Author Archives: I.M. Baytor

If you like Intolerable Cruelty…

Posted on May 21, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

Having done their take on film noir with The Man Who Wasn’t There, Joel and Ethan Coen then put a modern a spin on another Golden Age genre, namely romcoms that had fun with marriage conventions, often involving Hollywood’s most … Continue reading →

Posted in IF YOU LIKE THE COEN BROTHERS... | Tagged Jamie S. Rich, Megan Levens, movies | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (18 May 2026)

Posted on May 18, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

In a rare sign that there is still a modicum of reason in the world, the nominees for the 2026 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were announced last week and, sure enough, Gotham Calling’s top books of the year are … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged covers, Gavin Wilson, Richard Burning, Sandman Mystery Theatre | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (11 May 2026)

Posted on May 11, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

A tribute to Plastic Man, whose stretching power is ideal for the design of neat images… and, therefore, of comic book covers.

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Amanda Conner, covers, Dave Johnson, David Baron, Doug Mahnke, Jack Cole, José Luis García-López, Plastic Man, Police Comics, Tom Nguyen | Leave a comment

Fighting monsters in the multiverse

Posted on May 6, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

Although perfectly aware that the current expansion of the multiverse in the form of exponential crossovers cynically reflects IP exploitation by new corporate quasi-monopolies, I admit I continue to derive a visceral pleasure from the concept, at least when there … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Adam Tierney, Alan Moore, Alien, Avengers, Carlos M. Mangual, Esad Ribić, Fran Strukan, Godzilla, horror, Ive Svorcina, Jay Stephens, John Layman, Jonathan Hickman, Mars Attacks, Miroslav Mrva, Red Sonja, Sean Peacock, Shakespeare, Tom Scioli | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (4 May 2026)

Posted on May 4, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

In the spirit of Trevor Noah’s great new special, Joy in the Trenches, I’m ignoring real-world tragedy just for a bit and briefly turning to sci-fi thrills…

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE FUTURE | Tagged Atari Force, covers, DC Showcase, Dick Giordano, Don't Spit in the Wind, Eduardo Barreto, John Costanza, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Lou Fine, Mike Sekowsky, Mystery Men Comics, Nelson Daniel, science fiction, Wally Wood, Weird Science, Zach Howard | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (27 April 2026)

Posted on April 27, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

This week, comic book covers that pay homage to classic movie posters:

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Bruce Timm, Cage, covers, Darick Robertson, JUstice League America, Justice League United, Kevin Maguire, Marco D'Alfonso, movies, Suicide Squad, The Boys, Tony Avina | Leave a comment

If you like The Man Who Wasn’t There…

Posted on April 23, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

Welcome back to this neglected series of posts, now with one of the best (and funniest) films of the Coen brothers. In 2001, Joel and Ethan Coen returned to their roots with The Man Who Wasn’t There, a straight-up crime … Continue reading →

Posted in IF YOU LIKE THE COEN BROTHERS... | Tagged Coen brothers, Cold War, Graham Chaffee, movies, noir, To Have & to Hold | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (20 April 2026)

Posted on April 20, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

That’s right, it’s another tribute to the centrality of butts in X-Men covers:

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged All-New X-Men, Amazing X-Men, Chris Brunner, covers, Frank Quitely, Jeehyung Lee, Joe Caramagna, Jorge Fornés, Laura Allred, Mike Allred, Rachelle Rosenberg, Shawn Crystal, Steve Epting, Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, X-Statix | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (13 April 2026)

Posted on April 13, 2026 by I.M. Baytor

This week, a tribute to trippy colors…

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Captain Aero, Captain Marvel, covers, Danny Crespi, Fantastic Tales, John Verpoorten, L. B. Cole, Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves, Marie Severin, Master of Kung Fu, Mike Zeck, Tom Sutton | 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