Tag Archives: science fiction

Expanding The War of the Worlds – part 1

Posted on July 16, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

A couple of months ago, I recommended (re)visiting H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds. This classic sci-fi horror novel became a massive influence on pop culture as the urtext for books, films, television shows, theatre plays, and video games about … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Davis, Amazing Adventures, Bill Mantlo, Cold War, Don McGregor, Fred van Lente, Gerry Conway, Greg Wright, H.G. Wells, horror, Howard Chaykin, James Robinson, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Killraven, Manuel Garcia, Mark Farmer, Neal Adams, P. Craig Russell, Paul Cornell, politics, Roy Thomas, science fiction, War of the Worlds | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (6 July 2020)

Posted on July 6, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Prompted by the Atomic Age, the 1950s were one of the coolest decades for American science fiction. Ray Bradbury, a key writer in elevating the genre’s cultural status from disposable pulp to respected literature, published The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged covers, Frank Giacoia, Gil Kane, Ira Schnapp, Jack Adler, movies, Murphy Anderson, science fiction, Strange Adventures | Leave a comment

10 brilliant issues of Astro City – part 1

Posted on June 25, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

I’ve mentioned before that Astro City is one of the most accomplished superhero comics in recent memory. This anthology series takes place in its own autonomous universe, providing us with fresh ways to look at all the archetypes developed by … Continue reading →

Posted in SUPER POWERS | Tagged Alex Ross, Alex Sinclair, Astro City, Brent Anderson, Kurt Busiek, Richard Starkings, science fiction, Steve Buccelatto, Wendy Broome | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (22 June 2020)

Posted on June 22, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Readers of this blog know that I am a firm believer that, even in these agitated times, genre fiction remains an interesting way to conceptualize what is happening around us. For instance, if the first half of 2020 filled screens … Continue reading →

Posted in ART OF HORROR COMICS | Tagged Alfredo Elias, Bernard Baily, Bernie Wrightson, Carl Burgos, covers, horror, House of Secrets, Journey into Mystery, Mike Kaluta, movies, politics, Scary Tales, science fiction, Stan Goldberg, Swamp Thing, Weird Mysteries | Leave a comment

Two-fisted fantasy comics

Posted on May 28, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Lately I’ve been writing mostly about sci-fi for this section of the blog, so I think it’s time to shift our attention to another great adventure genre: fantasy. Fantasy is one of those umbrella genres that covers a massive spectrum … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged 2000 AD, Alan Grant, Alfonso Azpiri, Archer & Armstrong, Archie Goodwin, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bernie Wrightson, Black Hawk, Clayton Henry, Cold War, Conan, Denny O'Neil, Doug Moench, Eliot Rahal, Emanuela Lupacchino, Fred van Lente, Gerry Conway, Gerry Finley-Day, Gil Kane, Jim Starlin, Jody Houser, John Buscema, John Jakes, John Romita, Ka-Zar, Kelvin Gosnell, Khari Evans, Len Wein, Mark Waid, Massimo Belardinelli, Pere Pérez, politics, Roy Thomas, Russ Heath, Savage Tales, science fiction, Stan Lee, Steve Gan, sword & sorcery | Leave a comment

A couple of classic science fiction novels

Posted on May 7, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

We are living in sci-fi times – not in the sense that what we are living is fictional, but in the sense that lately reality has been enacting so many tropes of science fiction that it feels like we have … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged books without pictures, H.G. Wells, horror, Left Hand of Darkness, politics, science fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin, War of the Worlds | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Injection

Posted on April 9, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Between the dystopic aesthetics of armed forces sealing people in their homes while drones patrol the empty streets, the apocalyptic vibe of the world stopping over a contagious invisible menace (not to mention the sheer death toll), the process of … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged Declan Shalvey, horror, Injection, James Bond, Jordie Bellaire, science fiction, Warren Ellis | Leave a comment

Steve Gerber’s twisted Superman

Posted on April 2, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

With his propensity for heady digressions, offbeat satire, and countercultural sensibility, Steve Gerber was one of the most fascinating American writers in mainstream comics. While he didn’t exactly deconstruct superheroes in the radical form that some of his successors would … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITERS OF SUPERMAN COMICS | Tagged Bryan Hitch, Chris Chuckry, Cold War, Doug Wheatley, Gene Colan, Greg Adams, horror, John Byrne, Mark Bright, politics, Rick Veitch, science fiction, Steve Gerber, Tom Ziuko, Tony DeZuniga, Val Mayerick | Leave a comment

10 Alan Moore short stories in others’ sandboxes

Posted on March 6, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

The conversation in the comments section of The Tempest’s post back in January got me thinking about how much of Alan Moore’s career was spent playing with other creators’ toys, providing some of the greatest gun-for-hire work in the medium… … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged 2000 AD, Alan Davis, Alan Moore, Ben Dimagmaliw, Bill Willingham, Bob Lappan, Bryan Talbot, C.D. Alexandar, Carl Gafford, Dan Mishkin, Facundo Percio, Gene D'Angelo, God Is Dead, Hernan Cabrera, Jenny O'Connor, Joe Orlando, John Costanza, John Higgins, Jonathan Hickman, Kevin O'Neill, Kurt Hathaway, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Melinda Gebbie, Michael Zulli, Mike Costa, science fiction, Star Wars, Stephen Bissette, Stephen Murphy, Steve Dillon, Steve Potter, Terry Austin, Todd Klein | 1 Comment

Spotlight on Imperium

Posted on February 26, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

A while ago, I did a post about violent superhero movies that explore how scary it would be if there were actual super-beings around, especially ones less bound by old-fashioned morals than your regular mainstream heroes… This line of speculation … Continue reading →

Posted in SUPER POWERS | Tagged Adam Pollina, Andrew Dalhouse, Brian Reber, CAFU, Dave Sharpe, Doug Braithwaite, Imperium, Joshua Dysart, Juan Jose Ryp, Khari Evans, Matt Kindt, politics, science fiction, Scot Eaton, Ulises Arreola | Leave a comment