This book came out of a particular moment, and a particular place — England, in the mid-80s, during one of its periodic frenzies about “offensive” material in comics form. But it’s more generally applicable, to any nation that claims a heritage from an Abrahamaic religion (which includes, I’ bet, 95%+ of the people reading this.)…
O bitterness! O shame! I devoted a lot of bandwidth last recently to blathering about Howdy Doody, a marionette who had his own, pioneering, television show, a kiddie show back when I was, in fact, a kiddie. Nothing wrong with that. No bitterness, no shame. But… This bandwidth-waster is part of an enterprise devoted to…
Whereas ComicMix comments on all popular media â geek culture, as Ed Catto says â this particular commentary is about comic books. However, let me warn you: it is phrased in the terms of motion pictures. It could be applied to all mass communications. There exists, and have always existed, groups of people with their…
Oy. These are the dog days of summer. There is relatively little news. The only movies being released are ones expected to tank, at least critically. Comics and television and other serial media are idling, getting ready to ramp up for their fall seasons. I thought I would have nothing to write about. I thought…
It’s Week Four, which means we are at the half-way mark of the ComicMix Challenged Challenge. This week we take on The Graveyard Book Vol. 1, the graphic novel based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name. This witty and compelling story was enhanced by P. Craig Russell’s graphic adaptation which includes amazing artwork…
“There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.” • Ray Bradbury’s opening words to his coda in the 1979 edition of Fahrenheit 451 Good friend and fellow columnist Martha Thomases’ latest column made me remember an incident from my childhood, back…
Sonny Liew, artist on the upcoming Dr. Fate series written by Paul Levitz for DC Comics, has published a graphic novel overseas that’s gotten a bit of political attention in his home country of Singapore… A hot-off-the-press graphic novel seems to be in hot water, with the National Arts Council (NAC) revoking its $8,000 publication…
By the time this column runs we may have some other, more fresh horror than the terrorist attack on the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo. Certainly, those of us who love comics will have read myriad opinions on What It All Means, and, perhaps, we will simply want to talk about something else. Tough noogies….
Sadly, I’ve started seeing the backlash. You probably have too. A lot of people are being contrarian and saying “I’m Not Charlie Hedbo” in response to this week’s shootings. The most prominent example is David Brooks in the New York Times, but I’m beginning to see similar comments from people I actually respect. To which…
Shock. Outrage. Fear. These were my immediate reactions to the terrorist attack on the offices of the French satiric magazine, Charlie Hebdo, last Wednesday. This one strikes close to home, despite being in France. The main targets – and victims – were an editor and several artists at Charlie Hebdo and the reason given were…
Just because it’s that time of year – and you know what I’m talking about and don’t pretend you don’t – don’t for one second think that I’ve become some sentimental goo brain and if you do think that come over here and I’ll make you a damp spot on the rug. Or at least…
Jeff Smith’s Bone was the 10th most challenged book in 2013 according to a recently released American Booksellers Foundation list. The news comes as Banned Books Week kicks off on Sunday. Graphic novels will gain the spotlight in this year’s awareness campaign according to Judith Platt, chair of the Banned Books Week National Committee, She…
