Every year, there’s a novel that catches my eye and I know, without a doubt, that it will be different. Not just new, not just exciting, but the kind of different that wrecks you just a little bit, draws you into the deep of the forest and brings you back changed. In fall 2016, I…
Suffering Sappho! The Role of Queer Coding in Wonder Woman
It’s a good time to be a Wonder Woman fan. Sure, it’s only taken seventy-five years, but the Amazon princess is finally beginning to receive a level of widespread respect equal to the other, mostly male, heroic icons venerated by popular culture. A vast amount of responsibility for this achievement lies with the relaunched Wonder…
Review: Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman”
The Salesman Asghar Farhadi (director and writer) Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi (cast) August 31, 2016 (Iran), November 2, 2016 (France) Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has been making headlines for years in the film world, creating award-winning film after award-winning film and even winning both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for his 2011 film,…
Idle Animations: The Saddest Game of The Sims 4 I’ve Ever Played
Idle Animations is a recurring series in which I play games without playing them, exploring quiet, still moments, how games fill space and time, and what happens when you let a game play itself.
To Be Or Not To Be “Respectable”: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
For the first time in several months, I decided to pick up a copy of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #15, despite my reservations regarding the ongoing series. (See the following excerpt from an open letter I sent to Marvel on 22 August 2016.)
Previously on Comics: Immunization, NYT, Zine Fair
Are all of you having trouble focusing on things the way I am lately? I keep forgetting I have the tab open to work on this story, and I walked away from my phone while in the middle of a game earlier. My thoughts are scattered, but comics always bring things into focus. So, here’s…
Fourth Year of Informal ColoristAppreciationDay
In January 2013, Eisner-winning comic book creator and primarily colorist Jordie Bellaire wrote a Tumblr post titled “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” decrying an unnamed convention–as well as the wider comic book industry–that refused to give colorists their due. “Colorists…are the unknown amazing backup singer who makes every…
Road to Riverdale: Penguin Random House Canada Screening Event
This past Friday, Penguin Random House Canada invited me to their offices for a screening of the first episode of the new CW show, Riverdale. It’s a modern take on the iconic Archie characters set in their small town of Riverdale and attendees were encouraged to dress up in either 1950s garb or as the Archie…
Tiffany D. Jackson’s Allegedly is Definitely a Great Read
Allegedly Tiffany D. Jackson Katherine Tegen Books January 24th, 2017 I read the synopsis to Allegedly a few months ago and by the time I got around to reading it a few days ago, I barely remembered what it was about. There was a crime. That part was evident in the title, but the rest…
Dogears: My Best Friend’s Exorcism and Diabolic Angels
My Best Friend’s Exorcism Grady Hendrix Quirk Books May 16, 2016 The power of Diet Coke compels you! My Best Friend’s Exorcism is a nostalgic, sweet, and disgusting story about friendship, high school, and demons. There are a few tiny gaps in the narrative and plot, but I enjoyed this book more than I expected….
The Young Pope: Mostly Pomp, Less Circumstance
The Young Pope 1-3 Director: Paolo Sorrentino Writers: Paolo Sorrentino, Stefano Rulli, Tony Grisoni, Umberto Contarello Starring: Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Silvio Orlando, Javier Cámara, Scott Shepherd, Cécile de France, Ludivine Sagnier, Toni Bertorelli, James Cromwell HBO The simple concept of The Young Pope — he’s the Pope, but like, young, and also Jude Law — was enough…
Political Comics: Captain America Was Never Neutral
January has seen the writer of Captain America advocating for the bodily integrity of, and being retweeted by, neo-Nazi Richard Spencer. Like a lot of awful moments in the past year, there is a temptation to confuse our horror with shock. We want to ask, “How could this have happened?” But as many Cap fans…
