Month: February 2025

Captain America: Brave New World-Movie Review

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Movies

Last week, I published Captain America: Brave New World-Preview, and since I saw the movie last Tuesday, it’s time to discuss it. Writing these previews/reviews may seem like a bad idea, and make no mistake, they are, but they keep me entertained, instead of trading comic books under a bridge at night. It’s a very popular trend in New Zealand, like giving tax cuts to landlords and running boot camps for young offenders.

Sorry, my snowflake liberal woke heart was bleeding again. Being the CEO of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website is a busy job because I work hard enough, it could become the 6th. Maybe.

Right, where was I? Oh yes, the review. Like last time, I had purchased my ticket days early, so I just walked into the cinema, without anybody checking my ticket. Again. After opening a second mortgage to pay for the snacks, I got to sit in the middle of the back row, like I always do, because…say it with me, I’m a geek. Altogether, there were only six people in the theatre.

They played trailers for Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which I have to admit, The Thing looks far more comic-accurate than his appearances in the previous three films. I haven’t included 1994’s unreleased The Fantastic Four, since it seems the majority of the world will never get to see it.

As always, let’s go over the rules of the review.

1.) Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.

2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch or read it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.

3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be.

So, I’m not here to shag spiders, let’s get on with the review!

Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney

Firstly, did I like the movie? Yes, I did, but not for the reasons I thought I would. These reasons are not listed in any particular order; they simply reflect my thoughts as they come to mind. Captain America: Brave New World isn’t the best superhero film Marvel has produced, nor is it the worst. It may not be great, but it’s certainly not terrible. Overall, it’s a solid film.

Things I liked:

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Sam Wilson fight using his wings. As you know, I haven’t watched The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, but I was impressed by his fighting style, even though I’m not an expert on combat techniques.

I think the way Wilson uses his wings as extra limbs, is similar to how Doctor Octopus fights. His reach is incredible, and I can imagine how challenging it would be to fight against him, especially if he has his shield.

One aspect I appreciated was the reference to the 2021 film The Eternals, specifically the corpse of the Celestial Tiamut. Although The Eternals did not receive a warm reception from fans and critics, the filmmakers could not ignore the presence of Tiamut’s corpse, which had been resting in the Indian Ocean for years, and it was important for them to acknowledge that.

Also having the new alloy discovered on “Celestial Island”, turning out to be adamantium, was a shock to me. I honestly sat with my mouth open for about 20 seconds, before I remembered to shut it. This is a stepping stone or at least a bridge to the introduction to Wolverine and the X-Men. How Marvel Studios are going to force the X-Men into the MCU is going to be interesting, as they are my favourite Marvel super-team.

I thought Anthony Mackie was great at portraying a new Captain America, by trying to do the right thing, as well as coping with his ability to live up to the name of Captain America. It was a hard thing to balance, and I think Mackie was awesome at it.

His discussion with Isaiah Bradley about meeting with President Ross was to me, accurate and smart. Knowing he can’t trust Ross, and how Bradley feels about the government, Wilson basically said, “I want to keep my friends close, and my enemies even closer.” By refusing Ross’ offer, Wilson would never learn what Ross is planning or what is going to happen next.

And speaking of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Captain America: Brave New World felt like a sequel to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. It features the return of Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross and Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, but has Ross facing the consequences of his actions during that movie.

By now, you probably know that Ross transforms into the Red Hulk. I liked his transformation scene, where his skin and clothes appeared to be burning from the intense heat radiating off him. They didn’t have to include that detail, but they did, and it made the scene really cool.

It was also helpful to people who had not seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, when Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) known as the Falcon, explained his connection to Wilson, but also where Wilson got his new flying harness from.

I know I’ve spoken about not having Disney+, so I’ve been unable to watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but as I was watching Captain America: Brave New World, it occurred to me that I haven’t seen She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. After the film, it made me think about new questions about some of the characters that could have been answered after that series.

Having members of the Serpent Society appear in the forms of Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Copperhead, was a surprise. I haven’t had a lot of history with the Serpent Society, I know The Lizard League from Invincible better, but I still appreciate their appearances.

The aerial battle over Celestial Island was, by all accounts, extremely well done. All of the fight scenes were well-choreographed and impressive.

Since this was an MCU movie, there was always going to be a cameo, and it was like Yoda turning up to give Luke a pep-talk. Having Bucky turn up was positive and negative because he helped Wilson to understand things about himself that he already knew, and that it also reinforced the importance of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series.

In saying that, Wilson’s line about not taking the super-soldier serum while fighting Red Hulk was priceless.

Things I disliked:

Like I said earlier, Captain America: Brave New World felt like a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. Negatively, it turned the spotlight away from Mackie’s Captain America and put it on the Hulk characters. I think it may have stunted the plot and the development of some of the characters. Also being an unofficial The Incredible Hulk sequel without Bruce Banner, made it strange. Very strange.

With Red Hulk featuring in the trailers and various marketing spots, I feel Marvel gave away the Red Hulk’s identity to movie fans, who were not already comic book fans. I felt that the way they promoted the film, certainly gave the impression that Ross was Red Hulk. Marvel didn’t really try to hide it at all, unlike in the comics, where it was so secret that readers didn’t even know.

The treaty bothered me for a few reasons. Firstly, and I could be wrong about this, but I felt the treaty concerning the adamantium from Celestial Island, seemed quite complicated. Was the treaty truly explained in its entirety and how it works or even named? Was it the International Adamantium Treaty, the Adamantium International Treaty, or the I-Found-It-First Treaty?

The top 11 largest economies in the world are the United States, China, Germany, Japan, India, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Brazil, and Russia. The countries involved with the treaty, were the United States, India, France and Japan.

If this was the case, why were China and Germany not part of the treaty, since their economies are larger than Japan, India, and France? Why was the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Brazil, or Russia not invited to join? China’s location to the Indian Ocean means they are closer than Japan and France; why were they not part of the treaty?

Also what about other countries that are close to Celestial Island, that didn’t get an invitation, such as Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, South Africa, or even Wakanda? Imagine if the Kingdom of Wakanda could develop technology made of vibranium and adamantium? Does Latveria care? Is this an opening for Doctor Doom to enter global politics?

I was glad to see Sterns return, even as the main antagonist, but I was disappointed by his appearance. Yes, his head was deformed, but I wanted to see his infamous forehead. Seeing Sterns’ slightly distorted head, pales in comparison to what he could or should have looked like. I don’t know why the filmmakers made that decision, but it was a let down, as well as Sterns not calling himself, the Leader.

Lastly, let’s discuss Captain America’s fight with Red Hulk. It’s not so much about the fact that Cap won; I can accept that. What I find troubling is the absence of any other superheroes to lend a hand. The fight lasted only about 8 to 15 minutes, yet in the MCU, which is filled with heroes, nobody came to help Captain America. Not a single one?

Marvel Studios has been building this expansive universe for 17 years and has introduced many characters. Yet, we are led to believe that no one was nearby or powerful enough to assist Captain America during a fight that was being broadcast live on television? I find that hard to accept.

So, what about my preview questions?

  • How accessible will Captain America: Brave New World be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? I felt it was possible to accept the events and characters in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and not have seen them, to enjoy the movie. However, there were times in the film where having watched the series, would have greatly helped the movie experience, in addition to having watched She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
  • I understand this film is set after The Eternals, but will there be any references to other MCU events? Hell yes. I think The Eternals, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, were the largest references to the film. Mainly The Eternals, and The Incredible Hulk though, with the teasers for the X-Men and Secret Wars to come.
  • Will there be any Avengers cameos in the film, especially from Bruce Banner? As discussed earlier, Bruce Banner did not appear, but Bucky did.
  • Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World is set around February 2027.
  • Is the plot going to make sense, or will it be confusing? The most confusing plot lines in the film were centred on the existence of the adamantium treaty; and the machinations of Sterns, which covered the stolen adamantium, creating Red Hulk, and discrediting Ross.
  • Will there be screen time detailing Wilson’s life outside of the costume? This was difficult, because this may have been addressed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. When Wilson was at the bar, the bartender knew who he was, without the mask or costume, plus the film gave the impression that Wilson knew Xosha Roquemore’s character of Leila Taylor, as they were romantically linked in the comics.
  • Will the film follow Red Hulk’s origin in the comics, or will they do something different? In the comics, Ross, with the assistance of Leader, M.O.D.O.K., and Doc Samson, manages to siphon gamma energy from Banner, when he is imprisoned. In the film, Sterns had been adding gamma radiation to Ross’ pills.
  • Is it believable for Wilson to be able to go toe-to-toe with Red Hulk, when his power level is gigantic? I was sceptical about this, but I was reminded throughout the film that Captain America’s shield and flying harness are made from vibranium, which would allow, to a certain level, Wilson to absorb Red Hulk’s attacks. He wouldn’t be invincible, but he would be better protected than not having the shield or flying harness. I’m satisfied with the result.
  • Will Wilson be working with or for the government? There’s a subtle difference. It’s a moot point because Ross withdrew his offer for Wilson to restart the Avengers. However, having Ross imprisoned in the Raft by the end of the film, where he sent many superhumans after the Civil War, was poetic justice. The film also ended giving the audience the impression that Wilson was going to restart the Avengers, with an unknown connection to the government.
  • How accepting is the public of Wilson being Captain America? From what I saw and heard, the public was very supportive about this. I need to add two things about this; 1.) I have no idea about how the transition was handled in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 2.) The opinions of heads of government agencies, or even Ross’ true feelings towards Wilson, were not for the public’s ears.
  • Is S.H.I.E.L.D still operating? As far as I understand, S.H.I.E.L.D is still operating in the MCU, but it has changed. In saying that, there were no S.H.I.E.L.D agents in the film, that I know of.
  • Will the Leader’s appearance be comic-accurate? Will it be CGI or practical effects? From my understanding, Nelson wanted practical effects to be used for Sterns’ disfigurement because it certainly looked like that. I was hoping for a hybrid of CGI and practical effects, only because I wanted to see the most famous forehead in all of comics in a live-action production.
  • As a non-American myself, will the villains be Americans or non-Americans? Yes, we did have the United States and Japan involved in a small conflict over Celestial Island, for access to adamantium. However, no one country was made out to be the villain, which did surprise me. Yes, Sterns and Ross were Americans and had shady dealings, which caused a lot of death and destruction, but the Serpent Society were an international group. I was glad it wasn’t a case of America (us) versus another country (them) because it’s been done before and it’s boring; especially for someone like me, who is a non-American.
  • Will Captain America only be protecting the United States and no other country? This is similar to the previous question, but it is slightly different. Captain America and Falcon go out of their way to prevent the American-Japanese conflict from escalating, by unravelling the mystery behind the mind-controlling threat, but also stopping the missiles from hitting the American and Japanese fleets. It would have been lazy writing for Captain America to have been all in, to fight and protect the United States, because he’s a soldier. People make that mistake, because, and I could be wrong here, that Cap is not about fighting wars, he’s about preventing and stopping them. He stands for democracy, liberty and justice, which are not just American values, but values shared all over the world.

But what do I know? I’m a nobody with a pop culture and science addiction.

Have you seen Captain America: Brave New World? Please tell me your thoughts about it, I would love to know.

That’s it for another week, with another preview/review done. I think the next one could be Thunderbolts* in May, but I’ll have to double-check. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. For any new followers and subscribers, I put up a new blog every Monday night, NZ time.

The world is an interesting place currently, and this tiny project allows me to exercise a small slice of sanity. I would love to do this for a living one day, but that day is not today. Mainly because I have the literary talent of a doorknob.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, remember that Crimea is Ukraine, and I’ll see you next week. Also, as a favour to me, please remember that even though Nazis, Neo-Nazis, and Nazi sympathisers are similar but technically different, please tell them to fuck off. I know it’s not very polite or nice, but seriously, they’re Nazis and they suck. 2025 has no place for them.

See you later, alligator.

Captain America: Brave New World-Movie Preview

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Movies

Welcome back, dear reader, to New Zealand’s fifth-least favourite website! As I promised, I’m committed to watching more superhero movies in theatres. My concern is that if people don’t go to see them—whether they are from Marvel, DC, or another studio—they might stop making these films altogether. So, I’m off to see another one!

Much to my shame, but I still haven’t seen Blue Beetle, Thor: Love and Thunder or The Marvels. Blue Beetle is still sitting on my watchlist (sorry), but short of subscribing to Disney+, I don’t know how to watch Thor: Love and Thunder or The Marvels. My wife said that when she lands a job, she will pay for Disney+, so until then, we’re going back to the waiting game.

My last preview/review was Deadpool & Wolverine, and so my new target is another Marvel film, Captain America: Brave New World, which opened in New Zealand on 13th February, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

If the information is to be believed, Captain America: Brave New World is the 35th film in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). I’m still waiting in eternal hope for Sleepwalker and Darkhawk to make an appearance. Yes, 90’s comics were crazy, but there were some gems to be found amongst the chaos.

I’ve been saving my coins, and I purchased a ticket to our only cinema for Tuesday 18th February. I like to purchase my ticket early to gain the best seat, because, you know, I’m a geek. I wonder if they’ll be checking tickets? They usually don’t.

Anyway, back to the pointless blog post.

Captain America is not only an enduring character but a legacy one as well. He’s been around since late 1940-early 1941, but that’s been Steve Rogers, and since you’re movie fans, you know that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) retired as Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame, way back in 2019, before COVID-19, the Israel-Hamas War, and the second coming of everybody’s favourite convicted felon.

The shield has been passed to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who was previously known as the Falcon. In the comics, Wilson was introduced in 1969 and has been kicking arse and taking names ever since. Wilson’s had a long friendship with Rogers over the years, and he’s an amazing martial artist, tactician and strategist.

I remember owning a fragile, coverless Captain America #213, featuring both Rogers and Wilson, and it was my first introduction to the Falcon. As with any character who can fly, I felt a sense of jealousy and wanted to understand how he could do that!

Mackie has been awesome at portraying a powerless superhero because not every superhero has superpowers.1 Adding the wing harness and other gadgets, along with his training and experience, Wilson is the most obvious choice for the new Captain America. That includes John Walker, the U.S. Agent.

According to reports, the film’s budget was US$180 million, and it’s only the second time in the MCU, that a character has been given their own solo movie for a fourth time, with Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Captain America: Civil War. The first quadrilogy was with Thor.

I remember seeing a trailer for Captain America: Brave New World at the Deadpool & Wolverine screening, with some lady asking loudly, “I thought Hulk was green. Why’d they change his colour?!” I had the biggest grin on my face upon hearing that.

Since this is just a preview, there shouldn’t be any spoilers. However, having read the comics, I plan to play the game and will withhold a specific detail about Red Hulk’s identity from the blog post. I’ll include it in next week’s review, though.

Anyway, I’ve wasted enough time, so let’s get on with the preview!

Credit: Lego and Brick Central

Am I looking forward to watching Captain America: Brave New World?

I always ask this question, because the answer is always yes. I’ve said this before, but my goal is to view new superhero movies at the cinema, rather than waiting for them to go to a streaming service. I used to see every MCU and DCEU film at the cinema, but I got into the bad habit of waiting for them to stream. However, I’m back on board to watch them at the cinema.

I’m a little nervous about the film for two reasons. The first is the Purple Titan in the room; MCU movies have been taking a battering at the box office, and with critics lately. I feel Marvel Studios need to knock this out of the park to get people excited to go to the cinema to see Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, later in the year, as well as cementing Mackie as Captain America. I believe fatigue over superhero movies is upon us, so this film needs to work.

The second reason is I have not seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the six-episode TV show on Disney+. I’ve read the summary of each episode via the Wikipedia entry, but I don’t know if that will be enough. Hopefully, the movie will be tailored to all people, regardless if they have seen the TV show or not. Like I said, hopefully.

What is the movie about?

According to Marvel.com, the premise is this:

Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

What can we expect?

The running time is 118 minutes, so just under two hours, which is an okay length of time before your bladder explodes. The rating is M, which is fair, but not as distinctive as R, with Deadpool & Wolverine.

Considering it’s a Captain America movie, I can only imagine there’s going to have a lot of politics, betrayal, intrigue, rogue countries, companies, or organisations, but also some flying action and shield-slinging. Oh, and a Red Hulk.

I know the cast has Anthony Mackie as Captain America (Sam Wilson) and Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross, a character that has popped up a few times in the MCU. He was previously played by William Hurt, but Ford took over the role after Hurt died in 2022.

I believe Liv Tyler has returned as Betty Ross, as well as Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns (The Leader), both last seen in The Incredible Hulk, from 2008.

I’ve tried hard not to investigate the cast too much, in fear of spoilers. Having said that, I do know we have Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres (Falcon), and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley (The VERY first Captain America). I also know the film has Shira Haas, Giancarlo Esposito, Xosha Roquemore, Takehiro Hira, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, whose roles I’ve deliberately been ignorant about.

Since this is an MCU film, there are probably going to be cameos of major and minor characters or some comic-based reference to someone or something.

Do I have concerns?

I always have concerns when working with characters I know, as adapting projects can be complex. I previously mentioned two reasons for my anxiety regarding the film, but I will only highlight one of them in the list. I realise that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, may have already addressed many of the questions I have.

Here are some of my questions:

  • How accessible will Captain America: Brave New World be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
  • I understand this film is set after The Eternals, but will there be any references to other MCU events?
  • Will there be any Avengers cameos in the film, especially from Bruce Banner?
  • Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU?
  • Is the plot going to make sense, or will it be confusing?
  • Will there be screen time detailing Wilson’s life outside of the costume?
  • Will the film follow Red Hulk’s origin in the comics, or will they do something different?
  • Is it believable for Wilson to be able to go toe-to-toe with Red Hulk, when his power level is gigantic?
  • Will Wilson be working with or for the government? There’s a subtle difference.
  • How accepting is the public of Wilson being Captain America?
  • Is S.H.I.E.L.D still operating?
  • Will the Leader’s appearance be comic-accurate? Will it be CGI or practical effects?
  • As a non-American myself, will the villains be Americans or non-Americans?
  • Will Captain America only be protecting the United States and no other country?

Hopefully the film will answer all of these questions and more.

Ok, that’s it for me. The only other thing to do is watch the movie on Tuesday and report about it. I hope Captain America: Brave New World is a success, both financially and critically, because the genre needs it. I’m feeling positive about it, but I felt positive about the 2023 Rugby World Cup, so we’ll just have to see.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, remember that it was Russia that invaded Ukraine, and I’ll see you next week for the Captain America: Brave New World review. See you later, alligator.

Also, do we really need a second Nakba? No. No, we don’t.

Take care.

1 Not Batman though, because he’s super-rich, super-paranoid, and super-arrogant. You know I’m preaching the truth.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1956

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, Music, People, Politics

I know the last We Didn’t Start the Fire was released in December 2024, and you might have thought it was over. But just like Rambo, it’s never truly over. One day, this project will be finished—if I ever manage to write faster. However, that day is not today. So, without further ado, Some Geek Told Me proudly presents one of my least well-conceived ideas: discussing the historical references in We Didn’t Start the Fire.

For any unlucky readers who have missed the previous entries, the list is here:

 We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning 

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1951

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1952

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1953

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1954

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1955

We are well and truly committed to this insane project because this blog post is the ninth entry, which is tragic and hilarious, in equal measure. So, just like the eight previous entries, strap yourself in, because we are going back in time, to 1956 to be precise. Let’s go!

Credit: 68.media.tumblr.com

1956

Bardot 

Our first historical reference is about the French actress, singer, and model, Brigitte Bardot. Bardot started acting in 1952, but in 1956, she starred in four movies; Naughty Girl, Plucking the Daisy, The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful, and And God Created Woman.

These films put the world’s spotlight on Bardot, which made her one of the first women to be given the name, sex kitten, which describes a woman who exhibits sexual aggression.

Bardot quickly became a global icon for sexual revolution, with And God Created Woman becoming the highest-grossing foreign film ever released in the United States at the time, earning $4 million. Bardot went on to a have a successful career in entertainment, and retired from the industry in 1973.

She also became involved with animal rights, setting up The Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, for animal protection.

Some contemporary examples, although similar, but different, could be famous female actresses and animal rights activists like Alicia Silverstone or Evanna Lynch.

Bridget Bardot in the 1956 film “And God Created Woman.” Credit: Iéna Productions

Budapest 

In 1956, the Hungarian People’s Republic was controlled and influenced by policies from the Soviet Union. Economic decline and political repression were slowly eating away at the country, so on 23rd October, university students and other citizens, began to protest in the capital city of Budapest. What happened next was known as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, or the Hungarian Uprising.

They were against the Soviet Union’s policies and its influence on Hungary, and demanding Hungarian independence. The students clashed with the ÁVH (State Protection Authority), which was a special police group. These protests started a revolution across the country, but the Soviet Union started to push back.

On 4th November, Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest to end the uprising, which led to some infamous and iconic images, and by 11th November, the uprising was crushed. Soviet forces had brutally cracked down on the protests with over 30,000 troops and over 1,000 tanks.

The human cost of the failed revolution was 2,500-3,000 Hungarian citizens were killed, 13,000 were wounded, and 200,000 fled the country in exile. 26,000 people were arrested, with 22,000 sentenced and imprisoned, and 13,000 were interned. 229 people were executed. The Soviets suffered 722 killed and 1,540 wounded.

The revolution was famous around the world, not just for the brave actions of the students and citizens, but also for the awful and bloody response from the Soviet Union.

Some modern examples of revolutions and brutal crackdowns from oppressive governments include the Second Intifada with Palestine and Israel (2000-2005), the Arab Spring (2010-2012), the Tulip Revolution (2005), the Hong Kong protests (2019-2020), along with civil wars involving Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Sudan.

Though to be fair, I think the best/worst example would be the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

The Soviet repression of the Hungarian Revolution saw T-54 tanks patrolling the streets of Budapest. Credit: Nagy Gyula

Alabama 

Alabama refers to three events in 1956, with the first being the Montgomery bus boycott, in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. This was during the American Civil Rights movement, with the boycott centred on social and political protests, campaigning against racial segregation on the local public bus network.

The campaign lasted from 5th December 1955-20th December 1956, and it brought national and international attention to the cause, with the now famous Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, refusing to surrender her seat to a white person on a bus. This action led to her arrest.

The Montgomery bus boycott was a key moment in the civil rights movement, because the Montgomery Bus Line mandated that African-Americans were not to be employed as drivers, but were also forced to ride in the back of the bus, and were often ordered to give up their seats to white people. 75% of the bus system’s riders were African-Americans.

Reports detailed that many African-American passengers were assaulted on the buses, short-changed, treated poorly by the drivers, and sometimes were left stranded, even after paying their fare. The boycott led to the 1956 Supreme Court decision Browder v. Gayle, which ruled that Alabama’s segregation laws for buses were unconstitutional. Martin Luther King, Jr., the MIA’s (Montgomery Improvement Association) president, became a major civil rights leader because of the boycott.

The second event was on 10th April 1956. Tensions were running high, with some white men attacking Nat King Cole during a performance in Birmingham, Alabama.

The third event involved Autherine Lucy, who became the first African-American student to enrol at the University of Alabama. There were many riots protesting Lucy’s attendance at the university, but despite them, she continued to attend. Three days later, the university suspended her “for her own safety,” prompting the university’s president to resign in protest.

Montgomery Bus Boycott March. Credit: Socialist Alternative

Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, which effectively meant he was the leader of the Soviet Union, from 1953 to 1964. Now if you cast your mind back to the 1953 blog post, you’ll remember that Joseph Stalin, the positive and uplifting Soviet Union leader, had died after 30 years in power, then Georgy Malenkov took his place. He only governed for 186 days, before Khrushchev had him removed.

On 25th February 1956, at the closed session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev gave a speech and report officially called, On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences. Unofficially, it became known as the Secret Speech. It was the speech that shook the world.

In this speech, Khrushchev did something unthinkable at the time; he started trash-talking Stalin. Even though Stalin had been dead for nearly three years, the Soviet Union had been altered, changed, influenced, and controlled by Stalin’s policies, over the course of decades.

Khrushchev was highly critical of Stalin and the way his followers still worshipped him. He also talked about the negative impacts of the purges, along with spitting out accusations and defamations towards the government.

Khrushchev wanted to introduce some reforms to the nation, which helped to kickstart the Soviet space programme, ease censorship policies, and have more open negotiations and discussions with Western leaders. In saying that, Khrushchev was in power when the Soviet Union went into Hungary to crush the uprising.

I can’t fully emphasise how important Khrushchev’s Secret Speech was, not just for the Soviet Union to move forward, but also to openly criticise the cult of Stalin and the damage Stalin had done to the country.

Drawing a contemporary comparison to the Secret Speech is challenging, as there have been numerous speeches delivered by leaders to their governments over the years, both public and private. With this in mind, I encourage you to make your own comparisons. A part of me believes that there may not be an equivalent to the Secret Speech, given its monumental impact—perhaps it is unparalleled.

Warsaw, March 1956, Polish print of the Secret Speech. Credit: Wikiwlh

Princess Grace

Grace Patricia Kelly was an American stage and screen actress, who gained international fame. She won an Academy Award, three Golden Globes and starred in classic movies like High Noon (1952), Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955), in addition to many television appearances.

While Kelly was at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, with the world at her feet, she was invited to a photo session by Prince Rainier III of Monaco, at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. From there, Kelly and Rainer started dating, and after a year, they were married, with two ceremonies occurring on the 18th April and 19th April 1956.

Kelly is on the list for two reasons; she retired from acting at age 26 years to marry Rainer, with High Society (1956) being her final film. The second reason was that by marrying Prince Rainier III, Kelly got a name upgrade, becoming the Princess of Monaco, though the public called her Grace of Monaco, or simply, Princess Grace.

A modern example of Grace Kelly would be (Rachel) Meghan Markle, the American actress. She married Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, of the British Royal family, on 19th May 2018. With this marriage, she became the Duchess of Sussex.

Grace Kelly, kneeing at the altar on her wedding day, April 1956. Credit: Getty Images

Peyton Place

This is the first and only book for 1956’s list. Peyton Place was written by Grace Metalious and was released in 1956. Peyton Place deals with a lot of issues, including abortion, adultery, lust, murder, incest and premarital sex, which were subjects that were quite taboo in 1956.

60,000 copies of the book were sold within the first ten days of release, and it remained for 59 weeks on The New York Times best seller list. The subject matter of the book divided many people, with some banning the book; or at least trying to ban it, because of the “shocking and disgusting” themes of the book. Other people were amazed at the material, and loved reading about the sex lives of people, living in a small New Hampshire town.

The book was a best-seller and helped to usher in the sexual liberation movement, along with Metalious’ other works in the franchise. For a 21st century equivalent, maybe Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed, by E. L. James, known as The Fifty Shades Trilogy.

Cover of the first edition of Peyton Place. Credit: Simon & Schuster

Trouble in the Suez

There is so much to this entry, I’ll try and cram it all in. The Suez Canal is a 193 km-long waterway, located in Egypt. It links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, and by definition, Africa to Asia, and Europe to Asia. It is one of the busiest waterways in the world, with an average of 56 vessels traveling the canal per day. Construction on the Suez Canal started in 1859, and 10 years later in 1869, it was completed and opened.

I could be oversimplifying this, but the Suez Crisis, as it was called, started on 29th October 1956. At the time, the canal was operated by Egypt, with the backing of the United Kingdom and France. After the 1952 Egyptian revolution, our old friend, Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, from the 1953 blog post, was in power in 1956.

Basically, Egypt was flirting with the Soviet Union, so the United Kingdom and the United States got jealous of this, and removed their funding for the Aswan Dam. Nasser decided to play the game as well, and nationalised the canal on 26 July 1956, from the British and French company that controlled it.

He then transferred it to the Suez Canal Authority and closed the Straits of Tiran to all Israeli ships, because of the ill will of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, also known as the First Arab–Israeli War.

This was as popular as employing zombies as babysitters. The international community, namely the United Kingdom, France, and Israel invaded Egypt to take control of the Suez Canal. This become known as Second Arab–Israeli War, and lasted from 29th October to 7th November 1956. It didn’t last for long, but the damage was significant. At the end of the fighting, Egypt was still in control of the Suez Canal.

Pressure applied by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations, along with Egypt’s war effort, forced the three countries to retreat. The war strengthened Nasser’s position in the Arab world, but it also humiliated the British and French invasions.

Their roles as the world’s superpowers had ended, with the United States and the Soviet Union, having emerged as the two prominent superpowers in the world.

The Suez Crisis resulted in 3,200 deaths, with 177 of those deaths on the Israeli side. The crisis also left around 5,500 people wounded and around 6,000 fighters taken hostage.

The legacy of the Suez Crisis is still being felt in 2025, which is covered by two current events. The first is about the Gaza Strip. At the time, Gaza was controlled by Egypt, after the First Arab–Israeli War.

During the invasion of Egypt, Israel gained control of the Gaza Strip and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Israeli forces held a four-month-long occupation of the region, before withdrawing, but not before winning freedom of navigation through the Straits of Tiran.

Years later, Israel recaptured and occupied the Gaza Strip and has never left. The Israeli military occupation of Gaza in 2025, is still relevant as it was with the wars in 1973, 1967 and 1956.

The second event is the escalating crisis concerning the Panama Canal. The United States government is demanding that the canal be handed over to them to ensure that the Panama Canal Authority is not influenced by China or other foreign countries and companies.

Will this be a repeat of the Suez Crisis, or can common sense and negotiation prevail? With the current US president, who the hell knows?

Credit: The Los Angeles Examiner

So for 1956, we covered a French actress, a failed revolution, a bus boycott, a speech, an American actress, a book, and a 10-day war. The more things change, the more they stay the same. 1957’s historical references are just as crazy as 1956, but that’s for next month.

And that’s it for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. I’m still lurking about on Twitter and Mastodon, so drop in to say hello.

Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, Slava Ukraini, and just like last time, go and tell a Nazi to fuck off. I’ll see you next week because I’m doing the Captain America: Brave New World: Movie preview. The preview should be terrible. Awesome.

The Renaissance of the Last Son of Krypton

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics, Movies, Television

Today’s blog post is a bit unusual, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Longtime followers of my wayward account know that I have enjoyed reading comics for most of my life. As a result, I’ve encountered a variety of characters over the years. Some characters hold significant importance to me, while others are favourites for different reasons, and I have a few that I just have a soft spot for.

I’ve previously stumbled my way through posts about Invincible, Saga, The Sandman, Hellboy, and One-Punch Man, but today, as you can tell from the title, I’m going to be talking about Superman, or at least, how I describe it, his recent renaissance.

Superman was co-created by writer Jerry Siegel, and artist Joe Shuster, having made his first appearance in Action Comics #1, in 1938. Over the last 87 years, Superman has become very much beloved the world over and has transitioned to every medium imaginable, as well as conquering the retail market, covering his name and face over all manner of items.

The thing is, I’m not here to detail what Superman means to me, because that can be another blog for another time. No, today I’m talking about his recent resurgence in the media and how the public understands and relates to him.

Before we continue, let’s be clear: Superman is a fictional character and not a real person. However, due to the various strategies that creators and actors have used to portray him, many people feel a personal connection to him. They understand and know him as if he were a friend, even though we don’t get to spend much time with him.

I also need to point out some strong talking points about him, that I feel many people have forgotten, or quite simply, just don’t realise. The character has three names; Superman, Kal-El, and Clark Kent, and although they are all the same person, they are different, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

To start with, he was born as Kal-El, a refugee from the now destroyed planet called Krypton. His backstory has been changed and altered over the last eight decades, but what has not changed was that he was an alien baby that landed on Earth. Kal-El is his Kryptonian name, his birth name.

When a storyline requires a cosmic perspective or involves Kal interacting with other Kryptonians, such as Zod, Kara Zor-El (Supergirl), or his parents, the name Kal-El is frequently used. Other characters in his inner circle can also refer to him by this name, as it is a trusted secret name that he shares with them.

So, going back to his arrival on Earth, he is discovered and adopted by an American couple, Martha and Jonathan Kent, who give him the name, Clark Kent. This is his human or Earth name, the name people call him as he interacts with the world, like with his family and friends, whether they are superheroes or not.

The final name is Superman. This is the name the public at large, as in the world calls him; coined famously by Lois Lane. This is his superhero name.

The small, but technical point is this; he responds to all three names, but there is a difference between Clark and Superman.

Clark is the person, no matter what clothes he is wearing, but Superman is something that Clark can do and be. Superman is the mask that Clark wears to the world, not the other way around. His loved ones (family and friends) call him Clark, whether he’s in costume or not. Clark is the person, while Superman is the disguise.

Sweet? Excellent, let’s move on. Going back to the recent Superman renaissance, we are very lucky to be living in this amazing period of Superman content. If there is some other project that I’ve missed, I’m sorry; especially to the ongoing comics featuring or starring Superman being published. I’ll try to keep this short because my introduction was far too long.

Image by Solihin Kentjana from Pixabay

Superman & Lois (2021-2024)

I think this live-action TV show was at first set in the Arrowverse world, then shifted to its own separate continuity. I was nervous about the show, from the point that I thought I needed to have watched all of the Arrowverse shows, especially Supergirl and The Flash, to understand the characters and past events, because I hadn’t been keeping up with them.

The irony was that there was no reason to feel nervous about understanding the show because the first episode explained it all, and from that point, I was on board. I feel that Clark and Lois are stronger characters, both physically and emotionally when they are together. I liked this iteration because it hammered home this point. This was because they took the time to explain that Clark loved Lois, but Lois fell in love with Clark and not Superman.

I would also like to establish that Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal of Clark and Superman was awesome. Added into the mix having Clark and Lois as parents, brought a new side to their relationship, that you don’t see in live-action.

I loved this show for a lot of different reasons including the special effects, the twins, Smallville, the Department of Defence, Clark and Lois being parents, the supporting cast, but mainly, driving the distinction between Clark and Superman, with Clark walking around his house wearing his glasses; even though he doesn’t need to.

Also having Superman racing off to save people not just in the United States, but in other countries as well, was important, at least to me, because I’ve always thought of Superman as a superhero for the world, not just protecting and serving one country.

It was a great show and that final episode made me cry since it reinforced how important Superman is to the public’s psyche, along with installing hope to a negative and cynical world.

My Adventures with Superman (2023-Current)

I’ve only seen the first season of this animated TV show, and I liked it, which surprised me. Set in it’s own continuity, this series sees Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen working at the Daily Planet as interns, with Lois Lane being the senior reporter.

It features the three characters becoming friends and dealing with villains from the Superman mythos. Additionally, Clark discovers more about himself and his abilities.

This series starts with Clark and Lois meeting for the first time and slowly developing feelings for each other. The animation is inspired by anime, which bleeds through and, at least to me, offers a new perspective on the classic story.

I also have to acknowledge that making Lois Lane half-Korean, has brought positive and negative attention to the show, and how its been handled.

I think this series is interesting, quirky, and charming, and I like it so much, I’m going to let UMC1 watch it. I’d have to think about UMC2 watching it though, but I think it’s off to a strong start as a modern retelling of Superman. The potential for My Adventures with Superman is huge.

Absolute Superman (2024-Current)

Multiverse stories have existed in comics for decades, because it gives creators freedom to have characters living different, but crazy lives, by not being part of the main continuity.

In the early 2000s, Marvel launched the Ultimate line of comics, which reimagined Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and other characters in a different universe set in contemporary times. This new setting represented their version of the age of superheroes. The Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are based on the Ultimates, which is the version of the Avengers from that alternate world.

DC Comics has done a similar idea by creating the Absolute line of comics. On this world, the superheroes are not as respected, or privileged as their counter-selves, since they are missing vital elements and advantages that go with their story.

The line started with Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman, with Absolute Flash, Absolute Green Lantern and Absolute Martian Manhunter making their first appearances soon. With this new publishing initiative, Superman is involved in the form of Absolute Superman.

Absolute Superman #1 was released in November 2024, by writer Jason Aaron, and artist, Rafa Sandoval, and features some radical differences between Absolute Superman and the main continuity Superman.

Firstly, Absolute Kal-El did not arrive on Earth as a baby, but as a teenager, so the majority of his life was on Krypton. His mother, Lara-El, is some type of mechanical engineer, while his father, Jor-El, is a mining engineer.

Krypton is ruled by a caste system, with the El’s being part of the Labour Guild, which Kal-El refers to as the People of Steel. Members of the Labour Guild also wear the “S” shield on their chests, to identify themselves as part of the Labour Guild, like caste groups too.

The Absolute Kal-El does not appear to be as strong as the main continuity Superman, because he needs to recharge his cells (which act like solar batteries) at night, in addition to wearing an AI suit called Sol, which guides and protects Kal-El. Sol can create a cape made of a Kryptonian rock named sunstone, which can materialise and dematerialise.

Because Absolute Kal-El’s heritage is connected with labourers and workers, he identifies with the workers from Earth, who are being used and exploited by large greedy corporations, who he is railing against, as well as saving people.

We have also been exposed to the backstory of what happened with the tragedy of Krypton, via environmental disasters. The creators seem to be tapping into the current trend of supporting the working classes, while fighting against the ruling and elite classes, but also discussing climate change.

People have come out to decry the title for numerous reasons, including presenting Superman as a supporter of woke ideology. However, other people are equally loving it. Whether the series is a success remains to be seen, though sales have been quite strong, because Superman remains a hero of the people.

I’ve read Absolute Superman #1-3, and from what I’ve seen, I want to continue this journey, because I find it fascinating. To me, the creators have hit their respected Absolute titles out of the park, especially Absolute Superman. The greatest compliment I can give them is that I want to read the next issue, I love it.

Main covers for Absolute Superman #1-6. Credit: DC Comics

Superman (2025)

11th July 2025 is the release date for Superman, though I don’t know if that’s worldwide, or just for the United States. For New Zealand, I have no idea.

Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first film in the new DCU (DC Universe), and armed with a budget of at least US$200 million, there is a lot of pressure for the film to resonate with audiences.

Some of the film’s cast includes David Corenswet (Clark Kent / Superman), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), Edi Gathegi (Michael Holt / Mister Terrific), Anthony Carrigan (Rex Mason / Metamorpho), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner / Green Lantern), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), María Gabriela de Faría (Angela Spica / The Engineer), and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

When the teaser trailer was released, social media was flooded with people’s reactions and comments about the trailer, mainly gushing about how good it looks, and that they can’t wait to see it. They were comparing it to Henry Cavill’s Superman, and trashing Cavill and Zack Snyder’s DC films.

Fast forward one month to a TV spot advertising the film, the social media backlash over David Corenswet flying was surprising. They were comparing it to Cavill’s Superman, and praising Cavill and Zack Snyder’s DC films. Sadly, some fans are never happy.

I’m looking forward to this film, especially if it’s good enough to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it. I’ll watch it first, then make that decision, unless it somehow becomes age-appropriate for children aged at least 7 years old. My father took me to the cinema to see Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, so I want to do this for my boys.

I’m looking forward to seeing the movie, so I’ll write one of my famous previews/reviews in July. I’m especially excited about Krypto making his live-action movie debut; so I have high hopes for the film. When the trailer dropped, I mentioned how Krypto resembled a larger version of my dog, Indy. The moment when Krypto saved Clark hit me hard, but in a good way. When Clark started whistling, I couldn’t help but cry.

For the actual movie, I will probably cry watching Krypto run and fly around, being a good boy. Nothing, and I mean nothing, better happen to Krypto. Don’t do it, James; don’t do it.

What are your thoughts about Superman & Lois, and My Adventures with Superman? Have you read Absolute Superman, or going to watch Superman? As always, please let me know.

That’s another blog for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, say no to kryptonite, visit the Gulf of Mexico, and I’ll see you next week because we’re going back to 1956!

BTW, New Zealanders are regarded as generous and polite people, but we have nothing on Canada. So imagine what it would feel like to piss off the entire population of the politest nation on Earth? Damn, grab the popcorn, because angry Canadians were not on my 2025 bingo card.