Author Archives: I.M. Baytor

Some thoughts on 21st-century spy shows

Posted on April 17, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Secret agents and international intrigue have really come back with a vengeance in the past decade or so. The War on Terror and, later, the renewed tension between the West and Russia seem to have stimulated the public’s appetite for … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Citadel, Claudia Giuliani, Dearbhla Kelly, espionage, Francesco Segala, Homeland, James Bond, Killing Eve, movies, Philip Kennedy Johnson, politics, science fiction, Slow Horses, The Bureau, The Diplomat | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (15 April 2024)

Posted on April 15, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

This week, a reminder that X-Men comics can be surprisingly meaningful and morally complex… but also very, very horny. It’s right there on the covers:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Alfred Ramirez, Brandon Peterson, Butch Guice, C.P. Smith, covers, Ian Churchill, Kael Ngu, Laura Martin, Mike McKone, Rachel Dodson, Rachelle Rosenberg, Ramon Pérez, Salvador Larroca, Terry Dodson, X-Men | Leave a comment

Another damn busy week…

Posted on April 11, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

MONDAY Tenses #2 TUESDAY Batman & Robin Adventures #10 WEDNESDAY Batman / Toyman #3 THURSDAY Batman: Black & White (v3) #4 FRIDAY Kings of Fear #1 SATURDAY Batman: Universe #3 SUNDAY Detective Comics #482

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (8 April 2024)

Posted on April 8, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

This week’s reminder that comic books can be awesome is yet another tribute to Carmine Infantino’s talent for cover composition:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Action Comics, All Star Comics, Bob Brown, Brave and the Bold, Captain Comet, Carmine Infantino, covers, Danny Crespi, Doom Patrol, Frank Giacoia, Ira Schnapp, Joe Giella, Mike Esposito, Murphy Anderson, Mystery in Space, Spider-Woman, Steve Leialoha, Strange Adventures, Strange Sports Stories, Supergirl, Superman | Leave a comment

Other detectives in Gotham City

Posted on April 4, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

Back in January, I wrote about Slam Bradley, one of several detectives who share Gotham with the Dark Knight. I don’t mean police detectives – I’m talking about the many private investigators whose cases have brought them into contact with … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Grant, Joe Potato, Kelley Puckett, Norm Breyfogle | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (1 April 2024)

Posted on April 1, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

The subgenre of super-spies seems especially suited for comic books, where there are no budget constraints in terms of depicting gonzo gadgets and glamorous globetrotting, so it’s no wonder we’ve gotten such a long history of James Bond comics, not … Continue reading →

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Annie Wu, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bill Sienkiewicz, Black Widow, covers, espionage, Frank Miller, Junggeun Yoon, Phil Noto | Leave a comment

Catching up with crime movies

Posted on March 28, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

I had a blast putting together Gotham Calling’s list of top Cold War movies, as I got to dig into cinema history and unearth a slew of gems from the mid-to-late 20th century that approached geopolitics through diverse (and sometimes … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged Luc Jacamon, Matz, movies | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (25 March 2024)

Posted on March 25, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

A reminder that the covers of Batman comics can be awesome… and fun!

Posted in COVERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Carlos Pacheco, covers, Curt Swan, Dan Davis, Darwyn Cooke, Fred Ray, Gaspar Saladino, Ira Schnapp, Jerry Robinson, Jesús Merino, Jim Aparo, Joe Giella, Justice League of America, Laura Martin, Mike Parobeck, Mike Sekowsky, Murphy Anderson, Rick Burchett, Rick Taylor, Tatjana Wood, Win Mortimer | Leave a comment

Spotlight on the Unknown Soldier, 1997

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

After being absent from the stands for about eight years, in 1997 the spy/war comic Unknown Soldier got the Vertigo treatment. By then, the Vertigo imprint had come to specialize in getting edgy (usually British) creators to reimagine third-tier DC … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Axel Alonso, Cold War, espionage, Garth Ennis, James Sinclair, Killian Plunkett, politics, Tim Bradstreet, Unknown Soldier, World War II | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (18 March 2024)

Posted on March 18, 2024 by I.M. Baytor

You know what can be really awesome? Old pulpy, straight-to-the-point comic book covers:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Alex Schomburg, Amazing Mystery Funnies, Billy the Kid, Boy Comics, Bruce Jones, Captain Science, Charles Biro, Chuck Cuidera, covers, Dick Giordano, Joe Orlando, John Giunta, Miss Fury, Paul Gustavson, Police Comics, Prize Comics, Reed Crandall, The Fly, Twisted Tales of Bruce Jones, Wally Wood | Leave a comment