Have you ever hated a character so much you wished the writer would kill the off? Have you ever imagined writing to that writer asking them to do so? Imagine so many people doing so that the author puts the life of the character in your hands with a telephone vote. That’s exactly what happened in 1988 to Jason Todd,… Read more →
Tag: Batman
Holy Character Design Batman!
As comic books have evolved over the years, their stories and characters have grown as well. Golden age superheroes have been given sleek new looks, and darker storylines as comics move into the modern, or dark age. Out of all of the golden age heroes, it seems as though Batman has undergone the most change, which can be most seen… Read more →
The Unlikeliest of Heroes
Rorschach is, without a doubt, one of the most twisted antiheroes. He is violent, filled with rage, and at least somewhat unhinged. And yet, whether or not it was author Alan Moore’s intent, we sympathize with him. Even more, we root for him. Despite how dark and psychologically disturbed he is, Rorschach remains one of Watchmen’s protagonists, if not a fan favorite. But… Read more →
The Killing Adaptation
I noticed that there was already an article about Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke, but this article will be touching on some other points. You may know that an animated adaptation for this graphic novel is coming up next year, but all we have for now are a few references to the novel and some scenes recreated in a few of… Read more →
At Least It’s Not Comic Sans
Something that I think is obvious about graphic novels is that imagery and art is very differing in style and application depending on the artist. However, I only recently discovered the use of stylized font in a graphic novel can achieve personality in a work. I discovered this by reading Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. While the imagery… Read more →
Read Between the Lines
On Thursday we discussed Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, in particular the role lettering plays in comics. As a form of literature comics project meaning very differently than a novel or an essay. The most glaring difference is the visual reference that makes up a substantial part of the actual storytelling. While the words are important, there are far fewer words… Read more →
Super Hero Time
I have noted a difference between American comic book superheroes and Japanese tokusatsu superheroes. Tokusatsu is a term for live action with special effects, like in the Godzilla movies. Not only is there a difference in the form of media, there is a difference in the way they are presented. In the United States, we have superheroes from DC and… Read more →
“Someone has freed the lunatics;” Comics and Depictions of Mental Health
Comic books and graphic novels have a unique opportunity to explore mental illnesses, through their visual and textual elements. Often though, mental disorders are used simply to give villains a reason to be villainous. In 2011, the NY Times published an article hoping that DC’s new releases would address characters with proper labels and be more aware of how they… Read more →
Condemning Contemptible Comic Covers Conditionally
“Never judge a book by its cover.” This little moral often gets told in order for a person to not judge according to first impressions. While it is a good idea to do so for the sake of finding diamonds in the rough, reality does not always coincide that way. The biggest reason is that people do not always have… Read more →
Superman: The Man of Many Failed Adaptations
Superman is not among the group of superheroes that have truly flourished in mediums outside of comic books. He is no recent blockbuster success like Spiderman or Batman, though many attempts over the years have tried and failed at bringing the most recognizable hero in the game to other forms of media. Why has Superman failed where others have succeeded?… Read more →