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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]
Panther’s Range: The History of the Black Panther Prior to Christopher Priest
The Black Panther was a ground-breaking character in his 1966 debut. From his first appearance onward, he was seldom absent for long from Marvel Comics publications, whether as a guest star or part of the… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 2: Visions of the Future and the Past in Powers of X #1
Chapter 2: Prophecy – Visions of the Future and the Past in Powers of X #1 – The Last Dream of Professor X Writer: Jonathan Hickman Penciler: R.B. Silva Inker: R.B. Silva with Adriano Di… [more]
Excerpt from Brett Dakin’s American Daredevil: Comics, Communism, and the Battles of Lev Gleason
INTRO: I never met Lev Gleason—he died five years before I was born. My mother would tell me stories about her flamboyant, free-spending uncle from New York City, and I especially loved hearing about Uncle… [more]
How Lightsabers Illustrate the Anakin-Ahsoka-Luke Connection
No two lightsabers are alike. Each has a different design on their hilts and various blade colors to pick from. They are completely the choice of the user who builds it. The original trilogy did… [more]
Exploring White Privilege in Christopher Priest’s Black Panther: Part 2, Hunter, the White Wolf
Hunter glided into the pages of Black Panther stealthily, first trailing him under a cloak of invisibility in the closing panels of issue #3, before fully appearing in issue #4. Even then, his back story… [more]
You Humans Love Your Symbolism, Chapter 1: Paradise in House of X #1: The House that Xavier Built
“You see, I know how you humans love your symbolism, almost as much as you love your religion.” This bold statement of Magneto towards the end of House of X #1 not only serves as… [more]
Infertility and Destiny in Netflix’s The Witcher
Every fictional world has its own set of rules regarding who has power and how it’s important to the narrative. From Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc., many stories separate those with… [more]
Exploring White Privilege in Christopher Priest’s Black Panther: Part 1, Everett K. Ross
It seems shocking that it took more than 30 years for Marvel’s flagship black superhero Black Panther to have a writer who was himself black. This milestone on its own would have made Christopher Priest’s… [more]
Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers #2: In Secret, They Rule
To understand some of the elements of this story, one must dive back into Brian Michael Bendis’s time as the writer for the Avengers. In New Avengers: Illuminati #2, the Illuminati gathers together the Infinity… [more]
What the Creators of She Ra and the Princesses of Power Understand About Queer Representation
When the token LGBTQ+ character is introduced into a TV show or movie, the audience already has a few expectations about them. Typically, that character will have little to no screen time and is only… [more]
Bold, Precise, Experimental: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s Young Avengers and Their Coming-of-Age Story
Whenever Kieron Gillen and Jaime McKelvie’s excellent run on Young Avengers gets mentioned online, it’s more often than not to talk about how diverse and inclusive is in regards of sexual identity. This is absolutely… [more]
The Last Jedi is Repetition, Not Subversion
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is known for being one of the most divisive films in recent history. The reason for that is that it seems to involve moving away from the themes of the… [more]