RSS feed for Articles
ON COMICS CHARACTERS
ON SCI-FI FRANCHISES
ON GRANT MORRISON
ON TV AND MOVIES
OTHER BOOKS
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Articles
Monster Mash: Saga of the Swamp Thing and Monster Tropes, Part 2
When Nature Attacks! Having achieved his goal of joining with the Green, Woodrue quickly begins his attack on the human race. Woodrue starts small but his escalation is devastating. The killing of a group of… [more]
Monster Mash: Saga of the Swamp Thing and Monster Tropes, Part 1
Joining the Monster Squad Monsters enter our lives at an early age. We are told stories about the things that dwell in the shadows and the corners of our minds. The creatures that we –… [more]
Proper Pronouns: How Wonder Woman Slipped Sexual Slavery, Sadism, and Homosexuality Past the Comics Code Authority
The last few years have taught us the importance the LGBTQ+ community places upon personal pronouns. In 1969, Wonder Woman writer / penciller / editor Mike Sekowsky understood the value of pronouns when it came… [more]
Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 9
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
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
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
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
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]
Vehicular Violence, the Lawmaster, and Judge Dredd
The character of Judge Dredd that appears in the 1995 adaptation from director Danny Cannon and starring Sylvester Stallone, then later in the more faithful 2012 film with Karl Urban, is based on a British… [more]
Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 6
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
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
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]
Yearning for Wakanda: The Complex Relationship Between Black America, Black Africa, and the Black Panther
I am a Negro: Black as the night is black, Black like the depths of my Africa. – Langston Hughes, “Negro” Although many Black people in the United States feel a kinship or even yearning… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Epilogue: Altruism in House of X / Powers of X
“MUTANTS—feared and hated by the world they have sworn to protect. These are the STRANGEST heroes of all!” These words greeted readers of Uncanny X-Men in an introductory caption-box at the top of the first… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 12: Prophecy in Powers of X #6
Chapter 12: Prophecy – Foreknowledge Motivating Change in Powers of X #6 – I Am Not Ashamed Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva with Pepe Larraz Inker: R.B. Silva Color Artist: Marte Gracia with David… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 11: Commandments in House of X #6
Chapter 11: Commandments in House of X #6 – House of X Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Pepe Larraz Color Artist: Marte Gracia with David Curiel Cover Art: Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia Who decides right… [more]
Mister Sandman, It Was a Dream: Was Back to the Future Just a Character’s Dream?
Remember when Marty McFly first arrived in 1955? Remember the song that played? Remember the words, “Mister Sandman, bring me a dream”? You’re probably singing the song now to yourself as you read this because… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 10: The Soul in Powers of X #5
Chapter 10: The Soul in Powers of X #5 – For the Children Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva Inker: R.B. Silva Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia One theory… [more]
Excerpt from Sequart’s Book How to Analyze & Review Comics: Underrepresentation, Stereotyping, Objectification, and Plot Devices: Female Characters in Superhero Comics
The following is an excerpt from Sequart’s book How to Analyze & Review Comics. For more information, including purchase options, click HERE. Female superhero characters have historically been much less numerous, much more often stereotyped,… [more]
Excerpt from Sequart’s Book How to Analyze & Review Comics: Comics and Context: The Questions That Must Be Asked
The following is an excerpt from Sequart’s book How to Analyze & Review Comics. For more information, including purchase options, click HERE. You have a blindspot. More literally, you likely have two, given a pair… [more]
Excerpt from Sequart’s Book How to Analyze & Review Comics: In Defense of Comics Criticism: Why We Need Analysis
The following is an excerpt from Sequart’s book How to Analyze & Review Comics. For more information, including purchase options, click HERE. When you watch Penn & Teller do their particular brand of magic, it… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 9: Resurrection in House of X #5
Chapter 9: Resurrection in House of X #5 – Society Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Pepe Larraz Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia “I will deliver this people from the power… [more]