with me when I first ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Two Florida Evans Theory

Image
On February 8, 1974, days after she said goodbye to her loudmouthed employer Maude Finley, Florida Evans and Esther Rolle said hello to a new series, Good Times . This venerable series was a very popular spinoff of another popular spinoff, a rarity in television.  But was it? No, I'm not asking if Good Times was popular, because it was. The series has been a television staple for over 50 years. I'm not even saying it wasn't a spinoff platform for Esther Rolle's Florida Evans character.  I'm just saying that Good Times isn't really a direct spinoff of Maude . It's kind of like saying Harley Quinn is a direct spinoff of Batman: The Animated Series . Yes, both shows feature a character named Harley Quinn, but these are not the same character, nor do the shows share the same continuity.  Not buying it? Okay, let's go even deeper.  Harley Quinn is not a spinoff of Batman: The Brave and the Bold . Both shows feature a character named Batman/Bruce Wayne who...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rewind: WB100 Black History Month Part 4 (1994-2003)

Image
Here's Part Four, which celebrates Warner Bros' Black history from 1994 to 2003.This was one of the most groundbreaking years for Black talent and characters across the company. Powerful stories, memorable characters, and great entertainment that still endures today. As with my previous three rewinds, I had to add a few titles I missed from last year's initial social media posts.  With that out of the way, on with the show. Natasha Irons (Steel), DC Comics, 1994 "We don't discriminate. We'll use a hammer or a particle beam, whatever gets the job done." John's niece Natasha Irons has become just as much as a hero as her uncle, even donning the Steel name herself as well as making her mark as one of DC Comics' LGBT heroines.   The Wayans Bros , 1995 The Parent ‘Hood , 1995 On January 11, 1995, The WB Television Network launched, and the very first series to air on the young network was The Wayans Bros , a sitcom about a pair of brothers played by Sha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rewind: WB100 Black History Month Part 3 (1984-1993)

Image
  Here's Part Three, which celebrates Warner Bros' Black history from 1984 to 1993.As you'll see, plenty of Black stories featuring Black talent truly emerged in this decade. Purple Rain , 1984 Krush Groove, 1985 The Oscar-winning Purple Rain (1984) and cult classic Krush Groove (1985) are two films with all-star talent that embodied the growing impact of the Black experience in music in the 1980s. Funk, R&B, rap, and hip-hop are all still part of our collective souls today. The Color Purple (Warner Bros/Amblin, 1985) "I'm poor, Black, I might even be ugly, but dear God, I'm here. I'm here." 1985's The Color Purple was a critically-acclaimed drama from Steven Spielberg based on Alice Walker's novel. The legacy of this timeless film remains strong today. Should have won tons of Oscars. Amanda Waller (DC Comics, 1986) "Good guys. Bad guys. Whatever they are, they are all just one thing to me: assets." DC Comics' Amanda Waller ...
Post a Comment
Read more