Thursday, September 15 2011
The Comics Writer and the Fall of the Superpowers
We often think of comic books as the height of escapism, but recent events point to an industry in a death spiral, due in no small part to how badly it mistreats the writers on which it depends.
Monday, September 12 2011
Ellis’ Superb Mastery of the Art of Pop
In "Subland Empire", Warren Ellis takes the reins of Secret Avengers and shows the hidden depths and complex mastery required to make popculture artifacts works of lasting art.
Thursday, July 28 2011
We Can Be Heroes: Talking ‘Supergods’ with Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison’s ability to make connections between seemingly humdrum events and grandiose ideas becomes infectious. Reading Supergods and immersing in his ideas gives one as much kick as a radioactive spider bite.
Tuesday, November 3 2009
Madame Xanadu: Disenchanted
Reminiscent, in all the best ways, of Neil Gaiman and Kurt Vonnegut’s finest works, Matt Wagner’s opening salvo of his new Vertigo series shows the world still has need for the archetypes inherent in Wagner’s Parsifal.
Tuesday, September 8 2009
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century - 1910
Set in the past during the events of Brecht’s most well-known musical, it’s interesting to note that the latest League book is really about the modern world and the evolution of terrorism from Jack the Ripper to Osama bin Laden to the Antichrist himself.
Wednesday, June 17 2009
The History of Comic Conventions
This edition of "Iconographies" looks at the rise in popularity of the comics convention, and the pop-cultural changes conventions have brought to comics.
Tuesday, March 31 2009
Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book One by Alan Moore
The Swamp Thing moons over his lost humanity and the tragic quality of his love with a zestfully (and sometimes too obviously) literary spirit.
Tuesday, February 10 2009
The Hero Takes a Fall: Watchmen (1986)
It's Watchmen week here at Short Ends and Leader. Yesterday we debuted the controversial TV channel from New Frontiersman Magazine. Today, we tackle the book that started it all - Alan Moore's amazing graphic novel masterpiece. Tomorrow we will look into the career of Zack Synder, wrapping up our coverage with a discussion of the casting and the creative challenges faced by the film. Enjoy!
Friday, November 21 2008
From a Fluid Culture to a Culture of Steam: Alan Moore
For all the self-serious Deep Thoughts and the sometimes unsettling material in DeZ Vylenz The Mindscape of Alan Moore, Moore can be a startlingly funny host.
Tuesday, January 8 2008
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier
I hope that Moore decides to put the world of League aside and returns to telling stories about people.
