Misty Knight
Misty is a former New York cop with a bionic arm, martial arts skills, and an attitude.
Her job as an active police halted after losing her right arm to a terrorist’s bomb. Tony Stark arranged for her to receive a bionic prosthetic replacement limb in recognition of her bravery. Against taking a desk job for the police, she became a private investigator, with her friend Colleen Wing (alias: Samurai). As Knightwing Restorations, nicknamed the Daughter of the Dragon, the two often dealt with cases nobody else was willing to resolve.
Misty was also a long time room-mate to Jean Grey until she rejoined the X-Men, and before the Dark Phoenix Saga.
Misty would meet the love of her life, Daniel Rand, through Colleen. Danny is a superhero who goes by the name Iron Fist, a member of the Heroes for Hire organization. Knightwing Restorations has helped Heroes for Hire on multiple occasions.
During the Civil War event, Misty took the side of the Registration, using the Heroes for Hire name to hunt down fugitive heroes for the government. Notable names on the team included Colleen, Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) and Shang Chi, the Master of Kung Fu. After Captain America’s surrender, they would adventure in the Savage Land, bust a black market ring selling Skrull organs and ultimately disband after being captured in the Hulk’s ship during World War Hulk. During that adventure, the team is betrayed by Humbug, which results in Colleen and the new Tarantula being brutally tortured.
After a long period of ill definition, Danny and Misty finally become a formal couple in the pages of Immortal Iron Fist. At the end of that series, Misty was believed to be pregnant with Iron Fist’s child until she found out it was only traces of his lifeforce and not an actual conception.
Misty Knight is highly skilled in martial arts and is a proficient hand-to-hand combatant, with police combat training. She also has near-perfect aim with firearms, and possesses superb detective skills. Her bionic arm is superhumanly strong, and she can punch a target with incredible force, or crush objects as tough as steel in her vise-like grip. However, since the rest of her body is not cybernetically enhanced, she cannot lift objects heavier than her back, shoulders, and legs can physically support. Her arm’s advantages as a weapon are limited to kinetic crushing and impact forces.
Her original bionic right arm is an alloy of Antarctic vibranium and diamond; at close range it can liquefy all known metals including adamantium. It is also now able to generate a wide anti-gravity repulsor field similar to Iron Man’s armor.
It can also apparently release a concentrated beam of cryogenic energy, which can cover a target in a blanket of ice from a distance. This cold also seems to make the target much more fragile, allowing otherwise durable materials to be broken or rended when frozen. Iron Man also revealed the arm also displays technopathic capabilities, teaching Misty how to control a horde of robots. Following her “pregnancy”, Danny Rand spent money on additional features to the arm, including magnetism and a concussive blast.
Posters celebrate Asian American masculinity, featuring the likes of George Takei, Bruce Lee.
The “Manhood” poster series was created by artist, and San Francisco native, Deborah Enrile Lao as a way to inspire young Asian American boys and men. The series consists of screen printed posters of five iconic Asian American men—Richard Aoki, George Takei, Jeremy Lin, Bruce Lee and DJ Qbert. In Lao’s artist statement, she writes:
This piece challenges the unkind, one dimensional portrait of Asian American men in mainstream Western media. By exuding strength, creativity, leadership and masculinity, these five icons buck characterizations of Asian American men as meek nerds who never get the girl (or guy). Bold paper colors and a minimal illustration style reclaims the one dimensional space into one that portrays these men as “superheroes” that young boys and men can aspire to be like.
Lenora Crichlow
She’d truly be an amazing Doctor. In her time on being human she showed just how much of a serious dramatic actor she can be, but at the same time she had these little bursts of hilarious madness that are such an interesting part of the doctor’s character.
For her companion, I’d really love to see Lily Loveless take on the role. She’s great at playing anxious and scared, but also truly amazing at acting as a character who’s really brave and strongwilled and confident.
We love the idea of Lenora as the Doctor! BTW, if you’re a Doctor Who fan, you should really add femaledoctorwho to your dash.
~T.
You might remember, we’ve started a book group on GoodReads. Since several of us on staff here read Malinda Lo’s Ash recently, we thought it would make a good way to get the ball rolling on a monthly book group. So please, join us in picking up this lovely YA fantasy novel and jump into the discussion.
We will be reading/re-reading/discussing the book from now until June 11, and we’ll post a summary of our thoughts, as well as those of our other readers, at the end of the month. So come on by the book forum, to talk about Ash, or just to recommend your favorites and express your love for geeky reading!
~T.
Badass Lady Bios: Storm
Ororo Munroe is one of the few Marvel characters who can claim a royal lineage. Not just any lineage either; Storm’s royal family is the oldest on the planet. Her mother, N’Dare didn’t want to be a princess so she married an American named David Munroe. The family moved to Cairo where they lived quietly and happily for five years until they were caught in the middle of an Arab-Israeli conflict. Both her parents died and Ororo was trapped beneath rubble next to her mother’s body (the source of Ororo’s claustrophobia). Her Uncle Shetani, who ruled the family in her stead, didn’t want to give up his position and made threats to kill Ororo if she ever turned up. As a result, her people never searched for her. So Ororo was left on the streets of Cairo to fend for herself. After many years living as a thief, Ororo strikes out for her native Kenya. She hitchhiked with a man who eventually tried to rape her, so she knifed that motherfucker to death. Afterwards, she swore never to take a life again. While wandering alone in the Sahara without water, Ororo discovered she could control the weather. She saves the life of and travels with T’Challa (Black Panther) for a little while, but they eventually part ways. She returns to her people and is regarded as a goddess.
She is contacted by Charles Xavier (who met her as a child) who implores her to help him save the X-Men (who helped her defeat an evil mutant) from Krakoa. She joins the team and becomes besties with Jean. After Jean’s death, Scott leaves the team and Storm becomes leader of the X-Men. She also becomes leader of the Morlocks after stabbing their leader Callisto in the heart. Storm was temporarily depowered by a power neutralizer that was actually meant for Rogue. After a brief imprisonment in Asgard, she returned to discover that Cyclops had returned as team leader. The depowered Storm challenges him for the position and wins. (Obviously Scott regains his position as team leader. And we find out that he actually lost because his wife, Madelyne Pryor—the clone of Jean Grey, was unknowingly using her latent Phoenix Force powers to make him lose. But the fact that Storm knew she was depowered and felt badass enough to defeat Summers—a powered mutant with far more battle experience than her—is a testament to her awesomeness.)
After House of M leaves most mutants permanently depowered, Storm returns to Africa to protect former mutants. She is reunited with T’Challa. He eventually proposes and she accepts. She continues to participate as an X-Man. Most recently, in Astonishing X-Men, she is attempting to change the evil nature of the Brood (an alien race that uses other life forms as incubators and food for their babies) along with Kitty, Colossus, Beast, and a Brood-infected Abigail Brand.
We love this!
E
The Virgin’s Revenge and Moral Dichotomy in Arang
Recently, Lois introduced us to a new series, exploring the psyche of the revenge film. Today, we have her first installment, looking at Arang (2006), a modern reinvention of a Korean folk tale, and a story of murder, haunting and, ultimately, grim justice.
TRIGGER WARNING: There is discussion of rape & traumatic pregnancy, which are elements of the film’s plot.
Latino Audiences, Hollywood, and Pixar’s Día de los Muertos Movie
We have yet another new guest contributor! Say hello to Jazmine, who shares her thoughts on Latino presence in Hollywood, inspired by the recent announcement of Pixar planning the Día de los Muertos movie. Read her post on our site and share your thoughts on the industry trends, diversity in film, and your feelings on Pixar’s latest project!
Game of Thrones recaps
Reading recaps of our favorite TV shows is just another part of the fandom life. Elyse’s Game of Thrones recaps are awesome, and if you’re watching the show, you should be reading them. Let’s all bond over our enjoyment of seeing Joffrey get slapped around, Sansa growing smarter and stronger against all odds every day, and obviously, eyesexin.
May the Fourth Be With You!
Dig on this lovely cast shot. We hope this Friday/Star Wars day/about to start weekend treats you well!
~ T. (who may or may not rewatch A New Hope tonight for the billionth time)
