Tag Archives: Karl Kesel

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (10 August 2026)

Posted on August 10, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

This summer’s two major film hits manage to pull off a tight balancing act, using the power that pre-existing stories/characters acquired and developed over the years to the advantage of tales that can nevertheless still stand on their own (rather … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Adam Hughes, Andrew Dalhouse, Brett Booth, Carmine Infantino, covers, Danny Crespi, Flash, Frank Miller, Gaspar Saladino, George Roussos, Gerry Conway, House of Mystery, Jack Burnley, Jerry Ordway, Jim Starlin, Joe Orlando, Karl Kesel, Lone Wolf and Cub, Lynn Varley, Mike Esposito, movies, Neal Adams, Norman Rapmund, Richard Horie, Ross Andru, Spider-Man, Superman, Tanya Horie, Terry Dodson | Leave a comment

2000s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 3

Posted on April 8, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

Nightwing (v2) #68 In 2002-2003, the mood got increasingly grimmer in most Batman and Batman-adjacent comics. Blame the George W. Bush administration, 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, or just the franchise’s takeover by fanboys in the form of writers and … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Batman's personality, Chuck Dixon, Damion Scott, Devin Grayson, Ed Brubaker, Joe Kelly, Karl Kesel, Kelley Puckett, Lysa Hawkins, Terry Moore | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (30 March 2026)

Posted on March 30, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

This week’s reminder that comic books can be awesome is a tribute to covers with wordplay:

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Brian Bolland, Butch Guice, covers, Greg Guler, Hawk & Dove, Ira Schnapp, John Byrne, Karl Kesel, Metal Men, Micronauts, Mike Esposito, Namor, Ross Andru, Todd Klein, Wonder Woman | Leave a comment

A month of Batman moments – Day 2

Posted on May 2, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

World’s Finest (v2) #4

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Tagged Alex Sinclair, Clem Robins, Dave Taylor, Karl Kesel, Robert Campanella | Leave a comment

1990s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 5

Posted on July 30, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Batman: Mr. Freeze By the late ‘90s, not only had the Batman family of books become a well-oiled machine, but three new awesome spin-offs joined the line: Nightwing, about Dick Grayson reinventing himself as a solo vigilante in the neighboring … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Grant, Anthony Williams, Arthur Ranson, Brian Apthorp, Brian Augustyn, Chuck Dixon, Darick Robertson, Denny O'Neil, Devin K. Grayson, Doug Moench, Duncan Fegredo, Eduardo Barreto, Fabien Nicieza, Garth Ennis, Gotham City, Graham Nolan, Grant Morrison, Jeff Johnson, Joe Quesada, John Francis Moore, John McCrea, John Royle, Karl Kesel, Klaus Janson, Len Kaminski, Mark Buckingham, Mark Waid, Michael T. Gilbert, Paul Dini, Peter Milligan, reading order, Rick Burchett, Rodolfo Damaggio, Roger Robinson, Scott McDaniel, Staz Johnson, Tom Peyer, Yannick Paquette | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Batman’s Z-list villains

Posted on April 18, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

Welcome to Gotham Calling’s 200th post! Solo #7 Back when we reached the first hundred posts, Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was about to come out and I wrote about a handful of oddball villains whom I … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Grant, Alex Sinclair, Archie Goodwin, Bill Finger, Bob Rozakis, Charles Paris, Chuck Dixon, Dave Taylor, Denny O'Neil, Frank McLaughlin, Glen Murakami, Joe Giela, José Garcia-López, Karl Kesel, Kelley Puckett, Mike Carlin, Mike Parobeck, Mike W. Barr, Norm Breyfogle, Rick Burchett, Rick Taylor, Robert Campanella, Robert Kanigher, Roy Thomas, Sheldon Moldoff, Sholly Fisch, Tom Lyle, villains, Vince Giarrano | 4 Comments

Have a Gotham 2018

Posted on December 31, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

World’s Finest #3

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Tagged Bill Oakley, Dave Gibbons, Karl Kesel, New Year, Steve Oliff, Steve Rude | Leave a comment

12 trippy Batman covers

Posted on March 2, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

I’ve often pointed out in this blog that, during the Silver Age, many Batman covers achieved a level of psychedelia akin to a bad acid trip. However, this phenomenon isn’t exclusive to the 1950s and 1960s… Here are a dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in COVERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Alex Ross, Alex Sinclair, Chris Burnham, covers, Dustin Nguyen, Ed Hannigan, Frank Quitely, Guillem March, Karl Kesel, Kelley Jones, Klaus Janson, Laura Allred, Michael Allred, Norm Breyfogle, Rich Buckler, Will Simpson | 1 Comment

On Barbara Gordon, Batgirl

Posted on June 22, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Leave it to comics to take a completely perfunctory and derivative concept and actually do loads of fascinating stuff with it. The best example I can think of is Batgirl, aka Barbara ‘Babs’ Gordon, who … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM CITIZENS | Tagged Alan Moore, Babs Tarr, Barbara Gordon, Barbara Randall, Batgirl, Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, Doug Moench, Frank Robbins, Gail Simone, Gardner Fox, Gene Colan, Gil Kane, Julie Schwartz, Karl Kesel, Kelley Puckett, Kevin Somers, Matt Haley, politics | Leave a comment