Lois Lane: Triple Threat Gwenda Bond Switch Press May 2017 In many cultures three is a magic number but in my experience, however, the number three can be a bit of a curse for book and movie sequels. The first iteration of a story is good, maybe even groundbreaking, and sets expectations that the sequel needs…
Book Beat: Yoko Ono Finally Gets Her Due
Hello all! Hope you’re doing well. This past Sunday was Father’s Day here in the U.S. Both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day often make think about my own parents and how to be a good parent of my own someday. What kind of legacy do parents leave? How do their grown-up children view their parents?…
Politically Cartoonish: May In Review
Hello, and welcome to the May edition of Politically Cartoonish. As with the rest of WWAC, the Politically Cartoonish column is working to include analyses of non-U.S. and non-Western issues. Readers are encouraged to send political cartoon suggestions to the author via her Twitter handle @youandyourego. May opened up with International Workers Day on May 1st,…
A Little Bit of Hope from Billy Boyd and Middle Earth
During my time at Silicon Valley Comic Con (SVCC) I had the opportunity to interview actor Billy Boyd. Boyd, who is perhaps best known as Pippin in The Lord of the Rings movies, was kind enough to take the time to speak to me and discuss the work he did on Lord of the Rings,…
Just Butterflies: Steven Universe and Distress Tolerance
“Watch Steven Universe,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. Alright, I’m joking, but Steven Universe certainly is unique in how it handles serious and pertinent topics such as queerness, characters who are coded as people of color (POC), and characters living with mental illness. The show’s depiction of mental healthcare in particular isn’t just…
Politically Cartoonish: Judging April
Hello, and welcome to the April edition of Politically Cartoonish. As with the rest of WWAC, the Politically Cartoonish column is working to include analyses of non-U.S. and non-Western issues. Readers are encouraged to send political cartoon suggestions to the author via her Twitter handle @youandyourego.
Book Beat: GoT and Lovecraftian Adaptation News
This week’s book news was all about book adaptations and existing stories that are being told in different ways. Sound familiar? I don’t know about the rest of you, but adaptation announcements tend to make me nervous. On the one hand, I’m leery of nuance and character development falling by the wayside in favor of exacting…
Book Beat: Banned Bookstores and Queer Crocodiles
The truly incredible thing about reading is that although it is, at its most basic, an individual act, books are so widespread that loving a book can be a community act too. Even with the most niche of books or the book you felt was written only just for you can also speak to someone…
Book Beat: Shadowshaper Gets Optioned and I Meet Billy Boyd
Hello all! Hope you all had a good World Book Day on Sunday! This past week’s book news seems to be “books and media.” Obviously “media” can mean movie and TV adaptations of books but it also includes how authors express their opinions on social media. What does that all mean? You’ll just have to…
Spindle Fire: Interesting Ideas, Poor and Problematic Execution
Spindle Fire Lexa Hillyer HarperCollins April 11 2017 A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer is described by Publisher HarperCollins as “enthralling” and a “wholly original reimagining of a classic faerie story.” In truth the book is a mishmash of YA tropes set…
Emma Watson and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: Classic White Feminism
In the fall of 2011, I met Emma Watson while studying at Oxford University in England. At the time the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie was only just being considered by Disney, and Watson was rumored to be attached to the project. As I waited for her to sign a page in my notebook,…
Politically Cartoonish: Judging March
Welcome back to Politically Cartoonish, WWAC’s new monthly political cartoons column! As always, WWAC seeks to examine a variety of viewpoints and issues in consideration of its international audience. Readers can (and please do!) send political cartoon suggestions to the author via her Twitter handle: @youandyourego.