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We are the Heroes of Earth-Prime: The Role of the Reader in the Multiverse
You. Yes, you. Staring at us. Studying us. Picking over these words and looking for meaning. Did it not occur to you that you are the one giving this significance? Every word you read is… [more]
It’s Sequart’s Third Annual Sci-Fi Week!
Coinciding with this week’s release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Sequart is celebrating its third annual Sci-Fi Week! All this week, we’ll be running content focusing on sci-fi comics and popular culture. Sequart ran… [more]
Send in the Third String: An Argument for the Importance of Less Popular Superheroes
It is difficult to choose your favorite superhero. Most fans of any universe or mythology will immediately select the one that is the most well known or frequently seen in comparison to those that are… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 39
Author’s note: Up to this point in my analysis I’ve tried to remain as objective as possible in the analysis of the content within the series, but the subject matter of the following issue, combined… [more]
Adventure Time: Losing Momentum
Warning: Spoilers for the latest Adventure Time miniseries, Stakes, as well as plot elements from older seasons below. Recently, I had just finished watching Adventure Time’s eight-part miniseries, Stakes, and needless to say, I enjoyed… [more]
Creed Plays the Spin-Off Game Right
I wasn’t really anticipating enjoying Creed. I had heard some fairly positive response, but I sort of assumed I’d be able to appreciate it without being especially engrossed or involved in the proceedings. It’s not… [more]
Colloquium #15: Back to Life — Ben Kahn on Shaman
Markisan interviews Ben Kahn on Shaman! Ben talks about writing the supernatural and sassy world of Shaman, tattoos, his Kickstarter success and the problems with Superboy punching time… (1:56:00) Find out more about Shaman at… [more]
Joseph J. Darowski on His Comics Scholar Career and The Ages of Iron Man
Marvel’s shared cinematic universe has been a series of movies that have generated several billion dollars at the box office. It is a franchise that owes much of its success to the Robert Downy, Jr.’s… [more]
“Through the Eyes of a Fan”: How Being a Fanboy Changes One’s Outlook Both In and Outside the World of Comics
I am not pessimist. Let me make that very clear before I begin this exposition. I am not some kind of troll who sits behind a computer screen, ready to pounce on the latest superhero… [more]
Jessica Jones and Netflix’s New Storytelling
SPOILER WARNING Jessica Jones has a lot going on. It’s about trauma, PTSD, rape, and domestic abuse. (Oh, and superheroes, and Hell’s Kitchen, and the Marvel cinematic universe MCU). The fact is that Jessica Jones… [more]
A Problematic Trailer for a Problematic Film: BvS
It’s a dangerous game to review a trailer, or draw inferences from one. I’ve done it here before and made some (probably) wrong assumptions about a film, as well as some (probably) right ones. (I… [more]
Samuel Fuller’s Fraught Release: White Dog
The American film White Dog was finished in 1981. It was released in Europe in 1982. It wasn’t released in America until 2008, when Criterion released the film on DVD. You can probably tell by… [more]
Superheroes: The American Mythology Part I
Beginning in 1938, two simple creators will develop an entire genre of entertainment that will change the world. The humble beginnings of superheroes as pure heroes to guide America through the Great Depression. [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 38
Issue #47-48 “The Pub Where I Was Born” & “Love Kills” Writer: Garth Ennis; Pencils: Will Simpson, Mike Hoffman; Inker: Stan Woch; Colors: Tom Ziuko; Letters: Gaspar Saladino; Cover: Tom Canty; Being that Hellblazer is… [more]
Plutona #3: Want To Be A Superhero?
The Roman Empire had nothing on groups of kids when it comes to conspiracy, collusion, forming alliances and keeping secrets. That’s one of the great truths about young people that Jeff Lemire and Emi Lenox… [more]
The Basic Competency of Spotlight
Spotlight is a fairly derivative film in a lot of ways. The movie, which deals with The Boston Globe’s investigation into the systemic sexual misconduct of the Catholic Church, owes an arm and a leg… [more]
Eco-Horror: Energy Crises, Pollution, & the End of Humanity
The eco-horror genre of films may now have a proper name, but it’s been around for a long time. Movie goers have been flocking to theaters to see the explosive battle between man and nature… [more]
Some Short Thoughts on Recent Theatrical Releases
As you may or may not have noticed I’ve been falling rather dramatically behind on reviews this past month or so. All I can say to excuse it is that I’ve been busy and I’m… [more]
Smorgasbord #31: The Mad Machinations of Mr. Miller
Tom and Shawn talk Hollywood as a new Crow movie is brought up, Captain America: Civil War gets its first trailer, and Iron Fist becomes a Schrodinger-like phenomenon. In actual comics talk, Frank Miller promises more Dark Knight… [more]
Supergirl: Not the Feminist Superhero People Want
I admit to never knowing, or caring to know, much about Supergirl. While I can talk pretty confidently about the story arcs and history of Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman or even to a… [more]
Spectre: Losing to the Times
I didn’t come in with high expectations for this film, which might be an odd thing to say considering that I really enjoyed Skyfall. You know Skyfall is a good film when it turns into… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 37
Issue #46 “Falling into Hell” Writer: Garth Ennis; Pencils: Will Simpson; Inker: Mark Pennington, Mark McKenna, Kim DeMulder, Stan Woch; Colors: Tom Ziuko; Letters: Gaspar Saladino; Cover: Tom Canty; As with any ongoing comic series,… [more]
Invisible Republic #7: You Can’t Leave
“I’ve been involved in several cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower, but you make more money as a leader.” -Creed Bratton We have to start the… [more]
Portraits In Alienated British Youth Circa 1989-90, Part Sixteen : Meet Dave
So, who’s this “Dave” guy you heard mentioned in our last segment here, anyway? Yeah, okay, you may have gathered that he’s the central figure in John Smith and Sean Phillips’ Straitgate, but beyond that,… [more]
Prometheus Eternal: New Reflections on a Classic Myth
Greek mythology is, it almost goes without saying, full of characters who incur the wrath of more powerful gods by violating their arbitrary rules. Most of those violations amount to stepping outside of the proverbial… [more]