Professor Locs

Avengers Assemble!

I did not see the big reveal during the Super Bowl but I had to share the new Avengers trailer.

Please join me in a big comic book geek squeal! 

I am still salty that some of my favorite Avenger members are not present in the movie like Wasp,  Ant Man, Vision and my favorite the Scarlett Witch. 

We do have a return of Thor and Iron Man so this looks like it could be a winner. 

Check it out for yourself and enjoy!  Avengers Assemble!

 

Star Trek: The Emancipation of Uhura

Hey guys this is the latest in my animated series. 

I am really enjoying xtranormal! 

Join Lieutenant Uhura on the Starship Enterprise as she finds her voice and breaktime....lol.   Enjoy! 

Archie Comic's Gay Character

I always knew some of the comic book characters played for the other team.  Now I have some validation.  The issue of Veronica introducing Riverdale High School's first gay character, Kevin Keller,  has sold out its first print run, an unprecedented event for titles under the Archie Comics brand.

Kevin Keller's character was the new kid in town.  The Archie franchise in an attempt to keep the characters current decided to make Kevin a gay character. 

“We never thought Kevin Keller would become so hot so fast!” Archie Comicsco-CEO Jon Goldwater said in a press release.  Never underestimate the power of the children...lol!

I just  hope Kevin becomes a role model for all the other characters out their struggling with their sexuality.  How you doing Bert and Ernie...lol.   Robin can finally talk about his daddy crush on Batman. Yeah Robin tell folks how you really got the nickname boy wonder....lol!

Professor Locs in "Dress Code"

Hey guys I am enjoying this new animation thing with xtranormal.  This is the latest in the Professor Locs "On the Yard" series.   I am still searching for a character with actual locks...lol.  Enjoy as Professor Locs schools a student on appropriate dress. 

Peepz Movie: Professor Locs in HIS201 Introduction to the Black Experience

Hey guys I have found a new toy. Thanks Rich!  It is the world of Xtranormal.  A wonderful environment that lets novice people like me animate crazy scenarious.  I think this will be an ongoing series for me.  This is my first animation, enjoy! 

X-Men First Class: Film Review

Okay for those of you who follow my work, you know that I am such a comic book geek and also that X-Men is one of my all-time favorite comic book series.

I attended a media screening for "X-Men First Class,” and I can tell you that for those of you who are truly old-school X-Men fans, you will be immediately irritated by their indifference to the original X-Men storyline and team members.

“X-Men First Class” is a prequel to the series and places our team in the 1960s. Matthew Vaughn, who also directed “Kick Ass,” directs the film. Aesthetically, the movie is like X-Men meets Austin Powers, meets Forrest Gump with the historical newsreels. Anyway, the film starts off where the first X-Men film started, with a young Magneto in the Nazi camps.

“X-Men First Class” is much darker than the previous series, so be wary if you plan on seeing it with very young fans.

The most compelling part of the film is seeing the budding friendship of Professor X and Magneto. Although, it is a little disconcerting to see a young Professor X as a collegiate, bar-hopping horn dog trying to get his Mac on…lol.

Magneto grows up to become a hit man hell-bent on finding and killing those who persecuted him in the camps. This brings him face to face with another team of villains, the Hell Fire Club, led by one Sebastian Shaw.

Kevin Bacon plays Sebastian Shaw, who is an ageless doctor from the Nazi camps. I have nothing against Bacon, but I just watched “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore,” and all I can say is that Kitty Galore and the evil Mr. Tinkles made for more terrifying villains…lol.

The villains plot to bring about a world threat, which is what comic book villains do, you know. This prompts Professor X to put together a team of young superheroes. Mutants are now just being discovered.

A team is assembled that again does not resemble any members of the original team members and a battle begins that places the opposing teams in the middle of the Cuban missile crisis. They did not cover that particular scenario in history class.

One of the standout characters is the White Queen played by January Jones from “Mad Men.” She looks as if they just dropped her off from the Mad Men set, big hair and all, as she rocks the 60s look to death.

For those of you who are X-Men virgins, you will have a much better experience as you will be able to watch the film in blissful ignorance of how messed up the timeline of characters is in regards to the comic book series.

The team includes, Havoc, Banshee, Mystique, Darwin and some girl with dragonfly wings. There are two African-American characters and, of course, one gets killed and the other turns rogue…typical.

It’s like the creators were more interested in making a film about characters with cool powers than following the origin. And, hello, did they not see the end of “Wolverine?” Some of the characters are kids in present day, like Emma Frost, but flash back to the prequel and they are grown-A mutants.

“X-Men First Class” is a decent summer movie, especially for comic book virgins or new-school comic geeks, but for the rest of us, it feels like a stint in detention.

Thor: Film Review

Hey guys so I took a few days off and treated myself to some move time.  I had seen the trailer for Thor and was excited about seeing the film. 

I have to have a side rant before I start the review. I get to the theater and there is a four dollar sur charge on 3D films. I was like I am not paying an extra four dollars for 3D.  Enough with 3D movies already, next we will have to suffer through Tyler Perry's, Madea's Old School Country Family Reunion in 3D, where you get to see Madea's ample bosom coming right at you.  The last film I saw in 3D was Clash of the Titans and the only 3D in the film was the opening sequence. I was sitting there looking like Roy Orbison for 2 hours for nothing. 

Back to the theater.  I fork out my money to a guy in the booth that did not say, hello, thank you or enjoy your movie and I hope you choke on your popcorn.  I detest folks who work in customer service and do not give any. 

Finally get to my seat with my customary drink, small popcorn and smuggled milk duds.  I draw the line at paying that much for candy.  I take my seat in the strategic middle section.

Let me tell you Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor is worth the ticket price.  The scene where he is just in jeans is some serious silver screen eye candy. 

Although I am a comic book geek I was not a huge fan of Thor so I was not as well read on his origin so I could watch the film with say a less critical eye than the Xmen series. 

The movie kept moving with the storyline switching effectively between Asgard and Earth. 

I even found Natalie Portman, who typically gets on my nerves, to be entertaining.  But not as entertaining as her femail sidekick.  There are some very funny scenes that play off of Thor's ackward introduction to our world.  When they are in the diner and Thor breaks his coffee cup and demands more coffee and also when he enters the pet store and wants a horse....too funny.

There are some flaws in the story line. Loki, who is suppose to be the master of sorcery only performs a few tricks that most birthday clowns could pull off, disappointing.  The secondary story line of the Ice Giants and their world yield some of the best action scenes.  The CG work in the film is spectacular. 

I enjoyed the backdrop of Asgard and the general aesthetic. 

Another sidenote if you follow Hollywood films then according to the film  Legion there are no ethnic people in heaven.  Asgard however is very diverse and even has Idris Elba working for Odin, the king, as the Asgardian version of an airport ticket agent.  But hey Asgard seems to have more Black folks working than our present economy. 

Thor keeps the action going until the end.  It was definitely worth seeing at the theater. 

You can tell the die hard comic book geeks becasue we have learned that you have to sit through the credits to see clues for the next film. Thor is no different so make sure you stay until the very end for the last scene. They are definitely setting you up for the new Avengers team.

Sidenote I was an usher so I understand the pressure to get the theater clean before the next show but if you see me sitting there then do not stand in front of me sweeping like you are wearing Harry Potters' cloak of invisibility fool!

Thor

Okay join me in a loud geek squeal.  I just saw the trailer for the new Thor movie. 

You guys know that I am a comic book geek from way back, so I am really enjoying the new wave of comic book films. 

I am posting the trailer for  your viewing pleasure. 

Green Lantern Trailer

Hey guys it is time for my loud geek squeal.  The trailer for Green Lantern is out.  I am an old school comic book collector.  I started when you could get them for 35 cents.  The Green Lantern will be played by hunk Ryan Reynolds.   You may remember him in the last Wolverine movie.  A comic book movie and hunk Reynolds in a tight costume...I am so there...lol..  

Customer Service

So like many of you I like to keep track of how I spend my hard earned money. So nothing drives me crazier than people not giving me good customer service.

Have you ever been somewhere and you speak and say good morning or how are you and they give you that "deer in the head lights look."   You know just staring at you blankly like they are waiting for the "closed caption" to kick in for clearer communication.

I was at Wal-Mart the other day and this young guy was ringing me up and did not speak, did not make eye contact nor did he have any salutation other than tossing my bag towards me.  If I wanted to be completely ignored I would go to the DMV and have it done by professionals.

Are we not in a recession? You would think folks with a job would be a little more celebratory. 

If you have read my blog you know nothing drives me crazier than greeters who do not speak to you when you walk in the store. They put more energy into looking up and around you than just speaking. That is all you do, you can't handle that one job function?

I was at the grocery store and this young lady was scanning my groceries so I decided to help her out and bag my own groceries.  I noticed that she was done scanning and was just watching me bag groceries. I finally stopped and said "Boo, I have been at work all day, I am trying to help you out."  She came to her senses and finally started bagging groceries. 

I was recently at Chic Filet and I don't know if they include Xanax and Ecstasy in their training modules but those folks are polite, enthusiastic and professional.  I love going in there just for the good vibes and nuggets.

My favorite scenario was when I was going through the drive thru at Bojangles and I decided to order an extra biscuit at the window.  Apparently, BoomKeisha was not having it and begin to scold me very loudly about how this messes her up on her register and I really needed to order at the speaker next time. 

I sat there listening to drive thru etiquette tips from this young ebony goddess, with her Burgundy finger waves, pink acrylic nails and animated hand gestures and somewhere between being completely caught off guard and mildly entertained, I came to my senses.

I said "Surely somewhere in your vast training they have covered this particular situation, girl if you don't go get me that extra biscuit."  We both laughed and I was off with my 2 piece and extra biscuit. 

I worked at McDonald's for years in High School. It was not the most glamorous job but I was glad to be working and earning money.  I knew it was not my life's work so I did not feel trapped or ambivalent.

If you do not like dealing with people then don't work in customer service! It's like being a teacher and saying I hate kids. 

There is dignity in all honest work and if you have a job that involves customer service would it really kill you to smile and be polite and if so...fake it!