Tag Archives: John Wagner

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (26 June 2023)

Before returning to longer posts after the summer, each week I will spotlight specific little sequences that I think perfectly encapsule the magic of what comics can do, creating immersive moods and thrilling worlds with a handful of carefully crafted … Continue reading

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COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (6 March 2023)

A Dredd reminder that comics can be awesome… 2000 AD #38

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Have a Gotham 2023

2000 AD and Tornado #146

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Animal war comics – part 1

Once again, the folks at Dead Reckoning have sent me one of their graphic novels to review: Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat, in which Ben Towle spotlights the historical role of different creatures in various wars. Like last time, I … Continue reading

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1990s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 2

Batman #440 As promised a couple of weeks ago, here is the second installment of my recommended reading order for the various Gotham City-based comics of the 1990s, which tended to play particularly well off each other. What follows is … Continue reading

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My ideal deluxe omnibus volume – part 2

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are another ten stories that would definitely be included if I had a chance to put together a giant Batman omnibus collecting personal favorites: ‘The Underworld Olympics ‘76!’ … Continue reading

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Essential Batman stories every fan should read – part 2

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. This is the second part of my list of essential comics that serve as the best possible gateway into grasping the overall Batman meta-narrative. This week, I’m highlighting post-Crisis … Continue reading

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Gothic Batman stories from the ‘90s

Goth subculture had quite a devoted fan base in the 1990s. You couldn’t miss the hordes of stylish, pretentious teens with black clothes and eyeliner back then. Tim Burton and Marilyn Manson were all the rage for a while. Bands … Continue reading

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Alan Grant’s in-yer-face Batman

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

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Collections of Batman stories – part 2

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are another five compilations of Batman stories worth seeking out: TALES OF THE DEMON (1991) Tales of the Demon collects the first handful of stories Denny O’Neil wrote … Continue reading

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