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Magazine
Don’t Send in the Clowns: Jared Leto Isn’t Cool Enough to Be Joker
Remember when The Joker was cool? Do you remember how gratifying it would always be to see him reimagined for a new video game or cartoon? Or better yet, to see him re-adapted for another… [more]
Thomas Alsop: Beautiful New York Gothic
Thomas Alsop, now available in a gorgeous TPB from Boom! studios, is an example of that rich collection of fiction and art that tries to bring the ancient past to America. That impulse seems like… [more]
Mad Max 2: A Retro Review
“I remember a time of chaos. Ruined dreams. This wasted land.” So begins the opening narration setting the status quo of Mad Max 2 (known to many folks stateside as The Road Warrior). Nearly thirty-five… [more]
You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive: On the Last Season of Justified
You have to watch Justified now; it’s no longer optional. I’ve recommended this series before, but any recommendation for an ongoing show comes with that big glowing asterix. How many hordes would’ve recommended Lost during… [more]
Diametric Futures and Alternate Realities Adequately Executed: Lou Iovino’s The Last West
I’ve never read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. (Most people who don’t like it haven’t either.) But I am aware of Objectivism, the tenet that Rand preaches without abandon, and I refuse to live in… [more]
The Other Side of the Wind: Orson’s Last Stand
Few films would have been as knowing, satirical, poetic and ahead of their time as Orson Welles’ last famous “unfinished” film of the 1970s, The Other Side of the Wind. In one of the great… [more]
Rod Serling’s Legacy Continues Postmortem with Twilight Zone Museum Exhibit
In late 1959, beloved American television screenwriter and producer Rod Serling captivated audiences with his new show The Twilight Zone. The show is a series of independent 30-minute psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, and horror… [more]
Mad Max: A Retro Review
By the time Mad Max arrived on the scene in 1979, the cupboard of post-apocalyptic cinema was already pretty well stocked. From The Time Machine to the Planet of the Apes cycle to A Boy… [more]
How The Avengers Became the Center of the Marvel Universe
From 1961 to 1965, in a white-hot blaze of publisher demand and creativity, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, John Romita Sr. and others hammered out the entire Marvel Universe. In the process, they made… [more]
Chrononauts #3: Early Review!
Chrononauts continues to be exuberant, good-hearted fun, and as we head into the last act of this four-issue arc, Quinn and Reilly are starting to encounter consequences to their extremely irresponsible (though fun) actions. Mark… [more]
Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War Finally Hitting the Big Screen
In 1974, Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War hit book stores and hardcore sci-fi fans’ hearts. Two years later (1976) the novel won some of the most coveted sci-fi awards out there, the Hugo, the Nebula,… [more]
Smorgasbord #18: …What is it Good for?
Avengers: Age of Ultron came and went, leaving audiences baffled and the podcast divided, as Shawn and Tom war it out for a bit before signing a peace treaty. Speaking of wars, the reviews of… [more]
How Supporting Rap Duo Run the Jewels Supports Comic Book and Street Art Culture
While in contrast to Hip Hop’s legendary Supervillain, MF DOOM, Killer Mike and El-P have acted as music’s superheroes for the past two years. With their critically acclaimed sophomore album Run the Jewels 2, the… [more]
Deconstruction of Male Duality in American Comic Books: Robert Kirkman’s Invincible
***Editors Note: Following articles contains graphic imagery originally featured in Invincible #110. According to Judith Butler, gender is not a static, stable, and “natural” condition someone is born with, but rather a socially constructed concept… [more]
Arrow Season 3 Episode 22 Review
“This Is Your Sword” pretty quickly goes back on the biggest development of last week’s episode. It turns out that Oliver hasn’t actually been indoctrinated by the League of Assassins and has merely been playing… [more]
“I Just Don’t Like Bullies”: Joss Whedon’s Interpretation of Captain America
2012 was inarguably Joss Whedon’s biggest year ever. Not only did he take center stage of a sold-out ravishing audience at the 10th anniversary Firefly reunion panel at San Diego Comic-Con, have his micro-budget adaptation… [more]
The Flash Season 1 Episode 21 Review
Iris finally knows that Barry is The Flash. It’s a plot development that’s been a long time coming, particularly because it actually happened once already before getting wiped out by Barry’s jump through time, and… [more]
Portraits In Alienated British Youth Circa 1989-90, Part Five: Aim For The Head (Of State)
The fourth and final installment—this time un-numbered, as we’re through counting down to the day and find ourselves at it—of St. Swithin’s Day begins with the most painfully obvious line you could imagine: “today’s the… [more]
Community Season Six: Grifting 101
So episode nine of Community is a bit…muddled. In my humble opinion. When the film started I was pretty instantly thrilled by an animated old west inspired opening shot. It immediately proved to be set… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 29
Issues #34-36 The Dead Boy’s Heart Writer: Jamie Delano Art: Sean Phillips Colors: Tom Zuiko Letters: Gaspar Saladino Cover: Kent Williams Demons are everywhere within Hellblazer. It’s commonplace that we see John Constantine staring down… [more]
Buffy, Angel, and the Guidebook to Growing Up, Part 2
“I had my throat cut and all my friends abandoned me.” If Buffy was teaching us how to survive, then Angel taught us how to provide. Buffy took us from high school to college; Angel… [more]
Orson Welles at 100: Five Films to Get You Started
Orson Welles would have been 100 years old today, and there are celebrations, conferences and screenings happening all year long to celebrate the life and work of this giant of the American cinema. We’ve written… [more]
Arrow Season 3 Episode 21 Review
It’s amazing what a little focus can do. “Al Sah-Him” is an episode of Arrow that’s trimmed away just about any useless parts. Even regular cast member Paul Blackthorne fails to make an appearance as… [more]
Joss Whedon: Where He is, Where He was, and Where He May be Going
It is no doubt that Avengers: Age of Ultron will be the biggest blockbuster hit this year and Joss Whedon is the man that brought it to us. But after it’s all said and done,… [more]