Image Comics was founded 25 years ago—you may have noticed all the commemorative parties they’ve been having. It was a shot in the arm to the American comic book industry, a nice load of amphetamine that got everyone buzzing and yelling and focused and horny. The young, male pioneers at Image’s founding gave a huge push to…
Get Outta My Way: Why I Love Scrolling Beaters
Do you ever look at things you like and realise that they’re all the same thing, every one of them? Just varied details on an essential appeal. Me, for example, I’ve been re-reading X-Men archives for the past two months and paying close attention to which details make me like the whole so much. And here’s what…
Gal Pals: Bigoted Company Marvel Tries to Erase Lesbian Heroes
I could have a career just writing about the times Marvel misunderstood, insulted, offended, or attacked marginalized people. However, even I was shocked seeing this article go up at Marvel (it has since been edited). Marvel’s history with LGBT+ people isn’t exactly positive but I never expected an article that would read as such a…
Shindo: Returning to the Scene of the Review
The first time I reviewed Saso Akira’s Shindo I was a third of the way through it and uncomfortably conflicted. Crunchyroll files this title as a romance, which is how I found it. As I read on, it became clear that the main characters were a boy in his late teens and a girl who was…
Get your Game On Wednesdays: Sexy Switch
I have emerged from the chaos of barista work, queer relationships, and Hyrule to bring this news section to you our dear reader. Yep, just for you. You smart attractive human being, do something nice for yourself today.
GIFing and Riffing with John Wick: Chapter 2
In February, the sequel to the fantastic film, John Wick, was released and John Wick: Chapter 2 was dope. Now before we continue to give praise to this film, I would like to take a moment of silence for Daisy who made an impact in the limited screen time she had in the first film. With…
Political Issues: The Self Fulfilling Misogyny of “Seminal” Comics
Content Warning: Femicide, rape, and the violence of misogyny All art is political. This seems to be a controversial statement, but to me it has always seemed objectively correct. Making art is an inherently political act; you bring your own feelings, lived experiences, and subjective beliefs to anything you create. Even the choice of what…
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…
Crime and Patience: Witchblade Animated
Witchblade Animated was never an animated product. It was, as were many things from the Image founders’ personal studios and the American comic book industry of the later ’90s in general, a cypher, a simulacrum of a possibility or alternate reality. “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a Witchblade cartoon (eventually there was) just…
Happy Trans Lesbian of Colour: Why Sera Matters
It should be easy to imagine how important representation in the media is for trans people. Sadly, in comics, 2016 saw the active removal of a lot of trans representation, and some very poor cash-ins on the community too. One such removal was Sera, a trans woman of color in a lovely, committed relationship with…
No Riverdale Rivals: Betty and Veronica Are Friends Not Frenemies
Rivalry is one of storytelling’s most popular (and most relied-upon) devices. Need to shake things up? Plot feeling stale? Pit two characters against each other. Rivalries, in general, tend to be widespread–from sports teams to genre franchises–but it’s also very commonplace in the world of comics. Ask any comics fan to name a “versus” pair…
Oscars Welcomes Abusers Gibson and Affleck
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, racism and antisemitism. In July 2010, two women filed a $2m lawsuit against actor Casey Affleck, alleging repeated instances of sexual harassment from Affleck as they worked together on his directorial debut. The allegations included accusations of verbal abuse and physical intimidation, including one instance where a plaintiff…
