Spider-Man: Welcome Miles Morales

Spider-man, arguably one the most popular comic book character ever created, and fans were excited to finally see him on the big screen. When Sony acquired the rights to bring the web-head to theaters almost 17 years ago, they immediately jumped in with Sam Raimi’s version with Tobey Maguire starring. The film would lead to a trilogy that started out as a smash, then bombed critically with the third and final film. Things wouldn’t get any better with Andrew Garfield putting on the mask as the planned trilogy didn’t even get passed the second film. It was only until Sony allowed Disney/Marvel to use the character for three of their M.C.U. films did interests still show for the superhero.

Sony went ahead and decided to do a less costly version by doing a cartoon version and introducing a new spider-man. Miles Morales, a character that’s been introduced to fans via comics, cartoons and the recent Spider-Man game for PS4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse seeks to solidify Morales as a new fan favorite with fans with a film primarily focused on him. Miles Morales, much like Peter in the beginning, is a teenager growing up in Brooklyn with issues that most teenagers in today’s society face until history repeats itself. The only difference is a different tragedy strikes Miles that inspires him to dawn the mask, but not without difficulty.

It turns out that Kingpin, a villain mostly related with Daredevil, has a plan to open a door to other realities for a specific purpose. While Miles tries to come up with a plan in order to stop him, he’s aided by Spider-men from other realities. Some of them are fan favorites, others are well known, and one is mostly for comic relief.  It’s a fun rollercoaster ride that has plenty of action and comedy that you would expect to see from the famous webslinger. The film also does a good job at paying homage to films that came before it and has a touching moment with creator, Stan Lee, who passed away just a short time ago.

The film has great voice acting by some big-name celebrities such as Chris Pine, Nicholas Cage, Zoe Kravitz and Mahershala Ali. It’s got some dark tones but is overall a great family friendly film with a great soundtrack that gets the people going. The only problem I can say about the film is that it’s a little rough on the eyes with its use of animation. Some of the transitions are too fast to catch and the main boss fight is hard to follow because of the setting. Overall, it’s a risk that Sony took and I’m hoping that it’s going to pay off, so I give this film a nine out of ten.

As good as this film is, it’s got the unfortunate task of going up against upcoming blockbusters like Bumblebee and Aquaman in the following week. This film cost 90 million to make, so it shouldn’t be hard to make a profit from the film, but it needs to have a big opening week. I hope it succeeds because this was the fresh start that Sony needed for Spider-Man and Sony has been hot after the financial success of Venom. It would be great to see how Miles’s story plays out if it succeeds at the box office and there’s a touching tribute to Stan Lee mid-credits and a hilarious post credit scene. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a great way to kick off the holiday season with your family, so go see it and enjoy.

Keep Breathing

Feet planted firm.

Nails razor sharp.

Wounds healed

and skin hardened.

After months of

an onslaught of acid tears

and unforgiving winds.

She survived the storm.

Now pain is just a word.

The tears have run their course.

Her head is up

and vision looking forward.

The path was torture,

the heartache was an anchor,

but the chain is broken.

The weight of another is cut loose.

All it took was one breath

to get started.

She kept breathing,

now she has no shadow.

A broken heart

solidified in fire.

A damaged soul

refueled in faith.

To all that need to breathe

just look at her and see.

There’s always light to reach.

You just have to keep breathing.

Thanksgiving Checklist (Parody)

Floors are swept and swifted,

mirrors drenched with glass cleaner,

furniture is wiped down with

citrus scented multi-surface.

Aunt Annie will be grateful

because of her damn sinuses.

The bathroom is cleaned

after being covered in foam.

Mints are in the tank,

the mats are washed and dried,

but the most important thing

is the toilet paper.

Paper rolling over, not under.

Otherwise I hear it from Uncle Ryan’s

insane, OCD, stuck up rear end.

The tables are set with plates

in the shape of pumpkins,

glasses for the chardonnay,

and seats spread far enough for everyone’s

wide arms and fat fingers to stretch.

The food is sitting on top of a white table cloth

with a pattern of red fall leaves.

Mom always loved it, so it’s a tradition.

Television is set to all the football games

so Dad won’t have a reason to interact.

Minnesota will be his appetizer,

Dallas will be the main entrée,

and Pittsburg will be dessert.

God forbid there’s a power out or

it’ll be Halloween all over again.

The turkey is in the oven

all thawed and basted,

the stuffing is in progress,

there’s plenty of pumpkin pie,

and four cans of whipped cream ready to go.

Time for the painkillers and shot of vodka

because it’s going to be a long dinner.

Thank you fore-fathers for this one day a year

we celebrate a great pre-genocidal dinner

that happened centuries ago.

A holiday that represents happiness

and gratitude

is replaced

by stress and high blood pressure.

The only turkey I want right now

comes from a bottle with a kick.

The door bell is ringing!

Time to enjoy hell!

Ode to Queen and Freddie Mercury

Bohemian Legacy
by Anthony Labson

Ay-oh!
Will you let me go?
I’ve got to go
and your life has just begun.

I’m tired of being under pressure,
so don’t stop me now.
Don’t believe radio gaga,
just go and want it all.

These are the days of your life
when you find somebody to love.
Then you two rock the world until it falls
and you shout, “We are the champions!”

I know there’ll be one day
when something kills the queen
and that’s when you’ll ask,
“Who wants to live forever?”

Keep yourself alive
for as long as you can,
then when you bite the dust
remember to say goodbye everybody.

You’re my best friend,
but I’ve got to break free
and be with the love of my life.
Love, what a wonderful kind of magic.

When you have a little crazy thing
called love
Hell turns to Heaven in a flash.
So don’t deny yourself.

I made my legacy,
and now I want you to make yours
my prince of the universe.
Goodbye darling.

Breast Cancer Awareness Poem

What's Worth Kneeling For?
by Anthony Labson

I’m full of pride.
I can’t run from a fight
and I won’t shame my name.
I’ll stand ready to die.

I don’t flinch for a blade
and I don’t fear the sound of a bullet.
A knife is just a tool for use or trade
and a gun is nothing without a digit.

I’ve fought enemies
and I’ve even fought a friend.
The fighting never reached its end
and I would think at times I had an injury.

I’ve never really had a reason to fight
but I never could back down.
Now more than ever all I can wear is a frown
because my love is fading from my sight.

She is the best of me
but we didn’t catch her disease in time.
The other life in her heart is mine,
so if she goes then I’ll cease to be.

If finally bending my knees saves her
then I do it proudly with no dishonor.
My life without her would just be horror.
I never thought my greatest enemy would be cancer.

Why Does a Rose Represent Love?

"A rose is supposed to be the representation of love. If that's true then why does a rose have thorns that cut you and why does it have to die." Amber, a friend of mine once asked me that a long time ago and it took me a long time to finally answer this question. It takes a long time because love is a very powerful marvel. I believe a simply "I love you" answers a lot of complicated questions. When there is a great truth to be discovered, then you must first experience this before you can see the truth. Here is why a rose represents love, but also has thorns and must die.

A rose represents love, but has thorns because like being in love, it must be handled carefully. You need to treat it with respect and be careful not to mishandle it. You can't be careless handling the one you hold just because there may be roses with less thorns. If you do then eventually, you will be cut and when that happens, you’re scarred for life. You will have a scar that will take a lifetime to heal and never go away, that cut will always remind you of your loss. That is why the rose has its thorns.

Now why does a rose die? That's the hardest part of the question, but I remembered everyone I ever loved and it came to me. A rose must die because love must be cherished. If love was eternal and always around then the inevitable outcome is that it would be taken for granted. Love should never be taken for granted. Like with people, roses must be loved while we have them because everything that is born must die, so we must appreciate the time we have with them. A rose is the perfect representation of love and these are my reasons why I believe so.

Luke Cage Season 2 is Bulletproof!

Netflix and Marvel have come a long way since the release of Daredevil. The success of that show laid the foundation that would give fans an introduction to characters only known in the comics. Characters like Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and the power man himself, Luke Cage. Now with his second season released, Mike Colter is breaking new barriers by portraying a side of the bulletproof hero of Harlem that’s both interesting, yet terrifying. Netflix’s shows of the Marvel characters have all been dark, but things take a new twist with Luke Cage. The best addition this season comes with the arrival of the new antagonist, Bushmaster, played by Mustafa Shakir.

The season starts off some time after the events of The Defenders, and Luke Cage has become the unofficial sheriff of Harlem. Luke is hellbent on his war to bring down his rival, Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard), but soon realizes that he isn’t the only one willing to burn in Hell to get to the devil. When Bushmaster arrives, Luke is pushed into a situation where he must either help the devil he knows or the devil he doesn’t. The problem with that situation is neither choice is good for Harlem, and Luke knows he must dig deep to find another way where Harlem wins. It’s a battle that will force Luke to battle demons both externally and internally.

The only help Luke has during this war is his old friend Misty who is fighting her own battles after losing her arm. There’s an unexpected surprise character introduced to help Luke through his internal crisis by actor, Reg E. Cathey, who died in February this year. There are also cameos from other marvel shows that come in to help Luke contain the chaos, but soon Luke realizes this is a war he must end on his own. The war will end as it began, with a bloody and shocking end that will leave the audience guessing what could come in the next season. The ending is a twist that resembles the ending of one of America’s most classic movies, and it will make people wonder how this will affect Harlem.

Mustafa Shakir did a fantastic job as Bushmaster, I almost say that he’s my second favorite villain next to Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin. Introducing fans to a new kind of villain with his marital arts and practice of Voodoo, Shakir should be considered to return if possible. Viewers will immediately see how Bushmaster and Luke Cage are alike as the show progresses to the eventual showdown which is brutal at best. The action is par compared to other shows, but as stated before, the ending is what makes the show worth all the drama. The drama all centers around one person and that’s Mariah Dillard.

Mariah’s past comes back to destroy her, but she puts all of Harlem in the crossfire to protect her and the people she loves. If Bushmaster isn’t enough trouble, Misty is digging with her bare hands to find something in the dirt that will finally put Mariah behind bars. Alfre Woodard portrays a new side of Mariah that is both vicious and psychotic. Delivering an award-winning performance, most fans of the famous antagonist might be sad by the ending of her story, but I got a feeling we will still see her next season. What can we expect to see from Netflix and Marvel?

Daredevil should be making his return soon after being presumed dead after the events of The Defenders. Matt Murdock may be coming back to a few surprises since Foggy is with a new law firm, Karen has been seen with The Punisher, and Wilson Fisk may be returning from his incarceration. Wilson Bethel is set to appear as the legendary assassin, Bullseye, and that’s a showdown many have been waiting to see since the character went mainstream after being introduced by Colin Farrell in the box office bomb, Daredevil. Maybe Hell’s Kitchen has learned to move on without the blind vigilante, or it might need him more than ever. We’ll have to wait sometime later in 2018 or maybe early 2019.