About skylerjohnson4936

Encanto Soundtrack Tops Billboard

Leave a reply

The Encanto Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, featuring eight original songs by Tony and Grammy-winning songwriter/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Moana) with an original score by SCL (Society of Composers and Lyricists)-nominated composer Germaine Franco has moved from No. No. 7 to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the week ending Jan. 6, 2022. The set earned 72,000 equivalent album units (up 76%) in its sixth week on the chart. The album also maintains the top position on Billboard’s Soundtrack and Independent Album charts for the second consecutive week. According to Billboard, Encanto is the first soundtrack to reach No. 1 in more than two years since Frozen 2 topped the chart on Dec. 14, 2019. Read the Billboard.com story HERE.

Disney’s Encanto is now streaming on Disney+ and in theaters, arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 8. Listen to Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco discuss the songs and score of Encanto on a new episode of Disney’s For Scores podcast HERE and enjoy the music featured on the Disney Hits Playlist. The Encanto vinyl album can be pre-ordered HERE.

About the Film

“Encanto” is directed by Byron Howard (Zootopia, Tangled) and Jared Bush (co-director of Zootopia), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer of The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez) and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino. Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film.

In the film, the magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope. The voice cast includes Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, Wilmer Valderrama, Adassa, Diane Guerrero, Mauro Castillo, Angie Cepeda, Jessica Darrow, Rhenzy Feliz, and Carolina Gaitaĭn.

Tracklist

“The Family Madrigal” (Stephanie Beatriz, Olga Merediz & Cast)
“Waiting on a Miracle” (Stephanie Beatriz)
“Surface Pressure” (Jessica Darrow)
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (Carolina Gaiten, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz, Cast)
“What Else Can I Do?” (Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz)
“Dos Oruguitas” (Sebastiaĭn Yatra)
“All of You” (Stephanie Beatriz, Olga Merediz, John Leguizamo, Adassa, Maluma, Cast)
“Colombia, Mi Encanto” (Carlos Vives)
“Two Oruguitas” (Eng. Ver. of “Dos Oruguitas” performed by Sebastiaĭn Yatra)

Bugatti × Bytech

Leave a reply

Bugatti has partnered with industry-leading Bytech International to create a new scooter that was revealed for the first time at the CES 2022 expo held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 5, alongside prominent technology companies from around the world. “Bugatti is at the pinnacle of automotive excellence,” said Wiebke Stahl, Managing Director at Bugatti International. “Partnering with a company such as Bytech gives us an opportunity to expand our reach in the electric mobility space with an experienced partner and a product that can be enjoyed by consumers around the world.”

Fabricated with the everyday consumer in mind, the electric scooter features a unique aerodynamic yet functional folding design that is available in three colors: Agile Blue, Silver, and Black. Weighing only 35lbs, the scooter is constructed with a magnesium alloy frame that allows for easy transport and has a large LED screen that displays speed, mode, battery life, and headlights. The electric scooter boasts a 700w motor capable of traversing any type of terrain with a 15° incline, 9″ run-flat tires, three speeds with cruise control, and a 36v/10ah battery with a range of approximately 22 miles, as well as over-heating, short circuit, over-current and overcharge protection. The battery is portable, easily removable, and uses a standard wall outlet to charge, only takes four hours.

Recognizing safety as a first and foremost concern, the electric scooter is equipped with cutting-edge technologies to ensure driver protection. For those purposes, this scooter features unique lighting functions. Its dual-turn signals are located on the ergonomic handle grips, as well as above the rear mudguard. Additionally, there are illuminated base lights on the sides of the deck, and a back “EB” monogram projection logo for enhanced artistry, style, and performance. The scooter also features a dual-braking system, a front left-hand brake lever, and a rear E-ABS electronic brake for added security and comfort.

“We are excited to partner with such an amazing brand that represents luxury and top quality in a growing industry yearning for enhanced design, while also incorporating the evolving needs of its customers,” said Eli Mizrahi, Executive Vice President at Bytech International. “By joining forces, we are able to expand our consumer base, which began with the debut of our new scooter at CES.”

The superior style, extra power, and performance of the scooter are designed to make it an alternative and comfortable mode of transportation for both work and play. The scooter has a weight capacity of up to 242lbs and a top speed of 18.5mph. Owners can enjoy three settings: Economy mode (9mph), City mode (12.5mph), and Sport mode (18.5mph).

Kae Tempest × Kevin Abstract – More Pressure

Leave a reply

British spoken word artist, rapper, poet, novelist, and playwright Kae Tempest revealed their new single “More Pressure” with Kevin Abstract. The song is from their upcoming album The Line Is a Curve set for release on April 8th via American Recordings/Republic Records. It is the fourth album from the Lewisham-based artist and has been produced by long-term collaborator Dan Carey alongside executive production by Rick Rubin.

The Line Is a Curve follows Tempest’s widely adored 2019 album The Book of Traps & Lessons, which received praise from the likes of NPR, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and many more, and saw Kae perform live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers. Tempest and Abstract’s shared friend and collaborator Rick Rubin played The Book of Traps & Lessons in his studio, and they had reached out to Kae afterward to thank them for the inspiration, leading to the exciting collaboration on “More Pressure.” The Line Is A Curve also follows Tempest’s critically acclaimed 2021 play Paradise, which premiered at the National Theatre in London last year.

About The Album

After the experience of touring The Book of Traps & Lessons around the U.S., U.K., and Europe, Tempest realized that they wanted The Line Is a Curve to be a communicative record. The concept manifested itself both in the contributions of other artists—including the aforementioned Kevin Abstract, Lianne La Havas, Grian Chatten of Fontaines DC, ássia, and Confucius MC—and during the recording process, when Tempest decided to do three vocal takes in one day, to three different generations of people; “a man of 78 who I’d never met, a woman of 29, the poet Bridget Minamore, who is a good friend of mine, and then to three young fans of 12, 15, and 16 who had responded to a social media post.”

Featuring artwork shot by renowned photographer Wolfgang Tillmans (Frank Oceans’ blond), the album is best described by Tempest themselves:

“‘The Line Is a Curve’ is about letting go. Of shame, anxiety, isolation, and falling instead into surrender. Embracing the cyclical nature of time, growth, love. This “letting go” can hopefully be felt across the record. In the musicality, the instrumentation, the lyricism, the delivery, the cover art. In the way it ends where it begins and begins where it ends. I knew I wanted my face on the sleeve. Throughout the duration of my creative life, I have been hungry for the spotlight and desperately uncomfortable in it. For the last couple of records, I wanted to disappear completely from the album covers, the videos, the front-facing aspects of this industry. A lot of that was about my shame but I masked it behind a genuine desire for my work to speak for itself, without me up front, commodifying what felt so rare to me and sacred. I was, at times, annoyed that in order to put the work out, I had to put myself out. But this time around, I understand it differently. I want people to feel welcomed into this record, by me, the person who made it, and I have let go of some of my airier concerns. I feel more grounded in what I’m trying to do, who I am as an artist and as a person and what I have to offer. I feel less shame in my body because I am not hiding from the world anymore. I wanted to show my face, and I dreamed of it being Wolfgang Tillmans who took the portrait.”

About Kae Thompson

With four studio albums, a novel, their first work of non-fiction (On Connection), three plays, and five collections of poetry to their name, Kae Tempest has firmly established themselves as one of the most unique, thought-provoking, and critically acclaimed voices of their generation. With the release of The Line Is a Curve in 2022, that reputation is only set to grow exponentially.

Album Tracklist

“Priority Boredom”
“I Saw Light” with Grian Chatten
“Nothing To Prove”
“No Prizes” with Lianne La Havas
“Salt Coast”
“Don’t You Ever”
“These Are the Days”
“Smoking” with Confucius MC
“Water In the Rain”
“Move”
“More Pressure” with Kevin Abstract
“Grace”

NY Six’s High Viewership Record

Leave a reply

The 2021 New Year’s Six delivered viewership records and multi-year audience highs from Dec. 30 – Jan. 1. This year’s New Year’s Six finished up double digits year-over-year, averaging 12.7 million viewers, and every bowl of the 2021 New Year’s Six surpassed 7.5 million viewers for just the third time of the CFP era. The non-Semifinal New Year’s Six bowls averaged nearly 11 million viewers, ranking third out of the eight years of the CFP.

Across both of ESPN’s MegaCast presentations, the College Football Playoff Semifinals averaged 16.9 million viewers, on par with 2015’s Year 2, the last time the semifinals were on a weekday New Year’s Eve. The share of TV viewers tuned in to this year’s CFP Semifinals on ESPN networks (25.9) was the best since Year 1 (2014) of the CFP era.

The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl between Georgia and Michigan netted 17.2 million viewers, peaking with 20.5 million viewers early in the action. The late Semifinal is the most-viewed non-NFL sporting event across any network and top telecast across ABC and ESPN networks since last year’s CFP National Championship game. The top four non-NFL sporting events of 2021 were CFP Semifinal and National Championship games.

The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between Cincinnati and Alabama scored 16.6 million viewers, a 6% gain from Year 2’s early Semifinal (2015 Oklahoma/Clemson). Despite the scoring margin, the audience peaked at 18.2 million viewers late in the game.

Rest of New Year’s Six Notches Ratings Records

The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One Venture X registered 16.6 million viewers, the second-most-viewed non-Semifinal New Year’s Six bowl game of the CFP era (2019 Washington/Ohio State, 16.9 million viewers). The audience tuning in to No. 11 Utah and No. 6 Ohio State peaked at 19.7 million viewers over the game’s closing minutes.

The CFP Semifinals and the Rose Bowl Game are the top three games of the college football season.

Additional New Year’s Six Highlights

The Allstate Sugar Bowl between No. 7 Baylor and No. 8 Ole Miss averaged 9.8 million viewers, peaking early in the action with 13.6 million viewers.
The PlayStation Fiesta Bowl between No. 9 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Notre Dame registered 8.0 million viewers, up nearly 20 percent from the 2020 Fiesta Bowl. The audience peaked with 14.3 million viewers in the final moments.
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl recorded 7.6 million viewers, up more than 25 percent from the past two standalone weekday primetime games (31% – 2020 Cotton Bowl; 26% – 2019 Orange Bowl). The action from Atlanta peaked with 8.7 million viewers in the final 10 minutes of play between Pittsburgh and Michigan State.
The 2021 New Year’s Six finished on par with the 2019 season.

Additional Holiday Week Highlights

The TransPerfect Music City Bowl recorded 5.6 million viewers, the most-viewed non-New Year’s Six Bowl this season, and the third-most-viewed non-New Year’s Six bowl game in the past six seasons. The matchup between Tennessee and Purdue was the most-watched Music City Bowl since 2010, and the audience peaked with 8.9 million viewers in the final 15 minutes.
The SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl featuring Wisconsin and Arizona State registered 3.7 million viewers, up from the last two Las Vegas Bowls that both aired on ABC
The Duke’s Mayo Bowl, highlighted by the clash of the Carolinas and a victory mayo bath, netted 2.6 million viewers to start the morning on Thursday, Dec. 30.

Across Thursday’s four bowl games, ESPN averaged 4.9 million viewers.

What’s New at CES

Leave a reply

By: Skyler Johnson

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, showcased some of the world’s newest technologies, everything from medical devices to self-driving cars. These technologies and the companies behind them vary in size, from startups to massive corporations. They have displayed their newest products, unveiling prototypes for devices that may become essential in just a few years down the road. Here are just a few:

Health Products

The Fasteesh Y-brush, currently a medical device, revolutionizes teeth brushing. Because of the shape, the brush can clean teeth in ten seconds and is three times more effective than a typical toothbrush. Currently, this is being implemented in care facilities and retirement homes.

Japan’s Quantum Operations exhibited the first non-invasive glucose monitor. This changes the way in which diabetes patients measure their glucose and will reduce the repeated pains garnered by needles. The device is worn like a watch, reminiscent of an Apple Watch, and can record glucose levels in the body.

Hapbee’s device, worn like a necklace, influences mood. It uses ultra-low frequency magnetic waves to help the body in both relieving stress and gaining energy. It offers the same benefits as caffeine and melatonin without the harmful effects on the body.

Convenience

If you ever dreaded your alarm clock, Loftie has you covered. Their alarms aid in the process of sleep through implementing breathwork and soundbaths while awake, and white noises and nature sounds while asleep. The two-phase alarm system is designed to both get you out of bed and not leave you irritated through professionally crafted tones.

Ottonomy.io developed robots that allow for both indoor and outdoor deliveries to our doors. A contextual navigation system allows for the robot to safely traverse environments. Because it’s all-electric, the device is more sustainable than traditional delivery methods and is especially worth considering during ongoing supply chain issues and staff shortages.

Urban Canopee fights against the effects of climate change by creating a product that transforms plant life to act as natural umbrellas. The result is cooler urban environments, increased biodiversity, and improved air quality.

Gaming

Perfect for the metaverse, Shiftall creates technology to allow for an all-body VR experience. Not only will users be able to control virtual environments using their hands, but also their feet. The gaming potential with this expansion is limitless.

With the growth of e-sports, Glytch intends to create stadiums for the new sport. The company will open 32 e-sports venues across America and Canada in the next eight years. Each venue will be 90,000 to 120,000 square feet and the home stadium of a different team.

Vehicles

A new winter sport has arrived with the development of the Moonbike. A cross between a snowmobile and a motorcycle, they provide a unique way of traversing the show. They are also fully electric, silent, and much lighter than snowmobiles, helping to keep the mountains snowy for years to come.

CES introduced many sustainable vehicles. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe will be the first hybrid Jeep to enter the market. The Bobcat T7X is the first all-electric compact track loader. There are two new companies that are planning to launch electric vehicles: EdisonFuture and Fisker. The former will release electric solar trucks and delivery vans. The latter displayed the Fisker Karma, an all-electric SUV.

There are also innovations occurring in autonomous driving. Helm develops autonomous vehicles that allow for safer and more efficient autonomous driving for both SUVs and commercial trucks. John Deere announced the release of the first autonomous tractor to help farmers increase yield.

Conclusion

Overall, many exciting new innovations were exhibited during CES. While not all these products will reach a consumer base, it’s exciting to think of the potential benefit these technologies will deliver.

Inspiration on Ice

Leave a reply

Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY) will perform in Inspiration on Ice at the Buckskill Winter Club at 178 Buckskill Road, East Hampton, NY, on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at 6:30 pm. The program will feature ITNY performer and Buckskill Winter Club Skating Director Sarah France, as well as many local skaters. ITNY performances will include:

Skating artist Valerie Levine, who will perform “Amour, Amour,” inspired by the work of contemporary dance choreographer Jody Sperling and influenced by the art of Loie Fuller, one of the great pioneers of American dance.
“Dance with Me” featuring Liz Schmidt and Danil Berdnikov.
“I Will Fall For You” featuring Sarah France ice dancing her own choreography to the music of Woodkid.
Skating artist Armen Agaian, who will perform “Take Five,” choreographed for Armen by Eliot Halverson. The music is composed by Paul Desmond in the classic recording of the David Brubeck Quartet.
Junior Ensemble member and National solo ice dance competitor Milly Wasserman, who will skate her own choreography in a solo ice dance piece.
Liz Schmidt, who will perform “When Atoms Embrace”, a solo choreographed and costumed by original John Curry Theatre of Skating member, Lorna Brown. The piece is set to Music by Arvo Part’s “Spiegel Im Spiegel.”

This program is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy C. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. ITNY is also supported by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and NYC Council Member Mark Levine and Dance/NYC‘s Coronavirus Dance Relief Fund. Additionally, ITNY receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation, the Will Sears Foundation, and its generous private patrons.

About the Performers

Armen Againan joined Ice Theatre of New York as an artist in 2018. He has been ice skating since 2002 developing into a 5-time National Champion in his native country of Georgia and participated in the Junior World Championships three times. He has also participated in the 2013 Youth Olympic games, the Junior Grand Prix (2012-2015), and the 2016 European Championships. When not performing, Armen works as a skating coach in New York.

Danil Berdnikov is from the city of Samara, Russia. Berdnikov was a part of the junior national team and competed within Russia until he completed high school. He then decided to move to Moscow to continue his education and join Stage Entertainment Russia for an opportunity to begin performing as an ice skater. Performing for an audience, he fell in love with skating in a new way, so he has continued to skate professionally for the past eight years. Over the course of his professional skating career, he had the privilege of working for Willy Bietak Productions and Wheeler Productions in the US, Stageworks Worldwide Production in the UK, and Holiday on Ice Productions and Dynamic Shows Entertainment in the EU. Stage Entertainment Russia has brought him many different opportunities, including the chance to travel the world and do what he truly loves. He is very grateful to his parents, coaches, choreographers, and fellow skaters who have supported him along the way, and he is very excited to fulfill another incredible dream of performing for Ice Theatre of New York, Inc.

Sarah France, U.S. Figure Skating triple gold medalist, national ice dance competitor, and six-time US Open Professional Figure Skating Championships competitor, realized one of her childhood inspirations when she joined ITNY in the spring of 2019. Before taking the ice, she explored her love of movement, studying ballet and eventually performing professionally in modern dance and several other disciplines as well as skating and teaching. France has been an ice dance coach and choreographer since 1998, working with Regional, Sectional, National, and International competitors across all skating disciplines at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota, where she remains faculty-member-at-large. She also serves as Director of Skating at City Ice Pavilion in Long Island City. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, she now resides in NYC.

Valerie Levine has collaborated on ITNY events for the past two decades and has been roller-skating as well as dancing tap, jazz, and ballet since the age of 4. She started training in figure skating at 11 and went on to compete and test until she graduated high school, turning down Disney On Ice to pursue her bachelor’s degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) instead of going on tour. At 19, she earned her Gold level Senior Ladies Moves and Pre-golds in ice dance before skating professionally as an ice girl for the NHL New York Rangers and Islanders. While earning her BS in Product Management Textiles from FIT, she minored in dance and trained at Broadway Dance Center in many dance styles, which led to an off-ice career as a professional belly dancer, ballroom dancer, Brazilian samba dancer, and more. She currently teaches and performs all of these styles worldwide as well as managing her own entertainment company, Valerina Dance.

Elizabeth (Liz) Schmidt has been skating with ITNY since 2017. Luscious edges, artistic dynamic movement, and traditional ice dancing inform her skating and professional career which began in 2013 at the age of 18, performing internationally in Germany and across the US. A Japanese/German American skater who hails from Chicago, IL, she recently moved from San Francisco to New York City. A U.S. Figure Skating Double Gold medalist in Freestyle and Moves in the Field, and a Silver medalist in Ice Dancing, Liz received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2018 and has exhibited her work across the Bay Area.

About Ice Theatre of New York

Founded by Moira North, ITNY’s mission is to celebrate and advance dance on ice as performance art. Through its performances in both traditional and site-specific venues, ITNY presents ice dance that helps to open one’s eyes to seeing skating in new and unexpected ways. ITNY was the very first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Champion of Service: Celebration of Muhammad Ali

Leave a reply

Although Muhammad Ali is universally revered as The Greatest of All Time (or G.O.A.T.) for his exploits in the boxing ring, he also became a champion for humanity through his commitment to service outside the ring.

The full life and legacy of this global icon will be celebrated in a national virtual event at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022, on the PBS Books Facebook page.

Through a partnership led by PBS Books, USA TODAY and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, the evening’s program will highlight his dedication to courage, generosity, kindness, and compassion in recognition of his 80th birthday on January 17. Additional partners include the Louisville Courier-Journal, Metro Louisville United Way, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and Kentucky Educational Television (KET).

His widow, and vice-chair and co-founder of the Ali Center, Lonnie Ali, will introduce the one-hour event. Guest speakers will include PBS filmmaker Ken Burns; Hana Ali, Muhammad Ali’s daughter; John Ramsey, a personal friend; David Chaudoir, a longtime employee; and Dr. Richard Lapchick, who is a human rights activist, author, scholar and the 2021 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award recipient. Each participant will draw upon their personal experiences with Muhammad and share their own unique perspectives on his life and legacy as a humanitarian.

Along with learning more about the unique contributions Muhammad Ali made in sports and society, this national virtual program will also encourage others to participate in The Greatest Giveback through service projects across the country, which are organized each year on January 17, Ali’s birthday. Due to recent COVID spikes, the on-site event at the Ali Center has been postponed until June. In 2022, Muhammad’s birthday coincides with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, offering another opportunity to give back to those in our communities who are suffering racial or social injustices.

The virtual program will include a short video about the Ali Center and Ken Burns sharing some inspirational comments and a segment from his PBS documentary, “Muhammad Ali.” In addition, inspirational authors and celebrities will explain what Ali’s legacy means to them and reveal their personal Red Bike Moment©–a defining moment in their lives, much like the one that changed the future of then 12-year-old Cassius Clay when his red Schwinn bike was stolen, an incident that led him to a Louisville boxing gym and which became a catalyst for his athletic career and life’s purpose.

About the Muhammad Ali Center

The Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, was cofounded by Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The international cultural center promotes the Six Core Principles of Muhammad Ali (Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality) in ways that inspire personal and global greatness and provides programming and events around the focus areas of education, racial and gender equity, and global citizenship. The Ali Center is formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications, and in 2020, became one of the newest stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The Center’s headquarters also contains an award-winning museum experience. For more information, please click HERE.

About PBS Books

PBS Books is a multi-platform initiative celebrating the love of reading. Through social and digital engagement and live coverage of important literary events across the country, PBS Books celebrates books and writers and works to foster a passion for reading among public media viewers and listeners. In 2019, PBS Books launched a free Library Engagement Program, which currently has more than 1,800 library partners that share its content and programming.

X-Men: Red Planet

Leave a reply

Last year, mutant-kind took a bold leap into the future when they terraformed Mars in the game-changing one-shot, “PLANET-SIZE X-MEN”. Now home to the mutants of Arakko, the Red Planet has never shined brighter or been more dangerous. Mastermind writer Al Ewing, known for his acclaimed work on IMMORTAL HULK, will pen an all-new X-Men book this April that will deal with both the promise and the threat that Arakko represents to the Marvel Universe. Joining Ewing will be artist Stefano Caselli whose dynamic and dramatic storytelling skills have already graced X-Men books like INFERNO and S.W.O.R.D. Providing the book’s main covers will be superstar Russell Dauterman, who also designed Storm’s stellar new costume.

X-MEN RED will see mutant-kind divided over what’s next for Arakko. Major players like Storm, Magneto, Sunspot, Abigail Brand, the mutants of the Great Ring, and many more all have different hopes—and fears—regarding Arakko’s uncertain future. A place of mystery, strength, and endless conflict, Arakko needs something more than just a team of heroes to defend it. Who will rise to the challenge?

“X-MEN RED #1” asks the question: who can save the red planet?

The mutants of Arakko spent millennia scarred by war—but on what was once called Mars, they’re learning to live in peace. Storm knows the red planet needs something greater than a queen. But Abigail Brand has other plans, along with an unstable Vulcan on her side and Cable keeping his own secrets. It’s a new world…and someone has to fight for it.

“X-MEN RED #2” asks: who can tame the red planet?

The mutants of Mars spent millennia worshipping war—and on what they now call Arakko, they’re keeping up their violent ways. Abigail Brand knows the red planet needs a firm ruler in charge. But Storm has other ideas, along with a broken Magneto in her corner and Sunspot making his own moves. It’s a new world… and someone has to claim it.

“Mutant-kind terraformed Mars, bringing a dead world back to life and changing the Marvel Universe forever,” Ewing said. “Mars is now Planet Arakko, home to an ancient mutant society that spent thousands of years facing war, imprisonment, and pain. And home to Storm, who won a place of power on their ruling council. Now Arakko has a chance to find peace at last and forge their own path to the future… but there are those who’d rather see them fenced in and subjugated. Does Mars really need X-Men to save it, or can the mutants of Arakko fight for themselves? Storm’s not the only one who’s asking… and the answers are in X-MEN RED.”

“After being part of Hickman’s work on the X-Men titles, I couldn’t imagine getting a greater opportunity. I was wrong! In my dream checklist, there was teaming up with Al Ewing, who is to me one of the most creative and funny writers out there. And now I can work with him on X-MEN RED!” Caselli said. “I’m really putting all of myself in this title since I’m sure me and Al can leave a remarkable series in the X-Men universe. Working on Al’s script is a pure joy, I’m like a kid on a rollercoaster: emotions, adrenaline and a sense of wonder is what I feel every day sitting on my drawing desk. I’m just sorry I can’t talk more about it but I’m more than sure readers will be happy and hooked from the starting point! Let me just say this: keep an eye on Storm…oh guys…Storm….”

Mutants have found a new homeland. Now they must fight for it. Don’t miss the first two issues of X-MEN RED when they hit stands this April!

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

Winter in Mendocino

Leave a reply

Mendocino in the winter offers the best of both worlds. Atmospheric storms and misty mornings are balanced by the relatively mild temperatures that make this part of the world so magically lush. Plentiful mushrooms spring up at the bases of ancient trees and sweet Dungeness crab is pulled from icy waters and brought right to the table, to name two of the culinary delights that can be expected in this gorgeous, gloriously uncrowded corner of Northern California’s storied coast. It’s impossible not to feel centered beneath giant redwoods and while taking in sweeping views over the ocean, but that feeling can get to the next level with wellness treatments that are tailored to pamper and renew for a fresh start. Adventure is always on offer in this hiker’s paradise and for a twist, the world-famous Skunk Train has introduced a challenging new route for their pedal-powered Railbikes. Whether being intrepid or hunkering down, everyone will find something to love on a Mendocino winter escape.

To take advantage of those atmospheric storms, the breathtaking Inn at Newport Ranch offers a Winter Storm Watch package. Colder weather creates some of the most memorable skies and vistas on the Mendocino Coast, so it’s easy to be torn between exploring the craggy shoreline or staying warm in luxurious comfort at the Inn, maybe by taking a seat in the walk-in fireplace with a glass of Mendocino wine or curled up with a book in one of the resort’s many cozy nooks. The Winter Storm Watch package includes a 60-minute hot rock massage for two, custom-created hot chocolate with delectable homemade marshmallows, dinner including foraged and winter garden bounty, and Happy Hour with “Dark and Stormy” cocktails and Mendocino wines and bites. The Inn at Newport Ranch is situated on 2,100 pristine private acres and boasts 50-mile panoramic views across the Pacific. Guests have exclusive access to the vast property that encompasses virgin redwood forests, grasslands, and beaches. Many guests opt to tour the acreage on horseback or book a private UTV tour–there is so much to see. Every amenity is on offer, from Ranch cuisine cooked from locally sourced or onsite garden-grown ingredients to sumptuously appointed guest rooms to the onsite Fireside Spa and a hot tub perched atop an old water tower. The Inn’s interior spaces are designed to enhance the natural beauty of the location, and each room is a bespoke masterpiece filled with handcrafted objects and fascinating items from the owner’s world travels. The Winter Storm Watch package is available on select dates through the end of March 2022.

The New Year brings new opportunities, and many will find it easier to embrace them after taking advantage of the picturesque Little River Inn‘s Wellness package. Available starting this month, the package for two is the perfect way to practice self-care and kick-off 2022 in a soul-nourishing manner. It includes a two-night stay in an Ocean View Room, a 90-minute Seaweed Body Scrub and Massage for two with Sue at the Inn, two hours of healing relaxation with Donna Call, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, and admission for two to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens to commune with nature. Family-owned for five generations, the historic inn has something for everyone, and is just steps from easy-to-hike Van Damme State Park and sheltered Van Damme State Beach. There is an Audubon-certified golf course where guests might encounter an elusive deer, regulation tennis courts, and an award-winning chef-driven restaurant with options for all that features carefully crafted and hearty California cuisine. The same menu can be enjoyed in-room, or at the local’s favorite–Ole’s Whale Watch Bar–famous for its views, where the tumultuous Pacific might show off the telltale spout of a migrating whale. The Inn has 65 rooms–from the modestly priced to the downright luxurious–all with views of the winter’s tempest-tossed ocean. The Wellness Package is available January 1, 2022 – January 31, 2022. The package, which includes lodging, begins at $1,246 for two (exclusive of tax and gratuity).

New Wolverine Era

Leave a reply

Wolverine‘s ongoing series returns this April with more thrills by the same all-star creative team, writer Benjamin Percy and artist Adam Kubert. The duo of masterful Wolverine storytellers has been delivering non-stop action-packed adventures in what is shaping up to be one of the greatest Wolverine runs in recent history. Now in the aftermath of X LIVES OF WOLVERINE/X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE, they’re back to take the character on some of his most brutal missions yet. And this time, Deadpool is coming along for the ride!

Deadpool was the king of Staten Island—now he wants to be an honorary citizen of Krakoa. Wolverine just wants him to shut up. But when Deadpool uncovers a dangerous plot that could mean doom for the mutants’ safe haven, it’s going to take a titanic team-up of the best there is and the Merc with a Mouth to quell the threat. But that doesn’t mean Logan has to like it. This comic features Wolverine and Deadpool at their most savage plus the return of a fan-favorite X-character!

“For ten weeks, the X LIVES OF WOLVERINE/X DEATHS OF WOLVERINE will take readers on an epic, time-shredding adventure that sets up the next era of the mutant books: Destiny of X. How do you follow up something like that? You keep raising the bar higher. Readers will not only experience a non-stop thrill ride, starting in April, but a kickoff story that is as irreverent and hilarious as it is heart-bruised,” Percy promises. “We’ve been teasing Deadpool for some time now, and he’s bullying his way into the pages of Wolverine for a wild (and reluctant) team-up that feels like some cousin to Midnight Run and The Fugitive. Get ready for more Maverick mayhem, more CIA spycraft, and more danger at every turn.”

“Every time a new character or storyline is introduced in WOLVERINE, it feels like a fresh start and an opportunity for Ben and me to reinvent the wheel,” Kubert said. “’WOLVERINE #20’ is no exception with one exception: Deadpool’s not a new character. Having drawn him before (most recently on the cover to “DEADPOOL BLACK WHITE AND BLOOD” #1), I feel more like I’m visiting an old friend. Things change, yes, but our relationship stays the same. For me, Deadpool remains one of MARVEL’s greatest characters. Featuring him alongside Wolverine doesn’t get any better and I hope (and think) you’ll feel the same…”

“I know this is impossible to fathom, but Adam Kubert has never been better,” Percy said of his legendary collaborator. “His mind-blowing layouts, including a motorcycle action sequence for the ages, are beyond comparison.

“Without giving away any spoilers, this is going to be an explosive and complicated year for the mutants,” Percy added. “You’ll soon learn how the future of Krakoa (and mutant-kind) is in peril, and Wolverine will of course be at the center of it all, slashing and hacking away.”

Wolverine and Deadpool. When these two get together, what force in the Marvel Universe would dare get in their way? Find out when WOLVERINE #20 hits stands on April 20.

About Marvel Entertainment