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TENACITY: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia

TENACITY: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia - History Is Fun: Jamestown Settlement Women’s roles in the events of early Virginia history were rarely recorded. History gives us only fragments of their lives – a name here, a date of arrival there, a court case, a marriage or a death. Some of their stories have never been told.  “TENACITY: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia,” a special …

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Goose the Cat in 'Captain Marvel': To Flerken or Not to Flerken?

By JIM PURCELL

For Ms. Marvel fans, Carol Danvers' beloved sidekick was formerly known as "Chewie," a "Star Wars" reference that was the monicker for a Flerken from Earth 58163. But can a cat become a Flerken? Nope. It's the other way around. A Flerken is a highly intelligent creature with fangs and tentacles that takes the form of a housecat. 

   Big differences between Flerkens and cats? Aside from the whole tentacles and enormous fangs thing, cats do not lay eggs to reproduce and they are not incredibly rare. So, where do Flerkens keep their fangs, tentacles, etc. when they are not using them? Pocket dimensions, of course...Marvel fans have long ago learn to expect the unexpected.

   "Chewie" first graced the pages of Marvel alongside her galactic hero bestie in 2006, in "Giant Size Ms. Marvel #1." Perhaps because of the upcoming sequel to the 1980s box office smash "Top Gun," titled "Top Gun: Maverick" due out in June, 2020,  Chewie received a name-change in favor of Top Gun's ill-fated, albeit beloved co-pilot LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw.

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Iron Man’s Female Successor Could Be Ironheart

By JIM PURCELL

Everyone knows and loves Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. He's been a reliable draw and box office breaker for the MCU for nine movies now: "Iron Man," his cameo in "The Incredible Hulk," "Iron Man 2," "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Captain America: Civil War," "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and, of course, "Avengers: Infinity War."

   Downey has one more film on his contract, which is "Avengers: Endgame." And, that's all he's signed for. Downey has been playing the iron Avenger since 2008, 11 years ago and gosh only knows how many billions of dollars later for the franchise.

   Something that most people forget about Downey is that, born in 1965, he is 53 years old. That means he has been eligible to join AARP for the past three years. While age has not been a problem so far, it would no doubt start becoming an issue not too long from now. So, it isn't really a gamble for either Downey or the studio to part ways after a mega-successful relationship that has garnered acclaim for both actor and studio.

   But, what next?

   Regardless of who comes and goes, the fixture that is Iron Man is going to need to stay. There are all kinds of theories out there. Here is mine.

   Ironheart, a.k.a. Riri Williams, was born on the pages of Marvel in May 2016 within "Invincible Iron Man" Vol. 2, No. 7. Williams went on to become a full-fledged character a few issues later, in "Invincible Iron Man" Vol. 2, No. 9. But, what's the big deal about Wiliams?

   Forget about the fact that Williams is a black woman, which can bring new fans to the MCU. She is introduced as a 15-year-old engineering student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who lives with her mother and aunt. She ends up building her own design of Iron Man's suit with items she aquired at school.

   So, instead of another 'traditional' brilliant guy (e.g. Hank Pym, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner), the reality of life comes closer to the surface that, in Avengers world or any other, brilliance comes from all backgrounds. On top of that, Williams could bring a younger demographic to the Iron Man franchise, along with more diversity.

   On top of that, being 15 years old, age issues going into the future go away entirely. There are plenty of incredible actresses out there that could turn the next phase of Iron Man into a Golden Age as Williams.

Wonder Woman: A '70s TV Success and a 2017 Big Screen Smash

By JIM PURCELL

When I was a kid, the two shows I would never miss during the week were "Charlie's Angels" and "Wonder Woman" (1975-1979). But, between the two of them, "Wonder Woman" and Linda Carter were more important than anything else. Today, the role has been inherited by Gal Gadot and the franchise is killing at the box office, deservedly so.

   With the trainwreck that was the "Justice League" in 2017, which only earned $229,024,295 domestically during November, I suppose it mens that Wonder Woman is going to have to go it alone for at least awhile until someone saves the JL universe with a new idea.

   Meanwhile, "Wonder Woman" knotted $412,563,408, released during June 2017, and garnered an additional $409,293,603 overseas. With a production budget of $149 million, it's safe to say that "Wonder Woman" won the DCU match-race.

   The next "Wonder Woman," which isn't being termed a "sequel" by the production company, will be set in 1984. The movie will reunite Gal Gadot and Chris Pine with director Patty Jenkins.

   According to USA Today, "Wonder Woman 2" (the non-sequel sequel) will be released on June 5, 2020. However, this is the third release date that has been given by the studio. Previously, "Wonder Woman 2" had been announced to release on Nov. 1, 2019 and, even later, on Dec. 13, 2019. So, count on the next Wonder Woman in June...for now.

   My question is what time travel scenario is going to allow Pine to portray "Steve Trevor" again, 70 years after his World War I heroics? Meanwhile, what happened that was so important during the 1980s? I was there and it was a lot of fun but it wasn't near as interesting as the '40s, '50s or '60s. Basically, the decade focused on cool music and big hair. But, I guess the Wonder Woman team has its finger on the pulse following its recent smash.

   I think what made "Wonder Woman" a hit on the small screen during the '70s and a hit on the big screen recently has some things in common. During the '70s, television execs read the mood in the country and gave them an authentic hero who had clear storylines and healthy heapings of action. The same can be said of the current "Wonder Woman," though her character development is more indepth and the action is both more believable and more frequent.

   So, in the battle of the Wonder Women who did it better? Well, Linda Carter was a woman of her time and fit the bill 50 years ago and perhaps the only actress who could have stunned at the role now was Gadot.

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'Middletown Mike' Columnist Mike Morris

Columnist Mike Morris introduces himself to the Internet -- several years ago. Mike, you have had a great run, all the best.

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ANDERSONVILLE!

By JIM PURCELL

The Confederate States of America's chances of winning the Civil War diminished substantially after July 3, 1863. It was then that the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee, retreated southward after a devastating loss at the hands of Major General George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

Camp Sumter, a.k.a. Andersonville Prison

   By the time that the camp was liberated, in May 1865, it had earned a reputation as a notoriously dangerous place for Union prisoners.

   The distinct possibility that their cause might be lost did not deter the CSA's leadership from opening up an enemy prisoner of war camp, near Andersonville, Georgia, named Camp Sumter, also known as the infanous Andersonville Prison, in February 1864.

   During the war, Camp Sumter held 45,000 Union Army prisoners of war. At the time of its liberation, prisoner deaths totaled 13,000. This occurred, in large part, due to unsanitary living conditions, scurvy, diarrhea, dysentery and starvation. Some prisoners were chained, starved, beaten, clubbed or outright shot.

   The one and only commanding officer of the camp was Capt. Henry Wirz, who was executed for war crimes at the conclusion of the war.

   The prison camp originally spanned 16.5 acres, enclosed by a 15-foot high fence. In June of 1864, the camp was expanded to 26.5 acres.

The U.S. Military Has Always Been Most-Trusted Arm of Government

EDITORIAL
By JIM PURCELL
Publisher

No one believes in Government 100 percent anymore. Some people used to. Most don't believe in the Church anymore. There is a lack of confidence in the Executive, Legislative...even the Judicial branches. They lack credibility in the minds of many. Credibility is the ability to believe what someone says, and maybe the last thing...the very last thing that Americans believe in is the uniformed, military services.

   The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, and their Reserve and National Guard components, still have the confidence of many, many Americans. Myself among them. And, that credibility the military enjoys is built upon the granite foundation that those services, including their leaders at all levels, are devoid of political partisanship, graft, deceit or poor judgement. Thank God for this, because there is something people can believe in, after all.

   A Coast Guard lieutenant was arrested recently on charges of being a domestic terrorist, who espoused white nationalism. Thank God he didn't kill anyone. There was an incident years back when another captain, a Muslim health care professional in the Army, murdered several military members for the sake of "Jihad," the Arab version of 'Holy War.' These things shake the confidence of people, especially given the fact that both of the instances I brough up involved commissioned officers.

   I was a soldier for many years (Active and Reserve). I was a non-commissioned officer (a sergeant) and during my tenure I served in the Infantry and Intelligence branches, respectively.  My Dad and uncles were in World War II. My cousins served in Vietnam. So, i know something of what I am talking about.

U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast 

Guardsmen Aren't Supposed to Express Political Opinions

   Service in the military is a job and a public expression of belief in one's government. The military defends the rights of people to have the liberties they enjoy in the United States. However, the military does not participate in those liberties fully -- and they do this voluntarily by signing a contract with the respective services. In that contract, it is made clear that they will execute the orers of those appointed over them. In fact, every member of the military not only signs a contract about this but they also swear an oath to that effect.

   The military does not operate as a democracy. It is a constitutional oligarchy, elites (officers and senior NCOs) run it based on rank. Its administration and healthcare is an example of functional communism. There are people who do not like those words, but that doesn't change facts. The military serves at the behest of the civilian government, and anything else would make our military a part of the problem.

   Yet, inasmuch as the military serves the civilian government, it cannot be a part of the partisan dickerings that surround the civilian government. Why? Well, Republicans and Democrats may get elected to office and high office, but they are not above corruption, the failure of logic or pettiness. And, if the military becomes any of those things then we all lose this country. We lose it all.

   Since this republic, our Great Experiment in democracy, began we have had good executive leaders (presidents) and we have had bad ones. Yet, the republic goes on because the most powerful elected person in this country cannot be a dictator -- cannot become a king. Why? Because the Founders of this nation created a government with a series of formal checks and balances. The military has no place in government, other than to fulfill its narrow, necessary duties. If any of that ever changed, the United States would be no better than the Third World tyrannies that litter this world like so much refuse.

Why is All This Important?

   A lot of good people haave died since 1775 to make sure that neither conservatives or liberals or whomever else ran this country as they exclusively saw fit. The media was created in the United States to be another, more informal means of check-and-balance against governmental corruption and abuse. So, once the media is taken out of the picture -- well -- the picture isn't that clear from the outside now, is it?

   If the three branches of Government cannot be trusted, if the Church cannot be trusted by many, if the media cannot be trusted...then the military is the only clean thing left in this country. And, soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are the only ones who can keep it that way, by doing nothing more than fulfilling their oathes, written and spoken, and being a part of the solution and not adding to the problems in this nation.

 (Jim Purcell is a former weekly newspaper publisher in New Jersey. He previously served in the U.S. Army and received his graduate degree from the New York Theological Seminary, in New York. He is retired and currently resides in Western North Carolina with his wife.)

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