Tag Archives: espionage

Spy comics: revisiting World War I

If you read the last posts, you know that this month I’ve been discussing cool spy comics.   Historically associated with imperial rivalry and pointless carnage in the public imagination, World War I doesn’t seem to have inspired nearly as … Continue reading

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Spy comics: black ops

As you’ve probably noticed by now, this month at Gotham Calling is all about spy fiction.           The thing about spy yarns is that the tradecraft can be the real star of the story. Even when the leads aren’t … Continue reading

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Spy comics: badass thrillers

          As I explained last week, throughout July I’m recommending various spy comics here at the blog, trying to show that stories of espionage can serve both as a way to expose hidden processes taking place around us and … Continue reading

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Spy comics: revisiting the Cold War

Every once in a while, I like to shift gears and spotlight comics or films set outside Gotham City. Once a year, I take this one step further and devote a whole month to non-Batman comics. This time around, I … Continue reading

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Doug Moench’s over-the-top Batman

After an (unfortunately still) underappreciated run in Batman and Detective Comics in the mid-1980s, Doug Moench took a break for about five years before returning to Gotham City with a new attitude. If his earlier work had an emphasis on … Continue reading

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Between Gotham City and Casablanca

I’m pretty sure I’m not breaking any new ground by stating that Casablanca is one of the most enjoyable films ever made. This 1942 classic about heartbreak and antifascism in a French colony bursting with contraband and political intrigue manages … Continue reading

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5 R-rated superhero comics

So yeah, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. There is something puzzling in almost every scene of this film. Why did Bruce’s employees wait for his phone call before evacuating a building that was obviously about to be crushed? Why … Continue reading

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Comics for Tarantino fans – part 2

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are more comic suggestions for fans of Quentin Tarantino’s films:         After the subdued crime drama Jackie Brown, Tarantino abandoned all pretenses of realism and embarked on … Continue reading

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More over-the-top adventure comics

Given how bombastic and out-of-control the Batman series has become of late, I figure the time is right to revisit the concept of comics as manic, trippy escapades. When I suggested a bunch of Non-Batman balls-to-the-wall adventure comics earlier this … Continue reading

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Spotlight on The Punisher MAX

What if The Punisher comics were much darker, more gruesomely violent, and aimed at a mature audience? That’s the premise of The Punisher MAX, Garth Ennis’ grim reimagining of Frank Castle’s war on crime. If Garth Ennis’ previous work with … Continue reading

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