Tag Archives: Cold War

2020’s books of the year – part 2

Posted on January 14, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last week’s post, you know I’m doing a countdown of the most Gotham Calling books of 2020. Enjoy! 16. UNDONE BY BLOOD Collected as Undone by Blood or The Shadow of a Wanted Man, the first … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Adam Hughes, Alex Toth, Allan Harvey, Atlas at War, Charlie Kirchoff, Chris Brunner, Chris Weston, Christian Alamy, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Cully Hamner, Dan Spiegle, Daniel Hillyard, David Michelinie, DC Goes to War, Doug Dabbs, Doug Wagner, Drew Moore, Ed Herron, Eduardo Barreto, espionage, Garth Ennis, Gene Colan, Gerry Talaoc, Hank Chapman, Harvey Kurtzman, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Jack Davis, Jack Kirby, Jason Wordie, Jerry Grandenetti, Jerry Robinson, Joe Kubert, Joe Maneely, Joe Simon, Joe Sinnott, John Severin, Judith Hunt, Laura Martin, Lee Loughridge, Len Wein, Lonnie Nadler, Mark Evanier, Marv Wolfman, Michael Esposito, Michael J. Vassallo, Michael Kelleher, Michael Uslan, Paul Reinman, politics, Robert Kanigher, Russ Heath, Sam Glanzman, Sam Kweslin, Sami Kivelä, Scott Nybakken, Stan Lee, The Ride, Tomm Coker, Undone by Blood, Werner Roth, western, World War II, Zac Thompson | 2 Comments

2020’s books of the year – part 1

Posted on January 7, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

A couple of years ago, I started picking a Gotham Calling Book of the Year, spotlighting recently published comics that best engaged with this blog’s passions. To compensate for the lengthy silence, though, this time around I’ll do a longer … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Alan Grant, Andrea Sorrentino, Ann Nocenti, Arkham Asylum, Bog Bodies, Brüno, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Declan Shalvey, Erica Henderson, Fabien Nury, Gary Kato, Gavin Fullerton, Graham Nolan, horror, J.H. Williams III, Jeff Lemire, Johnny Dynamite, Joker, Jordie Bellaire, Ken Fitch, Leonard Kirk, Mark Russell, Marv Wolfman, Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane, Ms. Tree, noir, Norm Breyfogle, Pete Morisi, politics, Rachel Dodson, Rebecca Nalty, Richard Pace, Second Coming, Steve Moore, Terry Beatty, Terry Dodson, Tom Peyer | Leave a comment

On John le Carré’s non-Circus novels

Posted on September 24, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Earlier this year, I discussed John le Carré’s Circus novels as the perfect counterpoint to the James Bond branch of spy fiction. Yet there is much more to le Carré’s writing, which has taken this genre into all sorts of … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged books without pictures, Cold War, espionage, John le Carré, Mark Askwith, Matt Taylor, politics, R.G. Taylor | Leave a comment

10 noir short stories

Posted on September 10, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Given the ongoing heated discussion over police reform and how to rethink public safety, I guess this is an appropriate occasion to highlight one of my favorite genres: crime fiction. As far as comic books go, although there were precedents, … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged Abe Kanegson, Al Feldstein, Alan Moore, Bernie Krigstein, Bill Gaines, Carl Wessler, Cold War, Crime SuspenStories, David Baron, Frank Miller, George Evans, Greyshirt, Jack Kamen, Jack Oleck, Jamison, Jim Wroten, Johnny Craig, Johnny Dynamite, Jules Feiffer, Marie Severin, movies, noir, Pete Morisi, politics, Reed Crandall, Rick Veitch, Shock SuspenStories, Sin City, The Spirit, Todd Klein, Tomorrow Stories, Will Eisner | Leave a comment

Expanding The War of the Worlds – part 2

Posted on July 23, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last week’s post, you know I’ve been discussing comics that expanded H.G. Wells’ classic novel The War of the Worlds. Today I want to start with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Alan Moore’s and Kevin O’Neill’s fun … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged 2000 AD, Alan Moore, Cold War, D'Israeli, Emma Beeby, H.G. Wells, horror, I.N.J. Culbard, Ian Edginton, Kevin O'Neill, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, politics, Scarlet Traces, science fiction, War of the Worlds | 2 Comments

Expanding The War of the Worlds – part 1

Posted on July 16, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

A couple of months ago, I recommended (re)visiting H.G. Well’s The War of the Worlds. This classic sci-fi horror novel became a massive influence on pop culture as the urtext for books, films, television shows, theatre plays, and video games about … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Davis, Amazing Adventures, Bill Mantlo, Cold War, Don McGregor, Fred van Lente, Gerry Conway, Greg Wright, H.G. Wells, horror, Howard Chaykin, James Robinson, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, Killraven, Manuel Garcia, Mark Farmer, Neal Adams, P. Craig Russell, Paul Cornell, politics, Roy Thomas, science fiction, War of the Worlds | Leave a comment

10 brilliant issues of Astro City – part 2

Posted on July 2, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are another five brilliant issues of Astro City: ‘Where the Action Is’ (Astro City (v2) #21) Another blatantly ‘meta’ issue, albeit with a more satirical bent. ‘Where … Continue reading →

Posted in SUPER POWERS | Tagged Astro City, Brent Anderson, Cold War, Dan Slott, Graham Nolan, Kurt Busiek, politics, Tom Peyer | Leave a comment

1990s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 3

Posted on June 18, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Vengeance of Bane We’re back with another installment of the 1990s’ Batman comics reading guide! Sadly, in the meantime this feature has also become a tribute to the recently deceased group editor of these titles, Dennis O’Neil, whose vision was … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Alan Grant, Azrael, Batman's personality, Bret Blevins, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Darren Vincenzo, Dave Johnson, Denny O'Neil, Doug Moench, Garth Ennis, Graham Nolan, Jihn Wagner, Jim Aparo, Jim Balent, Jo Duffy, Joe Quesada, John McCrea, Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Kelley Jones, Kevin Altieri, Kevin O'Neill, Knightfall, Lee Weeks, Mark Bright, Mike Gustovich, Norm Breyfogle, Phil Jimenez, Punisher, reading order, Ron Wagner, Sam Kieth, Scott Peterson, Tom Grummett | 5 Comments

COMICS CAN BE AWESOME (15 June 2020)

Posted on June 15, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Lately I’ve been using the COMICS CAN BE AWESOME section to spotlight nifty covers, mostly of old, Cold War-era series, from war/horror hybrids to pulpy fantasy anthologies (usually with the words ‘weird,’ ‘strange,’ and/or ‘mystery’ in the title)… I’m not the … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged 1963, Big Bang Comics, Bulletproof Coffin, Chis Ecker, Cold War, covers, Laura Allred, Madman, Mike Allred, Scott Morse, Shaky Kane, Stephen Bissette, Strange Science Fantasy | Leave a comment

1990s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 2

Posted on June 4, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

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 →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Grant, Anton Furst, Batman's personality, Cam Kennedy, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Dave Gibbons, Denny O'Neil, Denys Cowan, Doug Moench, Dwayne McDuffie, Elaine Lee, Flint Henry, Gabriel Morrissette, Jim Aparo, Jim Fern, John Ostrander, John Wagner, Keith Giffen, Kelley Puckett, Louise Simonson, Luke McDonnell, Marv Wolfman, Matt Wagner, Mike Baron, Mike Grell, Mike McKone, Mike W. Barr, Norm Breyfogle, Pat Broderick, Peter Milligan, reading order, Rich Hedden, Steve Rude, Tim Drake, Tom Grindberg, Tom Lyle, Val Semeiks | 8 Comments