Author Archives: I.M. Baytor

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (3 June 2024)

Posted on June 3, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

…and today’s reminder that comics can be awesome is a tribute to the trippiness of old Marvel covers!

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged 3-D Man, Alex Schomburg, Alice Cooper, All Select Comics, Amazing Adventures, Avengers, Captain America, covers, Daredevil, Dave Cockrum, Ed Hannigan, Ernie Chan, Gaspar Saladino, Gene Colan, George Roussos, Gil Kane, Herb Trimpe, Howard the Duck, Irv Watanabe, Jim Novak, Jim Salicrup, Joe Sinnott, John Buscema, John Romita, Marie Severin, Master of Kung Fu, Mike Esposito, Sam Rosen, Shang-Chi, Son of Satan, Stan Goldberg, Syd Shores, Terry Austin, Tom Palmer, War of the Worlds, Where Monsters Dwell | Leave a comment

Taking a break… (May 2024)

Posted on May 30, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

It’s time for another hiatus. I’ve been struggling to keep up with Gotham Calling’s longer posts for a while, mostly stitching together loose thoughts that I noted down here and there… Hell, I got a simple challenge in the comments … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Tagged Judge Dredd | 3 Comments

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (27 May 2024)

Posted on May 27, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Today’s reminder that comics can be awesome is a tribute to the trippiness of old DC covers…

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Animal Man, Aquaman, Black Magic, Bob Brown, Brian Bolland, covers, Creig Flessel, Doom Patrol, George Evans, Gil Kane, Green Lantern, Ira Schnapp, Jack Adler, Jerry Grandenetti, Joe Giella, Joe Orlando, Luis Dominguez, Mike Esposito, Mr. District Attorney, Murphy Anderson, Mystery in Space, Nick Cardy, Ray Burnley, Ross Andru, Scalphunter, Sensation Comics, Sheldon Moldoff, Weird Western Tales, Wonder Woman | Leave a comment

More thoughts on 21st-century spy shows: Cold War edition

Posted on May 23, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

When I wrote about the TV series Slow Horses, last month, I mentioned how one of the departures from the source novels was that the show didn’t take advantage of the potential of sleeper agents to act as metaphors for … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged A Spy Among Friends, Agent Carter, Alfred Pennyworth, Cold War, Deutschland 83, espionage, Glória, John le Carré, Kathryn Immonen, movies, Pennyworth, politics, Rich Ellis, Spy/Master, The Americans, The Game, The Sleepers, The Sympathizer, Vietnam | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (20 May 2024)

Posted on May 20, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

With the return of the Mad Max and Planet of the Apes franchises – and perhaps as a way to occasionally escape the present-day horror – my mind has been on futuristic fiction. Consequently, this week’s reminder that comic book … Continue reading →

Posted in COVERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Batman Beyond, Brian Stelfreeze, covers, Dave Johnson, Dustin Nguyen, Elmer Santos, Kaare Andrews, Philip Tan, Ronnie Delcarmen, science fiction, Todd Klein, Viktor Kalvachev | Leave a comment

Why Commissioner Gordon hates Thursdays

Posted on May 16, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Black Condor #12 Turning Points #1 Batman Annual #21 JLA: Incarnations #2 Legends of the Dark Knight #95 Batman and the Mad Monk #1 Batman versus Predator #2

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Tagged Commissioner Gordon, James Gordon | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (13 May 2024)

Posted on May 13, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Another week, another tribute to the captivatingly stylish sense of design you can find in comic book covers:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Alan Quah, Ben Oda, Bill Sienkiewicz, covers, Daredevil, Darwyn Cooke, David Nakayama, Grayson, Jack Adler, Jack Sparling, Kevin Conrad, Marc Hempel, Mark Wheatley, Mars, Marvel Fanfare, Moon Knight, Nick Fury, Rafael Albuquerque, Rai, Sam Kieth, Secret Six, Spawn, The Maxx, Todd Broeker, Todd Klein, Tony Daniel, Tony Salmons, Ultimates | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Lucky Luke, 1958-1967 – part 2

Posted on May 9, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

As mentioned last week, I’ve been rereading the first decade of René Goscinny’s run on the Belgian series Lucky Luke, illustrated by Morris, and trying to figure out what made those comics work (and why they resonated so much with … Continue reading →

Posted in WILD WEST | Tagged Charlier, Lucky Luke, Morris, movies, politics, René Goscinny, Uderzo, western | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (6 May 2024)

Posted on May 6, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Given the terrifying escalation of war, nationalism, and climate crisis, to which we can now add mass arrests of students protesting against genocide, it is not surprising that we’re in the midst of a surge of mainstream dystopias, from Civil … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE FUTURE | Tagged 2000 AD, Brendan McCarthy, Brett Ewins, Brian Bolland, Carlos Ezquerra, César López, covers, Francisco Solano López, Mike Dorey, science fiction | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Lucky Luke, 1958-1967 – part 1

Posted on May 2, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Once again, it’s that time of year when I revisit Eurocomics that marked my childhood, now read through older eyes, and write about some of the dimensions I missed as a kid. Today, I’ll focus on the first decade of … Continue reading →

Posted in WILD WEST | Tagged Lucky Luke, Morris, politics, René Goscinny, Strontium Dog, western | Leave a comment