Author Archives: I.M. Baytor

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (7 March 2022)

Posted on March 7, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

If, like me, you have been obsessing about the events in Ukraine, it may be healthy to take a small break every once in a while, just to manage the anxiety. For example, here is a reminder that comics can … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Adventures into Darkness, Artie Simek, Astonishing, Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, Chuck Cuidera, covers, horror, House of Secrets, Jack Cole, Jack Davis, Joe Maneely, Journey into Mystery, Marvel Tales, Mike Peppe, Mike Sekowsky, Neal Adams, Sol Brodsky, Stan Goldberg, Strange Tales, Tales from the Crypt, Web of Evil, World of Suspense | Leave a comment

Spotlight on The Unknown Soldier, 1988-1989 – part 1

Posted on March 3, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

At a time when pavlovian pundits and politicians seem keen to revive Cold War rhetoric and imagery, (mis)applying it to the conflict taking place in Ukraine, perhaps it is worth remembering that even during the Cold War itself there were … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Carl Gafford, Christopher Priest, Cold War, Denny O'Neil, espionage, James Owsley, John Costanza, Phil Gascoine, politics, Unknown Soldier, Vietnam | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (28 February 2022)

Posted on February 28, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

It’s been pretty hard to concentrate on anything other than the war in Ukraine, which hits close to home in many ways (though fortunately not on a literal level), especially now that the nuclear threat is escalating again… Still, I … Continue reading →

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Aquaman, covers, Gaspar Saladino, Ira Schnapp, Nick Cardy | Leave a comment

A week in Batman’s first year

Posted on February 24, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

MONDAY Batman #405 TUESDAY Legends of the Dark Knight #2 WEDNESDAY Detective Comics #0 THURSDAY Batman and the Monster Men #1 FRIDAY Shadow of the Bat Annual #3 SATURDAY Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5 SUNDAY Legends of the … Continue reading →

Posted in GOTHAM INTERLUDES | Tagged Batman's personality | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (21 February 2022)

Posted on February 21, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

An eye-popping reminder that comics can be awesome…

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged Bill Sienkiewicz, Black Cat, Black Fury, Brad Simpson, covers, Creeper, Dave McKean, Dick Giordano, Gaspar Saladino, L.B. Cole, Lee Elias, Mask, New Mutants, Paolo Rivera, Piotr Kowalski, Sandman, Sex, Shade, Shadows from Beyond, Spider-Man, Steve Ditko | Leave a comment

On Jennifer Blood

Posted on February 17, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

Longtime readers of this blog know that I have an unhealthy fascination with fucked up vigilante comics that go into odd directions, so perhaps you won’t be surprised with my choice of devoting an entire post – probably one of … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged Adriano Batista, Al Ewing, Dearbhla Kelly, Declan Shalvey, Eman Casallos, Fred van Lente, Gail Simone, Garth Ennis, Hannah Elder, horror, Igor Vitorino, Jennifer Blood, Joëlle Jones, Johnny Desjardins, Jonathan Lau, Kewber Baal, Marcos Marz, Mike Carroll, Molly Mahan, Nancy A. Collins, Peter Cannon, Punisher, Red Sonja, Romulo Fajardo Jr, Sergio Dávila, Steven Grant, Tim Bradstreet, Vincenzo Carratù, Vincenzo Federici | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (14 February 2022)

Posted on February 14, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

Since it’s Valentine’s Day, this week’s reminder that comic book covers can be awesome is also a tribute to America’s postwar fling with romance comics:

Posted in GLIMPSES INTO THE PAST | Tagged Bill Ward, Brides in Love, Charlotte Jetter, covers, David Mangiarotti, Dick Giordano, First Romance Magazine, Flaming Love, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Ken Bald, Love Stories, Lovelorn, Luis Avila, Pat Masulli, Romantic Adventures, Romantic Story, Sweethearts, Teen-Age Love, True Life Secrets, Vince Colletta | Leave a comment

If you like Raising Arizona…

Posted on February 10, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

Like I mentioned last month, this year I’m going over the Coen brothers’ amazing body of work and recommending further films and comics for fans of each of their masterpieces. This time around, let’s focus on their outlandish follow-up to … Continue reading →

Posted in IF YOU LIKE THE COEN BROTHERS... | Tagged Coen brothers, Marshall Dillon, movies, Nick Spencer, Steve Lieber, The Fix | Leave a comment

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (7 February 2022)

Posted on February 7, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

A dynamic reminder that comics can be awesome…

Posted in AWESOME COVERS | Tagged 2000 AD, Alex Schomburg, Bill Everett, Bill Reinhold, Daring Mystery Comics, Dave Stewart, Fantastic Comics, Geof Darrow, Grimjack, Hitman, John McCrea, Kevin Hopgood, Lou Fine, Marvel Tales, Punisher, Shaolin Cowboy, Speed Comics, Stan Goldberg, Strange Tales, Timothy Truman, Todd Klein | Leave a comment

Spotlight on The Adventures of Tintin – part 2

Posted on February 3, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

If you just look at the artwork in The Adventures of Tintin, it’s hard to deny the series’ ethnocentrism, since Hergé’s drawings – as was usual at the time – tap on recognizable stereotypes. If you look closely at the … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged Bob de Moor, Cold War, Hergé, movies, politics, science fiction, Tintin | Leave a comment