Sequart Organization » Marvel Comics

Review: A Cultural History of the Punisher

Hank Kennedy — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:25:22 +0000

Kent Worcester’s A Cultural History of the Punisher (2023, Intellect Books) was an interesting book to review, seeing as I am thanked in the preface as a “friend and scholar.” I’ll cop to being a… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 12

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:37:23 +0000

The Mighty Thor #273: The newsman, Harris Hobbs, tells Thor he is going to film a television special about the Norse gods on location – in Asgard. Thor suggests such a request is not his… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 11

Joe Muszynski — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 00:12:34 +0000

The Mighty Thor #272: Thor flies over New York City, enjoying the freedom of a beautiful day on Earth, but still he spots some real trouble: a bully is beating up a kid in front… [more]

Panther Beat: The Use of Beat Panels in Priest’s Black Panther

Michael Hoskin — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:29:19 +0000

From literally beginning to end, Christopher Priest’s Black Panther made use of so-called ‘beat panels’ for comedic effect. Although Priest had incorporated beat panels into his repertoire prior to Black Panther, and would continue to… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 10

Joe Muszynski — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:10:02 +0000

The Mighty Thor #271: Thor – with other members of the Avengers – calls on Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which stood for the rather awkward “Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division;” were there other Divisions?).… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 9

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 12:43:35 +0000

The Mighty Thor #270: Blastaar, the Living Bomb-Burst, engages Thor in battle and prevents him from retrieving his hammer. Conveniently though, before Thor can change back into Don Blake, Blastaar throws him into an alley.… [more]

Dracula, for the Mature Reader: How Marvel Built a ‘70s Horror Book Around a Victorian-Era Monster, Part 2

Gerard Waggett — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:00:12 +0000

On the 50th Anniversary of Tomb of Dracula, Gerard Waggett concludes his look back at the book, warts and all. [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 8

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 12:00:56 +0000

The Mighty Thor #269: The splash page shows Thor reading a newspaper at a New York City newsstand. As a crowd gathers, he gets pressured into signing autographs. Telling his fans he has duties to… [more]

Dracula, for the Mature Reader: How Marvel Built a ‘70s Horror Book Around a Victorian-Era Monster, Part 1

Gerard Waggett — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 12:00:06 +0000

On the 50th Anniversary of Tomb of Dracula, Gerard Waggett takes a look back at the book, warts and all. [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 7

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 12:00:25 +0000

The Mighty Thor #268: Damocles escaped from Thor, but events take place leading Thor right back to him. To begin this issue, the police contact Dr. Blake and ask him to contact Thor. Being one… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 6

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:00:37 +0000

The Mighty Thor #267: After an epic battle with the Destroyer, Asgard needs major reconstruction. Balder takes charge and repairs are happening swiftly. Odin banishes an unrepentant Loki to Midgard (Earth) in the form of… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 5

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 12:00:59 +0000

The Mighty Thor #266: Neither Thor nor Sif realize Balder’s life force is powering the Destroyer, so they don’t understand why Karnilla has ended her attack on him. Thor continues the fight alone, but Sif… [more]

Black Lions and Black Panthers: Wakanda as a Representation of Ethiopia

Michael Hoskin — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 12:00:17 +0000

Wakanda is not a true African nation but it can certainly be compared to many African countries. As a fictional nation whose relationship with the real Africa has always been nebulous (to the extent that… [more]

Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 4

Joe Muszynski — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 21:43:31 +0000

The Mighty Thor #265: This one is truly an ALL BATTLE ISSUE! We left off with The Destroyer, a suit of indestructible-looking armor, powered by someone’s spirit force, crashing into battle with Thor. We find… [more]

Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers #2: We Were Avengers

Matthew Brake — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 14:36:01 +0000

Avengers #2: We Were Avengers" title="Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers #2: We Were Avengers" style="float:left;" />Issue #2 acts as something of an interlude in the first three issues of Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers. As Captain America prepares a new team to go to Mars, Ex Nihilo’s speaks with the imprisoned Avengers,… [more]

Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers #1: An Avengers World is Born!

Matthew Brake — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 14:00:48 +0000

Avengers #1: An Avengers World is Born!" title="Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers #1: An Avengers World is Born!" style="float:left;" />Hickman begins Avengers #1 like a creation story, the theme of creation being prevalent throughout the three-issue opening arc: “First there was nothing. Then everything.” As we will see, this is juxtaposed against New Avengers… [more]

JLA: New World Order Revisited or, What Makes a Story Essential?

Tom Shapira — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 14:00:44 +0000

JLA: New World Order Revisited or, What Makes a Story Essential?" title="JLA: New World Order Revisited or, What Makes a Story Essential?" style="float:left;" />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]

Academics on Avengers: Endgame, Part 2

Nicholas Yanes — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 15:00:37 +0000

Avengers: Endgame, Part 2" title="Academics on Avengers: Endgame, Part 2" style="float:left;" />As mentioned in Part 1, we got so many contributions that we had to split this article up into two parts. Below is the second half, and we hope you enjoy it. And again…BEWARE…FOR SPOILERS… [more]

Academics on Avengers: Endgame, Part 1

Nicholas Yanes — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 14:36:44 +0000

Avengers: Endgame, Part 1" title="Academics on Avengers: Endgame, Part 1" style="float:left;" />Avengers: Endgame is a cinematic generational event. The epic conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first arc that began with 2008’s Iron Man and encompasses twenty-two films. As of this posting, Avengers: Endgame has grossed… [more]

A Long Brush with Marvel Comics

Mark J. Hayman — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 17:00:16 +0000

Whatever confluence of events, whatever set of circumstance that attaches a child to a thing, in this case to Marvel Comics, is within the purview of the brain people and magicians. It interests me that… [more]

Smorgasbord #73: Who They are, and How They Came to Be

Tom Shapira — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 18:30:03 +0000

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 Shapira — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 07:31:34 +0000

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]

Len Wein, 1948–2017

Michael Campochiaro — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 19:50:33 +0000

For those of us of a certain age, who grew up on comic books in the 1970s and 1980s, it seems like we’re losing far too many of the great creators who helped shaped our… [more]

The Framework in Agents of HYDRA

Matthew Kirshenblatt — Tue, 02 May 2017 20:00:46 +0000

Agents of HYDRA" title="The Framework in Agents of HYDRA" style="float:left;" />Where do we even begin? This is yet another article that I hadn’t been planning. Well, I’m sorry: that is just an alternative fact. You see, I had been thinking of writing about this arc… [more]

Smorgasbord #63: Khatz in the Khradle

Tom Shapira — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 11:00:03 +0000

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]

We Are All Children of the Atom: Marvel’s X-Men Gold Controversy, the Qurʾān, and the Problem of Diversity

A. David Lewis — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:40:41 +0000

X-Men Gold Controversy, the Qurʾān, and the Problem of Diversity" title="We Are All Children of the Atom: Marvel’s X-Men Gold Controversy, the Qurʾān, and the Problem of Diversity" style="float:left;" />[Note: This article originally appeared on Mizan Pop on the 10th of April, 2017. Since its publication, Marvel has terminated Syaf’s contract.] The recent launch of the new comic series X-Men Gold has generated international controversy… [more]

Smorgasbord #62: Shawn & Tom Kill the Marvel Universe

Tom Shapira — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 11:00:49 +0000

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]

Spotlight on Steve Gerber’s The Son of Satan

Michael Campochiaro — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 22:20:49 +0000

The Son of Satan" title="Spotlight on Steve Gerber’s The Son of Satan" style="float:left;" />Marvel Comics in the 1970s were, to put it mildly, weird. Now, I mean that as a compliment. The dizzying array of subgenres that the publisher expanded into during the decade is impressive. Explosive creativity on… [more]

The Brilliance of Bill Everett’s Sub-Mariner, Marvel’s Superman

Stephen Sonneveld — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 16:00:28 +0000

Bill Everett tribute for Marvel’s 75th and Daredevil’s 50th anniversaries (2014) by Stephen Sonneveld, featuring William Blake’s “The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea” (1805-1810) Bill Everett was an expert storyteller, whose… [more]

Design Sense: Steve Ditko’s “Jack” is an Ace Compared to Marvel’s

Stephen Sonneveld — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:30:02 +0000

Few images are as iconic in Western culture as the grinning gourds that populate our harvest festivals. Initially, such sturdy fruits made practical lanterns. The artistry of carving faces, and weaving religious and secular folklore… [more]

Academics Discuss their Book Marvel Comics into Film and the Secret Origins of the MCU

Nicholas Yanes — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 14:33:10 +0000

Marvel Comics into Film and the Secret Origins of the MCU" title="Academics Discuss their Book Marvel Comics into Film and the Secret Origins of the MCU" style="float:left;" />Matthew J. McEniry is an assistant metadata librarian at Texas Tech University and describes digital manuscripts for online discovery. Robert Moses Peaslee is an associate professor and chair of Journalism and Electronic Media at the… [more]

Hunger and Longing: Growing Up with Cloak and Dagger

Michael Campochiaro — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 15:00:31 +0000

Cloak and Dagger" title="Hunger and Longing: Growing Up with Cloak and Dagger" style="float:left;" />While I can’t remember exactly what happens in this comic book, the cover to Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #95 has long been burned into my memory. It’s cover dated October 1984 and I must have… [more]

Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life: Reading Comics to Live

Michael Campochiaro — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:50:24 +0000

Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life: Reading Comics to Live" title="Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life: Reading Comics to Live" style="float:left;" />While reading Last Night, A Superhero a Saved My Life (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2016), I was struck by how emotionally invested I became in these tales of lives saved and redeemed by comic… [more]

Shattered Empire Fills in Some Intriguing Star Wars Gaps

Ian Dawe — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 20:20:07 +0000

Shattered Empire Fills in Some Intriguing Star Wars Gaps" title="Shattered Empire Fills in Some Intriguing Star Wars Gaps" style="float:left;" />One of the great things about a mythical universe such as the one created by Star Wars is that there’s plenty of room to tell many different stories, so long as they connect neatly with… [more]

Droids, Slaves and C-3PO’s Red Arm

Ian Dawe — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 19:40:00 +0000

The role of droids in the Star Wars universe has always been fairly clear, and yet tinged with some troubling implications. They’re servants, essentially, but they’re also companions and, most interestingly of all, they have… [more]

Smorgasbord #43: With Treelike Reptile Erections

Tom Shapira — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 15:40:20 +0000

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]

A Marvel Cinematic Universe Wish List

Michael Campochiaro — Mon, 23 May 2016 16:35:53 +0000

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including their Netflix series, is expanding rapidly. Since having kids, the wife and I can’t seem to keep up. I’m not sure she’s as impatient to see Captain America: Civil War… [more]

Of Squirrels and Girls

Mark J. Hayman — Sun, 08 May 2016 20:30:13 +0000

This exposes me to some risk, having to look over my shoulder for Steinbeck’s vengeful spirit, but that’s the life we choose in the thrilling, fast-paced world of sequential art criticism. Not like music reviewers… [more]

The Near and Distant Horizon

Mark J. Hayman — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 01:30:07 +0000

Timeliness is next to prescience, or something like that. Here I was preparing this screed when I chanced upon an article by a person who insists that the survival of comic books is dependent upon… [more]

The Boys are Back in Town: Power Man and Iron Fist #1

Michael Campochiaro — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 22:00:48 +0000

Power Man and Iron Fist #1" title="The Boys are Back in Town: Power Man and Iron Fist #1" style="float:left;" />Nostalgia played a big role in why I picked up the first issue of Marvel’s new Power Man and Iron Fist series. From the pre-release buzz, it appeared that writer David F. Walker, artist Sanford Greene,… [more]

A Priest, a Panther, and the Dora Milaje Walk into a Bar: Christopher Priest’s Black Panther

Michael Campochiaro — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:00:55 +0000

Black Panther" title="A Priest, a Panther, and the Dora Milaje Walk into a Bar: Christopher Priest’s Black Panther" style="float:left;" />With the Black Panther entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon, I figured it was high time I explored the character in print, at least more so that I have previously. I’ve always liked T’Challa but… [more]

Fantastic 4X4 Part 1: Fantastic Four Masterworks Vol. 1

Tom Speelman — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 17:00:24 +0000

Fantastic Four Masterworks Vol. 1" title="Fantastic 4X4 Part 1: Fantastic Four Masterworks Vol. 1" style="float:left;" />The one upside of the recent Fantastic Four movie slinking into and out of theatres is that Comixology had a flash sale on several starting points in the continuity of Marvel’s First Family. I bought… [more]

Why I Am Not A Superhero Fan

Ian Dawe — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 11:00:07 +0000

I’m fairly open about my own tastes and predilections when it comes to comics, or any other medium. I’ll freely admit to anyone who cares to ask that, while I love comics, I’m not that… [more]

Smorgasbord #26: Totes Outrageous

Tom Shapira — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 17:00:59 +0000

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]

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Conflict Resolution

Nick Ford — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 17:00:33 +0000

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Conflict Resolution" title="The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Conflict Resolution" style="float:left;" />Spoilers for The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. (But honestly, you should’ve read it by now anyway.) Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Some chemical-induced villain comes into your campus looking for Spider-Man to fight… [more]

Smorgasbord #25: How Dare You, Chip Zdarsky

Tom Shapira — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 19:30:34 +0000

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]

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: A Retro Review

Zaki Hasan — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 11:00:34 +0000

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: A Retro Review" title="Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: A Retro Review" style="float:left;" />When their first Fantastic Four flick grossed more than three times its production budget in 2005, the hoped-for sequel quickly left the realm of the hypothetical for home studio Twentieth Century Fox. And with the cast… [more]

Comic Book Themed Hip Hop Trio Czarface Returns for Second Album

Dom Fonce — Fri, 15 May 2015 21:00:32 +0000

Czarface Returns for Second Album" title="Comic Book Themed Hip Hop Trio Czarface Returns for Second Album" style="float:left;" />In late 1993, legendary MC Inspectah Deck was getting busy with Wu-Tang Clan on the classic rap album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). That album has held up as one of the greatest and most… [more]

DC and Marvel: The Politics of Universes

Debarghya Sanyal — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 11:00:46 +0000

The superhero world is in bit of a rumble. Recently, Zack Snyder dropped another of his completely predictable little bombs, and we suddenly have a very familiar looking Aquaman on the blocks. (Did anyone notice… [more]

The Good and Bad of Diversity in Comics

Ed Cambro — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 11:00:45 +0000

Diversity has always been a problem in comics. In the early days, minorities were nigh invisible, and women were usually relegated to romantic interests/damsels in distress. In the modern era, however, DC and Marvel have… [more]

DC is Re-Branding (or De-Branding) Its Universe. So What?

Ryan C. — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 12:00:13 +0000

Note: This is a “companion editorial”—of sorts—to the “Marvel Is Rebooting Its Universe. So What?” piece I wrote for Sequat on Wednesday, January 21st. Apparently there’s something of a PR war going on between the… [more]

Marvel is Rebooting Its Universe. So What?

Ryan C. — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:00:47 +0000

“Don’t change anything, just give the illusion of change.” Those words—or something very much like them, at any rate—have been attributed to Stan Lee for ages now, and it’s been painfully obvious that Roy Thomas,… [more]

Smorgasbord #10: Whisker Monsters Improve Everything

Tom Shapira — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 16:00:59 +0000

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]

Image Comics Launches Mail-Order Service: A Threat to Comics Ecology?

Ian Dawe — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 21:00:50 +0000

Image Comics announced this past Thursday that they will now be offering a direct mail service to their US customers for over 35 of their most popular titles, including Rat Queens, Sex Criminals, The Walking… [more]

The Amazing Adventures of “Stan” and “Jack”: Michael Chabon’s “Citizen Conn”

Greg Carpenter — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 12:00:23 +0000

A couple of years ago, Michael Chabon gave a reading at our local library. He was promoting a new novel, Telegraph Avenue, and the auditorium was packed. Given my academic background, I’ve had to attend… [more]

Comics Were Everywhere in 2014… Just Think of What 2015 Can Bring

Ian Dawe — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 21:00:27 +0000

Comics were everywhere in 2014, and not just from my perspective. Check your Facebook page, or Twitter feed, and if you’re anything like me you’ll see at least one (probably three) Cyanide and Happiness, for… [more]

Hulk Rend Wolverine!!!: Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #1-2

James Kelly — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 12:00:48 +0000

Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #1-2" title="Hulk Rend Wolverine!!!: Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #1-2" style="float:left;" />Damon Lindelof is an unabashed nerd in Hollywood. Lindelof’s purported first conversation with JJ Abrams was mainly a discussion about Star Wars[i]. His enjoyment of comics lead him to recruit Paul Dini, Jeph Loeb and… [more]

Kevin Smith & Joe Quesada’s Daredevil: The Comic that Saved Marvel

James Kelly — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:00:08 +0000

Joe Quesada is the savior of Marvel. Simply put, without Joe Quesada coming in the late ‘90s to create Marvel Knights, Marvel Comics would be a defunct company. While many editorial decisions made by Quesada… [more]

I Read an Old and Valuable Comic… And Liked It

Ian Dawe — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 11:00:08 +0000

I was recently reading my tattered paperback copy of Bester’s The Stars My Destination for a future article and happened to check on when this very beat-up book was released. It turns out that I… [more]

Spider-Man Was Never Just the “Loveable Loser”

David Mann — Fri, 02 May 2014 11:00:54 +0000

“Yes siree, things are sure looking up for my favorite couple of guys–namely, me!”—ASM #12 Quick: what’s Spider-Man really all about, in one sentence? With most major superheroes, someone might have to pause a second… [more]

Great Books vs. Late Books: Should Marvel Switch to a Bi-Monthly Schedule?

Paul Jaissle — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:00:58 +0000

When you picked up Hawkeye #16 in late January, you might have been wondering what happened to issue #15. Well, it turns out that #15, originally solicited for September, is finally scheduled to arrive in stores February… [more]

Michael Douglas Adds to Ant-Man’s Legacy

Zaki Hasan — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:00:13 +0000

While Marvel Studios’ Avengers franchise (and appendages) tends to garner the most ink, I have to say I find development on the studios’ secondary properties far more fascinating, as it demonstrates their willingness to continually… [more]

Disney to Move Star Wars License from Dark Horse to Marvel

Zaki Hasan — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 18:52:51 +0000

A couple of days ago Disney confirmed the news that pretty much any fan with some degree of pop culture awareness has seen coming for a year and a half now: this year the Star… [more]

What Marvel’s Miracleman #1 Preview Pages Indicate

Julian Darius — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 00:30:55 +0000

Miracleman #1 Preview Pages Indicate" title="What Marvel’s Miracleman #1 Preview Pages Indicate" style="float:left;" />A few days ago, Marvel released a five-page preview of its Miracleman #1, scheduled for 15 January publication. Having opined on what Marvel should do editorially with the series (and as the author of the… [more]

Slip and Slide

Christopher Maurer — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 12:00:04 +0000

A few weeks ago, I went to the New York City Comic Con for the first time in my life and suffice it to say, it was an incredible experience. From meeting creators who were… [more]

How “Tales of Asgard” Changed Everything

Julian Darius — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 12:00:17 +0000

In Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug 1962), Donald Blake finds a magical walking stick that transforms him into Thor. It’s a rather inauspicious beginning. In that first story, Thor fights stone-skinned aliens, who simply land… [more]

I Once Was Blind: Waid’s Daredevil & How Expectations Can Ruin Even the Best of Things

Christopher Maurer — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 11:00:30 +0000

Daredevil & How Expectations Can Ruin Even the Best of Things" title="I Once Was Blind: Waid’s Daredevil & How Expectations Can Ruin Even the Best of Things" style="float:left;" />I hated it. There, I said it, and like an alcoholic (“My name is Chris and I have a problem”), it feels good to get it off my chest. When I opened up the pages… [more]

Future Progressive, Past Regressive: Livewires

Tom Shapira — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 11:00:15 +0000

Livewires " title="Future Progressive, Past Regressive: Livewires " style="float:left;" />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]

1986: D.P.7 — Group Therapy for Superhumans

Peter Sanderson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:00:07 +0000

D.P.7 — Group Therapy for Superhumans" title="1986: D.P.7 — Group Therapy for Superhumans" style="float:left;" />In 1986, twenty-five years after the publication of Fantastic Four #1, which launched the modern Marvel Universe, Marvel editor in chief Jim Shooter introduced a new fictional reality in Marvel Comics, the New Universe. This… [more]

1986: Strikeforce: Morituri, Part 2: No Way Out

Peter Sanderson — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:59 +0000

Strikeforce: Morituri, Part 2: No Way Out" title="1986: Strikeforce: Morituri, Part 2: No Way Out" style="float:left;" />In Strikeforce: Morituri, the Marvel Comics series created by writer Peter B. Gillis and artist Brent Anderson, which debuted towards the end of 1986, the Earth of the late 21st century is under attack by… [more]

1986: Strikeforce: Morituri: We Who are About to Die

Peter Sanderson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:00:48 +0000

Strikeforce: Morituri: We Who are About to Die" title="1986: Strikeforce: Morituri: We Who are About to Die" style="float:left;" />In many of the great comics of the year 1986, their creators were examining the medium and the genre in which they were working and their histories, critically reevaluating them and redefining them for a… [more]

On Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe

Colin Smith — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:00:03 +0000

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe" title="On Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe" style="float:left;" />Sean Howe begins his history of Marvel Comics in 1961 with publisher Martin Goodman ordering Stan Lee to produce a knock-off of rival DC’s new and successful Justice League of America. As Howe puts it,… [more]

Jason Aaron on Why Wolverine Endures

Patrick Meaney — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 22:00:47 +0000

As a longtime writer of Wolverine both in Wolverine and the X-Men and the X-Men solo series, Jason Aaron knows the character well. But what is it that makes Wolverine such an enduring presence in… [more]

X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 2

Colin Smith — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:00:19 +0000

X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 2" title="X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 2" style="float:left;" />In the wake of their first public appearance, the X-Men appear to have been briefly embraced by the American people. Having defeated Magneto’s attempt to seize the U.S. military base of “Cape Citadel”, Cyclops and… [more]

Rob Liefeld on Leaving Marvel Comics in the Early ’90s

Patrick Meaney — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 13:30:25 +0000

For the past twenty-five years, Rob Liefeld has been a best-selling and controversial comics creator. Here, he discusses working for Marvel Comics in the early ’90s and the changing corporate culture there that led him… [more]

X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 1

Colin Smith — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:00:18 +0000

X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 1" title="X-Men #1-19 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, et al (1963-66), Part 1" style="float:left;" />In a profoundly reactionary society, even a gentle and sincere challenge to the status quo can be read as a significant marker of dissent. When that dissent is expressed in a medium and a form… [more]

Sharpening the Image: Introduction

Forrest Helvie — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:00:56 +0000

Comic readers from Gen X and (older members of) Gen Y remember 1992 as a sort of zeitgeist for comics. Change was in the air in all strata of the field: DC Comics not only… [more]

The Adventures of Henry Pym (1962 to 1965)

Colin Smith — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:00:44 +0000

Don’t print the legend. There was no such thing as an archetypal “Marvel superhero” for the first few years following the publication and unexpected success in 1961 of the Fantastic Four. What would in hindsight… [more]

On Iron Man in 1963, by Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

Colin Smith — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:00:16 +0000

Why should we care about Tony Stark? More importantly, why should we pity him? The Reds have done for his heart, it’s true, and he can never remove the super-scientific chest plate that ensures that it keeps… [more]

Grant Morrison’s Day-Glo Years: Fantastic Four: 1234

Patrick Meaney — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:40:01 +0000

Fantastic Four: 1234" title="Grant Morrison’s Day-Glo Years: Fantastic Four: 1234" style="float:left;" />Fantastic Four: 1234 was written at the tail end of Morrison’s Day-Glo Years, during his brief period writing for Marvel in the early 2000s. Grant has spent the vast majority of his career writing for… [more]

Becoming Alan Moore

Colin Smith — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:06:32 +0000

1. When did Alan Moore become ALAN MOORE? When did the promising prospect become the master Bardly craftsman? If his work for Marvel UK in the early 1980s is to be trusted, the graduation occurred… [more]

Marvel’s Spirit of Vengeance

Mike Greear — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

A few days ago I donated some money to Gary Friedrich, the co-creator of Ghost Rider, one of Marvel Entertainment’s most popular properties.Due to a recent lawsuit with Marvel, Friedrich owes a substantial sum of… [more]

On “Vengeance of the Molecule Man!”, by Steve Gerber, Gil Kane, and Joe Sinnott

Colin Smith — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:23 +0000

There’s something of the world before the meteor fell about the Marvel Comics of the mid-Seventies. That’s an unfortunate comparison where Jim Shooter and his tenure as the company’s Editor-in-Chief is concerned, because it casts him in… [more]

Super-Hero Prose: It’s About Damn Time

Miles Prower — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:01 +0000

Marvel is branching out into legitimate publishing and I couldn’t be more excited. See, I’ve always been a super-hero fan, but I’ve never really liked comic books. Super-heroes are an essential part of our American… [more]

The Heroic Struggle of Beta Ray Bill

Tim Bavlnka — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:00:05 +0000

This is a somewhat informal essay on a character that has fascinated me for a few years, Beta Ray Bill. While it echoes the work of folklorists and the hero narrative (Propp, Campbell, et al),… [more]

Justice for All

Richard De Angelis — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:37:38 +0000

Fourth Age of Comics is an excellent blog site that examines modern comic book storytelling with a particular focus on the types of issues superheroes can effectively be used to address. The site extensively examines… [more]

Why Carlie Cooper Matters (in Just One Panel)

Colin Smith — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:56:53 +0000

It’s hard to suppress the suspicion that there are comic-book creators who have quite deliberately chosen to ignore the business of storytelling in favor of butt-shots and throw-downs, pin-ups and continuity porn. Whether it’s more… [more]

Turning Points

Max Santiago — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:08:57 +0000

These last couple of years we have seen a revolution of sorts in both mainstream companies. Bigger stories, with more continuity, are the order of the day, and long year-spanning stories, which involve every player… [more]

American Thesis #5: The Revisionary Superhero and a New Breed of Comics

Jeff Tepper — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:47:51 +0000

After the industry’s expansion, through the use of direct distribution, comic books matured into a more intelligent and enjoyable entertainment. As readership of independent and underground comics increased, new characters emerged with dark and complicated… [more]

Diggin’ Up Gold! #1

Mike Gagnon — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:34:58 +0000

The Story of Atlas/Seaboard Comics The roots of the company now known as Atlas/Seaboard Comics can be seen as far back the summer of 1968. That was when Marvel Comics founder Martin Goodman sold Marvel… [more]

In the Beginning… #4

Chris Chopping — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:08:38 +0000

Whether it is uninviting and difficult or fascinating and exciting is a matter of opinion, but it is undeniable that at the moment the DC Universe is a confusing place to newcomers. In all probability,… [more]

Wacking It (or, 52 Pick-Up)

Brian Graiser — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:46:38 +0000

Welcome, True Believers, to Tact is for the Weak, the column that would defect to a rival website in a heartbeat if Julian Darius wasn’t holding my family hostage… As the more internet-savvy of you… [more]

The Unmasking of Our Attention Span

Brian Hill — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 17:15:59 +0000

It was only a matter of time until someone in the comic industry remembered that outside media hype, in theory, should bring bigger sales. Perhaps they never forgot but simply chose to ignore it in… [more]

House of Marvel #1: The House That Marvel Built

Jake Willis — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 16:52:02 +0000

I’m a relative newcomer to comics. In fact, my first exposure to the American side of things only came a few years ago in the form of Ultimate Spider-Man #1, which was released in an… [more]

Your Guide to Civil War: Introduction

Richard Renteria — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:46:42 +0000

Welcome to an article dedicated to Marvel Comics summer event Civil War. My name is Richard Renteria; I will be your guide throughout the event. Prior to the big event, we will focus some time… [more]

The House of D (or, The Secret History of Diamond)

Brian Graiser — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 23:59:52 +0000

Welcome, all you rubberneckers, to the great slow-motion train wreck that is Tact is for the Weak, the column that would TOTALLY make out with your sister!Last week, I discussed my general discontent with Diamond… [more]

Eric Jerome Dickey on Writing Black Characters for Marvel Comics

Eric Williams — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 18:00:55 +0000

When Eric Jerome Dickey was just a youth growing up in Memphis, Tennessee during the late ’60s and early ’70s, he, like many other young boys his age, got hooked on the comic book craze… [more]

The State of American Comics Address, 2004

Julian Darius — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 18:00:12 +0000

This is the fourth annual State of American Comics Address that I have given. The State of American Comics Address is intended to sum up, in retrospect and for the historical record, the American comics… [more]

Bill Jemas Autopsy

Julian Darius — Sat, 25 Oct 2003 17:00:53 +0000

Bill Jemas was for a few years the man everyone loved to hate. He played the bad guy to Joe Quesada, who more effectively cultivated himself as the “people’s man” in Marvel Comics’ administration. Now… [more]

The Art of Intrinsic Failure: Epic, The Cubs, and Some Reviews

Bryan Miller — Tue, 21 Oct 2003 14:58:09 +0000

Salutations, and welcome to another New Comics Day. Well, okay, not really. New Comics Day plus a few days. Sadly, New Comics Day last week was spent in mourning after watching the Cubs blow it… [more]