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Tom Shapira
Tom Shapira is a carbon-based life from the planet earth. He was formed in the year 1985 AD by two loving parents. He is also an MA student of English Lit. at Tel-Aviv University, Israel, where he feels proud to be the first student to graduate with a BA by writing a paper about the works of Grant Morison. In his native tongue, Tom is a staff writer for Israel's leading comics blog Alilon.net and an occasional participant in the blog's bi-weekly podcast. He spends too much time, money and thought on Comics (especially the works of Grant Morison, Alan Moore, Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis) and his friends and family wish he would stop. He is not going to.
BOOKS AND MOVIES BY TOM SHAPIRA
MAGAZINE CONTENT BY TOM SHAPIRA (110 TOTAL)
Grand Slam Romance #1 Review
Written by Olivia Hicks Drawn by Emma Oostherhous In the afterword for the first issue of Grand Slam Romance, both of the creators involved admit they do ‘not know much about softball.’ It is exactly… [more]
JLA: New World Order Revisited or, What Makes a Story Essential?
The world of cape-comics has a rather tortured relationship with certain sets of words used to describe a character, creator or project. ‘Iconic,’ for instance, is probably one of the most overused words in our… [more]
Too Much of Everything
Launched in the last month of 2018, TKO Studios is a new publisher that sets out to “redefine the industry.” Their first wave of announced comics includes titles like Sara – a World War II… [more]
Gunning for Hits #1: Image Comics and Power and Responsibility
2019 has just barely put on its socks and we already have our first whiff a controversy in the comics-corner of the world. To wit: the first issue of the new Image series Gunning for… [more]
Cursed Earth Carlos: In Memoriam of Carlos Ezquerra
I didn’t know Carlos Ezquerra, but I met him once at a con. He autographed the comics I held, and then I moved on and he preceded to do the same for the next hundred… [more]
Sarararara: All-American Girl Review
I got a chance, recently, to read through the first print collection of the web-comic Sarararara: All American Girl (by Olivia Hicks, with some pages contributed by Robbie. D. Kieran, Georgia Battle, David Robertson, and… [more]
Always Number One?
In 1991 Slave Labor Graphics published Evan Dorkin’s four issue series Milk and Cheese in a rather unique fashion – the issues were called Milk & Cheese #1, Milk & Cheese’s Other Number One #1,… [more]
Awards, Rewards, and Definitions: On Sabrina’s Man Booker Prize Nomination
On July 24th the longlist of nominations for the prestigious Man Booker Prize for Fiction was published. Not, in itself, news of much appeal to me (or to the usual sites I visit), but this… [more]
Curtain Call: On The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and LoEG: The Tempest #1
So here we are. The last League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Not the latest, the last. If one believes the hype, this will be the final comic book published by either Moore or O’Neill – making… [more]
Hellboy Omnibus
The new collection initiative from Dark Horse is, potentially, a chance to give us a fresh outlook on Hellboy – already one of the most reprinted and talked-about comics of the last twenty-five years. The… [more]
Review of Prism Stalker #1
Writer and Artist: Sloane Leong Publisher: Image Comics Prism Stalker is a new science fiction series from Image comics. These days “a new science fiction series from Image” is not quite an exciting announcement as… [more]
Review of Michel Fiffe’s Zegas
Writer/Artist: Michel Fiffe Publisher: Fantagraphics While reading Copra, Michel Fiffe’s ongoing tribute to 1980s team comics, it’s easy to just bask in the art, because it’s truly spectacular. At once a summation of many major… [more]
Review of The Dark Judges: The Fall of Deadworld, Book 1
Writer: Kek-W Artist: Dave Kendall Letterer: Annie Parkhouse Publisher: Rebellion / 2000AD As someone who has gotten into Judge Dredd in his late 20s, I have a lot of opinions that would, undoubtedly, mark me… [more]
Review of Kayin and Abeni: Afro Space Adventures #1-2
One of the major problems with science-fiction comics, especially as the genre bursts into the forefront of the mainstream comics with the likes of Image and Boom and Aftershock, is that there’s this feeling that… [more]
Smorgasbord #75: The Smorgies 2017
FINAL ISSUE! Mighty Max Nestorowich returns to give the Smorgasbord a proper send-off! For the last Smorgie Awards ever, we pick our favorite characters of 2017, revisit the biggest flops and disappointments of the year,… [more]
Smorgasbord #74: More Weight on the Shelf
Tom and Shawn welcome special guest and Sequart co-founder Julian Darius to our penultimate episode, where we talk about some of our favorite comics of all time! Join us as we discuss omnipotent cats, an… [more]
Shaolin Cowboy: Who’ll Stop the Reign?
Writer and Artist: Geof Darrow, Colors: Dave Stwart, Publisher: Dark Horse Originally published via the still-up-in-the-air Burlyman Entertainment (the website is still functional and offers all the glories of the internet circa 2006), a publishing… [more]
Alack Sinner: The Age of innocence
Writer: Carlos Sampayo, Artist: Jose Munoz, Publisher: Euro Comics / IDW “When it comes to stories Alack Sinner heard his share. He had spent his life listening to others… that’s what he was paid for.”… [more]
Smorgasbord #73: Who They are, and How They Came to Be
Pick up your Secret Origins and your Years Zero as Shawn and Tom go on a flashback month to discuss their various entry points into the wonderful world of comics and how these points shaped… [more]
Smorgasbord #72: H.R. Giger’s Human Resources Department
Tom and Shawn play a game of “What If?” and peer into an alternate dimension where we run Marvel Comics. How would the Star Wars line grow? What could we do to fix the trade… [more]
Smorgasbord #71: Earthlets and Other Puny Animals
Shawn and Tom dedicate a special episode to talk all things 2000AD: past, present, and future. We discuss their new reprint programs, their attempts to bring back classic comics into their modern area, the problems… [more]
Smorgasbord #70: The Saga Awards, Featuring Saga!
It’s our post-SDCC special as Shawn and Tom take time out from reviews to discuss the metric ton of trailers, previews, announcements, panels and discussion that Comic-Con has wrought – from the very last Alan… [more]
Smorgasbord #69: Umbrella-ella-ella-eh
Tom and Shawn bid Joan Lee a fond farewell and ponder the passing of an age; Spider-Man: Homecoming breaks some new ground; a bit of DC drama knocks Shawn for a loop; Netflix’s next comics-related… [more]
Smorgasbord #68: Exit, Pursued by a Bear
Neither rain, nor snow nor a throat like sandpaper is going to stop Tom and Shawn from talking about comics. The news of a possible new Watchmen TV show lead to a discussion about the… [more]
Smorgasbord #67: Gene Simmons v. Richard Simmons
This week, Tom and Shawn bid a sad farewell to the great Adam West, puzzle over Joel Schumacher’s strange apology, compare the triumphant roar of the Black Panther trailer to the pitiful meow coming from Marvel… [more]
Smorgasbord #66: Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby
It’s Tom’s turn to drive down Fury Road as we discuss Zack Snyder’s recent tragedy and the uglier side of fandom, a new power couple rising in the industry, the August Previews bringing us unintentional… [more]
Smorgasbord #65: The Allred Family Tree
The highs and lows of media adaptation are explored as we face future TV adaptations of Judge Dredd and Wayward, plus a Hellboy movie reboot by some guys Tom’s rather excited about. In the wild… [more]
Smorgasbord #64: The Dangers of Chris Inflation
The Eisner Awards (A.K.A. Brian K. Vaughan’s shelf holders) season is upon us, as well as a new Marvel movie, the first trailer for The Defenders, a TV show being cancelled with no one noticing,… [more]
Smorgasbord #63: Khatz in the Khradle
In which Shawn learns that Marvel’s definitions of “ongoing” and “miniseries” are more interchangeable than they should be; a Warren Ellis Plot Generator would inevitably become sentient and attack the United Nations while chain-smoking; Meredith… [more]
Smorgasbord #62: Shawn & Tom Kill the Marvel Universe
Go for broke! The news from the Marvel Retailer Summit have forced Shawn & Tom to discuss at length about all myriad problems Marvel actually have, as opposed to the problems they think they have.… [more]
Smorgasbord #61: Fist of Iron, Feet of Clay
Tom and Shawn call upon their inner chi to give Netflix’s Iron Fist a well-deserved beatdown; Paramount tries to solicit a Pro; Tom discovers that the pratfalls and faux pas of the comics industry don’t… [more]
Smorgasbord #60: Infinite Midlife Crisis
It’s a new day and a new format for Smorgasbord, as Shawn and Tom discuss of what the reception for Logan means for the future of comic book movies, the end of Island, the resurrection… [more]
Smorgasbord #59: See You Hell Cowboy
This week, Tom and Shawn say their last goodbyes to Hellboy III, Rebellion must avoid getting into Activision’s bed of disappointments and broken dreams, and the May Previews provide some tedium, some pleasant surprises, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #58: G.I. Jem
Shawn and Tom feel cautiously optimistic about future movies and comics as they discuss the second Logan trailer, the teaser for Powerless, an animated Spider-Man, and a metric ton of comics coming in April. On… [more]
Smorgasbord #57: Yabba Dabba Don’t
Shawn is possessed by the spirit of Soraya Montenegro and spends the entire episode raging out over Gerard Jones, Rob Liefield, Ike Perlmutter, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Fred Flintstone’s war veterans group. Tom heroically… [more]
Smorgasbord #56: The Smorgie Awards 2016
It’s that most wonderful time of year again! Tom and Shawn welcome special guest Max Nestorowich to review the year in comics and help us hand out the Carrie Fisher Memorial Award for Best Female… [more]
Smorgasbord #55: Demon Detectives on Magic Skateboards
Between sirens and power drills, Tom and Shawn manage to talk about the Riverdale trailer and why Sexy Jailbait Archie is a thing nobody needs. Angela Bassett joins Marvel’s Black Panther, and Shawn finally lets… [more]
Smorgasbord #54: World War Jude
Shawn and Tom dive headfirst into news with the very amusing Bleeding Cool Civil War (not to be confused with the thoroughly unamusing Civil War II or the actual political landscape), Marvel’s latest attempt to… [more]
Smorgasbord #53: We’re With Her
Having officially broken DC’s numbering system, Tom and Shawn celebrate by taking a contemplative look at Edison Rex, a harsh look at Marvel’s failure with Chelsea Cain, a confused look at the Logan trailer, an… [more]
Smorgasbord #52: Barbarians at the Gate
After a short vacation, Shawn & Tom return to discuss the post-NYCC news avalanche, including creators behaving badly, the un-shocking return of old comics imprints, new publishers making big steps, and the casting announcement that… [more]
Smorgasbord #51: Goodbye, Northampton’s Rose
Shawn and Tom consider the legacy of Alan Moore as he prepares to leave comics forever(?); Shawn sings the praises of Outhouser Jude Terror for speaking truth to power; nobody puts Valiant in the corner… [more]
Smorgasbord #50: The Pizza Metaphor
Episode 50! No renumbering, no relaunching, no rebirthing. Instead Shawn and Tom break out of their habit and sit with a panel of experts to discuss the state of the industry. Guests include Hagai Palevski… [more]
Smorgasbord #49: Could It Beeee… SATAN?!
Shawn and Tom talk about DC’s broken promises, Grant Morrison’s TV deals, Shawn’s thoughts on the Suicide Squad movie, a theory about Earth-Snyder (it’s all Hal Jordan’s fault), the welcome return of Adam West’s Batman,… [more]
Smorgasbord #48: Fall of the House of Warner
This is the post-SDCC world, and while most of the news have discussed to death, Shawn & Tom still want to talk a bit about the Eisners, some selected trailers, spin-offs for low-selling books, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #47: Liberty’s Lingerie
This week, Tom and Shawn discuss Frank Cho’s line in the sand, 9-year-olds who love V for Vendetta, Joe Casey’s auto-plagiarism, Justice League finally getting some Action, and October Previews. We also review The Hunt… [more]
Smorgasbord #46: A Valiant Effort
Shawn & Tom talk about Valiant’s unexpected takeover of the Harvey Awards, Ron Wimberly vs. Erik Larsen, the latest round of casting news, and the wasted potential of Tom Felton. On the review side, it’s… [more]
Smorgasbord #45: Quit Cloning Around
Shawn and Tom react to unwelcome events and crossovers at DC and Marvel, Ulises Fariñas’s new project is Buño and muy bueno, some unexpected names turn up in casting news for Supergirl and Spider-Man: Homecoming,… [more]
Smorgasbord #44: Hail to the King
A fairly quiet week of comic news brings with it a long discussion over recent casting announcements (from Captain Marvel to Mandrake, the Magician), as well as a debate over the viability of a certain… [more]
Smorgasbord #43: With Treelike Reptile Erections
As the Internet rages at Rebirth and Nick Spencer, Tom and Shawn discuss the passing of Darwyn Cooke, the latest desperation tactics at Marvel and DC, casting news for Thor: Ragnarok, and August Previews. We… [more]
Smorgasbord #42: The 99% Strikes Back
After a week off, Shawn & Tom are back to deal with the fallout from Shelly Bond’s firing from Vertigo, Oni’s new imprint, the release of Captain America: Civil War, movie announcements for both Sexcastle and Irredeemable,… [more]
Smorgasbord #41: The Cat who Vomits Blood and Other Grisly Tales
The post Emerald City Comicon is a very strange place indeed, with DC announcing a new mature comics imprint, IDW assimilating other companies as if it were the Borg, HeroesCon facing backlash over the Virginia… [more]
Smorgasbord #40: He Came from (and in) Canada
On this Very Special Episode of Smorgasbord, Tom and Shawn talk about dissenting critical opinions of Batman v Superman and season 2 of Netflix’s Daredevil, Dark Tick is a thing we’re pretty sure nobody asked… [more]
Smorgasbord #39: A Fistful of Nothing
This week on the Smorgasbord: Tom and Shawn discuss AMC’s Preacher, the Civil War trailer (you know which one), the return of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill to their iconic roles, questionable decisions at Valiant,… [more]
Smorgasbord #38: Moon Witch is Gonna Get Ya
The Iron Fist casting news brings with it a large discussion which dominates the episode as Shawn and Tom discuss the Marvel monochrome universe, the diminished importance of source fidelity, and being uncomfortable by heaving… [more]
Smorgasbord #37: The Merc with the Merch
Shawn & Tom talk DC reboot (again), DC exclusives (including the man who would be Tom King), the unexpected success of the Deadpool film (and the results thereof), and some of the driest previews ever… [more]
Smorgasbord #36: Rebirthing Pains
It’s a cavalcade of bad news as Tom and Shawn discuss the first casualty of All-New All-Different Marvel, more Angoulême shenanigans, the consequences of disturbing Hanna-Barbera’s grave, rumors of yet another DC reboot, and possible… [more]
Smorgasbord #35: Going 911 on 4.99
Tom and Shawn get all combative in a very angry Smorgasbord, as they discuss the new Suicide Squad trailer, Image series ending too early, Marvel superhero (and price) inflation, and a complete rundown of the… [more]
Smorgasbord #34: Cherchez la Femme
Tom and Shawn ring in the new year with movie rumors, a surprise appearance from 2000AD‘s back catalog, and the Angouleme Grand Prix’s questionable grasp of the word “history.” We also review Spider-Man / Deadpool… [more]
Smorgasbord #33: The Smorgies Award 2015
Join Tom and Shawn and special guest star Maayan Priel (Legend of Fangirls) for the second annual Smorgasbord award show, as we recall the best (and worst) 2015 had to offer… from Best Writer to… [more]
Smorgasbord #32: Kurtrissa Explains It All
In which one should know better than to pick a fight with Kurt Busiek, Iron Fist gets its showrunner, Frank Miller is not the father, war is still good for absolutely nothing at Marvel, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #31: The Mad Machinations of Mr. Miller
Tom and Shawn talk Hollywood as a new Crow movie is brought up, Captain America: Civil War gets its first trailer, and Iron Fist becomes a Schrodinger-like phenomenon. In actual comics talk, Frank Miller promises more Dark Knight… [more]
Smorgasbord #30.1: Bunns of Steel
With Tom running amok in England, Shawn invites local Boy Wonder Hagai Palevsky to discuss the latest developments in comics, including Cullen Bunn’s brush with fandom drama, the Means-Shannon Mishap, a most unwelcome return at… [more]
Smorgasbord #30: Fox Hunt
Tom and Shawn try to figure out what’s eating Ales Kot, 200 years still isn’t enough time to get anyone to care about Krypton, the first Previews of 2016 looks depressingly similar to the last… [more]
Smorgasbord #29: The Once and Future Eisner Award Winner
Tom and Shawn grapple with the post NYCC landscape, including the Mighty Marvel Movie Shuffle, Dynamite’s women in fancy new duds, more 80s properties on their way to IDW (we saw it coming!), the possible… [more]
Smorgasbord #28: Sandcastles in the Sand
Tom and Shawn discuss recent news out of Baltimore, Mark Millar’s third run at playing Simon Cowell, the redemption of Chip Zdarsky, Genndy Tartakovsky’s CAGE!, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s upcoming run on Black Panther (and why people… [more]
Smorgasbord #27: Happy Anniversary!
The Smorgasbord is a year old! To celebrate this milestone, Tom and Shawn offer a giant-sized extravaganza in which we discuss the last Previews of 2014, Bad Luck Guillermo, Batman walking in on Robin in… [more]
Smorgasbord #26: Totes Outrageous
Kevin Feige flees from under the thumb of Ike Perlmutter, Mockingbird finally goes to pilot, Secret Wars multiplies, the alluring possibilities of avant-garde author Mark Z, Danielewski taking a crack at writing Deadpool… these are just some… [more]
Smorgasbord #25: How Dare You, Chip Zdarsky
Stephen Amell takes method acting to new levels, Mark Millar seeks greener pastures for his fertilizer, the Ignatz Awards nominees are announced, a new legal precedent for Kickstarter may have some interesting ripple effects, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #24: Schrodinger’s Gambit
This week on Smorgasbord, Channing Tatum is/is not Gambit, Hercules is/is not heterosexual, Bill Willingham is/is not Real-Life Mr. Dark, and Fant4stic is terrible in all possible universes. We also review John Flood #1, Dark… [more]
Smorgasbord #23: Islands in the Sun
Our cups runneth over as Tom and Shawn discuss SDCC trailers and casting news, October Previews, and Marvel’s attempt to revive Franklin Delano Bluth. We also review the first issues of Power Up, Godzilla in… [more]
Smorgasbord #22: Spirited Away
It’s the pre-SDCC episode, so don’t expect any big news. Instead, Shawn and Tom find the time to talk about Warren Ellis’s new James Bond title, Dan Slott’s new Twitter war with Bleeding Cool, Dynamite… [more]
Smorgasbord #21: The Summer of Our Discontent
This week on the Smorgasbord, Shawn and Tom welcome Dark Horse to Comixology (hope they survive the experience!), discuss the latest casting announcements for Doctor Strange, Chew, and Spider-Man, and go through the Previews for… [more]
Smorgasbord #20: The Black Cat in the Hat
In the burning month of June one must thankful for the little things… like the lack of any recent controversies in the comics scene. Still, Shawn and Tom find much to talk about with IDW’s… [more]
Smorgasbord #19: DC Presents Legends of Fabulous Popstar Rihanna
This week on The Smorgasbord: Tom and Shawn kick Archie while he’s down, pick through the blighted wastelands of August Previews, take Jill Lepore to task for breaking Rule #1 of Academia, and wonder whether… [more]
Smorgasbord #18: …What is it Good for?
Avengers: Age of Ultron came and went, leaving audiences baffled and the podcast divided, as Shawn and Tom war it out for a bit before signing a peace treaty. Speaking of wars, the reviews of… [more]
Smorgasbord #17: The Big Red One
Giant-sized issue! Shawn and Tom discuss the Eisner nominations, July’s Previews, Netflix’s Daredevil, and Marvel and DC playing Musical Director’s Chairs. Plus: the Batman v. Superman trailer leads to Jesus, while the Fantastic Four trailer leads… [more]
Smorgasbord #16: Shiny Happy Podcast
In the wake of last episode’s Scandalpalooza, Tom and Shawn discover a whole new world of happy thoughts and positivity (with the exception of Michael Bay). Ego the Living Planet is name-dropped, Shawn prepares for… [more]
Smorgasbord #15: Notes on a Scandal
This is the long one… with almost two hours of talking Shawn & Tom attempt to make sense of the recent rush of controversies (including the Batgirl cover, Erik Larson, poor costume design, speech, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #14: The Case of the Defeathered Duck
On this episode: Shawn and Tom discuss Valiant’s attempt to create its own cinematic universe, Black Mask Studios want to make “Tube Comics” a thing, Michelle Rodriguez doesn’t like thieves, and Tom briefly discusses the… [more]
Smorgasbord #13: Satan, TM
In this hour-and-40-minutes spectacular, Shawn and Tom wrestle with the solicitations for the month of May, grapple with the first image of the cienametic Aquaman, tussle with a whole host of TV announcements (including a… [more]
Smorgasbord #12: The Fish People Messed with our Sound
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor horrible recording equipment (sorry folks, this episode might prove a bit echo-y) will stop Shawn and Tom from talking about comics. In this episode, we talk at length… [more]
Smorgasbord #11: Rage against The Dying and the Dead
Tom and Shawn are in it for long haul as they discuss a metric ton of news, including but not limited to the supposed end of the Marvel Universe, the resurrection of Milestone Media, Image… [more]
Smorgasbord #10: Whisker Monsters Improve Everything
After a week off Shawn and Tom are back at comics-talk game, starting with the huge news backlog — including the possibility of Spider-Man hopping to the Marvel Cinematic universe (and why it’s a bad… [more]
Smorgasbord #9: The Smorgies Awards 2014
Per podcasting law, the end of each and every year requires an awards show of some sort, so here it is: The Smorgies 2014! (Yes, we’re doing an annual after only 8 episodes that ran… [more]
Smorgasbord #8: It Came from the 1980s!
Shawn and Tom are oddly excited about the prospects of the Jem and the Holograms comic book adaptations, which leads them through a weary road of the yet untapped 1980s nostalgia market. Also, in news, the now… [more]
Smorgasbord #7: Rats, Ducks, and Angry Birds
In this episode, Shawn and Tom cover a rather large bunch of news including Roc Upchurch’s removal from Rat Queens, the new Howard the Duck title (and whether or not Steve Gerber is spinning in his grave),… [more]
Smoragsbord #6: #Doom
Crossover season is once again upon us, here Shawn and Tom try and grapple with DC’s Convergence event and Marvel’s brewing Secret Wars and come up with mostly headache and confusion. Also: the frankly bizarre declaration about… [more]
Smorgasbord #5: The Monster at the End of This Podcast
This podcast was recorded a bit earlier than usual, so we’ve missed the endless movie announcements from Marvel. Still, we’ve found enough stuff to discuss to fill-up a good 90 minutes of comics talk including… [more]
Smorgasbord #4: Civil War, the Musical
It’s a busy post NYCC season as Shawn and Tom make their through a heap of news and declarations: new Marvel Comics events, the cancellation of the Fantastic Four, Vertigo’s expended line, Captain America 3 rumors, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #3: Sad Goat
For the third episode of Smorgasbord, Shawn and Tom try to to untangle the mess DC made with their recent bad shirt designs, tackle the end of the Kirby lawsuit, and try to be hopeful… [more]
Smorgasbord #2: The Ubiquitous Charles Soule
Welcome to the Smorgasbord Podcast, where Tom Shapira (Curing the Postmodern Blues) and Shawn Edri talk about little of everything comics related. In this episode we talk possible new live-action superhero shows, the new novel… [more]
Laugh it Up: Two Perspectives on Humor in Guardians of the Galaxy
Part I “The next real literary “rebels” in this country might well emerge as some weird bunch of anti-rebels, born oglers who dare somehow to back away from ironic watching, who have the childish gall… [more]
Smorgasbord #1: Secret Origins
Welcome to the Smorgasbord, a brand new comics podcast which has a little bit of everything. Join veteran Sequart writer Tom Shapira (Curing the Postmodern Blues) and newcomer Shawn Edri as they traverse the ups… [more]
Only Humanoid: Cheese, and other forms of Cake
Muse Writer: Denis-Pierre Filippi Art: Terry Dodson I’ve got nothing against cheap entertainment. These works, in whatever medium, are nothing more than bread and circus – exciting violence, loud explosions, shallow humor, and beautiful bodies… [more]
Only Humanoid: The City and The City
District 14 Writer : Pierre Gabus Art : Romuald Reutimann Possibly the most enjoyable thing about District 14 (and I say “possibly” only because there is so much to choose from that I wouldn’t begrudge… [more]
We Dig Giant Robots: Transformers vs. G.I.Joe
Transformers vs. G.I.Joe Writer: Tom Scioli, John Barber Artist: Tom Scioli Publisher: IDW One would not expect Transformers vs. G.I.Joe. Well, one would expect there to be a title called “Transformers vs. G.I.Joe” – seeing… [more]
Only Humanoid: The Jodorowsky Paradox
The Incal Writer: Alexandro Jodorowsky Artist: Jean Giraud Watching Jodorowsky’s Dune (an excellent documentary about the never completed adaptation of the Science Fiction classic into film) I was struck by how good it appears to… [more]
Only Humanoid: Everything Louder than Everything Else
Armies Writer : Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Picaret Art : Jean-Claude Gal I always found it hard to square my ideas of what European (well, French) comics was meant to be with what most of it turned… [more]
The Eric Stephenson Thing
So… that address Eric Stephenson gave at ComicsPRO recently seems to be making lot of waves (in the still small pool of American comics) and while there were things to be applauded there were, also,… [more]
This Review is Rated NC-17: Sex – The Summer of Hard
It feels so strange to see the “Man of Action” logo on the back of a book like Sex. Not simply because of the graphic nature of the work (we’ll get to that) but because… [more]
Savant-Garde: Shaolin Cowboy
Shaolin Cowboy doesn’t care about me. It doesn’t want my opinion, my critical evaluation or my appreciation. As far as Shaolin Cowboy[1] is concerned, I might as well not exist. That is a very refreshing… [more]
Fight Comics: Burn the Orphanage #2
I should have really liked Burn the Orphanage more than I did. But I am, as always, getting ahead of myself. The second oversized – and a bit overpriced – issue of Sina Grace and Daniel Freedman’s… [more]
Better off Dead – Ennis and Fabry’s Thor: Vikings
Thor fights Viking Zombies with help of warriors from various eras. That sounds like a great premise for a Rick Remender style Grindhouse action series; and the writer, Garth Ennis, has been doing fine with… [more]
Serialized Escalation
So – how good was THE LEGEND OF LUTHER STRODE (this year’s sequel miniseries to 2012′s surprising hit THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE – both by writer Justin Jordan and by the art team… [more]
Strange and Growing Stranger: The World of Chew
As I finished reading through the recently released seventh volume of Chew (“Bad Apples”, Publisher: Image Comics, Writer: John Layman, Artist: Rob Guillory), I have come to two diametrically opposed conclusions: 1) Chew is, to… [more]
Future Progressive, Past Regressive: Livewires
Adam Warren’s Livewires is Perfection. This is not a word I use lightly, especially when the thing involved is a one-off project by a person who is often considered a not-very-major-creator[1] ™ but Livewires: Clockwork… [more]
Deconstructing the Deconstructions: Hyper Drama and Realism in Superman: Secret Identity
Part of the essence of the superhero genre lies in hyperbole; by this I mean to say that in a superhero “story” (here referring to the output of Marvel, DC and they many succors and… [more]
Humbled – A Building Stories Non-Review
Let me be frank – this is not a review of Building Stories (Published by Pantheon Books, 2012) by Chris Ware (Published by Mr. and Ms. Ware, 1967). Nor is this an attempt at analysis,… [more]
On the Limits of Adaptation or What Can We Get Out of The Dark Knight Returns Movie?
The year 2012 brought with it something Batman fans, and comics fans in general, have been expecting for years; a large production from distinguished creators starring some well-beloved actors. I am talking, of course, about… [more]
Marvel Now-ish
One of the good things to come of Marvel Comics frankly insane shipping schedule in their latest relaunch scheme is that it allows the poor sideline commenter the chance to quickly appreciate the general trend… [more]