Lit, Movies, Crit, fandom, life, & funny things

Okay, so I’m tired and have a headache so I’m not going to respond to this as in depth as I should, but let’s look at some facts:

There were 5 founding Avengers: Tony Stark, Thor, Bruce Banner (Hulk), Hank Pym, and Janet van Dyne (Cap wasn’t one of them, he didn’t show up until issue 4!). Of those 5 founding members, we have Tony Stark: 5 movies, 3 solos; Thor: 4 movies, 2 solos; Bruce Banner: 4 movies, 2 solos; and Hank Pym, 1 movie. Out of those 5 founding members, 1 of them is female. Out of those 5 founding members, 1 of them isn’t getting into a movie at all, much less their own movie.

OH WHOA THOSE TWO OVERLAP FOR SOME REASON?????????

Okay, so, whatever. Not everyone gets their own movie, right? Nevermind that Jan found Captain America, named the Avengers, is the reason Jocasta EXISTS, chairpersoned the team more times than I can honestly remember right now but at least 3 times, is #5 on the most important Marvel heroes list of all time (and would be number 1 if the Avengers voted on it, according to the list makers’ own admission). (Beating out, for the record: Hank Pym (7), Black Widow (10), Vision (6), Luke Cage (12), Beast (13), Quicksilver (14), Falcon (15), Hulk (18), Spider-Man (25), Iron Patriot (31), Havok (36), Ant Man (Scott Long, 46), Iron Fist (46), and Jessica Jones (49) ALL OF WHOM are getting big or small screen treatment before she is. Never mind ALL OF THAT.

They’re making an Ant Man movie, right? So okay, cool, obviously Ant Man is going to be in it. But which one? There’s two! Hank and Scott. Oh, turns out, they’re gonna do both.

So they didn’t cut either Ant Man, they’re shoehorning BOTH of them into one movie. Huh, okay, cool! Both of them made the cut, I guess. Biggest bang for their buck. 

Did you know Cassie Lang is the entire reason Scott Lang (Ant Man #2) became a superhero (criminal at first) in the first place? Like it’s literally his entire origin story.

You know who isn’t making it into the movie at all? Well that’s kinda… weird. I mean, it seems relevant, you know? But hey, I guess not everybody is going to make the cut!

And Jan, right? She doesn’t matter. It’s not like she literally carried Hank through at least 5 breakdowns. It’s not like SHE’S the one who wanted to be a superhero in the first place and encouraged him to use his research for that. It’s not like SHE defeated Ultron HERSELF MULTIPLE TIMES. She’s definitely not relevant at all to Hank’s story. Oh, and even BETTER. Let’s just COMBINE these two women into one woman! Rather than give Hank a wife and partner who can support him, we’ll give him a daughter who… something. And rather than give Scott a daughter who will be his entire origin story, we’ll give him… Hank’s daughter?

Put all of that aside, seriously. Take EVERYTHING I just said and completely disregard it. You know why it’s bullshit Jan got cut? Because she’s a woman who is feminine and also kick butt. She’s a woman who can be ditzy and brilliantly cunning. She’s flighty and carefree while being a strong, commanding leader who wins the respect of everyone who works under her. She loves fashion AND punching bad guys in the face. She thinks being a hero is all fun and games until she learns responsibility and severity, but even then keeps her compassion and empathy. Jan is an important, DIFFERENT role model for men and women alike that the MCU HASN’T SEEN BEFORE. Hank and Scott, sorry to say, are characters WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE. Hank is a scientist who is tortured by his genius but feels the responsibility to do good with it. Been there, done that, bought the neck brace. Scott is a guy down on his luck just trying to hold it together for his family and gets sucked into a life of crime. Pretty sure I just summarized every show that has ever aired on AMC. But you know what Jan is? Jan is a female action star who isn’t either 1.) a prodigy child confused by her own powers, or 2.) a stone-cold ultra killer with the toughness of steel. Not that there’s anything WRONG with those archetypes: what’s wrong is that’s the ONLY TWO you see women satisfying in action movies (besides love interest, of course). 

Full disclosure: out of all the Marvel characters, I’m probably the most like Carol Danvers. But I LOVE JAN because she’s DIFFERENT. I think Jan might even be more important than Carol to get onto the big screen because  she’s not just like one of the guys. She’s not tough in a masculine way. She has a pixie haircut and designs costumes and tries not to break a nail. But she does it while being a BRILLIANT leader and a FIERCE warrior. It’s something we NEED to show on screen. It’s something little girls and little boys NEED to know is possible. I sure would have benefited from it as a kid, at least. 

But consider this.

Sam and Steve help him regain a sense of purpose and of self respect. He recaptures his sense of identity and his selfless drive, becoming the man he once was, whom the country and the world sorely needs again.

A man who champions those who need it most; those whom society and authority discard without thought or care. Those judged instantly and unfairly by the colour of their skin, those stigmatized through association with mental health difficulties, and especially the ostracised youth of the country.

8.5.14

Tiny Princess Thor has acquired a little brother! Tiny Prince Loki, age six months, made his (very brief) debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 on Friday and promptly stole and gnawed on Thor’s hammer. Also he met a Big Prince Loki who he was not so sure about. (Thank you, kind Loki costumer, for indulging us.)

Naomi Shihab Nye (b. 1952), “Wandering Around an Albuquerque Airport Terminal.” I think this poem may be making the rounds, this week, but that’s as it should be.  (via oliviacirce)

When I lose hope in the world, I remember this poem.

(via bookoisseur)

I’m really glad I read that.

(via selfesteampunk)

I have read this before but it is still marvelous.

Niara is a black trans woman imprisoned in Pennsylvania. Currently, she is struggling to get the money together so she can afford the legal fees associated with changing her name to match her gender identity.

PLEASE, if you can spare ever a few dollars, send her some money to help with these costs!

Kiara Muhammad is the young voice actress of the titular character in the Disney show Doc McStuffins, which is the top rated cable show for kids in the 2 to 5 year old demographic.