Costumed Heroes and Their Real-Life Counterparts When I got back into comics in the early 2000s, I discovered the world of podcasting and was introduced to the joys of Queen & Country, Maus, Strangers in Paradise and other books I never knew before (not to mention the delightful works of Jeffrey Brown). But the thing all these books had in common was their level of seriousness – their realism, even – and it made me wonder: where were all the funny-books? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both thoughtful fare and inconsequential cartoons as much as anyone. It was the meaningless fluff of the 1990s which lost my interest in comics, and now I found myself looking at comics in a new light, one which was vying for a place among legitimate literature. In 2014, I believe we have struck a balance, one where all types of stories are created, read and celebrated throughout the world of comics. These include biographical, historical and political stories; romance, horror, intrigue and science fiction galore; and traditional super-hero comics which continue to push the boundaries of credulity with their wonderful ridiculousness.
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NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR COSTUMES, BUT THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER (or… I can haz justice?) A young man runs. Beads of sweat fall from his dark-skinned brow, and he knows that an armed gunman is not far behind. He doesn’t know why he being pursued, but he darts through this residential neighborhood hoping against hope to make it past the playground and find sanctuary in the woods ahead. He fears not only for himself, but also for his nine year-old sister, and those fears become realized as a shot rips through his thigh, dropping him to the cool grass below. He screams for his sister to run, yet it is too late as the gunman is joined by her cohorts who surround the children. The boy looks his assailant with eyes that burn with fury, determined that his final moments be ones of truth and dignity, not fear. The gunman pulls out a gleaming sidearm and – without hesitation – kills the young boy in front of his sister. The girl feels the life ebb out of her brother and flow red onto her hands. She looks at his killers with innocent, bewildered eyes and asks her final […]
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IN SPACE, NO ONE HEARS YOU SCREAM (But your blaster still goes “Shrak!”) Every so often, your author comes across a comic book which presents such a dynamic story and bountiful beauty that it leaves me virtually speechless. This is one of those times, dear reader, and it is glorious. Most readers of modern comics are familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy, particularly their enigmatic leader, Star-Lord.
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We are the World … We are the Children of the Atom In 1985, I was still adjusting to a new house, neighborhood and school away from everything I had ever known, but somehow became aware of an upcoming television program called “Live Aid”. There had been a devastating famine in Ethiopia that year and a large group of musicians, bands and other performers were getting together for a gigantic fundraiser/telethon to raise both money and awareness of the plight of Africa’s starving population.
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Are you ready for an all new episode of Did You Catch All That? You know, that little video we do once a month with such features as We have Issues,Comics on Film,On Shelves Now,Events and so much more.Not only did we change up a few things but we also added new features for you such as One on One, where Simon talks about his love of Archangel, and Sheldon gives us The Rundown where he talks to us about one of his favorite artists of all time, the one and only Gabriel Hardman. We also break down the best cover of the month on The Breakdown, plus joining us for the season 2 opening of Did You Catch All That? We are joined by David Accampo, a Los Angeles based creator who talks to us about Sparrow & Crowe: The Demoniac of Los Angeles which debuts this July! In Pro’s and Con’s we talk about Phoenix Comicon 2012 and what to do to prepare for San Diego Comic Con!
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To see the name of Italian sequential art master Milo Manara attached to a graphic novel is an absolute guarantee that within the pages of said book you will find one thing: beautiful women. Of course, these women are more than beautiful. They are also strong, confident, and very often fully aware of their own sexuality and the heights of ecstasy it can take them to.
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