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Analytic articles, whether historical or literary, scholarly or popular. Views expressed are not necessarily those of Sequart.

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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]

The Older Generation’s Farewell: The Hunger Dogs (Part 2)

From the start of Jack Kirby’s The Hunger Dogs, a new age had arrived.

Meet the Magus 10, The Magus in Time: From Hell Part II

Alan Moore is still better known for his super-hero work than for his esoterically themed or experimental genre-breakers, but this may not always be the case.

On Crisis on Infinite Earths

DC’s first universe-wide crossover was the 12-issue Crisis on Infinite Earths (Apr 1985 – Mar 1986). Written by Marv Wolfman and penciled by George Pérez, the team responsible for DC then-hit New Teen Titans, Crisis was designed to… [more]

The Older Generation’s Farewell: The Hunger Dogs (Part 1)

To examine how comics changed in 1986, we should begin by looking at what comics were like in 1985.

“By Demons Driven!”: Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Issue #27

Saga of the Swamp Thing #27 “By Demons Driven!” Cover date: August 1984. Writer: Alan Moore. Penciller: Steve Bissette. Inker: John Totleben. Letterer: John Costanza. Colorist: Tatjana Wood. Cover: Steve Bissette and John Totleben. Editor:… [more]

Building a Better Dredd: The Smart Narrative Choices of Dredd

Earlier, we discussed how Dredd is faithful to its source material, to the extent that it could be described as a violent morality play. Today, I’d like to discuss the film’s narrative choices, because I… [more]

Afrofuturism as an Extension of the Black Arts Movement

The term Afrofuturism was coined in 1995 by cultural critic Mark Dery in his essay “Black to the Future.”

Meet the Magus 9, Gods and Demons: From Hell Part I

In subject matter, history, and art style, From Hell stands apart from other works written by Alan Moore, but that hasn’t made it obscure, rather notorious.

Sharpening the Image: Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood, the Man and the Comic that Started It All (Part 2)

While one certainly should not judge a book by its cover, applying this adage to the cover of a comic book can be problematic.

“A Time of Running”: Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Issue #26

Saga of the Swamp Thing #26 “A Time of Running” Cover date: July 1984 Writer: Alan Moore. Penciller: Steve Bissette. Inker: John Totleben. Letterer: John Costanza. Colorist: Tatjana Wood. Cover: Steve Bissette and John Totleben.… [more]

On the Ethics of How and Why Hank Pym Created a Wasp (Part 2)

By design and chance, Tales to Astonish #44 had presented a fledgling romance between Pym and Van Dyne which had the potential to constantly and plausibly generate both conflict and reconciliation over and over again.… [more]

On Mark Waid and Bryan Hitch’s JLA

With Grant Morrison’s departure from JLA in 2000, DC made the absolute best decisions possible for the title’s new creative team. As writer, DC chose Mark Waid. Waid had written Kingdom Come (which had inspired… [more]