The Role Of Doctor Strange In The Infinity War

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Doctor Strange has been a fan favorite among Marvel fans. The iconic superhero’s movie last year was one of the most anticipated in Marvel history. He may not be as mainstream as Iron Man or Captain America, but Doctor Strange is just as significant to the universe in the bigger picture.

In the Infinity Gauntlet saga, on which the new Infinity War movie will be loosely based, Doctor Strange, Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, plays a very significant role alongside Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer. It was Doctor Strange’s duty to provide passage for the remaining superheroes of Earth to Thanos’ battleground to do battle with the Mad Titan. It was also Doctor Strange’s role to retrieve and rescue whoever hero was injured and wasn’t killed by Thanos outright.

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Although it’s unclear whether or not that’ll be his role in the upcoming movie, one thing’s for sure – he has the Time gem, which Thanos will be hunting for to complete the Infinity Gauntlet. That makes things a whole lot more interesting because then, Doctor Strange will directly be in Thanos’ path.

We still have around ten months to go to find out, but I for one, am sure as heck excited to see how Doctor Strange fits in with Earth’s mightiest heroes as they try to avoid total annihilation at the hands of Thanos.

Bradley J. Sterling here. I read superhero comics and I love superhero movies. Check out this blog for more superhero updates.

Why It’s Wrong To Exclude Adam Warlock In “Avengers: Infinity War”

When the emergence of Adam Warlock was teased at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, fanboys and fangirls everywhere were united in celebration. But then, shortly after, the news about the exclusion of Adam Warlock in Avengers: Infinity War hit social media, breaking the hearts of geeks everywhere. Excluding Warlock from joining the Infinity War would be like not inviting your coolest uncle, who’s just flown into town, to your family reunion.

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For old-school Marvel fans, Adam Warlock is the holder of the Soul Gem, which is one of the Infinity Gems of the Infinity Gauntlet. He is also a quasi-friend of Thanos of Titan, the main bad guy of the Marvel Universe. It was Warlock who schooled Earth’s heroes on the dangers of confronting Thanos, before rallying them to make one last stand against the Mad Titan. It was Warlock who brought the cosmic beings together for a final salvo against Thanos. And it was Warlock who was the architect of the severely intricate plan that robbed Thanos of ultimate power.

Adam Warlock, the Silver Surfer, and Doctor Strange were the three people responsible in bringing the fight to Thanos, with Warlock dealing one of the greatest final hands in graphic novel history. He has been intrinsically tied to Thanos since they began, and his exclusion will be more than tragic to the lore.

Image source: comicvine.com

Come on Marvel higher-ups, change your darn minds!

Hi there! I’m Bradley J. Sterling, theater student from UCLA. Learn more about the stuff I love by checking out this page.

How “Avengers: Infinity War” Should Work Out

Next year, the most anticipated superhero movie of all-time will be released in theaters. Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War has been hyped up so much ever since it was announced three years ago at San Diego Comic Con, that it has amassed a following unlike any other superhero movie before it. For the first time since the first Avengers movie, multiple heroes (and villains) will be appearing together in feature film.

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Now, you may say that the first and second Avengers movie already achieved that. Even Captain America: Civil War had a lot of major heroes go at it. But none of those movies attempted a Marvel Universe-wide scope the way Infinity War is attempting it.

The biggest piece of the puzzle is the inclusion of Thanos of Titan, who in the comics is the main bad guy. Of course, it wouldn’t be an “Infinity War” without the legendary Infinity Stones and the mighty Infinity Gauntlet.

Next up, we’ll be needing to see some cosmic beings. Having Ego, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was a good sign. Also having Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy means the conflict will be much more than simply one contained on Earth.

Basically, Avengers: Infinity War should be halved, with preparations happening on Earth and the war itself happening off-world. I hope we receive more updates, because I for one am finding it impossible to wait for.

Image source: nerdreactor.com

Hi there! I’m Bradley J. Sterling, theater student from UCLA. I love superhero films. For more on the stuff I love, check out this page.

Economy Of Notes And The Tones Of Pop

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One that we might see recurring in modern popular music today is that much of it is composed mainly of melodies derived from the same progression of four notes. Called the pop-progression, these same four notes really do sound rather versatile (scientifically proven, too), and works across such disparate genres from punk rock to blues. This is ironic in that many pop genres originated from jazz, which has seven chords and can be incredibly complex.

A mostly countercultural version, which appears cyclical with its four-note counterpart, is the three-chord progression, usually seen among alternative rock circles, often with the moniker “three chords and the truth,” eschewing any additional complexity.

These chords are subject of major criticism (and a lot of jokes) from music circles. Pop-punk progression is dismissed as trite and soulless, whereas the less polished three chord progression is derided as unsophisticated and pretentious. Both are subject to a common criticism: after a while, they all sound pretty much the same.

Image source: guitar-skill-builder.com

Let’s get one thing out of the way, first, shall we. Despite what you might read here, there is no one “golden mean” of chords that guarantee that a song would be good. A good composition can have as many or as little notes as it needs to have. But complexity (or the lack thereof) itself is not a benchmark for quality.

In much the same way that an artist can create a masterpiece using just a small but complementary palette of color, so can a musician make a great song from just a few notes. There are many reasons why a song is good (or abysmal), and it is rarely because it sounds vaguely like another song.

The name’s Bradley J. Sterling, music fan and UCLA theater major. For more on my thoughts about music theory and musical theater, follow me on Twitter.

The Greatest Pianists Of All Time

As a pianist, I consider playing the piano one of the easiest to learn yet hardest to master instruments. There’s a lot of great contemporary pianists out there. But who are the greatest pianists who ever lived?

1. Ludwig Van Beethoven

He was known as a great composer, but he was a great pianist first. Taught by his father, he learned to play the piano at age 4. He was a natural. At age 20, he started losing his hearing. That didn’t stop him playing. At age 30, he premiered the Septet (Op. 20), one of his most famous pieces.

Image source: wikemedia.org

2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

We may have never heard him play. But his Piano Concerto No.21 will give you an idea of the musical genius that he is. It’s sad though that he died at age 35.

3. Frederic Chopin

His playing style was subtle and soft, similar to his polite nature. His playing was so delicate that listeners said that he had the ability to create inky and subtle colors. He was more of a poet than a keyboard acrobat.

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4. Martha Argerich

Opposite to Chopin, Argerich plays with savage speed she would destroy you in a piano duel. But despite her fierce attack in playing, she had a soft touch to wonderfully complement her music.

Hi, I’m Bradley J. Sterling. If you love music, follow me on Twitter for more updates on the music industry.

The Hitmakers: Who Are The World’s Greatest Music Producers?

If you’re a music lover, it’s not enough that you know how a song goes. For the avid ones, sometimes it’s important to know who the producer is. Sometimes I can tell just by the arrangement. In case you have no idea who the greatest hitmakers of our time are, I’ll talk about some of them on this post.

Max Martin

What would pop music be without this Swedish producer? Since the bubblegum pop ear, Max Martin has been churning out hit after hit such as Britney’s “...Baby One More Time” and Katy Perry’s “Roar”. The producer also helped Taylor Swift with her album 1989 which garnered Best Album nods.

Image source: Charismanews.com

Ryan Tedder

Most music fans might know his as the frontman for One Republic but he is also a hotshot producer who worked with a variety of pop acts such as Beyonce, Adele, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, and Taylor Swift. His band’s hits “Counting Stars” and “Apologize” also have that LSS-inducing melodies that are hard to shake off.

Quincy Jones

The man behind Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, Quincy Jones is a legend with more than five decades in the industry, 79 Grammy nominations, and hundreds of hits under his belt. He also worked on the scores for over 30 films including E.T.. Even in this age of digital production, Quincy Jones proves that he’s still got the magic touch. The legend also shows us that talent is ageless.

Image source: Pbs.org

Maybe someday I can be like these guys. For now, I need to continue producing music for theater productions in school. So far, so good.

I’m Bradley J. Sterling and I’m a theater student from UCLA. Follow my tweets here.

The Great Nph-James Corden Broadway Musical Showdown

I rarely watch TV. But if ever I had the chance to do so, one of the shows that I tune into is “The Late Late Show.” I mean, James Corden is a master entertainer. He is a pretty hilarious host AND a great singer. His show’s hit segment, Carpool Karaoke, is a testament to the guy’s talent. So, I am not surprised that Corden has become a hit among U.S. late night viewers.

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And if there’s one a person who can rise to Corden’s hosting and singing skills, it has to be Neil Patrick Harris. Both Harris and Corden starred on Broadway and won a Tony for their performance. Both hosted the Tony Awards. So, if there would be a hosting or musical showdown between the two, it would definitely be legendary.

And the TV gods responded. NPH dropped by (or should I say gate-crashed) Corden’s Jan. 9 show to challenge him to a riff-off to settle once and for all “who is truly more Broadway.” Featuring the a cappella group The Filharmonic on backing vocals, NPH and Corden belted out “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” (Guys and Dolls), “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” (Gypsy), “Being Alive” (Company), “On My Own” (Les Misérables), “All That Jazz” (Chicago), and “Sugar Daddy” (Hedwig and the Angry Itch). Both NPH and Corden were flawless in their renditions of timeless Broadway tunes, and honestly, it was difficult to choose the winner of the battle. Especially after ending the epic duet some with “My Shot” (Hamilton).

Image source: cnn.com

Words are not enough to describe how gifted these two performers are. I hope someone (paging Lin Manuel-Miranda) would pen a play that will be headlined by these two. But for now, let’s be grateful that this video exists.

Hello, Bradley J. Sterling here. As a theater major, I can’t express how glad I was when I chanced upon the NPH-Corden Broadway showdown. We need more Showtunes sing-offs, right? Drop me a note on Twitter.