Wakanda Forever!

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Tonight, Javaka Leslie is looking forward to the Cape and Cowl. Acon wants to build his own Wukonda, and we remember the king of Wolconda, Chadwick Bozeman. All that more on the comic book edition of Multiverse Tonight. Comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, and more. If you're looking for a roundup of peaky news, you're in the right place. This is Multiverse Tonight. And here's our host, Thomas Townley. Hello, everyone, and welcome to episode 93 of Multiverse Tonight. And uh well, welcome to September, I guess. Man, the the the news of Chadwick Bozeman passing hit you as hard as it hit me. Yeah. I'm just a few months older than him. He was he was almost to his to his uh forty-fourth birthday. And but the fact that he persevered in spite of having cancer these four years is well pretty inspiring. I'll have more on that later in the podcast. But uh anyway, let's go on with the DC comic news. Now, apparently, some people are curious as to why the Robin in the new Gotham Knights game is Tim Drake and nonir Robin. ComicBook.com asked Gotham Knights creative director Patrick Redding, quote, so Tim Drake was our Robin choice right from the start, and for reasons that I'm not going to get it get it to yet. Because it does tie into the broader arc of the story, and we'll talk about that a little later. Tim was the right robin to be the newest robin for where we're at, and as well as well for us, it allows us to have a teenage Robin who was nevertheless still a physically formable and physically credible fighter, even though he has more of a stealth focus, and a bit more of a focus in terms of how he's using his gadgets and using the tricks and detective intuition that he has, we still want a robin that could credibly go through a full evolutionary arc that would end with him being the new Dark Knight of Gotham City. So that for us made a lot of sense, and it's great, because if you're familiar with the lore and you know your way around the various about Tim Drake, it's not like completely unexplored territory. People have asked the question of where's Tim going? What's he turning into? People sense that he might be a better detective than Bruce Wayne on some level, and he also has some of Bruce's other core idios and credit idiosyncrasies as well, and what is that going to evolve into? So for us, it's really fun narratively, and in terms of his progression, he's a character who I love thinking about because what kind of urban legend does Tim Drake create about himself when he's on the Path to Knighthood? Gotham Knights will be available on in available in 2021. Westworld's Jeffrey Knight, who's playing Jim Gordon in The Batman, spoke with Sirius XM's The Jess Kegel Show about how this version of Batman will be different from other comics movies, saying, quote, We have an opportunity. Comic book films have sucked a lot of oxygen from the cinematic room, but with Batman, we have an opportunity to use all the trappings of that genre to explore some things in an American city through the lens of crime, corruption, that are really grounded and relevant and interesting. So the detective work there is an exploration of Gotham, but all also becomes an exploration of a city very much like New York City, unquote. Actress Jeffica Leslie is ready to be history's first black Batwoman, and the significance isn't lost on her, telling the Hollywood reporter, quote, this really has nothing to do with me and everything to do with my people and with little black girls, unquote. But she's not just an actress, but she's also a lifelong Batman fan. She also ha she also says she has the physicality already to play a superhero saying, quote, I'm very active in my personal life. So being able to allow that to be my work, that's heaven for me. I do Muay Thai, I do fitness training, I run. Anything that's active, I'm always down for, so this is going to be like playing on the playground all every day. Unquote. Although she hasn't been able to get to work yet, she's made good use of her time, saying, quote, I've been I've just been taking this a little bit of time a little bit of time we have left, exercising, getting back in shape, getting my adrenaline and my momentum back up, enjoying time with family and friends while I can before work starts. It's been a good season, a season of rebuilding and connecting with myself. I'm kind of you know interested interested to see how this plays out. You know. This could be very good, you know, it could be very bad, but you know, we have to wait and see before we make any decisions. Now uh changes are coming behind the scenes of DC Comics. DC announced that Daniel Cherry has been hired as senior VP and general manager of DC Comics. Now he'll oversee business affairs, editorial, talent services, marketing, sales brand, and direct to consumer content for DC. Now Cherry isn't from a comics background, but a video game one, as he has formerly worked for Activision Blizzard as a chief marketing officer of the company's Esports Division. Before that, he worked for the New Jersey Devils NHL franchise. Cherry will take care of business while publisher Jim Lee will, according to DC, quote, Lee will bring his unmatched creativity, passion, and innate knowledge of the DC characters and canon to the company's efforts to evolve the brand and create relevance for new audiences around the world, unquote. Think of things like DC Fandom, stuff like that. Which, uh, if you haven't noticed, DC has really is Warner Brothers has really taken note of DC Fandom. I'm betting next year they try to charge some some sort of money for it. So get prepared for that. The Batman has a problem. Or should we say Robert Pattinson has a problem. Production on the movie has stopped cold dead after Robert Pattinson apparently has tested positive for COVID-19. According to reports citing sources close to the film's production, Vanny Fair reports that it has confirmed the report through a highly placed source. We wish Mr. Pattinson, you know, the best of health. DC has announced Batman Day 2020, with a press release saying, quote, DC today unveiled plans for a global Batman Day celebration on September 19th, 2020, inviting fans of all ages around the world to participate in a wide range of Batman themed activities to honor the iconic DC Superhero. For the first time, fans have the opportunity to drive along with a Batman and the Riddler theme on Waze. I already have. It's kind of neat having having Batman tell you where to turn. And to complete the experience, you can listen to the Waze and DC Superhero or Superville playlists on Spotify while driving the via the Waze audio player feature. Plus, free digital comics, free activity kits for kids, a Batman Virtual 5K-10K run walk, and even a digital mystery to solve in which fans can put together on their cape and cowl and transform into their strongest self. Fans can also team up with Batman to protect Gotham City in a series of digital activities, such as joining the celebration on social media and helping Batman to piece together a series of clues left behind by the Riddler. If you can decode these mischievous hints, you'll unlock exclusive limited time reveals. The adventure begins when the virtual bat single lights up on 12 p.m. per uh Pacific time, September 18th. Excuse me, on the D on the at DC Comics Twitter. Now the new Waze Batman theme allows for more than 100 million monthly active users to ride along with the Batman and the Riddler from August 31st to October 30. Waze drivers can opt to hear directions in the style of Batman voiced by Batman the Animated Series actor Kevin Conroy, as well as a select a Batman icon and custom Batman mood. Drivers who want a slightly more villainous experience can select the Riddler voice directions, voiced by actor Wally Wingert, mood and custom vehicle. Waze users worldwide can experience the Batman theme in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Experienced Batman Caped Crusader Training. Are you ready to team up with Batman? In the week leading up to Batman Day, fans will have a chance to immerse themselves in an all things Batman. Each day, visit Batmanday.com to find new activities such as DIY Cape and Cal instructions, a how-to video about creating your own Bat Signal, and more. Batman Virtual 5K 10K Run, get your cape on and participate in the Virtual 5K or 10K Run Walk, launching on August 31st in partnership with Ram Racing. The Batman Virtual Run allows participants to run their own race during the day and under the darkness of night, but with reflective gear for safety. Registered participants will receive an exclusive collection of Batman branded gear, including a premium cover zip, pullover, finisher's medal, cap, and more. Learn more and register at dc Batmanrun.com. Injustice 2 Mobile will feature back-to-back Batman arenas along with special classic Batman invasion event. Players will be treated to a free Batman Day gift and various sales on in-game chests and bundles. DC Legends will celebrate the Protector of Bat of Gotham. That's Batman Day. Players log in on September 19th will receive a special treat and can check out the store to unlock and boost up their favorite Gotham superhero or supervillain with a promo sale. DC Reverse Online is celebrating Batman Day with an in-game Batwing, form change trinket free for all players, and new Riddler-inspired aura for members between September 14th and the 20th. DC Universe will be celebrating with some exciting news you won't want to miss. Batman Around the World fans in Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, and Japan can enjoy special offers, giveaways, and exclusives on a variety of Batman comics. Italy Cartoon Network will host Batman themed programming starting on September 14th on CN Plus One. Fans can register for the virtual Batman Run Walk in Brazil. In Japan, Unlike UT has a collection of t-shirts, hoodies by renowned artist John Michael Basquat in all U UI UniQLO stores. Fans in the UK will enter competitions for the chance to win Batman bundles. In addition, there'll be retail promotions with part for with various partners, free digital comics, and activity kits. These will offer free digital comics, including the first chapter of Batman Curse of the White Knight, graphic novel by Sean Gordon Murphy for adults and teens. Fans of any age can enjoy the digital editions of Batman The Adventure Continues number one and the first chapter of the Batman Tales Once Upon a Crime graphic novel, whereas you can find them at dccomics.com and readdc.com as well as other places online. Families can enjoy uh free activity kits at Batmanday.com. And those are curated list of uh Batman tiles at Batmanday.com. You can watch this is a long list, folks. Watch Batman HBO Max. We'll celebrate the Batman Takeover of the DC brand hub from September 18th to 19th. Key Cartoon Network International Territories. I love Batman themed programming. Uh shop Batman products on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. etc. Global partners such as Lego, Spin Master, and Funko will release the exclusive Batman products. Batman Digital Comics Sale will feature 400 ebooks and 3,000 digital comics as low as 99 cents. Here initiative, the charity that helps uh comic book creators in medical and financial need is celebrating Batman Day with the Batman 100 project. Hero commissioned 100 plus top artists to do original drawings on DC's Batman number 75, and the originals will be auctioned at Heritage Auctions September 13th through 19th. Now fans can join in social media using the hashtag Batman Day and visit Batmanday.com for the list, news, and updates. Unquote. That was a long list. Give me just a second here, folks. Anyway. DCC fan DC fandom uh will uh have its uh multiverse panels. There will be a watchverse. Uh panels will include the official introduction of WBBTV's Batwoman as well as Superman Lewis, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, DC's uh Stargirl, Black Girl Black Lightning, Expand Versions of the Flash and Titans panels that debut during Hall of Heroes and some more. There will be the Insiderverse panel, where fans can go behind the scenes with the master art artisans who bring DC to life in all forms from comic books, games, TV shows, movies, etc. etc. There's gonna be the fun the Blurred and Bougie uh panel celebrating Blurred, aka Black Nerd culture, and its impact around the globe. The Funverse panel, fun in the name of the of the game, and the Funverse, and a perfect place to share your DC fandom, read hundreds of uh free digital comics, strike a pose at the selfie station, explore the Joker Escape Room, etc. etc. And Uverse, where fans are the stars, check out more than 17,000 fan art, cosplay, and user-generated content submissions from around the world, and vote for your favorites. All of the above verses content can be streamed exclusively at dcfandom.com and available globally across desktop and mobile and in nine languages. Now key art from various movies, video games, TV shows, and more will also be coming to the DC Fandom storefronts on Designed by Humans and Amazon. DC says that new products from Designed by Humans and Amazon will include stickers, mouse pads, mugs, wall art, and fun accessories. The second half of DC Fandome is coming this uh weekend, September 12th. Shazam 2 will start filming in the first quarter of 2021, according to star Zachary Levi. They have to start soon because, as he said on the Dan Fogler 4D experience, quote, they announced that we are going to do a sequel pretty much right after we premiered. They knew we were tracking well enough, they were happy enough with the numbers, so they have been steadily and earnestly working on the script for the sequel, and I think quarter one of next year is the idea. COVID has kind of made a mess of everything a little bit a little bit up in the air, but very much very much the intent is to make another one. We gotta get it fast. The kids are growing up fast. Unquote. I kind of agree there. Uh unfortunately, yeah, the kids do grow up. Now let's go on to the Marvel news. And uh we'll start off with the box office report. And uh well, not not very good news for the new mutants, unfortunately. Now this just covers September 4th through the 6th, so it doesn't have the extra Labor Day numbers in there, but it's not gonna matter much. At number six, uh words on bathroom walls dropped one spot. The Spongebob movie Sponge on the Run went from number six to number five. The personal history of David Copperfield, st he'll study at number four, Unhinged went from number two to number three, and it lost 35% from the previous week. The new mutants went from number one to number two, losing nearly sixty percent of its business the previous week. Uh grossing two point eight million, making its total gross so far around you know just under twelve million dollars, eleven point six million dollars. The number one movie, of course, is tenant. Because what is tenant? That's that is a great advertising campaign because it qu makes you wonder what the heck this is. You know, kinda like uh what is the matrix. Uh it came in with twenty million two hundred thousand dollars in uh in uh two thousand eight hundred and ten theater, so you know, very good win for Warner Brothers, I guess. Uh we'll see you know how things progress uh over the coming weeks. But good job, Warner Brothers. Anyway, let's uh go on with the news. Variety reports that Sony Pictures TV is working on a live-action Silk TV show with Phil Lord and Chris Miller as executive producers. Sony is also looking to get Lauren Moon to write the show. Now it's believed that Lauren's similar heritage to Silk, Korean American, will give the show that right insight into Silk's cultural heritage. Music mogul and hip-hop recording artist Akon wants to build a city based on Wakanda. The artist announced plans via social media that he is a third of the way to building the six billion dollars he needs to make it happen. Now the city would be in the West African country of Senegal. On the website for the project it says about Acon City, the developed economy aims to adapt future development. The current evolution required a flexible infrastructure to accommodate new real estate development. The fast pace of global changes, economic progress, poverty, and technology race continuously, causing Senegal to face various new challenges. Akon City will play a vital role in the quest for solutions to these challenges. The knowledge we generate and the professionals we train are expected and quite rightly to help in providing local solutions as well as a critical component of human development. And it is these professionals, professionals individuals, who develop the capacity and analytical skills to drive local economies, create new industries, support civil society, lead capable governments, and make critical decisions that will affect the entire economy. For more of this for more on this city, go to the website at Akon City, that's AkonCity OneWord.com, and we'll have a link to that in our show notes. I'll believe it when I see it. Yeah. It's kind of like the fire festival, you know. You know, I need to believe I need to see the you know, an actual development to believe there's going to be a city there. But from the from the visuals on the website, it looks like a you know, it looks like an interesting place just to visit. But again, I actually have to see it built to believe it. Now this new story. Usually I saved the sad news for the end of the broadcast, but uh this one hit kinda hard. Tonight, remember actor Chadwick Bozeman, who passed away after a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. You know, I think what hit everyone hard was not only the fact that no one was aware of the colon cancer diagnosis, but that he has had stage three cancer since twenty sixteen. Which means that while he was filming the Black Panther, he was still in the midst of this. I mean that's that's heroic. Now, let's start at the beginning. Chadwick Boseman was born in South Carolina on November twenty-ninth, nineteen seventy-six. He grew up and went to Howard University in Washington, DC, DC, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in fine arts for directing. Now, interestingly enough, one of his teachers was actress Felicia Richard. He got his first TV role in 2003 in an episode of Third Watch, and he also was a recurring character on All My Children that year, but after voicing concerns about the racist stereotyping in the scripts, he was fired. Now, ironically, Michael B. Jordan, his future Black Panther co-star, would take over the role that he had. He would also appear in Law and Order, CSI New York, ER, Castle and Fringe, and his first movie role was in 20 it was in 2008's The Express, the Ernie Davis story. In 2013, he was cast as Jackie Robinson in the Biopic 42, and he's also starred in Draft Day and another biopic role in Get On Up, this time as James Brown. In 2016, he got to become a superhero as Black Panther in Captain America's Civil War before getting his own movie in Black Panther, although he did also play future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in the biopic Marshall, which he also produced. In 2018 and 2019, he played Black Panther in the Black Panther and Avengers Infinity War and the sequel in Avengers Endgame. After that, he starred and produced 21 Bridges and was cast in the spikely Netflix series The Five Bloods. His final Projects are the movie Ma Rainy's Black Bottom and Marvel's What If. He was just a few months younger than me. He was 43. So if you're about 45 and older, uh check with your doctor. Let's let's try to make this cancer go away. This is a very treatable cancer if you found early enough. If you have any of the following symptoms or have a family history, see your doctor now. Symptoms of colon cancer include a persistent change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation, or a consistency in the chain or the change in the consistency of your stool, rectal bleeding or blood in your stool, persistent abdominal discomfort such as cramps, gas, or pain, a feeling that your bowel doesn't completely empty, weight weakness or fatigue, unexplained weight loss. Many people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When symptoms appear, they're likely very dependent depending on the cancer size and location in your large intestine. Now, when to see a doctor is if you notice any persistent symptoms that make you worry. So make that appointment with your doctor and talk to your doctor about when to begin colon cancer screening. Guidelines generally recommend that colon cancer screenings begin around age 50, although they are kind of uh they're starting to actually go downwards on that recommendation. Your doctor may recommend more frequent or early screening if you have other risk factors, such as a family history of the disease. So, you know, honor Chadwick Bozeman and get checked out. So let's go on to the geek news. Semi-retired W superstar Reggie Mysterio is getting his own cartoon show on Cartoon Network. At the 2020 Pixel Atl Atlanta Festival, the following description was quote Ray Mysterio will tell the story of one of the most famous of the most iconic luchadors, a figure admired by all and star of the ring. But he will also delve into a great secret, an imaginal force threatens our world, and he will be a fundamental part of that fight. When their number one fan discovers a secret, the guy they will immerse themselves in a world where the excitement and adrenaline of wrestling coexist with mystery, mythology, history, magic, and supernatural beings. Unquote. During the panel, Ray Ray said about the project, quote, after 35 years of career and multiple achievements, I was still missing something. I always wanted an animated series with the character of Ray Mysterio, and when the Hermanos Cavalleri presented their idea to me, and I was immediately captivated. Working with Cartoon Network has been incredible. I can think I can't think of anyone better than this group to make this project a reality. I don't know, I might you know look watch an episode or two of that. Rain Mysterio is actually a very cool guy, and and he has short has short has he seems on TV. In person. Archie Comics flagship title Archie is taking a break, ending a streak that lasted 78 years. The most recent issue, Archie number 713, went on sale back in July July 29th, and so far no new issues have been announced or solicited, marking the first time since 1942 that no new issues have come out. News Arama reports that this may be caused by the coronavirus pandemic disrupting things. So I guess we're just gonna have to wait and see. Apparently, the last issue kind of left off on a kind of cliffhanger, so I'm sure people want a resolution. IDW Publishing has a new publisher. The company has announced that former Disney Publishing Worldwide Executive Editor Nachie Marsham will be taking the reins of the company after previous publisher Judd Myers was fired back in August. Netflix has announced that the new season of Carmen San Diego, Season 3, will be dropping on the service on October 1st. The series' second season ended things wide open for season 3. Nintendo, in a new Nintendo Direct, announced a celebration of Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary. They are releasing Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of the 3D Mario games Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy, that will be available from September 18th until March 2021. There will be a special 35-player version of Super Mario Brothers that will be available from October 1st to the end of March. Also coming in February of 2021 will be Super Mario 3 World plus Bowser's Fury for the Switch, and there will also be a Mario Kart Live home circuit which allows you to play Mario Kart in real life. The release of Super Mario All-Stars on the Nintendo Switch Online, and the Game ⁇ Watch Super Mario Bros. a fresh take on the classic Game Watch systems of the past. There will also be special items at the Nintendo New York store, store.netendo.com, as well as special events in Super Mario Maker 2, Slatoon 2, Animal Crossing, New Horizons, and Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. It's me, Mario! And as we close out the news tonight, we should note the passing of DC comics artist and cartoon storyboarder Jim Jaynes. Jim worked on DC comics in the early 80s, including 15 issues of Legion of Superheroes, and storyboarded such animated shows as Robocop Alpha Command, Extreme Ghostbusters, Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century, Exosquad, The Animated Adaptation of The Karate Kid, The 1987's Teenage Beat Ninja Turtles, Swamp Thing, Batman the Animated Series, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man The Animated Series, and X-Men The Animated Series. Now that's a pretty impressive set of credentials. He was 72 years old. And that brings us to the end of the comic book news. Now be sure to check us out on social media. We're at Twitter at multiverse tom. We're also on Facebook and Instagram as well. And if you'd like to contribute some money, please visit mtpodcast.com to go to the coffee, patreon, and glow.fm links, or hit the support me button at the top of the homepage. And be sure to visit multiverse tonight.com to check out the affiliate marketplace links, the link to the Tea Public Store, show notes, and so much more. If you're a subscriber, be sure to share us with your friends. And if you're brand new to the show, thank you. And please be sure to subscribe. And leave us with some feedback and let us know how we're doing. Special thanks to Shane Ivers for the intro music and Lobo Loco for the outro theme music. Thanks for watching the comic book edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with the sci-fi edition. Now please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse tonight is a production of How to Big John Productions Copyright 2020. Alright. Which is frozen. Oh, that's funny. Better one. Better one. Better one. I think I kinda like myself frozen. Anyway. Anyway, thank you for uh watching the show today. Or uh