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“What’s the Point Chief?”: Shameless? Part 26
Continued from last week. Laughter can be used to reveal prejudice before the mind has the chance to stifle it. But the Millar of the period gave no sign that he disapproved of his own heartless… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 10: The Secret Origin of Miracleman, Part 3
We’ve begun discussing chapter ten, the conclusion of Book One (parts one, two, three, and four), of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter.
The Garden and the Wilderness: Walking Dead #25-36
Since its onset, Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead comic book series has focused on the survival of one man, former police officer Rick Grimes, and the group of people he keeps company with. Starting with Walking… [more]
How Comics Work: The Fight Scene, Part 1
Most Superhero comics are based around two things: character-based drama and fight scenes. Many even forgo the former for the latter, under the horrible impression that they’re the same thing. This is in part due… [more]
The Stitching Together of a Mythos: Kris Straub’s Broodhollow
It’s a rare thing to watch a reality in the process of its own formation. It’s like observing a building being created row by row: block by block. But in this case it’s more like… [more]
“Never Trust A Woman… Women Will Eat You Alive”: Shameless? Part 25
Continued from last week. But Millar’s work for Fleetway often went far beyond casual, unthinking sexism. As the months passed and the examples of this piled up, he gave every impression of being a died-in-the-wool misogynist.… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 10: The Secret Origin of Miracleman, Part 2
We’ve begun discussing chapter ten, the conclusion of Book One (parts one, two, and three), of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter.
I Once Was Blind: Waid’s Daredevil & How Expectations Can Ruin Even the Best of Things
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]
Humanity, Heroism, and Action: Grant Morrison’s Action Comics #11
The construction motif returns on page one of this issue as Metalek attacks Metropolis and destroys a tenement building in the process. Metalek is an artificial intelligence that looks like construction equipment and was first… [more]
Coping by Change: Sandman’s “Brief Lives,” Chapters 1-3
Investigating the corpus of Gaiman’s literary contributions draws fruitful results when contemplating his creative process. Earlier works often foreshadow later ones, the latter being throwbacks to ideas at their genesis, now fully developed theses. American… [more]
Ultimate Spider-Man #1 Introduces Peter Parker, his “Fathers,” and Hints at a Rich Supporting Cast
Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is one of the most important comics issues of the 21st century. The series was the brainchild of Marvel publisher Bill Jemas, who wanted to create a Marvel universe that was accessible… [more]
“Comic Books Most Dripping-Wet Liberal”: Shameless? Part 24
Continued from last week. The image of Millar as a tykish, daring and promising newcomer was wearing through by the end of 1992. What had at first seemed like boyish ambition, conspicuous potential and a novice’s… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 10: The Secret Origin of Miracleman
We’ve begun discussing chapter ten, the conclusion of Book One (parts one and two), of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter.
Tyrant Questions and Answers with Steve Bissette
Previously we looked at Tyrant’s letter pages, issue one, issue two, issue three, and issue four. Steve Bissette’s Tyrant leaves us with more questions than it does answers. The series came to a crashing conclusion with… [more]
“The Best Thing Since Dark Knight, Possibly Better”: Shameless? Part 23
Continued from last week. Despite years of cold shoulders and rejection letters, Millar’s determination to write for the major players in the American comics industry never seems to have wavered. In particular, he continued to long… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 10 as a Mystery Story
We’ve begun discussing chapter ten, the conclusion of Book One, of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter.
“Let Them Serve as Signs”: Graphic Adaptations of Christian Texts
In issue number 301 of The Comics Journal, there are articles critiquing two major spiritual works in the graphic tradition. One of these works is R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis, the other Dave Sim’s Cerebus. While the latter… [more]
Humanity, Heroism, and Action: Grant Morrison’s Action Comics #10
After taking an issue off to visit Earth 23 and President Superman, Morrison returns the narrative back to Maxim Zarov (also known as Nimrod the Hunter) who was last seen killing a T-Rex at the… [more]
Song of Death: The Tragedy of Dream’s Only Begotten Son
Through the Sandman, one recurring theme endures that tempers the fantasy offered by Gaiman and his titular protagonist. This is deconstructing the fantastic and popularizing ancient tales into pedestrian tongues. He is contextualizing tales culturally… [more]
“But The Bad People Haven’t Gone Away”: Shameless? Part 22
Continued from last week. The Spider wasn’t the only long-unseen British superhero to be radically reworked by Millar in Vicious Games. He also briefly laid claim to Tri-Man, who’d been a far more conventional example of the… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 10: “Zarathustra”
We’ve previously introduced Miracleman and discussed all but the final chapter of Book One. We now continue this critical examination with chapter ten (written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Alan Davis) of this celebrated but long-unavailable series that… [more]
The Garden and the Wilderness – Walking Dead #20-24
Walking Dead #20 opens with Rick Grimes and his group of survivors in unfamiliar territory. For the first time in the series’ short history, the group has emerged victorious when faced with circumstances that threatened… [more]
Tyrant Issue Four: Dreams and Bones
Previously we looked at Steve Bissette’s most experimental issue of Tyrant. The final published issue of Tyrant opens with yet another spectacular nature drawing. Steve Bissette draws the rocky remains of a riverbed, a trickle of… [more]
“Lots of People Dressed Like That in the Sixties”: Shameless? Part 21
Continued from last week. Fifteen months would pass until March 1992′s 2000 AD Action Special and the next of Millar’s superhero stories to see print. A stillborn revamping of the Sixties British superhero The Spider, it… [more]
Humanity, Heroism, and Action: Grant Morrison’s Action Comics #9
After completing the first arc on Action Comics, Morrison spends one issue in the alternate universe of Earth-23 where Superman is not only black, but also the President of the United States. President Superman had… [more]