I think when you create a work of art, it belongs to the human race. I don’t mean from a legal perspective – I’m not talking about copyright law here, an artist deserves to be compensated for their work – but in a greater sense, beyond that artist’s life and death. At some point the trappings of legality and financial considerations fall away, whether we want them to or not, and art’s worth is judged by the degree to which humanity benefits from it. It will lift people up or open their eyes in ways beyond those which its creator may have intended. It will be admired or criticized, emulated or shunned, based on its meaning to every individual – and paradoxically, by extension, on its meaning to the species. Over time it will morph, its influence leaking into other pieces, guaranteeing it a form of immortality not unlike our own ability to procreate.

I understand that making these claims as an author will invite supposition that I’m talking about literature. I’m actually thinking more of music. What got me thinking on this topic was covers, specifically Bad Wolves’ cover of Cranberries’ Zombie. When I was younger I universally hated covers. The original is always better, leave it alone, etc. I look at them differently now.

A good cover is not an attempt to co-opt the original’s success. A good cover is a love letter. A merging of new and old, an homage and an expression of beauty. When a cover comes from a place of love and respect, you can hear it.

I thought I heard that love in the new cover of Zombie, so I did a little research. Did you know that Dolores O’Riordan, the original singer, was scheduled to record the cover WITH Bad Wolves on the day of her death? She was. When she passed away, they went ahead and recorded it without her. It isn’t just an homage or even a love letter – it is a eulogy. That rawness in the lead’s voice is real. It’s grief.

I loved the Cranberries growing up. I would listen to them in the dark, enveloped in Dolores’ voice, soaring on melancholy with my arms wide. Her death rocked me.

But it brings me deep joy to hear her voice carried forward, to learn that her influence has joined that great, eddying river of musical art that carries all of us forward. In its way, it will never leave us; it’s part of us now, and wherever that river ultimately leads, O’Riordan’s haunting voice will always glitter in its waves.

I knew going in to Black Panther that it would probably be good. The reviews were roundly positive and it was making a lot of money globally. I did not expect it to be my new favorite Marvel movie.

It has the superhero, the action scenes, and the single nemesis I expected. On face, it also has a familiar plotline: Acts 1, 2, and 3 pretty much follow the broad strokes of my  expectations. But it broke the mold in two key ways that elevated it for me: First, in its unabashed embrace of African culture and the beauty of black skin, and second, in the character of Wakanda itself. Because Wakanda may be a fictional nation, but it is absolutely the main character of this movie.

I was expecting a good guy vs bad guy story, but I was delighted to find much more: an exploration of protectionism vs global engagement and a candid acknowledgement of the costs of colonialism, particularly as paid by black people.

Danai Gurira and Michael B Jordan steal the show. Gurira is a joy to watch; her character (Okoye, a bodyguard for the king) has a surprising and pleasant depth for this sort of supporting character: a good person who makes some questionable decisions based on her interpretation of the law. She exemplified, for me, the sorts of difficult decisions countless government officials (Preet Bharara and Sally Yates come immediately to mind) had to make after Trump took power. She effortlessly joins the ranks of Eowen, Rey, Wonderwoman, and the other incredible female role models we’ve been blessed with in recent history. And Jordan presents a fascinating and compelling antagonist, whose flawed actions are driven not only by a sympathetic backstory, but by the untenable continued oppression of black people worldwide. I didn’t want him to achieve his aims, but I was still rooting for his cause to be taken up, and that’s part of the beauty of the film: its protagonist’s victory would be hollow if it didn’t involve an acknowledgement and even adoption of his enemy’s motivations.

All of this depth, wrapped up with some fantastic set pieces and driving action. Eye candy galore, intimate personal conflicts, AND deep political and philosophical questions? In one movie, and a MARVEL movie at that? I loved it. It made me ache for what the current Star Wars trilogy could have been. I hope Rian Johnson is taking notes. Coogler and Cole have shown how to incorporate meaningful politics into pop culture action without missing a beat.