Featured

Tarot Reading of X-Men: X of Swords Chapter 2 – X-Factor #4!

October 1, 2020 by Gabi Echenique Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Tarot Readings are a major thematic and stylistic component of the 2020 X-Men comics event, X of Swords. Since it’s not a field I know, I’m excited to bring in a specialist to provide unique readings based in the Tarot connections of the story. We’ll be running these Tarot examinations following each of the event’s 22 parts. Enjoy!

Last week I analyzed X of Swords: Creation and its connection to the Major Arcana card number 0, “The Fool.” The 22 Major Arcana cards represent a spiritual journey: the second chapter on this story is the card number 1, The Magician, and according to our theory it should correspond with the second chapter of the “X of Swords” crossover, X-Factor #4. [Read more…] about Tarot Reading of X-Men: X of Swords Chapter 2 – X-Factor #4!

The Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later – Approaching Middle Age in a Utopia

September 30, 2020 by Kyle Pinion 4 Comments

Let’s start this off with a controversial note: The Legion has only ever largely mattered once, and that was in a time frame that was just before I started reading comics. You see, before and after this one point, the Legion of Super-Heroes was a fringe concern. It still is, really. Just take one visit to any Legion related Facebook group, where the amount of complaints about the latest evolution of the team is only barely outweighed by people photoshopping classic-era outfits onto model photographs. For a team where the great thrill is the promise of the future, an era of acceptance, sadly so many of my fellow fans of the property are deeply focused on the past. An ongoing issue in comics fandom regardless, but all the more pronounced here.

Which of course highlights what a shadow its absolute commercial peak casts on everything else. [Read more…] about The Legion of Super-Heroes: Five Years Later – Approaching Middle Age in a Utopia

Creannotators #19: “Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio” Interview With Derf Backderf!

September 29, 2020 by Dave Leave a Comment

This week on Creannotators, I talked with cartoonist Derf Backderf about his work on Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, an investigation and accounting of the events that took place on the campus of Kent State in 1970, leading to four college students shot and killed (and more wounded) by the US National Guard. We talk about the emotional resonance of the student’s stories, the harrowing modern parallels around protests across America, and whether we’ve learned any lessons from Kent State.

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/visual annotative guide to enjoying the intricacies and thinking in the art. Thanks for listening, and enjoy the comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

[Read more…]

Krakin’ Krakoa #94: Everything To Know About The X-Men’s Swords in X of Swords!

September 28, 2020 by Dave Leave a Comment

Swords! In my coverage of X of Swords Creation, I asked if you’d all be interested in a follow-up Krakin’ Krakoa ep on the history of the swords in this event, and the answer was a resounding YES. Swords! More Swords!

Today I’ll answer:

What are the 10 swords mutantkind will use in their battle against the forces of Amenth in X of Swords?
What’s the Marvel history of each blade and what can it tell us about the story to come?
What small clues do we have about the Arakkan forces named swords?
Theories and predictions for what’s to come!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

*Spoilers for discussed comics may follow!*