Author Archives: I.M. Baytor

More cool episodes of Mission: Impossible

Posted on January 11, 2023 by I.M. Baytor

This is Gotham Calling’s 600th post! As usual, I like to signal these benchmarks with longer listicles (a hundred posts ago I listed my favorite westerns), so today I’m doing a follow-up to the post from last September ranking the … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Cold War, espionage, Mission Impossible, movies, science fiction | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (9 January 2023)

Posted on January 9, 2023 by I.M. Baytor

This year’s second weekly reminder that comics can be awesome: Blue Note: v2 That Texas Blood #8 Ultramega #1

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO AWESOMENESS | Tagged Blue Note, Dave Stewart, Jacob Phillips, James Harren, Mikaël Bourgouin, That Texas Blood, Ultramega | Leave a comment

On Santa Prisca

Posted on January 5, 2023 by I.M. Baytor

I’ve long been obsessed with the DCU’s fictitious geography and the way it condenses, combines, and caricatures cultural stereotypes – just like Gotham does for New York and other urban centers of the USA (over time, the city has become … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Bane, Christopher Priest, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Denny O'Neil, Gail Simone, Graham Nolan, James Owsley, James Tynion IV, Jo Duffy, politics, Santa Prisca, Tatjana Wood, Tom King | 1 Comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (2 January 2023)

Posted on January 2, 2023 by I.M. Baytor

The hiatus is over! The longer posts on Thursday will back later this week. Meanwhile, I want to move a bit away from covers in these Monday reminders of comic books’ potential for awesomeness… After all, covers are hardly the … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO AWESOMENESS | Tagged Dogs of War, Florent Ruppert, Guy Major, Jerome Mulot, Kane & Able, Nathan Fox, Olivier Schrauwen, Portrait of a Drunk, Rico Renzi, Shaky Kane | Leave a comment

Have a Gotham 2023

Posted on December 31, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

2000 AD and Tornado #146

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE FUTURE | Tagged 2000 AD, Brendan McCarthy, John Wagner, Judge Dredd, New Year, Tom Frame | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (26 December 2022)

Posted on December 26, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

This year’s final reminder that comics can be awesome is a tribute to Batman covers since the New 52 reboot, from the creepy painted photorealism of Alex Ross to the playfully surreal cartooning of Chris Burnham:

Posted in COVERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alex Ross, Bill Sienkiewicz, Chris Burnham, covers, Danny Miki, Darwyn Cooke, Dustin Nguyen, Elizabeth Breitweiser, Greg Capullo, Lee Weeks, Michael Golden, Nathan Fairbairn, Rafael Albuquerque | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (19 December 2022)

Posted on December 19, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

A reminder that the perspective and framing of comic book covers can be awesome:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Adam Hughes, Anthony Tollin, Ben Oda, Black Widow, Bob Camp, Bob LeRose, Chuck Cuidera, Crime Detector, David Lapham, Justice League of America, Mike Grell, Mort Drucker, Phil Noto, Police Comics, Rai, Ralph Reese, Reed Crandall, Spirou, T-Man, The 'Nam, Todd Klein, Tony DeZuniga, Warlord, Weird Western Tales | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (12 December 2022)

Posted on December 12, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

This has been a year marked by war. I know, I know, aren’t they all? Sure, but the stakes feel more global than they had felt in a while – and, yes, this conflict’s impact hits closer to (my) home. … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged covers, Gaspar Saladino, Ira Schnapp, Irv Novick, Jack Adler, Jack Sparling, Jerry Grandenetti, Joe Kubert, Mlle. Marie, Star Spangled War Stories, World War II | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (5 December 2022)

Posted on December 5, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

Yet another reminder that comic book covers with headshots can be awesome:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Action Comics, Chip Kidd, covers, Dan Green, Dave McCaig, David Mack, Foolkiller, Frank Miller, Frank Quitely, Gasp!, Glenn Fabry, Hellblazer, Inhuman, J.J. Birch, Jeff Lemire, Jessica Jones, Joe Brozowski, John Totleben, Jonah Hex, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Marte Gracia, Pepe Larraz, Phil Noto, Sin City, Wonder Woman, X-Men | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (28 November 2022)

Posted on November 28, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

And here is another reminder that old copaganda comic book covers can be awesome, Headline Comics edition:

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Ben Oda, Bill Draut, covers, Headline Comics, Howard Ferguson, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Marvin Stein, noir | Leave a comment