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Magazine Archives for:
March 2015
Smorgasbord #15: Notes on a Scandal
This is the long one… with almost two hours of talking Shawn & Tom attempt to make sense of the recent rush of controversies (including the Batgirl cover, Erik Larson, poor costume design, speech, and… [more]
Sexcastle: The Best Action Movie Never Made
Sexcastle, now available as a TPB from Image Comics, is the best action film never made in the 80s. It’s Big Trouble in Little China meets Kill Bill, combining the best elements of both. The… [more]
Hasty Sequels: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues
After the unanticipated success of Zatoichi, Daiei Studios knew they had to capitalize on the suddenly popular property they’d created. They weren’t entirely sure how, but they knew they had to strike quickly while the… [more]
Born on a Mountaintop in Tennessee: Davy Crockett and the Early American Superhero
A century before the Shadow, the Phantom, and Superman, the Crockett Almanacs had turned Davy Crockett into one of the first American superheroes. [more]
The First Kaiju Fight: Godzilla Raids Again
As Nakajima himself put it, “I had to stand in the middle of the set while a huge amount of crushed ice came tumbling down on me.” The weight of the ice, coupled with the weight of the GyakushuGoji suit, broke the platform Nakajima and a cable operator were situated on. [more]
The Fabulous McGill Brothers on Better Call Saul
This episode of Better Call Saul has one of the most devastating cold opens so far. Vince Gilligan’s previous work on The X-Files and of course Breaking Bad reflects a longstanding interest in the power… [more]
Community Season Six: “Basic Crisis Room Decorum”
The third episode of the Yahoo hosted sixth season of Dan Harmon’s quirky cult show Community continues a trend seemingly put forward by the first two. “Basic Crisis Room Decorum” sees the show at both… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 23
Issue 27 “Hold Me” Writer: Neil Gaiman Art & Cover: Dave McKean Colors: Dave McKean & Danny Vizzo Letters: Todd Klein Following Grant Morrison’s two part tale of nuclear terror, is arguably one of the… [more]
Invisible Republic: A Fresh and Compelling Science Fiction Comic
The new comic book Invisible Republic, by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, offers a fresh and intriguing take on the post-Apocalyptic genre. With moody, evocative artwork and spare, confident storytelling, it has the feel of… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 22
Issue 25 “Early Warning” Writer: Grant Morrison Art, Colors, & Cover: David Lloyd Letters: Tom Frame As stated before, over the 300 issue run Hellblazer would be written by many of the comic industry’s biggest… [more]
Tsuburaya Does Colour: Rodan
Rodan presented the special effects mastermind with a unique opportunity. Not only was Eiji Tsuburaya shooting in colour for only the second time but also he was allotted an unprecedented 60 percent of the film’s budget [more]
The Literary Art of Stephen King: “All That You Love Will Be Carried Away”
In this story, King is elevating an entire medium of expression that almost no one takes seriously, even though in many ways it has a purity that most of the finer arts lack. [more]
Community Season Six: “Ladders” and “Lawnmower Maintenance and Post-Natal Care”
Community was a little bit of a nerve-wracking affair this season. The show was running the risk of this particular reincarnation being more like the Leech Child than the behemoth of brilliance it was before.… [more]
Will Brooker on the Similarities Between My So-Called Secret Identity and the New Batgirl
Dr. Will Brooker has published studies of comics and pop culture since his Batman Unmasked in 2001. In 2013, he launched the comic book My So-Called Secret Identity, which he writes. The series, illustrated by… [more]
A Pivotal Episode of Better Call Saul
This episode of Better Call Saul is a turning point. Forces and story elements that have been building since the series began come to a head here, and Jimmy McGill makes his last stand against… [more]
Emory Liu on Designing Books at Fantagraphics
When I received my copy of the Fantagraphics’ Cannon collection of Wallace Wood secret agent strips a few years ago, I was impressed by the beautiful design and layout of the book. In the back… [more]
On Seeing Persona in Theatres
So Ingmar Bergman is one of those directors spoken of almost unanimously in apotheosized terms. He’s highly regarded by those film critics most driven by artistic pretension, and highly thought of even by his peers. [more]
Oh, My Aching Cranium!: Jack Kirby’s OMAC Deconstructed And Reconstructed, Part Sixteen
So—what was that all about, then? I assure you, it’s hardly a rhetorical question—Jack Kirby’s eight-issue run on OMAC is stuffed to the gills (and well beyond) with concepts, themes, often-eerily-prescient prognostication, and deft societal… [more]
Chrononauts: A Boy’s Own Adventure!
Chrononauts, the new comic from Mark Millar and Sean Gordon Murphy, is a wonderful grab-bag of genres and influences. Mixing a little bit of Stargate with a bit of Time Bandits and starring leading characters… [more]
Capital Thoughts: All-New Captain America #4
In what is now a common trope, Sam Wilson, aka, the All-New Captain America, is getting his ass kicked, this time by Armadillo, a third-rate villain who first appeared in Cap #308 (August, 1985; Gruenwald/Neary/… [more]
Smorgasbord #14: The Case of the Defeathered Duck
On this episode: Shawn and Tom discuss Valiant’s attempt to create its own cinematic universe, Black Mask Studios want to make “Tube Comics” a thing, Michelle Rodriguez doesn’t like thieves, and Tom briefly discusses the… [more]
Movies You Should Watch: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre came out in 1948, and was directed by John Huston. The movie stars Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, and Tim Holt. Bogart and Holt play Fred C. Dobbs and Curtin respectively. [more]
Tracing Some of the Roots in Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor, Part 2
[A quick word of caution. What follows is an analysis of some of the literary antecedents for The Sculptor. As such, spoilers abound. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!] If you read last week’s column,… [more]