Tag Archives: noir

Comics for Tarantino fans – part 1

Posted on January 5, 2016 by I.M. Baytor

Hitman #1 It makes sense that Garth Ennis chose to put this amusing riff on Reservoir Dogs’ opening lines in the very first issue of Hitman. Ennis shares with Quentin Tarantino a penchant for dark humor, graphic dismemberment, and lengthy … Continue reading →

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Top 20 Batman: Black & White stories

Posted on August 27, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

It’s no secret that many of the greatest Batman short stories are black-and-white. There’s something about the mood, between art house and classic Hollywood (serials aside), the urgent page count, and the overall sense of bare-bones minimalism that seems to … Continue reading →

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Film noir detective stories – part 2

Posted on May 7, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

If you read the last post, you know what’s going on. Here are more film suggestions for fans of noir detective stories: DEAD RECKONING (1947) -Put Christmas in your eyes and keep your voice low. Tell me about paradise and … Continue reading →

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Film noir detective stories – part 1

Posted on May 4, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Although film noir was a product of the 1940s and (arguably) the 1950s, since then its serpentine plots, mordant dialogue, and shadowy atmosphere have persistently inspired spoofs as well as straight-faced pastiches, including several Batman comics. With that in mind, … Continue reading →

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If you like Mask of the Phantasm…

Posted on April 23, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

With the possible exception of the Nolan trilogy, Mask of the Phantasm came the closest to capturing the feel of the coolest Batman comics and projecting it on the big screen. In fact, this movie spin-off of the awesome Batman: … Continue reading →

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Kick-ass Crimes of Catwoman

Posted on March 23, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Writing about standalone Catwoman stories last month, it occurred to me that Selina Kyle has committed quite a diverse range of robberies throughout the decades. From no-holds-barred heists to madcap capers that seem straight out of Blake Edwards’ The Pink … Continue reading →

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Brian Azzarello’s off-the-wall Batman

Posted on March 10, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Batman #620 Since 1939, there have been plenty of offbeat Batman writers, but I get a special kick out of the fact that Brian Azzarello has been allowed through the gates. After all, Azzarello seems mostly at home telling viciously … Continue reading →

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Top 5 stories of The Spirit, without Will Eisner

Posted on March 5, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Let’s face it, what made Will Eisner’s The Spirit so awesome wasn’t its regular cast or profound themes, but the way in which Eisner kept coming up with innovative narrative techniques, exploring the potential of sequential art. This is why … Continue reading →

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Top 20 stories of The Spirit, by Will Eisner

Posted on March 2, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

To celebrate Will Eisner week, today Gotham Calling pays homage to The Spirit, Eisner’s crime series from the 1940/50s whose legacy has been echoing around Batman comics ever since. Cue moody saxophone. The thing about The Spirit is that the … Continue reading →

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Smells Like Will Eisner’s Spirit

Posted on February 5, 2015 by I.M. Baytor

Detective Comics #600 In terms of stylish, offbeat crime stories featuring a masked vigilante and a pipe-smoking, irresponsibly lenient police commissioner, it’s hard to beat Batman comics. However, while The Spirit didn’t have such an engaging protagonist, such a fascinating … Continue reading →

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