To “celebrate” father’s day I’ve written a selection of essays on some of comics worst ever dads. From adoptive fathers to absent ones, from rich and fascist to poor and useless, I’ve got ’em all! So strap in, grab your daddy issues, a stiff drink, and get ready to realise that pretty much all of…
Too Many T-Shirts: My Life in Comic Book Merch
The culture of comics fandom has shifted so much over the last twenty years that it’s almost unrecognisable. It’s become this symbiotic thing that lives and breathes as part of pop culture, television, and film. The juxtaposition between the world after the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Walking Dead — t-shirts on every second person on…
New Mutants Movie: Illusions of Diversity
Over half a year ago I talked about how the upcoming New Mutants movie–which was still in the early stages of development–did not choose to include the character Xi’an Coy Manh/Karma in the team lineup. Karma was a founding member of the New Mutants team, but throughout her publication history, she has been sidelined by writers who…
The Wedding Issue: Northstar and Kyle
Aside from “Who would win in a fight?” nothing gets comic fans more heated than the question of whether or not superheroes should marry. In this mini-feature, Bride-to-Be Rebecca Henely and her Maid of Honor Kayleigh Hearn take a trip down memory lane to the most significant times comic companies took the plunge and got…
It’s Not Heat Vision: Why Scott Summers Always Left Me Cold
Who is Scott Summers? It’s a question that until Grant Morrison’s run on New X-Men I didn’t care to answer. Scott reminded me too much of the people who’d ignored me at school, never the bullies, but the ones complicit with their silence. The kind who see themselves as better than every other person in…
WWAC’s Favorite Big Press Comics of 2016
Southern Cross Becky Cloonan (Writer and Cover Artist), Andy Belanger and Lee Loughridge (Artists) Image Comics Southern Cross looked like something I would not like. For all of my love of things beginning with Star (Wars, Trek, etc.), I’m actually pretty afraid of space. And space stories where scary stuff happens? Certainly too frightening. Wrong! This is…
The Best There is at What He Does: Examining Chris Claremont’s X-Men
The Best There is at What He Does: Examining Chris Claremont’s X-Men By Jason Powell, Cover by Steven Legge Sequart Organization (October 2016) A copy of this book was provided to WWAC in exchange for an honest review. It’s no secret that I’m a big X-Men fan. I’m not talking about whatever rebooted/rehashed/resurrected business Marvel…
When Koike Wrote Logan: X-Men Unlimited #50’s Missed Chances
X-Men Unlimited #50 Koike Kazuo, Koji Kengo, Paul Smith, Brad Anderson Marvel Comics, 2003 Koike Kazuo writing Wolverine is a thought too good to sound too good to be true. You have to believe in it, before you read it. You need to believe that good things can come from good ideas. But it was not…
Welcome to the X-Men – Hope you Survive The Experience: How Geeks Can Help
My name is Jamie Kingston. But for the next four years, you can call me Storm. My queer friends? You can call them Northstar, Prodigy, Moonstar and Wolfsbane. Or Anole, Shatterstar, Rictor, Karma and Iceman. My chronically ill friends? You can call them Strong Guy, Cable, Husk. Siren or Sunspot. My Muslim friends? Call them M or…
Previously on Comics: Creators React to the U.S. Election
Hello, readers! It’s been…a week. A very stressful one for many people, myself included. It’s amazing how one day can change everything and make you yearn for the days when the latest comics world garbage fire was your biggest concern. To no one’s surprise, the U.S. election has been leaving its mark on comics. Champions…
The Wedding Issue: Scott Summers and Jean Grey
Aside from “Who would win in a fight?” nothing gets comic fans more heated than the question of whether or not superheroes should marry. In this mini-feature, Bride-to-Be Rebecca Henely and her Maid of Honor Kayleigh Hearn take a trip down memory lane to the most significant times comic companies took the plunge and got…
The Future of Wolverine in the X-Men Films
I’m a die hard X-Men fan, and even the bad press of X-Men: Apocalypse couldn’t keep me away from the theatre on opening day. I wasn’t as let down as I thought I might be—the performances really saved a lot of the movie (which is a recurring theme for the franchise). But the best part…