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The Joker’s “Last” Laugh In The Clown Prince Of Crime

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The Joker has undergone significant change over the course of his history, but one thing that a lot of modern fans might not know is that he was genuinely terrifying dating all the way back to day one. His first appearance in Batman #1 makes no qualms when it comes to portraying him as a remorseless killer, taking the haunting visual imagery from director Paul Leni’s silent masterpiece The Man Who Laughs (1928) and twisting the once-heroic jester portrayed by Conrad Veidt into a murderer with a penchant for elaborate showmanship.

In the comics of the mid-’50s, the Batline had been steered away from the occasionally grisly content of the early days towards more family-friendly fare in response to the birth of the Comics Code. Likewise, the campy fun of Batman ‘66 had become the definitive take on the character in popular culture. Regardless, the Joker has more or less remained a horror across the decades, and when writers began once more to embrace mature themes, he was one of the first to step up the brutality. The Joker: Clown Prince of Crime (1975) shows us a criminal mastermind with a callous disregard for life, regardless of whether or not Batman happens to be around to see it or not.

Discusses The Joker: Clown Prince of Crime #1-10 [Read more…] about The Joker’s “Last” Laugh In The Clown Prince Of Crime

X-Men Hellfire Gala: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

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X-Men Hellfire Gala comics cover

X-Men: Hellfire Gala is by –  W: Gerry Duggan, Benjamin Percy, Zeb Wells, Tini Howard, Jonathan Hickman, Vita Ayala, Al Ewing, Si Spurrier, Leah Williams; A: Matteo Lolli, Joshua Cassara, Stephen Segovia, Marcus To, Nick Dragotta, Russell Dauterman, Lucas Werneck, Sara Pichelli, Pepe Larraz, Alex Lins, Alberto Foche, Scot Eaton w/ Oren Junior, Valerio Schiti, Bob Quinn, David Baldeon, David Messina; C: Edgar Delgado, Guru-eFX, David Curiel, Erick Arciniega, Frank Martin, Matthew Wilson, Sunny Gho, Nolan Woodard, Marte Gracia, Matt Milla, Java Tartaglia, Israel Silva; L: Cory Petit, Joe Caramangna, Ariana Maher, Clayton Cowles, Travis Lanham, Joe Sabino; D: Tom Muller

The true test of a great party is who’s there. Are the conversations worth having, can you gossip about the elbows you rubbed, who hooked up with who? The X-Men have just had their most ambitious party yet, a night to remember now collected in X-Men: Hellfire Gala, courtesy of the entire X-line. Rather than serving a single story, this trade is a sampling of the various series in the line – a snapshot of the Krakoan era in the summer of 2021, and a hint of things to come. Let’s look at the guest list to see how it stacks up, and if this is really my scene. [Read more…] about X-Men Hellfire Gala: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

The Best Marvel Comics of 2021!

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After the pandemic-impacted 2020, Marvel’s 2021 is slowly but surely back on track, with a wide variety of excellent comics. All in all, it’s a good time to be a Marvel fan, and I’m listing out my favorite picks for those looking to dive in.

It’s an interesting year for Marvel, three years after the launch of the “Fresh Start” era, as some of the line’s biggest titles (Black Panther, Immortal Hulk, Venom, & on a technicality, Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men) wind down throughout the year. Even with that turnover, “Fresh Start” is heartily sustained through the Krakoa era of X-Men, an exciting new Marvel Space Age, and a healthy variety of quality throughout the broader universe. Honestly, even some of the big time runs I’m least enthused by (Jason Aaron’s Avengers and Nick Spencer’s Amazing Spider-Man) are remarkably consistent, and offer plenty of intriguing moments. It’s a truly good time to be a fan of Marvel Comics. [Read more…] about The Best Marvel Comics of 2021!

Reign of X: The X-Men’s Empire Evolves!

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“We must make tomorrow happen today.”

Mutantkind has taken a giant leap forward, and the nation of Krakoa is more powerful than ever before. But as divisions grow both inside and out, how will the nation continue to evolve? And who will shape the next chapter in the species’ history?

Under head writer Jonathan Hickman, X-Men and its sister titles became the story of Mutantkind realising its full potential; transcending violence, scarcity, and death itself by uniting into a single sovereign nation. And after conquering their shadow-selves in the mystic X of Swords Tournament, the species is more driven than ever to expand what they’ve built, building Krakoa into an empire with galactic reach. To forge this new chapter, the X-Line would add creators Al Ewing, Vita Ayala, Si Spurrier and more to an already impressive roster, further elevating Hickman’s vision into a galaxy-spanning cosmic opera. [Read more…] about Reign of X: The X-Men’s Empire Evolves!

Creannotators #68: “The History of Science Fiction” with Mark Waid!

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This week on Creannotators, I talk The History of Science Fiction with Humanoids Publisher and Editor, Mark Waid. We talk about the cultural prevalence of sci-fi in 2021, what makes The Incal a special work as Taika Waititi adapts the graphic novel, and Mark finally answers what’s up with the Tony Stark / Emma Frost wedding teaser from The History of the Marvel Universe!

On Comic Book Herald’s ‘Creannotators’ I’ll be interviewing some of my favorite creators in comics about specific runs, graphic novels or series, looking for their insights on the inspirations behind the work and ideas or hidden material readers may have missed. Creannotators is an audio annotative guide to enjoying the intricacies and thinking in the art. Thanks for listening, and enjoy the comics!

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