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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]
Judge Dredd: America as a Critique of Unethical Police Practises
Recently Rebellion 2000AD Ltd collected a series of stories from the long running Judge Dredd “Democracy” storyline in a collection called Essential Judge Dredd: America (2020). In this collection, the stories “Letter from a Democrat”,… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 8: Evil Beings in Powers of X #4
Chapter 8: Evil Beings in Powers of X #4 – Something Sinister Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva Inker: R.B. Silva Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: R.B. Silva and Marte Gracia At the end… [more]
Evolution of the Islamic Superheroine: Post-9/11 Representation of Muslim Women in Comics
Introduction The primary purpose of this piece will be to discuss the history regarding the increased representation of Muslima, or female adherents of Islam, within fictional mediums such as superhero comics. Specifically, following the September… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 7: Martyrdom in House of X #4
Chapter 7: Martyrdom in House of X #4 – It Will be Done Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Pepe Larraz Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia Deeply tragic and yet strangely… [more]
From Fan Favorite to Most Despised: The Curious Case of Dr. Hank McCoy
There was a time in the ‘90s when, if a fan was asked to name their top five X-Men, there was a good chance Hank McCoy would be among them. Maybe you thought Cyclops was… [more]
The Knighted King: A Brief Publication History of Christopher Priest’s Black Panther
When Christopher Priest returned to Marvel Comics in 1998 it had been almost ten years since his tumultuous exit from the company. In the interim the company and the comic book industry had undergone tremendous… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 6: Doubts and Fears in House of X #3
Chapter 6: Doubts and Fears in House of X #3 – Once More unto the Breach Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Pepe Larraz Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia Cyclops asks… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 5: The End Times in Powers of X #3
Chapter 5: The End Times in Powers of X #3 – This Is What You Do Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva Inker: R.B. Silva Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: R.B. Silva and Marte… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 4: Ascension in Powers of X #2
Chapter 4: Ascension in Powers of X #2 – We Are Together Now, You and I Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva Inker: R.B. Silva with Adriano Di Benedetto Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art:… [more]
Citizenship 101: The DC Public Service Announcements of the 1950s and 1960s
An unlikely 1949 brown paper schoolbook cover produced by DC Comics and distributed by the Institute for American Democracy (IAD) received a great deal of attention following the violent protests in Charlottesville in August 2017.… [more]
The Panther’s Priest: Christopher Priest’s Career Prior to Black Panther
To preserve clarity, except when using exact quotes, this history will refer to Christopher Priest consistently by his current name. He was born Christopher James Owsley, and many of his comic book credits prior to… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 3: Reincarnation in House of X #2
Chapter 3: Reincarnation in House of X #2 – The Uncanny Life of Moira X Writer: Jonathan Hickman Artist: Pepe Larraz Color Artist: Marte Gracia Cover Art: Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia It would be… [more]
The Universe of Possibilities: Star Wars, Doctor Aphra, and Literary Concurrency
Fans of the Star Wars franchise are probably familiar with the series of events that led to Marvel Comics becoming, once again, responsible for the publishing license, but just in case: Marvel produced the original… [more]
Different Men of Tomorrow: Superman and Providence
Stop me if you’ve heard this story. A mild-mannered bespectacled journalist works at an American newspaper attempting to find a story, having to deal with a senior editor, a wise-cracking coworker, and a troublesome, opinionated… [more]
Formless and Void: On BLAME!, NaissanceE, and Liminal Spaces
“What’s it about?” When I recommend BLAME! – the admittedly a tad obscure manga by Tsutomu Nihei – to someone, I tend to get that dreaded question asked to me. I hate having to answer… [more]