In “LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails” from Disney Plus, Earth’s mightiest heroes face their most chaotic enemy yet—not Thanos, not Ultron, but something far more sinister: social media. This same force that can make a dance trend go viral now threatens to unleash a catastrophic apocalypse.
The story begins when a mischievous influencer livestreams Magneto tossing bricks (literally) at the Avengers. What starts as clickbait spirals into a global event, culminating in a “Cats vs. Avengers” showdown. Amid the memes and mayhem, Hawkeye realizes that this battle isn’t about saving the planet—it’s about keeping the algorithm.
The voice cast expertly captures the tone: Troy Baker brings dry wit to Hawkeye, keeping things grounded, while James Mathis III gives Black Panther a regal gravitas. Jason Alexander’s portrayal of Magneto, which combines ego and exhaustion, steals scenes like he’s auditioning for a stand-up special titled “Mutants and Microphones”. Meanwhile, Alia Shawkat’s Meryet perfectly embodies influencer chaos, channeling a mix of Loki and Logan Paul.
Director Ken Cunningham, along with writers Eugene Son and Henry Gilroy, clearly understands the magic of LEGO: they take the absurd, add self-aware humor, and never forget the heart beneath the plastic. The result is an adventure that serves as both a commentary on our obsession with likes and views and a love letter to Marvel’s animated legacy.
Final Grade: B
“LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails” is available to stream now on Disney+.
Earlier this week, fans were excited when the trailer for Netflix’s upcoming sequel series, “A Different World”, was released. In response, I thought it would be fitting to pay tribute to Jasmine Guy’s self-titled album from 1990 for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
Some jobs in music are difficult, but being asked to replace Smokey Robinson is another. When Robinson stepped away from The Miracles in the early seventies, Billy Griffin inherited a microphone attached to one of Motown’s most recognizable voices.
When I reflect on the summer of 1998, I was preparing for my junior year, while R&B seemed to be at a crossroads. Brandy and Monica were dominating the youth market with their blockbuster sophomore albums, while established male singers like Luther Vandross and Gerald Levert were comfortably settling into Urban AC.