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  • From Beta to Bedrock: Build Products that Stick.

    From Beta to Bedrock: Build Products that Stick.

    I’ve lost count of the times when promising ideas go from being useless in a few days to being useless after working as a solution designer for too long to explain.

    Financial goods, which is my area of expertise, are no exception. It’s tempting to put as many features at the ceiling as possible and hope someone sticks because people’s true, hard-earned money is on the line, user expectations are high, and a crammed market. However, this strategy is a formula for disaster. Why, please:

    The fatalities of feature-first growth

    It’s simple to get swept up in the enthusiasm of developing innovative features when you start developing a financial product from scratch or are migrating existing user journeys from papers or telephony channels to online bank or mobile apps. They may think,” If I may only add one more thing that solves this particular person problem, they’ll enjoy me”! But what happens if you eventually encounter a roadblock as a result of your security team’s negligence? don’t like it, right? When a battle-tested film isn’t as well-known as you anticipated or when it fails due to unforeseen difficulty?

    The concept of Minimum Viable Product ( MVP ) comes into play in this context. Even if Jason Fried doesn’t usually refer to this concept, his book Getting Real and his radio Rework frequently discuss it. An MVP is a product that offers only sufficient value to your users to keep them interested, but not so much that it becomes difficult to keep up. Although it seems like an easy idea, it requires a razor-sharp eye, a ruthless edge, and the courage to stand up for your position because it is easy to fall for” the Columbo Effect” when there is always” just one more thing …” to add.

    The issue with most funding apps is that they frequently turn out to be reflections of the company’s internal politics rather than an experience created exclusively for the customer. This implies that the priority should be given to delivering as many features and functionalities as possible in order to satisfy the requirements and wishes of competing internal departments as opposed to crafting a compelling value statement that is focused on what people in the real world actually want. These products may therefore quickly become a muddled mess of confusing, related, and finally unlovable client experiences—a feature salad, you might say.

    The significance of the foundation

    What is a better strategy, then? How can we create items that are reliable, user-friendly, and most importantly, stick?

    The concept of “bedrock” comes into play here. Rock is the main feature of your solution that really matters to customers. It serves as the foundation for the fundamental building block that creates benefit and maintains relevance over time.

    The rock has to be in and around the standard servicing journeys in the world of retail bank, which is where I work. People only look at their existing account once every blue sky, but they do so every day. They purchase a credit card every year or every other year, but they at least once a month assess their stability and pay their bills.

    The key is in identifying the main tasks that individuals want to complete and therefore persistently striving to make them simple, reliable, and trustworthy.

    But how do you reach the foundation? By focusing on the” MVP” strategy, giving ease precedence, and working iteratively toward a clear value proposition. This means avoiding unnecessary functions and putting your users first, and adding real value.

    It also requires some nerve, as your coworkers might not always agree on your perspective right away. And dubiously, occasionally it can even suggest making it clear to customers that you won’t be coming to their house and making their breakfast. Sometimes you need to use “opinionated user interface design” ( i .e., clumsy workaround for edge cases ) to test a concept or to give yourself some more time to work on something else.

    Functional methods for creating reliable economic items

    What are the main learnings I’ve made from my own research and practice, then?

    1. What issue are you attempting to resolve first, and why? For whom? Make sure your goal is unmistakable before beginning any work. Make certain it also aligns with the goals of your business.
    2. Avoid the temptation to put too many features at once and focus on getting that right first. Choose one that actually adds price, and work from that.
    3. When it comes to financial items, clarity is often more important than complexity. Eliminate unwanted details and concentrate solely on what matters most.
    4. Accept constant iteration as Bedrock is a powerful process rather than a fixed destination. Continuously collect customer feedback, improve your product, and work toward that foundational position.
    5. Stop, appearance, and talk: You must test your product frequently in the field rather than just as part of the shipping process. Use it for yourself. A/B tests are run. User opinions on Gear. Speak to the users of it and make adjustments accordingly.

    The core dilemma

    This is an intriguing conundrum: sacrificing some of the potential for short-term progress in favor of long-term stability. But the reward is worthwhile because products built with a focus on bedrock will outlive and surpass their rivals over time and provide users with long-term value.

    How do you begin your quest for rock, then? Consider it gradually. Start by identifying the underlying factors that your customers actually care about. Focus on developing and improving a second, potent function that delivers real value. And most importantly, check constantly because, whatever you think, Abraham Lincoln, Alan Kay, or Peter Drucker are all in the same boat! The best way to foretell the future is to make it, he said.

  • Human Connection Is a Growth Tactic

    Human Connection Is a Growth Tactic

    Learn more at Duct Tape Marketing at Human Connection Is a Development Tactic by John Jantsch.

    The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast with Johnathan Grzybowski In this instance of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interviewed Jonathan Grabowski, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Penji, a leading on-demand design program offering unlimited style solutions. By focusing on [ …] in its approach, Jonathan describes how Penji evolved from a small agency to a 500-person organization.

    Learn more at Duct Tape Marketing at Human Connection Is a Development Tactic by John Jantsch.

    The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast with Johnathan Grzybowski

    I spoke with Jonathan Grabowski, co-founder and general marketing officer of Penji, a leading on-demand pattern platform that offers unrestricted style companies, in this season of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast. Jonathan shares how Penji scaled from a small company to a 500-person business by centering its view on user experience, empathy in business, and a very simplified design process.

    We discussed how businesses can incorporate technology, like AI in design, with real human interaction to create enduring brand value and the crucial role that human connection plays in providing standout innovative services. Whether you &#8217, re trying to build a more corporate brand identity, increase physical brand, or just make smarter hires, Jonathan&#8217, s perspectives are a framework for true, human-centric company growth.

    Important Restaurants:

    • Empathy Drives Loyalty: Fantastic design transcends the visual to the personal. Businesses that promote compassion and connection in their artistic process deliver more effective results.
    • Formalized Creativity wins: Maintaining personal customer touchpoints while scaling graphic design services without sacrificing value.
    • Fire Customers to Grow: Jonathan argues that knowing when to part ways with clients is a vital part of good marketing plan and long-term development.
    • AI Is a Tool, Never a Replacement: While Penji integrates AI in layout to increase speed and efficiency, the business thrives on the individual elements—context, strategy, and empathy—that AI doesn’t replicate.
    • Businesses should approach design as a strategic asset rather than a reactive task, whether it’s creating a brand identity or carrying out one-off projects.
    • Customer Experience Is a Differentiator: Penji&#8217, s edge comes from embedding empathy and personalized communication in every client interaction.
    • Employing designers carefully: Look for team members who are knowledgeable about business objectives, communication, and collaboration rather than just technical skills.

    Chapters:

    • 00: 09 Introducing Johnathan Grzybowski
    • 01: 53 The Origin of Penji
    • How to Create a Brand Identity 05: 46
    • 08: 25 The Human Element of Penji
    • 47 Penji Success Stories
    • 14: 13 How AI Affects the Design Workflow

    John Jantsch ( 00: 00.942 )

    Hello and welcome to the newest episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast. This is John Jantsch. My guest today is John Grabowski, Jonathan Grabowski. He co-founded and leads Pengey, an on-demand graphic design service that charges flat monthly for unlimited custom design work for businesses. Pengey connects clients with top tier designers, delivering completed projects within 48 hours.

    So we’ll talk about design, graphic design, and perhaps how AI might be influencing that field as well. So Jonathan, welcome to the show.

    Johnathan ( 00: 35.032 )

    I appreciate you having me. I’ve been a fan and we’ve known each other for some time now and excited to explore the podcast and any questions that you may have.

    John Jantsch ( 00: 43. 982 )

    So I started to introduce you as John. I don’t think my official name is Jonathan. I’ve always been John, exactly. Is Jonathan always been your thing or did it ever get shortened?

    Johnathan ( 00: 54.24 )

    Yeah, so yeah, so my there are probably about like three people on planet Earth that call me John like every day. My mother who unfortunately passed away about five ish years or so ago was very, particular about Jonathan and pretty much corrected them and scolded them anytime anybody ever said John. You see, I’ve always been just Jonathan.

    John Jantsch ( 01: 00.206 )

    Yeah.

    John Jantsch ( 01: 11. 79 )

    Yeah.

    John Jantsch ( 01: 17.09 )

    Yes. You know, we all have a connection to Kansas City. So I’ll share this story. Our quarterback, Pat Mahomes, was being called by a sports announcer as I listened. and the other announcer says his mother has scolded me frequently. is Patrick. so he also shares that with his mother. So

    Johnathan ( 01: 33. 002 )

    Nice. That’s great. And I do feel a little nostalgic for you because we defeated you in the Super Bowl last year.

    John Jantsch ( 01: 43.83 )

    Yes, I’ll tell you that wasn’t very entertaining to watch. the name Pengey, it’s probably on your website somewhere. Anytime I see like a kind of a different, unique name, was there some story behind that?

    Johnathan ( 01: 47.415 )

    Heh heh.

    Johnathan ( 01: 59.318 )

    Yeah, great question. I don’t really share too much about it because people aren’t as curious as you may think. So when we first started, we had the thought that, well, if you were to slow down the name PNG, it would eventually lead to a specific file extension that is related to graphic design.

    John Jantsch ( 02: 05.38 )

    No, that’s accurate.

    John Jantsch ( 02: 23.31 )

    Huh, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

    Yes, yes. What is that programable network graphic or something? I have no idea what it means. Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 02: 28.811 )

    And so it is.

    Yes, exactly right. So it’s essentially PNG. Now, PNG speeding it up, of course, and that’s related to the graphic design. So although we are originally a graphic design company, we’ve kind of morphed into more of like a creative services that expand well beyond, but kind of paying respect to the graphic design aspect that it is PNG, but it technically came from PNG.

    John Jantsch ( 02: 56. 612 )

    Well, now I’m really glad I asked that question because that’s a great story. Know that occasionally people say,” Oh, I just saw it there.” heard it and I thought it sounded cool. The domain was available, but that’s a great story. Okay.

    Johnathan ( 02: 59.992 )

    Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 03: 04.959 )

    Yes, yes. Yeah, we, I remember very vividly, it was like 12, oneo’clock, twoo’clock in the morning when my co-founder and I were talking about it we’re just like, you know, putting things together and that was the one that stuck. Hence.

    John Jantsch ( 03: 17.156 )

    That’s fantastic. So was there any particular vision? Like, you know, a lot of people start companies because like I couldn’t find good graphic design myself. So I founded a business. there, was there any story or vision like that?

    Johnathan ( 30. 166 )

    Yeah, I would say…

    I’m not a graphic designer. So, we were a digital marketing firm. We sucked. We probably didn’t use the duct tape marketing system, uh, in order for us to grow. Uh, we were terrible. So we basically, uh, but the one thing that people always said was we were really good at graphic design. And then we kind of likened ourselves to saying, This is our, This is what we’re selling. We turned it into a product high service.

    and it obviously concentrated a lot on graphic design. Obviously now it’s a little bit more expanded beyond just graphic design as the world of AI and marketing as a whole, it becomes necessary. finding people, finding reliable people, hiring people is a pain in the absolute butt. It’s terrible. I don’t like hiring people simply because of

    There are so many facets to it. The emotional aspect is this person a good product fit into the culture of the business? Are they actually good at their job? Do they just tell you that they do a good job even though they don’t? I mean, there’s a lot of fundamental factors. So what if there was a way to immediately go to a website, find and speak with someone who is trustworthy, good, inherently good at what they do, and can essentially turn things around in a hurry?

    That is really the ethos behind Penge and how it started. It’s just like, we got good at one particular thing. We were given credit for it, established a business, and are now.

    John Jantsch ( 05: 08.285 )

    And I believe that you and I last spoke, because you and I are no longer just you and another person in a room, right? I mean, it’s you’ve built quite an organization.

    Johnathan ( 05: 16.95 )

    Yes, we have over 500 employees and thousands of customers all over the nation and the world at this point. And the problems that I had then, just getting it off the ground, now the problems are completely different. Because if you make a mistake, you have lives of others that are going to be hurt or be affected, and they are more meaningful and impactful.

    better off because of your decision making. then so it’s just systematically you have to become more systematic and more thoughtful in your approach to every day rather than just kind of be like, hey man, what are we doing today? Like

    John Jantsch ( 05: 56.632 )

    Right. So, you know, I’ve preached for years strategy before tactics. A lot of people view even design projects, know, we need a brochure. We require a banner. We need a logo. And there is really no thought put into it. It’s just like, yeah, okay. I like that one. How can you assist businesses in developing a kind of brand identity rather than just completing one-time projects?

    Johnathan ( 06: 21.09 )

    Yes, I mean, that’s actually a difficult situation because most of our customers already have established brands as well as being digital marketing agencies. So from like a business standpoint, we assess it no differently than a than a typical project. The core differentiation, in my opinion, if you were to hire like a service like PENGIE versus that of like an agency, an agency is probably going to be able to sit down and talk to you and kind of go over like the fundamental

    John Jantsch ( 06: 32.398 )

    Yes.

    John Jantsch ( 06: 46.852 )

    Yes, give me a creative brief. Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 06: 48.696 )

    Correctly. Creative Breeze can talk to you for several hours and be able to do that. We’re very objective with what you’re looking for, and we’re very project- or visual-oriented. So if you have a new company, it’s the art director’s job to find out more about your company. And then you have to provide us a visual. And what I personally discovered is that, John, and perhaps you could attest to this, like, if someone just tells you, I want this, and you’re like,” Oh, I want this,”

    Well, what the hell does this look like? correct, correct, and correct. That is like literally the worst thing that you can say on planet Earth. Like, I know when I say, OK, well, that’s really nice to hear that. But, bro, I need something in your brain, please listen. I need a sliver of your brain to understand what the hell you’re trying to do. So we must start there first. And if you can’t provide a visual, to be honest with you, we don’t really want you as a client.

    John Jantsch ( 07: 20.356 )

    I’ll be aware of it when I see it.

    John Jantsch ( 07: 41.656 )

    Yes, yes, yes.

    Johnathan ( 07: 48.248 )

    Because like you’re going to fail in Pengey. And to be honest, that’s where the biggest obstacle to Pengey’s success lies, and that’s because the customers don’t communicate effectively and effectively. And you would be surprised at how bad at times entrepreneurs and business professionals are at communicating. And what I discovered was that the designers are actually the best like this.

    the teams aspects like the when a designer works at as a customer works at Pengey, they’re the best customers because they have the empathy and the understanding that is needed to articulate a project. Whereas like a founder is very like, I need this done, I need it done tomorrow, I need it done right now, and it needs to be done, you know, in 1080p, the 18 different styles and please give it to me ASAP. Like, and those are excellent clients who can work.

    John Jantsch ( 08: 18.404 )

    you

    Johnathan ( 08: 45.032 )

    communication is so, important.

    John Jantsch ( 08: 49.39 )

    So, do you find that you either don’t, or, hey, you fire that customer, or do you find that you are working on brand strategy a little bit more?

    Johnathan ( 09: 03.33 )

    Yes, I believe there is a reason for that. Well, number one, my claim to fame is that I fired more customers than people. And I’m very quick to be able to say, listen, this isn’t a good fit. And it’s OK. I believe that business discipline is extremely important. If you focus all of your time and energy on the loudest customers and problems, I don’t think you will ever complete anything ever because you always just be putting out fires.

    John Jantsch ( 09:24.141 )

    Yes.

    Johnathan ( 09: 31.01 )

    But when it comes to the consultancy, yeah, I think that’s like a core differentiation between us and like probably our competitors is that there’s a human aspect. And I believe that’s because the human element of communicating with our customers, understanding them, getting them informed that the project has been completed, or that the project is being worked on is what we’re looking for. And that is kind of like the differentiation between us and like AI. You can make use of AI quickly.

    John Jantsch ( 09: 57.506 )

    Mm-hmm.

    Johnathan ( 09: 59.254 )

    And it is absolutely fantastic. Like we use the AI at Pengey all the time. However, I believe the reason you sign up for a service like Pengey is because you want that interaction.

    John Jantsch ( 10: 09.828 )

    Do you have, and I do want to dive into the AI a little bit. However, I didn’t want to go there right away. So set the table a little more. Do you have any examples of which you can think of and don’t have to name them if you don’t want to, but where the work you’ve done or your team’s done has kind of had a significant impact on a brand’s reputation or perhaps even success?

    Johnathan ( 10: 31.606 )

    Yeah, there is a two things, a very, I’ll try to say it without saying it, very reputable university and institution that is located in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania that we have worked with for multiple years, created slideshows.

    basically, where the presentations were then made and presented to making changes internally within the business’s infrastructure. So I can’t necessarily go into detail, but if you kind of use my words, you can kind of put two and two together. The presentations that were made and the discussions we had with that team have had a significant impact have been instrumental.

    changes in the business structure, the acquisition of multiple other institutions and hospitals and things like that. And then in addition to that, serving people that have illnesses and things like that. has that just one from a feel-good kind of one. Then there’s another one that’s also located in Philadelphia, which I’m not going to be able to go into with the specific name, but it is a delivery service.

    John Jantsch ( 11: 45. 91. )

    Mm-hmm.

    Johnathan ( 11: 55.63 )

    where we pretty much were able to incrementally help their brand from beginning to I would say very close to IPO. Because I believe a lot of it has to do with strategy, I’m not sure if what we did specifically contributed to the growth of what it is. But from a visual standpoint and the advertising and execution behind that advertising allowed that company to grow exponentially.

    John Jantsch ( 12: 25. 38 )

    Yeah, I think a lot of businesses, most businesses quite frankly, really underestimate the value of the visual aspects of their brand. And I think that, I think it can make a huge difference. It doesn’t mean you have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on something; another Kansas City company, H &amp, R Blocks, did it years ago, and their new logo was essentially this square green block. You’ve probably seen it because they use it now.

    And I was speaking with their marketing representative, who claimed they had spent$ 150, 000 on that logo. And I was like, it’s a square green block. But, but I do think that companies, you know, who really get that idea, you know, are willing to invest and do spend a lot of money on the right look and the right feel because it supports the overall message. then, you know, ultimately makes people feel satisfied about doing business with the business.

    Johnathan ( 12: 56.994 )

    Hmm. Yeah. Yep.

    Johnathan ( 13: 16.086 )

    Yeah, I would actually like on on the slight contrary, I would say I would love to understand the amount of money that was wasted on the on indecisions of, you know, founding partners or executives and things like that. Because I believe that’s like where, in my opinion, the beauty of PNG is because it lessens the inconsequencies of the actual graphic design process. So like, you could have easily asked for within a month’s time frame, you could easily ask for

    John Jantsch ( 13: 24.171 )

    sure.

    John Jantsch ( 13: 28. 356 )

    Sure, sure.

    John Jantsch ( 13: 39.225 )

    Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 13: 44.622 )

    500 different variations of the of the H &amp, R block square and I can almost guarantee you that there’s something in there that’s going to be moderately decent if not the the one But yeah, I find it interesting as well

    John Jantsch ( 13: 52. 964 )

    Yeah, Yeah, but you didn’t, you didn’t do focus groups and you know, mean.

    Johnathan ( 14:02.21 )

    Yeah, I mean, that’s a different ball game, right? Like, that’s just like that’s that’s a client that I would say we love the revenue. But at the same time, I’m not sure if I want to participate because there is just so much emotion involved, you know.

    John Jantsch ( 14: 12.034 )

    Yes, yes, yes.

    John Jantsch ( 14: 17 )

    Well, and of course, you know, when they, the other thing with the company that’s that, that publicly known too, when they rolled it out, then they had to take all kinds of crap about it. know, it’s like, I can’t believe that.

    Johnathan ( 14: 25. 924 )

    gosh, Yes, yes, yes. And that’s always interesting, the world of marketing nowadays of how sensitive a lot of people are in social media. I think it’s OK to have opinions, obviously, but like, man, like one bad thing could absolutely destroy a company. And that is actually very true in the world of business, too. If you’re not making the right decisions, one wrong move can just fundamentally destroy trust, can fundamentally destroy

    John Jantsch ( 14: 34.244 )

    Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 14: 54. 891 )

    the business and myself and my co-founder hold that to very high regard.

    John Jantsch ( 14: 56.056 )

    Yes.

    John Jantsch ( 15: 00. 334 )

    Let’s talk a little bit about AI. Although AI graphic tools are improving, I still believe they are not there where a regular user could simply grab anything and have a whole set of images and visuals. What tools are you adopting? What tools, I mean, how are you using AI in the whole design workflow?

    Johnathan ( 15: 24. 012 )

    Yeah, we love AI. We employ AI every day. Are there specific tools? None that I could say. However, we essentially use AI for everything internally. However, I don’t feel the I’m not afraid of AI terminating a business like ours, because I think from a business standpoint, one of two things

    John Jantsch ( 15: 27. 172 )

    Mm-hmm.

    John Jantsch ( 15: 39.15 )

    Right.

    Johnathan ( 15: 52.896 )

    We humans are very human-driven creatures, and we want to interact with other people regardless. And right now, as you said, and I don’t think even in the next five, 10 years, unless there’s some type of way in order to get people to think for you, you need a human being to submit these AI prompts and you need AI to at least make modifications. There must be some human touching it, even if you use do it yourself models. So

    John Jantsch ( 15: 56.536 )

    Mm-hmm.

    Johnathan ( 16: 22.07 )

    With that said, I don’t think there’ll ever be a need for full on AI specifically, but I do think that it’s a necessary tool for that every company should be implementing right now.

    John Jantsch ( 16: 37.038 )

    about designers? mean, you hire a lot of designers, you probably talk to thousands of folks that want to, you know, kind of come into your stable. Do you have any advice for someone who is currently learning design about embracing AI or how important it is for their relationship to be?

    Johnathan ( 16: 55.35 )

    Yes. I mean, I think you’d be foolish not to use it to be honest with you. mean, like, for example, if a client comes up to us and says, Hey, I need a, a project, right. Done. Okay, cool. I need it finished in twelve hours. Well, we could use AI, right. And give them at least like 90 % of where it needs to be. Ask the client, Hey, what’s the stat? Like, what do you think of this? And then make the necessary modifications to ensure that everyone is completely custom and individual. that is at times how we use AI.

    John Jantsch ( 16: 58.104 )

    Yes, yes.

    Johnathan ( 17: 26.016 )

    It just depends on individual circumstances. But again, you can’t, in my opinion, I don’t think you can make anything custom directly from AI. It’s passable at best. And it can be used if you’re happy with the final solution. But if you want something on brand and if you want something specific to your company, it just, right now at least, you need a human being.

    John Jantsch ( 17: 50. 018 )

    Yeah, if nothing else, think, you know, I still find that the human being is going to bring empathy, is going to bring strategy, is going to bring context. You know, a lot of times design has to be done in the context of a family of designs or the context of, you know, what the service offering is. And I believe that we are undoubtedly not there with AI, at least for the time being.

    Johnathan ( 18: 14.102 )

    Yes, I guarantee it 100 %. I mean, I mean, like, I think the best phrase to use in this and I kind of say this at times to some, like to our salespeople is like, imagine going into AI and saying, Hey, could you please put a photo of a family? Right? Like the word “family” is so dissimilar to so many people. You know, it could be a man and a woman, it could be same sex, like family, it could be you and a dog, like it doesn’t really

    John Jantsch ( 18: 30. 404 )

    You

    Johnathan ( 18: 42.946 )

    there’s no boundaries to that. And I believe that’s where you put your very, very well-eloquent comment, John. The understanding of, say,” Who is your target audience?” Who are the people that you’re trying to go to? So I would say to a designer to ask,” How do I take my business to the next level if they are listening right now and trying to figure out themselves”? I would say understand the other person’s business to the fullest extent and have some level of empathy and conversation skills that you can display to understand the company in full.

    because that’s why people are actually buying. They don’t have to buy. In our business, they’re probably buying because of the service because it’s very obvious. Hello, for this price, you receive unrestricted graphic design. like for our business specifically, it’s very numbers driven and very like direct, right? But I would say for a business or like an agency or something like that, they’re probably buying you, right? They are currently purchasing the product in our world, but they are staying because of the human. And that’s…

    John Jantsch ( 1993: 33.55 )

    Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 19: 41.398 )

    a little bit of a different buying process, but at the same, it’s still we’re buying from other people. We’re staying because we adore X designer or person. And I think if you were to look at our reviews versus our competitors, we get reviews pretty much one to two times a day from every other day, at least from our customers. And it’s because of how we make them feel. But if you were to look at the landscape, there isn’t a single company

    that’s genuinely writing reviews about the service, except for a business like ours because of the way the emotional reaction that our customers are having to our team.

    John Jantsch ( 20: 18 / 648 )

    You know, it’s interesting. As part of our strategy planning process, I, as you know, review companies ‘ reviews. I’ve read millions of reviews and it I’m struck by how often, how, how infrequently the company’s actually mentioned. It’s always rusty fixed my boiler and he was amazing. I don’t even know the name of the business, he was like. and I think that people really, underestimate the, the, that experience is such a big part of, of getting that positive reaction.

    Johnathan ( 20: 35.496 )

    Exactly. Yeah.

    Yeah.

    Johnathan ( 20: 47. 662 )

    Yeah, I mean, just look at all the best companies in the world. You have Disney, after all, don’t you? Like my father’s in Disney. This is why I brought it up without us. And he’s a selfish piece of crap for not inviting me there by himself. No, I’m just kidding. When you leave Disney World, you realize, wow, man, they made my child feel so happy, don’t you think? Or, man, I feel like a kid again. Like these are all things that you’re constantly thinking about. And if we can help alleviate like a therapist can.

    John Jantsch ( 20: 59.172 )

    you

    Johnathan ( 21: 16.042 )

    ounce of that effort and that stress that you probably have in your business day to day. It’s a world of hurt. And I want to offer like business advice as well, specifically from the people who are listening to this. We actually train our sales, excuse me, our support people to find a personal element to that person. Right? And so I’ll give you a quick story. And speaking of names, I’ll mention the person’s names, but a gentleman by the name of Pepe found out somehow some way

    that that particular day was one of our clients ‘ birthdays. He didn’t say anything or, or, or mentioned anything. Send him a Google meet or other informal conversation. And then he changed his background and we never told him to do this like specifically, but we do teach the aspect of having that level of empathy. He had a happy birthday sign in the background and pretty much had like a hat on and a, and like a

    a string of that to honor the man’s birthday. And he was just like thrilled and overjoyed. And it’s just like those seemingly trivial things where the reason people stay at Penge and stay customers aren’t related to the graphic design. It’s how the people, how our team is making them feel.

    John Jantsch ( 22: 18.434 )

    That is entertaining. Yeah.

    John Jantsch ( 22: 29.056 )

    Awesome. Well, I appreciate you taking a moment to stop by the duct tape marketing podcast. Where would you like to invite people to learn more about PNG or where would you like to invite people to meet with you?

    Johnathan ( 22: 38.668 )

    Yes, absolutely. Penji. co. That would be amazing if you felt the need to become a customer. But if I provided even an ounce of value at all, and if you need help in your life or business, I’d be more than happy to assist. That’s kind of my intention behind this plan, in my opinion, is to assist others. Email me, Jonathan, J-O-H-N-A-T-H-A-N at penji. co. I’d be more than happy to give you my time in any way I can to help you.

    John Jantsch ( 23: 06.786 )

    Awesome. Well, again, it’s great catching up with you again, and hopefully we’ll run into you one of these days out there on the road.

    Johnathan ( 23: 11.928 )

    Brother, that sounds good.

    powered by
  • Andor Season 2 Ending Explained: How the Series Finale Connects to Rogue One

    Andor Season 2 Ending Explained: How the Series Finale Connects to Rogue One

    For Andor winter 2 shows 10-12 and Rogue One, trailers are included in this article. The last three episodes of Andor may hardly group quite the same mental punch as the Ghorman circle, but they certainly bring this story together in an effective way. Quite a bit of a first indication that this season would guide […]

    The second post Andor Season 2 End Explained: How the Series Finale Connects to Rogue One appeared on Den of Geek.

    Appear, up on the internet! No! It’s a picture, it’s a teaser, and it’s a teaser. The whole Superman trailer that we have been waiting for is here!

    After giving us bits and pieces, DC Studios has finally released a massive three-minute trailer for this summer &#8217, s Superman, written and directed by James Gunn. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the film’s central conflict, in which Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) exploits the negative perception of the public when he ends a war in a foreign country. Additionally, it is suggested that these omissions cause tension with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and produce ripples in the Daily Planet newsroom. Even apparently Lex Luthor is able to enter the Fortress of Solitude where he wrecks items with a figure called the Engineer! And if you don’t know who the Engineer is, we can show some information to you.

    cnx. command. cnx ( playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530 ), ) -push ( function ( ). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ),

    &#8220, Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Design

    Despite the kaiju and other meta-humans he&#8217, includes in Superman, Gunn has consistently argued that the relationship between Clark, Lois, and Lex is generally about Superman. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the truck makes that point.

    Once again, we have Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviewing Superman ( David Corenswet ) to satisfy the world &#8217, s curiosity. However, the voice is radically different from any we’ve ever seen in the past. We get a feistier version of the Man of Steel, perhaps because of the now friendly connection between Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. He almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues, with the warrior insisting that he did excellent because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law.

    However, more importantly, we get to witness the transition between the mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel, one of the most important aspects of any Superman efficiency. Christopher Reeve executed that transformation in the first film brilliantly, where he transformed into a completely different person in a single shot. It is a favorite time for many in that flick, including Gunn.

    When you cut to 2025, Corenswet does the same point in this case, but it’s much more simple. When Clark consents to allow Lois meeting Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when it &#8217, s time for the interview to start, he sits up and circles his arms. He appears assured and upbeat, and he drops his speech by an octave to the beginning. The subtlety matters, though not as much as Reeve&#8217 ;s changes. As demonstrated by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job usually reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El, this Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas. neither is authentic. The ranges between them will become blurry because both of his true identities.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Engineer&#8217, s power

    Lex Luthor’s role as the best big negative is highlighted in the trailer. Driven by resentment and refusing to honor an alien, Luthor thinks his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle. The well-groomed CEO is assisted by a person in dark leather whose arms become blades as they attack the Fortress of Solitude, but she also has other powerful people in his life.

    That is the Engineer, Mara Gabriela de Fara as she is portrayed, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer initially debuted in 1999 &#8217, s The Authority# 1, written by Warren Ellis and penciled by Bryan Hitch. The Authority were a group of soldiers who set themselves to make a better planet by enforcing their can. They were a part of the Wildstorm Universe, a humorous book world distinct from the DC secure. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to the Justice League, under the pencil of Ellis and various artists like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, the famous Superman account &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221, saw Superman stand up to and censure a group modeled on the Authority. Nevertheless, when DC gained complete control over the Wildstorm collection, they incorporated the Authority, who are champions using dubious strategies, into the DC Universe.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to make the Engineer a more effective criminal or at least enemy. As in the cartoons, the Engineer has small technology that allows her to alter her body into a tool, not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2. She is undoubtedly working alongside Lex in this, but it’s difficult to imagine Gunn won’t let Supes tell the Engineer how to make a better world through motivation rather than force.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo: DC Studios

    That’s an Ultraman, right? Bizarro?

    A massive, fully leather-clad female figure joins the Engineer in the battle against Superman. We’ve seen this person when, playing Superman in a facility. But this is the best search that we&#8217, have had at him so much, and the best search we&#8217, d gotten at the sign on his neck.

    The U&#8221-shaped architecture, which is recognizable as Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3, is well-known to comic book fans. In contrast to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman of the Justice League of America, Earth-3 serves as the terrible aspect in the DC world.

    But, Ultraman often has no problem showing his mouth and usually runs around in a blue and red outfit, not this set number. And he wouldn’t get requests from a snob like Lex Luthor, at all. So who is that person? Given his huge powers and his hidden face, bright cash suggests that the number is in fact Bizarro, a weak but super-strong copy of Superman. It may follow that Lex may create his own type of Superman and, in a blow to his stupidity, make it incorrect. The comics use that origin, which has been used by Bizarro, would suit the themes Gunn appears to be exploring.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    Rick Flag Sr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of James Gunn’s more perplexing aspects of his position as co-head of DC Studios is that he only does a limited reset of the now-defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, but it seems like the activities of Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice and Justice League didn’t. But The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least some type of them, did occur.

    The single character that can stand between these two kingdoms is Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo. Flag and Amanda Waller first met in animated type in Creature Commandos, where he was assigned to lead Task Force M. Throughout that line, Flag expresses grief over the passing of his brother Rick Flag Jr., who Joel Kinnaman portrayed in Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad.

    Flag does n&#8217, t get to do much in this video other than look quite severe and chauffeur Superman into captivity, alongside the Engineer and maybe-Bizarro. However, his calm appearance suggests that he still harbors a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, apparently in part because of his outcry against Flagg&#8217’s death at the hands of Peacemaker during the attempt to stop the Scholar from molesting Starro the Conqueror in Corto Maltese. Keep in mind?

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?!? )

    Superman’s arrest appears to have sparked images of him in a kind of cubic glass jail, similar to Magneto’s in X-Men or the demon bars in The Cabin in the Woods. Superman is immediately seen being beaten by soldiers inside the prison. Afterwards he seems to have gained the power to knock out. One of the more highly anticipated characters in the film, Metamorpho, is seen in between. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, has the ability to transform himself into any substance ( possibly Kryptonite )? ), and we see a bit of that power at work when his hands begin to dissolve in a peculiar manner.

    The trailer also provides better views of Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. Metamorpho is just one of the heroes who appear in the trailer. However, other individuals are spotted in the jail, which suggests that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. It&#8217, s difficult to see any of the people, save for the lady imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, s left. A white woman wearing a red dress reacts horrifiedly there.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a red dress who, for some reason, is sent to the same prison as Metamorphos and Superman. However, the dress does n&#8217, t look very different from the one worn by a C-list story warrior called Amethyst. Amethyst, which was written by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and created by Ernie Colón, debuted in 1983’s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298, which was the first of her kind comic. Gemworld, a wonderful place where Amethyst has great fantasy adventures, is where she is the princess.

    Amethyst has carried her own set from time to time but does n&#8217, t like the exact level of popularity as yet Guy Gardner. Amethyst is a great way to add more story to the world of superheroes if Gunn&#8217 is going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will be playing in cinemas.

    The article Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared initially on Den of Geek.

  • Aunt Lydia’s Decision in The Handmaid’s Tale Is All Down to Love, Says Ann Dowd

    Aunt Lydia’s Decision in The Handmaid’s Tale Is All Down to Love, Says Ann Dowd

    Warning: contains trailers for instance eight of season six of The Handmaid’s Tale. In the first days of The Handmaid’s Tale, the pre-Gilead memory incidents were eagerly awaited. Before she was taken and sold into slavery, who was June Osborne? Before they participated in the revolt that destroyed America, who had Commander and Mrs. Waterford been? ]… ]

    The second post from Den of Geek was Aunt Lydia’s choice in The Handmaid’s Tale Is All Down Down To Love, Says Ann Dowd.

    Glance up on the internet! It&#8217, s a picture, it &#8217, s a teaser&#8230, No! The whole Superman trailer that we have been waiting for is here!

    After disclosing bits and pieces, DC Studios suddenly released a massive three-minute video for James Gunn‘s directed and written summer series Superman. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the central conflict of the movie, in which Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) takes advantage of public opinion turning against Superman when he stops a war in foreign lands. Additionally, it is suggested that these omissions cause friction with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and induce ripples in the Daily Planet office. Lex Luthor even manages to break into the Fortress of Solitude and wreck issues with the Engineer! And if you don&#8217, t realize who the Engineer is, son do we have some information to reveal to you &#8230,

    cnx. powershell. push ( function ( ) {cnx ( {playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530″, }). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ),

    Ms. Lane, &#8221, and &#8221, 2025 Fashion

    For all the kaiju and more meta-humans that he&#8217, s including in Superman, Gunn has often insisted that the video is generally about Superman and the square between Clark, Lois, and Lex. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the truck makes that point.

    In an effort to pique the world’s interest, Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviews Superman ( David Corenswet ) once more. But the voice is very different from any variation we&#8217, d seen in the past. We see a more sassy version of the Man of Steel because of the now friendly connection between a Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. The warrior insists that he did good because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law, and he almost gets defense at Lois&#8217, issues.

    More important though, we get to see one of the most important components of any Superman performance, the transition between mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. Christopher Reeve‘s masterful handling of that change made him a completely different person in the first film. Gunn is one of the many fans of that flick because of it.

    Reduce to 2025 and Corenswet does the same thing here, albeit it &#8217, s little more subtle. When Clark agrees to let Lois discussion Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when the discussion is about to begin, he squats up and circles his shoulders. He gives a comfortable, cheerful look and drops his speech by an octave to start. The subtlety matters, though not as much as Reeve&#8217 ;s changes. This Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas, as shown by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) acting as a motivational voiceover for Supes &#8217, his Kryptonian father Jor-El. Neither is a phony. Both of his true identities are blurred, so the ranges between them will become blurry.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo courtesy of DC Studios

    The Engineer&#8217, s Authority

    Lex Luthor’s role as the best big negative is highlighted in the trailer. Luthor believes his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle because he is driven by resentment and refuses to honor an mysterious. However, the well-groomed CEO has got a bunch of different heavy hitters to help him out, including a lady in black leather whose hands turn into swords as they destroy the Fortress of Solitude.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer initially appeared in The Authority# 1, which was written by Warren Ellis and was penciled by Bryan Hitch, in 1999. Part of the Wildstorm Universe, a comic book world separate from the DC firm, the Authority were a collection of soldiers who set themselves to making a better planet by enforcing their will. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to the Justice League, under the brush of Ellis and various artists like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, Superman faced off against a group modeled after the Authority in the famous Superman history &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221. But, when DC took full control of the Wildstorm collection, they integrated the Authority into the DC Universe where they are soldiers with doubtful techniques.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to make use of the Engineer more as a criminal or at least an adversary. The Engineer has nanotechnology that, like the T-1000 from Terminator 2, transforms her figure into a weapons, as in the cartoons. She&#8217, s evidently working alongside Lex around, but it &#8217, s hard to imagine that Gunn won&#8217, t have Supes tell the Engineer something about how to create a better world through creativity instead of power.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo courtesy of DC Studios

    That’s an Ultraman, right? Bizarro?

    Joining the Engineer in the fight against Superman is a hulking female figure in all leather. We’ve seen this person when, playing Superman in a facility. However, this is the best look we’ve had at him so much, and the best search we’ve ever had at the sign on his neck.

    That &#8220, U&#8221, formed style is common to comic book users who recognize that as the sign of Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3. Earth-3 is the terrible aspect in the DC world, where Ultraman, Owlman, and Supergirl take the helm of the Injustice League of America, replacing Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman from the Justice League of America.

    However, unlike Ultraman, who frequently runs around in a blue and red outfit, rarely has a difficulty showing his mouth. And he definitely did n&#8217, t get orders from a dork like Lex Luthor. So who is that person? Wise money suggests that the number is actually Bizarro, a weak but extraordinarily strong copy of Superman, given his enormous powers and his obscure face. It may observe that Lex did make his own type of Superman and, in a blow against his stupidity, get it wrong. Bizarro’s source has been used in the cartoons, and it would fit into Gunn’s themes.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo courtesy of DC Studios

    The Creature Commandos ‘ Rick Flag Sr.

    One of the more perplexing pieces about James Gunn&#8217, s tenure as the co-head of DC Studios is that he&#8217, s doing only a limited reset of the now defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, and it seems like the activities of Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice and Justice League didn’t take place. However, The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least one of them, did occur.

    So far the single bridge between these kingdoms is Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo. In Creature Commandos, where Flag was portrayed by Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag Jr., he was first introduced as an active character by Amanda Waller as Task Force M.

    Flag only appears very seriously in this video and escorts Superman into prison, along with the Engineer and possibly Bizarro. But his calm expression suggests that he still has a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, owing perhaps to his indignation at Flagg&#8217, s death at the hands of Peacemaker during the vision to prevent the Scholar from exploiting Starro the Conqueror in Corto Maltese. Keep in mind?

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo courtesy of DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?! ):

    The scenes of Superman in prison obviously lead to images of him in a sort of captivity made of cubic glass, suggestive of Magneto&#8217, s holding pencil in X-Men or the demon cages in The Cabin in the Woods. In the beginning, we see men beating Superman inside the jail. Afterward, he appears to have gotten the upper hand. In between we get a picture of Metamorpho, one of the more highly-anticipated characters in the movie. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, has the ability to transform himself into any substance ( possibly Kryptonite )? ), and when his hands start to turn their heads in an odd manner, we get a taste of that power at work.

    Metamorpho is just one of the heroes who show up in the trailer, which also gives us better looks at Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ) flying through the sky, Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi) using his T-spheres, and the Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. However, different individuals are spotted in the prison, suggesting that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. Except for the girl imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, it &#8217, is difficult to see any of the people. There we see a white girl in a green gown who reacts in despair.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a green gown who, for some reason, is imprisoned alongside Metamorphos and Superman. The costume, but, doesn’t seem all that different from Amethyst, a C-list fantasy hero. Created by authors Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and actor Ernie Colón, Amethyst second debuted in 1983 &#8217, s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298 and was quickly spun off into her own graphic. Amethyst is the lady of Gemworld, a wonderful place where she has great story activities.

    Although Amethyst has occasionally hosted her own set, she is not as well-known as Guy Gardner. But if Gunn&#8217, s going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe, Amethyst is a great way to provide more story into the world of characters.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will be showing in theaters.

    On Den of Geek, the first post Superman: 5 Awesome Things You Might Have Missed.

  • The Best Shows to Watch After Andor

    The Best Shows to Watch After Andor

    The Star Wars story has always been about fighting authoritarianism. We’re supposed to source for the Rebel Alliance to destroy the Death Star in A New Hope and for the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi. The movies demonstrate how readily fascism you encircle a government and get control [ …]…

    The first episode of Den of Geek was titled The Best Exhibits to See After Andor.

    Appear, up on the internet! No! It’s a picture, it’s a teaser, and it’s a teaser. The whole Superman video that we’ve been waiting for is here.

    After giving us bits and pieces, DC Studios has finally released a massive three-minute trailer for this summer &#8217, s Superman, written and directed by James Gunn. The movie’s central conflict is finally captured in the sizzle reel, where Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) exploits the public’s opposition to Superman when he ends a war in a foreign country. Additionally, it is suggested that these actions cause tension with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and produce ripples in the Daily Planet newsroom. Even apparently Lex Luthor is able to enter the Fortress of Solitude where he wrecks items with a figure called the Engineer! And if you don’t know who the Engineer is, we can show some information to you.

    cnx. powershell. cnx ( playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530 ), ) -push ( function ( ). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ),

    &#8220, Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Type

    Despite the kaiju and other meta-humans he&#8217, includes in Superman, Gunn has consistently argued that the relationship between Clark, Lois, and Lex is generally about Superman. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the truck makes that point.

    Once again, we have Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviewing Superman ( David Corenswet ) to satisfy the world &#8217, s curiosity. However, the voice is radically different from any that we’ve seen in the past. We get a feistier version of the Man of Steel, perhaps because of the previously friendly connection between Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. He almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues, with the warrior insisting that he did great because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law.

    However, more importantly, we get to witness the transition between the mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel, one of the most important aspects of any Superman efficiency. Christopher Reeve‘s masterful handling of that shift made him a completely different person in the first film. It is a favorite time for many in that flick, including Gunn.

    When you cut to 2025, Corenswet does the same point in this case, but it’s much more simple. When Clark consents to allow Lois meeting Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when it &#8217, s time for the interview to start, he sits up and rectangles his arms. He begins by dropping his speech by an octave and gives off a confident, optimistic appearance. Although not as significant as Reeve&#8217, s alterations, the subtlety things. As demonstrated by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job usually reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El, this Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas. neither is authentic. The ranges between them will become blurry because both of his true identities.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Engineer has power, according to The Engineer.

    Lex Luthor’s role as the best big negative is highlighted in the trailer. Driven by resentment and refusing to honor an alien, Luthor thinks his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle. The well-groomed CEO is assisted by a person in dark leather whose arms become blades as they attack the Fortress of Solitude, but she also has other powerful people in his life.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer second debuted in 1999 &#8217, s The Authority# 1, written by Warren Ellis and penciled by Bryan Hitch. The Authority were a group of soldiers who fought their will to make a better world by imposing their will in the comic book world known as the Wildstorm Universe. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to the Justice League, under the pencil of Ellis and various artists like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, the famous Superman account &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221, saw Superman stand up to and censure a group modeled on the Authority. Yet, when DC gained complete control over the Wildstorm collection, they incorporated the Authority, who are champions using dubious strategies, into the DC Universe.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to use the Engineer more of a criminal or at least an enemy. As in the cartoons, the Engineer has small technology that allows her to alter her body into a tool, not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2. She is obviously working alongside Lex here, but it’s difficult to imagine that Gunn won’t let Supes tell the Engineer how to make a better world through motivation rather than force.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo: DC Studios

    Is that the ultimate superhero? Bizarro?

    A hulking female figure in all set joins the Engineer in the fight against Superman. This number has previously competed with Superman in a venue. But this is the best search that we&#8217, have had at him so much, and the best search we&#8217, d gotten at the sign on his neck.

    The U&#8221-shaped architecture, which is recognizable as Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3, is well-known to comic book fans. In contrast to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman of the Justice League of America, Earth-3 serves as the terrible aspect in the DC world.

    But, Ultraman often has no problem showing his mouth and usually runs around in a blue and red outfit, not this set number. And he wouldn’t get orders from a snob like Lex Luthor, at all. So who is that person? Given his huge powers and his hidden face, bright cash suggests that the number is in fact Bizarro, a weak but super-strong copy of Superman. It may observe that Lex may create his own variation of Superman and, in a blow to his stupidity, find it incorrect. Bizarro’s source has been used in the cartoons, and it would fit into Gunn’s styles.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    Rick Flag Sr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of James Gunn’s more perplexing aspects of his position as co-head of DC Studios is that he only does a limited reset of the now-defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, but it seems like Justice League and Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice events didn’t. But The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least some version of them, did occur.

    Rick Flag Sr., who Frank Grillo has played, is the only actor who can bridge these two universes so much. In Creature Commandos, where Flag was portrayed by Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag Jr., he was first introduced as an active character by Amanda Waller as Task Force M.

    Flag does n&#8217, t get to do much in this video other than look quite severe and chauffeur Superman into prison, alongside the Engineer and maybe-Bizarro. However, his somber appearance suggests that he still harbors a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, apparently in part because of his outcry against Flagg’s death in Corto Maltese during the attempt to stop the Thinker from destroying Starro the Conqueror. Keep in mind?

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?!? )

    Superman’s arrest appears to have sparked images of him in a kind of diced glass jail, similar to Magneto’s in X-Men‘s or the demon bars in The Cabin in the Woods. Superman is first seen being beaten by soldiers inside the prison. Afterwards he seems to have gained the power to knock out. We also get a picture of Metamorpho, one of the more popular characters in the film, between them. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, has the ability to transform himself into any substance ( possibly Kryptonite )? ), and we see a bit of that power at work when his hands begin to dissolve in a peculiar way.

    The trailer also provides better views of Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi) using his T-spheres, Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. However, we also see flashes of various people in the jail, which suggests that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. It&#8217, s difficult to see any of the people, save for the lady imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, s left. A white woman wearing a red dress reacts horrifiedly there.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a green dress who, for some reason, is imprisoned alongside Metamorphos and Superman. However, the dress does n&#8217, t look very different from the one worn by a C-list story warrior called Amethyst. Amethyst, which was written by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and created by Ernie Colón, debuted in 1983’s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298, which was the first of her kind comics. Gemworld is where Amethyst has great fantasy adventures, and she is the princess of this beautiful place.

    Amethyst has carried her own set from time to time but does n&#8217, t like the exact level of popularity as yet Guy Gardner. Amethyst is a great way to add more story to the world of superheroes if Gunn&#8217 is going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will be playing in venues.

    The article Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared first on Den of Geek.

  • Ironheart Trailer Reveals Magical Villain With Strange Marvel Comic History

    Ironheart Trailer Reveals Magical Villain With Strange Marvel Comic History

    The first Ironheart trailer frequently brings home what Black Panther: Wakanda Forever viewers learned: that Riri Williams ( Dominique Thorne ) is brilliant. Under stress and threat of danger, she figures out a way to avoid an airplane death pit, establishing her trust as the greatest engineering thinking since Tony Stark. However, […]

    The second article Ironheart Trailer Reveals Magical Villain With Odd Marvel Comic History appeared initially on Den of Geek.

    Appear, up on the internet! It’s a picture, it’s a teaser, and it’s no! The whole Superman trailer that we have been waiting for is here!

    After giving us bits and pieces, DC Studios has finally released a massive three-minute trailer for this summer &#8217, s Superman, written and directed by James Gunn. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the film’s central conflict, in which Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) exploits the negative perception of the public when he ends a war in a foreign country. Additionally, it is suggested that these actions cause friction with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and induce ripples in the Daily Planet office. Even apparently Lex Luthor is able to enter the Fortress of Solitude where he wrecks items with a figure called the Engineer! And boy do we have some information to share with you if you don&#8217, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, t recognize who the Engineer is.

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    &#8220, Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Fashion

    Despite the kaiju and other meta-humans he&#8217, includes in Superman, Gunn has consistently argued that the relationship between Clark, Lois, and Lex is generally about Superman. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the truck makes that point.

    Once again, we have Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviewing Superman ( David Corenswet ) to satisfy the world &#8217, s curiosity. However, the voice is radically different from what we’ve previously seen. We see a more sassy version of the Man of Steel because of the now friendly connection between a Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. He almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues, with the warrior insisting that he did great because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law.

    However, more importantly, we get to witness the transition between the mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel, one of the most important aspects of any Superman functionality. Christopher Reeve executed that transformation in the first film wonderfully, where he transformed into a completely different person in a single shot. It is a favorite time for many in that film, including Gunn.

    Reduce to 2025, and Corenswet does the same thing here, but it’s much more simple. When Clark agrees to allow Lois meeting Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when it &#8217, s time for the interview to start, he sits up and circles his arms. He begins by dropping his speech by an octave and gives off a confident, optimistic search. The subtlety matters, though not as much as Reeve&#8217 ;s changes. As demonstrated by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job usually reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El, this Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas. Neither is a phony. The ranges between them will become blurry because both of his true identities.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Engineer has power, according to The Engineer.

    The trailer emphasizes Lex Luthor’s portrayal as the final major negative. Driven by resentment and refusing to honor an alien, Luthor thinks his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle. The well-groomed CEO, however, has access to a number of other top athletes who can assist him, including a girl in dark leather whose arms become blades as they attack the Fortress of Solitude.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer second debuted in 1999 &#8217, s The Authority# 1, written by Warren Ellis and penciled by Bryan Hitch. The Authority were a group of soldiers who vowed to improve the world by enforcing their will and were a part of the Wildstorm Universe, a humorous book world separate from the DC firm. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to the Justice League, under the brush of Ellis and various artists like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, the famous Superman account &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221, saw Superman stand up to and censure a group modeled on the Authority. Yet, when DC gained complete control over the Wildstorm collection, they incorporated the Authority, who are champions using dubious strategies, into the DC Universe.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to use the Engineer more of a criminal or at least an enemy. As in the cartoons, the Engineer has small technology that allows her to modify her body into a tool, not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2. She is undoubtedly working alongside Lex here, but it’s difficult to imagine that Gunn won’t let Supes tell the Engineer how to improve the world through inspiration rather than force.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo: DC Studios

    Is That a UFO? Bizarro?

    A massive, fully leather-clad female number joins the Engineer in the battle against Superman. This number has previously competed with Superman in a facility. But this is the best search that we&#8217, have had at him so much, and the best search we&#8217, d gotten at the sign on his neck.

    The U&#8221, U&#8221, shape of the comic book character is well-known to fans of the series because it represents Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3. Earth-3 serves as the terrible aspect in the DC world, where Ultraman, Owlman, and Supergirl take over as the Justice League of America’s guide, replacing Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

    But, Ultraman often has no problem showing his mouth and usually runs around in a blue and red outfit, not this set number. And he wouldn’t get requests from a snob like Lex Luthor, at all. Who is that person, then? Given his huge powers and his hidden face, bright cash suggests that the number is in fact Bizarro, a weak but super-strong copy of Superman. It may observe that Lex may create his own variation of Superman and, in a blow to his stupidity, get it incorrect. The comics use that source, which has been used by Bizarro, would suit the themes Gunn appears to be exploring.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    Rick Flag Sr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of the more perplexing aspects of James Gunn’s career as the co-head of DC Studios is that he’s simply doing a partial reset of the now-defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, but it seems like Justice League and Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice events didn’t. But The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least some type of them, did occur.

    The single character that can stand between these kingdoms is Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo. In Creature Commandos, where Flag was portrayed by Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag Jr., he was first introduced as an active character by Amanda Waller as Task Force M.

    Flag does n&#8217, t get to do much in this video other than look quite severe and chauffeur Superman into captivity, alongside the Engineer and maybe-Bizarro. However, his somber appearance suggests that he still harbors a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, apparently in part because of his outcry against Flagg’s death in Corto Maltese during the attempt to stop the Thinker from destroying Starro the Conqueror. Keep in mind.

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?!? )

    Superman’s arrest appears to have sparked images of him in a kind of cubic glass prison, similar to Magneto’s in X-Men or the demon bars in The Cabin in the Woods. In the jail, men immediately start beating on Superman. After he seems to have gained the power to statue out. One of the more highly anticipated characters in the film, Metamorpho, is seen in between. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, is capable of transforming himself into anything, possibly even Kryptonite. ), and we see a bit of that power at work when his hands begin to dissolve in a peculiar manner.

    The trailer also provides better views of Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. Metamorpho is just one of the heroes who appear in the trailer. However, other individuals are spotted in the jail, which suggests that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. It&#8217, s difficult to see any of the people, save for the lady imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, s left. A white woman wearing a red dress appears there and reacts in shock.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a green gown who, for some reason, is imprisoned alongside Metamorphos and Superman. However, the dress does n&#8217, t look very different from the one worn by a C-list story warrior called Amethyst. Amethyst, which was written by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and created by Ernie Colón, debuted in 1983’s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298, which was the first of her kind comics. Amethyst is the lady of Gemworld, a wonderful place where she has great story activities.

    Amethyst has carried her own set from time to time but does n&#8217, t like the exact level of popularity as yet Guy Gardner. Amethyst is a fantastic way to add more story to the world of superheroes if Gunn&#8217 is going to explore different styles for his edition of the DC Universe.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will fly into venues.

    The article Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared initially on Den of Geek.

  • Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Things You Might Have Missed

    Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Things You Might Have Missed

    Glance up on the internet! It’s a clip, it’s a teaser … No! The entire Superman video has arrived that we have been waiting for! After disclosing bits and pieces, DC Studios suddenly released a massive three-minute video for James Gunn’s directed and written summer film Superman. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the]… ]

    The second article Superman: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared initially on Den of Geek.

    Appearance up on the internet! It&#8217, s a picture, it &#8217, s a teaser&#8230, No! The whole Superman video that we’ve been waiting for is here.

    After giving us a ton of information, James Gunn and DC Studios suddenly released a massive three-minute video for this summer’s 82nd Superman. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the central conflict of the movie, in which Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) takes advantage of public opinion turning against Superman when he stops a war in foreign lands. Additionally, it’s suggested that these omissions cause tension with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and produce ripples in the Daily Planet newsroom. Lex Luthor even manages to enter the Fortress of Solitude and wreck issues with the help of the Engineer! And if you don&#8217, t realize who the Engineer is, son do we have some information to reveal to you &#8230,

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    Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Style, &#8220,

    For all the kaiju and more meta-humans that he&#8217, s including in Superman, Gunn has often insisted that the video is generally about Superman and the square between Clark, Lois, and Lex. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the video makes that point.

    In an effort to pique the world’s interest, Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviews Superman ( David Corenswet ) once more. But the voice is very different from any variation we&#8217, d seen in the past. We see a more sassy version of the Man of Steel because of the now friendly connection between a Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. The warrior insists that he did great because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law, and he almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues.

    More important though, we get to see one of the most important components of any Superman performance, the transition between mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. Christopher Reeve‘s masterful handling of that shift made him a completely different person in the first film. Gunn is one of the many fans of that flick because of it.

    Reduce to 2025 and Corenswet does the same thing below, albeit it &#8217, s little more subtle. When Clark agrees to let Lois discussion Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when the discussion is about to begin, he squats up and circles his arms. He gives a comfortable, cheerful look and drops his speech by an octave to start. The subtlety matters, though not as much as Reeve&#8217 ;s changes. This Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas, as shown by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job typically reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El. Neither is a phony. The ranges between them may become blurred because both are his true identity.

    Engineer Superman
    DC Studios, picture

    The Engineer&#8217, s Authority

    The trailer emphasizes Lex Luthor’s portrayal as the final major poor. When Superman calls a truce, Luthor believes his suspicion has been proven to be accurate because of jealousy and refusing to honor an alien. However, the well-groomed CEO has got a bunch of different heavy hitters to help him out, including a woman in dark leather whose hands turn into swords as they destroy the Fortress of Solitude.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer initially appeared in The Authority# 1, which was written by Warren Ellis and was penciled by Bryan Hitch, in 1999. Part of the Wildstorm Universe, a comic book world separate from the DC firm, the Authority were a collection of soldiers who set themselves to making a better planet by enforcing their will. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to soldiers like the Justice League, under the pencil of Ellis and other authors, including Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, Superman faced off against a crew modeled after the Authority in the famous Superman tales &#8220, What&#8217, S.F.R.R., and the American Way &#8221. But, when DC took full control of the Wildstorm collection, they integrated the Authority into the DC Universe where they are soldiers with doubtful techniques.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to use the Engineer more of a criminal or at least an enemy. The Engineer has nanotechnology that, like the T-1000 from Terminator 2, transforms her figure into a weapons, as in the cartoons. She&#8217, s evidently working alongside Lex around, but it &#8217, s hard to imagine that Gunn won&#8217, t have Supes tell the Engineer something about how to create a better world through creativity instead of power.

    Superman Arrested
    DC Studios, picture

    Is that the ultimate superhero? Bizarro?

    Joining the Engineer in the fight against Superman is a hulking female number in all set. This number has previously competed with Superman in a facility. However, this is the best search we’ve had at him so much, and the best search we’ve ever had at the sign on his chest.

    That &#8220, U&#8221, formed style is common to comic book users who recognize that as the sign of Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3. Earth-3 is the terrible aspect in the DC world, where Ultraman, Owlman, and Supergirl take the helm of the Injustice League of America, replacing Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman from the Justice League of America.

    However, unlike Ultraman, who frequently runs around in a blue and red attire, is typically unfazed to show his face. And he definitely did n&#8217, t get orders from a dork like Lex Luthor. So who is that person? Wise money suggests that the number is actually Bizarro, a weak but extraordinarily strong replica of Superman, given his enormous powers and his obscure face. It may observe that Lex did make his own type of Superman and, in a blow against his stupidity, get it wrong. The comics use that origins, which has been used by Bizarro, would suit the themes Gunn appears to be exploring.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    DC Studios, picture

    Rick Flag Jr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of the more perplexing pieces about James Gunn&#8217, s tenure as the co-head of DC Studios is that he&#8217, s doing only a limited reset of the now defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, but it seems like Justice League and Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice activities didn’t. However, there were Creature Commandos and The Suicide Squad, or at least some of them.

    So far the single bridge between these kingdoms is Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo. Flag was first introduced to him in Creature Commandos, where he was given the task of leading Task Force M by Amanda Waller. Throughout that line, Flag expresses grief over the passing of his brother Rick Flag Jr., who Joel Kinnaman played in Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad.

    Flag doesn’t do much in this video another than look really serious and escort Superman into prison, along with the Engineer and perhaps-Bizarro. But his calm expression suggests that he still has a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, owing perhaps to his indignation at Flagg&#8217, s death at the hands of Peacemaker during the vision to prevent the Scholar from exploiting Starro the Conqueror in Corto Maltese. Keep in mind.

    Metamorpho Superman
    DC Studios, picture

    The Superhero Prison: The Evolution of Amethyst (?! )

    The scenes of Superman in prison obviously lead to images of him in a sort of captivity made of cubic glass, suggestive of Magneto&#8217, s holding pencil in X-Men or the demon cages in The Cabin in the Woods. In the jail, men immediately start beating on Superman. Afterward, he appears to have gotten the upper hand. In between we get a chance of Metamorpho, one of the more highly-anticipated characters in the movie. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, has the ability to transform himself into any substance ( possibly Kryptonite )? ), and when his fingers start to turn their heads in an odd manner, we get a taste of that power at work.

    Metamorpho is just one of the heroes who show up in the trailer, which also gives us better looks at Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ) flying through the sky, Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi) using his T-spheres, and the Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. However, we also see flashes of different people in the jail, which suggests that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. Except for the woman imprisoned in the block to Superman, it &#8217, is difficult to see any of the people. There we see a white girl in a green gown who reacts in despair.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a red dress who, for some reason, is sent to the same prison as Metamorphos and Superman. The clothing, but, doesn’t seem all that different from Amethyst, a C-list fantasy hero. Created by authors Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and actor Ernie Colón, Amethyst second debuted in 1983 &#8217, s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298 and was quickly spun off into her own graphic. Gemworld, a beautiful place where Amethyst has great fantasy adventures, is where she is the princess.

    Although Amethyst has occasionally hosted her own set, she is not as well-known as Guy Gardner. But if Gunn&#8217, s going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe, Amethyst is a great way to provide more story into the world of characters.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will be showing in theaters.

    The second article Superman: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared initially on Den of Geek.

  • Andor: Dedra Meero Gets the Most Fitting Fate of Any Star Wars Villain

    Andor: Dedra Meero Gets the Most Fitting Fate of Any Star Wars Villain

    This article contains spoilers for Rogue One, Andor season 2 shows 10, 11, and 12 and Rogue One. It feels like the Tony Gilroy-created Andor is already over before it even began. The bold move to divide the last 12 episodes into four episodes [ …] happened while year 1 of the sci-fi detective thriller moved at a snail’s pace.

    Den of Geek‘s second article Andor: Dedra Meero Gets the Most Fitting Death of Any Star Wars Villain.

    Appear, up on the internet! It&#8217, is a picture, is a teaser&#8217, is a teaser&#8230, No! It’s the whole Superman trailer that we’ve been waiting for!

    After giving us bits and pieces, DC Studios has finally released a massive three-minute trailer for this summer &#8217, s Superman, written and directed by James Gunn. The sizzle reel finally gives a sense of the film’s central conflict, in which Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) exploits the negative perception of the public when he ends a war in a foreign country. Additionally, it is suggested that these omissions cause tension with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and produce ripples in the Daily Planet newsroom. Even apparently Lex Luthor is able to enter the Fortress of Solitude where he wrecks items with a figure called the Engineer! And if you don’t know who the Engineer is, we can show some information to you.

    cnx. command. cnx ( playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530 ), ): function ( ). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ),.

    &#8220, Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Design

    Despite the kaiju and other meta-humans he&#8217, includes in Superman, Gunn has consistently argued that the relationship between Clark, Lois, and Lex is mainly about Superman. The first scenes of the video make that point in its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the first Superman movie from 1978.

    Once again, we have Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviewing Superman ( David Corenswet ) to satisfy the world &#8217, s curiosity. However, the voice is radically different from any that we’ve seen in the history. We see a more sassy version of the Man of Steel because of the now friendly connection between a Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. He almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues, with the warrior insisting that he did great because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law.

    However, more importantly, we get to witness the transition between the mild-mannered Clark Kent and the Man of Steel, one of the most important aspects of any Superman functionality. Christopher Reeve‘s masterful handling of that shift made him a completely different person in the first film. It is a favorite time for many in that flick, including Gunn.

    Slice to 2025, and Corenswet does the same thing here, but it’s much more simple. When Clark consents to allow Lois interview Superman, he sits back and poses in slouche. But when it &#8217, s time for the interview to start, he sits up and circles his arms. He appears comfortable and upbeat, and he drops his speech by one octave to start. Although not as significant as Reeve&#8217, s alterations, the subtlety things. As demonstrated by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job usually reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El, this Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas. Neither is a phony. The ranges between them will become blurry because both of his true identities.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Engineer has jurisdiction, according to The Engineer.

    Lex Luthor’s role as the final big negative is highlighted in the trailer. Driven by resentment and refusing to honor an alien, Luthor thinks his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle. The well-groomed CEO, however, has a number of other top athletes who can assist him, including a girl in dark leather whose arms become blades as they attack the Fortress of Solitude.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer second debuted in 1999 &#8217, s The Authority# 1, written by Warren Ellis and penciled by Bryan Hitch. The Authority were a group of soldiers who set themselves to make a better planet by enforcing their would. They were a part of the Wildstorm Universe, a humorous book world distinct from the DC secure. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to soldiers like the Justice League, under the pencil of Ellis and other authors, including Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, the famous Superman history &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221, saw Superman stand up to and censure a group modeled on the Authority. But, when DC gained complete control over the Wildstorm collection, they incorporated the Authority into the DC Universe, creating a hero with dubious methods.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to make the Engineer a more effective criminal or at least adversary. As in the cartoons, the Engineer has small technology that allows her to alter her body into a tool, not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2. She is obviously working alongside Lex here, but it’s difficult to imagine that Gunn won’t let Supes tell the Engineer how to make a better world through motivation rather than force.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo: DC Studios

    Is That a UFO? Bizarro?

    A massive, fully leather-clad female number joins the Engineer in the battle against Superman. We’ve seen this person before, competing against Superman in a facility. But this is the best search that we&#8217, have had at him so much, and the best search we&#8217, d gotten at the sign on his neck.

    The U&#8221, U&#8221, shape of the comic book character is well-known to fans of the series because it represents Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3. In contrast to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman of the Justice League of America, Earth-3 serves as the terrible aspect in the DC world.

    But, Ultraman often has no problem showing his mouth and usually runs around in a blue and red outfit, not this set number. And he wouldn’t take requests from a dork like Lex Luthor, without a doubt. So who is that person? Given his huge powers and his hidden face, bright cash suggests that the number is in fact Bizarro, a weak but super-strong copy of Superman. Lex had then create his own type of Superman and, in a blow to his stupidity, correct it. That nature, which has been used in the comics for Bizarro, would fit into the themes Gunn appears to be exploring.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    Rick Flag Sr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of the more perplexing aspects of James Gunn’s career as the co-head of DC Studios is that he’s simply doing a limited reset of the now-defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, and it seems like the activities of Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice and Justice League didn’t take place. But The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least some type of them, did occur.

    Rick Flag Sr., who Frank Grillo has played, is the only actor who can bridge these two kingdoms so much. Flag was first introduced to him in Creature Commandos, where he was given the task of leading Task Force M by Amanda Waller. Throughout that line, Flag expresses grief over the passing of his brother Rick Flag Jr., who Joel Kinnaman played in Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad.

    Flag does n&#8217, t get to do much in this video other than look quite severe and chauffeur Superman into prison, alongside the Engineer and maybe-Bizarro. However, his calm appearance suggests that he still harbors a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, apparently in part because of his outcry against Flagg&#8217’s death at the hands of Peacemaker during the attempt to stop the Scholar from molesting Starro the Conqueror in Corto Maltese. Keep in mind.

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?!? )

    Superman’s arrest appears to have sparked images of him in a kind of diced glass jail, similar to Magneto’s in X-Men or the demon bars in The Cabin in the Woods. In the jail, men immediately start beating on Superman. After he seems to have gained the power to knock out. One of the more highly anticipated characters in the film is Metamorpho, who is portrayed in a photo between the two. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, has the ability to transform himself into any substance ( possibly Kryptonite )? ), and we see a bit of that power at work when his hands begin to dissolve in a peculiar manner.

    The trailer also provides better views of Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi) using his T-spheres, Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. However, different individuals are spotted in the prison, suggesting that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. It&#8217, s difficult to see any of the people, save for the lady imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, s left. A white woman wearing a pink dress appears that and reacts horrified.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a green dress who, for some reason, is sent to the same prison as Metamorphos and Superman. However, the dress does n&#8217, t look very different from the one worn by a C-list story warrior called Amethyst. Amethyst, which was written by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and created by Ernie Colón, debuted in 1983’s The Army of Super-Heroes# 298, which was the first of her kind comic. Gemworld, a beautiful place where Amethyst has great fantasy adventures, is where she is the princess.

    Amethyst has carried her own set from time to time but does n&#8217, t like the exact level of popularity as yet Guy Gardner. Amethyst is a great way to add more story to the world of superheroes if Gunn&#8217 is going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will fly into venues.

    The article Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared initially on Den of Geek.

  • Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review – Tom Cruise Fights the Big Goodbye

    Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review – Tom Cruise Fights the Big Goodbye

    The old-fashioned activity hero is a dying breed, just like the old-fashioned film star. Tom Cruise is acutely aware of this since very much all of his licensed work in the 2020s have been about the beauties of the receding old time and way. For instance, Top Gun: Maverick outlined the reasons why we still [ ].

    Tom Cruise Battles the Big Goodbye in Mission: Unattainable: The Final Reckoning Review appeared first on Den of Geek.

    Appear, up on the internet! No! It’s a picture, it’s a teaser, and it’s a teaser. The whole Superman video that we’ve been waiting for is here.

    After giving us bits and pieces, DC Studios has finally released a massive three-minute trailer for this summer &#8217, s Superman, written and directed by James Gunn. The movie’s central conflict is finally captured in the sizzle reel, where Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) exploits the public’s opposition to Superman when he ends a war in a foreign country. Additionally, it is suggested that these omissions cause tension with the movie’s pseudo-Justice League and produce ripples in the Daily Planet newsroom. Even apparently Lex Luthor is able to enter the Fortress of Solitude where he wrecks items with a figure called the Engineer! And boy do we have some information to share with you if you don&#8217, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, don&#8230, t realize who the Engineer is.

    cnx. powershell. cnx ( playerId:” 106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530 ), ) -push ( function ( ). render ( “0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796” ),

    &#8220, Ms. Lane, &#8221, 2025 Fashion

    Despite the kaiju and other meta-humans he&#8217, includes in Superman, Gunn has often argued that the film is generally about Superman and the relationship between Clark, Lois, and Lex. In its first moments, which even return to a favorite scene from the 1978 Superman film, the video makes that point.

    Once again, we have Lois ( Rachel Brosnahan ) interviewing Superman ( David Corenswet ) to satisfy the world &#8217, s curiosity. However, the voice is radically different from what we’ve previously seen. We see a more sassy version of the Man of Steel because of the now friendly connection between a Lois and Clark, where she is aware that he is Superman. He almost gets defensive at Lois&#8217, issues, with the warrior insisting that he did excellent because it needed to be done, and that counts more than issues of international law.

    We also get to see the transition between the Man of Steel and Clark Kent, one of the most important aspects of any Superman performance. Christopher Reeve executed that change brilliantly in the first film, where he transformed into a completely different person in a single shot. It is a favorite time for many in that film, including Gunn.

    Slice to 2025, and Corenswet does the same thing here, but it’s much more simple. When Clark agrees to let Lois discussion Superman, he sits back and slouches. But when it &#8217, s time for the interview to start, he sits up and rectangles his arms. He appears comfortable and upbeat, and he drops his speech by an octave to the beginning. The subtlety things, though not as much as Reeve&#8217, s adjustments. As demonstrated by the emphasis on Smallville here, with Pa Kent ( Pruitt Taylor Vince ) giving an inspirational voiceover, a job usually reserved for Supes &#8217, s Kryptonian father Jor-El, this Superman is both a son of Krypton and a son of Kansas. neither is authentic. Both of his true identities are blurred, so the ranges between them will become blurry.

    Engineer Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Engineer&#8217, s power

    Lex Luthor’s role as the best big negative is highlighted in the trailer. Driven by resentment and refusing to honor an alien, Luthor thinks his trust has been proven right when Superman stops a battle. The well-groomed CEO, however, has a number of other top athletes who can assist him, including a girl in dark leather whose arms become blades as they attack the Fortress of Solitude.

    Mara Gabriela de Fara plays the Engineer, and she needs some explanations. The Engineer initially debuted in 1999 &#8217, s The Authority# 1, written by Warren Ellis and penciled by Bryan Hitch. The Authority were a group of heroes who fought their will to make a better world by imposing their will in the comic book world known as the Wildstorm Universe. The Authority applied depraved geopolitics to characters, something that is contrary to the Justice League, under the pencil of Ellis and various artists like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison. In fact, the famous Superman account &#8220, What&#8217, s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way &#8221, saw Superman stand up to and censure a group modeled on the Authority. Yet, when DC gained complete control over the Wildstorm range, they incorporated the Authority, who are champions using dubious strategies, into the DC Universe.

    According to the video, Gunn intends to make use of the Engineer more as a criminal or at least an adversary. As in the cartoons, the Engineer has small technology that allows her to modify her body into a tool, not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2. She is undoubtedly working alongside Lex in this, but it’s difficult to imagine Gunn won’t let Supes tell the Engineer how to make a better world through motivation rather than force.

    Superman Arrested
    Photo: DC Studios

    Is That a UFO? Bizarro?

    A hulking female number in all leather joins the Engineer in the fight against Superman. This number has previously competed with Superman in a facility. But this is the best search that we&#8217, have had at him so much, and the best search we&#8217, d gotten at the sign on his neck.

    The U&#8221-shaped style, which is recognizable as Ultraman, the Superman of Earth-3, is well-known to comic book fans. Earth-3 serves as the terrible aspect in the DC world, where Ultraman, Owlman, and Supergirl take over as the Justice League of America’s guide, replacing Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

    But, Ultraman often has no problem showing his mouth and usually runs around in a blue and red outfit, not this set number. And he wouldn’t get requests from a snob like Lex Luthor, at all. So who is that person? Given his huge powers and his hidden face, bright cash suggests that the number is in fact Bizarro, a weak but super-strong copy of Superman. It may observe that Lex may create his own edition of Superman and, in a blow to his stupidity, find it incorrect. Bizarro’s source has been used in the cartoons, and it would fit into Gunn’s themes.

    Frank Grillo in Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    Rick Flag Sr. of the Creature Commandos

    One of the more perplexing aspects of James Gunn’s career as the co-head of DC Studios is that he’s simply doing a limited reset of the now-defunct DCEU. Yes, Henry Cavill is no longer a Superman, and it seems like the activities of Batman v. Superman: The Sun of Justice and Justice League didn’t take place. But The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos, or at least some version of them, did occur.

    The sole character that can stand between these two worlds is Rick Flag Sr., who is played by Frank Grillo. Flag was first introduced to him in Creature Commandos, where he was given the task of leading Task Force M by Amanda Waller. Throughout that line, Flag expresses grief over the passing of his brother Rick Flag Jr., who Joel Kinnaman played in Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad.

    Flag does n&#8217, t get to do much in this video other than look quite severe and chauffeur Superman into captivity, alongside the Engineer and maybe-Bizarro. However, his calm appearance suggests that he still harbors a suspicion of men who take things into their own hands, apparently in part because of his outcry against Flagg&#8217’s death at the hands of Peacemaker during the attempt to stop the Scholar from molesting Starro the Conqueror in Corto Maltese. Keep in mind.

    Metamorpho Superman
    Photo: DC Studios

    The Superhero Prison With Metamorphosis and Amethyst (?!? )

    Superman’s arrest appears to have sparked images of him in a kind of cubic glass jail, similar to Magneto’s in X-Men or the demon bars in The Cabin in the Woods. Superman is immediately seen being beaten by soldiers inside the prison. After he seems to have gained the power to statue out. One of the more highly anticipated characters in the film is Metamorpho, who is portrayed in a photo between the two. Metamorpho, who is played by Anthony Carrigan, is capable of transforming himself into anything, possibly even Kryptonite. ), and we see a bit of that power at work when his hands begin to dissolve in a peculiar manner.

    The trailer also provides better views of Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) using his power ring in a particularly jerky way. Metamorpho is just one of the heroes who appear in the trailer. However, we also see flashes of various people in the jail, which suggests that there are perhaps even more metahumans than we think. It&#8217, s difficult to see any of the people, save for the female imprisoned in the block to Superman&#8217, s left. A white woman wearing a pink dress appears it and reacts horrified.

    On the one hand, that might just be a typical woman wearing a green dress who, for some reason, is imprisoned alongside Metamorphos and Superman. However, the dress does n&#8217, t look very different from the one worn by a C-list story warrior called Amethyst. Crystal first debuted in 1983 &#8217, with the publication The Army of Super-Heroes# 298, and was quickly turned into her own humorous. It was written by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn and by Ernie Colón. Gemworld, a beautiful place where Amethyst has great fantasy adventures, is where she is the princess.

    Amethyst has carried her own set from time to time but does n&#8217, t like the exact level of popularity as yet Guy Gardner. Amethyst is a great way to add more story to the world of superheroes if Gunn&#8217 is going to look into different categories for his edition of the DC Universe.

    On July 11, 2025, Superman will be playing in venues.

    The blog Superman Trailer: 5 Awesome Stuff You Might Have Missed appeared first on Den of Geek.

  • That’s Not My Burnout

    That’s Not My Burnout

    Are you like me when I read about people who fade away as they age and who don’t have any sense of connection? Do you feel like your feelings are invisible to the planet because you’re experiencing burnout different? Our primary comes through more when stress starts to press down on us. Beautiful, quiet souls get softer and dissipate into that remote and distracted fatigue we’ve all read about. But some of us, those with fires constantly burning on the sides of our key, getting hotter. I have hearth in my brain. When I face fatigue I twice over, triple down, burning hotter and hotter to try to best the issue. I don’t fade; I’m suffocated by a passionate fatigue.

    But what on earth is a passionate burnout?

    Imagine a person determined to do it all. She is homeschooling two wonderful children while her husband, who is also working mildly, is likewise homeschooling. She has a demanding customer fill at work—all of whom she loves. She wakes up early to get some movement in ( or frequently catch up on work ), prepares dinner while the kids are having breakfast, and works while positioning herself near the end of her “fourth grade” to watch as she balances clients, tasks, and budgets. Sound like a bit? Also with a supportive group both at home and at work, it is.

    Sounds like this person needs self-care and has too much on her disk. But no, she doesn’t have occasion for that. She begins to feel as though she’s dropping pellets. Never accomplishing much. There’s not enough of her to be here and that, she is trying to divide her head in two all the time, all day, every day. She begins to question herself. And as those thoughts creep in more and more, her domestic tale becomes more and more important.

    She instantly KNOWS what she must do! She really DO MORE.

    This is a difficult and dangerous period. Know the reasons. Because when she doesn’t end that new purpose, that storyline will get worse. She immediately starts failing. She isn’t doing much. SHE is not enough. She’ll discover more she may do because she might neglect, or perhaps her home. She doesn’t nap as much, proceed because much, all in the attempts to do more. Not succeeds in any objective target despite constantly trying to prove herself to herself. Not feeling “enough”.

    But, yeah, that’s what zealous burnout looks like for me. It doesn’t develop immediately in a great sign; it develops gradually over the course of several weeks and months. My burning out process looks like speeding up, not a man losing target. I move quickly and steadily, but I simply quit.

    I am the one who had

    It’s interesting the things that shape us. Through the camera of my youth, I witnessed the battles, sacrifices, and fears of a person who had to make it all work without having much. I was happy that my mom was so competent and my dad sympathetic, I never went without and also got an extra here or there.

    When my mother gave me food stamps as a child, I didn’t think shame; rather, I would have good started any debates about the subject, orally eviscerating anyone who dared to criticize the handicapped girl who was attempting to ensure all of our needs were met with so little. As a child, I watched the way the worry of not making those begins meet impacted people I love. As the non-disabled people in my home, I did take on many of the real things because I was” the one who was” make our lives a little easier. I soon realized that putting more of myself into it was linked to fears or confusion; I am the one who does. I learned first that when something frightens me, I may double down and work harder to make it better. I am capable of taking on the problem. When people have seen this in me as an child, I’ve been told I seem brave, but make no mistake, I’m not. If I seem courageous, it’s because this conduct was forged from other people’s worries.

    And here I am, more than 30 years later, also feeling the urge to aimlessly force myself forward when faced with daunting tasks in front of me, assuming that I am the one who is and consequently does. I find myself driven to show that I may make things happen if I work longer hours, take on more responsibility, and do more.

    Because I have seen how powerful a fiscally challenged person can be, I do not see people who struggle economically as problems because they are pulled along the way. I really get that I have been privileged to be able to prevent many of the problems that were current in my children. That said, I am also” the one who can” who feels she does, but if I were faced with not having much to make ends meet for my own home, I do see myself as having failed. Despite my best efforts and education, the majority of this is due to great riches. I will, but, permit myself the pride of saying I have been cautious with my options to have encouraged that chance. My sense of self is the result of the notion that I am” the one who can” and feel compelled to accomplish the most. I can choose to halt, and with some pretty precise warm water splashed in my face, I’ve made the choice to previously. But that choosing to stop is not my go-to, I move forward, driven by a fear that is so a part of me that I barely notice it’s there until I’m feeling utterly worn away.

    Why all this history, then? You see, burnout is a fickle thing. Over the years, I’ve read and heard a lot about burnout. Burnout is real. Especially now, with COVID, many of us are balancing more than we ever have before—all at once! It’s difficult, and the avoidance, shutting down, and procrastination have an impact on so many amazing professionals. There are important articles that relate to what I imagine must be the majority of people out there, but not me. Not at the time of my burnout, though.

    The dangerous invisibility of zealous burnout

    A lot of work environments see the extra hours, extra effort, and overall focused commitment as an asset ( and sometimes that’s all it is ). They see someone attempting to overcome obstacles, not a person who is ensnared in fear. Many well-meaning organizations have safeguards in place to protect their teams from burnout. However, in situations like this, alarms don’t always ring, and some organization members are surprised and depressed when the inevitable stop occurs. And sometimes maybe even betrayed.

    Parents—more so mothers, statistically speaking—are praised as being so on top of it all when they can work, be involved in the after-school activities, practice self-care in the form of diet and exercise, and still meet friends for coffee or wine. Many of us watched endless streaming COVID episodes to see how challenging the female protagonist is, but she is strong, funny, and capable of doing it. It’s a “very special episode” when she breaks down, cries in the bathroom, woefully admits she needs help, and just stops for a bit. Truth be told, countless people are avoiding tears or doomscrolling to flee. We know that the media is a lie to amuse us, but often the perception that it’s what we should strive for has penetrated much of society.

    Women and burnout

    I cherish men. And though I don’t love every man ( heads up, I don’t love every woman or nonbinary person either ), I think there is a beautiful spectrum of individuals who represent that particular binary gender.

    Despite this, especially in these COVID stressed out times, women are still more likely than their male counterparts to be burnout vulnerable. Mothers in the workplace feel the pressure to do all the “mom” things while giving 110 %. Mothers not in the workplace feel they need to do more to” justify” their lack of traditional employment. Women who are not mothers frequently feel the need to work even more because they aren’t under that much pressure at home. It’s vicious and systemic and so a part of our culture that we’re often not even aware of the enormity of the pressures we put on ourselves and each other.

    And there are costs that go beyond happiness. Harvard Health Publishing released a study a decade ago that “uncovered strong links between women’s job stress and cardiovascular disease”. The CDC noted,” Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing 299, 578 women in 2017—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths”.

    According to what I’ve read, this connection between work stress and health is more dangerous for women than it is for their non-female counterparts.

    But what if your burnout isn’t like that either?

    You might not be the same as that. After all, each of us is so different and how we respond to stressors is too. It’s part of what makes us human. Don’t put too much emphasis on how burnout looks; instead, learn to recognize it in yourself. Here are a few questions I sometimes ask friends if I am concerned about them.

    Are you content? This simple question should be the first thing you ask yourself. Chances are, even if you’re burning out doing all the things you love, as you approach burnout you’ll just stop taking as much joy from it all.

    Do you feel like you have the authority to refuse? I have observed in myself and others that when someone is burning out, they no longer feel they can say no to things. Even those who don’t” speed up” feel pressured to say yes to not let the people around them be disappointed.

    What are three things you’ve done for yourself? Another observance is that we all tend to stop doing things for ourselves. anything from avoiding conversations with friends to skipping showers and eating poorly. These can be red flags.

    Are you using justifications? Many of us try to disregard feelings of burnout. Over and over I have heard,” It’s just crunch time”,” As soon as I do this one thing, it will all be better”, and” Well I should be able to handle this, so I’ll figure it out”. And it might actually be crunch time, a single objective, or a set of skills you need to master. That happens—life happens. BUT if all of this doesn’t stop, be open to yourself. If you’ve worked more 50-hour weeks since January than not, maybe it’s not crunch time—maybe it’s a bad situation that you’re burning out from.

    Do you have a plan to stop feeling this way? If something has an exit route with a pause button if it is truly temporary and you do need to simply push through, it does.
    defined end.

    Take the time to listen to your friend in the same way. Be honest, allow yourself to be uncomfortable, and break the thought cycles that prevent you from healing.

    So now what?

    Although what I just described is a different path to burnout, it is still burnout. There are well-established approaches to working through burnout:

    • Get enough sleep.
    • Eat healthy.
    • Work out.
    • Leave the house.
    • Take a break.
    • Practice self-care in general.

    Those are hard for me because they feel like more tasks. If I’m in the burnout cycle, doing any of the above for me feels like a waste. Why would I take care of myself when I’m dropping all those other balls, according to the narrative? People need me, right?

    Your inner voice might be pretty bad by now if you’re deeply in the cycle. If you need to, tell yourself you need to take care of the person your people depend on. If your roles are pushing you toward burnout, use them to help make healing easier by justifying the time spent working on you.

    I have come up with a few suggestions for me to help me remember the airline attendant’s advice to put on your face first when I feel burned out.

    Cook an elaborate meal for someone!

    Okay, since I’m a “food-focused” person, I’ve always been a fan. There are countless tales in my home of someone walking into the kitchen and turning right around and walking out when they noticed I was” chopping angrily”. But it’s more than that, and you should give it a try. Seriously. It’s the perfect go-to if you don’t feel worthy of taking time for yourself—do it for someone else. Because the majority of us work in a digital world, cooking can pique all of your senses and make you immerse in the moment in all your ways of seeing the world. It can break you out of your head and help you gain a better perspective. In my house, I’ve been known to pick a place on the map and cook food that comes from wherever that is ( thank you, Pinterest ). I enjoy making Indian food because the smells are warm, the bread needs just enough kneading to keep my hands engaged, and the process requires real attention for me because it’s not what I was raised making. And in the end, we all win!

    Vent like a sniveling jerk.

    Be careful with this one!

    I have been making an effort to practice more gratitude over the past few years, and I recognize the true benefits of that. Having said that, sometimes you just need to let it all out, even the ugly ones. Hell, I’m a big fan of not sugarcoating our lives, and that sometimes means that to get past the big pile of poop, you’re gonna wanna complain about it a bit.

    When that is required, turn to a trusted friend and give yourself some pure verbal diarrhea by expressing all your concerns. You need to trust this friend not to judge, to see your pain, and, most importantly, to tell you to remove your cranium from your own rectal cavity. Seriously, it’s about getting a reality check here! One of the things I admire most about my husband is how he can simplify things down to their simplest bits, despite often after the fact. ” We’re spending our lives together, of course you’re going to disappoint me from time to time, so get over it” has been his way of speaking his dedication, love, and acceptance of me—and I could not be more grateful. Of course, it required that I remove my head from that rectal cavity. So, again, usually those moments are appreciated in hindsight.

    Pick up a book!

    There are many books out there that are more like people sharing their stories and how they’ve come to find greater balance than they are self-help. Maybe you’ll find something that speaks to you. Among the titles that have stood out to me are:

    • Thrive by Arianna Huffington
    • Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
    • Girl, Stop apologizing, Rachel Hollis
    • Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

    Or, if I love to read or listen to a book that doesn’t have anything to do with my work-life balance, I can use another tactic. I’ve read the following books and found they helped balance me out because my mind was pondering their interesting topics instead of running in circles:

    • The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart
    • Darin Olien’s Superlife
    • A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived by Adam Rutherford
    • Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden is available.

    If you’re not into reading, pick up a topic on YouTube or choose a podcast to subscribe to. I’ve watched countless permaculture and gardening topics in addition to how to raise chickens and ducks. For the record, I don’t currently have a particularly large food garden or raise any kind of livestock. I just find the topic interesting, and it has nothing to do with any aspect of my life that needs anything from me.

    Give yourself a break.

    You are never going to be perfect—hell, it would be boring if you were. It’s OK to be broken and flawed. It’s human nature to be depressed, anxious, and tired. It’s OK to not do it all. You can’t be brave without being imperfect, which is terrifying.

    This last one is the most important: allow yourself permission to NOT do it all. You never promised to be everything to everyone at all times. Our fears determine our strength, not ours.

    This is hard. I struggle with it. It’s what’s driven me to write this—that it’s OK to stop. It’s OK that your unhealthy habit that might even benefit those around you needs to end. You can still succeed in life.

    I recently read that we are all writing our eulogy in how we live. What will your professional accomplishments say, knowing that yours won’t be mentioned in that speech? What do you want it to say?

    Look, I get that none of these ideas will “fix it”, and that’s not their purpose. Only how we react to the things around us is what we control. These suggestions are to help stop the spiral effect so that you are empowered to address the underlying issues and choose your response. They are things that most of the time work for me. Maybe they’ll work for you.

    Does this sound familiar?

    If this sounds familiar, you’re not just going to know about it. Don’t let your negative self-talk tell you that you “even burn out wrong”. It’s not improper. Even if rooted in fear like my own drivers, I believe that this need to do more comes from a place of love, determination, motivation, and other wonderful attributes that make you the amazing person you are. We’re going to be OK, ya know. The lives that come before us might never have the same meaning as the one we’re striving for, which is acceptable because the only way to judge is in the mirror when we stop and look around.

    Do you remember that Winnie the Pooh sketch that had Pooh eat so much at Rabbit’s house that his buttocks couldn’t fit through the door? It came as no surprise when Rabbit abruptly declared that this was unacceptable because I already associate a lot with him. But do you recall what happened next? He put a shelf across poor Pooh’s ankles and decorations on his back, and made the best of the big butt in his kitchen.

    We are resourceful and aware that we can push ourselves when necessary, even when we are exhausted or have a ton of clutter in our room. None of us has to be afraid, as we can manage any obstacle put in front of us. And maybe that means we will need to redefine success to make room for comfortable human space, but that doesn’t really sound that bad either.

    So, wherever you are right now, please breathe. Do what you need to do to get out of your head. Give thanks and be considerate.