Tag Archives: politics

Anatomy of Batman #285

Posted on December 20, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

When it comes to twisted-yet-amusing Christmas tales, forget Gremlins and Rare Exports or even Krampus. I cannot think of many examples that are as fascinating as ‘The Mystery of Christmas Lost!’ (Batman #285, cover-dated March 1977, but, according to Mike’s … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Christmas, David V. Reed, David Vern, Frank Springer, Gotham City, Julius Schwartz, politics, Romeo Tanghal | Leave a comment

A year of sci-fi movies and shows

Posted on December 12, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

The Last Jedi hits the screens this week and we’ll see what comes out of it. So far, Rian Johnson is OK in my book. He did Brick, so I know he’s into film noir. He did The Brothers Bloom, … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged Al Williamson, Archie Goodwin, Carlos Garzon, horror, Jean-Claude Mézières, movies, Pierre Christin, politics, science fiction, space opera | Leave a comment

Anatomy of Shadow of the Bat #45

Posted on September 28, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Last week I went on and on about the compelling and cathartic lack of subtlety in the Batman comics of Alan Grant, so I figured it would be fair to spotlight one of the few issues that fall outside that … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, Brian Stelfreeze, Gerry Fernandez, Michal Dutkiewicz, Pamela Rambo, politics, western | Leave a comment

Alan Grant’s in-yer-face Batman

Posted on September 21, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

I suppose it is possible to do subtlety in Batman comics. To do it well, even: from Greg Rucka’s nuanced characterization to Grant Morrison’s elliptic narratives; from Dan Slott’s skill at disguising plot points to Ed Brubaker’s occasional flirts with … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, John Wagner, Norm Breyfogle, politics | 10 Comments

Spy comics: revisiting World War I

Posted on July 28, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

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 →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Alex Grecian, Bruno Garcia, espionage, Fabien Nury, Petrograd, Philip Gelatt, Pierre Alary, politics, Riley Rossmo, Silas Corey, Tyler Crook | Leave a comment

Spy comics: black ops

Posted on July 20, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

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 →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Checkmate, Cold War, espionage, Gabriel Morrissette, Greg Rucka, John Byrne, Jordan Gibson, Kyle Latino, Mitch Gerads, Nathan Edmondson, Paul Kupperberg, politics, Steve Erwin, The Activity | Leave a comment

Spy comics: badass thrillers

Posted on July 13, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

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 →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Andy Diggle, espionage, James Bond, Jason Masters, Jonathan Hickman, Luca Casalanguida, Michael Garland, politics, Ryan Bodenheim, Secret, Warren Ellis | Leave a comment

Spy comics: revisiting the Cold War

Posted on July 6, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

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 →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Alex de Campi, Antony Johnston, Blond, Cold War, Ed Brubaker, Elizabeth Breitweiser, espionage, Greg Rucka, Jean-Christophe Thibert, noir, politics, Sam Hart, Steve Epting, Steven Perkins, The Coldest City, Tony Parker, Velvet | Leave a comment

Things you can learn from Barbara Gordon comics

Posted on June 14, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Besides kicking ass as Batgirl, over the years Barbara Gordon has been a librarian, a member of Congress, and a first-rate hacker who – under the codename Oracle – supplied intelligence to the crime-fighting community of Gotham City. The combination … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Barbara Gordon, Batgirl, Chuck Dixon, politics | Leave a comment

Scars of Vietnam in Gotham City

Posted on June 1, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

As an embodiment of changing fads and obsessions of US pop culture, Batman’s adventures could hardly stay immune to the social impact of the Vietnam War. And while the Caped Crusader’s TV incarnation could initially be seen advertising war bonds, … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alan Grant, Cold War, Dave Hornung, Dick Giordano, Elaine Lee, Frank Robbins, Gabriel Morrissette, Garth Ennis, Gotham City, Jim Aparo, Keith Giffen, Mike Friedrich, Mike Vosburg, Mike W. Barr, Neal Adams, Norm Breyfogle, politics, Robert Loren Fleming, Ron McCain, Vietnam | Leave a comment