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Magazine
Star Trek Re-Watch, Episode 12 – “The Conscience of the King”
Star Trek: The Original Series often referenced Shakespeare, both in its themes and in its style. This is only to be expected, as elevated themes of tragedy and highly stylized stories of great people pulling… [more]
Thor ’77-’78: On the Never-Ending Road to Ragnarok, Part 1
The Mighty Thor #262: My favorite Marvel character in August 1978 was The Mighty Thor. What follows is an examination of every issue of his Marvel comic book, from August 1977 to July 1978, issues… [more]
Manifest Destiny #s 25-30: Into the Fog
[Editor’s note: Sorry that I have fallen behind recently with my coverage of Manifest Destiny. But since the 5th trade paperback is released this week, it seems the perfect time to catch up. For those… [more]
Remembering and Celebrating Superman II – The Richard Donner Cut
By wide consensus, the first two Superman films from 1978 and 1980 are considered if not the strongest, at least among the strongest superhero films ever made. Especially the first of the two, directed by… [more]
The Early Superman
Though I was never a regular reader of Superman comics, his presence was felt. In the Justice League comics and on cartoon shows of the era, Superman was always featured, his powers looming large over… [more]
Book Excerpt: 100 Things Spider-Man Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
Editor’s Note: Sequart contributor and Spider-Man sage Mark Ginocchio has a new book out! Not shockingly, its focus is on the ol’ Web Head himself. Below is an excerpt from the book. If you like… [more]
Whatever Happened to the Legends of Tomorrow?
It had been advertised for a little while before. The teaser commercial and trailer were fascinating. The Flash had reached another critical story arc mass and Arrow was continuing on. Moreover, in the wake of… [more]
An Age of Resistance: Legends, Myths, and Shadows
It was a surprise. The Jim Henson Company had been seeking to revisit the world of Thra for quite some time. There were, of course, developments. TokyoPop’s Legends of The Dark Crystal and The Dark… [more]
Mister Mxyzptlk and the Dilemma of Drawing in Five Dimensions
A 3-D visualization of Mister Mxyzptlk, courtesy of Mattel. As evidenced by 2017’s “Rebirth” storylines, one of Superman’s more enduring adversaries has proven to be Mister Mxyzptlk, a contemporary entry into trickster god lore. Across… [more]
The Fundamental Things Apply: A Brief Meditation on Reading Jack Kirby in 2017
In times of stress, many of us look to the arts to help fill our emotional wells after they’ve gone dry. And right now, for me, Jack Kirby is like some kind of magical mountain spring. [more]
Smorgasbord #71: Earthlets and Other Puny Animals
Shawn and Tom dedicate a special episode to talk all things 2000AD: past, present, and future. We discuss their new reprint programs, their attempts to bring back classic comics into their modern area, the problems… [more]
Sequart Releases Moving Target: The History and Evolution of Green Arrow
Sequart is proud to announce the publication of Moving Target: The History and Evolution of Green Arrow, by Richard Gray. For 75 years, Green Arrow has been a part of the DC Comics world, working… [more]
Smorgasbord #70: The Saga Awards, Featuring Saga!
It’s our post-SDCC special as Shawn and Tom take time out from reviews to discuss the metric ton of trailers, previews, announcements, panels and discussion that Comic-Con has wrought – from the very last Alan… [more]
San Diego Comic Con 2017: A Disgusting Display of Fan Abuse by Hollywood and the SDCC Staff
I have have been going to San Diego Comic Con for the past 9 years. I have never experienced the pre-Twilight years of Comic Con where the atmosphere was significantly less hostile and relatively less… [more]
Batman: The Telltale Series Season 1 Review
To state the obvious, Batman has been a phenomenon that has transcended the realm of comics into a multimedia franchise powerhouse. Batman has conquered cartoons (most notably with Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond),… [more]
Go See Valerian
I fell in love with Valerian in the first ten minutes, and I never got over it. Let me explain — it’s not a serious spoiler. We start with human exploration of space, jumping forward,… [more]
Smorgasbord #69: Umbrella-ella-ella-eh
Tom and Shawn bid Joan Lee a fond farewell and ponder the passing of an age; Spider-Man: Homecoming breaks some new ground; a bit of DC drama knocks Shawn for a loop; Netflix’s next comics-related… [more]
“What I do is not up to you”: Respect and Agency in Wonder Woman
Patty Jenkins’ exceptional Wonder Woman is rightly being celebrated as one of the most inspiring and exhilarating superhero films to date. Still, it has not been immune to criticism, especially with regards to the female lead’s… [more]
Tim Hanley on The Many Lives of Catwoman
Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992) Tim Hanley (author of Wonder Woman Unbound and Investigating Lois Lane) is back with another superhero spotlight book, The Many Lives of Catwoman. I recently talked to Tim about all things… [more]
Why You Shouldn’t Like Spider-Man: Homecoming, but Probably Do
The Catholic philosopher and theologian Peter Kreeft once quipped, “People will forgive you for being wrong, but they will never forgive you for being right.” I imagine that this is why my distaste for Spider-Man:… [more]
She Makes Comics Now Available on Amazon VOD and iTunes
Sequart Organization and Respect Films are proud to announce that She Makes Comics is now available on iTunes, Amazon VOD, and cable VOD. Directed by Marisa Stotter, She Makes Comics traces the fascinating history of women… [more]
Academics Weigh in on Wonder Woman
Released on June 2, 2017, Wonder Woman was a movie decades in the making. As Wonder Woman’s first solo movie, it not only had to do well at the box office but also had to… [more]
Smorgasbord #68: Exit, Pursued by a Bear
Neither rain, nor snow nor a throat like sandpaper is going to stop Tom and Shawn from talking about comics. The news of a possible new Watchmen TV show lead to a discussion about the… [more]
Smorgasbord #67: Gene Simmons v. Richard Simmons
This week, Tom and Shawn bid a sad farewell to the great Adam West, puzzle over Joel Schumacher’s strange apology, compare the triumphant roar of the Black Panther trailer to the pitiful meow coming from Marvel… [more]
All Hail the Queen Malika (and the Princeless Princess)
It’s tempting to compare Malika: Warrior Queen from YouNeek Studios to Black Panther from Marvel Comics. Both feature a heroic leader, the inheritor of a royal legacy, attempting to bring security to their fictional African… [more]