Apocalyptigirl: An Aria for the End Times by Andrew Maclean is one of the best graphic novels I’ve read. When folks ask me what my recommendations are for their next read, it is always at the top of the list — especially when those folks have a young adult daughter as there are not enough…
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back Illustrates How Passion Also Means People
Although Tatsuki Fujimoto is mostly known for Chainsaw Man, especially in light of its upcoming anime adaptation to be developed by MAPPA, he has always had a strong versatility to his craft not letting himself be boxed within the confines of the tropes typical to the shounen genre. Look Back was recently published as a…
Last Week’s Episode: Hollywood Shenanigans
Welcome back to Last Week’s Episode, where we round-up what’s been in the zeitgeist so you don’t have to search for it! This week, we have lots of discussion of Hollywood practices, some movie announcements, and exciting and not so exciting reveals in TV.
The Alchemy of Excalibur: Race, Magic, and the Mutant Metaphor
Earlier this year, in a piece for our Breaking In! series, I wrote, “The mutant metaphor means that the X-Men have the potential to represent people of marginalized genders and sexualities and people of color and especially people at the intersection of those identities. They didn’t under [Chris] Claremont, not fully, and I’m not sure…
Who Wore it Better: Supergirl or True Grit?
In my review of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1, I noted some similarities between the comic and Charles Portis’s 1969 novel True Grit, most recently adapted in 2010 by the Coen Brothers. Well, in talking about the particulars of the issue a bit more, my colleague Zach Rabiroff at ComicsXF was able to bring to…
Hey Eisner Awards! Where Are the Women?
So hey, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are next month (if you’re eligible, the voting deadline is June 30) during the San Diego Comic-Con at Home event. Like last year, there won’t be an in-person event, and like many, I’ll miss the opportunity to get dressed up and pretend to be a bigger deal…
Seen But Not Satisfied: The Logic of Prejudice in Shadow and Bone
I didn’t know I was going to fall for Shadow and Bone as hard as I did. The luscious world, the characters, and the mythology all nestled their way into my heart. There was so much to love in the series. And yet, my love was uneasy.
Should You Tell Their Story: The Old Guard and Cultural Representation
The popularity of The Old Guard’s original run and recent movie inspired an expansion of the comics series. Specifically, a new historical anthology. News of this dropped via Polygon and the series will explore the histories of these long lived heroes. Unfortunately, the portions revealed offer a distasteful appetizer.
Xs and I-C-Ss: Comics and Comix
There’s something about “comix” that signals “I’m not going to like it”. I know it’s partly the kind of person who recommends “comix” but it’s also the kinds of works that label themselves “comix” in the 21st century. However, this gut reaction made me step back and think, what even are comix and why do…
Last Week’s Episode: Men Moan About Movies
Hey there cinema aficionados! We’ve got some exciting news this week for anime fans, terrible news for true indie comic fans, and more in today’s link round-up.
One Issue, Many Bodies: Dissecting Dysphoria and Passing in New Mutants #15
Content Warnings: Transphobia, Trans-Medicalism, Dysphoria, intracommunity discourse
Comics Academe: 7th Anniversary Retrospective
The first Comics Academe was published 7 years ago yesterday, on January 28th, 2014. Francesca Lyn was at the time a second-year doctoral student in the Media, Art, and Text program at Virginia Commonwealth University, and has since then graduated and become a well-known figure in comics studies and a mentor to other graduate students…
