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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]
Can You Read The Raven’s Speech: Multiversity Mastermen #1 Splendour Falls
Firstly, dear reader, my apologies for the delay. This write up has been one of the toughest but also one of the most enjoyable thus far. The more I reread Mastermen the more I realize… [more]
Mike Calls Saul on Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul has never had a more apt title than this week’s episode “Five-O”, because it’s here that someone finally “Calls Saul”. Jimmy McGill himself has never been more Saul-like than in this episode,… [more]
The Marx Brothers as Guardian Angels—Part 3: Harpo’s Magical Turn in Love Happy
Harpo himself wrote the storyline for the final Marx Brothers film, Love Happy, which features Groucho as narrating detective Sam Grunion and characterizes Harpo and Chico (a.k.a. Faustino the Great) as nearly supernatural figures. While… [more]
Five Historical Figures Who Deserve a Comic Book
Before we even start with this topic, we should probably clarify that this is call for biographical comics, not films. In recent years, after studying both media, I’ve developed a theory that dramatic biography is… [more]
Sifting Through the Ashes: Analyzing Hellblazer, Part 21
Issue 24 “The Family Man” Writer: Jamie Delano Art: Ron Tiner Colors: Tom Zuiko Letters: Tom Frame Cover: Dave McKean Being a supernatural horror comic, it is only natural that Constantine would encounter demons, ghosts,… [more]
Baptized in the Fires of the H-Bomb: Eiji Tsuburaya, Godzilla, and the Birth of Kaiju
With my eleven Gamera movies watched and reviewed and the last outlier on its way I decided it was time to delve into more kaiju films, specifically as many of them, in chronological order, as… [more]
Michel Fiffe’s Copra: The Most Well-Known Secret in Comics
Copra is the most well-known secret in comics. Everyone seems to know its name, one repeatedly shouted from digital rooftops in choruses of “all hail!” by ardent fans and critics alike, and it’s a roar… [more]
The Marx Brothers as Guardian Angels—Part 2: Chico Helps Fellow Poor Kids From Brooklyn
A Day at the Races was one of the most dramatically satisfying Marx Brothers films to feature a financially strapped romantic couple. However, it was not the only one to get the storytelling formula right.… [more]
Superhero Fever Strikes India: Maharakshak Aryan on Zee TV
You can hardly swing an unconscious henchman without hitting a superhero in American popular culture these days. Solo and in teams, superheroes dominate our comics and movies; they’re making rapid inroads on television too, on… [more]
Descender #1: A Great Science Fiction Story Off to a Great Start
Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Descender does what every successful comic does in its first issue: build the world, hook the reader, establish the themes and leave them wanting more. As space opera, it’s remarkably… [more]
Blind Swordfighting and Consumption: The Tale of Zatoichi
So Amazon is telling me that Gamera the Brave might not ship for months. Months! So while I’m waiting to finalize that particular series I thought I’d start another series I’ve been planning to review.… [more]
Tracing Some of the Roots of Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor, Part 1
In the midst of this very Postmodern setting, The Sculptor winds up echoing some very old legends with roots tracing back through 19th century Germany, 16th century England, and 1st century Rome. [more]
On Escape from Tomorrow
If you’re going to launch your film career, shooting a wild movie at Disney World without permission isn’t a bad idea. That’s what first-time director Randy Moore’s Escape from Tomorrow (2013) is most known for. It’s… [more]