Coming to Anno as a complete newbie, my first attempt was a spectacular disaster (note to self: should’ve visited the Anno Union). The controls take some effort to learn, especially when upgrading buildings, and the status bar across the top isn’t very intuitive. Still, after six confused but oddly joyful hours, I found myself hooked. Another six hours, then another… and around the twenty-hour mark, it finally clicked. The algorithm is firmly in charge you’re merely a cog it chooses to oil once in a while.

The game offers two modes: open world and campaign. Veteran players may feel right at home in open world, but newcomers will appreciate the guided structure of the campaign. You choose between two siblings — Marcus and Marcia — and the story adapts to that decision. Playing as Marcia immerses you in the full misogyny of the Roman Empire. She’s even absent from her own wedding to her elderly, ailing husband, whose affairs she must manage as governor of a small island. There’s much more to the narrative, but avoiding spoilers, I’ll simply say the campaign does a fantastic job of teaching every skill needed to move the story and your settlement forward.

Keeping your island prosperous is a major undertaking, with systems layered upon systems. For beginners, here are a few tips to stay afloat:

1. Control the Clock. The speed dial in the lower-left corner lets you pause, speed up, or jump around the map. Pause often while building or troubleshooting.
2. Create Planning Zones. Group related structures together. Residential neighborhoods benefit from markets and taverns, while industrial zones should stay far from homes NIMBY is alive and well in 117 CE. Also note that resources like mines or mills can only be placed in specific spots.
3. Markets and Taverns. These are crucial for population growth and happiness. Prioritize them.
4. Warehouses. They don’t increase total storage (that’s tied to research), but proximity dramatically affects production efficiency. Place them strategically within industrial hubs.
5. Religion. Romans were not monotheists, and neither must you be. Switch deities as needed each provides different production bonuses that should align with your island’s resources.
6. Civil Servants. As in modern times, they keep society running. Fire, disease, and riots are constant threats. Position service buildings between residential and industrial areas.

Of course, there are countless more strategies, but the best advice is simply to dive in. Downloads are hefty across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, so check the recommended specs before starting.

What makes Anno 117 so addictive is that every second matters. Every decision has consequences some beneficial, some disastrous. You might be thriving one moment, only for a fire, epidemic, or political upheaval to upend everything the next. Yet that unpredictability is exactly what makes the experience compelling. This is your world to shape. Good luck.

If you want to see how my fourth (or sixth) attempt turned out, you can find my gameplay on YouTube at @EAngel2801 or on Twitch at BGNEAngel.

The post When in Rome: Surviving ‘Anno 117’ as a Clueless Newbie appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

At times, it feels as if we’re still only a step or two removed from the cotton or tobacco fields. In this story, Mama Tulsa — her name itself a powerful reference — crafts a flag for the mayor’s upcoming Founder’s Day celebration, which takes place soon after her son’s lynching. There’s a saying that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but try a Black mother’s fury.

Mama Tulsa is a weaver, and weaving runs deep in African American history. From baskets to blankets to clothing, weaving has preserved both heritage and hardship across generations. These first historians of our culture were often imagined to possess a quiet mysticism, a thread of power running through their work. It’s an element we’ve seen resurface in other recent art, such as the video game South of Midnight.

Jackson fills every frame with local color, evoking both the everyday realities of the South and the veneer of false respectability that masks injustice. The southern drawl that runs through her dialogue begins a rhythmic weave that Martinbrough’s illustrations pick up beautifully. Mama Tulsa appears as many of our grandmothers or great-grandmothers might have adorned in jewelry, long dress flowing, weaving spindles close at hand. The setting recalls a time when railroad tracks defined where one could live, and the setting sun signaled which side of town was safe to be on.

The brevity of comic storytelling is both a blessing and a curse. In just eight pages, Jackson and Martinbrough craft something powerful, but one can’t help wishing for more room to let the story and Mama Tulsa’s righteous vengeance fully unfold. The ending arrives suddenly, almost too soon, but its abruptness leaves a lingering weight.

Jackson and Martinbrough prove to be a compelling creative duo. Together, their story and art blend into a richly layered tale, anchored by Mama Tulsa’s quiet determination as she prepares her flag for its final unfurling. Here’s hoping they reunite to bring us another story woven with the same depth, texture, and truth.

The post Why “These Are the Colors That Run” Is One of the Most Powerful Stories in Catacomb of Torment Yet appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

For readers who haven’t followed every annual DC crossover and just want to stick with the mainline titles, the ones set in Earth-616, or DC’s core continuity, don’t worry. Those are still there. But the Absolute Universe rewrites the familiar. It asks, Who would Kal-El be if he wasn’t raised by the Kents? Who would Bruce Wayne become if he didn’t come from money? Who would Diana be without Paradise Island? The same reimagining applies to the Green Lantern Corps — a mythology that’s taken decades to build.

Despite the title, Absolute Green Lantern explores the full emotional spectrum of the Lantern Corps. The greens still embody willpower, the yellows fear, the indigos compassion, the violets love, the reds rage, the oranges greed, the whites life, and the blacks death. In this new universe, those colors aren’t just symbols but they’re actually factions vying for dominance in a cosmic struggle for survival, meaning, and control.

Seven issues in, the pacing remains a major challenge. Reading the early chapters feels like the first week of geometry class and there’s a lot on the board, and you’re not quite sure how it all fits together. It’s a problem DC’s limited series often face: sprawling plots that promise a big “a-ha” moment of revelation but rarely deliver a satisfying payoff.

The story, written by Immortal Hulk mastermind Al Ewing, certainly has ambition. It opens with Green Lanterns Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Sojourner “Jo” Mullein all living normal lives in the small Oregon town of Evergreen — lives they might have led if they’d never been chosen. When Abin Sur crashes into town, chaos follows. Guy serves as the local sheriff, John works as an architect trying to keep the community calm, and soon, a mysterious force field traps everyone inside.

As Abin Sur’s purpose unfolds, Hal Jordan is overtaken by a dark force consuming his arm, a corruption that hungers for the light that now resides within Jo Mullein. For longtime fans, Hal and Guy are familiar names, especially with Guy’s resurgence in pop culture thanks to this year’s Superman movie. But Jo may be new to some readers. Introduced in N.K. Jemisin’s Far Sector, Jo patrols a distant outpost of the universe, her ring uniquely designed to recharge over time rather than via a lantern. She’s one of DC’s most compelling modern creations which are confident, grounded, and emotionally complex.

This setup creates an intriguing dynamic: Hal Jordan, once the greatest of the Green Lanterns, is now positioned as the story’s villain, while Jo represents the Corps’ future. The last time Hal’s moral compass faltered was Green Lantern #48 (Vol. 3), when Coast City’s destruction drove him to become Parallax and wipe out the Corps. With Evergreen now in ruins and Hal slipping once again into darkness, the question looms can Jo save him, or will she have to destroy him?

That’s where the hope lies. Maybe Ewing will allow a Black female hero to save the day. Historically, DC hasn’t quite figured out what to do with its Black women superheroes. Naomi (a.k.a. Powerhouse) is missing in action, Vixen is somewhere in the wilderness, and Bumblebee is probably tinkering away in a S.T.A.R. Labs subplot. But perhaps — just perhaps — in this alternate universe, Jo Mullein will finally get the heroic spotlight she deserves.

The first seven issues of Absolute Green Lantern are available now at comic shops, with Issue #8 set to release November 5, 2025. A collected edition compiling the first six issues drops in December. And if you want to see where Jo’s story began, Far Sector is a must-read and is available wherever you get your comics.

The post ‘Absolute Green Lantern’ Shines a Dim but Hopeful Light in DC’s New Absolute Universe appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

“New” might deserve quotation marks, though. While there are tweaks and adjustments across the board, BOP7 feels more like a fresh set of maps layered on top of a familiar experience than a fully new chapter. The Black Ops series has long had a fascination with the future: Black Ops II imagined warfare in 2025, Black Ops III pushed it to 2040, and Black Ops 4 reached 2045. While we’ll leave real-world comparisons of futuristic combat to our military experts (thank you for your service), BOP7 reminds us how close we’re getting to Treyarch’s imagined 2025 battlegrounds.

Gameplay during the beta felt a little different though it’s hard to say whether that’s perception or performance. Character movement seemed slightly tweaked, though the infamous “bunny hoppers” are still hopping right into crosshairs. One noticeable addition is the wall jump. Be warned: this isn’t the beloved wall-running mechanic from Advanced Warfare it’s more of a wall “stick” that often ends with players plummeting into pits while trying to pull off old tricks. It’s new, sure, but maybe not essential. More promising is the Rhino, a mechanized suit that introduces new possibilities for strategy and chaos.

A new multiplayer mode, Overload, also makes its debut. Teams fight to capture an overload device, transport it into the opposing team’s zone, and score points eight points secure the win. The device initially spawns in the center of the map before new spawn points appear as the match progresses. Overload manages to balance the needs of campers, run-and-gunners, and sentry players so long as someone remembers to actually play the objective. The small map size can be punishing for newcomers, though an expanded version could make the mode even more engaging.

Perks have received an update as well. Players can now create hybrid loadouts that combine two specialization trees for unique bonuses.

• Red/Blue grants temporary invisibility.
• Red/Green rewards assists by boosting elimination points for ten seconds.
• Blue/Green charges field upgrades faster when using stealth tactics like suppressed or melee kills.

On the Zombies side, the beta leans into classic survival mechanics: restore power, survive waves, and exfiltrate when ready. New Gobblegums (in-match boosters) help extend survival time, while a new Perk-a-Cola Wisp Tea summons a spectral ally that can heal, distract, or devastate undead hordes. Returning features like elemental ammo get fresh twists too, such as Fire Work, which lets each bullet launch fireworks that actually damage enemies. A new field upgrade, Toxic Growth, allows players to deploy poisonous thorns that slow zombies — though they eventually fade away.

For newcomers, much of this may sound overwhelming, but Treyarch has included training modes for both multiplayer and Zombies. Even experienced FPS players might want a quick refresher to reacquaint themselves with the new mechanics. If you’re new to Zombies, the tutorial is essential it keeps you from being that teammate who doesn’t know how to turn on the power.

Ultimately, Black Ops 7 offers a mix of nostalgia and novelty. It doesn’t reinvent the formula, but it refines it, adding new layers to familiar chaos. For hardcore Zombies fans, the beta suggests that the undead experience will be a major draw this year. For everyone else, it’s a reliable, easy-to-jump-into Call of Duty with just enough new toys, skins, and gadgets to keep things interesting.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to launch November 14 on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.

The post Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta Impressions is Familiar Warfare with a Few Surprises appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

The latest release marks something special: Marvel’s official debut in the Magic universe. While Marvel already boasts its own tabletop hits like Marvel Champions, its integration into the 31-year-old MTG franchise is pure genius.

This September, Wizards of the Coast unveiled a deck inspired by the Spider-Verse. The set features 188 unique cards, all legal across MTG formats, celebrating the expanding web of spider-themed heroes from Miles Morales and his clone Silk to Miguel O’Hara, the futuristic Spider-Man 2099. And yes, the symbiotes have arrived too. This diverse lineup fits seamlessly into the game’s five-color system, each representing a distinct playstyle.

Black cards, focused on efficiency and resource manipulation, perfectly suit the symbiotes Venom reigns supreme here. Red represents speed and aggression, making it a natural home for the bold and unpredictable Spider-Gwen. Green channels the raw power of nature think Miles Morales, Spider-Rex, and Sandman. Blue embodies strategy and control, fitting figures like Doctor Octopus and Madame Web. And white, the color of teamwork and resilience, houses Peter Parker himself — the heart of the Spider-Verse and the source of its hope.

Even if you’re not a player, the artwork alone is worth the investment. The deck includes a series of borderless cards styled after iconic comic book covers. But the true prize is the Soul Stone a rare, highly coveted card with a low mana cost, indestructibility, and the power to resurrect creatures from the graveyard. A foil version is reportedly selling for nearly $40,000. Unreal.

If terms like “mana” or “upkeep phase” sound foreign, MTG’s official website offers a fantastic series of beginner videos. In short: players build a deck of at least 60 cards, draw seven to form their hand, and use mana (from “lands”) to cast spells, summon creatures, and battle opponents through a structured five-phase turn.

For those looking to unplug, Friday Night Magic is a weekly event hosted at comic and game shops nationwide. For around $15, players draft decks, compete, and often take home card packs as prizes. It’s social, strategic, and surprisingly fun even for newcomers. Most shops foster a welcoming community (with the occasional “ogre” kept in check by attentive owners).

If you’re searching for a screen-free hobby for yourself or your teen, a pre-release pack and card sleeves make a great starter set roughly a $50 gift, perfect for birthdays or holidays.

And if Spider-Man isn’t your speed, stay tuned. Wizards of the Coast has already teased upcoming 2026 sets featuring more Marvel heroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, and The Lord of the Rings.

The multiverse just got a little more magical.

The post Marvel Enters the Magic: The Gathering Multiverse appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Fast forward to September, and the game launched on console with a one-hour trial version. While we won’t dive into the backstory here, let’s start with the most striking part of Jump Space: its beauty.

Like No Man’s Sky, the game treats players to stunning cosmic visuals — vast galaxies, glowing nebulae, and breathtaking planetary views. While it seems you won’t spend too much time planetside, the environments you do explore are impressively detailed. Structures are functional rather than decorative, but the base designs feel well thought out. The ship, however, is another story dark, labyrinthine, and full of intrigue.

At the start, your mission is to restore the ship’s basic systems by scavenging key components and materials. One of the first objectives is installing your AI companion to help manage the ship. Multiple levels can be manned, and eject tubes offer quick access to the ship’s exterior for repairs. Grapple hooks line the hull, making navigation possible though jetting through open space with your pack is even more thrilling.

Across different space stations, players can gather supplies and battle hostile AI forces. Enemies come in all forms skittering, swarming, or flying and they’re relentless. Tasks usually revolve around retrieving components or unlocking new systems, though some repair mechanics felt a little unclear during the trial.

Once your ship is operational, you can upgrade your gear, improve your vessel, and take on new missions. There’s even a “buddy bot” feature if you’re flying solo. After collecting enough resources, your first jump catapults you into the middle of a chaotic space battle a perfect moment to realize how valuable a full crew can be.

The trial is limited to 60 minutes, regardless of where you are in the mission, which feels like a big misstep. Still, Jump Space shows real promise with its blend of exploration, combat, and teamwork. The balance isn’t perfect yet, but Keepsake Games seems to be onto something special.

Considering it’s still early in development and priced at roughly a third of most new releases, Jump Space might be worth adding to your library or gifting to the tween gamer in your life. There’s a lot to love here, so slide into the eject tube and jump into space with the rest of us.

Jump Space is available now on Steam and Xbox.

The post Jump Space Review: A Promising Co-op Adventure Among the Stars appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

BGN sat down with Uraeus — also known as the founder of Black Heroes Matter — and Jones of Stranger Comics for an in-depth conversation about the rise of their newest hero, Jaycen Wise.

During our discussion, Uraeus explained the origin of Jaycen’s name, which began after a trip to Egypt.

“When I came back to the States, I had at the time two sons, and I would share stories of this hero with them at bedtime,” he said. “I gave the hero the name Jaycen Wise, with ‘Wise’ as an acronym for the qualities I wanted to instill in them — wisdom, intelligence, strength, and endurance. Jaycen is the name he uses in modern times, but we don’t know what his real name is.”

What began as bedtime stories for his children evolved into notes, and eventually, fully realized comic concepts.

“Those ideas took root in the imaginations of the artists,” Uraeus recalled. “They started creating work, and that rolled into me developing comic books and sharing them at independent Black comic book festivals.”

Those early grassroots efforts eventually caught the attention of Sebastian Jones.

“When I heard about it, I thought, this project deserves to win,” Jones shared. “It’s such an incredible, simple, yet elegant story within a giant framework. I don’t have a lot of bandwidth outside my own work, but when I had the chance to do Jaycen Wise, I knew I was in.”

At its core, Jaycen Wise is an anti–tomb raider, a hero who infiltrates museums and private collections to repatriate stolen artifacts and return them to their rightful cultures.

Uraeus addressed some of the criticism the story has drawn:

“A lot of trolls say things like, ‘If it wasn’t for Europeans, these artifacts would’ve been destroyed,’” he said. “But the truth is, these pieces of culture do not belong to those who hold them now. They need to be returned.”

Jones added,

“It’s the difference between sharing knowledge and desiring ownership. When you try to own culture, you’re trying to own spirit — even souls. There’s an opportunity to preserve without taking, and that’s something many culture vultures miss.”

A key element of the series involves the Tablets of Kush — a symbolic artifact representing the accumulated knowledge and culture of African and Black people across the world.

“The tablets were destroyed by Jaycen’s own hand in his youth,” Uraeus explained. “Now he’s on an eternal quest to piece them back together. It’s symbolic of Black people globally trying to reclaim the pieces of their shattered history. African history, Black history — it’s absolutely amazing.”

As of this writing, the Jaycen Wise Kickstarter campaign is over 724% funded, with backing open until October 14, 2025.

Uraeus also shared details of a late-campaign giveaway:

“Anyone who pledges $100 or more is entered into a raffle to win a PlayStation 5. For every $100 you donate, you get a virtual key. At the end, one key will be randomly chosen to win.”

Fans can also meet the team at New York Comic Con, where Stranger Comics will host exclusives, including collectible coins containing clues to the Jaycen Wise Society and secret glyphs hidden in variant covers.

Ultimately, Jaycen Wise is a call to rediscover the past and inspire the future.

“I want readers to experience the same sense of wonder I gave my boys back then,” said Uraeus. “To captivate their inner child, have fun, learn some history, and make change in the world.”

We’re already in. Are you?

The post Jaycen Wise: The Immortal Hero Reclaiming Lost History appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Once in a galaxy far and away, there was a time when Qui Gon-Jin Jedi Master made his way to a planet, tortured by time.  Somehow, a mission was left incomplete, and Mace Windu is now tasked with discovering the secret of a planet whose population has moved underground among crystalline structures illuminated by luminescent mushrooms.  Plus, whatever else is lurking in the depths of the lower-level caverns.

At its heart, Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss is a detective story with one of the Jedi’s best detectives on the case.  Barnes has taken great effort to put the reader in the midst of planet Metagos with a comprehensive description of the crystalline structure and geometry of this subterranean community thus establishing it as its own character.  Mace descends through each of the community’s social strata to earn the trust of the people just trying to make it as well as the tyrants that have oppressed them. 

The real question is whether this is really a Star Wars story or just a science fiction story with a protagonist with a special skill.  George Lucas’ premise about the Force and the Jedi is the fight between good and evil.   The Jedi represents the good and the Sith the bad.  So, what does it mean, when a master of the Jedi suppresses the very power that makes him a master?  Now, it is acknowledged that there is a whole series about Obi-Wan Kenobi, walking away from the Force. Of course, that is after the supremacy of the Jedi is felled by the traitorous acts of Anakin Skywalker and the issuance of the ominous Order 66 by Emperor Palpatine much later in the Star Wars universe than this story.  So is a Jedi a Jedi, without being good, without protecting the weak, and/or without the Force?

Somewhere on the internet, there is an item that suggests that Tupac Shakur was interested in auditioning for the role of Mace Windu.  Tupac was a fine enough actor, but Samuel L. Jackson provided just the right amount of swagger and maturity needed for a vaunted Jedi Master.  In the comics, animated series, and movies. Mace Windu is really the only Jedi of color – blue, green, excluded – with any major role in almost the entire franchise until the Star Wars post-quels (Episodes 9-11) with John Boyega’s Finn.  Windu is first introduced in 1999 during The Phantom Menace. 

Like many, there was eagerness in my consumption of any story with Mace in it, which was limited to mainly comics, then he appeared in the animated shorts in 2003. But it was the movie Revenge of the Sith where the real Samuel-L-Jacksonness of Mace shone through with the battle with Emperor Palpatine.  Despite being force-lightning blasted out a window, he was a bad-mother-shut-your-mouth.  So much so, I spent an entire cruise, sitting by a pool with a cool beverage and Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith: Episode III, by Matthew Stover.  Stover’s description of the battles, especially the one between Windu and Palpatine, really solidified why Windu was a Jedi Master.

This other Mace Windu history permeated throughout the rest of the Star Wars universe, maybe why I struggled with the story.  At times the plot felt like it was written based on the lyrics to Issac Hayes’ theme to the 1970’s blaxploitation film Shaft: 

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man?

(Mace)

Can you dig it?

Who’s the cat that won’t cop out when there’s danger all about?

(Mace)

Right on

They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother

(shut your mouth)

I’m talkin’ ’bout Mace

(then we can dig it)

He’s a complicated man

But no one understands him but his woman

(Mace Windu)

Okay, I acknowledge that this could just be my own bias brought into the context of Mace because of Samuel Jackson’s portrayal of both characters on the big screen, but I bet I’m not the only one.  If you are looking for a Star Wars story that expands your understanding of the Force or advancing the events between Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Episode II: Attack of the Clones, this is not it.  If you are looking for a dive into the psyche of Mace Windu, you will have to read this one and make it up your own mind.

You can purchase Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

The post Unveiling Mace Windu’s Journey in ‘The Glass Abyss’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Enter these new titles Vigilante: Southland, Mosaic, and Prowler featuring Black superheroes.

Vigilante: Southland

While DC has pretty much stuck to its roots during its rebirth — except for all the Robins (see We Are Robin) — they are trying out the latest reincarnation of Vigilante.

From the Old West to Manhattan, this anti-hero lives again in a six-issue miniseries, Vigilante: Southland. In this iteration, Vigilante is a professional basketball player-turned-janitor who goes on the hunt for the killer of his professor girlfriend, Dorrie, after she poked her nose where it didn’t belong. Elena Casagrande (Suicide Risk, Angel) does a great job on the pencils and inks, but I hope the angry Black man isn’t the only visage to be portrayed. I haven’t seen a real-crime title from DC in several years; some independent publishers have some (including a James Bond title), covers of TV shows like Blacklist and Orphan Black, and the lunar crime fighters in The Fuse. As this is written by crime novelist Gary Phillips (GI Joe, Frontline, Shot Callerz), we are assured of a well-developed story.  The question is whether this will be a good comic.  After the issue, the weed-smoking, video-game-playing protagonist checks a lot of the boxes on Black stereotypes, so I await Issue 2 and further plot development.

Mosaic

Marvel’s newest arrival from the terrigenous cocoon is Morris Sackett, and (you guessed it) he is a Black basketball player. Written by Geoffrey Thorne (Solo, Knight Rider), the Mosaic prequel was very entertaining as an already-emerged Sackett breaks into a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, makes fools of the stalwart Agent May, the powerful Agent Daisy a.k.a Quake, and super agent Phil Coulson, by stealing Coulson’s car.

Issue 1 shows his origin story: the loss of his physical form and the ability to jump from one person to another, taking with him the memories of those he inhabits wherein he ends up helping his new persona rob the Russian mob and then moves on. There’s not much story, but there is an entire planet of people to inhabit.  Khary Randolph (Quixote, Spider-Man, X-Men) pens some amazing panels, providing a great deal of depth to the character.

Prowler

Prowler, another title from Marvel, continues the story from Amazing Spider-Man #17. In Amazing, the Jackal, one of Spider-Man’s foes, has set up a medical company called New U, which has been cloning the loved ones of various supervillains in exchange for their services. Hobie Brown (Prowler), who has been working for Spider-Man, goes to investigate the development and is killed by the new Electro, Francine. Hobie is cloned and is convinced to join the Jackal, especially because he finds out that he must take a pill daily to stay alive.

In the first issue of Prowler, Hobie manages his new duties as head of New U security by wrangling the Jackal’s new supervillain clone lineup. He steps out to do a little crime fighting and is rebuffed by his new boss. If you’re not familiar, Hobie Brown is a smarter than average guy who was working as a window washer until he invented the tech to support his alter-ego Prowler. Initially, he started out as a criminal and then reformed and helped protect Spider-Man’s identity by sometimes impersonating the wall-crawler. The first issue seems to suggest New U is on a humanitarian mission, but come on with all the supervillains in the basement. Who are they trying to kid?

Sean Ryan (Nova, Convergence: Flash) takes the lead as we explore Prowler’s journey into the current Spider-Man storyline, the Clone Conspiracy. This is a well drawn, beautifully inked issue by Jamal Campbell (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Guardians of Infinity).

These three titles provide Black men in the lead and are written and drawn well, mostly by Black men. However just having Black characters is not enough. When I suppress my joy and take a step back, these characters still feel to me like the Blaxploitation characters from the 1970s. As Marvel and DC explore diversity, it should be remembered that diversity is more than race. I am hoping these characters can rise above the stereotypes found in each of these books and provide a more representative model of Black men.

So just to help out, there are about 300 players in the NBA, with about 224 or them being Black, so the other 21 million Black men are obviously in other professions. About a half a million are in jail, so as we venture into diversity in the 21st century, I would like a couple of titles to reflect those good 20 million Black men who go to work every day, punch a clock, pick up their kids, love their wife, and wander into the terrigenous mists, get bit by something, get irradiated by something else, and become a superhero.

The post Exploring Diverse Comic Characters: Vigilante, Mosaic, Prowler appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

As a first-person shooter, Battlefield includes several classes that have loadouts that support that role. The assault class is quick with the ability to hear nearby enemies better. The assault class can train up to yield grenade launches or gain improved health generation. The recon class scouts the enemy position and provides overwatch for advancing troops. They can spot enemies for advancing forces and can in an unmanned arial vehicle to help spot others. They can train as snipers or develop cloaking skills, making them undetectable to equipment. The support class serves as the medic and supply chief. It can drag the injured into cover before healing. They can use their ability to supply to increase the revive speed of downed soldiers. They can train to dispense health for allies or can develop improved weapon control from mounted positions.

There are many modes, two versions of deathmatch, one squad based, and one team based. Domination returns with small fast-paced matches, and then the larger versions with conquest, breakthrough and rush. Each focused on taking territory or diminishing the enemy’s reserves. Included is a king of the hill section where you try to get to the control point and secure it. Then the new one, escalation, where two teams move to capture strategic control points. The more success a team has the fewer control points are available.

Vehicles return and are just as fun or terrifying as before. It is quite a joy watching noobs hop in and crash in spectacular fashion all over the map. Although veteran flyers can wreak havoc on the battlefield, so if you’re interested, take some time and play the initiation mode. This is a training environment with a mix of artificial intelligence-based players and new initiates. Additions to this offering include the ability to affect your environment more with the ability to sledgehammer wall or cause floors to collapse them.

Fortunately, what hasn’t changed is the value of a good squad. A well-balanced squad can really turn the balance, if they move well together and stay objective focused. The first few games in conquest, were an experience with being killed relatively quickly over and over and over again. The maps put forward during the beta seemed to favor the sniper and they spent most of the time up on the mountainside out of bounds reigning fire down on different positions. My love for rocket launchers helped to disabuse some of them from returning, But alas I was popped in the forehead more times than I care to admit. So, if you can’t beat them join them, right?  Well, I did. It was way too easy to snipe with little, or no bullet drop making it incredibly easy to put your crosshairs on a target and pop, headshot…kill.  Similarly, the shotguns seem to be overly powered.

As is the intent, these issues were smoked out, and DICE has already communicated that patches are underway. I wish I could tell you that there was something new or special which makes this more than a content update from past games but being honest it is not. I think we all have realized that for the most part we need to be resolved that for now that is the best the developers can do. There are other games that do the same thing, but there is something about Battlefield that just keeps you coming back. So, to that end, I will see you on the frontlines in October 2025, when EA Sports releases Battlefield 6 on Steam and all the consoles except the Switch.

If you’re interested in seeing some gameplay for this and other games, check us out at the BGNEAngel Twitch channel.

The post ‘Battlefield 6’: Déjà Vu on the Battlefield appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.