Tag Archives: noir

Anatomy of Batman #372 and Detective Comics #539

Posted on June 19, 2018 by I.M. Baytor

Back when I discussed Doug Moench’s 1980s Batman run, I singled out as its most striking features Moench’s literary emphasis on symbolism, characterization, politics, and intertextuality. This week, I’ll zoom in on one story in particular which powerfully combines all … Continue reading →

Posted in POLITICS OF BATMAN COMICS | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Alfredo Alcala, Bob Smith, boxing, Don Newton, Doug Moench, noir, politics | Leave a comment

Spy comics: revisiting the Cold War

Posted on July 6, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

Every once in a while, I like to shift gears and spotlight comics or films set outside Gotham City. Once a year, I take this one step further and devote a whole month to non-Batman comics. This time around, I … Continue reading →

Posted in SPYCRAFT & WARFARE | Tagged Alex de Campi, Antony Johnston, Blond, Cold War, Ed Brubaker, Elizabeth Breitweiser, espionage, Greg Rucka, Jean-Christophe Thibert, noir, politics, Sam Hart, Steve Epting, Steven Perkins, The Coldest City, Tony Parker, Velvet | Leave a comment

Classic hardboiled crime novels

Posted on March 9, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

If, like me, you dig pretty much everything noirish (even if it’s a highly derivative mash-up of familiar tropes, a weirdly pretentious cheapie about an incompetent hitman, a sleazy erotic thriller with contradictory gender politics, or a mystical, sluggishly paced … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged books without pictures, noir | Leave a comment

Between Gotham City and Casablanca

Posted on February 7, 2017 by I.M. Baytor

I’m pretty sure I’m not breaking any new ground by stating that Casablanca is one of the most enjoyable films ever made. This 1942 classic about heartbreak and antifascism in a French colony bursting with contraband and political intrigue manages … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Adrienne Roy, Al Vey, Bill Pearson, Casablanca, Chuck Dixon, Don Newton, espionage, Graham Nolan, Greg Rosewall, Howard Porter, Julianna Ferriter, Kelley Puckett, Mark Stegbauer, Martin Pasko, Mike Parobeck, movies, noir, Paul Kupperberg, Rick Burchett, Rick Magyar, Rick Taylor, Scott Hanna, Steve Erwin, Tatjana Wood, Tod Smith, Tom Yeates, World War II | Leave a comment

5 R-rated superhero comics

Posted on September 22, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

So yeah, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. There is something puzzling in almost every scene of this film. Why did Bruce’s employees wait for his phone call before evacuating a building that was obviously about to be crushed? Why … Continue reading →

Posted in SUPER POWERS | Tagged Alan Moore, Alias, Brian Michael Bendis, Carrie Strachan, Cold War, Colin Wilson, David Mack, Davide Gianfelice, Ed Brubaker, espionage, Francesco Mortarino, Frank Miller, Frank Quitely, Jessica Jones, Juan Jose Ryp, Jupiter's Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Mark Bagley, Mark Millar, Michael Gaydos, Michah Ian Wright, movies, No Hero, noir, politics, science fiction, Sean Phillips, Sleeper, Stormwatch Team Achilles, Tony Avina, Warren Ellis, Wilfredo Torres, Zack Snyder | Leave a comment

Collections of Batman stories – part 2

Posted on September 8, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are another five compilations of Batman stories worth seeking out: TALES OF THE DEMON (1991) Tales of the Demon collects the first handful of stories Denny O’Neil wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Davis, Alan Grant, Bob Brown, Darwyn Cooke, Denny O'Neil, Don Newton, horror, Irv Novick, Jim Aparo, Jo Duffy, John Wagner, Kieron Dwyer, Max Allan Collins, Michael Golden, Mike W. Barr, Neal Adams, noir, Norm Breyfogle, Peter Milligan, Robert Greenberger, Tom Mandrake | Leave a comment

Collections of Batman stories – part 1

Posted on September 1, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

Among the countless Batman books out there – old and new, classic or disposable – there is a whole subsection that strikes me as an ideal gateway for those who have heard of this Bruce Wayne fella but are still … Continue reading →

Posted in BATMAN COMICS FOR BEGINNERS | Tagged Alan Brennert, Andrew Helfer, Archie Goodwin, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman's personality, Bill Finger, Brad Rader, Brian Bolland, Bruce Timm, Chris Sprouse, Chuck Dixon, Gardner Fox, Grant Morrison, Greg Wright, horror, Jeph Loeb, Kelley Puckett, Kevin Nowlan, Lee Bermejo, Martin Pasko, Matt Wagner, Mike Parobeck, Neil Gaiman, noir, Rick Burchett, Rick Taylor, Ted McKeever, Teddy Kristiansen, Tim Harkins, Tim Sale, Todd Klein, Ty Templeton, Walt Simonson | Leave a comment

Spotlight on The Shadow Strikes!

Posted on July 28, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

The mid-to-late ‘80s were the true golden age of comic books. For a few years, the industry was set on trying out all kinds of ideas and outright bombarding readers with one memorable comic after another, featuring both new and … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged Anthony Tollin, Dave Stevens, David Cody Weiss, Denny O'Neil, Eduardo Barreto, Garth Ennis, Gary Gianni, Gerard Jones, Gerry Fernandez, Matt Wagner, Mike W. Barr, Milton Caniff, Noel Sickle, noir, politics, Rod Whigham, The Shadow | Leave a comment

Spotlight on Greyshirt

Posted on July 21, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

If you read the last posts, you know that this month I’ve been discussing eccentric vigilante comics. Hence Greyshirt. I have little doubt that the seeds for Greyshirt grew from Alan Moore’s contributions to The Spirit: The New Adventures, in … Continue reading →

Posted in HARDBOILED CRIME | Tagged Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Greyshirt, Melinda Gebbie, noir, Rick Veitch, Steve Moore, The Spirit, Will Eisner | Leave a comment

Remaking Night of the Stalker!

Posted on June 14, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

A few weeks ago, I talked about remakes in comics. The thing about this medium, though, is that a lot of the time remakes are not explicit. In fact, it’s not unusual for storylines to share (and usually extend) a … Continue reading →

Posted in WEBS OF FICTION | Tagged Archie Goodwin, Darwyn Cooke, Dick Giordano, Jerry Serpe, Morris Waldinger, Neal Adams, noir, Sal Amendola, Steve Englehart, Vic Amendola | 2 Comments