Tag Archives: Cold War

Two-fisted fantasy comics

Posted on May 28, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Lately I’ve been writing mostly about sci-fi for this section of the blog, so I think it’s time to shift our attention to another great adventure genre: fantasy. Fantasy is one of those umbrella genres that covers a massive spectrum … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged 2000 AD, Alan Grant, Alfonso Azpiri, Archer & Armstrong, Archie Goodwin, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bernie Wrightson, Black Hawk, Clayton Henry, Cold War, Conan, Denny O'Neil, Doug Moench, Eliot Rahal, Emanuela Lupacchino, Fred van Lente, Gerry Conway, Gerry Finley-Day, Gil Kane, Jim Starlin, Jody Houser, John Buscema, John Jakes, John Romita, Ka-Zar, Kelvin Gosnell, Khari Evans, Len Wein, Mark Waid, Massimo Belardinelli, Pere Pérez, politics, Roy Thomas, Russ Heath, Savage Tales, science fiction, Stan Lee, Steve Gan, sword & sorcery | Leave a comment

1990s’ Batman comics reading guide – part 1

Posted on May 21, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Legends of the Dark Knight #69 I’ve mentioned plenty of times in this blog how one of my favorite eras of Batman comics took place in the 1990s when, under the group editorship of Dennis O’Neil, the various titles in … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Grant, Alan Moore, Andrew Helfer, Archie Goodwin, Arthur Ranson, Batman's personality, Brian Bolland, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Darwyn Cooke, Dave McKean, David Mazzucchelli, Denny O'Neil, Denys Cowan, Doug Moench, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, horror, J.J. Birch, James Owsley, Jeph Loeb, Jim Aparo, Jim Starlin, Joe Staton, Joey Cavalieri, John Byrne, John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell, Mark Pacella, Mike Hoffman, Mike Mignola, Mindy Newell, Neil Gaiman, Norm Breyfogle, reading order, Tim Sale | 6 Comments

Steve Gerber’s twisted Superman

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

With his propensity for heady digressions, offbeat satire, and countercultural sensibility, Steve Gerber was one of the most fascinating American writers in mainstream comics. While he didn’t exactly deconstruct superheroes in the radical form that some of his successors would … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITERS OF SUPERMAN COMICS | Tagged Bryan Hitch, Chris Chuckry, Cold War, Doug Wheatley, Gene Colan, Greg Adams, horror, John Byrne, Mark Bright, politics, Rick Veitch, science fiction, Steve Gerber, Tom Ziuko, Tony DeZuniga, Val Mayerick | Leave a comment

Spotlight on The Unknown Soldier, 1977-1980

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

When I last wrote about The Unknown Soldier – DC’s cult comic about the top US secret agent in World War II – I mentioned how David Michelinie briefly turned the series into a vicious anti-war parable, casting the hero … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Bob Haney, Cold War, Dick Ayers, Erick Santos, Esphidy, espionage, Gerry Talaoc, Jean Simek, Jerry Serpe, Joe Kubert, Milt Snappin, politics, Romeo Tanghal, Unknown Soldier, World War II | Leave a comment

Trashy, thrilling sci-fi war comics

Posted on February 13, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

Last month, I wrote about the remarkable ending of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but that was not the only cool sci-fi/fantasy series to wrap up in 2019. Rick Remender’s and Matteo Scalera’s Black Science finished its blustery, dreamlike barrage … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged 2000 AD, Alan Grant, Alfonso Azpiri, Annie Parkhouse, Ant Wars, Black Science, Bloody Mary, Brian K. Vaughan, Carlos Ezquerra, Cliff Chiang, Cold War, Dean White, Dee Cunniffe, Frank Miller, Garth Ennis, Gerry Finley-Day, horror, James Robinson, John Workman, José Luis Ferrer, Lozano, Luis Bermejo, Matt Wagner, Matt Wilson, Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio, Paper Girls, Peña, politics, Rachelle Menashe, Rick Remender, Robocop, science fiction, Steve Oliff, Terminator, Walt Simonson | Leave a comment

On John le Carré’s Circus novels

Posted on January 29, 2020 by I.M. Baytor

I won’t drift too far away and too often, but this year I want to widen the blog’s scope every once in a while. With that in mind, let’s shift gears for a bit and talk about John le Carré’s … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged books without pictures, Cold War, espionage, John le Carré, noir, politics | 2 Comments

Spotlight on The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen – part 1

Posted on December 23, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

If Master Race and other stories was Gotham Calling’s 2018 book of the year, this time around that questionable honor goes to The Tempest, the collection that marks the ending – twenty years after the first issue came out – … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Alan Moore, Ben Dimagmaliw, Bill Oakley, Cold War, Ian Edginton, Kevin O'Neill, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, politics, science fiction, Todd Klein | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Fury: My War Gone By

Posted on November 26, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

2012’s limited series Fury: My War Gone By is the kind of idiosyncratic, fascinating beast you get in the field of comics, bizarrely merging auteurism-ran-loose with a popular corporate franchise in the form of provocative historical fiction. It’s not just … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Cold War, Dave Johnson, espionage, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Kathryn Immonen, Lee Loughridge, Nick Fury, politics, Punisher, Rich Ellis | Leave a comment

Chuck Dixon’s mordant Batman

Posted on November 18, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

Last week I mentioned that Chuck Dixon is an old-school pro whose work in Batman comics (especially during his most prolific period, in the 1990s), rather than blow up the status quo, was all about gripping narratives that stayed true … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITERS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Chuck Dixon, Cold War, movies, politics | Leave a comment

Brilliant horror short stories

Posted on October 30, 2019 by I.M. Baytor

In theory, horror shouldn’t be an easy fit for stories of ten pages or less. For a narrative to be truly scary or disturbing, the stakes should be painstakingly set up, the atmosphere should breathe, the fearful anticipation should be … Continue reading →

Posted in FANTASTIC ADVENTURES | Tagged 2000 AD, Al Feldstein, Alec Worley, Bernie Krigstein, Bernie Wrightson, Bill Gaines, Bruce Jones, Carl Wessler, Charlotte Jetter, Cold War, Ellie De Ville, Gerry Conway, Harry Harrison, horror, Jim Aparo, Jim Wroten, Joe Orlando, John Albano, Marie Severin, noir, politics, Reed Crandall, Richard Corben, science fiction, Steve Ditko, Steve Gerber, Tom Foster, Vicente Alcazar, Wally Wood, Young Montano | 2 Comments