There Really Is A Blaqualad!

In an earlier post I noted that the Aqualad for the upcoming Young Justice animated series was Black. The truth is I thought it was just some affirmative action like including Black Vulcan in the Super Friends. While it still may be, it seems that at least this Black Aqualad does or will have a comic book origin. He's scheduled to debut in DC's BRIGHTEST DAY #4 which will be before he debuts in the Young Justice Cartoon. The picture doesn't show him with blond hair like he seems to have in the animated series. I do like the colors. I guess time will tell. Find out more at DC's Source Blog.

Reminiscing About The JLU

The Justice League Unlimited animated series will always have a fond place in my heart. It's one of those animated series that brought many of my comic book heroes to TV, together in one place with great action and storylines. Remember that three part episode where a few of them traveled through time? John Stewart met his son and Static was a 60 year old member of the Justice League.

Angela Bassett plays Amanda Waller

I just heard that Angela Bassett has been cast as Amanda Waller in the upcoming Green Lantern movie. I think it's a great choice. She can definitely pull of the character and I'm excited to see her do it. I wonder if they make her put some weight on.

The 99 Gets Animated

Last year I shared some information with you about the Islamic superheroes known as the 99. This year I have an update. Apparently it is well on it's way to become an animated series. The rather long clip below shows some of the 99 in action and even provides a history/origin for the 99 stones that grant the new users their power. Take a look and tell me what you think and don't forget to download your free copy of the 1st issue of the comic. Enjoy!

Firestorm & Black Lightning in Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths

In the movie, Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths, Batman needs a hand and calls for backup. Included in the group was Aquaman, Black Canary, Red Tornado, Black Lightning, and much to my surprise, the African-American Firestorm. There was something to like about each of these backup Justice Leaguers. The art and animation was great here as were the fight scenes that nicely showcased their powers. Just another good reason to get the video.

At The 'Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths' LA Premiere

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the 'Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths' LA Premiere and I have to say I enjoyed it. The movie looked great, had a good story as well as plenty of compelling action, and quite a few easter eggs. There were some notable changes in the voice actors from what I have come to expect but it all worked out well. One of the fun things for me to do during the film was to try to figure out who everyone was as many of the characters on the alternate earth were very different from their hero counterparts. Wait till you see Uncle Marvel! The whole thing exceeded my expectations. I want to tell you all about why I liked it but I don't want to spoil it for you. Oh, while we got to see the actual movie, we did not get to see any of the DVD extras like the Showcase of the Spectre or First Look at upcoming DC Universe movies. I guess we'll all need to get the DVD for that.

Afterwards, there was some on-stage Q&A from some of the people involved in the making of the film. My view was quite good because we arrived at the last moment just as they opened up a row near the front. Despite the frequent raising of my hand, I never got picked to ask questions but luckily many of them got answered anyway. The panel was interesting and we got to hear a lot about their history in the business.

Gina Torres, who voiced Superwoman in the film, is quite beautiful in person and amazingly thin. Whoever her trainer is needs to get a raise. I have to confess I was watching her more than everyone else on the panel. Josh Keaton voiced the Flash. You might also remember him from voicing Spider-Man and too many other video game characters to name. I wish I had his job. One of the big surprises for me was that Vanessa Marshall, who did the voice of Wonder Woman in this film. Apparently she used to do the voice of the little Black kid, Irwin, on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. It was a little freaky hearing that voice come out of her mouth. She was really nice and seemed to feel sorry for me when I was constantly overlooked for the Q&A.

After the Q&A I got to shake hands with Dwayne McDuffie and express my admiration for his work and was pleasantly surprised when he told me that he reads this blog. I even got to talk to him briefly about Ben 10. It was a good time. I don't live in Hollywood or even close by but it was well worth the nearly hour and a half drive through traffic.

Black + Aqualad = Blaqualad?

The Web abounds with rumors about an upcoming Young Justice animated series and I have to say I like what I see so far. The biggest part of the series of rumors to date is that of Aqualad being Black and played by a Black voice actor. I am currently unable to confirm any of this so take it all with a grain of salt but the picture of Aqualad with what may be the voice actor playing him is compelling. I've heard rumors of other members of the team but no Cyborg or any other Black characters for that matter so far. As I learn more I will keep you posted. You may already be familiar with the picture of Arrowette below who is also rumored to be in the upcoming series. She's not Black but her appearance does add credibility to the possibility that the series will exist. I'm excited about the possibility. Check here to find out a bit more.

Milestone Forever Cover Preview

Dwayne McDuffie has a new Facebook fan page and among the new content he has offerred up a sneak peek at the cover of Milestone Forever #1 which will be on sale February 3rd. He had this to say about it: "This book wraps up the continuity of the original Milestone Universe characters HARDWARE, STATIC, ICON and BLOOD SYNDICATE, reunites me with original Milestone artists Denys Cowan, John Paul Leon, MD Bright, and Chrisscross -and sets the stage for Milestone's future in the DC Universe. I originally wrote it 13 years ago!"

Bulletproof

Special Agent Baldwin P. "Bulletproof" Vess is the main character in the animated series C.O.P.S. (Central Organization of Police Specialists), the elite police force of Empire City. (B.P. Vess = Bullet Proof Vest.) He is introduced into the series as a Fed with considerable expertise in criminology. Named Bulletproof because of his armor-plated torso that is resistant to bullets, he leads the organization with selfless dedication. The character carries the distinction of being the first African-American lead in an animated action series and toyline though I suppose that is debatable. He does appear in every episode.

Based on Hasbro's 1988 action figures of C.O.P.S 'N' Crooks, the show is set in the year 2020 and sports the tagline, "Fighting crime in a future time, protecting Empire City from Big Boss and his gang of crooks." Somehow with all the future tech of the show, phones still had cords. The series originally ran from September 1988 through November 1989. DC Comics even ran a C.O.P.S. comic book series from 1988 through 1989 that ran for 15 issues. Later, in 1993,  the show was repackaged for syndication as CyberCOPS so as not to be confused with the COPS reality show. The C.O.P.S. team was effective and very reminiscent of GI Joe. In fact, some of the fact sheets for the characters list some of the team members as GI Joe descendants. The series lasted two seasons (66 episodes). This was actually a good series, one well worth watching, that was partially eclipsed by the success of the He-Man animated series.

Bulletproof was always cool and a man of action as well, never afraid to get his hands dirty. Almost too cool for the show, he sported a trenchcoat, yellow shirt, thin black tie, and sunglasses. His stainless steel, cybernetic torso also allowed him to plug into and control local machines. In the series, he was a caring, effective and enigmatic leader and was well respected from day one. Since the entire series was based on a set of action figures, Bulletproof got a decent one. I remember watching this show but had no idea there were so many episodes. The entire series is available on video. Here's the intro and part of the first episode for your enjoyment:

Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All Time

During Michael Jackson's funeral someone told me that Michael was the most loved Black man on the planet. I'm not trying to hate on Michael but I thought, "What about Muhammad Ali?" It's no secret that Muhammad Ali was a hero to many, myself included. He was positive, powerful, and larger than life. Comic books, TV shows, and movies show us plenty of super characters that have no super powers. Why not Muhammad Ali?
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In 1977, Johnny Wakelin released a song titled "Muhammad Ali the Black Superman". You can take a look at the lyrics here and check out the video below.




In 1978, DC Comics came out with the special, oversized addition of Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. The cover alone boasted guest starts both real and fictional. If you look closely you can even see the Jackson 5 in the audience. As the story goes, some aliens came to earth and wanted their champion to fight our best fighter. Both Superman and Muhammad Ali volunteered. The two of them had to battle to see who would represent earth. The battle took place on a world under a red sun where Superman supposedly had no powers. Guess who won the right to fight for humanity? I'm proud to say I bought a copy and still have it.

 It isn't hard to find Muhammad Ali in our history books. His likeness graces the pages of magazines and movie posters. There are countless stories about his life. He's shown up in a multitude of comics over the years as well, though not necessarily as a superhero. For you real fans out there, it's not too late to get his action figures. As far as being a super hero goes, thanks to comics and television, Muhammad Ali has fought everything from space aliens to tooth decay and knocked them all out. Finally, if you need more proof, here's the first part of an episode from the 1977 animated series, "I Am The Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali." Too bad it only lasted one season. Enjoy!

The 99

Having some Islam in my upbringing, I try to stay aware of how the religion and it's believers are seen around the world. I also have friends that practice the faith though I, myself, do not. Since Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, it stands to reason there would be comic books that speak to those believers. When I heard about The 99 I was interested and decided to check it out. The comic book book has apparently been out for a couple of years now and is currently outselling Superman and Spider-man in the Persian Gulf. READ MORE...

Like the name says there are apparently 99 heroes, each from a different country, that are granted great power from certain jewels that have an Islamic origin. Each of them will have one of the 99 attributes of Allah. You can read the beginning of their story for yourself in the free origin issue. The comic has become so popular that there may even be a TV series in select markets by the end of this year. There is already a theme park in Kuwait based on The 99. Check out the motion comic intro:



If you're the kind of comic book fan that can name your favorite writers and artists, you may recognize a couple of names of the people who help bring The 99 to print. Apparently DC Comics is also well aware of The 99's popularity and is set to capitalize. There is rumor of members of the Justice League teaming up with The 99 in the near future. More after this brief commercial message.

What's So Terrific About Mr Terrific?

Mr Terrific, Michael Holt, is not the first hero in the DC Comics universe to bear that name. The original Mr Terrific had a photographic memory, was an Olympic athlete, and a martial arts master. That Mr Terrific became a hero because he seemed to have conquered everything else. Michael Holt, the latest Mr Terrific was also an Olympic athlete and is the third smartest man alive. He chose to take on the name of this particular hero after hearing his story while he was dealing with a personal tragedy.

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Michael Holt really is a genius in every since of the word but his life was not easy. He had a mentally challenged older brother who died at the age of 15. It devastated him but did not dull his quest for learning. He obtained multiple PH.D's, became a multi-millionaire, and won a gold medal in the Olympic decathlon, all before he became a superhero. Tragedy struck him again as his wife and unborn child died an accidental death. While contemplating suicide he was told about the the original Mr. Terrific and decided to become a hero himself.

Mr Terrific is a black belt in at least 6 martial arts disciplines but his super abilities are derived from his technology. His T-mask, a black letter "T" that covers most of his face, is molecularly bonded to him. Its technology enables him to remain unseen to all forms of electronic detection. The mask has been known to project speaking holograms of himself and even pick up thought-waves. It also protects his face from chemicals and relays his commands to his T-Spheres. The T-Spheres are flying metallic balls that can among other things, be his eyes and ears, interface with other technology, self destruct, fly him around and even hit people like large flying bullets.

Make no mistake, technology, and Olympic ability aside, Mr Terrific's real power is his mind. He specializes in multiple fields of ... well pretty much everything from medicine to political science to physics. He is also multilingual and whatever he doesn't know, he picks up quickly.

One of the biggest revelations about Mr Terrific is that he is an atheist. Comic books don't always place heavy emphasis on religion but Mr Terrific's beliefs have been an issue that has come up more than once. Maybe it was due to the personal tragedies he lived through. Despite having personally witnessed events and entities whose essence speak to there being a heaven and hell, he remains resolute.

This character's appearance was in June of 1997 which makes him relatively new but he has had enough experiences to have an active, if not lackluster, history. He's done a lot in terms of leadership and working behind the scenes. He's been chairman of the JSA (Justice Society of America) and even maintained high ranking positions withing the government covert organization known as Checkmate.

Mr Terrific has made it to television in the Justice League Unlimited animated series but again, his role was minor though it did grow somewhat as he became team coordinator and the one who handed out assignments. He also has an action figure. Mr Terrific is very much a thinker and while he willingly answers any call to action, he hasn't really done anything overly exciting. Unless someone comes up with a new way to write this guy, he's not likely to ever get his own book but he's pretty good in a supporting role. I hope they don't kill him off before they find a way to show how terrific this character really is.

Here's a fan tribute to Mr Terrific that's fairly extensive and definitely worth a look.

Animated Bronze Tiger

I've posted about Bronze Tiger before but that was before his animated debut on Batman: The Brave and the Bold.  I didn't like the voice they used and I think they made him too prideful but all in all, not a bad showing. He and a young Black Lightning are the only African-American characters that have made the cut so far. What do you think? Check the video:

Jakeem Thunder

Jakeem Thunder (Jakeem Johnny Williams), also known as J.J. Thunder is a DC Comics character that has no powers but controls a magical genie named Johnny Thunderbolt. The genie is quite powerful and can, in theory, fulfill his every wish. When inactive the genie resides in an ink pen but can be easily summoned by his master by saying the magic word So Cûl (pronounced "So Cool"). He is a relatively new character so to speak, whose first appearance was in Flash (vol. 2) #134 in 1998.
Jakeem is a young teenager whose history in the DC Universe is and continues to be about him learning self control and conquering his personal issues. His mother died while he was very young and she left his father before he was born.He was a latch key kid who came upon the magic pen (given to him by the original Flash) quite by mistake. Prior to this the genie was under the control of the original Johnny Thunder who has a long Superhero history himself. One of the challenges when controlling the genie is that commands must be phrased properly in order to achieve the desired results. Jakeem is often impetuous so many of his commands have unexpected results. He has also been known to wish for things without thinking.
The genie's power is considerable and Jakeem has lost control of him more to villians recognizing and capitilizing on the opportunity.
Despite the power at his command, Jakeem Thunder is a B-level Superhero in terms of popularity. He is currently an active member of the JSA where he is learning to become a better hero. The character is in need of a good writer to showcase his real potential. Time will tell.

Is Black Adam a Black Super Hero?

If you don't already know Black Adam you should know he is from the Captain Marvel (SHAZAM!) mythos. His power comes from a magic word that, when uttered, endows him with the power of the gods. He is not dark-skinned but he is Egyptian as are the gods from whom he derives his powers. He's a bad man with an even worse attitude. READ MORE...

Teth-Adam, the son of  Pharoah Ramesses II, was a hero, of ancient Egypt. He became a super hero when his good deeds impressed the high priest wizard Shazam who granted him the power to become Mighty Adam when he spoke the magic word "SHAZAM". He became a being whose power rivaled that of the modern day Superman. For centuries he was Egypt's champion until he was corrupted by a woman who convinced him he should rule. Adam kills the then-current Pharaoh and assumes the office. The wizard Shazam sees this as a betrayal, strips Adam of his powers and entombs him. Because of his perceived treatery, Adam is from that point known as Black Adam.

Black Adam, the character, was originally created to be a nemesis for Faucett Comics' Captain Marvel. These characters are now owned by Warner Brothers and appear in DC Comics. Black Adam, while momentarily taking the roles of hero, ruler, and savior is a bad guy. He is willing to kill just to make a point and has done so on many occasions. The character he seems most like in Marvel Comics would be Namor, the Sub-Mariner whom he resembles both physically and tempermentally. Black Adam is not subtle and does things in a big way. Over the last few years of his appearances in comics, no matter his good intentions, everything big thing he does turns to crap. I don't think he'll ever be redeemed. It's tragic really. All that said, he is quite likeable in a Dr. Doom sort of way. In the upcoming Shazam movie, his character is rumored to be played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The question is: Is this character Black? He was born in Egypt centures ago so he is clearly of African desent meaning he is from that continent. He might be slightly darker than the usual Causasian but that can depend on who does the coloring. He has never connected with any African-American or even African group or people except for the people of Kahndaq which is a fictional middle eastern country in the DC Universe and of course Egypt which is where he was born. He certainly can't be considered Black just because he has the word in his name. Is Egyptian or middle eastern origin enough for us to consider that this character is Black?
Lastly does it even matter. Should I just claim him? This is the Black Superhero Blog after all. What do you think?

A Black Justice League?

Fresh from Dwayne McDuffie's website: It appears that the new Justice League of America just might be sporting an unprecedented amount of Blackness. I can make out Icon, Vixen, Firestorm, Green Lantern, and Hardware. What, no Black Lightning? Come to think of it, this version of Dr. Light isn't White either. Could it be? Is the world ready for a Justice League devoid of Causasian characters or is this just some marketing ploy? Dare I hope? What do you think? I think, with Dwayne McDuffie handling the writing, all things are possible. We shall see.

President Black Superman & The Lack Of Ideas

In DC's Final Crisis #7 we got to glimpse an alternate earth where the President of the United States is not only black but also that world's Superman. The Wonder Woman of that world is also Black and is apparently called "Nubia". Click here to see the page where he's introduced. President Obama did say he was born on Krypton albeit as a joke. The intro for this Black Superman is brief and doesn't really contribute to the main story but damn it was good to see. Should it be surprising to see this happen during Black History month?
Now what we really need is a Black Superhero that's not an offshoot of a White character and yes I am complaining. READ MORE...

I read somewhere that Black Superheros have very generic motivations, that there just isn't enough of a range of characters. I can't say I disagree and I'm not interested in blaming anyone. I'm much more interested in what the solution is. How do we get the major comic book companies to recognize and represent that there are more than just the three or four kinds of Black people than they've shown us so far. Independent comic companies have been able to do it. Why not Marvel and DC? With DC we have the Milestone characters coming into the fold so there's hope there. I'm not complaining about the presentation of Black Superheroes in mainstream comics, (at least not in this particular rant), I'm complaining about the lack of variety.
You want some suggestions? How about a light-skinned Black Superhero? How about a young Black superpowered character that uses his powers for low level criminal activity because it's easier and later gets taken under the wing of a positive Black male Superhero father figure? How about a Black Superhero character whose powers aren't all cool and useful? How about a Black Superhero that can't use his powers much because he's too busy trying to make ends meet? I really could go on.

The Bronze Tiger

The Bronze Tiger first appeared in the comics back in 1975 in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #1. Ben Turner started out as a middle class Black boy with an attitude problem. When he was ten he murdered a burglar that was attacking his parents with a kitchen knife. He ultimately learned to channel that anger using martial arts and of course crime. While still relatively young, Ben journeyed to the far East where he met the man that would train him further, O-Sensei. Under O-Sensei's tutelage, Ben Turner becomes one of the greatest martial artists in the world.
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He later worked for the government organization G.O.O.D. (Global Organization of Organized Defense) and also did some work for the CBI (Central Bureau of Intelligence). It was while he was on a mission for the CBI that he was captured and brainwashed into becoming an assassin called Bronze Tiger. As Bronze Tiger he wore a tiger head mask that covered his entire head. He killed on three continents and earned a considerable reputation as an assassin while his true identity remained secret. It was during this time that he fought and actually beat Batman in hand to hand combat, and trained Cassandra Cain, the girl who would eventually become the current Batgirl. Even now he remains one of the top 5 martial artists in the world.
He was ultimately captured and deprogrammed by Amanda Waller which set the stage for him to become a member of the Suicide Squad. While the squad was mostly made up of villains, Bronze Tiger was considered to be one of the good guys. During many of his adventures with the squad he worked without the mask and instead wore a small amount of facial paint. He and the Black Superheroine Vixen formed a relationship for a time and are still friends.
Bronze Tiger has no real powers as is befit a Black character that originated during the Blacksploitation era of the 70's. I remain grateful that he was not named "Black Tiger". While he may have started out an angry Black man and certainly revisited that stance throughout continuity, he tends to be a relatively centered character possibly due to his martial arts training. Regardless of his checkered past he remains a hero of some renown having earned the respect of the heroes of the DC Comics universe. You can expect to see his animated television debut on the show Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I'm looking forward to it.

Cyborg

Easily one of my favorite former Teen Titans, Cyborg seems to embody the motto: "Suck it Up and Get to Work". Victor Stone, was an athlete but he was also a test subject for his parents. I'm sure they wanted the best for him as they sought to increase his intelligence. It was one of his father's other experiments gone wrong that allowed an extra-dimensional creature to cross through a portal and mutilate Victor. In order to save him, his father made him a cyborg using even more experimental technology. Poor Victor woke up to find most of his body gone. He wanted to die but ultimately went through therapy, worked hard and learned to control his new body. People looked at him as if he was some kind of monster which was an additional challenge for him to deal with. He ultimately found friends and companionship in the Teen Titans. His first comic book appearance was in 1980 in DC Comics Presents #26.
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Cyborg, the character, always seemed to have more trouble being half machine than being Black. He was always pretty serious in the comics and often played the straight man to Teen Titan teammate, Beast Boy. He's always been a rather positive character in terms of how he carries himself. While sometimes his seriousness seemed borderline bad attitude, for the most part it appeared warranted. There was a time in the comics where he had a whole body and had the option of at least appearing fully normal but through a series of circumstances he has returned to his classic look. This was disappointing for me as I felt he had earned the right to look whole. Still, Vic is a good soldier. He rolls with the punches and keeps on working. Cyborg is intelligent and capable and now a mentor for a new group of young Teen Titans. In addition to healthy portions of strength, agility, and technological empathy, the technology portion of his body grants him a wide array of powers. Most notable is his sonic blaster.

Cyborg's first television appearance was on the show The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians. It was the last season of the Super Friends animated program and ran from 1985 to 1986. He was one of the junior superheroes on the team along with Firestorm, Robin, and the Wonder Twins. Having followed his entire career in the comics, I was ecstatic to see him on TV.

Cyborg showed up again years later on television in the Teen Titans animated series which ran from 2003 to 2006. His appearance is considerably different and here he is a lot more fun and easy to get along with. In the series he seems to be quite at home in his skin though sometimes concerned with being less human. He is the tech genius of the group and second in command to Robin. The show is light-hearted and doesn't deal with the fact that he is black but there is no doubt that he is in both look and attitude.

Cyborg has even made it to television in live action form on the show Smallville. The character was played by Lee Thompson Young, an actor I like. In this incarnation, none of his cybernetic parts are apparent in his look which is disappointing. In subsequent episodes he teamed up with Green Arrow, Bart Allen (Flash/Impulse), Aquaman, and of course Clark Kent as they formed an impromptu Justice League. Hopefully we'll see more of him in newer episodes.

All in all, Cyborg is a great character that has stood the test of time. He is a positive and respectable Black Superhero. Here are some of his TV appearances. Note: the last two are fan made and isn't it all about the fans?:

The Amazing-Man

The Amazing-Man should be one of my favorite Black Superheroes. The DC Comics character, the original Amazing Man, William Blake Everett, made his debut in comics in 1982. The character's story took place during WWII. He was an Olympic athlete even before he gained is powers though he was unable to find anything more than menial work afterward. It was in his job as a janitor that he was kidnapped and experimented upon by the Super-Villain, the Ultra-Humainte. To protect his family, Will agreed to work for the Ultra-Humanite but not trusting him to keep his word, he ultimately choose to join the side of justice and the superhero group the All-Star Squadron to defeat the villain. Will gained the power to absorb the properties of any inorganic matter he touched. For example, if he touched steel, which he often did, then his body became solid, (yet somehow movable), steel with the strength and properties of that substance. This is similar to the Absorbing Man character in Marvel Comics.
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Will Everett's history is written such that after WWII, his identity was revealed to the public by J. Edgar Hoover. This put his family in danger and led to the murder of his nephew. That fact and the racial climate of that time led him to become a notable civil rights activist in the DC Comics universe, championing the causes against racial inequality. His contribution in this area is supposed to be extensive. Among other things, he led marches against segregation, is credited with capturing Dr. Martin Luther King's killer, and is considered to be one of the few pioneering leaders in African-American rights. Of course, little of these supposed exploits were actually shown in the comics as the character was sort of written in and ret-conned into becoming perhaps the first Black Superhero of the DC Universe. Remember, this character was not created by or written by African-Americans.

The Amazing-Man fell into obscurity in modern times but was revived in the 90's in the form of Will Everett's grandson, (Will Everett III), who somehow inherited the abilities. (To date, there has been no discussion as to the identity, whereabouts, of fate of his father.) This new Amazing-Man joined the Justice League and while this was a great thing for Black Superheroes as he was more than just a token, the character never really became iconic and was later tragically killed after having been tricked into absorbing the properties of glass and then shattered. Yes, it was a stupid way to die. I guess this stuff happens in comics right?

There is now a new Amazing-Man making the rounds with the Justice Society of America. He is apparently the other grandson of the original character and possesses the same abilities as his predecessors. (There's been nothing said about this guy's father either.) This new Amazing-Man, Markus Clay, operates out of New Orleans, helping victims of Hurricane Katrina and wears what seems to be African garb as part of his costume. He's too new for me to form much an opinion of him but the clothing is interesting and he definitely doesn't look like his grandfather or cousin. He's being presented as part of a new generation of heroes being trained and mentored by the JSA. Let's hope this characted is given the attention his potential deserves.