The Mojo And the Arizona Cardinals

I know if you been watching football the last two years, then you know the Cards have had an incredible number of injuries. They are being visited by Karma, by Mighty Ra, God's justice. Long and short of it is, I was promised a situation and I aided that organization in several ways to crickets. After waiting long enough, I decided to go to mighty Ra for justice and sent myself and that organization emails about the injuries to come. My prayer was simple. Treat them as they've treated me. So now it's easy, every super star, every starter, treated to as I was. And what that means is injuries to the point of incapacity when such a prayer is translated to the field.

The rest has been history. And now the Cards go from first to worse.

Just wanted you to know what you were watching.

Justice.

By AmenRa!

Jessica Jones and the Racism of Marvel or Luke Cage the Big Black Buck and a crack head

I’ve watched four total episodes of Jessica Jones and the jury is fully in. It’s a white series about a white chick and the black men are two dimensional racist cut ups of black people.

So let’s dive right in and make this quick. And start where white folks care. With white folks. Jessica Jones is an entertaining adult hero in the MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe. I get it, a hard edged liberated female fighter for the millennium. Hell’s kitchen bombast! Yay! -and yay for progressive lesbian rights and the positive images of the same. Yay! For woman’s right! The female lawyer character is lovable and an unabashed success, a tigress with a heart to match a fierce spirit making her a wonderful foil for the hard edged heroine.

That out of the way, lets jump right in.  Power Man, Luke Cage is the man. I grew up in love with Luke kinda because I grew up in Harlem and he was only one of a handful of Harlem heroes I could collect. The bright yellow shirt, the blue jeans, the yellow boots…..Sweet Christmas.

He was a hero! Not a big Black Buck fuckin’ married women and didn’t know from Jessica Jones. But in the first scene, he’s being tailed by JJ and seen wit’ a big booty sista in her under wear. Then we see buck pumping JJ. Now I’m watching him emotionally weaving through this story line trying to settle old scores involving his dead wife….just like a savage. You see Black men have no morality. Black men are big Bucks. 

Now maybe it works in a story line where a black man is a whole character, but there’s a real problem where there is little to no balance. When Black people are inserted into white story as the COLOR.

Again here’s the problem. And it’s a big one. The Black folk in Jessica are a string of racist 2D cliches.

Luke Cage. Bar owning (Alcohol contraband involvement? Ya’ll white folks hear about how we don’t like a bar or Liquor store on every corner in our communities much?) emotional hard case, big muscles, even bigger Johnson and for the ladies. Perhaps that would be wonderful if that were the way he started. But really it wasn’t. Why at this time, with all that occurs in my community would you bring this version of your Black hero forward? When there’s so much real story line for a people’s Black hero in today’s America. But you didn’t slouch on presenting the positive white lesbian and white women’s issues. Hmmm… And why would you put our Black hero in Hell’s kitchen…Let me tell you why…because you just want to use his blackness…its called exploitation…without being true to who ever you said he was. 

Yes I know he’s this generation’s Luke Cage. Yata, yata, fucking yata. I call bullshit. Every story line I’ve seen Marvel present on film- and I’ve seen every cinematic property based upon Marvel’s Universe ever made, movie or television- every last story line stuck closely to what we can call the original Marvel story lines. Yall know what I’m saying….The Hulk is a green, a super intelligent doctor. Tony Stark is a billionaire scientist….Thor is a Norse God or Alien with this hammer.

With few exceptions these heroes are who they were in the 60s 70s 80s. That is until we come to these Black ones. Falcon is playing tanto and tanto is a hard gig not to be racist but well it is what it is. Don’t get me wrong, love seeing Falcon out there with the Avengers, even kissin’ Cap’s ass. Would prefer to see him as the social worker Sam Wilson doin’ it solo in the south Bronx protecting his community, but it’s too much to ask White men trusted with a billion dollar franchise to have a Black man appear as a man who is not a racist stereotype. As an aside, in the cartoon Marvel’s Avengers I did notice the story line where he’s a boy genius and shield agent, but how many Black folks or people in general did see this? Why isn’t he a man genius on the silver screen where people will see it worldwide. That’s right Tanto the colored side kick who needs the greatest White man plays better, is more believable.

Enter Luke Cage and soon the Black Panther. Or I should say the so called deconstructed Black Panther because that’s the one rumored to be the version Marvel is putting forward. You know the one who is not a spiritual King of his people, incredibly intelligent and the richest man in the world…also the one who wasting his life in the  more than partly white ghetto of NYC. Hell’s kitchen.

But Daredevil is the man without fear who is intelligent lawyer by day…hero by night. And Wasp the rich heiress. And oh you even improved on her storyline…She’s a shrewd sharp intelligent business woman now. Hmmmmm…. But Luke Cage and the Black Panther. 2 dimensional stereotypical add-ons.

Well let’s assume Marvel’s head truly ain’t in its collective ass when it comes to Black people. Let’s see and look around the MCU right her in the MCU and we find…

Jessica’s friend and neighbor is a brother. There’s a start. Oh wait. He’s a drug addict, a lier and a thief….Hmmmmm. Not since well since I don’t know how many White flicks I’ve seen that use and exploit Black folk instead of making them real have I seen such whole sale bull…

But wait! Let’s look around Marvel’s a billion dollar organization throwing some very clean imagery about people out there. They can’t be this dense….

Jessica Jones just went to jail to see a pure bred White girl whom we’re supposed to feel sorry for because the super intelligent mind controller KillRaven made her kill her family in front of Jessica Jones. And she sitting in front of the inmate who did something to the Ms. Mary from the Midwest….Ah the Hispanic inmate is a manly butch lesbian breaking knees and runnin’ shit. Best stereotype so far? Yep. I’ll take  the some how very manly borderline retarded butch lesbian Hispanic for 5000 Alec Tribec.

Ok wait, now they’re looking for the son of a friend of Luke. Of course he has to go to Jessica to save him and show him how to be a detective, it wouldn’t be a racist stereotype if the Big Black Buck who was only good for eye candy muscles and mandingo hip slamming sex was smart enough to find the kid all by himself. You know, despite the fact that Luke Cage was a…wait for it…a private detective…investigator. Wow. Really. Ok. Let’s give Marvel one more chance. Luke and Jessica Jones meet at the kid's apartment. And surprise they deduce the kids a weed head. Ok, ok don’t jump yet. Let’s wait for it…. They’re looking some brother with an overdone fake Spanish accent answered the kid’s phone. Now its coming…what a set up. I’m laughing this b.s. is soooooo obivious. They follow the fakin’ Rican to the you know wherehouse and I say…chop shop, stolen goods or….yep give the man a cigar-it’s a grow house filled with weed.

How Marvel? How dare you?! For all of the above, I’m saying I see you and fuck you. Really. Just fuck you. We are men, women and children with lives. Who we are and appear to be, our images, they matter. I shouldn’t have to say it, but Black lives do matter, just like White lives whom you make appear to be super and together even when the white folks are the burnt out Jessica Jones whom you have save the lives of grown ass black men repeatedly. Yes fuck you and your stereotypes. I am an intelligent man who has does not have a record, is more than my penis and volunteers in my community. Oh and I write screenplay but I see now I would never write for you if you want that shit you puttin’ out about the Black and Latino people in your MCU. Because you would never have me write real stories about real Black heroes.

Luke Cage, Black Panther and Storm in Kamau Atem's Marvel Spec. Script Excerpt

 I'm a harlem born and bred scriptwriter and novelist. I'm sharing this with you because it would be a dream come true to actually pen a Luke Cage or Panther script...And because well its really good. Enjoy!

CUT TO: NYC HARLEM. NIGHT. The cloaked panther jet lands across from the offices of Luke Cage Private Investigator. CUT TO: INTERIOR. Cage wearing the GOLD  SHIRT AND BLUE PANTS notices sounds walks to window and witnesses Panther and Storm appear out of thin air in seriously handsome and stylish clothes.

CAGE

(Whistling)

            Sweeeeeeeet Christmas. That’s a woman.

(Sits down at his desk)

            They here for somebody else.

(Agitated and shuffling papers)

Now why you tell that lie?

(Getting up and walking to the window again-back to door)

 I don’t care what they say I’m not doing it.

ANGLE ON DOOR. Panther and Storm walk in.

PANTHER

Mr….

CAGE

(Agitated and without turning around)

You asking or telling?

PANTHER

            Do you greet everyone so enthusiastically?

CAGE

            You tell me…

STORM

            We are here for you…You are in business are you not?

CAGE

            Again. You asking or you telling?

PANTHER

            Perhaps he is not the man we seek…

CAGE

            And now we understand the question. Are you asking or telling?

PANTHER

(Turning)

            I believe we may go. This is beneath us.

STORM

(Stopping the Panther)

            Why does it matter…

CAGE

Where I’m from…You come to a man’s home. You ask questions and don’t talk like you telling somebody where to put they furniture.

STORM

            He’s a king. He really can’t help it.

CAGE

            Ain’t no kings round here.

CLOSE ON CAGE. His eyes narrow as he focuses on the street. He suddenly takes his very nice shirt off.

CAGE

(Opening  the window,  grabbing a heavy chain off the floor and throwing it over his shoulder)

            I knew I shouldn’t have worn a good shirt.

CAGE jumps out of the window and lands heavily as asphalt crumbles. He quickly walks into the street and punches an on coming car stopping it. Men jump out shooting at Cage.

CAGE

            Damit. Now yall know dat ISH stings!

ANGLE ON bullet flying to cage which ricochets and hits gas tank creating an explosion which flies Cage for some distance. ANGLE ON Storm and Panther watching from the window.

STORM

            Do you think we should…

PANTHER

            This is useful…

ANGLE ON CAGE RISING AS IF TO WALK THROUGH THE FLAMES. His pants are in tatters, boots half blown off. He walks to his chain and picks it up.

STORM

PANTHER

(v.o.)

            Every man needs help…

TIGHT ON CAGE GRIMACE.

CAGE

(Calmly)

Yall mothasuckers gon’ make me curse.

PANTHER

(v.o.)

Perhaps but it is when a man needs help most that he finds what kind of man is.

CAGE

            Now yall know I done tole you that Harlem is mine. You ain’t welcome here.

Cage throws the chain and drops two of them. The other two run more than they shoot.

CAGE

Oh, don’t MAKE me run. Worse than fat dunking donuts eating pigs when I gotta do t       hat…

PANTHER takes off his trench and takes off his hat revealing the Panther costume and drops out the window landing cat like on one of the cars. He quickly bounds the distance and makes short work of the two remaining men. He carries them back to Cage.

PANTHER

(As storm floats down to them)

            I believe you need help.

CAGE

I was just tryna put it together. I hate running. It might not look like much But I’m eleven times denser than the normal..

STORM

            What do you weigh?

CAGE

            Kinda difficult to weigh myself..but anywhere between 450 and 500…

(As Storm looks at his tattered close)

            Also kinda hard to keep clothes in this profession. Keepin’ these thugs of my streets.

STORM

            That profession would be…

CAGE

            Private eye…but I’m more…

PANTHER

            I see…

CAGE

Mighty neighborly of you to help me with my streets…but about your help…I don’t work for free.

PANTHER

            The world is in danger. The ancestors have sent me…This is not about a cost.

CAGE

Look here. I’m a private eye. I got bills. As for free and the world in danger? You see that big building downtown with the big  A on it? They do free cause they got a billionaire wit’ a B backing them. And bout your ancestors dey ain’t pullin’ no weight round here…

PANTHER

            Perhaps I was wrong, Ororo. Let us go…

STORM

No. If he’s supposed to join us…who is to say it wasn’t as a paid member…And there’s no fee you can’t pay as the richest man on earth…

PANTHER

            It is not the fee, but the principle. Let us go…again I say.

STORM

            How much do you need…

CAGE

            Well is it super power cats we ballin’ against…

PANTHER

            We would not need were they not so.

STORM

(As Cage whispers in Storm’s ear)

            He can pay it now let’s go

PANTHER

(Turning to go men still over his shoulder)

            How much am I paying…

CAGE

            Well are you the richest man in the world or not?

PANTHER

            What is at stake makes me so but I would still like to know.

STORM

            Don’t be cheap. Millions mean nothing…

PANTHER

            Millions?

STORM

(Looking Cage up and down)

            And we’ll even throw in a life time supply of indestructible outfits…

CAGE

            And boots?

PANTHER

            How much am I paying him…

CAGE

(As he and Ororo begin to float over him)

            You ain’t missin’ a couple mill King…

PANTHER

            A COUPLE MILLION?!

CAGE

(Laughing)

            You can put them down Bruh…

(Looking up at Storm who flies ahead of him)

            Can we do that bright Yellow shirt…I like yellow. And the chain…We do a fancy chain?

PANTHER

(Putting down the brothers)

            All of that I’m sure it is just these millions…exactly how many.

STORM

            Ten exactly….

PANTHER

(Punching one of the waking men)

            Ten…Are you not a hero?

CAGE

            I’m a working man. A private eye.

(to Storm)

            He doesn’t listen good does he? Must be part of the whole King thing….

STORM

            No he never has…some how I think that was pre natal…

CAGE

            Sweeeet Christams how do you put up with it?

PANTHER

(Jumping and bounding out in front of them toward the jet)

Putting up with…

STORM

(Laughing)

            Haven’t had to and thankfully so…Mister….

CAGE

            Cage. Lucas Cage…But folks round her call me…

CLOSE ON PANTHER as he opens the jet.

PANTHER

            Power Man. And, by the ancestors, thankfully so. We will need every ounce of it.

STORM

(As she floats through the cabin)

            Home now?

PANTHER

            The ancestors have one last stop for us…

A sample of Kamau Atem's Black Panther Screenplay

. 

Now I realize they've hired the first writer, but I'm trying to write the sequel. My major qualifications are a writer who already writes novels and screenplay about super beings based in some part on Egyptian (Kamitic) Gods and...I WRITE BANGING SCREENPLAYS AND NOVEL.... Witness exhibit A. The long awaited excerpt. Post it share it...Bam. Let's use the hash tag #BlackPantherKamauAtem. I can write a bangin' script for the Black! Thank you in advance for your support! Oh and my apologies in advance the formatting gets a little lossed in mobile.

CUT TO AVENGERS TOWER, CAMERA HIGH ABOVE PANTHER CLIMBING IN THE RAIN STORM, emphasizing the thirty stories high above the ground.  ANGLE ON FINGERS, as vibranium claws cut  a hole in the glass. He snaps off his cape, drops it and the weight of the vibranium drops straight down until it hits something. CUT TO the watching Uatu and Thing looking up at the Panther.

UATU

(As he raises his hand majestically and they disappear slowly)

            And that is all we need know.

CUT TO Avengers tower interior. The Panther walks slowly as the klaxons ring out. The Wasp meets him.

WASP

(Blasting him with disruptors)

            We’re all out of milk Kitty.

PANTHER

(Swatting at her repeatedly and walking with out pause)

            I am not here for nourishment.

WASP

            All you getting here tall dark and mysterious. Don’t you know where you are?

(Under her breath, touching her ear)

I’m out. Waiting for recharge and I didn’t even phase him. This better happen fast or the intruder defense will be a rescueeeeee.

PANTHER

            You slow me unnecessarily.

(Placing her in a vial on his vibranium belt)

            And make far too much noise.

WASP

(Into her headset)

            He’s got incredible hand speed!

(Her voice goes silent as he places the vial back in the belt)

            And I’m caught just like…..

PANTHER

            Hush. Small one.

Suddenly Ant Man enters the room. Starting full size he runs at the Panther and starts to fly at him insect size. In a dazzling display of speed, the Panther snatches him out of the air as well and puts him in a vial on his belt silently.

ANT MAN

            Don’t worry we’re only…

PANTHER

            The cat rules the jungle. The ant is walked upon.

The Panther leaves that room and walks into a hallway. Iron Man appears at the end of the long hall way.

IRON MAN

            What’s up Pussy Cat?

PANTHER

            The Iron one…Now this is what I’ve come for.

IRON MAN

Come for me. Special. But you shouldn’t have. Especially if you’re not ready and clearly you’re not. I’m not the bobsy twins…Clearly you’re big and you’ve got lotsa muscle but I’m.. you know the Iron One…and you…You’re just a pussy in some boots…

PANTHER

Bobsy twins…Ah the insects…Let’s put these unbreakable canisters down somewhere no harm may come to them.

(as he tosses them to him)

            Your choice.

IRON MAN

(To Jarvis as he catches them tosses them to Cap who catches them as he alights from an elevator )

            Are there any weaknesses? I don’t know how long I can stall him.

JARVIS

(As cap opens the vials)

Sir I’ve scanned it and my scans can’t get past his clothing. He appears to me as he does you A man in a suit. A cat suit.

IRON MAN

            Ok. So how much bad can it be right? If I can’t see it and you can’t detect it?

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(As the Insect lovers grow to full size)

            The two of you find Thor. You’ve had your chance let us have a whack at it.

WASP

(Whining)

            Put me back in the game coach…I owe tall dark and fast…

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(As he turns and starts to jog toward the fight)

            I am. Now go. We don’t know what this guy can do…

CUT TO HAWKEYE AND WIDOW RUNNING TOWARD THE DANGER.

WIDOW

            They’re at the vault.

HAWKEYE

            You take high, I got low. And where is he? We could use him.

CUT TO VAULT.

IRON MAN

(Suddenly flying at the Panther)

            Let’s see what you came all this way for…

ANGLE ON PANTHER as he jumps in air and turns and lands on Iron Man’s back to ride crouched.

ANGLE ON TALONS as they dig into the armor. CLOSE ON PANTHER FACE.

PANTHER

(Quickly)

            Hover Jet to maintain 10 feet distance from objects until 100 feet from ground.

The two fly through the wall. ANGLE ON INCREDIBLY FAST PANTHER HANDS AND TALONS TEARING OPEN ARMOUR FROM BACK.

IRON MAN

            Jarvis. The mark six…

CUT TO THE ARMOR ROOM WHERE THE ARMOR POWERS UP AND STARTS TO FLY UP AND OUT. CUT TO SKY. PANTHER EXTENDS HAND SHOOTS CABLE

PANTHER

(Pressing Iron Man on neck)

            Sleep now.

PANTHER PULLS HIM OUT OF THE ARMOR AS THEY FREE FALL. CLOSE ON TALONS as Panther extends arm and they shoot up to opening pulling him up. ANGLE ON ARMOR which stops with a clang mid air  as it hits Panther’s cloaked ship. PANTHER RETURNS to the floor with Tony Stark over his shoulder. He is face to face now with Captain America.

PANTHER

(Putting Stark to the side)

            Ah…Now we are how you say…somewhere?

SEE BLACK PANTHER SUIT PERSPECTIVE. UPPER RIGHT CORNER: HUMAN. LOWER LEFT: NO ENHANCEMENTS.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(As the suit flies to stop next to him)

            We are but I’m not sure its where you want to be.

PANTHER

            Ah you are just a man but for…

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(Throwing the shield)

            This?!

PANTHER

(Snatching it out of the air and looking it over)

            Yes. This.

(Tossing it out opening lightly)

            We will not need this for your test.

CUT TO Shield clanking on the ship. Widow sees it as she is opening window. Swings out grabs it on her way up.  CUT TO VAULT.  

CAPTAIN AMERICA

            You can’t be a common thief….and your suit is like Iron Man’s…

ANGLE ON OPENING. Widow lands silently behind the Panther and runs OUT OF FRAME. CUT TO REAR OF CAP.

PANTHER

(Looking sideways slightly sensing her presence)

No common thief I assure you. I’m no…cat burglar. And the suit is not like Iron Man. I am a spiritual warrior king.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(As they start to face off and size each other up)

            Your name…before we dance. I like knowing the guys I’m dancing with.

PANTHER

No need to stall any longer. I am here to see The Thunderer as well. Bast did not create me in fear. Sekemet did not show my ancestors how to run. We are Panthers. Hunters, defenders. Killers of  enemies.

(With C.A.’s disbelief)

No surprise eh, Captain? The Panther can hear the prey in high grass upon the plain on a windy day.

A martial art fight ensues with little discussion.

WIDOW

(Aiming stinger from wrist, can’t get a clear shot)

            Damn.

Widow jumps into fight suddenly while Panther is vulnerable and he uses her intrusion to gain the upper hand tossing her into Captain America effortlessly. Widow lands, turns and aims. Panther jumps cat like quick and avoids.

PANTHER

            You may try now. But it is futile.

Suddenly elevator opens. ANGLE ON HAWKEYE. an arrow flies at the Panther who snatches it out of the air directly in front of his face.

HAWKEYE

            Ok. That’s new.

PANTHER

(Tossing arrow )

            Not to me. I have been snatching arrows since childhood. Join us bowman.

Suddenly the Bifrost appears. Thor exists and throws his hammer. PANTHER evades and grabs hammer as it goes by him. He drops off the hammer as it returns dropping, seemingly floating down to his ship. He disappears in to its out line. LOW HUM. CUT TO: AVENGERS. All of them are relaxed suddenly like it was no big deal.

HAWKEYE

(As Thor catches his hammer and looking between Tony and the floating Mark IV.)

 Is it just gonna float all night or do we pour him in it?

CAPTAIN AMERICA

(To Widow)

            The green option?

WIDOW

            Sleep in his sound proof room. Didn’t have time, no orders…So I made a choice.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

            No alarms in there? we might wanna work on that.

HAWKEYE

            I don’t even wanna know what wakin’ him outta a sound sleep is like.

CAPTAIN AMERICA

            We may have no choice one day.

CUT TO: Banner’s room. Next to a sound sleep Banner, an active energy hole starts to appear and then disappears. CUT TO: Panther’s jet.

PANTHER

(To view screen and looking over at the suit)

            I have the sample of the Thunderer’s hammer.

Wakandan Warrior

            Will you return soon?

PANTHER

Not just yet. I have some business. Have the elders returned from consultation with  a name

yet?

WAKANDAN WARRIOR

            They have returned from consulting with Bastet.

PANTHER

(Impatiently)

            And….I don’t have time for ceremony.