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Black Nerd Problems
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2021)The creators of the popular website Black Nerd Problems bring their witty and unflinching insight to this engaging collection of pop culture essays—on everything from Mario Kart to issues of representation—that “will fill you with joy and give you hope for the future of geek culture” (Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author).
When William Evans and Omar Holmon founded Black Nerd Problems , they had no idea whether anyone beyond their small circle of friends would be interested in their little corner of the internet. But soon after launching, they were surprised to find out that there was a wide community of people who hungered for fresh perspectives on all things nerdy.
In the years since, Evans and Holmon have built a large, dedicated fanbase eager for their brand of cultural critiques, whether in the form of a laugh-out-loud, raucous Game of Thrones episode recap or an eloquent essay on dealing with grief through stand-up comedy. Now, they are ready to take the next step with this vibrant and hilarious essay collection, which covers everything from X-Men to Breonna Taylor with “alternately hilarious, thought-provoking, and passionate” ( School Library Journal ) insight and intelligence.
A much needed and fresh pop culture critique from the perspective of people of color, “this hugely entertaining, eminently thoughtful collection is a master class in how powerful—and fun—cultural criticism can be” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review).
When William Evans and Omar Holmon founded Black Nerd Problems , they had no idea whether anyone beyond their small circle of friends would be interested in their little corner of the internet. But soon after launching, they were surprised to find out that there was a wide community of people who hungered for fresh perspectives on all things nerdy.
In the years since, Evans and Holmon have built a large, dedicated fanbase eager for their brand of cultural critiques, whether in the form of a laugh-out-loud, raucous Game of Thrones episode recap or an eloquent essay on dealing with grief through stand-up comedy. Now, they are ready to take the next step with this vibrant and hilarious essay collection, which covers everything from X-Men to Breonna Taylor with “alternately hilarious, thought-provoking, and passionate” ( School Library Journal ) insight and intelligence.
A much needed and fresh pop culture critique from the perspective of people of color, “this hugely entertaining, eminently thoughtful collection is a master class in how powerful—and fun—cultural criticism can be” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review).
294 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2021
70 people are currently reading
7488 people want to read
About the author
William Evans
6 books46 followersLibrarian note: There are multiple authors with this name. This profile is for William^^Evans, founder of Black Nerd Problems.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
September 17, 2021
Blame my ignorance, but I wasn't aware that being a nerd wasn't the same thing as being a Black nerd. Thus, this turned into both an entertaining and educational read, which gracefully served my geeky enthusiasm without shying away from more serious and hard-hitting themes.
I've never heard of Black Nerd Problems before picking this up, which means I was completely unaware of the website William Evans and Omar Holmon have been running for years now, where they're regularly provide cultural critique on comics, movies, TV shows and all kinds of things generally considered nerdy. It's probably relevant to note that I am white, which means I don't precisely fall into the demographic, because as the authors point out early on in their collection of essays, being a Black nerd means that you're part of a subculture of a subculture.
The essays themselves were informed, heartfelt and most of all, utterly enthusiastic. Evans and Holmon talk about all kinds of anime (Dragon Ball), comic book heroes (Spiderman, Batman, X-Men), video games (Horizon Zero Dawn, Mario Kart) and TV shoes as well as cartoons in an emotional and raging way only true nerds are capable of. Those passages were often funny and quite easygoing.
Surprisingly, the bits I enjoyed most were those in which I learned about the Black experience. There's just so much stuff I was grateful for having had explained – like how much more important it is for a Black film to be good, as the results for it failing at box office are more severe than when Gerald Butler won't do it, who'll probably have ten more mediocre action film down the line either way. The story how as a Black nerd you have to think twice about buying a sword from a fan shop, because carrying a weapon as a Black person just isn't the same as when you're white and therefore save, is tragically heartbreaking.
My only complaint is that I'm not quite into the same things the authors are. While people who know me personally would probably catch up on me being a nerd as soon as they get me talking on video games, I've for example grown tired of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, which means topics talking about those superhero things weren't quite my cup of tea. This is a highly personal and individual complaint, however, because if you are into these themes, there's literally nothing holding you back from having a relatable and great time with this.
I've never heard of Black Nerd Problems before picking this up, which means I was completely unaware of the website William Evans and Omar Holmon have been running for years now, where they're regularly provide cultural critique on comics, movies, TV shows and all kinds of things generally considered nerdy. It's probably relevant to note that I am white, which means I don't precisely fall into the demographic, because as the authors point out early on in their collection of essays, being a Black nerd means that you're part of a subculture of a subculture.
The essays themselves were informed, heartfelt and most of all, utterly enthusiastic. Evans and Holmon talk about all kinds of anime (Dragon Ball), comic book heroes (Spiderman, Batman, X-Men), video games (Horizon Zero Dawn, Mario Kart) and TV shoes as well as cartoons in an emotional and raging way only true nerds are capable of. Those passages were often funny and quite easygoing.
Surprisingly, the bits I enjoyed most were those in which I learned about the Black experience. There's just so much stuff I was grateful for having had explained – like how much more important it is for a Black film to be good, as the results for it failing at box office are more severe than when Gerald Butler won't do it, who'll probably have ten more mediocre action film down the line either way. The story how as a Black nerd you have to think twice about buying a sword from a fan shop, because carrying a weapon as a Black person just isn't the same as when you're white and therefore save, is tragically heartbreaking.
My only complaint is that I'm not quite into the same things the authors are. While people who know me personally would probably catch up on me being a nerd as soon as they get me talking on video games, I've for example grown tired of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, which means topics talking about those superhero things weren't quite my cup of tea. This is a highly personal and individual complaint, however, because if you are into these themes, there's literally nothing holding you back from having a relatable and great time with this.
March 5, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
A lot of this was fantastic! Black Nerd Problems is a collection of essays about different topics in Nerdom as they intersect with Blackness. At its best the collection is hilarious, incisive, and thought-provoking. The authors dive deep into comics, manga, Game of Thrones, Black Panther, and much more. Some essays are more obscure than others (which shouldn't really be shocking) and while I thoroughly enjoyed the ones that intersect with fandoms I'm familiar with, others wend over my head. And in some ways this is a feature, not a bug. They aren't afraid to get into the weeds of topics they're passionate about. But there are thoughtful moments like the complicated relationship a Black gamer might have with gun violence, or the different set of concerns a Black cosplayer might need to content with. While some parts of this lost me with the references, I loved the parts that hit and this is definitely worth reading if you're at all into geek culture. I received an audio review copy from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
A lot of this was fantastic! Black Nerd Problems is a collection of essays about different topics in Nerdom as they intersect with Blackness. At its best the collection is hilarious, incisive, and thought-provoking. The authors dive deep into comics, manga, Game of Thrones, Black Panther, and much more. Some essays are more obscure than others (which shouldn't really be shocking) and while I thoroughly enjoyed the ones that intersect with fandoms I'm familiar with, others wend over my head. And in some ways this is a feature, not a bug. They aren't afraid to get into the weeds of topics they're passionate about. But there are thoughtful moments like the complicated relationship a Black gamer might have with gun violence, or the different set of concerns a Black cosplayer might need to content with. While some parts of this lost me with the references, I loved the parts that hit and this is definitely worth reading if you're at all into geek culture. I received an audio review copy from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
Read
September 1, 2021It was really annoying to jump through all kinds of software hoops in order to read these essays (no kindle version), but it was always worth it. Sharply observant, trenchantly funny, wistful, hard-hitting, heart-felt, each essay is different from the previous, and always interesting as the authors talk about being people of color in the nerdy end of the fandom pool.
That includes touching on the grim subject of police brutality toward Black people, when a guy just wants to buy a cool sword. Another tough subject is BIPOC representation in the media. While I kept thinking as I read this, “Oh, it was so much worse when I was growing up, SO much worse,” that is hardly an endorsement for the way things are now.
Meanwhile anime, Spiderman, Mario Kart, Simba (and the Disney juggernaut), cons, and life as a black nerd get examined in a funny, opinionated way that is often hilarious.
The narrative voice is awesome, full of heart and humor, sometimes acid humor. This is one of those rare books that I think would be even better as an audio book, especially if read by the authors.
Copy provided by NetGalley
That includes touching on the grim subject of police brutality toward Black people, when a guy just wants to buy a cool sword. Another tough subject is BIPOC representation in the media. While I kept thinking as I read this, “Oh, it was so much worse when I was growing up, SO much worse,” that is hardly an endorsement for the way things are now.
Meanwhile anime, Spiderman, Mario Kart, Simba (and the Disney juggernaut), cons, and life as a black nerd get examined in a funny, opinionated way that is often hilarious.
The narrative voice is awesome, full of heart and humor, sometimes acid humor. This is one of those rare books that I think would be even better as an audio book, especially if read by the authors.
Copy provided by NetGalley
September 17, 2021
No question, this book is 5 stars for me! This book gave me life. I felt seen by this book. I have new things to get into because of this book. I loved this book! This book was funny, serious, got really deep, spoke on so many topics and so many levels in just 300 pages of essays. I feel like I need sequels to this book because I am definitely going to want to know their essays and takes on new things coming out and things that had not yet come out when this book was published. This was great. I want to write a forever long review and I want more essays! This was a library check out that I am going to need to add to my personal library.
May 21, 2022
My god I loved this shit!
Edit: I am now obsessed with Craig of the Creek thanks to Omar.
Edit: I am now obsessed with Craig of the Creek thanks to Omar.
December 15, 2021
Full disclosure: I won a free hardcover of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I feel like I read this book under false pretenses. I mean, I try to resist being pigeonholed, but I certainly don't strongly object to being called a nerd. And, hey, *everybody's* got problems. But it's probably obvious from my profile photo why I can, at best, claim kinship to only two of the three words in the title. Nobody's perfect. Or, anyway, I'm not.
However, I am most definitely into comics and anime and games and SF and fantasy and good TV and reading and so on, and, hey, so are William and Omar. More importantly, they write well and with wit and contagious enthusiasm. The book was a delight to read, and you can bet that, if/when Son of Black Nerd Problems appears, I'll be buying a copy.
I don't know that I'd recommend this to *everybody*, but if you've ever made weekly trips to the comics shop, or attended a Con, or any of the traditional nerd activities, really, you will recognize a couple of kindred spirits in this book.
I feel like I read this book under false pretenses. I mean, I try to resist being pigeonholed, but I certainly don't strongly object to being called a nerd. And, hey, *everybody's* got problems. But it's probably obvious from my profile photo why I can, at best, claim kinship to only two of the three words in the title. Nobody's perfect. Or, anyway, I'm not.
However, I am most definitely into comics and anime and games and SF and fantasy and good TV and reading and so on, and, hey, so are William and Omar. More importantly, they write well and with wit and contagious enthusiasm. The book was a delight to read, and you can bet that, if/when Son of Black Nerd Problems appears, I'll be buying a copy.
I don't know that I'd recommend this to *everybody*, but if you've ever made weekly trips to the comics shop, or attended a Con, or any of the traditional nerd activities, really, you will recognize a couple of kindred spirits in this book.
March 27, 2022
Black Nerd Problems collects William Evans' and Omar Holman's reflections and critiques on "nerd" culture and it's intersection with a "black" identity.
They run the gamut of not-too-serious takes on just how bad ass Tai Lung is (Kung Fu Panda), to the representation of POC in comics, to dealing with grief, to considering what cops will think of a black man walking to his car from a comics convention carrying a sword (in the wake of a recent cop murder of a man doing just that).
Some of the essays went completely over my head (especially the video-game related) but I think enough will hit at least a single with a reader to justify picking up the volume.
PS - I recently answered a question posed by a GoodReader about the appropriateness of the book for 12-year olds and teens. The other two respondents both argued that it isn't but I had to disagree. While it would take a very special school and a very special teacher to introduce this into a classroom, I think it would be a great buddy read for a parent and their child (regardless of race or gender).
They run the gamut of not-too-serious takes on just how bad ass Tai Lung is (Kung Fu Panda), to the representation of POC in comics, to dealing with grief, to considering what cops will think of a black man walking to his car from a comics convention carrying a sword (in the wake of a recent cop murder of a man doing just that).
Some of the essays went completely over my head (especially the video-game related) but I think enough will hit at least a single with a reader to justify picking up the volume.
PS - I recently answered a question posed by a GoodReader about the appropriateness of the book for 12-year olds and teens. The other two respondents both argued that it isn't but I had to disagree. While it would take a very special school and a very special teacher to introduce this into a classroom, I think it would be a great buddy read for a parent and their child (regardless of race or gender).
November 13, 2021
I pre-purchased this book and just read it. This is officially the first review I've written on Goodreads for any book. It's the only book I've felt compelled to write a review for, and that's not because I haven't read a ton of read-worthy and amazing books. Here's four reasons why I loved this book:
1. This book kept my attention, which is a huge feat. I'm usually reading about 8 books at once and have to switch up between books-not this one. (But it is written in essays which makes it easier for me and my ADD.)
2. It was funny AH. I felt like I was on the couch hanging out with my closest friends shootin' the shit. We talk about politics, have flashbacks of childhood shows like Good Times and Different Strokes, we see people who look like us dying and we wonder if we'll be next, and we talk about Jason Reynolds and Sonya Renee Taylor, and we talk shit about the Flash getting his ass kicked like THAT. (That is the best essay and had me on DA FLOOR.) And we know that there will be death today.
3. It was dope to be hangin out (that's how it felt) with two brothers who are like most of the brothers I know- feminists and not homophobes. They're out here raising the next generation and doing it well- like most of the Black dads I know. (That essay on Korra was everything.)
4. I'm a mother of two black teen boys. This book changed the way I think about the time they spend with anime and even video games. It made we reconsider not just the racial and class propaganda (which I am ALWAYS rethinking), but it also made me identify new parenting propaganda. (The Killing Floor Essay).
The book is well written. It resonated with so many parts of who I am and where I've been in my life. It connected so many of these spaces. When you realize the stretch that Black folx in America make everyday, you realize that aren't many spaces, nor books that do that.
I'm listening to the audible on my flight tomorrow. I can't wait.
Black Nerd ProblemsWilliam EvansOmar Holmon
1. This book kept my attention, which is a huge feat. I'm usually reading about 8 books at once and have to switch up between books-not this one. (But it is written in essays which makes it easier for me and my ADD.)
2. It was funny AH. I felt like I was on the couch hanging out with my closest friends shootin' the shit. We talk about politics, have flashbacks of childhood shows like Good Times and Different Strokes, we see people who look like us dying and we wonder if we'll be next, and we talk about Jason Reynolds and Sonya Renee Taylor, and we talk shit about the Flash getting his ass kicked like THAT. (That is the best essay and had me on DA FLOOR.) And we know that there will be death today.
3. It was dope to be hangin out (that's how it felt) with two brothers who are like most of the brothers I know- feminists and not homophobes. They're out here raising the next generation and doing it well- like most of the Black dads I know. (That essay on Korra was everything.)
4. I'm a mother of two black teen boys. This book changed the way I think about the time they spend with anime and even video games. It made we reconsider not just the racial and class propaganda (which I am ALWAYS rethinking), but it also made me identify new parenting propaganda. (The Killing Floor Essay).
The book is well written. It resonated with so many parts of who I am and where I've been in my life. It connected so many of these spaces. When you realize the stretch that Black folx in America make everyday, you realize that aren't many spaces, nor books that do that.
I'm listening to the audible on my flight tomorrow. I can't wait.
Black Nerd ProblemsWilliam EvansOmar Holmon
October 31, 2021
The audio version is a freaking delight.
Particularly if you live for nerd enthusiasm.
The language gets a little blue if you don't like that sort of thing.
Particularly if you live for nerd enthusiasm.
The language gets a little blue if you don't like that sort of thing.
Read
March 14, 2023I’m listening to this because of my friend, Britt, who often talks about how hard it is to be a Black nerd. Will this help me relate to her better?
I no longer define myself as a nerd but I do have some nerd history and I associate heavily with nerdom through both my job and my relationships, which is to say that this is not foreign territory.
I am interested to hear what two young Black nerds have to say and how I, an old white woman, will react.
Re-definition: Nerd Isn't a Person, It's a Spectrum
So far, one essay in, I’m finding that these guys are Black nerds but they’re also very male nerds. They’re not disparaging women and this piece is about inclusivity, but I don't know if women or nonbinary nerds would feel like they fit in here, either.
This still feels like that pretentious, philosophy-degree level thinkpiece that appeals to other guys who want to be sitting by the fire with their Star Wars brandy snifters smoking their League of Extraordinary Gentlemen pipes and wearing their Pokemon slippers discussing their thoughts on nerd things.
Speaking of Pokemon, why did they (I’m going to pin all the essays on both of them even though I know they each wrote their own essays) compare progressing the definition of “nerd” to Pikachu’s evolution? Pikachu just evolves into Raichu. Even the Alolan evolution is Raichu but with a spray tan and a surfboard. The whole point of the evolution comparison is that nerdom is a spectrum, it’s not a monolith. So wouldn’t the more appropriate comparison be to Eevee? There’s a whole spectrum of evolved Eevees…and they’re all cute.
It's Time We Stop Pretending that Simba Wasn't Garbage in The Lion King
Did anyone care about Simba? I remember kids having Simba plushies but was that because they liked Simba or was it because there weren't many other options in that merch line?
To me, Simba seems like the vehicle to the good stuff, an otherwise throwaway character whom we follow in order to get to the characters and moments we like. I think we all recognized Simba as an unprepared (heh heh heh) brat who was traumatized as a child, ran off and tried a new life and, only through the strength and grace of those he left behind plus his father's ghost, was he able to return and fulfill his destiny to rule over the Pridelands.
Raising the Avatar: No One Woman of Color Should Have All Them Haters
...and yet...
They're right and I'm not disagreeing.
Also, though: There it is, the guy saying he cares about how women are represented because he has a daughter and he wants her to have representation. Fucking hell, dad-man. Did you only find out little girls who grow into women exist when the woman who is your partner had a baby girl?
I really don't know why this always bothers me, dads becoming aware of sexism and patriarchy once they have daughters. I mean, at least they get there, I guess.
And I suppose it's the same with any equality and equity work; unless you were raised with a ton of compassion and love for others, it's hard to think about the validity of people you don't see or people you are told not to see until you finally see them.
...and yet...
You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape
This seemed like a mix of New Car Syndrome and writers needing to write about what’s bothering them more than actual escapism not letting a person escape.
The things that are currently in all your headspace will start showing up in unexpected spaces, just like how everyone is suddenly driving the car you just bought, because that’s what you’re focused on. It's frequency illusion.
A storyteller explaining something not related to race at all but that can easily apply to race relations in the US isn’t an inadvertent reminder of the Black experience, it's the author talking about something else that's important in their story while the reader relates it to his own story. That's why we consume stories.
But if we're too mired in our own stories, in ways that make us need to escape, I think it's probably on us to find escapism that will suit our needs and to be cognizant of any shifting boundaries we've got going on inside our heads.
That said, I am very guilty of doing this, too.
In my case, though, I'm pretty sure I'm being masochistic and just adding lemon juice to the cuts for shits and giggles or something. It has nothing to do with escapism not letting me escape.
Into the Spider-Verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-Verse
I can’t disagree with this at all. My reasons for agreeing are different, for the most part, but we arrived at the exact same conclusion: Best comic book movie ever.
Also, shoulder touch. How did that become a universal thing? My group also walked out of the theater with shoulder touch as a souvenir, too! SO powerful.
I Hate It Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live In
I don’t read or watch Food Wars but I can answer the question of which fictional universe would you like to live in. It’s Azeroth, pre-Cataclysm.
Y'all Gotta Chill with the Slander and Let Batman Cook
Batman doesn’t cook. That’s Alfred’s job.
I shrugged this one off but agreed with the last line that Batman doesn’t need any of us to defend him. He’s gonna be fine.
What Happens to a New Fictional Black Character Deferred?
Wait, are they arguing against creating new characters? They want established characters to be re-imagined?
They posit that the 2000s showed a lot of Black heroes who didn’t last and didn’t become main characters. They should go back to the late 60s to early 80s.
Ok, wait, so are they arguing for the re-introduction of the 2000s characters and making them top billing, rather than abandoning them, killing them, whatever?
I don’t actually know what the point is here.
“You can’t tell us we need new heroes for our stories to be told when the heroes already exist and aren’t getting an opportunity to be in the story because they get killed off…sidelined…or shut down before they even have a chance.”
To both argue against and support this: Ta Nehisi Coates reintroduced plenty of Black heroes. Everyone who wasn’t Black Panther was cancelled.
But wait, now they're saying that when Black heroes get top billing by taking legacy positions, they aren’t allowed to keep the spot, like RiRi Williams got to be IronMan until IronMan resurrected. Miles Morales was Spider-Man and is now a multiple Spider-man. Sam Wilson became Capt. America before Cap came back and Sam went back to being Falcon. They say Kamala Kahn is different because she’s not taking anyone’s place - her predecessor levelled up and now Kamala’s canon. So heroes of color can become mains but they’re demoted after awhile and it’s all white again.
“...which is why I want to see stories of characters of color that have been around longer in Marvel Comics and DC Comics, instead of an assembly line of new characters being added into the elephant graveyard that is comic book limbo after a quick supporting appearance or being pushed to the side for not selling well.”
Black Panther was surely around when they wrote this. He showed up in the 60’s. He’s surged and re-surged and now look. The whole argument about Black heroes getting retired doesn’t count in this case because in the comics, other people got to be Black Panther, and in the movies, Chadwick Boseman can’t be blamed for not being able to continue the role.
But, it's also true that one out of hundreds is still to0 close to zero.
And, actually, I’d like to piggyback off their thought.
I’m still angry that Disney took Marvel so all the TV shows are gone and there will probably never be a Misty Knight + Claire Temple as Night Nurse (I don’t care if Misty Knight is supposed to team up with Colleen Wing, that show was dumb and I hated it and I never read those comics anyway) in a Cagney and Lacey-style show.
See, I can do this nerdy pontificating, too.
Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse
Oh good grief, this is about Black Panther v Namor in the comics and I kinda want to fast-forward this one. And Black Bolt's here, too. Great.
This is definitely not for me.
ANNE! Anne, you’re being paged. This is your kind of nerd shit!
My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works
Warning: If you're wearing earphones of some sort, this one's gonna get loud.
Top Five Dead or Alive: Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda)
Now these nerds sound so very young.
--AND CUT--
Alright.
This wasn't quite what I'd hoped, at least not for the first 25% and I don't think my boring old white lady ass can continue on. I'm definitely not the intended audience.
If you love nerdy podcasts, grab this in audiobook format.
If you're really into books about how Black culture and popular culture, nerd edition, intersect, this might be interesting but you also may be better served by reading Phoebe Robinson or Samantha Irby or W. Kamau Bell
If 1990's-present comic books, manga, Marvel movies, cartoons & anime, and Pokemon are your jam, get this immediately.
I no longer define myself as a nerd but I do have some nerd history and I associate heavily with nerdom through both my job and my relationships, which is to say that this is not foreign territory.
I am interested to hear what two young Black nerds have to say and how I, an old white woman, will react.
Re-definition: Nerd Isn't a Person, It's a Spectrum
So far, one essay in, I’m finding that these guys are Black nerds but they’re also very male nerds. They’re not disparaging women and this piece is about inclusivity, but I don't know if women or nonbinary nerds would feel like they fit in here, either.
This still feels like that pretentious, philosophy-degree level thinkpiece that appeals to other guys who want to be sitting by the fire with their Star Wars brandy snifters smoking their League of Extraordinary Gentlemen pipes and wearing their Pokemon slippers discussing their thoughts on nerd things.
Speaking of Pokemon, why did they (I’m going to pin all the essays on both of them even though I know they each wrote their own essays) compare progressing the definition of “nerd” to Pikachu’s evolution? Pikachu just evolves into Raichu. Even the Alolan evolution is Raichu but with a spray tan and a surfboard. The whole point of the evolution comparison is that nerdom is a spectrum, it’s not a monolith. So wouldn’t the more appropriate comparison be to Eevee? There’s a whole spectrum of evolved Eevees…and they’re all cute.
It's Time We Stop Pretending that Simba Wasn't Garbage in The Lion King
Did anyone care about Simba? I remember kids having Simba plushies but was that because they liked Simba or was it because there weren't many other options in that merch line?
To me, Simba seems like the vehicle to the good stuff, an otherwise throwaway character whom we follow in order to get to the characters and moments we like. I think we all recognized Simba as an unprepared (heh heh heh) brat who was traumatized as a child, ran off and tried a new life and, only through the strength and grace of those he left behind plus his father's ghost, was he able to return and fulfill his destiny to rule over the Pridelands.
Raising the Avatar: No One Woman of Color Should Have All Them Haters
...and yet...
They're right and I'm not disagreeing.
Also, though: There it is, the guy saying he cares about how women are represented because he has a daughter and he wants her to have representation. Fucking hell, dad-man. Did you only find out little girls who grow into women exist when the woman who is your partner had a baby girl?
I really don't know why this always bothers me, dads becoming aware of sexism and patriarchy once they have daughters. I mean, at least they get there, I guess.
And I suppose it's the same with any equality and equity work; unless you were raised with a ton of compassion and love for others, it's hard to think about the validity of people you don't see or people you are told not to see until you finally see them.
...and yet...
You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape
This seemed like a mix of New Car Syndrome and writers needing to write about what’s bothering them more than actual escapism not letting a person escape.
The things that are currently in all your headspace will start showing up in unexpected spaces, just like how everyone is suddenly driving the car you just bought, because that’s what you’re focused on. It's frequency illusion.
A storyteller explaining something not related to race at all but that can easily apply to race relations in the US isn’t an inadvertent reminder of the Black experience, it's the author talking about something else that's important in their story while the reader relates it to his own story. That's why we consume stories.
But if we're too mired in our own stories, in ways that make us need to escape, I think it's probably on us to find escapism that will suit our needs and to be cognizant of any shifting boundaries we've got going on inside our heads.
That said, I am very guilty of doing this, too.
In my case, though, I'm pretty sure I'm being masochistic and just adding lemon juice to the cuts for shits and giggles or something. It has nothing to do with escapism not letting me escape.
Into the Spider-Verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-Verse
I can’t disagree with this at all. My reasons for agreeing are different, for the most part, but we arrived at the exact same conclusion: Best comic book movie ever.
Also, shoulder touch. How did that become a universal thing? My group also walked out of the theater with shoulder touch as a souvenir, too! SO powerful.
I Hate It Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live In
I don’t read or watch Food Wars but I can answer the question of which fictional universe would you like to live in. It’s Azeroth, pre-Cataclysm.
Y'all Gotta Chill with the Slander and Let Batman Cook
Batman doesn’t cook. That’s Alfred’s job.
I shrugged this one off but agreed with the last line that Batman doesn’t need any of us to defend him. He’s gonna be fine.
What Happens to a New Fictional Black Character Deferred?
Wait, are they arguing against creating new characters? They want established characters to be re-imagined?
They posit that the 2000s showed a lot of Black heroes who didn’t last and didn’t become main characters. They should go back to the late 60s to early 80s.
Ok, wait, so are they arguing for the re-introduction of the 2000s characters and making them top billing, rather than abandoning them, killing them, whatever?
I don’t actually know what the point is here.
“You can’t tell us we need new heroes for our stories to be told when the heroes already exist and aren’t getting an opportunity to be in the story because they get killed off…sidelined…or shut down before they even have a chance.”
To both argue against and support this: Ta Nehisi Coates reintroduced plenty of Black heroes. Everyone who wasn’t Black Panther was cancelled.
But wait, now they're saying that when Black heroes get top billing by taking legacy positions, they aren’t allowed to keep the spot, like RiRi Williams got to be IronMan until IronMan resurrected. Miles Morales was Spider-Man and is now a multiple Spider-man. Sam Wilson became Capt. America before Cap came back and Sam went back to being Falcon. They say Kamala Kahn is different because she’s not taking anyone’s place - her predecessor levelled up and now Kamala’s canon. So heroes of color can become mains but they’re demoted after awhile and it’s all white again.
“...which is why I want to see stories of characters of color that have been around longer in Marvel Comics and DC Comics, instead of an assembly line of new characters being added into the elephant graveyard that is comic book limbo after a quick supporting appearance or being pushed to the side for not selling well.”
Black Panther was surely around when they wrote this. He showed up in the 60’s. He’s surged and re-surged and now look. The whole argument about Black heroes getting retired doesn’t count in this case because in the comics, other people got to be Black Panther, and in the movies, Chadwick Boseman can’t be blamed for not being able to continue the role.
But, it's also true that one out of hundreds is still to0 close to zero.
And, actually, I’d like to piggyback off their thought.
I’m still angry that Disney took Marvel so all the TV shows are gone and there will probably never be a Misty Knight + Claire Temple as Night Nurse (I don’t care if Misty Knight is supposed to team up with Colleen Wing, that show was dumb and I hated it and I never read those comics anyway) in a Cagney and Lacey-style show.
See, I can do this nerdy pontificating, too.
Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse
Oh good grief, this is about Black Panther v Namor in the comics and I kinda want to fast-forward this one. And Black Bolt's here, too. Great.
This is definitely not for me.
ANNE! Anne, you’re being paged. This is your kind of nerd shit!
My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works
Warning: If you're wearing earphones of some sort, this one's gonna get loud.
Top Five Dead or Alive: Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda)
Now these nerds sound so very young.
--AND CUT--
Alright.
This wasn't quite what I'd hoped, at least not for the first 25% and I don't think my boring old white lady ass can continue on. I'm definitely not the intended audience.
If you love nerdy podcasts, grab this in audiobook format.
If you're really into books about how Black culture and popular culture, nerd edition, intersect, this might be interesting but you also may be better served by reading Phoebe Robinson or Samantha Irby or W. Kamau Bell
If 1990's-present comic books, manga, Marvel movies, cartoons & anime, and Pokemon are your jam, get this immediately.
February 20, 2022
If you were attending a comic book convention, would you pay two guys pumped up on caffeine to passionately rant about the meaning of life derived from their endless hours of consumption of comic books, anime, television and movies? No, neither would I. If you wanted to hear such a rant, there would be endless individuals willing to share their opinions for free. If you didn’t want to listen to a rant in public, you could go to YouTube and type, “rant X,” with X representing the topic and there are endless free rants on the internet. So, although I loved the subject matter of the essays, the delivery felt unoriginal, forced and stale. There was one exception, which felt quite authentic. One essay described the connection of a show with the loss of his mother. That essay didn’t try to flash the reader with word play or exaggerated expressions, but simply conveyed the raw emotion of such a dramatic event and the linkage to a dear television program. It left me wanting more essays written in this style.
October 7, 2021
3.5 stars
April 9, 2021
THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC!
It was legit everything I needed, and even though I may or may not be the target audience IT WAS PERFECTION!
I preordered the book midway through chapter 3, because sometimes when you know... YOU KNOW. I legit am praying to the nerd gods that they do a full cast audiobook where they read their own chapters, so I can order that as well.
Not only is the book hysterical and jam packed with so much nerdy information, recommendations, and opinions.. I’ve also taken so much more from it. As a teacher (a white teacher) I now have a list of material to add to my bookshelves so BIPOC children can see themselves represented authentically and positively (i WILL track down the list of comics from: What Happens To A New Fictional Black Character Deferred? And of course, Miss Monica Rambeau!!!....yeah, i have a list). This ranges from comic books, to clips i can show in class, and posters I can have made.
It made me think so much deeper about so many things around racism, social justice, and how I still have many privileges and don’t realize the many, many, MANY struggles BIPOC go through (enter chapter titled: “The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems” & also “For Dark Girls Who Never Get Asked to Play Storm”).
Aside from the education I definitely got from this book, my favorite chapters are absolutely: “Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are”(100%) & I thoroughly enjoyed “How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie”- I was legit cackling and nodding my head at every word. But legit, what made me laugh so hard I had tears and my husband had to come in and ask what was so funny? “Blade II Still Has The Most Disrespectful Superhero Fades My Black Ass Has Ever Seen.” WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO AS PER DEMANDED! You will not regret it.
Ok, ok, ok. I’ll stop. But I 10/10 would recommend this book, for anyone. Even if you don’t think you’re a nerd, there is something in this book for you! Omar & William - THANK YOU!
It was legit everything I needed, and even though I may or may not be the target audience IT WAS PERFECTION!
I preordered the book midway through chapter 3, because sometimes when you know... YOU KNOW. I legit am praying to the nerd gods that they do a full cast audiobook where they read their own chapters, so I can order that as well.
Not only is the book hysterical and jam packed with so much nerdy information, recommendations, and opinions.. I’ve also taken so much more from it. As a teacher (a white teacher) I now have a list of material to add to my bookshelves so BIPOC children can see themselves represented authentically and positively (i WILL track down the list of comics from: What Happens To A New Fictional Black Character Deferred? And of course, Miss Monica Rambeau!!!....yeah, i have a list). This ranges from comic books, to clips i can show in class, and posters I can have made.
It made me think so much deeper about so many things around racism, social justice, and how I still have many privileges and don’t realize the many, many, MANY struggles BIPOC go through (enter chapter titled: “The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems” & also “For Dark Girls Who Never Get Asked to Play Storm”).
Aside from the education I definitely got from this book, my favorite chapters are absolutely: “Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are”(100%) & I thoroughly enjoyed “How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie”- I was legit cackling and nodding my head at every word. But legit, what made me laugh so hard I had tears and my husband had to come in and ask what was so funny? “Blade II Still Has The Most Disrespectful Superhero Fades My Black Ass Has Ever Seen.” WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO AS PER DEMANDED! You will not regret it.
Ok, ok, ok. I’ll stop. But I 10/10 would recommend this book, for anyone. Even if you don’t think you’re a nerd, there is something in this book for you! Omar & William - THANK YOU!
June 11, 2022
Laughed my ass off even tho I didn't even get most of the references 🤣
April 13, 2022
Some of these essays really hit the mark for me and I found them funny - because I knew the topics they talked about. Some of these essays didn't hit the mark for me - because I didn't know the topics they talked about.
I'm not a HUGE Marvel or DC comic fan, I know my fair share and certain characters. I enjoyed their excitement over comic histories (Storm / Black Panther) and Green Lantern. However, when we go into topics I don't know anything about? Like anime and or other comic characters within the DC and Marvel universe? Yeah. Nope, I scratch my head.
The ideas and the issues they bring up in some of their essays make perfect sense and I hope that some of the things they hope will come to be and want in the fandoms they enjoy.
I really think that those who are looking for kinship and being black will 100% enjoy their humor. They have amazing voices and their enthusiasm and love for fandom is addicting.
I'm not a HUGE Marvel or DC comic fan, I know my fair share and certain characters. I enjoyed their excitement over comic histories (Storm / Black Panther) and Green Lantern. However, when we go into topics I don't know anything about? Like anime and or other comic characters within the DC and Marvel universe? Yeah. Nope, I scratch my head.
The ideas and the issues they bring up in some of their essays make perfect sense and I hope that some of the things they hope will come to be and want in the fandoms they enjoy.
I really think that those who are looking for kinship and being black will 100% enjoy their humor. They have amazing voices and their enthusiasm and love for fandom is addicting.
November 8, 2021
This book was great. Laugh out loud funny and more relatable than I even expected for it to be. I took my time and read a chapter here and there choosing the titles that I knew would resonate with me first then going back to read the others that I didn't know much about (like anime) which were still interesting with my minimal knowledge. It's nice when you get a chance to read and hear a voice that is so underrepresented. Of course this book isn't for everybody BUT I woud argue everyone could find something of interest on its pages. Entertaining and full of black nerd life experiences!
January 15, 2022
You MUST listen to this book. Listening to William and Omar get so into their essays…priceless.
December 31, 2021
Funny and smart with lots of passion, love, and anger. An engaging read with essays that give plenty to think on.
June 2, 2022
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S BLACK NERD PROBLEMS ABOUT?
Let's just go with what's on the Publisher's website to make things easier:
THE FUN
This looked like a promising and enjoyable collection (otherwise, why would I have bought it?), and the first few essays indicated that it would be. Then came the fifth essay, "Into the Spider-Verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-Verse. Wow. I listened to it twice (and would probably play it again right now if I had the time). It was more than I could've hoped for—funny and insightful, full of joy and intelligence. My expectations had been exceeded and the bar for the rest of the book was raised—thankfully, the essays were up to it.
I'm not going to go on and on about all the essays I wanted to rave about but "Jordan Peele Should Get His Flowers While He's Here" and "Top Five Dead or Alive: Red Hood in the DC Animated Universe" were almost as good. Words cannot express how much fun I had with "Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are."
THE SERIOUS
They're not as fun, but the essays where they address serious topics through the prism of nerd culture/nerd cultural artifacts are even better.
I couldn't relate—at all—to "My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works," but I loved that essay. I thought the approach of "Green Lantern COmics Have Low-Key Been Tackling Police Accountability for a Minute" was inspired. I loved "Chadwick Boseman's Wakanda Salute Is Canon in the History of Black Language." "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" was powerful and (as it promised) sobering.
I was surprised by "Go On: An Evergreen Comedic Series That Helped Me Navigate Loss"—it seemed so far out of the bailiwick of the rest of this book that it took me a minute to remember what show they were talking about. I was one of the 7 other people in the U.S. that watched it all, but I didn't relate to it the same way as Holmon did. After that essay, I wanted to go find it online and rewatch the entirety of the series (alas, no streamer carries it).
HOW WAS THE NARRATION?
It was fantastic. Holmon and Evans begin the book by talking about meeting at poetry slams—they know what they're doing behind a microphone. They deliver these essays (mostly separately, but occasionally together) with passion and panache.
I kept the speed on this audiobook low because I enjoyed the narration enough that I didn't want it to pass by. I'd have easily listened to another 7+ hours and enjoyed it all.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLACK NERD PROBLEMS?
I wanted to make all of the previous sections about two times as long—but I'm entering into that dreaded Chris Farley "Remember when....? That was cool" territory. So I made myself stop.
I've never been a manga or anime guy—despite a few attempts at it. So I have no opinion on the content of the essays addressing them. The essays themselves made me wish I was a manga or anime guy so I could really connect with them. As for the rest of the essays? They all worked. I could appreciate them when I didn't agree with them, and when I agreed with them, I pretty much loved what I heard. I disagree with a lot of the politics discussed, but the way they described them won me over every time—I was always entertained, too. That's all I want in a book like this coming from a different perspective—you don't need to convince me that you're right, just bring a good argument I can appreciate, and, hopefully, entertain/engage me in the manner of the rest of the book.
This mix of thoughtful cultural and social observation with pop culture freak out is exactly what I want to read/listen to. It's what I want to write, honestly, if I weren't held back by a lack of both talent and insight combined with the laziness too great to overcome that lack. But when it's done as well as Evans and Holmon? I'll just sit back, take it in, and enjoy it. Even when (especially when?) I think they might be wrong about something.
If there's a volume 2 of this, I will jump on it faster than the Falcon can do the Kessel run. If either writer puts out a book that's not poetry? I'll hop on board, too. They've made this white nerd a fan.
---
WHAT'S BLACK NERD PROBLEMS ABOUT?
Let's just go with what's on the Publisher's website to make things easier:
The creators of the popular website Black Nerd Problems bring their witty and unflinching insight to this engaging collection of pop culture essays—on everything from Mario Kart to issues of representation—that “will fill you with joy and give you hope for the future of geek culture” (Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author).
When William Evans and Omar Holmon founded Black Nerd Problems, they had no idea whether anyone beyond their small circle of friends would be interested in their little corner of the internet. But soon after launching, they were surprised to find out that there was a wide community of people who hungered for fresh perspectives on all things nerdy.
In the years since, Evans and Holmon have built a large, dedicated fanbase eager for their brand of cultural critiques, whether in the form of a laugh-out-loud, raucous Game of Thrones episode recap or an eloquent essay on dealing with grief through stand-up comedy. Now, they are ready to take the next step with this vibrant and hilarious essay collection, which covers everything from X-Men to Breonna Taylor with “alternately hilarious, thought-provoking, and passionate” (School Library Journal) insight and intelligence.
A much needed and fresh pop culture critique from the perspective of people of color, “this hugely entertaining, eminently thoughtful collection is a master class in how powerful—and fun—cultural criticism can be” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
THE FUN
This looked like a promising and enjoyable collection (otherwise, why would I have bought it?), and the first few essays indicated that it would be. Then came the fifth essay, "Into the Spider-Verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-Verse. Wow. I listened to it twice (and would probably play it again right now if I had the time). It was more than I could've hoped for—funny and insightful, full of joy and intelligence. My expectations had been exceeded and the bar for the rest of the book was raised—thankfully, the essays were up to it.
I'm not going to go on and on about all the essays I wanted to rave about but "Jordan Peele Should Get His Flowers While He's Here" and "Top Five Dead or Alive: Red Hood in the DC Animated Universe" were almost as good. Words cannot express how much fun I had with "Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are."
THE SERIOUS
After Tamir Rice was killed in Cleveland, I called my father and we had some very sparse conversation before he began theorizing on the role of fiction in our non-fiction lives. Every once in a while, I get these notions that I can outwit my father into pulling some emotional tether to him. I asked him if we love fantasy in fiction as a way to escape every day life, but I think I meant, does he use fiction in this way. He answered, "It's not an escape, it's hope. The good guys win and life has value in a fantasy story. It's not about getting away from something, it's about inserting hope into what you can't outrun."
They're not as fun, but the essays where they address serious topics through the prism of nerd culture/nerd cultural artifacts are even better.
I couldn't relate—at all—to "My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works," but I loved that essay. I thought the approach of "Green Lantern COmics Have Low-Key Been Tackling Police Accountability for a Minute" was inspired. I loved "Chadwick Boseman's Wakanda Salute Is Canon in the History of Black Language." "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" was powerful and (as it promised) sobering.
I was surprised by "Go On: An Evergreen Comedic Series That Helped Me Navigate Loss"—it seemed so far out of the bailiwick of the rest of this book that it took me a minute to remember what show they were talking about. I was one of the 7 other people in the U.S. that watched it all, but I didn't relate to it the same way as Holmon did. After that essay, I wanted to go find it online and rewatch the entirety of the series (alas, no streamer carries it).
HOW WAS THE NARRATION?
It was fantastic. Holmon and Evans begin the book by talking about meeting at poetry slams—they know what they're doing behind a microphone. They deliver these essays (mostly separately, but occasionally together) with passion and panache.
I kept the speed on this audiobook low because I enjoyed the narration enough that I didn't want it to pass by. I'd have easily listened to another 7+ hours and enjoyed it all.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLACK NERD PROBLEMS?
I wanted to make all of the previous sections about two times as long—but I'm entering into that dreaded Chris Farley "Remember when....? That was cool" territory. So I made myself stop.
I've never been a manga or anime guy—despite a few attempts at it. So I have no opinion on the content of the essays addressing them. The essays themselves made me wish I was a manga or anime guy so I could really connect with them. As for the rest of the essays? They all worked. I could appreciate them when I didn't agree with them, and when I agreed with them, I pretty much loved what I heard. I disagree with a lot of the politics discussed, but the way they described them won me over every time—I was always entertained, too. That's all I want in a book like this coming from a different perspective—you don't need to convince me that you're right, just bring a good argument I can appreciate, and, hopefully, entertain/engage me in the manner of the rest of the book.
This mix of thoughtful cultural and social observation with pop culture freak out is exactly what I want to read/listen to. It's what I want to write, honestly, if I weren't held back by a lack of both talent and insight combined with the laziness too great to overcome that lack. But when it's done as well as Evans and Holmon? I'll just sit back, take it in, and enjoy it. Even when (especially when?) I think they might be wrong about something.
If there's a volume 2 of this, I will jump on it faster than the Falcon can do the Kessel run. If either writer puts out a book that's not poetry? I'll hop on board, too. They've made this white nerd a fan.
March 26, 2021
This book is such a fun read. Some controversial pop culture opinions mixed in with media critique and commentary specific to the black community. What I like about this book and most own voices reads is that it's written in a way that is engaging and familiar. The essays in this book cover topics ranging from Batman, Gohan, Spiderverse, Game of Thrones and more. The chapters that were on media I don't know much about or don't like, I still enjoyed. Obviously if you aren't a consumer of "nerdy" pop culture this may not be the book for you, but it is a fun read if you have any opinion at all on the media selected.
November 11, 2023
Black Nerd Problems: Essays by William Evans and Omar Holmon
7h 54m read by the authors, 294 pages
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Essays, Race, African American, Pop Culture, Memoir, Adult, Comedy
Featuring: Shows, Books, Characters, Intellectual Life, Social Conditions, Real First Black Nerds, Gatekeepers, Pet Peeves, Rants, Intro: From the Top; Re-definition: Nerd Isn't a Person, It's a Spectrum; It's Time We Stop Pretending That Simba Wasn't Garbage in The Lion King; Raising the Avatar: No One Woman of Color Should Have All Them Haters; You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape; Into the Spider-verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-verse; I Hate It Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live in; Y'all Gotta Chill With the Slander and Let Batman Cook; What Happens to a New Fictional Black Character Deferred?; Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse; My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works; Top Five Dead or Alive: Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda); Green Lantern Comics Have Low-key Been Tackling Police Accountability for a Minute; The 2000s and 2010s Golden Era of TV Gave Us a Lot of Great Television and Made Me So Damn Tired; Craig of the Creek: When We See Us; The Disney Two-step; Y'all Mind If I Wyl Out Over Black Love and POC Love Real Quick?; Whenever I Watch Underworld, I Feel Like Kate Beckinsale Wants to Break Up With Me; An Open Letter to Gohan: You Gonna Stop Being Trash Anytime Soon or Nah?; The Want to Protect Taraji's Proud Mary, Critiquing the Choir, and How We Judge Black Art; For Dark Girls Who Never Get Asked to Play Storm; How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie; Jordan Peele Should Get His Flowers While He's Here; Top Five Dead or Alive: Red Hood in the DC Animated Universe; If My Black Ass Was Enrolled in the X-men's School, Charles Xavier Would Have Been Fed Up; Go On: An Evergreen Comedic Series That Helped Me Navigate Loss; The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems; Bury the Stringer Bell but Let Idris Live; An Open Letter to the Starks: Y'all Should've Taken Better Care of Your Direwolves; Haikyuu!! Roughly Translated Means "Ball Is Life"; I Read Mark Millar's Jupiter's Legacy and I Saw the Father I Am and the Father I Hope I Never Have to Be; Hajime No Ippo Is Just a Manga About Boxing but I'm Over Here Crying My Guts Out; Do You Have a Moment to Talk About Our Lord and Savior Aloy From Horizon Zero Dawn?; Two Dope Boys and Movin' Weight With Pusha T's Daytona; Killing Floor: Navigating Real-world Gun Violence as a Hardcore Gamer; Hamilton and the Case of Historical Fanfics; Graduating to the Grown Folks' Table: I Finally Learned How to Play Spades; Two Dope Boys and An-- Oh My God, the Flash Got Fucked Up!; Black Nerd Crush Blues: Myra Monkhouse Deserved Way Better; The Push and Pull of Watching Mad Men While Black; Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are; Top Five Dead or Alive: Monica Rambeau (Marvel Comics); On Hope, Escapism, and Attrition Discussed Between Black Men; Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: House of X; Blade II Still Has the Most Disrespectful Superhero Fades My Black Ass Has Ever Seen; Chadwick Boseman's Wakanda Salute Is Canon in the History of Black Language; Outro
Rating as a movie: R for language
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½👓
My thoughts:📱7% 31:10 You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape - This is incredibly funny. I was skeptical at the start. It doesn't sound like an essay, it sounds more like a speech or rant. Love it!
📱19% 1:31:20 Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse - Definitely passing this one on to the family. My son heard some and he thought it was interesting, so I'm thinking my husband would like it too as well as my older kids.
📱42% 3:20:06 Whenever I Watch Underworld, I Feel Like Kate Beckinsale Wants to Break Up With Me - Stopping here. I was able to play this in the car with my family, it took a minute for my husband to feel it, but he was a bit unimpressed, he said it sounded like a podcast.
I was expecting this to be a 5-star read, and it is for some, but for me, the second half featured several harangues and I could feel Omar's blood pressure rising as he delivered them. Not even all of the Mariah drops could make me recover that half-star, but the end stopped it from being 4-stars. Overall this was great but there were some flaws, which I think is normal anytime someone shares their opinions on several topics. My husband and son heard a couple of hours but aren't interested in the book enough to continue on their own or start over.
Recommend to others: Maybe. This truly is for readers with a strong interest in comics, fantasy books, anime, movies, and pop culture.
7h 54m read by the authors, 294 pages
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Essays, Race, African American, Pop Culture, Memoir, Adult, Comedy
Featuring: Shows, Books, Characters, Intellectual Life, Social Conditions, Real First Black Nerds, Gatekeepers, Pet Peeves, Rants, Intro: From the Top; Re-definition: Nerd Isn't a Person, It's a Spectrum; It's Time We Stop Pretending That Simba Wasn't Garbage in The Lion King; Raising the Avatar: No One Woman of Color Should Have All Them Haters; You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape; Into the Spider-verse Got Three Moments Better Than the Best Moment of Your Favorite Comic Book Movie Not Named Into the Spider-verse; I Hate It Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live in; Y'all Gotta Chill With the Slander and Let Batman Cook; What Happens to a New Fictional Black Character Deferred?; Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse; My Theory on How Black Folks' Black Card Actually Works; Top Five Dead or Alive: Tai Lung (Kung Fu Panda); Green Lantern Comics Have Low-key Been Tackling Police Accountability for a Minute; The 2000s and 2010s Golden Era of TV Gave Us a Lot of Great Television and Made Me So Damn Tired; Craig of the Creek: When We See Us; The Disney Two-step; Y'all Mind If I Wyl Out Over Black Love and POC Love Real Quick?; Whenever I Watch Underworld, I Feel Like Kate Beckinsale Wants to Break Up With Me; An Open Letter to Gohan: You Gonna Stop Being Trash Anytime Soon or Nah?; The Want to Protect Taraji's Proud Mary, Critiquing the Choir, and How We Judge Black Art; For Dark Girls Who Never Get Asked to Play Storm; How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie; Jordan Peele Should Get His Flowers While He's Here; Top Five Dead or Alive: Red Hood in the DC Animated Universe; If My Black Ass Was Enrolled in the X-men's School, Charles Xavier Would Have Been Fed Up; Go On: An Evergreen Comedic Series That Helped Me Navigate Loss; The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems; Bury the Stringer Bell but Let Idris Live; An Open Letter to the Starks: Y'all Should've Taken Better Care of Your Direwolves; Haikyuu!! Roughly Translated Means "Ball Is Life"; I Read Mark Millar's Jupiter's Legacy and I Saw the Father I Am and the Father I Hope I Never Have to Be; Hajime No Ippo Is Just a Manga About Boxing but I'm Over Here Crying My Guts Out; Do You Have a Moment to Talk About Our Lord and Savior Aloy From Horizon Zero Dawn?; Two Dope Boys and Movin' Weight With Pusha T's Daytona; Killing Floor: Navigating Real-world Gun Violence as a Hardcore Gamer; Hamilton and the Case of Historical Fanfics; Graduating to the Grown Folks' Table: I Finally Learned How to Play Spades; Two Dope Boys and An-- Oh My God, the Flash Got Fucked Up!; Black Nerd Crush Blues: Myra Monkhouse Deserved Way Better; The Push and Pull of Watching Mad Men While Black; Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are; Top Five Dead or Alive: Monica Rambeau (Marvel Comics); On Hope, Escapism, and Attrition Discussed Between Black Men; Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: House of X; Blade II Still Has the Most Disrespectful Superhero Fades My Black Ass Has Ever Seen; Chadwick Boseman's Wakanda Salute Is Canon in the History of Black Language; Outro
Rating as a movie: R for language
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½👓
My thoughts:📱7% 31:10 You Can't Win When Escapism Won't Let You Escape - This is incredibly funny. I was skeptical at the start. It doesn't sound like an essay, it sounds more like a speech or rant. Love it!
📱19% 1:31:20 Two Dope Boys and a Comic Book: the Superhero Fade Heard Round the Multiverse - Definitely passing this one on to the family. My son heard some and he thought it was interesting, so I'm thinking my husband would like it too as well as my older kids.
📱42% 3:20:06 Whenever I Watch Underworld, I Feel Like Kate Beckinsale Wants to Break Up With Me - Stopping here. I was able to play this in the car with my family, it took a minute for my husband to feel it, but he was a bit unimpressed, he said it sounded like a podcast.
I was expecting this to be a 5-star read, and it is for some, but for me, the second half featured several harangues and I could feel Omar's blood pressure rising as he delivered them. Not even all of the Mariah drops could make me recover that half-star, but the end stopped it from being 4-stars. Overall this was great but there were some flaws, which I think is normal anytime someone shares their opinions on several topics. My husband and son heard a couple of hours but aren't interested in the book enough to continue on their own or start over.
Recommend to others: Maybe. This truly is for readers with a strong interest in comics, fantasy books, anime, movies, and pop culture.
January 2, 2022
I finished my first book of 2022 tonight.
BLACK NERD PROBLEMS caught my eye in the new release section at Barnes & Noble a few days ago.
Seeing a glowing review from Ernest Cline on the back and chapter titles like "Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are" told me this was a book I would probably enjoy, and I was very curious to see the sort of perspective the authors would bring to nerd culture.
(I also saw right away that this was going to have a lot of colorful language in it, but I decided I was willing to wade through that to see what they had to say)
The tone of this essay collection is well-rounded. Several essays are essentially lighthearted (but thoughtful) tributes to some of the TV shows, books, films, and video games the authors love.
The essay on Mario Kart was funny, and "How My Black A-- Would Survive Every Horror Movie" made me laugh out loud and read one of the lines to my sister:
"What else you got? Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds?' That ain't nothing but a Popeyes/Church's Chicken/Crown Chicken/Chick-fil-A commercial to me" (p.147).
*Spits out coffee*
Other essays are much more sobering. I think the essay that hit the hardest for me was "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" (p. 174). In this essay, Evans talks about the moment he was geeking out over a replica of the Buster Sword from the video game Final Fantasy VII while attending a Wizard World convention in Ohio. Evans really wanted to buy the sword . . . but realized that, due to his appearance, walking to his car holding the sword might make him the next headline.
(Evans mentions that this was just after 22-year-old Darrien Hunt had been shot by police in Salt Lake City while cosplaying as the character "Mugen" from the anime Samurai Champloo -- Darrien had been carrying a replica sword as part of the costume and was allegedly shot in the back several times while running away from the police)
I was unfamiliar with Darrien's story and looked up a few articles and videos about it after finishing the book. It made me sad and angry.
"Nerd is a spectrum, fam, and all the hues matter."
~p.247
Reading this book gave me what I came looking for: much food for thought and a reminder that nerd culture, as a whole, is something that cuts across many different backgrounds.
Definitely glad I read this and will be adding a few more items to my I-should-read-this and I-should-watch-this lists as a result of some of the things that the authors geeked out over.
BLACK NERD PROBLEMS caught my eye in the new release section at Barnes & Noble a few days ago.
Seeing a glowing review from Ernest Cline on the back and chapter titles like "Mario Kart Reveals Who You Truly Are" told me this was a book I would probably enjoy, and I was very curious to see the sort of perspective the authors would bring to nerd culture.
(I also saw right away that this was going to have a lot of colorful language in it, but I decided I was willing to wade through that to see what they had to say)
The tone of this essay collection is well-rounded. Several essays are essentially lighthearted (but thoughtful) tributes to some of the TV shows, books, films, and video games the authors love.
The essay on Mario Kart was funny, and "How My Black A-- Would Survive Every Horror Movie" made me laugh out loud and read one of the lines to my sister:
"What else you got? Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds?' That ain't nothing but a Popeyes/Church's Chicken/Crown Chicken/Chick-fil-A commercial to me" (p.147).
*Spits out coffee*
Other essays are much more sobering. I think the essay that hit the hardest for me was "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" (p. 174). In this essay, Evans talks about the moment he was geeking out over a replica of the Buster Sword from the video game Final Fantasy VII while attending a Wizard World convention in Ohio. Evans really wanted to buy the sword . . . but realized that, due to his appearance, walking to his car holding the sword might make him the next headline.
(Evans mentions that this was just after 22-year-old Darrien Hunt had been shot by police in Salt Lake City while cosplaying as the character "Mugen" from the anime Samurai Champloo -- Darrien had been carrying a replica sword as part of the costume and was allegedly shot in the back several times while running away from the police)
I was unfamiliar with Darrien's story and looked up a few articles and videos about it after finishing the book. It made me sad and angry.
"Nerd is a spectrum, fam, and all the hues matter."
~p.247
Reading this book gave me what I came looking for: much food for thought and a reminder that nerd culture, as a whole, is something that cuts across many different backgrounds.
Definitely glad I read this and will be adding a few more items to my I-should-read-this and I-should-watch-this lists as a result of some of the things that the authors geeked out over.
December 20, 2021
A collection of essays by two men who run the 'Black Nerd Problems' website, discussing pop culture and its interface with black people
This was great! As a nerd myself, I enjoyed the sheer joy and passion that the authors showed while they wallowed around in pop culture moments they loved. It's always fun to see someone get their nerd on. My favorite essays were "I Hate it Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live In" - that one made me laugh and laugh - "How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie", and "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" (realizing that William didn't feel safe enough to buy and carry a Final Fantasy sword - man, that was a punch to the head). There were a (very) few essays I skipped because I wasn't familiar with the material and the author was fan-ing so hard that I wasn't following, but that's the beauty of a group of essays. I will absolutely read a sequel if there is one - yay William and Omar!
Full disclosure: I won a free hardcover of this book in a Goodreads giveaway (and how cool is that?? I never win anything!)
This was great! As a nerd myself, I enjoyed the sheer joy and passion that the authors showed while they wallowed around in pop culture moments they loved. It's always fun to see someone get their nerd on. My favorite essays were "I Hate it Here: Food Wars Would Be the Most Annoying Anime to Live In" - that one made me laugh and laugh - "How My Black Ass Would Survive Every Horror Movie", and "The Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems" (realizing that William didn't feel safe enough to buy and carry a Final Fantasy sword - man, that was a punch to the head). There were a (very) few essays I skipped because I wasn't familiar with the material and the author was fan-ing so hard that I wasn't following, but that's the beauty of a group of essays. I will absolutely read a sequel if there is one - yay William and Omar!
Full disclosure: I won a free hardcover of this book in a Goodreads giveaway (and how cool is that?? I never win anything!)
January 17, 2022
You can very much still enjoy Black Nerd Problems even if you aren't Black. I listened to the audiobook and it was fittingly read by both the authors, William Evans and Omar Holmon, who delivered all the emotion and passion of their own essays through their own recordings.
More detailed review to come, but if you like nerding out over new and old media of vastly different kinds like I do, check our their podcast and streams which Black Nerd Problems does on the regular.
More detailed review to come, but if you like nerding out over new and old media of vastly different kinds like I do, check our their podcast and streams which Black Nerd Problems does on the regular.
February 25, 2022
“…But a real ‘Black Nerd Problem’ is not knowing if your cosplay will get you killed, or if phaser equals wallet equals 41 empty shell casings later, or feeling compelled to write this chapter in the first place.”
I really want to give this a higher rating because so many of these essays were important and so many felt personal to me, but I kept finding myself losing the flow between some of them. Regardless, this book was powerful and full of passion.
I really want to give this a higher rating because so many of these essays were important and so many felt personal to me, but I kept finding myself losing the flow between some of them. Regardless, this book was powerful and full of passion.
June 18, 2022
Definitely some 4 star essays in there, but on balance it’s a 3 star read. I definitely learn a few things I didn’t know and I connected really hard with a few of the essays. A few essays, I admit, I had no point of entry for and I wasn’t 100% what was being discussed. 😵💫
December 3, 2021
Essays about black pop culture characters, representation, and lack there-of.
The most poignant essay is about how the author didn’t feel safe cosplaying with a Highlander sword because a black man who was cosplaying with a sword was shot by police.
The most poignant essay is about how the author didn’t feel safe cosplaying with a Highlander sword because a black man who was cosplaying with a sword was shot by police.
March 9, 2022
This is the best book I’ve read all year!
September 19, 2022
Absolutely delightful. Glad this book exists.
December 8, 2021
This was really fun as an audiobook even when I didn't know the comics or artists they were talking about. It was exactly what I needed.
Realising that if I were to add a "yea i cried" tag to my goodreads, every book I ever read would be in that tag. Like even this one would be. Send help.
Realising that if I were to add a "yea i cried" tag to my goodreads, every book I ever read would be in that tag. Like even this one would be. Send help.
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