A critical look at comics and culture
Dear creative team of She-Hulk,
It’s great seeing Shulkie back in an ongoing series, especially one as unique as She-Hulk.
Soule’s storytelling and Pulido’s art are engaging, fun, and wholly unlike anything else on the shelves, but we need to have a serious discussion about issue #4.
Since when is all crime in San Fran committed by racist caricatures? Continue reading ‘An Open Letter About Racist Caricature to the Creative Team Behind ‘She-Hulk’’
I’m happy to announce that I’ll be speaking at Momocon 2014 next month!
Specifically, I’ll be one of the round table participants on Serious Issues in Cosplay Part 1 (Race, Gender, and Sexuality).
I’ll be joining fellow academic Damien Williams, veteran cosplayer Kimihako Blade, and two representatives from the Southern Star Cosplay group who previously hosted the Cosplay is Not Consent panel during AWA 2013 to discuss issues of race, gender, and sexuality as they relate to the cosplay community.
You can catch the panel on Saturday May 24, 2014 in Panels 207 (Hilton room 206 and 207) from 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM. Hope to see you there!
Last week, I had the pleasure of appearing on KCUR 89.3 FM’s Up to Date along with Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, the director of Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines and Dr. Brenda Bethman, the Director of the Women’s Center at UMKC. Continue reading ‘Listen to ‘Wonder Women: The Strength Of Female Superheroes’’
Tomorrow, April 22, 2014, I’ll be a guest on KCUR 89.3 FM’s Up to Date!
I’ll be discussing Wonder Woman and other Golden Age superheroines along with fellow guests Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, director of Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines and Dr. Brenda Bethman, Director of the Women’s Center at UMKC.
I’ll be on air from 11am-noon CST. You can catch it on KCUR’s instant stream, available for both Windows and iTunes.
[Update: You can now listen to the recorded episode at Up to Date.]
A new report that Michael B. Jordan will be playing Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, in Fox’s upcoming Fantastic Four reboot has once again sparked heated debate. Many are praising the color-blind casting choice as a sign of progress, while others espouse racism under the guise of upholding the ever-sacred source material (which is itself a product of 1950’s racism).
I’m not going to bother directly addressing all the racist arguments because they’ve already been discussed and discredited ad nauseam. (If you need that discussion, allow me to recommend starting with The 5 Most Insulting Defenses of Nerd Racism.)
However, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the alleged progressiveness of color-blind casting. Is color-blind casting inherently a form of positive representation?
No, not inherently. Continue reading ‘Jordan’s Human Torch and Representation: Multicultural Casting vs Color-Blind Casting’
In celebration of Black History Month, I’m giving away a brand new copy of March: Book One by civil rights leader John Lewis. Coauthored by Andrew Aydin with art by Nate Powell (Swallow Me Whole), March is the graphic memoir of Rep. Lewis’ life and involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.
Specifically, March: Book One deals with Lewis’ childhood in rural Alabama, his first meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., and his involvement in the Nashville Student Movement’s nonviolent fight against segregation. (For more on his many achievements, check out my previous post on Rep. John Lewis.) Continue reading ‘Black History Month Giveaway: ‘March: Book One’’
11-year-old Michael Morones
I’d like to take a break from my Wonder Woman series to discuss an item that came across my newsfeed. Actually, it’s not something I’d “like” to do. I’m trembling and I feel physically ill just reading the news reports but this is something that we need to talk about. Continue reading ‘Bronies, Gender Policing, and the Tragic Story of Michael Morones’
In celebration of Black History Month, I’m giving away copies of two of my favorite comics on the Journey Into Awesome Facebook page! First up is a new hardcover copy of Captain America: Truth (originally published as Truth: Red, White & Black) by Robert Morales (Captain America) and Kyle Baker (Why I Hate Saturn).
A blatant reference to the horrific real world Tuskegee Study, Truth is the tragic tale of a group of African American soldiers involuntarily subjected to an experimental version of the Super-Soldier Serum by the U.S. government. Continue reading ‘Black History Month Giveaway: ‘Captain America: Truth’’
This is the fifth of a multi-part examination of Brian Azzarello’s current run on “Wonder Woman.” It’s recommended that you go back and read the series from the beginning.
SPOILERS for Wonder Woman #0-20 ahead.
Marston’s Wonder Woman champions for a sense of solidarity among women. Diana’s relationship with the Amazons, Etta Candy, and the Holliday Girls all firmly establish the importance of women’s camaraderie as a central theme of Wonder Woman. Continue reading ‘Sisters in Arms: Examining Azzarello’s ‘Wonder Woman’ Part 5′
This is the fourth of a multi-part examination of Brian Azzarello’s current run on “Wonder Woman.” It’s recommended that you go back and read the series from the beginning.
SPOILERS for Wonder Woman #0-20 ahead.
Even more controversial than the changes made to Wonder Woman’s origins are these pages from the now infamous Wonder Woman #7. Continue reading ‘Rape, Murder, Slavery, and Infanticide: Examining Azzarello’s ‘Wonder Woman’ Part 4′
Journey Into Awesome 