Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Hellboy: Sword Of Storms

A Reel Leadership Article

My latest book, Reel Leadership, is now available on Amazon. If you love movies and leadership, you will love this book.

Hellboy has been a quirky comic book character created by Mike Mignola since first appearing in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2. Recently, it was discovered that Hellboy also appeared before this issue in Next Men #21 in 1993. He’s been a character that’s been around for a long time!

He’s also appeared in multiple movies. He first appeared in a live-action film in the 2004 Hellboy movie starring Ron Perlman. His second film was Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. Most recently, David Harbour took over as Hellboy in the 2019 Hellboy film.

Many casual moviegoers don’t realize there’s also been an animated movie universe for Hellboy that occurred between the two Perlman films. There’s the 2007 Hellboy: Blood and Iron. Then there’s the focus of today’s Reel Leadership article, the 2006 Hellboy: Sword Of Storms.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Chang Can Dunk

A Reel Leadership Article

My latest book, Reel Leadership, is now available on Amazon. If you love movies and leadership, you will love this book.

Chang Can Dunk is a Disney+ exclusive movie about a young Asian-American teen who longs to get the girl, defeat the school bully, and maybe play some basketball. While geared toward the younger crowd, Chang Can Dunk is a fun experience.

Chang (Bloom Li) is a 5’8″ student in high school. His rival and former friend, Matt (Chase Liefeld, son of the legendary comic book artist and my good friend (Rob’s words on his WhatNot stream) Rob Liefeld), are at each other’s throats over basketball and a girl, Kristy (Zoe Renee). Their rivalry becomes real when Chang tells Matt that he will be able to dunk within ten weeks.

Bloom Li as Chang in Chang Can Dunk. Making a dunk.

This is a challenge. He’s short, not very good, and isn’t motivated to do much of anything. Throughout the movie, we’re reminded that Chang doesn’t stick with things.

Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

A Reel Leadership Article

My latest book, Reel Leadership, is now available on Amazon. If you love movies and leadership, you will love this book.

The much-anticipated sequel to the 2019 film Shazam! opened recently. Shazam! Fury Of The Gods brings just as much fun to the theaters as the original film. The film continues Billy Batson’s (Asher Angel) journey as the boy who says SHAZAM! and is turned into a superhero (Zachary Levi).

Critics have panned the movie. I think they don’t understand the point of film at times. Sure, Reel Leadership looks at the leadership aspect of movies, but movies can also entertain. They take us to a place we couldn’t go to before. Shazam! Fury Of The Gods brings us a lot of fun, laughs, and smiles throughout.

Go into the movie expecting to have fun, and you will. You can also go to the movie expecting to come out a better leader.

Setbacks Aren’t Permanent. Sometimes They’re Needed

A week into my training for the Grand Rapids Marathon I’m running to raise money to help children in Africa have access to clean water (you can help by going HERE and donating any amount you’re able to), I was on the sideline. I couldn’t run.

It’s not that I didn’t want to run. I did… Oh, did I ever. So did Lok.

Man holding a pair of Nike running shoes

Photo by Kristian Egelund

For some odd reason, my body craves to be on the road. My feet pounding the pavement. My shoes putting on the miles.

But when I switched from my Brooks Ravenna 8s (I sadly can no longer run in my barefoot shoes) to the Brooks Ravenna 9s, something happened. The shoes had undergone a big enough change between models that my running style was impacted. Not only that, my legs and feet began to ache.