Fashion has a significant history in the Archie-verse. Straddling the line between slice of life and romance comics, Archie Comics have frequently featured the fashion spreads or pin-up pages of romance comics. Even as romance comics faded in popularity, Archie Comics long carried on the tradition. My very own ’90s Archie Comics, particularly the Betty…
Dogears: Inverting Tropes in Storytelling
Becoming Unbecoming Una Arsenal Pulp Press December 1, 2015 Una simultaneously explores the terror of living through her own sexual abuses and the entirely-too-geographically-close Yorkshire Ripper’s serial killings in 1977 Northern England. There is an amazing amount of thoughtful material about abuser’s tactics, survivor’s coping mechanisms, the commonplace attitudes that breed violence against women, and…
Get Out (Of Your Comfort Zone)
Get Out Jordan Peele (director/writer), Toby Oliver (cinematography) Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Lil Rel Howery, Keith Stanfield (cast) January 23, 2017 (Sundance), February 24, 2017 (United States) It is inaccurate to call Get Out a horror film. There is horror — on multiple levels, but that’s not all there is to the movie. It’s more of a horror suspense melange with so…
Put Some Character In Your Wardrobe: Dress Like Your Faves
Today a friend of mine told me “I like your boots, they remind me of Sherlock Holmes.” I was properly chuffed. This had been my thought process when I bought them: “It’s a cool look” swiftly followed the Holmes statement. It was rather gratifying to have someone say it out loud though. I mean, I…
Pull Lists: What Informs The Making of One, Then?
Pull lists! We were talking about them and then I forgot. Did you? You can remind yourself right here: part one (why do they exist and when did you learn about it); part two (do you have a pull list right now). This is parts three and four, where we discuss (and please do join…
Book Beat: More Publishers Get Political and the Obamas Make Bank
‘Ello! It’s Stephanie again with this week’s Book Beat! In the past week the Obamas made bank, some ancient Egyptian myths are being translated into English, and bios begin even as biographers die! Let’s get into it. As Ashley covered last week, book publishers have gotten decidedly political lately. Our newest champion is independent Brooklyn…
Knit Your Comics: A Pussyhat of Steel
I’ve been a big fan of the Supergirl TV show since it started. I’ve always been a Supers > Bats person, and few people embody the spirit of the Supers the way this show is allowed to. It’s been my weekly joy for two seasons now, although less so now that James and Kara aren’t…
Saying Their Names: A Review of THE HATE U GIVE
The Hate U Give Angie Thomas Belzer + Bray February 28, 2017 Long ago, in the days when we bought CDs, we also bragged about who got whose new CD and learned the words to all the songs. We used liner notes to help us understand the lyrics the first time and then learn them…
Making a Way by Moonlight: Charlene Ingram and Sailor Moon R’s North American Journey
For kids of the 90s, Sailor Moon is a classic beloved series, despite its rather unpredictable run on network television. While many of us managed to catch at least up to the second season or Sailor Moon R, we might not have gotten a chance to watch beyond that. That’s where Viz Media comes in, with a…
Problems in Riverdale: Formulaic Tropes, Bad Boys Edition
When I first saw that The CW was going to produce a show around my favourite childhood comic, I was thrilled but hesitant. I love a good teen-drama show — the melodrama and high tension mixed with angsty love connections is my jam. However, these shows — typically airing on The CW, MTV, or ABC…
Black Comix Returns
The Black Comix Returns Kickstarter has just a few days to go, but it has already more than doubled its funding goals. Unsurprising, considering the success of the first volume, published seven years earlier. If you’re lucky, you might find a copy of the latter on Amazon for a cool $300. As of writing this…
