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On the Moore / Morrison Feud, Literary Borrowings, and the Anxiety of Influence
It’s long been no secret, to those who paid attention, that Alan Moore and Grant Morrison — arguably the medium’s two most influential writers — don’t get along. But it’s been a slow simmer of… [more]
Augmenting the Reality of Sequential Art
Sometimes I feel the world we live in is a tad boring.
Miracleman, Chapter 8 Concludes
We’ve begun discussing chapter eight (parts one, two, three, four, and five) of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we conclude our exploration of that chapter.
Superheroes Emerge in the Face of Sandy
The obvious choice for me this week, in my unending and inane quest to compare everything that happens in my life or in my brain to something I’ve seen happen in a comic, would be… [more]
Superhero Versus Superzero
Imagine being back in elementary school, wearing a well-loved shirt with a classic 1940-esque Batman symbol.
Bromancing: the Extracurricular Partnership and Relationship of Batman and Superman
The last son of Krypton is alone.
“A Halo of Flies” and “The Brimstone Ballet”: Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Issues #30 and #31
Saga of the Swamp Thing #30 “A Halo of Flies” Cover date: November 1984. Writer: Alan Moore. Artists: Stephen Bissette and Alfredo Alcala. Colorist: Tatjana Wood. Letterer: John Costanza. Editor: Karen Berger.
Miracleman, Chapter 8: The Flashback Pages
We’ve begun discussing chapter eight (parts one, two, three, and four) of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter.
Critiquing the Robins of the New 52
It’s Saturday, Halloween weekend in New York City, and I’ve elected to stay inside all day and write about super-heroes.
Three Surrogate Wise Men: The Father Figures of the Batman
Many of our comic book heroes are orphans.
Fall of the Spot; Rise of Coyote
Spot. The Spot.
The Older Generation’s Farewell: The Hunger Dogs (Part 3)
As we have seen, in The Hunger Dogs, the graphic novel in which Jack Kirby resolved his “Fourth World” saga, Kirby’s optimistic vision of the early 1970s turned dark and ominous.
Miracleman, Chapter 8: Introducing Big Ben
We’ve begun discussing chapter eight (parts one, two, and three) of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter. (We’ve also previously introduced Miracleman and discussed chapters one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, as well… [more]
Who’s Your Daddy: Examining the Parental Relationship Between Bruce and Damian Wayne
Very few of our comic book heroes have real biological families.
Modular Narrative and Seven Soldiers of Victory
As near as I can tell, this is all Grant Morrison’s fault.
“Love and Death”: Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Issue #29
Saga of the Swamp Thing #29 “Love and Death” Cover date: October 1984. Writer: Alan Moore. Artists: Stephen Bissette & John Totleben. Letterer: John Costanza. Colorist: Tatjana Wood. Editor: Karen Berger.
Miracleman, Chapter 8: Rocket Launchers, Flamethrowers, and Racism
We’ve begun discussing chapter eight (parts one and two) of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter. (We’ve previously introduced Miracleman and discussed chapters one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, as well as… [more]
Miracleman, Chapter 8: Two Ninja Vs. Superman
We’ve begun discussing chapter eight of Alan Moore’s Miracleman, illustrated by Alan Davis. Today, we continue our exploration of that chapter. (We’ve previously introduced Miracleman and discussed chapters one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, as well as the interlude “The… [more]
Oh, Brother, I Hate Your Guts: The Use of the Brother Versus Brother Motif in Comics
Comic books, like all other forms of literary mediums, use a few different literary devices to stimulate our interest.
Miracleman, Chapter 8: “Out of the Dark”
We’ve previously introduced Miracleman and discussed chapters one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, as well as the interlude “The Yesterday Gambit.” We now continue our examination with chapter eight of this celebrated but long-unavailable series, written by Alan Moore and… [more]
On the First Year of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis’ Justice League International (Part 2)
We previously examined the first four issues of Giffen and DeMatteis’ seminal Justice League from 1987-1988. Today, we conclude our examination of that title’s first year, which works as its own unit.
Grant Morrison’s Day-Glo Years: Flex Mentallo, Part 4: “We are All UFOs”
At last, we reach the end of this great four part novel known as Flex Mentallo.
“The Burial”: Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Issue #28
Saga of the Swamp Thing #28 “The Burial” Cover date: September 1984. Writer: Alan Moore. Artist: Shawn McManus. Letterer: John Costanza. Colorist: Tatjana Wood. Cover: Steve Bissette and John Totleben. Editor: Karen Berger.
On the First Year of Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis’ Justice League International
While Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis’s run on Justice League (retitled Justice League International with #7) is fondly remembered, it’s worth looking at how that title’s first year, published from 1987 to 1988, develops and… [more]
Thoughts on the Animated Batman: Gotham Knight
Since I’ve written about Batman Begins, I thought it might be nice to write about its follow-up. No, not The Dark Knight. Chronologically, Batman Begins is followed by Batman: Gotham Knight, a made-for-video collection of six… [more]