Author: Carl Doherty
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Christmas Comics Gift Guide 2008
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in FeaturesWe’ve all suffered those moments when parents, spouses or creepy bearded men ask us for Christmas present suggestions, and struggled with but one. Well struggle no longer, with this concise graphic novel shopping guide. Rather than concentrate on Chrimbo themed books, I’m opting for the classics, personal choices and the odd surprise. No, this has…
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Graphic Novel Reviews – The Problem with Comic Book Critique
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in ColumnComic book and graphic novel criticism is rarely found outside of niche publications such as Wizard, or the many fan-driven sites that litter the web. Occasionally a mainstream newspaper will publish an article on the medium as a whole, or offer a retrospective on an under-appreciated author, usually Alan Moore; but for the most part…
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 vol. 2: No Future for You TPB Review
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2008, Dark Horse Books Script: Brian K. Vaughan, Joss Whedon Pencils: Georges Jeanty, Cliff Richard Inks: Andy Owens Covers: Jo Chen Though it was far superior to IDW’s Angel series After the Fall, the opening volume of Buffy Season 8, The Long Way Home, definitely lacked the fluid wit of its television successor. Joss Whedon’s…
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Are Comics Books?
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in ColumnOkay, so that’s a stupid question. Or at least it may initially sound like one. In terms of publication and distribution, and their dependency on advertisements, comics are clearly magazines by definition. Which would then make graphic novels compiled magazines… which they are clearly (I hope) not. But the fact is that “comic book” is…
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Batman: Arkham Asylum Teaser Trailer Online
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in Comic NewsAn intriguing teaser trailer for the new video game Batman: Arkham Asylum is online. Last week an odd environment trailer showcased Ol’ Arkham itself, while this footage gives several glimpses of the characters involved. Unsurprising given the recent surge of public interest from The Dark Knight, the Joker hogs a large portion of the meagre…
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Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Graphic Novel Review
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2008, Dark Horse Script: Haden Blackman Art: Brian Chang, Bong Dazo, Wayne Nichols Colors: Michael Atiyeh Why do Star Wars comics so rarely work? The space opera movies, with their colourful characters, lovingly hammy dialogue, epic vistas and galactic dogfights should translate perfectly to the comic medium. And yet Dark Horse’s offerings, while seldom terrible,…
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The Prestige Movie Review
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2006 Dir: Christopher Nolan Script: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan Cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie As stage ingeneur John Cutter (Caine) explains during The Prestige’s opening, there are three stages of a magic act: the pledge; in which the magician shows us something ordinary, the turn; in which the magician “takes…
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Joker (Brian Azzarello) TPB Review
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2008, DC Writer: Brian Azzarello Art: Lee Bermejo Inks: Mike Gray Colors: Patricia Mulvihill The funny books are a confusing puddle to sporadically dip one’s big hairy toe into. While Bryan Singer’s first X-men movie spanked the Box Office, comic readers were confused as to why the sycophantic, bulbous cretin Toad had evolved overnight into…