Tim Drake is a complicated character. Not much in terms of continuity, not usually (side eyeing the New 52), but in terms of legacy. While Tim was very much the heir apparent to the Robin mantle after Jason Todd died, he reinvented it and made that name his own. Once Damian Wayne took over the role, Tim has been in a limbo ever since. Coincidentally a number of the best Tim Drake stories interrogate his identity and legacy within the Batman mythos in interesting ways. This list of stories paints a picture of Timothy Jackson Drake and who he is to the Bat-family. [Read more…] about The Best Tim Drake (Robin) Comics!
Featured
X-Men Grand Design Omnibus Review: The Flaw In X-Men Cliffnotes
On paper, X-Men: Grand Design sounds like a great idea. Condensing 30 years of dense continuity into an easily consumed package from a creator who found mainstream success doing the same with hip-hop history sounds like a surefire winner. In practice, however, the experience of reading the omnibus release of Grand Design is closer to consuming a 14-year-old boy’s high school notebook doodles blended with a print out of the X-Men’s Wikipedia page rather than an enjoyable comic book. [Read more…] about X-Men Grand Design Omnibus Review: The Flaw In X-Men Cliffnotes
Creannotators #17: “Chasin’ The Bird” Interview With Creator Dave Chisholm!
This week on Creannotators, I talked with creator Dave Chisholm about his work on the excellent Chasin’ The Bird, a graphic novel about the life of jazz legend Charlie Parker. We talk jazz history, bringing Parker’s mythology to this moment in time, and the distinct visual challenge of conveying music in comics.
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
[Read more…] about Creannotators #17: “Chasin’ The Bird” Interview With Creator Dave Chisholm!Marvel Year Twenty-Five: 1986 Pt. 5
Marvel comics of 1986. Elektra Assassin by Frank Miller & Bill Sienkiewicz!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Krakin’ Krakoa #86: Why Does Sexuality in X-Men Comics Matter?
Following my review of 2020’s X-Factor #1, I saw a fair amount of commentary from listeners and readers wondering why there’s all this focus on character sexuality in the book, specifically with queer X-Men. Hot on the heels of Marauders #12 and Kate Pryde’s same-sex kiss, the question is of course resurfacing, making it a good time to really dig into the relevance and importance of sexuality in the world of Marvel’s X-Men.
Up front, I’ll admit this is a sensitive issue and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. This is my own attempt to wrestle with these recurring questions, and dissect them in the context of X-Men comics. While I think it would be nice, I don’t anticipate this conversation will change hearts and minds regarding perceptions of sexuality and gender in our world, but I do hope it will specifically address how these issues are integrated into Marvel’s X-Men comics, and why, at the end of the day, it makes sense and is a substantial net positive.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
[Read more…] about Krakin’ Krakoa #86: Why Does Sexuality in X-Men Comics Matter?