Reading through James Robinson's Starman this week. Interesting how he was trying to "jokerize the obscure golden age her Ragdoll and make him a Charles Mansonesque cult figure. Very "Batman Beyond" in execution with propper hits dropped very early in the series. Below is a page from Starman #11 by Robinson with pencils by Tony Harris and inks by Wade Von Grawbadger.
Amazing how a world where compassion was seen as weakness and criminal was presented as science fiction less than twenty years ago by a then-uncancelled creator. From Astonishing X-Men #21 written by Joss Whedon with artwork by the late John Cassaday and colors by Laura Martin.
When I was a kid, I didn't see or read many comics where Green Lantern Jon Steward and Green Arrow hung out. They seem like such an obvious pairing. The page below is not only the only team up of them I read as a kid, but it's also my introduction to Jon Stewart as a character. From Green Lantern #165 written by Mike W. Barr with art by Keith Pollard and inks by Dan Adkins.
Much of America is filled with seething anger over decades of having no clear-cut enemy to overwhelm from their armchairs. I've been thinking about that this week, and I've been thinking about a certain comic by Skip Williamson. Below is the final page from "Conflagration" in the Fantagraphics anthology Zero Zero.
"Why does the Green Lantern show have to be about race?" Anyone who asks that never read the Green Lantern comics by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. A page from John Stewart's first appearance in Green Lantern #87 by O'Neil with art by Adams and Dick Giordano.
How about these election "precautions" Trump's administration is taking? Here's a totally unrelated page from Atari Force #5 written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas with art by Gil Kane and Dick Giordano.
No one dies as well as supporting characters do in comics. No one comes back form the dead the way supporting characters often do. A page form The Amazing Spider-Man #400 where Aunt May dies "for real." Story written by J. M. DeMatteis, penciled by Mark Bagley and inked by Larry Mahlstedt.
Imagine you're fighting for your lives against fascism and your only ally judges you as fighting "too hard." To me the criticism that someone is "trying too hard" is a criticism from the privileged, from those who don't have to try at all, who have never had to put 100% of themselves into a goal. Is the person stealing food to survive trying so hard? I've been thinking about this a lot. From Empire #6 by writer Mark Waid, penciler Barry Kitson and inker James Pascoe.
It's 2112 ad Canada is about to be invaded by the United States in the first issue of We Stand On Guard by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Steve Skroce. Did the creators put the premise too far into the future?
With such a year of entropy, it's hard looking back and seeing how right the doomsayers were. From Savage Dragon #218 by Erik Larson along with his long standing letterer, Chris Eliopoulos.
It was funnier thirty six years ago to think that an evil president could survive in a robot body after his body dies. Ask me if it's still funny in November. From the Give Me Liberty trade paperback by writer Frank Miller and artist Dave Gibbons. Originally published in Give Me Liberty #4 from the limited series.
I have to admit I've been enjoying the crossover specials between Marvel and DC Comics. It's nice seeing comics created by writers and artists who aren't "company men" obsessed with brand loyalty or having one character one-up the other. How can that exist anymore in this age? Anyway, here's a page from the story "Our Kryptonite," written by Brad Meltzer and drawn by Pepe Larraz.
A group of white people with Superman powers trying to preserve their alleged genetic purity by plotting to destroy the planetary equivalent of the United Nations? How did comics suddenly get woke over thirty years ago? From Legionnaires #27, written by Tom Peyer and Tom McCraw (who also did coloring on the issue), penciled by Mike McCraw and inked by W.C. Carani.
Maybe if told people that superheroes were being caged alongside immigrants and other brown people, we could end ICE tomorrow and turn this country around. A slightly out of context page from Spawn #10, written by Dave Sim with artwork by Todd McFarlane.
Last year in 2025's Marvel United: A Pride Special, there was a tribute to Arnie Roth, a gay supporting character of Captain America created by writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Zeck during their run on the title in the eighties. The page is from "My Buddy" in Marvel United, written by Anthony Oliveira with artowrk by Pablo Collar and Michael Wiggam.
The infamous killing of the gay Marvel Comics character Freedom Ring. A reminder that comics still have a long way to go towards representation. From Marvel Team #24 (third volume), written by Robert Kirkman with art by Andy Kuhn.
Actually grabbed a physical copy of DC Pride 2022 over the weekend. Grabbed it for the Kevin Conroy story, but I enjoyed the Connor Hawke Green arrow tale "Think of Me." Making Connor Hawke asexual actually fits with his backstory and previously published stories so well. Words and pictures by Ro Stein and Ted Brandt.
My girlfriend and I have been watching a lot of cult shows over the past few weeks. Wanted to mark that time with this page from the Plastic Man mini-series from the 80's (one of my favorite versions of this character) depicting a cult during a time when the concept of a cult was considered good joke material. Meet the cult of Ramalama (Ding Dong!) in Plastic Man #3 by Phil Foglio, Hilary Barta, John Nyberg and Doug Rice.
Saw a loved one at a hospital where they're undergoing physical therapy. Overall, the place is good, but when someone's too slow (in my mind) to help a loved one to the bathroom, I think of this underrated Swamp Thing story from ,Stephen R. Bissette. A reminder that horror has many hats. From Swamp Thing #59 by Bissette with art by Rick Veitch and Alfredo Acala.
