GOLDEN NINJA (1966) has an astronomer who’s discovered the rogue planet Icarus is hurtling towards Earth join a UN team that’s working to destroy the planet with a super-laser. Too bad the sinister Noza’s out to steal the laser and bring about Earth’s death — who can save us now?
Well, as the title tells us, it’s the Golden Ninja, a laughing gold-lame clad superhero who rises from his tomb in ancient Atlantis to battle Noza. This silly but engaging movie was originally Golden Bat, which makes more sense (he has a bat familiar he uses at key moments) — but then again, I can’t imagine anyone watching this movie was worried about the plausibility of Atlantean ninjas. I am, however, bothered that Noza’s weird outfit makes him resemble a four-eyed pantomime horse. “Humans don’t belong in this universe — this universe exists only for me, Noza!”
In BLACK PANTHER: Wakanda Forever (2022), the MU’s Atlantis is transformed into Talokan, an underwater haven where an indigenous Central American tribe fled (by means of a water-breathing potion) to escape Spanish colonialism. Now, though, American attempts to mine vibranium from the ocean floor threaten their existence so their leader, Namor (Tenoch Huerta) invites Wakandan Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) into an alliance against the surface world.
Okay, he actually demands one, along with ordering Shuri to capture Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), the teen genius whose invention makes the mining operation possible. Namor blames Wakanda because their refusal to share their vibranium with the world is what drove America to go looking. And if they refuse? “Our warriors are as numerous as the blades of grass in your kingdom.”
This Black Panther sequel had the challenge of the MCU T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) having died after the first film; one of the plot threads is Shuri dealing with her grief, and her ambivalence over stepping into the hereditary role. I don’t think it met the challenge. Part of the problem is that it’s got a lot to do: Shuri’s grief, more geopolitical conflicts, introducing Namor and Talokan, setting up Riri for her Ironheart series on TV, plus Wakanda vs. Talokan action scenes. The result is a 2hr 40 minute movie and while there’s no shortage of plot, there’s not enough drama for me. Fitting Namor into the Killmonger role — the voice of someone who’s suffered from colonialism and wants Wakanda to Do Something — didn’t work, and neither did Namor. For me, the essence of Namor has always been his arrogance and this version didn’t have that; while he’s imperious and makes demands he comes off more as a leader making tough choices. And while I do love them keeping Namor’s ridiculous ankle wings, why would a Mesoamerican merman say Namor’s catchphrase of Imperius Rex? “There is an entire YouTube channel dedicated to sightings of me.”
By contrast, the third season of MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN (S1 review here; S2 review here) succeeds admirably. The plot threads include Jimmy insisting he and Kara date other people (he’s convinced she only likes him because she hasn’t seen what other Earth boys are like); Clark talking marriage and Lois freaking out; their kids arriving from the dystopian future to change it; Luthor unleashing a superhuman of his own (spoiler: doesn’t go well); and Clark losing his powers for much of the season. I particularly love a scene in which the depowered Clark gets between a killer and some kids, takes a bullet stopping him and then beats himself up — those kids almost got killed because he didn’t have his powers! Of course he did save them but he just takes doing the right thing as a given and doesn’t consider it. I look forward to S2.“Your fear is a weakness — mine is a weapon.”
Cover by Curt Swan, all rights to images remain with current holders.
