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Editorials
Spidey Suit
Spider-Man is known for taking chances with his wardrobe.
“We’ve Got to Make Superman, Spider-Man, and Everyone Dance”
Music and super-heroes have, for some reason, never been able to get along. Looking at the track listing for the Avengers sorta-kinda movie soundtrack, Avengers Assemble, we can see right away that finding songs to… [more]
The Venom Formula
If there’s one character who is constantly in need of a makeover, it’s Venom.
Soul Silver Surfer
After my recent column about Galactus, I’ve had an urge to rediscover a character that I’ve never really given enough attention to: Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer.
Comic Book Dads
Yesterday, my friends Wes and Andrea welcomed into the world their beautiful new daughter, Annabelle Fay. I was there along with members of their family to accompany them on their big day, and even though… [more]
The Spectator Left: Self-Disgust and Self-Mockery in Brian Wood’s Channel Zero and The Couriers
As Brian Wood branches out into more mainstream work with Conan the Barbarian and X-Men, it’s important to peer back to his formative days.
Not the Way We Play the Game
I’ve never once criticised the work of another blogger in public, so why start now? Yes, Gene Phillips’s Making a Dirty Breast of the Matter (parts 1 and 2) are appallingly written pieces which express… [more]
Making a Dirty Breast of the Matter, Part 2
I want to focus on one remark made by Kelly Thompson in the essay “No, It’s Not Equal,” regarding the inequitable objectification of male and female characters in superhero comics:
Becoming Alan Moore
1. When did Alan Moore become ALAN MOORE? When did the promising prospect become the master Bardly craftsman? If his work for Marvel UK in the early 1980s is to be trusted, the graduation occurred… [more]
Turtle Power
Hell hath no fury like a fanboy scorned.
Shazam Design
Whenever the phrases “we removed the circus strongman elements of his costume” or “the emotional journey of this troubled teenager” get used in an interview about a character’s redesign, I have to admit I get… [more]
Making a Dirty Breast of the Matter
In “Pulp Friction” I addressed the logical problems inherent in the position of those fans I called “anti-pulpsters,” who oppose, in one way or another, the presence of extravagant sensationalism in superhero comic books.
Earth-2 Fashion
Last week I went into some depth exploring the fan-made costume designs that are featured on the web site “Project: Rooftop.”
Project Rooftop
If you’re a comic book aficionado and you’re not familiar with the design web site “Project Rooftop,” let me enlighten you (and ruin your afternoon as you spend the next several hours going over the… [more]
Invasion of the Character Snatchers
In literature, I would say that it’s different. I would say, and it might be splitting hairs, but I’m not adapting these characters. I’m not doing an adaptation of Dracula or King Solomon’s Mines. What… [more]
The Return to the New 52 and the New Adult Pulp
In “The New 52 and the New Adult Pulp,” I endorsed the notion of mainstream comics embracing their heritage (yes, heritage) of extravagant sensationalism.
Has Sequart’s Resident Marxist Lost His Mind?
I won’t name any names, but I once worked at a major retail chain where people would Stop to buy a video Game.
Marvel’s Spirit of Vengeance
A few days ago I donated some money to Gary Friedrich, the co-creator of Ghost Rider, one of Marvel Entertainment’s most popular properties.
When Adrian Veidt Owns Shakespeare: Why I’m Against Before Watchmen
DC Comics recently officially announced that it would be reviving the characters from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s revered graphic novel, Watchmen, for a slew of prequel spin-off comics. In my opinion, these prequels are… [more]
Why Batman Isn’t a Wingnut
Recently, a friend of mine clicked on a Batman-related TV show clip that found its way to the front page of Reddit.
On Breast-Feeding and Boobery
I know that in my column here, which is unofficially titled “Living Fiction,” I usually adopt the hippy dippy angle of “comics are more real than we think” or whatever and apply it to whatever… [more]
Rethinking “Modern Era Comic Books Aren’t Bad… They’re Just Not Worth the Money”
In the Spring 2010 newsletter of the Comic Book Collector’s Association, I wrote an article called “Modern Era Comic Books Aren’t Bad…They’re Just Not Worth the Money.[1]”
Superpowers, Reality, Celebrity
A new series launching from Image Comics in April titled America’s Got Powers will tell the tale of superheroes competing in an American reality show for a place on a superhero team.
Five Years Later: 52, the New 52, and the Elusive “New Reader”
DC Comics has never been shy about branding, their long line of multiverse spanning event comics don’t always feature the same titular influence, but it always seems like there’s some new form of Crisis looming… [more]
The Girl with the Robin Tattoo
By now everyone has at least heard of, if not seen, David Fincher’s adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, a film that many are calling one of the best of the year.