theSIGNAL CULTURE
27 July 2026
"A superhero is only as interesting as the darkness they carry within them."
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Culture
Photo: Kyle Head / Unsplash
Poet Hollie McNish challenges the concept of virginity at Latitude Festival, Suffolk, England.

The Poet Who Declared Virginity a Myth

When Hollie McNish lost her virginity at nineteen, she stood before a mirror for thirty minutes, searching her reflection for evidence of transformation — and found none. At Latitude Festival in Suffolk, the Cambridge-based poet told hundreds of listeners that "virgin" is her least favourite word in English, a man-made myth, she argued, constructed by those in power during eras that also endorsed slavery and stoning, and deployed across cultures to shame and control women in particular. McNish, whose Ted Hughes Award-winning work has reached millions across social media, hopes young people everywhere will stop measuring themselves against a concept she insists was never real to begin with.
  • Should schools teach students to critically question cultural concepts like virginity?
Culture
Photo: Luke Helgeson / Unsplash
Aitch summits Kilimanjaro in honour of his sister Gracie, who has Down's syndrome.

A Sister's Light Drives Rapper to Kilimanjaro

At 5,895 metres above Tanzania, where rainforest gives way without warning to blizzard, Manchester rapper Aitch finally reached the summit of Kilimanjaro — not for the view, but for Gracie. His younger sister, whom he describes as "a big bottle of light in every room," has Down's syndrome, and it is her quiet radiance that has driven him to skydive, endure raw fish eyes on reality television, and now conquer Africa's highest peak, raising more than £160,000 for the Down's Syndrome Association. A Netflix documentary, *Aitch: Don't Be Afraid*, will capture the climb — yet the rapper insists the real altitude worth measuring is the one Gracie clears every single day.
  • Should celebrities use extreme personal challenges to raise awareness for disability causes?
"
As Ryan started talking about his vision for this character, we started riffing, and I finally said, bro, let's ride.
Shawn Levy, Film Director
Culture

Gosling Rides Into Marvel as Ghost Rider

Ryan Gosling's surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con confirms he will play Ghost Rider in a 2028 Marvel film directed by Shawn Levy.

The lights inside Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con went dark on Saturday, and when they came back on, Ryan Gosling was standing at the podium to the sound of thousands of screaming fans. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige had, only moments before, told the crowd that he was frequently asked one question above all others — when would Gosling join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The answer, it turned out, had been rehearsed in secret for quite some time. Gosling, a three-time Oscar nominee known for films as different as the romantic musical La La Land and the science-fiction adventure Hail Mary, will take on the role of Ghost Rider — the anti-hero whose story begins when motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze strikes a desperate bargain with the villain Mephisto, trading his soul to save his surrogate father and receiving, in return, the terrifying power of the Spirit of Vengeance, Zarathos.

The new film, which is scheduled for release in 2028, will be the third time the character has appeared on screen, following Nicolas Cage's portrayals in 2007 and 2011 — though it is widely expected to feel like something altogether different. Directing the project is Shawn Levy, whose previous MCU credit is Deadpool & Wolverine, and who is currently working with Gosling on the forthcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. Levy told the Comic-Con audience that the two men had spent much of their downtime on that film's set exchanging ideas about Ghost Rider, the conversations gradually shaping themselves into something serious.

Photo: Connor Gan / Unsplash
Ryan Gosling takes the stage at San Diego Comic-Con to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider.
Discuss
  • Why do audiences find anti-heroes like Ghost Rider more compelling than straightforward heroes?
  • How does a surprise reveal at a live event create a different kind of excitement than a press release?
  • Is it possible for a new actor to truly make a role their own when a previous version is still fondly remembered?
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theSIGNAL IN THE LAB
iVOCABULARY
surrogateanti-hero
portrayalsdeployedradiance
conquerendorsed
iiGRAMMAR FOCUS
Relative clauses — defining vs non-defining with commas
A defining relative clause identifies which person or thing we mean and has no commas (e.g. 'the man who saved her'). A non-defining relative clause adds extra information about something already identified and is separated by commas (e.g. 'Ryan Gosling, who is a three-time nominee, ...').
who · whose · which · that · where · whom
  1. Ryan Gosling, is a three-time Oscar nominee, will play Ghost Rider in the 2028 Marvel film.
  2. Ghost Rider is a character story begins when Johnny Blaze strikes a bargain with Mephisto.
  3. Shawn Levy, previous MCU credit is Deadpool & Wolverine, will direct the new Ghost Rider film.
  4. The film Nicolas Cage starred in was released in 2007.
  5. Hollie McNish, Ted Hughes Award-winning work has reached millions, spoke at Latitude Festival.
  6. Aitch describes his sister as someone quiet radiance drives him to take on extraordinary challenges.
iiiIDIOMS
Define each idiom in your own words. Then write one sentence of your own using one of the idioms.
  1. rehearsed in secret (Ghost Rider article)
  2. feel like something altogether different (Ghost Rider article)
  3. shaping themselves into something serious (Ghost Rider article)
  4. a man-made myth (virginity article)
  5. a big bottle of light (Aitch article)
ivCRITICAL THINKING
All three articles feature someone publicly challenging or redefining an established concept — whether a superhero role, a cultural myth, or the meaning of achievement. What does this pattern suggest about the stories audiences and media are currently drawn to, and is there a risk that reframing familiar ideas becomes a formula in itself?
vCREATIVE · HEADLINES
Write a headline for the Ghost Rider story in each of the following styles. One line each, no explanation:
  • TABLOID NEWSPAPER
  • LUXURY MAGAZINE
  • ACTIVIST BLOG
viWRITING
McNish argues that certain cultural concepts are invented by those in power to control others, while Aitch redirects the meaning of his climb away from personal glory toward his sister's daily life. Choose one of these perspectives and write a short paragraph explaining how redefining success or value on your own terms can be a form of resistance.
viiDEGREES OF EXTREMITY
Complete each ladder from mild to strong.
  • interested→→
  • different→→
  • chat→→
  • dislike→→
  • hard→→
  • walk→→
viiiSPEAKING
  1. How does collaboration on one film shape future creative partnerships?
  2. Can a concept be harmful simply because of its historical origins?
  3. Does raising money justify putting yourself in physical danger?
  4. How does a sibling relationship change what someone is willing to risk?