Drums in the Global Village

Although I will never be a fan of Reginald Hudlin’s first arc (see my comments at the bottom of this link), I admit this trailer (check the interview below it)—a word-for-word, scene-for-scene adaptation of that story’s first few pages—had me quite excited.

He’s greatly improved (I really liked BP 38), but to be honest, I’ve always thought that Hudlin’s Panther work would make better movies and television than comics. But I think it’s more about me being too old to read modern Marvel Comics. Judging by the first issue, the writer who replaced Hudlin for the current arc made the BET exec seem literary in comparison.

….the excellent Harlem Book Fair panel on James Baldwin? The S. Pearl Sharp discussion of Baldwin’s Hollywood adventures—trying to produce a film on El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz—was worth the time alone. And Herb Boyd’s masterful work of moderator-as-narrator. And Baraka. Damn. That’s all they wrote.

……these two articles on Obama and Black radio?

…..my nephew Andrew Burroughs Jr., who is being honored this week by the Newark Black Film Festival. His film won the Long Narrative Competition. The award, the 2008 Paul Robeson Award, is being presented by Paul Robeson Jr.

JULY 30th UPDATE: My nephew tells me last night Mr. Robeson is sick, so Richard Wesley is doing the honors. Get well soon, Mr. Robeson.

P.S. In an unrelated note, enjoyed this NPR story on Kevin Powell’s Congressional run. Congrats to you too, K.P.

P.P.S. More unrelated: Congrats to Pacifica’s “Democracy Now!” and NPR’s “Tell Me More” for actually covering what Obama said at “Unity” about reparations, et. al.

For the last two weeks, I’ve been hearing a lot about CNN’s “Black In America” series, but because I don’t have cable, I never sat down to see any of it. My great friend Hazel Trice Edney just sent me this a few minutes ago. I guess I’ll have to check out the other segments online.

Masterpiece.

P.S. I’m off to see it tomorrow for the THIRD time, but I’ll see it again with anyone who wants to see it.

….did a great job on her Green Party Vice Presidential nomination acceptance speech. I look forward to voting for her in future elections.

Way, way back when I thought that one day (today) I’d be a famous pundit, I looked forward to locking horns with right-wingers like Tony Snow. His end-of-show commentaries on “Fox News Sunday” never failed to make my teeth grit and shout obscenities at the screen. I looked forward to him one day attacking me by name, seeing it as a badge of honor.

Cat was born to be White House Press Secretary. He should have been in that role for the whole eight years. Bush would’ve been able to lie better.

While watching coverage of his death, I was sincerely moved by the great love he had for his family. So I wish that family well in its time of grief.

It was great hearing Bob Law’s voice on the radio again. The occasion was a new documentary film he’s narrating.

Enjoyed the recent NPR discussion about it, and Black radio. I agree with the host—the time for Black Activist Commercial Radio might be past, but not necessarily for the same reasons she brought up. Check here for my five-year-old rant on the subject. Here are a couple of great books and two great radio programs on the subject.

…..for winning a “National 2008 Role Model Award” from the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education!

Hazel has always been my hero.